Gnosis Chocolate - Everything Will Be Ok! raw, vegan botanical truffle bar - Dec. 28, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Gnosis Chocolate 
Everything Will Be Ok! raw vegan infused botanical truffle bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) /3 oz. (84 g.) in total bar
Calories: 232.5 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $17.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate Truffle Bars Week.

Today's "Everything Will Be Ok!" raw vegan infused botanical truffle bar was created by Vanessa Berg (aka Chocolate Girl) at Gnosis Chocolate (NYC, NY). Vanessa is a passionate certified health practitioner.

Aroma notes included: smooth dark chocolate; very faint, diffuse fruits and light herbs; very faint coconut; and, oddly, a breath of fresh air in a pine forest. 

Texture: a solid, raw* dark chocolate shell gave way to a soft, fudge-y, truffle-style filling.

Flavor notes included: very smooth dark chocolate, faint, fleeting dried fruit (fig, date), sweet herb, nut (walnut), and diffuse, very subtle fresh fruit (red apple, berry), sweet root, and light earth. The flavors were smooth, well-balanced and harmonized with a slightly undulating complexity.

I really enjoyed the gentle, yet rich and transporting, flavors in this truffle-style filled bar.

Ingredients: "raw cacao beans, raw blue agave nectar, virgin coconut oil, coconut sugar, Lung Blend (elecampane, grindelia, horehound, lobelia, mullein, osha, pine bark, pleurisy, yerba santa), Immunity Blend (burdock, cat's claw, echinacea purpea (sic), echinacea angustifolia, elderberry, ginger, pau d'arco, shilajit), Medicinal Mushroom Blend (chaga, cordyceps, reishi), Adaptogenic Herbs (ashwagandha, rhodiola, schizandra) Calming Herbs (passionflower, tulsi, valerian), Vitamin C Blend (camu camu berry, rose hips), chlorella, spirulina, Love."

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging.) "Free of Dairy, Soy, Gluten, GMO, Refined Sugar"

*The cacao used to make this chocolate was not heated above 118 degrees (F) to "maintain integrity of flavor and nutrition." Well-executed raw chocolate tends to be a little smoother than cacao processed at higher temperatures. I've found high-quality raw chocolates to be less bitter, with fewer "roasted" notes. (Think: very light roast coffee vs. intense espresso roast.)

Venice Organics - Chocolate Joy (Raw Snacks) - Aug. 23, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Venice Organics
Chocolate Joy 
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total container
Calories: 160 calories in 1/3 container
Cost: $9.00 (estimate) for 1 container
Purchased from: Part of Farm Fresh produce box, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's refrigerated, Organic "Chocolate Joy" raw snack offering was manufactured in California for Venice Organics (Los Angeles, CA). The company (formerly known as Rowe of Venice) offers a line of organic and raw offerings, including cacao nib-based confections and chocolate bars.

Aroma notes for this bar-shaped, raw confection included: dark chocolate/cacao nibs, soft coconut and faint nut. 

This snack had a hearty, moderately chewy texture. Ground cacao nibs, unsweetened coconut and raw almonds were melded together with coconut oil and lightly sweetened with blue agave. All these potentially crumbly elements were held together firmly, because it was refrigerated. (Coconut oil solidifies below 76 degrees F. (24 degrees C.).) Given the hot summer weather today, having a cool treat like this was an extra plus.

Flavor notes for this chilled confection included: rich cacao, fresh coconut, and ground almonds.  

I enjoyed the authentic cacao bean (cacao nibs) flavor--with no added emulsifiers, flavors, or dairy. This organic, vegan offering is also grain-free and gluten free.

Ingredients: *Raw Almonds, *Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, *Raw Blue Agave, *Virgin Coconut Oil, *Cacao Powder, *100% Cacao Chips, Himalayan Pink Salt (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: "This product contains almonds and coconut and may contain nut shell fragments."

Flying Bird Botanicals - Cacao Vanilla Rose Drinking Chocolate - Sept. 22, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Flying Bird Botanicals
Cacao - Vanilla Rose Drinking Chocolate
Good +
Weight: 1 TB (7 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99.05 g.) in total container
Calories: 30 calories in 1 serving (of dry mix)
Cost: $9.95 for 1 container (steel cylindrical tin)
Purchased from: Land's End gift shop, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate Breakfast Theme Week. And happy first day of Fall.

Today's Cacao - Vanilla Rose Drinking Chocolate was made by Flying Bird Botanicals (Bellingham, WA). The company offers a line of teas and cacao drinking chocolate blends. 

The aroma of this drinking chocolate yielded a bouquet of floral magic. The authentic "rose-y" notes evoked memories of flowers, chocolate, friends and sharing food together. The uplifting aroma of cacao, rose and vanilla flavors was a great way to start the morning.

The cacao powder was finely ground and dissolved easily and completely with relatively minimal stirring in hot water. The authentic cacao/chocolate flavor was pleasant and not too sharp or bitter. (There was a faint trace of plant astringency (back of the throat tickle), but I am guessing that was from the rose powder.)

I mixed this powdered cacao blend with hot water and coconut milk. Almond milk might be a good/better dairy alternative choice with this vanilla rose blend. (Almonds are a distant relative of roses, so there might even be some natural affinity between the two.) Coconut partners nicely with vanilla, but can eclipse other, milder floral notes.

The flavor and sweetness levels were well balanced in this blend. And, even though organic raw cane sugar was the first of five ingredients, this drinking chocolate was not too sweet. (Add less water for a more concentrated sweetness and flavor and thicker texture.) The ground vanilla bean added faint, natural warmth.

If you love floral flavors and botanical flavor inclusions, give this high-quality cacao blend a try.

Ingredients: Organic raw cane (sugar) crystals, organic raw cacao powder, organic rose powder, organic vanilla bean, organic rose essential oil.

Allergen-related information: (None listed on container that I could see.)

Flying Bird Botanicals - Cocao Especial and OmNom Chocolate Lakkris + Sea Salt (bar) - Sept. 21, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Flying Bird Botanicals

Cacao Especial Drinking Chocolate

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.5 Tablespoons (12 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99.05 g.) in total container

Calories: 45 calories in 1 serving (1.5 Tablespoons)

Cost: $9.95 for 1 container

Purchased from: Land's End gift shop, San Francisco, CA

OmNom Chocolate
Lakkris + Sea Salt (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: ZombieRunner, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate Breakfast Theme Week.

Fall begins this week; and I'd hoped to find a (pre-made) licorice hot chocolate--difficult to find for a gluten-free me as most licorice offerings contain wheat flour. Happily, I did find a pair of cacao-based items that added up to something similar.

Flying Bird Botanicals - Cacao Especial

The first item in today's chocolate duo was a cup of Cacao Especial Drinking Chocolate from Flying Bird Botanicals LLC (Bellingham, WA). The company offers a variety of teas and cacao drinking chocolates.

Raw cacao powder can be quite strong. The first raw drinking chocolate mixes I remember tasting were sometimes acidic, bitter and gritty. (Big brand hot chocolate powdered mixes are generally made with finely ground, alkalized cocoa--using a process that reduces acidity and sharper cacao flavor notes.) 

However, today's raw and organic (three-ingredient) powdered cacao mix had rich, smooth cacao (light brownie) flavor--perhaps due to the choice of (presumably milder) "heirloom" cacao and a hint of vanilla bean. The powder also blended nicely with warm liquids with some minimal stirring, including the coconut milk and water I used to make this drinking chocolate. (There was no grittiness; and this was accomplished without any added emulsifiers or vegetable gums. Thank you!)

I look forward to enjoying this mix on cold weather mornings to come. It would be great for drinking and dipping. I plan to dip my (gluten-free) breakfast bread or toast into this drinking chocolate. (For those who can handle gluten, try a buttery, flaky croissant.)

Also appreciated was the mindful packaging that Flying Bird uses for their teas and cacao blends (e.g. use of recycled papers and sealed, recycled steel tins made in the U.S.).

Ingredients: "Organic raw cacao powder, organic raw cane crystals, organic ground vanilla bean."

Allergen-related information: (None listed that I could find.)

OmNom Lakkris + Sea Salt (bar)

Today's second chocolate was a Lakkris (Licorice) + Sea Salt (bar) made by OmNom Chocolate (Reykjavik, Iceland). 

Licorice root is naturally sweet (due to glycyrrhizic acid), and gluten free. However, most licorice candies contain wheat flour; and wheat gluten enables licorice's characteristic chewy, stretchy texture. Licorice root flavor can also be imparted to foods and chocolate in other ways, including using alternative starches or licorice liqueurs, teas and other infusions.

Because I can't tolerate gluten, I really appreciate, high-quality, new and novel chocolates/foods that I can eat. And to find this creatively crafted licorice and salt bar, with no wheat ingredients, was a real treat.

What do I mean by creative? Similar to coffee "chocolate" bars made with very finely ground coffee beans and cocoa butter (the 40-50% of fat from the cacao bean), this licorice bar was crafted using cocoa butter, but not the "darker" part of the cocoa bean that I've often referred to in the past as cocoa solids.

The deep, golden brown color of this bar gave it a milk chocolate appearance. But the "chocolate" color came from caramelized sugar and licorice. 

The bar had a caramel licorice aroma. Bold flavor notes included something for almost every quadrant of the palette: a rich, browned sugar milk caramel sweetness was balanced by a sustained bitter herb note (authentic licorice) note, and a sparkle or two of Icelandic sea salt (that OmNom makers obtained) from a local saltworks facility.

If you love licorice/liquorice, do give this bar a try.

Ingredients: Organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, Icelandic whole milk powder, liquorice powder, Icelandic sea salt from Saltverk salmiak, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin). Contains a minimum of 38% cocoa solids.

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk.) "Designed and made in Iceland, in a facility that handles nuts, dairy and gluten."

*Wheat flour is used to bind ingredients together in the making of licorice, presumably (initially) ground bits of licorice root or a licorice extract and sugars (glucose, syrups) to yield a slightly gummy, stretchy texture associated with commercial licorice sticks, disks, nuggets and other shapes/forms.

Not Your Sugar Mamas (NYSM) - Almond Crunch Organic Dark Chocolate 75% raw (bar) - July 20, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Not Your Sugar Mamas - NYSM

Almond Crunch Organic Dark Chocolate 75% raw cacao bar

Good + 

Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar

Calories: 380 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $7.59 (estimate) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

Today's Pure and Simple Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Not Your Sugar Mama's (NYSM) (Vineyard Haven, MA). 

The company produces chocolates made with less processed ingredients (e.g. raw cacao, less processed sugars/no refined sugar, no emulsifiers). Founder, chef, mother and food entrepreneur, Kyleen Keenan (see also eathappyist.com), is currently focused on plant-based chocolates and cheeses.

Today's organic Almond Crunch bar made with raw cacao had a quiet, natural taste. It was more mild, less wild than most other 75% dark chocolate bars.

Aroma notes included a hint of warm sugar (maple), sweet and clean dark chocolate, gentle fruit (very faint ripe, mild red plum), implied warm spice (not quite cinnamon, probably from the maple), and faint coconut and light green and nut notes.

This Almond Crunch chocolate had a smooth, almost creamy texture with a progressively, slightly rapid melt--while still maintaining a well-tempered, firmness. The almonds and coconut pieces added crunchy and chewy texture and mild (unroasted) flavors.

The raw cacao base offered even, very mild dark chocolate flavor with hot chocolate, very faint, fleeting earth notes and a clean finish. A barely there lemon/tart green herb (sorrel, oxalis, sour grass) note detected in the aroma was all but gone but for a very faint flicker of green (fruit) astringency.

Maple sugar contributed a natural sweetness--and some of the subtle aroma notes mentioned above. And the overall taste wasn't too sweet. (Thank you. I do not miss the sugar buzz.)

A very faint trace of Himalayan sea salt (I didn't even taste it) balanced out the sweet with a barely detectable touch of savory.

Ingredients: Organic raw cacao, organic maple sugar, Himalayan sea salt, organic vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: "Vegan + Paleo;" No soy, gluten or dairy; and "Processed in a facility that uses tree nuts: almonds and cashews." 

Not Your Sugar Mamas (NYSM) - Pure and Simple Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 17, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Not Your Sugar Mamas - NYSM

Pure and Simple Organic Dark Chocolate 81% raw cacao bar

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar

Calories: 400 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $7.59 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Pure and Simple Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Not Your Sugar Mama's (NYSM) (Vineyard Haven, MA). 

The company produces chocolates made with less processed ingredients (e.g. raw cacao, less processed sugars/no refined sugar, no emulsifiers). Founder, chef, mother and serial food entrepreneur, Kyleen Keenan (see also eathappyist.com), has been producing plant-based cheeses and chocolates.

Today's Pure and Simple 81%  raw cacao, organic bar had a quiet, natural beauty. This ultra-dark bar was anything but bold, brash or bitter. However, it was also not boring. 

Its subtle aroma was complex and interesting, with authentic smokey vanilla, faint smokey whiskey (at the very beginning only), sweet and clean but rich cocoa nibs, gentle fruit (faint ripe, red plum, faint sweet cherry), implied warm spice, floral (vanilla), very faint, slightly tart green herbal (oxalis, sour grass, sorrel), and very faint, fleeting savory (salt) notes.

The chocolate had a smooth, almost creamy, texture with a slightly rapid/oily melt--while still maintaining a well-tempered, firm integrity.

The flavor notes were even and gentle. The raw cacao (vs. roasted) yielded a very mild dark chocolate flavor and clean finish. 

Maple sugar contributed a natural sweetness--and some of the subtle aroma notes mentioned above. It fused nicely with what seemed to be wonderfully flavorful vanilla bean(s), and the cacao. And the overall taste wasn't too sweet. (Thank you. I did not miss the sugar buzz.)

A judicious trace of Himalayan sea salt created an effortless whisp of balance on the savory side and the salt didn't interfere with any of the subtle aromas and flavors.

Ingredients: Organic raw cacao, organic maple sugar, Himalayan sea salt, organic vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: "Vegan + Paleo;" No soy, gluten or dairy; and "Processed in a facility that uses tree nuts: almonds and cashews." 

Cacao Crudo - Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) - July 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Crudo

Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) 

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) for 1 bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco, CA 

Welcome to Day #4 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) was made by Cacao Crudo S.r.l. (Roma, Italia/Rome, Italy).

The aroma and flavor notes for this Taveletta di Cioccolato Fondente Biologico (dark chocolate organic bar) were a mix of intoxicating, naturally sweet (green molasses* if that's possible) and very clear and clean green floral (white flowers: jasmine, magnolia, orchid) and very faint, green fruit notes that lightly lingered into the finish.

This was not your typical ultra-dark (80% or above) bar. It was low in acidity, bitterness and strong fruit. (In a blind tasting I might have guessed this was a 70%-73% cacao chocolate.) 

Speaking of fruit, far from being walloped with prune, pomegranate, orange peel and/or tart red berries--which are delightful in their own right, this chocolate caressed the palette with faint green fruit notes that lay at the opposite (mild) end of the tasting spectrum. Think very faint green kiwi shading into light cucumber blended with mild green table grapes.

Will everyone love this bar? Not necessarily, if you favor bolder, heavier, roasted flavors. But, please do try this bar if you have the opportunity. (It's currently available in specialty stores or online.)

The unique green floral aroma and flavor notes for this bar were made possible by using Criollo cacao that was unroasted--a processing choice that preserves more delicate floral and flavor notes that can be lost during conventional roasting and higher temperature grinding/conching.

The Criollo variety of cacao is prized for its more delicate flavors, which can include soft, complex fruit and cream notes.

Floral chocolate lovers rejoice. You may find yourself virtually transported to a celebration of green, floral chocolate flavors inside an orchid conservatory, or in a tropical jungle filled with green vines and wildflowers.

Ingredients: Organic Criollo cacao powder, organic Criollo cacao butter, organic coconut blossom nectar, organic coconut pulp, organic vanilla.

Allergen-related information: "Gluten Free...May contain traces of hazelnuts and pistachios." 

*The coconut blossom nectar (used as a sweetener instead of cane sugar) also contributed to a gentler (lower on the glycemic index), slightly aromatic sugar experience. Various descriptions of faint flavor notes this sweetener imparts include: brown sugar, caramel--and less frequently: barely there musky (floral), and/or very faint smoke. 

It does not taste like coconut meat or milk, even though the blossoms are clustered at the top of coconut palm trees. Floral sap is collected in small buckets and then made into coconut sugar.

Rowe of Venice - Espresso organic gourmet snack - Feb. 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Rowe of Venice

Espresso organic gourmet snack

Good - Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28.1 g.) / 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) in total package

Calories: 160 calories in 2/3 package

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: FarmFresh to You CSA box delivery service, add-on order item

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and EFGHI Theme Week, where flavor ingredients and concepts beginning with the letters E, F, G, H and I are featured.

Cocoa and coffee are a time-honored pairing, and today's snack contained the unadulterated essence of both of these flavors. Finely ground Espresso coffee and raw cocoa powder offered some extra bean goodness and oomph without being overpowering.

Today's Espresso organic gourmet snack pieces were from Rowe of Venice (Los Angeles, CA). The company offers a line of refrigerated, raw, superfood snack offerings and flourless SOL bread mini loafs.

The small package of snack pieces were gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, and made from raw ingredients.

These petite snack squares had aroma and flavor notes of ground espresso, authentic coconut, nuttiness (almonds) and dark cocoa. The shredded coconut and ground raw almonds contributed a slightly soft, chewy crunchiness. 

Pre-packaged snacks often have a slightly addictive level of sugar and salt. Happily, these snacks contained low levels of both. The sweetness (raw agave nectar) level was just right for my taste, which is to say not too sweet. The Himalayan pink salt was barely detectable. 

Like many enjoyable nutrient-dense foods, one or two squares was enough. The almonds provided protein, slowing cravings that have led to snack gobbling  (more rapid consumption).

Ingredients: "Love, organic raw almonds, organic espresso, organic raw blue agave nectar, organic raw cacao powder, unsweetened shredded coconut, organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, Himalayan pink salt, Gratitude."

Honeymoon Chocolates - Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate with Raw Honey (bar) - Nov. 9, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Honeymoon Chocolates
Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate with Raw Honey (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 188 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Village Market, Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Honey and Citrus Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's Bean-to-Bar Peruvian 70% Dark Chocolate with Raw Honey (bar) was from Honeymoon Chocolates (Saint Louis, MO).  

The company creates micro batch stone-ground chocolate bars sweetened with raw honey. A portion of the proceeds from this chocolate bar (and others) "are automatically donated to support honeybee research."

This chocolate had a soft, almost velvety melt and texture. The relatively robust dark chocolate with notes of cream, earth, roasted coffee, dried fruit (prune, citrus), and very faint spice and fermented cacao. The raw honey contributed a subtle sweetness.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, raw honey, cacao butter and vanilla bean.

Addictive Wellness Raw Chocolate - Focus - Jan. 22, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Addictive Wellness Raw Chocolate
Focus chocolate
Good
Weight: .325 oz. (9.5 g.) / 1.3 oz. (38 g.) in total package of 4 pieces
Calories: 60 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $(missing information) for 1 package of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Surprise Theme Week.

How about a chocolate with a golden unicorn mascot? That's a little surprising.

We've featured chocolates with names that span the entire alphabet; however, we've never run a series of chocolates that corresponded to an animal alphabet.

If we did, the letters M (chocolate monkeys and mice), S (chocolate squirrels) and C (chocolate cows and cats) would likely be over-represented, as would T (chocolate turtles).

Whereas today's Focus chocolate from Addictive Wellness Raw Chocolate (Beverly Hills, CA) might be the only U (unicorn).

The package of four round, peanut butter cup-shaped dark chocolates were made with "beyond fair trade" Arriba Nacional Heirloom Cacao. There was no soft center in these cup-shaped pieces. They were solid chocolates that contained Cordyceps, Siberian Ginseng, Lion's Mane Mushroom, Mesquite, Lucuma and Ashwagandha, and were sweetened with Birch Xylitol and Stevia. They were also sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan.

The texture was fairly smooth. However, not surprisingly, these "superfoods and superherbs" imparted some taste—a slight bitter, medicinal herb flavor; although it was better balanced than it sounds.

Stone Grindz - Kale Yeah! Raw Energy Bar - Jan. 21, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Stone Grindz Chocolate

Kale Yeah! Raw Energy Bar(s)

Good

Weight: 1.7 oz. (47.2 g.) / 4.99 oz. (141.5 g.) (estimate) in total container

Calories: 157 calories in 1 bar 

Cost: $5.95 for 1 container of 3 bars

Purchased from: Stone Grindz (online order)

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Surprise Theme Week.

You might be surprised to read that chocolate and vegetable combinations are quite edible.

Today's Kale Yeah! Raw Energy Bar was made by Stone Grindz Chocolate (Scottsdale, AZ). Their raw energy bars are quite different than most chocolate-coated candy or energy bars.

First, Stone Grindz raw energy bars (available via a Secret Store pull down option on the company's website) taste fresher and less processed than most bars. Second they have no added sugar and salt (none, thank you!).  

These organic bars are blended so that they taste and feel well balanced. The ingredients harmonize nicely; no one flavor dominates. 

While dates are the first ingredient listed, they're not overwhelming. The kale (which I venture to wager you could not identify in a blind taste test) and pumpkin seeds help balance out the date sweetness.

Cacao nibs add flavor depth, but are not the primary attraction. 

The bars have a soft chew and uniform flavor and tasting experience. You might find a stray chia seed in your mouth following the tasting experience, but the seeds were not too intrusive. 

Urban Remedy - Raw Cacao Mousse - Dec. 11, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Urban Remedy

Raw Cacao Mousse

Good ++

Weight: 4.06 oz. (115 g.) in 1 container

Calories: 240 calories in 1 container/package

Cost: $N/A - gift from family member 

Purchaesed from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Raw Cacao Mousse from Urban Remedy (Richmond, CA) may be one of the healthier snacks featured this week.

Many popular snack items contain a long list of processed ingredients. Today's mousse, not so much: "Almond milk (filtered water, almond), date syrup, coconut oil, date, cacao powder, vanilla extract, Irish moss, sunflower lecithin, Himalayan pink salt."

For creamy dessert lovers who are unable to eat gluten, dairy or soy and prefer organic foods, Urban Remedy may offer something appealing for you, such as this single serving container* of (refrigerated) organic, creamy and flavorful mousse made with raw cacao and almond milk.

*The container and packaging are made from 100% recycled ingredients. 

Antidote - Ginger + Panela 77% dark bar - Aug. 18, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Antidote Chocolate
Ginger + Panela 77% dark bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 390 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information


Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Today's Ginger and Panela 77% dark bar from Antidote Chocolate (Brooklyn?, NY) was flavorful, bittersweet, yet smooth with no sharp notes and not overly sweet (thank you). Hints of lightly candied ginger popped up now and then.

Panela (similar to brown sugar) sweetened the bar and gave it some extra flavor.

This Antidote Chocolate bar was created with the company founder's unique blend of 50% raw and 50% roasted cacao. (The Arriba cacao beans used were from Ecuador (Camino Verde).)

After tasting a piece of the bar, I broke the remainder into pieces to include in a (cooked) dessert.

The rest became part of a chocolate pot de creme flavored with ginger and small amounts of additional floral spices: vanilla (flowering orchid), cardamom (spice with fragrant, floral notes), saffron (crocus stamens) and kewra (another flower) water.

This dessert was then topped with blueberries and mango pieces

Addictive Wellness - Love chocolates - Jan. 23, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Addictive Wellness Raw Chocolate
Love (chocolates)
Good - Good +
Weight: .65 oz. (19 g.) / 1.3 oz. (38 g.) in total package of 4 pieces
Calories: 120 calories (per label) in 2 pieces
Cost: $7.73 for 1 package of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Country Sun, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Alternative Sweetener Theme Week.

Addictive Wellness (Beverly Hills, CA) offers a series of raw (83% cacao) chocolates with "superfoods and superherbs" that are sugar free, vegan and gluten free.

Today's Love chocolates (4 pieces to a package) were made with Arriba Nacional Cacao, mesquite, lucuma, maca and reishi mushrooms. Other ingredients included: He Shou Wu, cistanche, mucuna and epimedium*. I can't say I understood the exact benefits these latter four plant items offered, but they didn't cause any ill effects.

Sweetened with birch xylitol, stevia (and the lucuma mentioned above), and seasoned with a bit of Himalayan salt, these round chocolates molded into paper cups had a faint, pleasing and authentic chocolatey aroma, and a very slight coffee and bitter herbs flavor note that added interest.

*Epimedium, native to Asia, is also known as horny goat weed. 

Phi Kind - Mylk Chocolate - Jan. 22, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Phi Kind
Mylk Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.13 oz. (32 g.) in 1 package of 4 pieces
Calories: 169 calories (estimate) in 4 pieces
Cost: $7.95 for 1 package of 4 pieces
Purchased from: The Seed Bank, Petaluma, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Alternative Sweetener Theme Week.

While it's hard to beat a well-made, two-ingredient bar with cacao and cane sugar, how fortunate we are that so many people are re-engineering chocolate, e.g. exploring thoughtful dairy and sugar alternatives.

Today's "Mylk" chocolates from Phi Kind Chocolate (Santa Rosa, CA) were crafted using raw cacao and non-traditional sweeteners.

The plant-based, mostly organic ingredients list read as follows: "Cacao Nibs, Non-GMO Birch Xylitol*, Coconut, Sunchoke (Jerusalem Artichoke) Syrup, Vanilla, Sea Salt and Stevia." No milk in these mylk chocolates.

These confection-style chocolates were relatively creamy with a hint of coconut flavor and a tiny sparkle of sea salt. They had genuine chocolate flavor and were plenty sweet without conventional sugar. I detected no off taste with these sweeteners.

If I had to quibble, I'd say I might have preferred a slightly more intense cacao flavor or slightly less sweetener. But, then again, this was raw, "mylk" chocolate, not roasted, dark chocolate! And many people will enjoy the smoother chocolate flavor and appreciate the lack of common allergens and sugar.

These chocolates were dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, vegan, raw and paleo.

*Birch xylitol, a low glycemic and near-zero caloric sugar substitute, made with fermented birch (tree) bark/pulp. (Think maple syrup, which comes from maple trees or pieces of real sugar cane (before sugar has been extracted). There is sometimes enough sugars in trees/plant fiber to create a viable sweetener.) 

Heart of Shasta - Peanut Butter Organic bar - Aug. 3, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Heart of Shasta
Peanut Butter Organic Raw Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .325 oz. (9.2 g.) / 1.3 oz. (36.8 g.) in total bar
Calories: 48 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $3.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

Unlike other chocolate and peanut butter blends and items this week, today's Peanut Butter Organic Raw Chocolate Bar from Heart of Shasta (Mt. Shasta, CA) had a slightly more delicate flavor. The peanut butter filling was a smooth blend of honey, coconut oil and peanuts, and had pleasant, almost floral notes to it.

And the chocolate (made from 100% cacao powder and cocoa butter) was more subtle than chocolate made from roasted cacao beans.

Heart of Shasta - Lavender Dreams Bar - June 10, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Heart of Shasta
Lavender Dreams Organic Raw Chocolate Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.1 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 165 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $3.95 in total bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Lavender Dreams bar was from Heart of Shasta (Mt. Shasta, CA).

This was not a heat-tempered bar that broke with a hard snap, but rather one that was soft, uniformly creamy, fudgey and truffle-like—only without the sugar. Lightly sweetened with honey instead of refined sugar, with a pleasing melt and mouth feel from cacao and coconut fat, this raw bar was made from 100% cacao powder, cacao butter, honey, coconut oil and lavender.

The lavender flavor was authentic, pleasing, well-balanced and uniform throughout the bar.

As with most raw chocolate made in this fashion, there is less of a sugar "buzz" and fewer spikes of roasted, fruit and other flavors from the cacao that develop in fermentation, roasting and other stages of chocolate-making where temperatures exceed that allowed for "raw" chocolate. And that may be a good thing, depending on what your preferences might be.

If you're curious about raw chocolate, this might be a good brand to try. The company offers a line of flavored bars.

This raw and organic bar was Dairy, Soy and Gluten Free.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Santosha Chocolate - Coconut and Hawaiian Pink Salt bar - Apr. 30, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Santosha Chocolate
(Produced by Raw Shakti Chocolate LLC)
Coconut and Hawaiian Pink Salt Raw 70% Cacao bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (29 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

Chocolate bars with salt are no longer difficult to find.

One can be further selective and specify a Vegan, Organic, Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Low Glycemic, Nut Free and Soy Free, 70% cacao, raw dark chocolate bar with pink salt. Even with this criteria, there are at least a handful of different bars that might be a match.

If you add coconut to the mix, and specify Hawaiian pink salt, that would further narrow down the field; and there's a good chance a search for this bar might yield today's Santosha Chocolate Coconut and Hawaiian Pink Salt Raw 70% Cacao bar (produced by Raw Shakti Chocolate LLC, based in Asheville, NC).

This bar had a natural coconut and dark chocolate aroma, and was carpeted on the back with an even layer of finely grated coconut. The coconut wasn't too sweet, and I appreciated that. The grated coconut bits on one side gave the bar a mild chewiness.

Organic, raw Peruvian (heirloom) cacao beans were used to the craft the 70% cacao dark chocolate–that had a slight tang of fruit acidity.

Vanilla and a slight caramel/brown sugar taste (from the coconut palm sugar) gave the bar a touch of warm comfort flavor; and the bar had a pleasant clean finish. The Hawaiian sea salt contributed to a nicely balanced bar.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Rau - Cacao Superfood Drink - Apr. 25, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Rau
Rau Chocolate Original Cacao Superfood Drink
Good
Weight: 1 fl. oz. (29.5 mL) / 12 fl. oz. (354 mL) in total container
Calories: 7.5 calories in 1 fl. oz.
Cost: $4.59 for 1 container/bottle
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week. And we're starting the week with a salt-subtle item, made possible with the absence of sugar.

Today's Organic, Cacao Drink contained: "filtered water, raw cacao powder, raw cacao butter, Himalayan pink salt, raw vanilla bean, spice, monk fruit."

No sugar, and no artificial sweetener. It's unusual to find anything like that in the chocolate world, short of baking chocolate or a 100% cacao bar.

The company added monk fruit (luo han guo) as a sweetener to this cold processed cacao beverage instead. So, it was not too sweet, and subtle hints of vanilla and pink salt have a chance to come through a bit.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Caven Creations - Coconut Meat and Sweet bar - Mar. 22, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Caven Creations
Coconut Meat and Sweet bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 90 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's 78% raw dark chocolate Coconut Meat and Sweet bar was created by Caven Creations (Santa Cruz, CA).

The vegan, gluten-free and fair trade bar had a slight green coconut aroma, and a crunchy, slightly bitter flavor, with a tiny bit of ferment funk.

The raw dark chocolate and coconut flavors were uniform and consistent throughout the bar.

This bar was (refreshingly) very lightly sweetened with coconut palm sugar, making it lower on the glycemic index than a sugar-filled bar.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.