Chocolate Bar of the Month
The Month of Love: Chocolate(s) Even Cupid Would Embrace!
Did someone say Valentine’s Day? Here is the pick of the month to say “I love you” in more than one way! Aphrodisiacs, caramel, chocolate… nothing more to say.
read moreSweetriot – 70% Dark Chocolate
As I considered this month’s chocolate choices I actually started with another bar. It had less cocoa content but I was game to try it out since it seemed a little on the exotic side and had intriguing primative art. However, after biting into it and having it crumble in my mouth (not succulently, let me tell you… think, slivery and a bit chalky) I couldn’t bring myself to write a good review. So, I went on the search for another bar and I discovered Sweetriot‘s 70% Dark Chocolate. I had never heard of Sweetriot...
read moreTheo Chocolate’s Peppermint Stick, 70% Cocoa
As I place a square of the delectable Peppermint Stick chocolate by Theo Chocolates in my mouth, I realize that the traditional seasonal drink “peppermint mocha” is a cheap substitute for the balanced flavor of this dark chocolate bar. Its delightfully creamy texture and the reminiscent smell of peppermint candy is sure to please the Christmas tradition in any chocolate lover. But it’s the ease of sweet that delights me. Not too sugary or overbearing, the peppermint is a highlight, not the main feature. The 70% cocoa...
read moreTrader Joe’s Fair Trade 71%
You can’t beat the economy of Trader Joe’s when it comes to food with no preservatives. It’s a great, affordable place to shop and a wonderful place to find chocolate for a good price. That’s one of the reasons that this month Trader Joe’s Fair Trade 71% Chocolate is our “Chocolate Bar of the Month”. It’s a nice, creamy, delicious indulgence at the wonderful price of $1.99. It’s a bar that’s perfect for your budget and your ethics. Also, for those who prefer milk chocolate they
read moreEqual Exchange Chocolate Caramel Crunch with Sea Salt (55% Cacao) – by Marie Morache
If you are looking to indulge your sweet tooth and your craving for salty things, this is the bar for you! One of Equal Exchange’s new chocolate bars, it gives a robust and delightful flavor. With every bite there is a wonderful crunch and then the mixture of caramel and sea salt hits your palate. It is a complex chocolate bar – at times you taste just the salt, other times just the caramel, and at times both. These distinct flavors pair well together amidst the swirl of a slightly earthy tasting chocolate to create a well balanced...
read moreVivani 100% Organic, 85% Cocoa
If you like smooth chocolate – one with no unique tastes and a creamy texture – this is the chocolate bar for you. Vivani 100% organic chocolate with 85% cocoa is a great low-sweet delight in the middle of the day (I would pair it with a few almonds for a bit of a pick-me-up). And it was filling enough to not have me wanting more and more. My only criticisms would be it is a bit hard to find and it’s not labeled as fair trade. However, the health benefits of this bar are undeniable and it’s a great start for...
read moreRapunzel Organic 70% Dark
I stumbled across Rapunzel Chocolate last month. An organic 70% Cocoa bar to be exact. I’d never heard of Rapunzel, much less tried a bar. Man… where have I been? Not only was it delicious, the more I learned about the company, the more I became determined to have another bar someday soon. According to internationalfoods.com: “Rapunzel is Europe’s leading brand-name manufacturer and distributor of organic goods, producing over 600 delicious organic products and cooperatively working with thousands of organic farmers...
read moreGreen and Black’s Organic Cherry Dark Chocolate
Sweet, tart cherries and chocolate have long been a taste combination in the Northwest. My first taste was Chukar Cherries and their extravagant semi-sweet individual chocolate covered cherries. It’s a wonderful taste combination if done right. And this month’s chocolate bar is done right. Green and Black’s Organic Chocolate bars are relatively easy to find (as high end chocolate bars go), which makes eating healthier-made chocolate more accessible. I picked my bar up at a tiny (tiny!) Good Food Store in Weaverville, CA –...
read moreMadecasse’s 63% cocoa bar
There is one thing I’ve learned about cocoa beans that still fascinates me – the soil in which it grows dictates the taste and flavor of the bean. It’s similar to coffee beans or wine grapes in that way. What makes cocoa even more unique (in my taste opinion) is that adding a little sweetener won’t negate the minerals that you can taste in the bar itself. Depending on the region it is grown the chocolate will have a taste unique to that region. This can either be a plus or a minus to your palette, depending on the bean’s initial...
read moreTheo Chocolate’s “Bread and Chocolate Bar”
It may seem counter-productive for a fitness website to endorse chocolate. Even with all of the information on chocolate and the antioxidants it can hold, the truth is not all chocolate is created equal. (And not all of it really holds antioxidants). In fact, you may not realize that much of the world’s chocolate comes from cocoa brokers in mass and then alkaline (acid) is added to erase the flavor of the bean. Thus enabling the cacao to all taste the same, rather than the soil from which it draws nutrients and takes on it’s unique...
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