TASTE TEST: Candle 79 fruit crumble

Candle 79 Summer Fruit Crumble

RATING:

Candle 79 has a seasonal menu, so this fruit crumble was the perfect summer treat. It consisted of fresh strawberries & blueberries in a shortcake crumble over a strawberry sauce topped with one scoop of lemon chamomile ice cream. The shortbread was ridiculous, it tasted so buttery! I need to find out if they make those cookies in house or not. I would like a pack of them. So so good. The strawberry sauce was sweet and brought out the flavors of the fruit. Every bite was even more delicious than the last. I honestly wouldn't have known that the ice cream was lemon chamomile flavored besides that I read it on the menu. I tasted some lemon but it was very faint. Overall, it was a really delicious dish, though pretty expensive ($12) but definitely worth it considering all the ingredients are organic, homemade and fresh.

TASTE TEST: Uncle Eddie's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Uncle Eddie's Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

RATING:

I tried out the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies by Uncle Eddie's Vegan Cookies and I do have to say the flavor was spot on. The chocolate chips were really sweet and creamy and the peanut butter flavor was strong and present. However, I wasn't a fan of the consistency. I feel like I've tried better cookies, such as those by Alternative Baking company. These cookies were really dry. At times I felt like I was eating chewing on flavored sand. I think that at this point, vegan cookies can do better than that. So was a little disappointed since these cookies had so much potential in terms of flavor and taste. I paid $5.89 for a 12 oz. bag, ordered off of Vegan Essentials.

TASTE TEST: Boneshakers Rocky Road Cookie

Boneshakers vegan rocky road cookie

RATING:

Wow Boneshakers is a really cute sandwich shop/cafe/bakery.It's decorated with the theme of a biker bar but for bicyclists rather than motorcyclists. The only issue was that I didn't ride my bike there, and this shop is housed in a questionable part of bushwick/greenpoint, Brooklyn. I made it there & back alive though with great praises of the vegan rocky road cookie!

The baked goods at Boneshakers are done in-house and fresh daily. When I went I saw muffins, cookies & cupcakes. I chose the rocky road cookie because it looked delicious and was something I've never seen before.

I was very pleased by this cookie. It was huge, soft, chewy and very chocolately. The abundance of "marshmallows" made the cookie even more chewy and pulled away from the cookie with each bite in perfect gooey fashion. There was just the right amount of nuts to add in a kick to the consistency and taste. I really enjoyed devouring this cookie. When I was done, I wish I had purchased more than just one. If I get up the nerve, or am accompanied by strong badass people, I will surely venture back there for more treats!!

Missionary Chocolates

The fine people at Missionary Chocolates were nice enough to send me a box full of their truffles, all hand-crafted in Portland, Oregon. As soon as I opened the box, my eyes widened and mouth watered. Each one is as huge and delicious looking as the one I sampled a few months back!

The box had quite a range of truffle flavors: coconut silk, sweet raspberry heart, dark chocolate delight, smooth espresso square, peanut butter passion, meyer lemon explosion, glorious ginger and spicy cinnamon chipotle. I tried each one over the course of a week, having friends & family sample and seeking their opinion. Overall, the response was great.

The chocolate and truffle filling is of high quality and one can tell right away. Each bite is creamy, smooth and decadent, no matter what flavor one tries. I was surprised, however, that none of these chocolates have a cream or jelly filling. Each truffle has a strong, distinct flavor which I love. Of course, my favorites were the coconut, dark chocolate, espresso and peanut butter. All of these had intense, accurate flavors. You can tell that the chocolates were made from natural, fresh ingredients. The ginger was also very good, but after a few bites I had to put it down because the ginger was too overwhelming for my senses. In addition, my palate is also not cut out to enjoy the spicy cinnamon chipotle. I know many of my friends love this flavor combination, but I do not. Since the flavor is so strong, I couldn't take more than one small bite. The biggest and most pleasant surprise for me was the lemon. I didn't expect to like this one, as most lemon flavored candies often remind me of cleaning solutions. However, it was really refreshing and packed a strong yet delightful taste.

These truffles are definitely a treat and can serve as a great gift for a friend or reward to self. They can be ordered online, but I first discovered these truffles at Stogo in the East Village. A little bit on the pricey side ($3.75 each), but you're paying for the organic/local (to portland, or) ingredients, rich, high-quality chocolate and bold flavor.