Raaka Chocolate - "Mellow Moon" - Functional Dark Chocolate 64% (bar) - Dec. 24, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate
"Mellow Moon" - Functional Dark Chocolate 64% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. 28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.25 for 1 bar + shipping 
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Mushroom Week.

Today's "Mellow Moon" Functional 64% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) made by Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

Aroma and flavor notes included: the smells of freshly cut wood stacked by a fireplace, with a winter mulled, warm chocolate and spice beverage in my hand wafting up steam. Amazing how evocative smells and taste can be.

Additional flavor notes included very faint, authentic menthol/peppermint and very faint wood and umami.

Texture: smooth, almost creamy texture--with no detectable mushroom powder/grit. (I've made this comment in most of this week's mushroom chocolate bars. We've come a long way from the very first mushroom chocolate I ever tasted years ago.) 

I enjoyed the diverse blend of ingredients that somehow all harmonized well together, and the base cacao that contributed a smooth yet flavorful base, and the faint, fleeting and unlikely graham cracker (brown sugar?) note in the finish.

Cacao origin: Semuliki Forest, Uganda. 

Maker's description: "Mellow out with this soothing, floral dark chocolate infused with seven adaptogenic herbs and 530 mg of mushrooms, carefully crafted for the after hours."

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, organic lion's Mane mushroom extract, organic reishi mushrooms, organic peppermint, organic holy basil, organic lemon balm, organic lavender, organic ashwaganda"

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut sugar. "gluten free, vegan" 

Raaka Chocolate - Day Break Functional Dark Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 23, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate
Day Break Functional Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. 28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.25 for 1 bar + shipping 
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Mushroom Week.

Today's Day Break Functional 63% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) made by Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate (rich, chocolate-y, caramel); bright, dark ripe berry/berry syrup; sweet green (noccino); very faint wood and warm spice notes. This was a great morning, winter warmer chocolate.

Texture: smooth, almost creamy texture--with no detectable mushroom powder/grit (thank you!).

This blend was well executed, well balanced and full of appealing flavors. There were no "off" loamy notes, or strong bitter or acidic notes, or anything that tasted like fungi/mushrooms to me.

Cacao origin: Semuliki Forest, Uganda.

Maker's notes: "Focus and Energy"...."infused with seven adaptogenic herbs and 530 mg. of mushrooms, carefully crafted to jump start your day."

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, organic cordyceps mushrooms, organic chaga mushrooms, organic yerba mate, organic moringa, organic schisandra berry, organic rhodiola, organic cinnamon"

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut sugar. "gluten free, vegan"

Loon Chocolate - Chaga Chai 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 22, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Loon Chocolate
Chaga Chai 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.485 oz. (42.24 g.) / 2.25 oz (64 g) in total bar
Calories: 238 calories in 2/3 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar + shipping 
Purchased from: Loon Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Mushroom Week.

Today's Loon Chocolate Chaga Chai 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) (Batch #924-77) was manufactured in small batches by White Birch Living LLC (Manchester, New Hampshire). 

The maker collaborated with Dunk Mushroom Products and Foraging LLC (Brentwood, NH)--the farm, processing facility, retail store and education center that supplied the Chaga mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate; woodsy; very faint umami and roast-y (gentle sauna wood, Birch, Cedar) 

Texture: smooth, almost creamy texture--with no mushroom powder/grit (thank you!).

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (chocolate-y, roast-y, dark ganache, dark ripe berry); light wood, nut, and diffuse, balanced umami (mushroom); and very faint chai spices. The overall flavor characteristics: mellow, aged to perfection and well-rounded.

This blend was smooth and flavorful, well executed and well balanced. There were no "off" loamy notes, or strong bitter or acidic notes. The 70% cacao (no origin or blend specified on packaging) was complementary to mushroom and chai.

The large illustration of a skull with mushrooms image on the packaging might lead you to think this treat might be hallucinogenic. Nope. No funny side effects. Just plain, tasty chocolate with a few side (health) benefits. I loved the subtle complexity of the aroma and flavors in this approachable bar. I could share this with dark fans or almost dark fans alike.

Ingredients: Organic Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Dunk's Mushrooms Chaga Chai Blend (Ginger, Black Tea, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Chaga, Clove, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Fennel, Star Anise)

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a Facility That Uses Almonds and Milk. Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan"

IQ Bar - Toasted Coconut Chip Plant Protein Bar - Dec. 21, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

IQBar, Inc.
Toasted Coconut Chip Plant Protein Bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar
Cost: (Part of a 7-bar sampler pack for $14.99)
Purchased from: IQBar, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Mushrooms Week. 

Today's Toasted Coconut Chip Plant Protein Bar was distributed by IQBar, Inc. (Boston, MA).

Aroma notes included: coconut almond cookie bar with vanilla cereal.

This bar had a protein bar texture (dense, but softer than most protein bars; small coconut shreds were embedded in a cookie dough-like texture); dark chocolate chips supplied a nice accent texture and flavor.

The coconut flavor was authentic and balanced by ground almonds (the number one ingredient), pea protein, chocolate chips and vanilla-like flavoring. The Lion's Mane (mushroom) was all but undetectable.

Ingredients: Almonds, Protein Blend (Pea Protein Crisps [Pea Protein, Tapioca Starch], Pea Protein,  Natural Flavors, Prebiotic Blend (Tapioca Fiber, Vegetable Fiber), Coconut, Coconut Oil, Unsweetened Chocolate, Water, Cocoa, Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt, Lion's Mane, Stevia Plant Extract, Vitamin E. 

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds, Coconut. (Gluten Free, Vegan.)

 

Intrigue Chocolate - Blackberry Mushroom (bar) - Dec. 20, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate
Blackberry + Mushrooms 60% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Mushroom Week.

Today's Blackberry + Mushrooms 60% Cacao (bar) was made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). This bar was made in collaboration with Lumen Field (Seattle, WA). 

Origin story: The cacao used to make this chocolate was from Uganda, Rwenzururu - Semuliki Forest (Type: "Mostly Trinitario and Amelonado; Harvest Year: 2022). (Batch No.: 000000083024)

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate; ripe, tart, almost boozy, dark berry (blackberry); slight roast-y, slightly umami bitterness.

Texture: very smooth and buttery--with no mushroom powder/grit or berry seed particles (thank you!).

Flavor notes included: a blend of dark chocolate (chocolate-y, roast-y dark ganache), authentic blackberry notes, and diffuse, balanced umami (mushroom). 

I liked many things about this bar. First, this blend was well executed and well balanced, and the sweetness level was just right for me -- i.e, sweet, but not too sweet. Second, there were no "off" or astringent notes with this potentially challenging flavor blend.

Like other chocolates from Intrigue, I appreciated the thoughtful, short list of quality ingredients, the lack of emulsifiers or other additives, and the use of raw cane sugar.

Makers tasting notes/description: "...first developed...as an exclusive for their (Lumen Field) suites and gifts...The lush dark fruit and the rich deep earth are emblematic of the region's sun-drenched summers and mist-drenched winters."

Ingredients: "Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, freeze-dried blackberries, mushroom blend (wood ear, oyster, cordyceps, turkey tail, lion's mane, shiitake, chaga, maitake, mesima, reishi)." 

Allergen-related information: None listed on packaging.

David Rio - Black Rhino Cocoa Chai (+ mushrooms) - Dec. 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

David Rio
Black Rhino Cocoa Chai 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 Tbsp. (80 g.) / 16.1 oz. (456 g.) in total container

Calories: 80 calories in 1 serving 
Cost: $14.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Amazon.com, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Mushroom Week.

Today's Black Rhino Chai -- black tea, exotic spices & rich cocoa -- was manufactured for David Rio (San Francisco. CA)

Aroma notes included: sweet cocoa, faint gingerbread spices and very faint spiced tea latte.

Texture: smooth texture after mixed with hot water and milks.

Flavor notes included: pleasant light cocoa, gingerbread and chai tea flavors. (Note: I put in a little extra of this powdered mix into my cocoa to get a bit more chocolate flavor. (Sugar was the number one ingredient.)

While it created an extra step to find my own milk, I also appreciated having the option to choose the milk of one's choice--hazelnut milk. It was fairly light (not thick and creamy), so I felt like I needed a bit more heft -- either whole milk or dark chocolate, to add flavor and make it a little less sugary.

I also tried mushroom jerky-infused milk. The hazelnut milk was OK, but the slightly sweet-salty mushroom jerky-infused milk didn't work as well as I thought it would. (I like savory chocolates; so I had to give it a try.)

I liked that this powdered mix dissolved into warm/hot liquids fairly easily (and completely). I'm a gingerbread fan, so I liked the ginger-forward chai spices. I also liked that the critically endangered Black Rhino got a little extra publicity with this product name. 

Ingredients: "sugar, cocoa (14%), black tea powder (5%), spices, salt."

Allergen-related information: (No information found on container.)

Mandala Chocolate - Appalachian Wild Chai Sugar Free Dark Chocolate with Herbs, Mushrooms, Chai Spices (bar) - Dec. 18, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Mandala Chocolate
Appalachian Wild Chai Sugar Free Dark Chocolate with Herbs, Mushrooms and Chai Spices (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 302 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar (when purchased in a 3-pack)
Purchased from: Amazon.com/Mandala Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Mushrooms Week.

Today's Organic Appalachian Wild Chai Sugar Free Dark Chocolate with Herbs, Mushrooms and Chai Spices (bar) was handcrafted in Asheville, North Carolina, by Mandala Naturals, LLC (Barnardsville, NC), using 70% stoneground cacao--and without added sugar.*

Aroma and flavor notes included: subtle chocolate and warm spices (cinnamon, ginger, very mild clove and nutmeg), very slightly woodsy sweetness (mesquite, licorice root), and very faint citrus (orange).

This 70% cacao bar included a wild chai blend: spices, herbs and "mushrooms unique to the Blue Ridge Mountains." All these flavors harmonized very nicely. The mushroom flavors were very undetectable. (The 70% cacao and range of spices in this bar makes them easy to miss.)

Texture: nice cacao buttery melt, smooth texture (especially given the amount of added spices and mushrooms).

I loved that this chocolate had an appealing, mild, natural sweetness with no added sugar.*

This bar had more nuanced flavors and a milder taste than most 70% chocolate bars, in part due to thoughtful ingredient selection and the lack of cane sugar.* You realize the effects of processed sugar when it's not there. There are other paths to sweetness.

Ingredients: "*Cacao, *Yacon, *Ginger, *Mesquite, *Maca, *Cinnamon, *Vanilla, *Licorice, *Cardamom, **Chaga, *Peppercorn, *Clove, **Reishi, **Spiceberries, *Nutmeg, *Fennel, *Orange Oil, Celtic Sea Salt (* = Organic, and ** = Organic and Wildcrafted)

Allergen-related information: No information listed.

*And I loved that "zero added sugars" actually meant no sugars and no artificial sweeteners. Instead, sweet-tasting herbs and botanicals (like yacon, maca, cinnamon, licorice, vanilla, etc.) supplied the "sweetness".