Figs & Cinnamon & Love Herbs Raw Chocolate Bar from Great Bean Chocolate

Photo from Knoshbox.
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Product Description:

Great Bean is on a mission to deliver the highest possible state of wellbeing through raw, organic chocolate. After working as a professional chocolatier in Austin, Texas, founder Nora Hamerman became well known throughout town for her creations. In 2012, she set out to create an innovative, healthy, and environmentally-conscious chocolate company. Great Bean chocolate was born to nourish, indulge, and regenerate.

I received this bar of chocolate in my February Knoshbox.

Tea Suggestion:

I like eating chocolate bars with a cup of pure black tea, preferably one with a natural chocolate-y tone to it.  However, because of the lovely notes of cinnamon in this tea, I thought that I’d select a tea with a slightly spicy intonation, like this Grand Yunnan Imperial from Le Palais de Thés.  It was an excellent pairing,  I like the way the warmth of the tea brought out some of the deeper flavors of the chocolate bar, and the sweet fruit notes of the tea accentuated the flavor of the fig in the confection.

What I Think:

It’s chocolate!  OK, I’ve got a confession … I tend to ‘hoard’ my gourmet chocolate bars that I receive in these boxes for times when I really need … good chocolate.  That’s why … I haven’t reviewed this chocolate bar until now.

This is really yummy.  I am not always as excited about raw chocolate as I am for roasted chocolate, because the roasting of the cacao bean brings out some really lovely flavors in the chocolate.  But the combination of the fig, cinnamon and herbs really works to the raw chocolate’s advantage, I think.

There is a really sharp snap to the dark chocolate. The cinnamon melds beautifully with the chocolate to give it a warm flavor … something that I think would be “lacking” in the raw chocolate otherwise.  The cinnamon sort of gives this candy bar that sort of warmth that it needs.  In addition to the herbs I taste sea salt and of course – the fig!  I love the fig in this bar!  It adds a neat texture that is chewy and the seeds of the fig crackle in my mouth!  And it’s sweet and really quite yummy.

My Final Thoughts:

The bar is not overly sweet, it is a good balance of bitter and sweet flavors.  There is a really nice depth of flavor to this bar … it’s a delicious, multi-dimensional candy bar.  It is at once bitter, sweet, salty, and just … INTERESTING to eat!

Whole Wheat Raspberry Fig Bar from Nature’s Bakery

Product Description:

While wild raspberries can be traced back to eastern Asia during prehistoric times, with certain varieties also found in the Western Hemisphere, no one thought to cultivate their deliciousness until the 16th century, historians believe. Thanks to human travelers and their animal counterparts, the seeds were carried and spread—both intentionally and accidentally, worldwide.

I received this Raspberry Fig Bar in my January Goodies Box.

Tea Suggestion:

These fig bars make a really scrumptious tea time treat.  I enjoyed my fig bar with a cup of steamy Yunnan tea, specifically, this Golden Buds Black Tea from Spire Tea.  Because I already had a cookie with fruity flavors, I didn’t want extraneous flavors to interfere with the cookie.  This Yunnan tea was instead a delicious, caramel-y, rich and satisfying accompaniment to the cookie.  Or perhaps it as the other way around …

What I Think:

I love fig bars.  Yes, the popular brand in the grocery store.  I don’t buy them though, because I know my weakness for them and I usually eat more of them than I should, especially since they aren’t something that the rest of my household would eat, and I realize I’d be the only person eating them.  I know that they aren’t very good for me, they’re way too processed. So I tend to leave them on the grocery store shelf, opting for things that I know that the rest of the house will help me eat!

But these … are really yummy.  The whole wheat “cake” part of the bar is hearty and doesn’t taste too sweet.  The filling is delicious, tasting of fig and raspberry.  I like that it isn’t too “seedy” … Yes, there are some seeds, but, I don’t feel them getting lodged in my teeth, which is one thing I HATE about raspberry foods.  I love the flavor of raspberry, but I hate those seeds.

My Final Thoughts:

These are tasty.  I don’t know that I love them enough to buy them on a regular basis, but, I think that I might consider buying them instead of the usual fig bars when I have that craving, and that would be a healthier choice than the usual!

Pickled Figs from Boat Street Pickles

Product Description:

Black Mission figs bathed in a sweet syrup of red wine, cane sugar, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and sea salt; try paring with grilled steak and rosemary roasted potatoes. Also delicious with fresh goat cheeses, bleu d’auvergne, panna cotta, or old fashioned vanilla ice cream. Serve alongside a blue cheese tarte and fresh salad greens.

Click on this link to learn more about these Pickled Figs and other products from Boat Street Pickles.

What I Think:

Oh … my … goodness!  This is GOOD!

Despite my disappointment with the changes that have been made with Foodzie (a new format and a new way they handle their foodzie tasting boxes, not to mention a new, higher price), I must admit that they sure can pick ’em when it comes to selecting some amazing items for the tasting boxes.

This might just be one of my favorite items that I’ve tried from a tasting box yet.

I love figs.  When I was young, for a short time, I remember staying at a farm somewhere in California.  On that farm, there was a fig orchard.  One of my fondest childhood memories was eating a fresh, sun-ripened fig right there in the orchard – it was still warm from the sun!  And, that is still the best way to eat them, in my opinion, and when I purchase fresh figs from the supermarket, I just can’t seem to find any that duplicate that memory.  (I have, however, managed to find a tea that duplicates the memory for me, so this is not an unattainable goal!)

And while these Pickled Figs form Boat Street Pickles do not quite match that memory for me due to the balsamic vinegar and other flavorings added to make these “pickles,” they are still incredibly yummy.  The figs taste as though they were picked and processed at the peak of freshness.  They taste plump and juicy, and just a wee bit fermented.  I love that I can feel the seedy texture of the fig, it does remind me of the texture of those tree-ripened figs from my childhood.

The balsamic vinegar adds a tangy flavor to the pickle while at the same time, it highlights some of the sweetness of the fig.  It’s a very nice contrast of flavor.  I can taste the slightly resinous note from the rosemary.  All of these distinctive flavors come together to create a sweet and tangy relish that is absolutely memorable.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to serve these … but this evening, I made a very simple baked chicken breast dinner for the family, and I decided that this would be the time that I opened the jar and gave it a try.  I scooped out a generous dollop of the Pickled Figs and served it with my chicken, and it managed to elevate what might otherwise be a slightly boring chicken breast to something quite extraordinary!  I don’t know how I’ll be able to eat baked chicken breast without this on the side now!

Tea recommendation:  actually, I didn’t serve any specific tea with this relish, since I enjoyed it with my supper.  I had a glass of Green Pomegranate iced tea (Which I brewed using this tea from Persimmon Tree Tea) – and while I can’t say that the two perfectly complimented each other since I was so busy marveling over how well it complimented the chicken – the tea worked well with dinner overall.

This would also make a nice substitution for cranberry sauce at the holiday meal.  Yes, yes, I know, that day has come and gone, but, the winter holiday – whichever you might observe – is still on its way, and this would be just perfect alongside that rib roast (if you’re serving one), or if you’re baking another turkey – get some of this.  It would even be spectacular with ham.

That is … if you don’t eat it right out of the jar before the guests arrive!

My Final Thoughts:

I LOVE this stuff.  Now, I just need to locate it.  The website does not indicate any shops in Vancouver that offer any of Boat Street Pickles products, but there are a couple of places in Portland.  Maybe I could persuade Chuck’s Produce here in Vancouver to start carrying it.  It is certainly worth the effort.

Blue Cheese & Fig Crackers from O Pair

Where to Buy:  O Pair on Foodzie

Product Description:

And why not? You may think that blue cheese and figs are a strange partnership, but one taste of our crackers and you’ll never think so again. The moment you open the package you’ll experience an aroma that will call up memories of farmers’ markets luxury delis. We use blue cheese with the pungent tang that defines superb craftsmanship. Combined with our outstanding figs, every bite is a fusion of piquancy and sweetness that is a perfect balance of flavors; sharp, a bit salty, with rustic tones that render a bold, deep mouthful.

What I think:

When I saw the sneak peek on the homepage of Foodzie of what goodies we might expect in our March Taster’s Box, I was very excited to see these shortbread crackers were to be included.  I have been debating with myself about ordering them since I first noticed them as a “new product” on the Foodzie homepage, so I was very happy to see that I would have the opportunity to try before I buy.

These are delightful!

The texture of the cracker is very much like a shortbread cookie.  Soft to the tooth and the buttery cracker melts in my mouth!  I love this – it’s like a savory shortbread cookie!

The blue cheese flavor is not as pungent as it would be if I were eating a chunk of blue cheese as opposed to having it baked into a cracker.  The flavor has been subdued somewhat by the presence of the other ingredients.

In the first couple of crackers, I didn’t really notice much of the fig flavor, although I did notice the hint of sweetness it imparts.  The flavor develops as I continue to snack on the crackers, and I can feel the texture of the fig pulp.  The cracker is at once sweet, sharp, buttery and just a little salty.  Delicious!

O Pair suggests sipping either a Cabernet, Pinot Noir, or a Pedro Ximenez sherry while eating these scrumptious crackers, however, I am not a wine drinker… I prefer tea.  So I chose Superior Pouchong from Drink T to sip as I nibbled on these crackers.  The natural sweet notes of the Pouchong come alive with this pairing, as do the floral qualities of the tea.  I notice a more defined sharpness from the blue cheese and the flavor of the fig becomes more pronounced as I sip the Pouchong.

My Final Thoughts:

This is an absolutely fantastic experience, and I am definitely going to get more of these crackers!  I can’t wait to try them with other teas to see how the flavors develop!

March Foodzie Tasting Box has Arrived!

Yay!

The anticipation has been mounting for this month’s box since I received last month’s box!  These boxes are a lot of fun!

My package contains:  a ‘Bert Candy Bar from Bees & Beans (a Portland company!), Kale & Pumpkin Seed Crackers from Twin Cakes Bakery, Cocomels from JJ’s Sweets, Blue Cheese Fig Savory Shortbreads from O Pair Wine Bites, Hot Chocolate on a Stick from The Ticket Kitchen, and (drum roll, please!) Jasmine Green & Turkish Mint Tea (yes, TEA!) from Zhi Tea.  Also tucked inside was the map card that shows on one side where the products are from, and on the other a detailed list of the items in the box including a brief description of each item.  Here’s a scan of both sides of the card…

On the homepage of Foodzie, it indicates that Salt Blends from Didi Davis Artisan Food would be in the box, but, my box did not include them.  A little disappointing as I was looking forward to trying some of the gourmet salt blends (I must say that the Sumac Pepper Salt and the Vanilla Salt are the most intriguing to me).  But, oh well.  I am, nonetheless excited to have received my box and I look forward to digging in!

My Final Thoughts:

A box of fun that is well worth the price!