Jan. 27--Among the least fun word pairings in the English language (in this writer's opinion): "healthy" and "chocolate" "low-fat" and "cheese" "eat" and "sparingly." The good news is that at least in terms of chocolate, some healthy and appetizing options do exist. We recently discovered a boutique chocolate brand called Antidote that's doing the health-conscious thing rather distinctively.
Founded by Red Thalhammer, an Austrian-born, New York City-based entrepreneur, Antidote features pretty and playful packaging (as you'd expect from a former brand designer for clients like Pepsi and Starbucks) but serious chocolate inside. On a mission to invent a new kind of chocolate, Thalhammer conceived of a 50/50 ratio of Ecuadorian raw cacao, an antioxidant-rich superfood, and roasted cacao, for a toasty complexity. Featuring potent cacao content -- 73, 77 and 84 percent -- and minimal sweetening, Antidote Chocolate is more of a delicious energy staple than candy or dessert.
Some of these artisanal bars are studded with fruits and nuts and sprinkled with spices -- e.g., banana and cayenne, rose salt and lemon, almond and fennel -- while some are 100-percent raw dark chocolate. (Serious, no?) Antidote also ventured into "big kid" milk chocolate bars with low sugar, intended to appeal to even the most obsessive dark chocolate fans.
Currently on offer are special Valentine's Day sets. The Pure Love set comes with two 100-percent cacao bars, one with crunchy nibs and one with bits of delicate dates ($17). Meanwhile, the Strawberry Love package features two milk chocolate bars (one with strawberry) and five mini bars with various flavor inclusions ($26). And to really melt a serious chocolate lover's heart, go for the Spread Love set that includes 10 bars of all the Antidote flavors, from ginger and panela to coffee and cardamom ($77). There's nothing wrong with giving the gift of chocolate for Valentine's Day, but it's time to think outside the Whitman's/Russell Stover box. The sweetest option could be chocolate that's not very sweet at all.
See www.antidotechoco.com for ordering information and retail locations.
Laura Pearson is a freelance writer.
