Green and Black's Organic Chocolate Bars

                               

     I admit it, I am a chocoholic. A big time CHOC-O-HO-LIC!!!

What the world needs now (besides love sweet love ...) is more chocolate of the superior kind. And recently I think I found the ultimate in chocolate bars: Green and Black's Organic Chocolate Bars.

So far I've sampled and enjoyed the Cherry  (my favorite. bittersweet dark chocolate and plenty of luscious cherries), Almond (loaded with almonds), Raisin and Hazelnut (a Fruit and Nut Bar only 10 X better than the "regular" variety) and Espresso (oh, la la...if you appreciate a good cup of java you are going to LOVE this one).

The fact that these bars of  yummy delight are also organic and fair trade is merely "icing on the cake". Let's face it, we all want to buy with the "big picture" in mind these days, if at all possible. But when it all comes down to it, especially for chocolate and other treats, it's still all about TASTE as the number one must-have factor.

And delicious, rich taste ohhhhh yes, these bars have plenty of that and then some. Luscious, creamy texture, a just-right sweetness (not too sweet or bitter) and loaded with other yummy ingredients like fruits, nuts, liquors... to add to the enjoyment of each 100G bar.

 As far as calories are concerned, not too bad either considering the quality and richness of each delectable bite. For example a 40G portion (ample for 1-2 people) of the Espresso bar is a mere 200 calories. Not bad, not bad at all. This is a treat after all, not a main course for a meal. We all need our indulgences don't we? And if I'm going to splurge on the calories and fat, I want to make it worthwhile.

Another thing I appreciate about these bars is their relative low cost, considering the quality you are getting. At our local food co-op, these bars sell for less than $4.CDN each. Definitely reasonable. And over at Amazon, in addition to single bars,10 and 5 packs of bars are also available at a discount IF you dare to keep more than one of these luscious bars in the fridge at any given time!

Here's some background information about how the Green And Black's company began, from their beautifully designed website:

"It all started back in 1991 when Craig Sams, founder of Whole Earth – the UK's pioneering organic food company – was sent a sample of dark 70% chocolate made from organic cocoa beans.
His wife, Josephine Fairley, environment columnist for The London Times and confirmed chocoholic, found the half eaten bar on Craig's desk and sampled some herself. The bold, rich flavor was unlike anything Jo had tasted before, and she was convinced other chocolate lovers would appreciate it in the same way.
Jo and Craig set out to bring to the masses the world's first organic chocolate. The result was a high-quality, bittersweet dark chocolate bar, packed with 70% cocoa solids - enough to make chocolate fans sit up and take notice.
Not surprisingly, the brand began to build a loyal following. Then in 1994, while Jo and Craig were vacationing in Belize, they discovered how local cocoa farmers were being harmed by decreasing cocoa prices. They agreed to pay the farmers a fair price for their crops and created the flavor of Maya Gold®, which was inspired by the ancient Kukuh drink traditionally enjoyed by the Mayan farmers.
This way of doing business didn't seem different to them - it just seemed right and came naturally – and in the process, the Maya Gold brand earned the UK's first Fairtrade mark."

Jo and Craig, you've made a happy customer for life! Thanks for the real (chocolate) deal.
                           
Overall rating for this product: Excellent. 5 out of 5.