GT's Organic Raw Kombucha - Multi-Green

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.