#my sinuses are malty

[hobohobgoblim]

without doubt being afflicted with a sudden powerful sneeze while my mouth was full of and savoring some ice-cold beer after a day of masonry is all the proof I need that we live in a godless and uncaring universe.

[whatchudrinkin]

Boogers and Beer

I think I’m getting sick. Sarah says it’s allergies. It has been unseasonably warm and pollen filled flowers are convinced it’s Spring. But on the other hand, we have a preschooler; he’s getting into all sorts of germs. So as I sit here, the right side of my face is leaking snot and tears as my sinuses palpably swell.

Anywho. Beer. 

We recently split a bottle of Gigantic’s re-released End of Reason, which they refer to as a “Petite Quad.” At only 8.3% alcohol, it’s practically a session beer. It’s Belgian inspired, but mixes in a bit of the roasty toasty malty flavor you want in a wintery beer. Underneath all that is a nice dried fruit flavor, somewhere between a raisin and a prune. A hint of molasses rounds out the flavor before it dissolves into an admirably dry finish. 

Tasty, but better drink it before spring really arrives, daffodils might ruin the vibe.

[sallyschocblog]

Conscious Chocolate are the original purveyors of vegan chocolate, they like to add ingredients that are preferably wild, raw, always organic, always inclusive to everyone regardless of dietary requirement… they EVEN hand produce and hand wrap each bar…! If you don’t get a sense of the love, thought and care these guys take into making their chocolate, I don’t know what will!

As luck would have it, a delicious array of this blissful chocolate came my way yesterday, and I’m quite delighted to share my thoughts on three of the bars that stood out first, all of which contain sensory essential oils. We have the essential orange and tangerine bar, the peppermint bar and the love potion, maca and rose bar (all 65% cacao).

Before I launch into the scents, the tastes and the flavourful journey of the chocolate, I will remind you of something, which is raw chocolate is a different chocolate experience to your standard, traditional processed bar. This is because the processing requires much less/almost no heating, in order to retain natures goodness, as I have mentioned previously. Some chocolate purists will argue over the validity of the product, but I can still totally enjoy and appreciate it, as it simply brings another element and facet to the big and beautiful world that is chocolate. Why not experience the first hand flavours of the cacao? Surely nature knows best?

The first tasting of choice is the orange and tangerine bar. The immediate, delicate perfume, is an instant reminder of citrus peel in a decadent Christmas cake, even with the boozy, spicy, fruity elements (I can even envisage the twinkly low lights). I am also very familiar with the flavour of my old friend the Jaffa cake, which has that wonderful tangy jelly, tart and citrus sweet, in all the right places.

The consistency, as with all of the unique, raw, authentic chocolates, is softer, fudgier than you would usually find. It compliments itself as a lavish and satisfyingly rich dessert: orange, tangerine,and that underlying moody and dark cacao – a winning concoction of heavy indulgence with the light and bright citrus tones, making for a satisfying tasting, which gets full marks without question.

Number two which presents itself to my palate is the Love Potion Chocolate, with flavours of rose essential oil and maca. The aroma is of a heady English rose garden, a scensory overload. This smell always takes me back to the home of my great grandmother, an eccentric French woman with a penchant for a fragrant florals. The buttery, and distinctly malty flavour of the cocoa balances the rose, so it doesn’t over power the bar. The flavour goes extremely well and works impressively with the texture of the raw chocolate too.

Finally the dark peppermint bar, and I know I’m in for a treat with this one. Peeling back the wrapper, I just adore the aromatic scent of the peppermint, it opens the sinuses and freshens the palate. The soft, truffle like texture is tantalising, and the flavour is a cross between a classic, creamy mint icecream, and a rich choco-mint sorbet, intense and cool. It balances that refreshing mint tingly flavour with gooey, dark chocolate.

A trio of vibrant flavours with unrefined cacao. The natural essential oils are the jewel in the crown of these chocolates, because they gently enhance the cacao without being overbearing.

I’m so glad to say there is a part two to this blog post, because the talents of Conscious chocolate seem to have no end, let’s see what a new chocolatey day brings! Thank you Conscious Chocolate, you came you saw, you conquered!

Conscious: Oh-so-essential oils and cacao of the gods p.1 Conscious Chocolate are the original purveyors of vegan chocolate, they like to add ingredients that are preferably wild, raw, always organic, always inclusive to everyone regardless of dietary requirement… they EVEN hand produce and hand wrap each bar…!