Filberts and Chocolate

GT's Organic Raw Kombucha - Multi-Green

2011-12-29T07:10:00.000-05:00

Before I tried the Gingerade, this kombucha from the California brewer of kombucha was one of my favourite flavours; my beautiful Bride likes this one too, for its health benefits and how it tastes. The Multi-Green comes from a combination of algae (Klamath mountainblue-green), spirulina and chlorella, all three of which are packed with vitamins and good protein, little powerhouses of nutritional benefits. The kombucha flavour is more subdued, while the green-ness of the three gives it a very pleasant underlying taste that complements the kombucha.

Synergy Maqui Berry Mint

2011-12-29T07:08:00.000-05:00

I've tried maqui berry recently, in freeze-dried form; it's a powerful antioxidant and superfood, very red in colour, so I wondered how or if it would enhance the health benefits or flavour of Synergy's kombucha line. The redness of the maqui berry is there, and there is the flavour of the maqui berry too. I find this a subdued kombucha, in that there is not a strong kombucha flavour (which I find with all the Synergy line). There is also an underlying mint flavour which does not overpower any of the other flavours. Overall, this is a pleasant kombucha drink, but not one of my favourites.

GT's Organic Raw Kombucha - Gingerade

2011-12-26T09:07:00.000-05:00

I've tried many different kombuchas from several different makers, but I would say that this particular kombucha is not only my very favourite, but also what I would think is the ultimate kombucha is; the main flavour, ginger, coming from ginger juice, is certainly one of my favourites, if not my favourite; it's also quite bubbly - I could drink this every day and any day, and be quite pleased and content. G.T. has been making kombucha since 1995, a homegrown business that has expanded without sacrificing quality and healthfulness since its humble beginnings. They've also released a line of enhanced kombuchas, with various healthy ingredients.

Local Ontario Hazelnuts

2011-11-05T20:53:00.000-04:00

My beautiful Bride found these for sale at Square One Farmer's Market. A little expensive, but good for its curiosity factor (I would like to see if I can grow hazelnuts in Ontario myself, and I've read you can) and for freshness and taste. Tasting them, they have a strong hazelnut flavour. Excellent! Too bad they were there only one week, guess it's a short season, or maybe not a good year.

Aiello Ciocolady Liquirizia

2011-11-05T20:51:00.000-04:00

Liquorice is a favourite flavour of mine; I was definitely most interested in this offering from the Italian chocolatier Aiello. The liquorice flavour comes from liquorice root (from the picture on the packaging), as opposed to anise-flavoured versions. The cacao content of this bar is at 53%, and the ingredient listing looks good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla and liquorice.

How does it taste? This has easily become my favourite of Aiello's bars. I like the chocolate taste, the liquorice flavouring and the crunchiness as you chew it. It reminds me of eating good liquorice candy. I definitely would eat this bar again, and have now several times. The bar cost about $3 on sale.

Aiello Ciocolady Assenzio

2011-11-05T20:49:00.003-04:00

Absinthe is a forbidden flavour, as it has been banned in several countries because of supposed psychoactive ingredients, and potential addictive qualities. Because of this, it's not a well known or readily available flavour. Long vilified, it is a flavoured alcohol available in many places, flavoured with wormwood and green anise and florence fennel (though other herbs can be used). This is the first chocolate bar I've seen with this flavour, too. The cacao content of this bar is at 53%, and the ingredient listing looks good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla and absinthe oil.

How does it taste? The chocolate itself is pleasant, like most of Aiello's bars, a good eating chocolate. I was interested in trying this, having read about absinthe, but, to be honest, I was a little disappointed. Not that I didn't like the bar, absinthe has an anise flavour, which I like, it's just that it wasn't fantastic (and maybe it needs a little boosting of flavour). I think that I would eat this bar again given the chance. The bar cost about $3 on sale.

Aiello Ciocolady Fondente

2011-11-05T20:48:00.003-04:00

I've tried several of the Italian chocolatier Aiello's offerings, this is one which showcases their chocolate, it has no added flavour. The cacao content of this bar is at 72% (most of their other bars are at 53%), and the ingredient listing looks good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin and vanilla.

How does it taste? The chocolate itself is pleasant, like most of Aiello's bars, a good eating chocolate. This is not a fantastic bar, though, and I don't think I would choose to buy this again. The bar cost about $3 on sale.

Aiello Ciocolady Zenzero

2011-11-05T20:47:00.003-04:00

I have had, and enjoyed, many bars with chocolate combined with ginger, but most of them do not have ginger oil (rather, they mostly have candied ginger). The cacao content of this bar from the Italian chocolatier Aiello is at 53%, and the ingredient listing looks good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla and ginger oil.

How does it taste? The chocolate itself is pleasant, a good eating chocolate. The ginger flavour is interesting, it's throughout the chocolate, rather than in small pockets surrounded by chocolate, and the ginger is not overpowering or hot (something I like with most ginger dishes, but I would say it's not something that I would think would appear in a chocolate bar, it may have limited appeal). This is a bar I would choose again to eat. The bar cost about $3 on sale.

Aiello Ciocolady Bergamotto

2011-11-05T20:46:00.000-04:00

The Italian chocolatier Aiello makes several interesting flavoured chocolates, this one features a flavour I've never tried before combined with chocolate, bergamot. Bergamot, as I've discovered, comes from the Bergamot orange, and is used in perfumery, but also in flavouring Earl Grey and Lady Grey teas. The cacao content of this bar is at 53%, and the ingredient listing looks good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla and citrus bergamotto.

How does it taste? The chocolate itself is pleasant, a good eating chocolate, and I must say I've never drunk either of the Grey teas (not liking black tea), so I don't know what bergamot tastes like really, but I find the flavour not citrusy like some of the orange-chocolate combinations, too citrusy even, but not that interesting a flavour to me. It's not a bar I would choose again to eat. The bar cost about $3 on sale.

PÜR Pomegranate Mint Gum

2011-11-05T20:44:00.001-04:00

Having tried the eXcitemint version, I thought to try their Pomegranate Mint flavoured gum. This is a sugarfree, xylitol-sweetened gum. The mint in this one is much more mellow (which I prefer), and the pomegranate is interesting, though the flavour disappears quickly, leaving just the mint. I find this gum to be quite stiff compared to the Spry brand ones, not as chewable. Overall, I think the Spry ones are much superior.

Aiello Ciocolady Peperoncino

2011-11-05T20:41:00.000-04:00

This chocolate comes from an Italian chocolatier, though I can't find much information about it; I found this bar and others of theirs on sale at Whole Foods. The ingredient listing is good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin and chili pepper oil (2%). The cacao content is at 53%.

How does it taste? I've had other peperoncino bars, essentially chili pepper and chocolate, a good combination normally; this one is deceptive, in that when you first eat it, you don't get the heat, you get it in the aftertaste. Even so, it's not too hot. The chocolate itself is good but not great, overall a pleasant eating bar. This bar cost me $4; normally $5.

Pacari Raw Chocolate

2011-11-05T20:40:00.000-04:00

The chocolatier Pacari makes chocolate bars from cacao beans sourced from Peru; they select small, independent growers who follow organic and equitable trade practices. The ingredient listing is short, cacao beans, evaporated cane juice and sunflower lecithin. The big thing about this particular bar, is that all the ingredients are minimally processed and kept at low temperatures, to make a Raw product.

How does it taste? This is a very good bar, and another fine example of their chocolate. The rawness, its minimal processing, did not make it end up tasting like eating ground raw cacao beans, the chocolate was very smooth and melted well. The only thing I don't like about this, is that it is such a small bar. I would definitely buy this bar again (and do, when I see them on sale).

Cachet Peru

2011-11-05T20:38:00.000-04:00

The Belgian chocolatier Kim's Chocolates has a line of Limited Selection chocolates, featuring cacao beans from a particular country (this one features beans from Peru); these are of varietal criollo and trinitario. The ingredient listing is good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla (natural flavour). The cacao content is at 64%.

How does it taste? I have enjoyed chocolate made from beans from Peru before, these are similar in taste, and quite good. I preferred the Costa Rica one much more, but I would definitely buy and eat this again.

Cachet Costa Rica

2011-11-05T20:35:00.002-04:00

The Belgian chocolatier Kim's Chocolates has a line of Limited Origin Selection chocolates, featuring cacao beans from a particular country (this one features beans from Costa Rica). The beans are also certified by the Rainforest Alliance, which ensures that production and farming methods are balanced against the needs of the local ecosystem and that these protect its soil, rivers and wildlife; cocoa workers also have access to proper housing, education, medical and safe working conditions. The ingredient listing is good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla (natural flavour). The cacao content is at 71%.

How does it taste? I enjoyed this bar very much, the chocolate was very smooth and melted very well, and had almost a mousse-like texture and taste. I have not been able to locate this again (I bought it in a Chinese Supermarket) but would definitely buy and eat this again.

PÜR eXcitemint Gum

2011-11-05T20:32:00.000-04:00

I've enjoyed and use xylitol gum these days, xylitol is a natural sweetener that promotes dental health. I've seen this brand before, and thought to try it finally. This is the mint version (eXcitemint), a combination of Spearmint and Wintergreen, which are flavours I don't care for (they also have separate Spearmint and Peppermint versions, the only other one I might like is Pomegranate). The ingredients look good, a short list, xylitol, gum base, natural flavors, gum arabic, white tea extract, carnauba wax, tocopherols. Overall, this gum's flavour lasted longer than other xylitol (that would be good if I really liked the flavour), and it chewed well. My mouth felt fresh and clean, similar to other xylitol gums. Think I might try the Pomegranate.

Maison Fossier Charles VII Au Chocolat Noir Craquant

2011-11-05T20:31:00.000-04:00

These biscuits come from the oldest biscuiterie in France, established in Reims in 1756. This features dark chocolate, and is made in the traditional method. The ingredient listing is good, for a cookie, wheat flour, dark chocolate (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, soy lecithin), sugar, concentrated butter (milk), eggs, dextrose, salt, baking powder and flavour.

How do they taste? The biscuit is crispy, a good biscuit, the dark chocolate is fairly sweet but does work well with the biscuits. I think these are pretty good, not great biscuits. From the box, it looks like they might have some with more interesting ingredients, like rose, but I don't have a source for this kind, nor any other kind. The box of 8 biscuits was $6, so a little pricey.

Interesting website on Kombucha

2011-11-05T20:29:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for more information on kombucha, its health properties and how to make it yourself, check out Günther W. Frank's website The Kombucha Journal. There's lots of information there, including a free recipe on how to make kombucha, where to get your kombucha starter culture, lots of other information. He sells a book (in several languages), and you can also get a kombucha starter culture -- buying directly from him is definitely cheaper.

German Prune Plums

2011-11-05T20:28:00.003-04:00

I've been able to get some of these for a couple of years now at the Square One Farmer's Market. German prune plums are similar to the Italian variety, but are smaller and, in my opinion, have better flavour. Get them if you can.

Fentiman's Dandelion & Burdock

2011-11-05T20:27:00.000-04:00

Fentiman's has been making fermented and botanically brewed drinks since 1905; this one features dandelion and burdock roots, both good nutritionally. It also has ginger and aniseed flavour. The sweetness of the "soda" comes from cane sugar, pear juice concentrate and glucose syrup. This tasted interesting, not quite like the burdock root that I've eaten, but similar, the licorice flavour of the aniseed came out strongest. While this is a better soda, I don't think I liked it enough to drink it on a regular basis, and it is more expensive than soda.

Rivi's Guilt Free Cookies - Chocolate

2011-11-05T20:26:00.000-04:00

Another of Rivi's Guilt Free Cookies I tried was their chocolate one; the Granola with Dark Chocolate Chunks was fairly hard and difficult to eat — these ones were much softer and better tasting overall. The softness comes from prune puree and apple sauce, other ingredients include untreated flour, cane sugar, cocoa and egg whites. I thought these were much tastier than the Granola ones, they were quite soft yet chewy, and I would enjoy eating these or similar ones.

Rivi's Guilt Free Cookies - Granola with 70% Dark Chocolate Chunks

2011-11-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

Rivi's makes cookies that are, well, guilt free, at least free of the "bad" things in cookies, such as butter, margarine and oil; they are low sodium, dairy and nut free; and have no preservatives nor artificial flavouring or colour. They are also made in Canada, in Toronto, and can be found in health food stores and some supermarkets. The granola is made of oats, barley and spelt; the sweetening, and binding, is from honey and brown rice syrup. Throw in 70% dark chocolate chunks, and you have an interesting cookie.

Ok, these might be good for you, and don't have any of the bad stuff, but they are hard — not crunchy, but hard, and a cookie I would not want to eat on a regular basis, and not be concerned about my teeth. Otherwise, they tasted good.

Feodora Grand'or Blutorange

2011-11-05T20:22:00.000-04:00

The German chocolatier Feodora Chocolade makes good dark chocolate, at 75% cacao content, with various flavourings added. I was most interested in this one, because blood oranges are one of my favourite fruits. The ingredient listing looks good, cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, natural blood orange flavouring, citric acid and Bourbon vanilla

How does it taste? I was disappointed to see that there was no real blood orange in there, just natural flavouring, and combined with citric acid, there is a sourness and taste and smell of blood oranges, though not that strong. As a lover of blood oranges, this in no way satisfied that craving, thought the chocolate tasted and smelled good. I don't thing I would buy this bar again.

Feodora Grand'or Limette

2011-11-05T20:20:00.000-04:00

The German chocolatier Feodora Chocolade, making chocolate since 1910; I've tried their chili-lime one. This is a dark chocolate bar with flavourings added, and has a cocoa content of 75%. The ingredient listing looks good, cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, natural lime flavouring and Bourbon vanilla.

How does it taste? This one smells of lime. The bar snaps well and looks very dark. It melts well in the mouth, and tastes like lime, thought not strong. I found this in a German delicatessen. I don't think I would buy another.

Kullanard Premium Durian Cookies

2011-11-05T20:17:00.000-04:00

Kullanard makes several different baked goods featuring foods from Thailand, including mangosteen, and this one made from freeze-dried real durian. The goodness of the durian is offset by the other ingredients not found in health food stores (where we found it), including sugar and margarine. These cookies were crunchy, with the good taste and smell of durian. Not something I would eat on a regular basis, don't know that durian really works in a cookie.

Kullanard Premium Durian Wafers

2011-11-05T20:14:00.000-04:00

These wafer bars, which can be found in health food stores in Thailand, are interesting because they contain a large amount of real durian (as it says in the ingredient listing, real durian). The rest of the ingredients are mostly sugar and flour, but there is a definite taste and smell of durian from the wafers. Not something I'd eat all the time, and not something I'd think to even find in a health food store, but maybe the standards are different in Thailand.

Flourless Chocolate Cashew Cookies

2011-11-05T20:13:00.000-04:00

Having eaten the combination of chocolate and cashew before, and enjoyed the flavour combination, I thought to make this version of the Flourless Cashew Cookies recipe that I had made earlier. I'm still playing the ingredient combinations, but these turned out like puffy cookies that stick a little to the roof of your mouth. An interesting combination, and one that came with great taste. This is a definite make-again cookie.

Flourless Chocolate Cashew Cookies1 cup cashew butter100 g good dark chocolate (70%)1/2 cup xylitol1/4 cup soft tofu1 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Heat chocolate over double boiler until just melted. Mix ingredients in medium bowl. Using two small spoons, form into ball using heaped 1 teaspoon of dough for each cookie. Arrange on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until puffed, golden on bottom and still soft to touch in center, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.

Shredded Pork & Burdock Root

2011-11-05T20:11:00.001-04:00

We've recently been using burdock root, also called gobo, in various, mostly Asian, dishes, as burdock root is know for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Burdock root comes out crunchy with an earthy undertone, I've liked it in most dishes I've tried it in. I came across this recipe on the 'Net, and, liking pork, decided to try it. The first time I made it, I used some frozen Thai birds-eye chilis, it came out really tasty and good spicy as well - the gobo worked well with the pork; the second time I made it, I used Sichuan doubanjiang chili paste, it also came out tasty. The black vinegar works well with the pork as well.

Shredded Pork & Burdock Root3 Tbsp rice bran oil4 chilies (1 Tbsp doubanjiang)1 medium-sized burdock root, finely julienned1 large carrot, finely julienned275 g pork, julienned or sliced thin1-2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce1 cm ginger, minced3 garlic cloves, minced2 tsp Chinkiang black vinegarwhite pepper

Over high heat, add oil and chilis to a large wok. Once the chilis start to blister, add the burdock root. Stir and keep the wok moving. Cook the burdock for about four minutes until burdock starts to darken and gets softer.

Add carrots and continue cooking another minute or two until carrots soften. Remove veggies from wok and reserve.

Add pork to hot wok, season well with white pepper. Once pork starts to sear add soy sauce. Once pork is cooked rare, remove any excess fat and add garlic and ginger. Cook another minute. Add reserve vegetables and vinegar.

Continue cooking until pork starts to caramelize and you can really hear the wok sizzling. Remove the chilis and use as garnish. Serve hot with rice.

GT's Organic Raw Kombucha - Original

2011-11-05T20:10:00.000-04:00

Kombucha is one of my favourite drinks, raw, bubbly, healthy goodness, much better than any sugared pop. I've come across several new suppliers in the various health food stores I frequent here, this one is from California. G.T. Dave has been making kombucha since 1995; one of its main ingredients is "100% pure LOVE!!!". This is Original flavour, the ingredients are just, besides the LOVE, water, kombucha culture (yeast and bacteria) and tea. This is raw kombucha, there are strands of the culture floating at the bottom. GT's kombucha tasted pretty good; I'd like to investigate the other flavours in his line. The bottle cost me under $4.

Flourless Cashew Cookies

2011-11-05T20:07:00.000-04:00

Having enjoyed Sweets from the Earth Flourless Cashew Cookies and looking round the 'Net for a recipe that would duplicate it, I managed to cobble together this recipe. Sweets from the Earth uses tofu to replace egg or oil (and don't call them Flourless Cashew Tofu Cookies, which I debated doing). Most of the original recipes also called for 1 cup of sugar; I decreased it by half as you can see, with little loss in flavour. I still have to work on this to make it more of a firm cookie, was thinking of removing some of the oil that comes with the cashew butter. Still, these were quite tasty and easy to make! Finally, like peanut butter, these stick a little to the roof of the mouth.

Flourless Cashew Cookies1 cup cashew butter1/2 cup golden brown cane sugar1/4 cup soft tofu1 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Mix ingredients in medium bowl. Using two small spoons, form into ball using heaped 1 teaspoon of dough for each cookie. Arrange on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until puffed, golden on bottom and still soft to touch in center, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.

Crudessence Kombucha Clarté

2011-11-05T20:05:00.000-04:00

The last of the four different flavoured kombuchas from the Montreal, Quebec based company Crudessence features green tea and lemon (actually lemon tea). It also has ginger in it. If it had more ginger flavouring, it would be my favourite of the four, but it definitely came a close second to the Passion with rosehip and hibiscus. I would definitely drink this again.

Toblerone Fruit and Nut

2011-11-05T20:03:00.000-04:00

i like chocolate bars with fruit and nuts (raisins or currants and almonds or hazelnuts). What the people at Toblerone have done with this bar, is to add raisins to their regular and very popular chocolate nougat triangle bar. The raisins I found to be very small, though it did make the toblerone a little tastier. Give it a try, if you like toblerone, and want something a little different.

Manamim Cubes

2011-11-05T20:01:00.003-04:00

Many companies make crispy wafers with hazelnut filling, these were made in Israel. They came very cheap. I don't like that they are only hazelnut flavoured (I see why they are cheap), and I found them very sweet and will not ever eat them again.

Maitre Truffout Haselnuss

2011-11-05T20:00:00.001-04:00

The Austrian chocolatier Gunz appears to make some of their products in Italy (a good place if you are wanting to make something with hazelnuts). This is a milk chocolate bar, and its ingredient listing is not that good, mostly sugar. The bar cost less than $2.

How does it taste? The hazelnuts were very small, the bar itself melted very easily and was not too sweet. I like the hazelnuts of this, but I don't think I would get this bar again.

Jamie Oliver - Green Pesto

2011-11-05T19:58:00.003-04:00

Not everything Jamie Oliver touches is good in flavour. Jamie Oliver has recently gotten into prepared foods, this is one of several I saw in the supermarket. I would say this is a real disappointment, given Jamie Oliver's premise of fresh flavours and food, this tasted "old", with muted flavours and like it was made from dried basil leaves. I think I could have made it fresh far better.

Mars Planets

2011-11-05T19:03:00.000-04:00

These came as a Christmas present from Germany. They are a mixture of three different chocolate-covered candies, one Crispy, one Creamy and one Caramel-y. They come in different sized balls. Interesting combination of crunchy and chewy.

Crudessence Passion

2011-01-01T10:35:00.002-05:00

This is my favourite of the four kombuchas I recently discovered from the Montreal, Quebec company Crudessence.This one features rosehip and hibiscus, two flavours I really enjoy, also ginger. Some of their ingredients (cane sugar, black tea and ginger) are Fair Trade. This one I could drink again and again.

Enviro Mushrooms - Enoki Mushrooms

2011-01-01T10:33:00.001-05:00

We've bought quite a few of these packs of enoki mushrooms (there's a recipe on that page, which I have lost count of how many times we have made it); I like them very much as mushrooms go. I like that they are very local, grown in Burlington, and that they are therefore very fresh. You can find these in most Chinese supermarkets here in Mississauga. Usually, they run about 2 containers for $2.50, or even less.

Toblerone Tobelle

2011-01-01T10:30:00.001-05:00

This is the latest from Toblerone. Essentially, they've taken their normal long bar and sliced them very thin. There are 20 pieces within this box. Good, if you don't want to eat too much at one time.

President's Choice Chocolate Hazelnut

2011-01-01T10:24:00.002-05:00

I like Nutella, have for a long while, so I thought to try this Nutella-like product from President's Choice. The ingredients of Nutella are basically hazelnuts, oil, cocoa and sugar; this one is very similar, using canola and palm oil, skim milk powder and low fat cocoa.

How did it taste? Quite good, similar in flavour to Nutella, but with its own unique flavour. I don't know if it would replace Nutella in my heart of hearts, but it's a good substitute.

New Zealand Spring Lamb - Thai Curry

2011-01-01T10:21:00.002-05:00

I've eaten a couple of other of New Zealand Lamb's prepared lamb dishes, Lamb Korma and Moroccan Lamb, both of which I liked for a quick but not so fresh meal (I mean, it left me wanting to make my own freshly). I had seen this one before, a Thai curry, but avoided it, because I though to make my own. This is supposed to be a Massaman curry (with Green Curry mixed in), made in South Thailand by Muslims, a recipe I had heard of before, and one dish on a long list of dishes I would like to try in Thailand. Looking through the ingredient listing, I am pleased that the ingredients look to be fairly authentic, they use coconut milk, fish sauce, green curry paste, massaman paste, tamarind pulp, rice bran oil (something I'm getting in to) and kaffir lime leaves - all fairly traditional Thai ingredients. Lamb, though, is not really a traditional Thai ingredient, you'd only find it made by Muslims in the South. I would say that I enjoyed the flavour of this, equal in flavour to the Moroccan Lamb, but, again, it left me wanting to make my own.

I see now that their website has lots of lamb recipes, I think I'll check them out!

Gimbal's Fine Candies Scottie Dogs

2011-01-01T10:18:00.003-05:00

Gimbal's Fine Candies has been crafting candies since 1898. The recipes have been handed down through 4 generations. They cook their candies in small kettles. I came across this what looked to be All Natural Licorice; I do like licorice. These, however, are different than Panda Licorice, in that they are mostly sugar (corn syrup and sugar are the first two ingredients). It does have a good licorice flavour, and the Scottie dogs are kind of cute, but they stick to your teeth awfully, something I don't like. They also have carnauba wax and caramel colour. I don't think that I will try these again anytime soon.

Sweets from the Earth Flourless Cashew Cookies

2011-01-01T10:15:00.001-05:00

I liked these the first time I tried them, later I picked up this box at Whole Foods. Sweets from the Earth makes a number of healthier baked goods - the list is very long - all natural; gluten free; 100% vegan; dairy free; egg free; cholesterol free; lactose free; 0 trans fats; low in sodium; no refined sugars; low in saturated fat; GMO free; nothing artificial; no preservatives. These cookies are flourless, and eggless (they use tofu instead of an egg), and have only a few ingredients - cashew butter, evaporated cane juice, tofu, baking soda and salt (the evaporated cane juice and tofu are Organic).

But healthy doesn't necessarily mean not decadent or tasty, these certainly are quite tasty. They remind me very much like a peanut butter cookie, with a similar flavour, though different. Something I hope to enjoy often - I might even have found a recipe to make them myself.

Keralan Fish Curry

2011-01-01T10:14:00.002-05:00

I made this recipe for our Christmas celebration this year, it went over very well. Kerala is a state of India. This recipe is from Jamie Oliver, it's different than other Keralan Fish Stew recipes I've seen (which use onion rather than shallot, add lime juice at the end and don't use tomato). I used Madras curry powder, rather than the chili powder it originally called for - Madras curry is from India, and contains lots of chili powder, so I feel justified (though, again, I'm not sure that this is a traditional ingredient). For the fish, I chose haddock, it turned out well, but you could also use cod. Because some of my relatives can't take the heat, I didn't add the green chili (the Madras curry powder provides heat in itself); feel free to even add more, if you like it, I've seen a recipe that uses 4-6 chilies. Serve it on basmati rice or Thai jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Keralan Fish Curry
Rice Bran oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
20 curry leaves
6 shallots, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 x 2.5 cm piece of ginger, finely sliced
1 green chili, finely sliced
1 Tbsp Madras curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
750 g firm white fish cut into chunks
1 x 400 ml tin coconut milk
1 x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
Chopped coriander

Heat a lug of groundnut oil in a large pan and fry the mustard seeds with the curry leaves till the seeds start to pop. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli, and cook on a medium heat for 5 mins, till softened. Mix together the chili powder and turmeric with a splash of water, and then stir into the pan. Fry for a minute, then add the fish, coconut milk and tomatoes. Season.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins, or until fish is cooked and sauce reduced. Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander.

Heloi Rice Bran Oil

2011-01-01T10:13:00.002-05:00

I've read recently about the health benefits of rice bran oil, and decided to buy some when I saw some for sale. Rice bran oil, pressed and extracted from the bran of the rice kernel (from Japan, India, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia), has a long shelf life and, perhaps more importantly, a high smoke point - almost as high as avocado oil and higher than peanut and canola oil, making it highly suitable for frying. It emulsifies well (making it suitable for dressings and mayonnaises) and has a subtle nutty flavour, so it won't overpower other flavours when added to baked goods, sauces and marinades. It is also good for the body, it lowers the bad LDL cholesterol while simultaneously raising good HDL cholesterol; it is a monounsaturated fat; and it has various antioxidants, including gamma oryzanole. I know that rice bran oil can be taken in gel capsule form, as a health benefit.

This particular rice bran oil from Heloi Foods is from India. I have used it several times, and it seems to work well in stir-frying. This 1 litre bottle, while it was on sale, was only $8, much more expensive than the more widely used vegetable oils.

Luna & Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss - Pineapple Coconut

2011-01-01T10:11:00.002-05:00

This is the second of Coconut Bliss's coconut milk-based ice creams that I've tried. This is the one that my beautiful Bride selected; mine was Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge, which I enjoyed. This ice cream tastes more like pineapple to me than coconut, it has both pineapple and pineapple juice concentrate, along with coconut extract and rum extract for flavour. It does taste pretty good, very pineapple-y, and not sweet at all. I would eat this one again.

Lundberg Sante Fe Barbecue Rice Chips

2011-01-01T10:09:00.000-05:00

Lundberg has been around since 1937, growing rice in harmony with nature. These tortilla chips are made from a combination of brown rice, masa corn flour and white rice flour. I like the barbecue flavour of these, not too much of a kick but a good spice. I also like that they use no artificial colours or flavours. You can find these chips in most large health food stores.

Voss Artesian Water from Norway

2011-01-01T10:06:00.003-05:00

I first saw the what to me was very expensive water in health food stores, I was intrigued by the distinctive shape of their glass bottle more than anything. I had the opportunity to buy some of their still and sparkling water at still high but less expensive prices, and picked some up. Voss Water is artesian water from Norway, which boasts some of the most pristine water in the world. Tasting the water, I remarked on how similar it tasted, fresh, compared to the Santevia. The sparkling was very good as well, better even than my Gerolsteiner. I don't have a source for it here, other than in health food stores, but I saw that they sell the plastic bottle version in Montreal for half the price or less. Though, I prefer glass for water, you can re-use it certainly.

Panda Soft Licorice

2011-01-01T10:05:00.001-05:00

I like the flavour of licorice and anise, so I'm a fan of real soft licorice candy. This one from Finland's Panda Licorice is made from only four ingredients, molasses, wheat flour, licorice extract and aniseed oil. People have been enjoying their licorice since 1927; I'm a latecomer to this bandwagon. I like that there are no artificial ingredients, a simple ingredient listing, and real flavours and colours. You can find Panda Licorice in most health food stores.

Crudessence Symbiose Kombucha

2011-01-01T10:03:00.003-05:00

I do like kombucha, and was pleased to find this one at Whole Life Expo. Crudessence is from Montreal, Quebec, they make a number of different flavoured kombucha drinks. This one features white tea (kombucha is a brew made from tea and a combination of yeast and bacteria) and ginger (fresh ginger and ginger juice). Some of their ingredients (cane sugar and white tea) are Fair Trade. This one I liked very much, very ginger-y, one I hope to find a source for. They make it with lots of Love!

Crudessence Éternité Kombucha

2011-01-01T10:02:00.003-05:00

Crudessence is from Montreal, Quebec, they make a number of different flavoured kombucha drinks. I do like kombucha, the bubbly brewed tea. This one features blueberry and maple; the tea of the kombucha (kombucha is brewed from sugar, tea and a combination of yeast and bacteria) is black tea. Some of their ingredients (cane sugar and black tea) are Fair Trade. This one I did not care for, perhaps because of the black tea flavour, perhaps because of the maple flavour; I also did not taste any blueberry. When I sampled it at Whole Life Expo, I knew I didn't like it, but just bought it for the sake of trying more than a mouthful.

Kambly Bretzli

2011-01-01T09:59:00.003-05:00

As you might know, I like picking up interesting baked goods. These looked intriguing, they are Swiss waffle thins made by Oscar Kambly since 1910. These came in a special Christmas tin. I didn't realize how thin they were, until I opened up the package, when I though waffles, I thought thicker. Biting into them, they are crisp and drier versions that waffles, but do have the flavour of waffles. The ingredients look fairly good, at least they don't have many unpronounceable chemicals, and have similar ingredients to what I would expect waffles to be made from, save that they use coconut oil (not a bad ingredient). I think they are pretty good, though expensive ($8 for this box, essentially 250 g of waffles).

Ohgave! Raw Blue Agave Nectar

2011-01-01T09:57:00.001-05:00

I've read about the benefits of agave syrup, as a better atlternative to sugar, it's lower on the Glycemic Index, and it's sweeter, so you can use less (and save calories. The sugar in agave syrup is a complex form of fructose, the sugar in fruits and vegetables, called inulin. This agave syrup from Ohgave! is made from blue agave from Mexico, and is processed in such a way that it retains its health benefits, and can be considered a "raw" food. Agave syrup can be used in a similar manner to any other liquid sugar, honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, corn syrup (this last one is just as bad health-wise as table sugar). Agave can be also used as a substitute for granulated sugars, but, as it is sweeter, and a liquid, you might have to adjust the recipe. It does, though, work in a similar manner in food preparation, as opposed to artificial sweeteners. The taste is more subtle, and less likely to overwhelm other flavours. I see also, that, unlike honey, it is a good sweetener for babies (albeit, they shouldn't really have any sugar, or much). Try it out, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Lentils with Pancetta and Collard Greens

2011-01-01T09:55:00.001-05:00

I got this recipe originally from David Rocco’s TV Series, and have made it several times. I thought today, to add some collard greens, to give it more vegetables, and to give it a more festive look. Doesn’t it look Christmas-y! It tastes as good or even better than the version I have made before. I used the sprouted lentils from Sasha Co., they turned out quite well.

Lentils with Pancetta and Collard Greens
Adapted from a recipe by David Rocco
9 oz pancetta, cubed (250g)
1/2 cup rice bran oil
2 x white cooking onions, thinly sliced
dried rosemary, pinch
dried thyme, pinch
1 medium red bell pepper
1/2 roasted red pepper
1 bunch collard greens, cut into medium strips
2-3 cups cooked lentils
Pinch of salt

Sauté pancetta for a moment or two in the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat, until they are browned on one side, then add the peppers and onions and continue cooking until the onions are browned and the bell pepper is softened. Add the collard greens, and cook until the leaves are soft.

Add lentils to pan. Cook for a few minutes so that the lentils absorb flavours of the other ingredients. Add a pinch of salt.

ShaSha Co. Bio-Bud Raw Organic Sprouted Lentils

2011-01-01T09:54:00.001-05:00

I've read about the benefits of sprouting; it increases the nutrients within and makes them more available to the body. I like lentils, and they are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin c, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, zinc, magnesium, niacin and phosphorous. Because these pulses from Shasha Co. are sprouted, they require half the time to cook, just soak them for 25 minutes and cook for 30 minutes.

Cocoa Camino Panama Extra Dark

2011-01-01T09:51:00.001-05:00

I picked this up along with their Chili & Spice. I was intrigued by the cacao content, 85%, though I didn’t hold much hope out for it being really good because of the high cacao content, and that the beans came from Panama, a country of origin whose beans I’m not that familiar with. The ingredient listing is good, cocoa mass, golden cane sugar, oocoa butter, whole cane sugar and ground vanilla beans. All the ingredients are Fair Trade.

How does it taste? Because of the high cacao content, 85%, it tasted to me a little chalky; not really surprised by that, 70% cacao content seems to work very well. The chocolate itself was okay in taste, nothing spectacular, and didn’t leave me wanting to try more beans from Panama. I don't think that I will buy this bar again.

Cocoa Camino Chili & Spice

2011-01-01T09:49:00.001-05:00

I’ve tried Cocoa Camino’s Espresso bar before, and liked it well enough; it did put in the back of my mind to try some of their other products. I do like the combination of spicy heat and chocolate, give it a try if haven’t. The cacao content is at 71%. The ingredient listing is good, cocoa mass, golden cane sugar, oocoa butter, whole cane sugar, cinnamon, ginger, chili and ground vanilla beans. All the ingredients are Fair Trade.

How does it taste? The heat from the chili is good, more than moderate, and pairs well with the dark chocolate. It leaves a pleasant aftertaste, and a little burn. I would definitely buy this bar again.

Andrews Scenic Acres Rhubarb Raspberry Jam

2011-01-01T09:48:00.001-05:00

This is the second of two jams I got from the pick-your-own Family Fun Farm Andrews Scenic Acres. I was intrigued by this jam because it wasn’t the more traditional strawberry and rhubarb combination, which works well and is a combination I enjoy and will enjoy, rather it was rhubarb and raspberry. Strawberries and rhubarb works well because they grow and mature together at the same time, so they say, and raspberries come out mid-summer, after rhubarb is gone. Like the rhubarb-strawberry jam, the ingredients are just rhubarb, raspberries and sugar, so very little sugar, more fruit, and no added pectin, and I like that it is rhubarb first in the ingredients (normally it would be the other way). Too, the jam says “Prepared For”, which I’m okay with, as long as it’s good, but, like the rhubarb-strawberry jam, this jam is just okay, though I do like the combination of rhubarb with the raspberry, and would look for this combination again.

Dry Soda - Rhubarb

2011-01-01T09:47:00.001-05:00

This is the second of the natural and more healthy sodas from Dry Soda that I tried. This one intrigued me more than the Vanilla Bean one, you don’t see many sodas, or even drinks, with rhubarb. Like the vanilla bean, I don’t like that they use phosphoric acid, but I did prefer this one over the vanilla bean, and the rhubarb flavouring, they use natural extracts, was good and not overwhelmingly prominent. I doubt that I would buy this again, mostly because of the phosphoric acid.

President's Choice The World's Best All-Butter Scottish Shortbreads

2011-01-01T09:45:00.001-05:00

I like shortbread, and especially Scottish shortbread, there’s nothing like this biscuit made from very good butter and only a few ingredients (flour, butter, sugar). This shortbread from President’s Choice has that short ingredient listing; they use demerera sugar rather than just white sugar.

How do they taste? I wouldn’t say they are the World’s Best, but they are a pretty good shortbread. I think they would have been better to make a smaller cookie, most of them were quite flaky, as they should be, but broke when I picked them up (and who wants to lose part of a good cookie). I probably just might buy these again sometime.

Loacker Gran Pasticceria Dark-Hazelnut

2011-01-01T09:43:00.001-05:00

Loacker from Italy makes a number of creme biscuits of differing flavours; I’ve tried a few of them in my time, I was intrigued by this one, because it has 60% cacao content, and contains hazelnut pieces. I notice too, down the long list of ingredients, that there is also Bourbon vanilla pods.

How does it taste? I like the chocolate coating, it does taste like dark chocolate. The pieces of hazelnut were fairly small but still noticeable. I found them good but not great, and likely wouldn’t buy them again.

Nam Pad Kai - Sausage Fried with Egg

2011-01-01T09:42:00.002-05:00

This Thai street food dish is from the north of Thailand, there they make it with Thai garlic, raw pork and garlic sausage. You can make this dish with almost any kind of sausage, I made mine with some chicken sausage that my daughter also likes, but I would think it’d be very tasty with European garlic pork sausage or chorizo; choose your favourite. I didn’t use as much garlic as it called for, just was lazy. I found the dish to be overall very tasty, but the fish sauce gave it too much of a salty taste; I am of the mind to try it with cider vinegar rather.

Nam Pad Kai
2 Tbsp oil
4 oz sausage (about two), cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 eggs
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 whole head fresh garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
3 spring onions, coarsely chopped

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy-bottomed frying pan until hot, then stir-fry the slices of sausage until they are almost cooked, two or three minutes. Break the eggs into the pan and stir to break up. Add the remaining ingredients and stir fry for a minute or two, until the egg is cooked and the tomato is slightly soft. Serve alone or with jasmine rice.

Lindt Excellence Roasted Almond

2011-01-01T09:39:00.001-05:00

This bar is one of the newest from Lindt, it features dark chocolate, though only the minimum to make the grade) and roasted almonds. The cacao content is at 47%. The ingredient listing is fair (high sugar and butter fat are the culprits), sugar, cocoa mass, almonds, cocoa butter, butter fat, soya lecithin and vanilla.

How does it taste? There is definitely the taste of roasted almonds in this bar, and the almonds are fairly small pieces (but at least noticeable when chewing). My beautiful Bride, who likes almonds, doesn’t care much for the small pieces of almond. I concur, and we likely won’t buy this one again.

Chocolate Surprise Cake

2010-09-29T18:36:00.001-04:00

The surprise in this cake, which, for me, is a total surprise that I really like it, is not really new, I’ve heard of it before; it’s adding beets to a chocolate cake. This recipe comes from the book Better Food for Kids, from which we’ve made a few recipes. As you might have guessed, I find this cake to be quite delicious, moist, and, the best part, it does not taste like a beet cake with chocolate, rather it is a good-tasting moist chocolate cake. If the idea of beets doesn’t turn your fancy, you can always substitute the beets with 4 bananas and 1/2 cup of milk. But, try the beets! The decoration on this cake, done wonderfully by my beautiful Bride, is for my young daughter’s birthday. We used natural colours, beet red (how appropriate!), turmeric yellow and blue from red cabbage. They worked out well, though are not so bright as the artificial colours.

Chocolate Surprise Cake
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 19 oz can beets, drained and puréed
1 cup granulate sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine beets, both sugars, oil, butter, eggs and vanilla extract in a stand mixer. Beat on slow until blended, then on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until thoroughly mixed. Add flour-cocoa mixture in small batches and mix on low.

Pour batter into greased baking pan and bake for 40 minutes (check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the centre of the cake). Cool on a wire rack.

Dry Soda - Vanilla Bean

2010-09-26T08:21:00.000-04:00

I found this soft drink in one of the health food stores I go to, I think Whole Foods. Dry Soda makes a number of interesting flavoured soft drinks. This one features vanilla bean, a flavour I enjoy very much, and it delivers on it. This is also a dry soda, which implies to me, that it is not so sweet, similar to dry, as opposed to sweet, wine; when you drink it, it does taste “dry”, ie. not sweet, which I think is a good thing. The ingredient listing is short, purified carbonated water, cane sugar, natural extracts and phosphoric acid. This last ingredient is the only problem I have. Phosphoric acid is there to help keep the bubbles of the carbonation, but it has effects on the body, including potentially leaching calcium out of your bones (to counteract the phosphorus). I will grant, that perhaps the amount of phosphoric acid in this product likely is lower than you might find in one of the commercial products, Coke or Tab, for example. Overall, I enjoyed the flavour, but don’t need the worry of what the phosphoric acid is doing.

Terra Sweet Potato Chips

2010-09-26T08:19:00.002-04:00

I’ve tried Terra Chip’s Exotic Vegetable Chips - Original and Sweets and Beets, both of which contain sweet potato chips; this one contains only sweet potato chips. The chips look a little dark, perhaps overcooked a little, but taste very good, sweet and full of the good sweet potato flavour. We bought a second bag.

Chicken Stir-Fried with Lemongrass and Chile

2010-09-24T20:54:00.002-04:00

This dish I first tried in my favourite Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Hung in Mississauga, and it quickly became my favourite Vietnamese dish. This recipe comes from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen; I was excited to see how it compared to Pho Hung's dish. The key to this recipe is the curry; use the Madras curry if you can get it, I used something from Japan called Oriental curry, and, while it had similar ingredients, it wasn't spicy enough - at least, that is what I like about this dish. We also added too much coconut milk; you need to "dry it out" in order to get the right consistency. But, still, it tasted similar in a lot of ways, and I'm glad to have another dish I can prepare myself. The second time I tried making it, I used some Madras Curry, as I finally found some, at this Chinese supermarket, I also used a more reasonable amount of coconut milk, and it tasted very much better, more spicy but not hot. We also found out, in talking to one Vietnamese restaurant manager, that this recipe is Chinese-Vietnamese, you would not find it on a strictly Vietnamese menu.

Chicken Stir-Fried with Lemongrass and Chile
1-1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, well trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
2-1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 or 2 Thai chiles, finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 cup coconut milk, canned or freshly made
3 or 4 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped, as garnish
Thai Jasmine rice

In a bowl, combine the chicken, salt, sugar, curry power, and fish sauce and turn several times to coat the chicken evenly. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or for up to 1 hour.

In a wok or large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots, chiles, and lemongrass and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the chicken and the bell pepper; stir quickly to mix. Stir-fry the chicken for about 2 minutes, until they are nicely browned on all sides.

Add the coconut milk, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Cook till the coconut milk is reduced and barely visible. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with Thai Jasmine rice.

Gluay Op Nam Puang - Banana Bake with Honey

2010-09-24T20:51:00.003-04:00

I’ve talked about the superior flavour of Thai bananas, this is a snack that’s really healthy, just Thai bananas baked with honey (and only 1% of the total). Because these are fresh with little preservatives (honey is itself a natural preservative, and very little can grow in it), the shelf life is very short (compared to all the other snacks out there). The banana ends up being chewy with a honey flavour. Interesting, but I think I prefer the fresh banana.

Andrews Scenic Acres Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

2010-09-12T19:52:00.000-04:00

Andrews Scenic Acres is a large farm with fruit orchards and other vegetables (a very large list); you can either buy from them or pick your own; they also have animals, wagon rides, playground and other fun things for a child to do. My beautiful Bride and daughter went there during the summer, to pick strawberries. When they were there, they also picked up for me some jams made with rhubarb. This one is rhubarb strawberry; they also bought one that has raspberry. The ingredients are just rhubarb, strawberry and sugar, so very little sugar, more fruit, and no added pectin, and I like that it is rhubarb first in the ingredients (normally it would be the other way). I thought, though, that they made these jams themselves, but I see on the label “Prepared For”; hopefully, they at least used fruit from the farm. The jam itself tasted okay, not really fresh, and not a strong rhubarb or strawberry flavour.

Ewenity Quark

2010-09-12T19:51:00.000-04:00

Quark is a traditional unripened cheese in Germany, made by heating soured milk until the whey separates (the milk proteins are denatured), and then strained. It is a cheese that you can make at home. It is similar to ricotta, but is different, as ricotta is made from scalded milk. It is similar to cottage cheese, except that cottage cheese uses rennet to denature the protein. Most quarks are made from cow’s milk, this one is different in that it is made from sheep’s milk. Ewenity is a cooperative of farmers who raise sheep, they make many products, alongside just milk, from sheep’s milk, including yogurt (which my young daughter likes). This quark is quite good. I enjoy it spread on bread with a little jam, and have made other desserts from quark. The small tub cost $5, which I purchased at Riverdale Organic Farm.

Goldie's Premium Carob Bar - Plain

2010-09-12T19:41:00.002-04:00

This is the third of the carob bars from Goldie’s that I tried, this one has no extra flavours or additions, a plain carob bar (and similar, to me, to a plain milk chocolate bar). Like all their other carob bars, it has no hydrogenated oils, no refined sugars, no preservatives, no chocolate, cocoa or caffeine. The ingredient listing is similar to their other bars, barley malt, fractionated palm kernel oil, carob powder, soy lecithin and milk.

How does it taste? Good, the carob is the center piece here, and I can see now what different flavour there was in the Hazelnut Praline (the hazelnuts). I don’t know how you can really make a dark carob version, whether that would work, adding more carob. Would be interesting, though. I think I would buy this bar again.

Traditional Medicinals Organic Lemon Yerba Maté

2010-09-03T21:07:00.002-04:00

I’ve enjoyed this tea from Traditional Medicinals for a long while now, for the most part in order to get a jolt of caffeine on those mornings after late nights (and now with a toddler, there are more of those). Yerba Mate is similar to green tea in its range of antioxidants and health benefits, it also has theobromine (what is found in chocolate, what gives it its “kick”). I’ve read now that it has a darker side, down in South America, where they consume yerba mate in large quantities, more than a liter a day, there is a larger risk for certain cancers. The taste of yerba mate is supposed to be smoky, woody, bitter, but I find that the lemony flavour of this (which comes from West Indian lemongrass leaf and lemon myrtle leaf) combines and mutes the earthiness of the yerba mate. I quite enjoy the flavour of this tea (and they have a version that uses ginger, which I don’t like as much, which is odd, as I enjoy ginger), and find it does provide energy (given that it has about the same amount of caffeine as green tea), without any side effects of drinking too much coffee or soda. And, I only need to drink one large cup with one tea bag when I feel the need.

Traditional Medicinals Organic Rose Hips

2010-09-03T21:06:00.002-04:00

Traditional Medicinals makes many different teas, mostly Organic, and, according to the box, they purchase and manufacture their herbs sustainably, buying from cooperatives of herb farmers, supporting Organic farmers, and using 100% Wind Power to offset their energy use. This one features rose hips, something that I see in many caffeine-free herbal teas, and in one of my favourite, but I have never tried them on their own (and the rosehip tea I like so much, I’ve discovered has the flavour of roselle). I must say, I like the flavour of this tea, fruity, tart and sweet at the same time, a pleasant tasting tea that tastes fresh too (some of the teas have been sitting on the shelf for a long while, and have lost a little, a lot, of their flavour). The tea itself is light red when brewed. This one cost $4, but I’ve seen it for much more.

Now I have another tea to enjoy.

Cote D'Or Passionfruit

2010-09-03T21:03:00.001-04:00

I’ve tried the Belgian chocolatier ’s Pistachio, and didn’t really care for, but I do like passionfruit, and this bar was on sale. Cote D’Or uses cacao beans from West Africa and South American to make its bars. The ingredient listing indicates that it just meets the requirements of a dark chocolate bar; sugar, unsweetened chocolate, palm and/or coconut oil, cocoa butter, modified milk ingredients, passionfruit juice concentrate, cocoa powder, banana puree, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavours.

How does it taste? I was surprised that it was not a filled chocolate, like a jam, rather it was more like a dense mousse (likely the passionfruit-flavoured banana), though pleasantly surprised, as I find those types of bars too sweet. The passionfruit flavour was there but fairly subtle, and ultimately, I didn’t care for this bar, as there was some crunchy bits that I couldn’t identify as coming from the ingredients. I would not buy this bar again.

O.N.E. Acai Acerola Drink

2010-09-03T21:01:00.002-04:00

This is the last of the O.N.E. drinks that I tried. Acai is a new fruit superfood that is finding its way into a number of drinks, both health-oriented and even commercial ones; these Acai berries are wild-crafted from the Amazon Rainforest. Acerola cherries are an excellent source of Vitamin C. Drinking it, the liquid has a fair amount of brownish-red pulp, a little off-putting, and the drink tasted somewhat sour (from the cherries, no doubt). Overall, I would say this was my least favourite of the O.N.E. drinks, my favourite being the Cashew Fruit.

Goldie's Premium Carob Bar - Hazelnut Praline

2010-09-01T18:11:00.001-04:00

The second of three carob bars I tried (carob is made from the fruit of the locust tree) had hazelnut praline as its flavour. Goldie’s has been making carob bars for 25 years. Their bars contain no preservatives, refined sugars or hydrogenated oils. The ingredient listing looks like a milk chocolate bar, barley malt, fractionated palm kernel oil, carob powder, hazelnuts and soy lecithin.

How does it taste? Still good, I like carob in taste and smell, but the flavour of hazelnut was totally lost in this carob (it almost seems to me that I got a carob bar instead of one with hazelnuts). I liked their Banana better. I would buy this bar again.

Santa Cruz Organic Limeade

2010-09-01T18:10:00.003-04:00

I’ve tried Santa Cruz’s Lemon Lime, Raspberry Lemonade and Mango Lemonade, this one features lime juice. Well, mostly lime, it also has white grape juice and lemon juice. It’s pleasant tasting, fairly good Organic with better ingredients drink, and around $2 for the near 1L bottle.

Goldie's Premium Carob Bar - Banana

2010-09-01T18:07:00.002-04:00

Carob is a healthy alternative to chocolate; it’s lower in fat and calories and caffeine-free; it’s very nutritious, in some ways more than cacao. You can use carob powder 1:1 in place of cocoa powder in recipes. It has a different taste, chocolate-y but also sweeter (so you can cut down the amount of sugar). Carob comes from the bean of the Locust tree, commonly called Honey Locust (though, we have a honey locust in my Dad's front yard, been there forever, and occasionally it would have small fruit; never thought that it could be edible- likely not). I came across these bars in a health food store. Goldie’s has been making carob bars for 25 years. Their bars contain no preservatives, refined sugars or hydrogenated oils. This one is banana flavoured. The ingredient listing looks to me to be more reminiscent of a milk chocolate bar, barley malt (essentially sugar), fractionated palm kernel oil, carob powder, banana extract and milk.

How does it taste? I like the taste of carob, the smell of it, though it is by far a different experience to cacao, and is not a replacement. Though, you can still enjoy it on its own merits, and I did enjoy this bar, despite finding it a little chalky in texture, and also a little sweet (carob is naturally sweet, and you actually need less sugar in recipes than using cocoa). The banana is there, but not predominant (wonder what it would taste like with chewy banana pieces!). The bar cost about $4, and I don't have a ready source for it, but I would buy this bar again.

Whole Wheat Spaghettini with Scallops and Arugula

2010-09-01T18:06:00.001-04:00

I had made this recipe long ago once, and had mostly forgotten about it, but we had some arugula, and it popped into my head again. This recipe actually calls for the larger sea scallops, which you sear until crispy and brown, but we had only bay scallops, and frozen ones at that, but the recipe didn’t suffer. We also omitted the capers that the original recipe called for; I think it’s an acquired taste. All together, even with these changes, the pasta tastes good, the pepperiness of the arugula comes out against the background of the lemon. Fairly easy to make.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Scallops and Arugula
Adapted from a recipe from Williams-Sonoma
1/2 lb. bay scallops, side muscle removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon
handful of Italian basil
5 shallots, minced
1/2 package whole wheat spaghettini
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 large bunch arugula, preferably small leaved, stems removed

Rinse the scallops and dry well with paper towels. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy fry pan over high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. In batches without crowding, add the scallops and sear until nicely browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the scallops over and brown the other side, about 1 minute more. Return all the scallops to the pan, add the lemon zest and basil, and cook for a moment. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the scallops to a bowl. Reduce the heat to low and add the shallots to the pan, adding more oil, if needed. Sauté until softened, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 3 to 4 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, add the lemon juice and stock to the fry pan and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta well and add it to the fry pan. Add the scallops and any juices that have accumulated, then add the pine nuts. Toss over low heat to finish cooking the scallops and mix the ingredients, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Transfer to a warmed large, shallow bowl, add the arugula leaves and toss gently. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Rustic Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

2010-09-01T18:00:00.003-04:00

We had a large number of cherry tomatoes we bought at Riverdale Organic Farmer’s Market, mostly from a momentary lapse of brain function (I forgot that I had bought some just five minutes earlier, but, in my defence, there are so many good looking and interesting fruits and vegetables at the Market, it’s hard not to take some of everything home). We also had some very nice basil, so we decided to make this pasta sauce. I call it rustic, because I left the cherry tomatoes mostly whole, only cut them in half, and did not blend them, so they have retained their shape. Not only are these cherry tomatoes good looking, but they are good tasting, and this pasta sauce was quite good. We enjoyed this on spaghettini with some vegetarian sausage.

Rustic Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce
1 medium onion
2 large cloves of garlic
1 tbsp oil
35-40 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh basil, plus more for garnish
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Dice onion and mince garlic and add to pan; sautée until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, cut cherry tomatoes in half. Add them to the pan, along with the basil, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Luna & Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss - Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge

2010-09-01T17:52:00.003-04:00

I had heard about this new more-healthy ice cream before, but it was, apparently, mostly sold in the States. This past weekend we came across a Tasting at Organic Garage in Oakville, and decided to check it out. The idea of Coconut Bliss, is that, instead of cow’s milk cream, it uses coconut milk. Coconut milk is used to make ice cream in Thailand, so this is not a new concept, save for North America. Each of Coconut Bliss’s ice creams also contain other healthy ingredients; they use agave syrup as a sweetener, which is low glycemic; all of their ingredients are Organic. The one I selected was their Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge.

How does it taste?. Quite good, and not overwhelmingly like coconut (save for their Naked Coconut one). The fudge is a small strip of agave sweetened cocoa and not too sweet at all. The hazelnuts are quite large chunks, though soft, and not crunchy. This is a small container, similar to how Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s market their ice creams, so no large bowls. Overall, I would say I enjoyed this ice cream, and more so than Dark Chocolate one I sampled.

Mesquite Pistachio Cocoa Nib Cookies

2010-08-12T20:12:00.002-04:00

I’ve seen mesquite pod meal now in quite a few places, before it was really unknown in Canada. I like the smell of the mesquite baking, it gives kind of a smokiness to the cookie. This is a variation on a honey based chocolate chip cookie recipe that is one of my favourites. This is the second of two desserts I baked today, with pistachios and cocoa nibs. The raw cocoa powder kind of disappeared, it certainly didn’t turn the dough brown; perhaps I had to add more.

Mesquite Pistachio Cocoa Nib Cookies
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup mesquite pod meal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp raw cocoa powder
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup light muscovado sugar
1/4 cup butter, slightly softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp honey
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

Preheat oven to 375F/190C.

Combine flours, soda, cocoa powder and salt and whisk together.

Cream together butter and sugars. Add egg and beat until fully incorporated. Stir in vanilla and honey.

Add dry ingredients to the sugar mixture in two additions. Stir in cocoa nibs and pistachios.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cookies all golden all over.

Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a rack.

More "Adult" Carob-Quinoa Chews

2010-08-12T20:10:00.003-04:00

I made a more traditional version of this recipe earlier, substituting carob for cocoa and quinoa puffs for millet puffs. The recipe I took this from is called Cocoa Millet Chews, from Health by Chocolate by Victoria Laine, which contains a number of more healthy recipes that are made from chocolate. I mean more adult, in the sense of, I think these would be less likely to be eaten by young children; the adult ingredients are pistachios, cocoa nibs and currants. Thinking about it now, I could even have added some Frangelico to it, to make it even more “adult”. Otherwise, they still taste good, a chewy, crunchy bite; the cashew butter is tasty too. They were well received at work.

More “Adult” Carob-Quinoa Chews
adapted from a recipe from Health by Chocolate by Victoria Laine
1 cup cashew butter (almond or other nut butter)
1 cup honey (pure maple syrup or brown rice syrup)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup carob powder (cocoa powder)
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
1/4 cup dried currants
1 to 1-1/2 cups puffed quinoa cereal (millet)

Heat cashew butter and honey on medium heat or double boiler, stirring constantly, until mixture just begins to bubble (about 2-3 minutes).

Take off heat and stir in vanilla.

Mix in sifted carob powder and puffed cereal. Add nuts and cocoa nibs and mix well. Cool several minutes.

Mold into balls. Cool on counter or in refrigerator until firm.

Lindt Caffarel Fruit Jellies

2010-08-12T20:06:00.002-04:00

Lindt along with their chocolate, apparently also makes these jellies, as I call them, with various fruits. I tried four of them; quince, apricot, cherry and plum. The jellies are surrounded with a coarse sugar coating.

The quince is good tasting, with a mild flavour and definite taste of quince. My favourite.

The apricot is good tasting, with a subtle apricot flavour.

The cherry has a strong cherry flavour. Good tasting.

The plum has a subtle plum flavour. Good tasting.

Perugina Baci Bar

2010-08-10T07:45:00.001-04:00

I've not cared for the Baci chocolates from Perugina, these are similar, just flattened out. The ingredient listing actually looks worse than the individual chocolates; sugar, unsweetened chocolate, hazelnuts, vegetable fats (palmist, palm, babacu, saffron, cotton), cocoa butter, modified milk ingredients, soya lecithin and artificial flavour. There is also no love note; I guess this is for those who love Baci.

How does it taste? Sweet, but not too bad. The hazelnuts and filling are there in flavour, but should be paired with a better chocolate. The bar cost $2. I liked this better than the individual chocolates, though not enough to eat again.

Cheese Manjyu

2010-08-03T19:48:00.001-04:00

These came from a colleague of mine, he lives and works in Singapore. The filling is like creamy ricotta cheese. Not to my taste, but I like the tagline on the package for the ingredients; “High quality ingredients whose taste has been nurtured by natural light and wind in the greenery section”.

President's Choice The Decadent Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2010-08-03T19:47:00.001-04:00

I did like President's Choice The Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie, made with their The Decadent Semi-Sweet Chocolate, this is very similar to that cookie, but with chunks of chocolate rather than chips of chocolate. Or so their picture on the package shows, very large chunks of chocolate. The actual cookies don't seem to have very large chunks of bulging chocolate pieces. So, I don't see what the difference is between the two. Still good, but not as good as one I can make.

Durian Candy

2010-07-29T19:58:00.001-04:00

At first glance, one would think that this durian candy came from Thailand, the Thai script is quite prominent. I suppose perhaps the Durian came from Thailand, if anything, this is a candy made in China. I liked that the first ingredient is durian, followed by sugar and flavour. It does taste like they used durian, I’m glad of that, and they’re not so sweet.

President's Choice Organic Sea Salt Potato Chips

2010-07-29T19:56:00.002-04:00

I can’t really recommend these potato chips, though if you are a fan of plain potato chips, and I mean plain, then these are the ones for you! Made from Organic potatoes using Organic sunflower oil, and sea salt, it should at least be reasonably good for you (compared to the more commercial less expensive ones).

Pacari Manabi

2010-07-29T19:54:00.001-04:00

This is the second of the four chocolate bars from the Ecuadorian chocolatier Pacari; each features single source organic Arriba Nacional cacao varietal beans from a different region of Ecuador. These cacao beans come from the region of Manabi region in southwest Ecuador. The cacao content is at 65%. The ingredient listing looks good, cacao beans, evaporated cane juice and sunflower lecithin.

How does it taste? Like the Esmeraldas chocolate bar, this bar snaps well, is very dark in colour, and smells fruity. The chocolate melts well in the mouth, has a good aftertaste, and tastes fairly good, though it suffers, like the Esmeraldas bar, from the taste of the cane sugar coming through the chocolate, though not as much. The bar cost me $3 (for a 50 g or half-size bar) at a health food store, and I enjoyed eating it (as I do most Ecuadoran chocolate).

Lindt Excellence Crunchy Caramel

2010-07-29T19:52:00.003-04:00

Normally I wouldn't even consider buying this chocolate bar, as it is Milk chocolate, but it came as part of a four bar package; Lindt makes some good bars, but I don't like their Milk chocolate ones. The ingredient listing is typical for a Milk chocolate one, sugar, cocoa butter, caramel pieces (sugar, milk ingredients, lactose, canola lecithin), milk ingredients, cocoa mass, lactose, soya lecithin, barley malt extract and artificial flavour. The cacao content is at 30%.

How does it taste. The chocolate itself is smooth, and the Crunchy Caramel portion of it was, in 2 words, very crunchy (and stuck to my teeth). I would not buy this bar again.

Kombucha Wonder Drink Essence of Juniper Berry, Spearmint and Lemon Myrtle

2010-07-29T19:50:00.001-04:00

I would say this has been my least favourite of the kombuchas from Wonder Drink. Juniper berries are the main flavouring for gin, which I don’t care for. The spearmint is not a strong flavour, less than the juniper berries; the lemon myrtle I missed its taste completely. The kombucha didn’t come across as being very strong in flavour either. I am disappointed in this one, and miss my Himalayan

Fresh Chickpeas

2010-07-23T18:01:00.002-04:00

My beautiful Bride found this for sale at the Square One Farmer’s Market, it is fresh chickpeas, which I’ve never seen before. Really, never even though of it, having seen them only canned or dried. They have a pod like peas, and do have a “pea” taste to them when eaten raw. Quite interesting.

Sarotti No. 1 Mexico Dark Chocolate Chili

2010-07-23T17:57:00.004-04:00

This is the second of two from Sarotti’s No. 1 line of chocolate bars, this one features cacao beans from Mexico, with chili as flavouring, and has a cacao content of 66%. The ingredient listing is good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, chili soya lecithin and natural vanilla.

How does it taste? The few I’ve eaten from Sarotti have been hit and miss, this one was not so good. The chili was not very strong (okay, only a little spicy aftertaste), and the dark chocolate could be more dark. I’ve never eaten chocolate made from cacao beans from Mexico, but they seem pretty okay. The chocolate itself is smooth but not so flavourful; it's definitely not the sugared chocolate I've seen labelled as Mexican chocolate. I doubt that I would eat this bar again.

Mississauga Rotary Ribfest

2010-07-23T17:56:00.001-04:00

The Mississauga Rotary Ribfest was on this past weekend. Pretty much the same, though we went in the middle of the recent heat wave (feels like high 30's!) we were experiencing, so we didn't have much time to linger. This year, too, they blocked off Duke of York Boulevard next to the Living Arts Centre, which, along with the construction, caused major traffic grief getting in to Square One. All I got this year was a pulled pork sandwich, with beans and rice and corn bread.

Sarotti No. 1 Brazil Dark Chocolate Mint

2010-07-23T17:54:00.001-04:00

I found a couple more of Sarotti's No. 1 line of chocolate bars, this one features cacao beans from Brazil, with mint oil as flavouring, and has a cacao content of 60%. The ingredient listing is good, cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin and mint oil.

How does it taste? The few I've eaten from Sarotti have been hit and miss, this one was fairly good. The mint was not too strong, though the dark chocolate could be more dark. I've never eaten chocolate made from cacao beans from Brazil, but they seem pretty good. The chocolate itself is smooth and flavourful. I would eat this bar again.

Red Fife Wheat

2010-07-23T17:50:00.002-04:00

I recently read about Red Fife wheat, which was at one time the best wheat in Canada (a good crop yield at an early date); it has been recently, in the last 10 years, rediscovered and reintroduced to the market. Red Fife wheat was developed by David A. Fife near Peterborough, Ontario, from some seeds sent to him from a friend in Glasgow Scotland; he had got it from Danzig or Gdansk in Poland. It is red in colour, thus was called Red Fife, as was the naming convention of the day.

In looking for Red Fife, I noticed the other day, that you can buy the flour at Bulk Barn. I picked some up, and want to try it making bread, which it is best for.

The other Red Fife I found, was in Loblaws, they were selling artisanal bread made from Red Fife by Weston's (makers of many breads). We picked up a loaf, which tasted pretty good to me, with a dense loaf (this was a whole wheat loaf) and a chewy crust.

Taxo (Banana Passionfruit)

2010-07-05T06:10:00.002-04:00

Where I bought this, Whole Foods, they called this a Lulo, also known as a naranjilla, but those are small and round and orange. A little searching on the ‘Net revealed that this is a Banana Passionfruit, also called Taxo, or curuba (Colombia) or parcha (Venezuela) or tumbo (Bolivia), which is what we guessed when we first sliced it open, it definitely looked like other passionfruits I’ve eaten, just orange in colour.

And it tastes sort of pear-like, what struck me first, but sour in flavour, similar to other passionfruits I’ve enjoyed. Quite good, and something I could eat on a regular basis, if only I could find it, and it didn’t cost $2 each.

Santa Cruz Organic Mango Lemonade

2010-07-05T06:09:00.001-04:00

Santa Cruz makes fairly good drinks using more natural sources, better than pop certainly, this is no exception. This tastes like a good-flavoured mango with lemon juice. It has an odd colour, kind of neon orange, which apparently comes from beta carotene. This one liter jar cost about $2, though I have seen them for about $5.

Roselle Cake

2010-07-03T20:54:00.001-04:00

I like roselle (or hibiscus) and the Taiwanese pineapple cakes, this combination sounded great (and a welcome surprise from my beautiful Bride). The roselle in the cake is jam made from roselle juice with wax gourd.

I would be very generous in saying that this tastes a lot like the roselle I like, the excellent sourness it has. The roselle jam is quite subtle, but not bad. An interesting idea, but not well delivered.

Fairy's Tonic Kombucha - Digestive Super Tonic

2010-07-03T20:51:00.002-04:00

Here’s another large (750 mL) bottle of Fairy’s Tonic kombucha; this one is the regular flavoured one. It is made with a combination of black, green and ginger teas. This is good tasting, and one I could drink on a regular basis (but still don’t have a good source, ie. a close source, for).