OK. So I have a problem with chocolate. A serious problem. I have had it for a long time. Family nickname- Toots – from the consumption of many, many tootsie rolls during my early child development. Toots- still the moniker my father chooses to address me with.
I’ve noticed I tend to have a higher tolerance for chocolate- not sweets, just chocolate- than the average human. And while my childhood chocolate palate has taken me from Gertrude Hawks out of Dunmore, PA into all the national Hershey, Nestle, M&M territories- I have, never the less, refined my addiction to a respectable denial of all chocolates that contain less than 72% cacao. OK, not really a hard no but I definitely don’t get the same level of satisfaction from traditional American chocolate, therefore, I prefer to not waste the calories. Truthfully, not only does it appear that my palate has become more discerning but once I found out chocolate with 72% cacao contains antioxidants, it became a food group… not an indulgence.
Now down to the big reveal- a confession of unimaginable chocolate addiction, a level rarely seen.
There’s this chocolate which could potentially alter the rest of your life. Sound melodramatic? Well, you obviously haven’t had this decadent piece of absolute bliss. If you did, and you loved chocolate like I love chocolate… then you may have an embarrassing tale like the one I’m about to tell you.
So, I’m asked to demo (hand out sample/ bite sized pieces of Blissfully Better Toffee Thins at Everything Natural in Clarks Summit, PA) and did so…very successfully, I might add. Not because I’m that good of a sales person but because this chocolate really sells itself. It is not an overestimated, overblown, excessive stance that one bite will demand an alteration to your chocolate standard. Everyone who let Blissfully Better melt into their world that day, left better off for it. No joke. Quality of life improvement.
Well, the aforementioned success at the 1st demo led to the request for a second one. Only now I am to be equipped with 4 flavors: Almond Toffee Thins, Crunchy Quinoa, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Coconut.
Ahhh, yum.
FOOD SCIENCE GIRL
Chocolate is from South America and was highly regarded by the Mayan, Aztec and Olmec cultures. They utilized chocolate in many facets of their lives, from rituals to using the cacao beans as currency. Each culture mostly consumed chocolate in the form of a drink. You could use the cacao beans to buy a sex worker OR a goat. Sounds like a sweet deal to me. Some areas of South America couldn’t sustain cacao trees, so those cultures had the beans imported. NEAT.
The demo was scheduled just before Easter, in a highly catholic populated area. Needless to say, there were some very devout Catholics, whom, if needed a witness to not breaking their Lenten fast… I would humbly bare witness to the Parrish. One by one, to my shock and awe, they were respectfully (but regretfully) declining the indulgent sample, wishing, “If only it were Easter Sunday.” You said it my friend.
As a result of the good practicing Catholics in NEPA, I had 2 half full bags of Almond Toffee and Crunch Quinoa and practically full gallon bags full of the Salted Caramel and Coconut left to take home.
I immediately called the Blissfully Better headquarters, worried about the lacking result of the demo, and they said, “No problem. Hang on to the bags and just do another demo. Call us in 2 weeks.”
Whew. OK, not a problem.
So I thought.
Two weeks.
One, Two. Two weeks later, I called Blissfully Better headquarters as requested, to remind them of sending my pay out and to schedule another demo. But shamefully, I confessed that I would be more comfortable if they didn’t pay me. Why? Why? Well, I ate all the rest of the chocolate.
Every.
Last.
Gallon (and half gallon) bag.
Every single flavor.
Gone.
Two weeks.
(EFFING…Delicious!!!! Ugh…)
Am I fired? Will you guys ever trust me again? I simply… I can not stand up to your chocolate…to Blissfully Better. In any flavor, at any time of the day (proven), any day of the week… your powers will undo any attempt at restraint. My will can not withstand the temptations, if within reach. I have tested it. And failed…in a delectable manner.
I am embarrassed but at least, honest in my weakness.
FOOD SCIENCE GIRL:
The fun thing about cacao beans is that they are fermented. When the beans taken out of the pod, the they’re are covered in a white pith. The beans are put into containers that essentially ferments the pith off and then they’re dried in the sun. Even raw cacao beans are fermented.
I dare you to sit on that much after you have already tasted it… it would taunt you relentlessly even muffled by closed cabinet doors until you just consumed it all. Left to get rid of the evidence, wipe your face, lick your fingers clean, throw out gallon bags after cutting them up and sucking off any melted chocolate…I mean, evidence. Then confess to a small but important few people who may or may not send you money for eating their samples. And just move on. Knowing you should never have 4 gallon sized bags of Blissfully Better chocolate samples in your care again. Just like children.
Am I making my point clear? There is no point of return, once you’ve tried Blissfully Better, all else will have to measure up to it’s knee buckling taste. This is not an exaggeration. It’s a deposition. Once you taste Blissfully Better, all else is a chocolate substitute.
Luckily, you can get some of this in your belly! Stop by The Picky Eater Club Booth at NEPA VegFest on Saturday, September 21, 20019. Try 2 of their flavors!
https://www.facebook.com/events/407379446484304/
https://www.blissfullybetter.com/ingredients
Where to buy?
https://www.blissfullybetter.com/product-locator
FOOD SCIENCE GIRL:
A good quality dark chocolate is the most nutritious, because milk chocolate is basically the “watered down’ version. Dark chocolate contains a powerhouse of minerals, that’s right, we’re talking iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc and potassium. The minerals that stick out to me are the electrolytes, which are magnesium and potassium. You need those to help maintain fluid balance. I’m not going to go on the record and say that a couple of pieces of chocolate are good for after a workout, but combined with the carbs from the sugar, I’m going to say that it wouldn’t hurt. Zinc has also been utilized for boosting immune health and iron helps transport oxygen around the blood stream. Those are good enough benefits for me!
The Picky Eater Club 