Keen-Wah Decadence

From the appealing phonetic spelling of Keen-Wah, for quinoa, to their healthy nutritional profile, I was set to enjoy these gluten free, vegan bars from Yoga Earth at first sight.

Yoga Earth is a fascinating company that invites a community of health-conscious consumers to come together to curate, design, and share new products reflecting the best in nutrition, yoga, and eco-design. All that sounds pretty evolved to me. As a yogi, I like the idea of being able to have input into what new items Yoga Earth will offer. Their open process feels like a paradigm shift from the more typical company strategy of telling me what I should like. These folks actively seeks out my opinion, and yours. One pass through their website will immediately show you how different their approach is.

I sampled three 42 gram Keen-Wah bars, all of which are organic. In addition to quinoa, they include cacao, chia seeds, almonds, almond butter, coconut nectar, Himalayan sea salt, and protein powder made from brown rice. Two of them have five grams of protein, while the third one, Raw Cacao Chia, has six. They have four grams of fiber and 8-10 grams of sugar (mostly from low-glycemic coconut nectar). In addition, they’re full of omega-3s and antioxidants.

Raw Cacao Chia was my favorite. I loved the mix of textures: an interior of crispy-chewiness enrobed in silky dark chocolate. The chocolate flavor was present in every bite, and it sated any between meal peckishness.

Cayenne Cinnamon, also covered in dark chocolate, was notable for its heat, which was enough to make the bar stand out without offending anyone’s tender sensibilities.

Coconut Almond was the mildest of the three, also coated in dark chocolate, and tasted the healthiest.

Quinoa is a great source of plant-based protein, with 18 amino acids, including all nine essential acids the body uses to generate and assimilate protein. This 3,000 year old seed that cooks up like a grain, has been a pantry staple of mine for years. If you like to experiment with unusual starches, you might try a quinoa-millet pilaf: In a small rice cooker put 1/2 cup millet, 1/2 cup well-rinsed quinoa (use a fine sieve for this), and a generous two cups of water. (I add different spice blends depending on my mood, but you can make it plain, which is more versatile.) Let the pilaf sit in the rice cooker for an extra 5-10 minutes at the end of the cooking time. This goes well with anything, and lends itself to savory and sweet inclusions. So, it would be a great base for a stir fry, primavera, or your morning cereal.

Chocolate Naive Encyclopedia of Chocolate: Origins

Chocolate Naive gets an A+ for presentation with their new Encyclopedia of Chocolates collection. Eight tasting sized bars are nestled in a white box like a little library, with a descriptive title on their different colored spines. Not only does every .53 ounce square sport its own lovely cardboard cover, each is wrapped in re-closable cellophane. (This set comes in the mini version I reviewed, and one with full size bars.)

Most of these bars are conched for 60 hours, which makes them exceptionally silky and smooth.

Milk Chocolate with Salted Caramel was the gentlest chocolate of the eight. It starts with a 38% chocolate roasted at a medium level of heat. Sugar and milk solids are caramelized through a slow browning and finished off with a touch of vanilla and sea salt.

Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Cream is a 33% cocoa roasted at light heat. This gianduja is super velvety and rich.

Milk chocolate is a 53% blend of Criollo and Forastero beans. The flavor is highly influenced by the lightness of the Criollos, which is fairly typical of dark milk bars.

Dark chocolate, 70%, is sourced from Trinidad and Tobago and made from Trinitario beans. This is a more complex bar, enhanced by a light roasting.

Dark chocolate with Creamy Coffee is a delicious edgy mocha experience roasted at medium, containing Trinitario beans and Pacamara coffee with 65% cocoa.

Dark chocolate with Forest Honey, 67%, is a lovely pairing of Trinitario beans from Madagascar and biodynamic honey.

Dark chocolate with Sugar Crystals is a wonderful textural juxtaposition of creamy dark 70% Trinitario chocolate and tiny, crunchy sugar crystals.

Dark chocolate Nacional. 78% pure Peruvian Nacional beans serve up my favorite square of the collection. Deep, dark, earthy, yet with a sophisticated velvety texture, this bar’s fruity undertones are complex, yet accessible.

Chocolate Naive’s Encyclopedia of Chocolate would make a very attractive and fun gift for any chocophile on your list.

Rawmio Gourmet Organic Raw Chocolate

Happily, I have eaten a lot of chocolate in my time. It is for that reason that I am especially thrilled when something new and delicious comes over the transom. Rawmio, a company that manufactures raw, organic barks, spreads, and a decadent looking truffle cake was an exciting find.

When raw bars are done well, they offer up a wildly deep and satisfying chocolate experience. Rawmio’s Organic Gourmet Hazelnut and Fig Raw Chocolate Bark has that earthy, interesting profile down pat. The texture is dry and crumbly, which makes this more like a food than a confection. The flavors all pop with crunch and freshness. Add-ins, including nibs, are not only scattered on top of the bar, but mixed in with the chocolate, as well. The hazelnuts are sprouted, the black mission figs chewy, coconut sugar adds sweetness, while vanilla and Himalayan pink sea salt round out this seamless cornucopia of flavors and textures.

The bars weigh in at 2.2 ounces, but they are very dense and rich. I found 1/3 of a bar very satisfying.

I also tried their Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, which was absolutely delicious. Diving right into the jar with a spoon, I was greeted with a creamy, smooth, nutty, chocolatey experience. Later, I warmed it up a bit as they suggest on the label and poured it over some frozen vanilla Greek yogurt. I loved the way it became chewy upon contact with the cold yogurt. It would also be quite yummy spread on apple slices, in crepes, or warmed to a more liquid consistency and drizzled over a Pavlova.

Kudos to Rawmio for packaging their bark in a pretty re-closable sleeve that added to my joy.

I don’t know how long this will last, but at last check rawguru.com had a special on the bark, three for $14.95. The spread is $27.90 for two 6 ounce jars. Yes, it’s an indulgence, but almost all good dark chocolate is. Furthermore, if you are a chocolatier you might find a teaspoon of this dense deliciousness makes a sublime filling for bonbons.

Dante Confections: 98% Organic Stevia sweetened bars, Turtles, and Truffles

It is unusual to find both traditional and organic high intensity chocolates under one roof, but Dante Confections straddles these two often disparate areas. Their handmade truffles are lovely little domes of shiny, well-tempered white, milk or dark chocolate encasing ultra rich, smooth ganache centers infused with 25 different flavors. From liquors, to fruits, to eggnog, to peanut butter, and mint, there is something for everyone. They come in petite and large sizes. I found the petite version offered up a few bites of snappily textured chocolate against velvety centers. The flavors are on the mild side, so if you are someone who loves a hint of Grand Marnier, for example, and doesn’t want an alcohol wallop, these would be perfect.

In addition, I sampled their milk and dark chocolate Turtles, also available in white chocolate. Every chocolatier seems to have their own rendition of these classic treats. Dante’s are huge 2″ rounds with thick layers of chocolate encasing a super chewy caramel. The very fresh and crunchy nuts, either pecans, cashews, or almonds, are embedded at the edges. The whole experience is quite decadent: über-chocolatey, with a very satisfyingly caramel presence, and enough whole, roasted nuts to keep you coming back for another bite.

On the other end of the spectrum are Dante’s 98% chocolate bars sweetened with stevia. There is the traditional bar, and a Fair Trade, organic variety. Both would surely sate anyone’s craving for the densest chocolate experience this side of a roasted cacao bean. While not for the faint of heart, their flavor profile is almost hard to discern because the intensity just blows your taste buds away. A friend of mine was crazy about them. He loved the thick texture, super slow melt, and lack of sugar. Stevia adds some sweetness, but it definitely doesn’t make these bars sweet. To my surprise, I actually found the original rendition a bit gentler on my palate. It is interesting to note that one bar, 45 grams, gives you 70% of your daily requirement for iron, 7 grams of fiber, and 7 grams of protein. Both of these 98% extreme chocolate bars provide one of the strongest, most concentrated chocolate experiences out there. If you are looking for a wild gustatory ride, this is it.

You can buy the bars from Dante’s website, on the right side of this page, or on Amazon.

Ethereal Confections

The dictionary lists celestial, heavenly, and spiritual as synonyms for ethereal. Delighting in chocolate’s gifts can bring spiritual joy, and a heavenly sense of bliss; so, I can see how sisters-in-law Sara and Mary Ervin chose Ethereal for their chocolate’s brand name. At the same time, chocolate is a very grounding substance. As a matter of fact, I would actually suggest eating a piece can root you in the moment as well as a Zen koan. All that notwithstanding, Ethereal’s chocolates are divine.

The packaging is just as appetizing as the chocolate. Whether it is the cellophane windowed sleeve that shows off strawberries, rose petals, and pink peppercorns in one of their Artisan Dark Chocolate Bars, or the beautifully painted cardboard wrapping of their Meltaway bars, the attention to detail and aesthetics is obvious before your first bite.

I sampled three of their offerings, starting with a French Vanilla & Salted Almond Meltaway bar. This looks like a flat, scored 66% dark chocolate bar, but it is far from your typical experience. Inside is a celestial, silky firm mousse of roasted almond olive oil, vanilla balsamic vinegar, organic coconut oil, sea salt, and organic chocolate. While that combination may sound more spacey than the Wrath of Khan, it works incredibly well. The beautifully tempered dark chocolate shell melts into the velvety center as all the flavors coalesce, each working seamlessly with its partner for a riveting effect.

Their 66% Artisan Dark Bar with Strawberries, Rose Petals, and Pink Peppercorns is a joy to behold, and a completely different experience from the Meltaway bar. Here, each ingredient holds its own, yet overlaps with the others like a gustatory Venn diagram. I loved the punch from the peppercorns, the tart sweetness of organic freeze dried–yet still soft–strawberries, amped up with floral notes from the rose petals.

After tasting these bars I immediately went to their website and ordered a variety of other treats.

My last Ethereal exploration was their Peanut Butter Nom Noms (1.25 ounces), which provided an intense hit of peanut butter, dark chocolate, and sea salt. Think of a bon bon with a fairly firm center enrobed in glossy, crisp chocolate, with a sprinkle of sassy, crunchy salt crystals on top.

If you derive joy from perusing chocolate websites that cater to people with somewhat jaded palates, I would strongly suggest you meander around Ethereal’s. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though, Sara and Mary’s creative combinations may have you reaching for your Visa card.

Nicobella Munch

Just as the ecotone, that transitional zone between two ecological communities, is not exact, so, too, the area where chocolate and food overlap. Nicobella’s line of Munch chocolates is both food and confection. Perhaps, because they are so good for you, and not too sweet, it is easy to think of them as a food; yet, their delicious crunch and deep, satisfying chocolate flavor makes them taste like a treat. That is not surprising, as Nichole Dandrea is both a registered dietician and chocolatier.

I sampled all three varieties, made with 75% organic, Fair Trade Kallari dark chocolate, and sold in 2 ounce bags. Each type is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, protein, fiber, and antioxidants.

Maple-nut munch are clusters of maple coated roasted pecans and just a touch of sea salt. The combination of sweet and salty, with a abundance of textural interest makes these a fantastic mid-afternoon snack.

Omega munch is chock full of candied walnut and toasted flax seeds. This one’s texture is a little different, as the small toasted flax seeds add a second type of crunch, and the walnuts feel robust and filling. Another great choice when you need some energy, protein, and fat to keep your motor running.

Coco-nut munch is texturally different since it is saturated with unsweetened toasted coconut, giving it a much chewier texture. This variation offered yet a third riff on crunchiness, as the whole roasted almonds punctuated a softer textural profile with their super crunchy presence.

Since each is different from its sibling, I would suggest trying all three. If you sign up for Nicobella’s e-newlsetter she will send you a 20% off coupon for your first order, just in case you want some extra incentive.

Jean-Marie Auboine Chocolatier

If you are looking for culinary cred with your bonbons, Master Chocolatier Jean-Marie Auboine has it in abundance. His curriculum vitae includes Alain Ducasse’s famous restaurant Le Louis XV where he assisted in earning them Michelin’s highest honor: three stars. Chef Auboine continued his distinguished career at several other Michelin-starred restaurants which included Chateau de Mercues in France, Hotel Beau Rivage in Geneva, and La Pyramide Vienne in France.

So, it was not a shock to find Jean-Marie’s confections sublime in their purity, packaging, and, most importantly, gustatory appeal.

Two of his newer confections are called Chocolate Fingers. These dark chocolate enrobed ganache rectangles, each about four inches long, are supremely delicious. The mint variety was redolent of fresh mint, while the banana nutmeg with crunchy bits under its couverture, was like a chocolate meditation. In my experience, banana can be a very tricky flavor because of its inherent sweetness. Here, however, the nutmeg added complexity and piquancy to the fruit’s richness. A truly memorable experience.

Next, I sampled the assortment of boxed chocolates, each in a perfectly tempered thin chocolate carapace.

Torroncino Praliné, adorned with a micro dot of pale yellow fondant on its almost black shell, was a delicately crunchy delight.
The Raspberry & Jasmin Tea’s flavors were seamlessly balanced, with the fruit’s acidity playing off the tea’s fruity edge.
Organic Vanilla, also enrobed in dark chocolate, was a purist’s dream in a super dark ganache.
Unique and immensely satisfying, the Coffee and Mascarpone Cream had two layers of filling. With its contrasting colors, slightly different textures of ganache and cream, and faint cheese undertones, it was a decadent surprise.
The sweetest and most subtle morsel in this group was the Accacia Honey dark chocolate ganache in a milk chocolate couverture.
Kalamansi Jelly and Earl Grey Tea Ganache was another layered affair, perfectly chewy, yet melt-in-your-mouth jelly played against a velvety dark ganache.

(Kalamansi Jelly is made with a fruit called Calamondin or Calamansi, native to the Philippine Islands. It is also known as the calamondin, golden lime, panama orange, chinese orange, acid orange, calamonding, or calamandarin in English. It is believed to originate from China and has spread throughout Southeast Asia, India, Hawaii, the West Indies, Central and North America. The plant is characterized by wing-like appendages on the leaf stalks and white or purplish flowers. Its fruit has either a spongy or leathery rind with a juicy pulp that is divided into sections.The fruit is available year round in the Philippines and is usually seen in its unripened dark green state, but if left to ripen it turns a tangerine orange color. Calamansi is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties.)

The Dark Chocolate Double Sea Salt Caramels were unlike anything I have ever had. A chocolate caramel square sat on top of a buttery one, both bathed in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt. The texture was a little chewy and a little soft, with just the right amount of sweetness and salty presence. Immensely satisfying.

Blueberry Pearls came in a pretty red box with a window on top revealing red and white spheres with a luminescent sheen. If you love white chocolate and berries, this is for you.

I also tried an adorable slightly free-form Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Teddy Bear, and a cornucopia of other non-chocolate treats including:

Assorted Caramels which contained an absolutely divine Vanilla Hazelnut with large pieces of super crunchy, roasted nuts in a creamy-chewy caramel with smokey undertones.

The Strawberry and Vanilla Marshmallow Bar was a long rectangle of pink and cream colored marshmallow that reminded me of cotton candy with its airy texture and innocent sweetness.

Soft Honey Nougat was studded with candied orange, almonds, hazelnuts and infused with organic honey.

The chocolate covered caramels and ganaches were boxed in lovely brown and orange hard cardboard jewelry-type boxes with magnetic closures, just adding to the elegant Jean-Marie experience.