It’s still standard practice to do some sort of self-improvement resolution for the New Year. If you’re one of those who started a niche diet, this one’s for you.
Portia’s Cafe sells chocolates that are just what the doctor ordered. They’re candies that are gluten free, free of refined sugar, vegan, organic and raw. They’re also made locally by Progressive Wellness.
Honestly, chocolate never really seemed like something that would be raw or not-raw. Still, raw organic cacao and raw cacao butter are the first two ingredients. It takes wading through several internet debates to determine that typical mass produced cocoa and cocoa butter processes normally involve heat or roasting, so the “raw” moniker is legit.
That raw chocolate stuff is mixed with raw coconut nectar, raw agave and local maple syrup for sweetness, there’s a whole bunch of other things added: goji berries, pepitas, raw cashews, raw almonds, sunflower sets, chia seeds and figs.
It comes out sort of like an exotic Chunky Bar, in bark form. There was also some Chinese 5 Spice in the mix, so it has a perfumey accent. One taster thought it was a little medicinal tasting, but no one failed to finish their chocolate. Go figure.
If you didn’t start a New Year’s Diet resolution that involved banning foods, you can always save these chocolates for Lent. People give up stuff for that too.
The chocolates are $5, sold in little packages of two from the refrigerator in the front of Portia’s Cafe. You can find the cafe in Clintonville at 4428 Indianola Avenue.
And bonus points to Portia’s staff for its gracious welcome to a ignoramus wearing a fur-trimmed coat. In retrospect, it was probably the least appropriate thing ever for a guest to wear to a vegan spot. Swear, it was thrift: no one died for it.
For more information, visit www.portiascafe.com.