I'll be totally honest and say I was suspicious of NewTree chocolate bars from the get-go. I was sent four sample bars: Dark 65% cacao with flax seeds and crisped rice; Superfruit 65% cacao with cranberries, goji berries, pomegranate, grape and papaya; lavender; and ginger.
Now, you know how I am with chocolate. I (usually) much prefer nuts and mainstream fillings to more "exotic" flavors, so I was hesitant about these bars. And there's a whole New Agey-goodness about the packaging that made me look at them askance.
But I'm here to tell you ... heeyyy now! Wow. I was happily--very happily-- surprised. I first tried the dark with flax seeds and crisped rice. The chocolate was excellent quality. Not too creamy, not too bitter, and the flax and rice gave it a nice crunch. It wasn't at all gritty or grainy, as I feared it might be. Mr. Goodbar also enjoyed this bar. I know, because it was gone the next day.
Last night he was circling my desk like a shark, looking for an end-of-the-evening treat. "What about the Superfruit?" he asked.
Fine, I said. Just give me a piece.
What can I say? I LOVED it. Again, that lovely, balanced dark chocolate, only this time, there were little bits of dried, chewy fruit. Here's where they did things absolutely, totally right. The fruit bits are tiny, so you don't feel like you're eating a fruitcake. Instead you get smooth dark chocolate first, then a juicy, tart fruit burst at the finish. Now I'm totally anxious to get my hands on an orange or a cinnamon bar. This is some good shizz, my friends, and I'd like to share. So I'm giving away the last two bars, ginger and lavender, to one lucky Yumster.
Here's what you need to do to be considered: tell me about a food (doesn't have to be chocolate; it could be anything) that surprised you, either good or bad. What did (or didn't) you expect? Remember to leave a way for me to contact you in case you're the lucky random recipient. Also, U.S. residents only, please. I'll pick a name on Weds., Jan. 19 at approximately 8:38 p.m. EST.
14 comments:
Oooo, the lavender one sounds good ^__^ I think the sent "lavender" is suppose to be good for calming/relaxing? Maybe the lavender bar would be a good bedtime snack :)
I remember in my middle school cooking class... the teacher had a bottle of chocolate soy milk and offered extra credit points to who ever tried some. My Mom had told me that it tasted horrible. I was expecting it to taste like chalk with some chocolate thrown in, but was surprised to find it smooth and yummy tasting! It reminded me of extra sweet chocolate milk :) Now I have soy milk everyday with my cereal, yay for happy endings! :D
Let's be honest-- guacamole is a scary-looking food. I think there is something in our genetic make-up that steers us away from green, chunky sludge. I was more than a little hesitant to try it, but I fell in love with that very first blob I balanced on a chip, and I never looked back. There's so much to love! Paired with a tortilla chip, its spices stand out and add interest to an salty but otherwise bland canvas. Mixed in with taco fillings, its velvety smoothness tames the heat of peppers and salsa. I have caught myself unabashedly licking my fork during a meal from Chiptole just to get another taste of that beautiful, verdant condiment. I am so glad I braved my fears that fateful day and had a taste of guacamole!
email : drummergirlmads@aol.com
Purely Decadent Dairy Free Turtle Trails, a soy based "ice cream". I wasn't sure what to expect, as my experience with other frozen non-dairy desserts was dismal, but this stuff is fantastic! Totally addictive!
My grandma likes to have mashed turnips at Thanksgiving. As a kid, I remember thinking the mush was sweet, tasty apple sauce, getting a big scoop, taking a bite and - EWWW! At least now I know better, and don't put any on my plate!
email: andreabeck1984@yahoo.com
"I'll pick a name on Weds., Jan. 19 at approximately 8:38 p.m. EST."
The "8:38" part reminds me of an assignment my teacher gave me in grade school. She said to read ALL of the directions first and then start. The instructions were all these complicated things except for the last one... it said to ignore all the other instructions and to draw a house on the back of the paper. I think your totally trying to trick us with the 8:38 thing, hee hee!
British food always surprises me. Bubbles and squeak, for example...mashed potatoes and cabbage put together. Or Yorkshire pudding, which isn't really a dessert. Now, I know British food isn't known for being fabulous (and I'll admit that it can be a bit bland), but if you do it right, it isn't that bad. The names though...
e.estt[at]yahoo[dot]com
I tried edamame for the first time recently I thought I would l not like it but it was so so good! suelee1998 @ gmail.com
brussel sprouts were my surprise food! everyone always says that its nasty, especially my mom! One day I decided to try them and I LOOOOVED them! yay for being a yummy healthy food! jmmccarr@gmail.com
Sisig - it's a filipino dish... chopped up pig's face. The texture was gross and it was like chewing on bits of bone...which it was.
www.clothedmuch.com
I was surprised when I tried the Green Machine flavor of the odwalla naked drinks. It was delicious! I had been so hesitant to try it due to the color of the drink, but now I highly recommend it!
Lnordquist(at)Live(dot)Com
I was pleasantly surprised when I tried eel sushi. Now it's my favorite kind of sushi to buy, yum.
sonflower277 at gmail dot com
My college cafeteria would make either cream of wheat or grits most winter mornings. The problem was that they weren't labeled. Yuck!
Thanks for the chance to win!
--Liza
ejm6x (at) yahoo (dot) com
Grilled haloumi cheese surprised me because I am not much of a cheese person. It is much firmer and saltier than other cheeses and I enjoyed it immensely on a salad of arugala and grilled squash.
I would suggest that those who love Peanut Butter and Chocolate try our Peanut Butter Chiffon. They are pretty incredible and addicting!
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