New Tree Chocolate Granola Bar

I have liked New Tree chocolate since the very first bar I found on a visit to Zabar's in New York City. The first one I tried was the Tranquility bar, which is milk chocolate and lavender (new and improved review to come soon -- but for now, my rather lame first review can be read here). I love unusual flavors and New Tree has no shortage of those. Since I started trying New Tree's chocolates, they have changed their packaging from the old heavy cardstock and rather simple drawings of the theme ingredient to a glossy, sleek photo-style envelope. And it looks like chocolate bar itself has been re-molded as well...which is yet another reason for me to redo my older reviews.

The bar I'm reviewing now is part of New Tree's expansion into healthier options that take another step into more unconventional flavor combinations. This bar, for example, boasts having antioxidants and three times the fiber (along with 30% less sugar) than its similar counterparts. And if that's not a good reason to eat chocolate, then I am just going to call it a day permanently. Other than raw fruit and veggies, that's about as close to health food as I really feel the need to get.



Anyway, New Tree's Granola bar is a 31% milk chocolate that not only features little bits of granola, but is flavored with lime and green tea as well. I love green tea with lime as a drink, but will they play well together with chocolate? I am looking forward to finding out.

I do, however, have one complaint prior to actually tasting anything. It is a minor complaint, but it irks me. While New Tree has indeed changed the exterior packaging to a more modern look -- which I really like -- the new package illustration also shows a change to the molding of the bars themselves. That's all well and good...except that the bars actually are still molded just as they were when I first tried them almost four years ago. As you can see below, the bar is broken up into smaller square tiles rather than the brand-name embossed bar portions with the jaunty little tree designs that you see on the label. I realize that's not a big deal in the grand scheme of life -- but it's not truly representative of what you're getting. It's like a chocolate version of that hot girl you meet with the seemingly titanic rack: it looks great pushing out against her shirt, until you remove said shirt and find out you got duped by a push-up bra. Yes, I know the chocolate still tastes just as good (and the girl probably does too, but that's not within the scope of this review), yet it's still a disappointment. I guess the lesson here is that, much like many other aspects of life, it is the inside and not the outside that should count. It's just that sometimes the inside has to work a little harder to win you over once the outside has let you down.



So, after all that dime-store philosophizing, how did the inside work out?

Pretty well, actually. Regardless of its molding, the little squares have a great aroma. It's zesty and floral with a nice creamy finish. And the taste is even better.

The first thing you taste is the lime. It's bright and tangy but not sour or overpowering.



I am not sure that if I didn't know this bar had green tea in it that I would have guessed exactly what I was tasting. Actually, on first taste, it reminded me of mild pepper rather than tea. Then again, it is tea extract, and I can't say I have ever tasted that before. Maybe tea extract is just peppery? (Anyone out there have information on that?) Peppery or not, though, it was quite good.

The little clumps of granola are toasty and oaty and perfectly crunchy, which adds a nice contrast to the smooth texture of the chocolate. And, speaking of the chocolate: even three-years-plus after trying it for the first time, I am still in love with it. New Tree is a Belgian company, and -- yes, I have said it before -- those people can give the Swiss a run for their money any day when it comes to making chocolate. (But neither the Belgians nor the Swiss should get too complacent, because there are plenty of other countries who want a piece of the high-end chocolate action, and some of those efforts might surprise you. For instance, I've reviewed an Icelandic chocolate that was absolutely delicious, which you can read about here. I've also reviewed a very nice assortment box from Bolivia, which you'll find here.)

The chocolate is just strong enough that the lime and the tea flavors don't run it over. There is a really rich, milky taste to it. It's definitely on the sweeter side, but I think that with the tart lime, that's for the best. I can see where the lime might be too aggressive otherwise.



It has a reasonably smooth melt -- but remember, there are the bits of granola to melt around. It's a pleasant contrast.

Bottom line: As someone who loves citrus and chocolate together, this bar was an easy winner for me. I really think lime needs to be paired with chocolate (and not white chocolate!) more often. If you should see this bar, by all means get it. You won't be sorry.



PURCHASED FROM:
Sample from company.

CALORIES:
170 calories per 100 grams.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Allergen info not listed.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
newtree.com

New Tree Renew Bar

In the sprite of renewing I have been trying to work through my review stash (which is really just an excuse to buy more candy)
I decided today's stash buster (can you tell I am also a knitter?) is New Tree's Renew bar. I have loved all of the previous New Tree bar's I have tried and I don't think this is going to be the exception.

The Renew bar is a dark chocolate bar with black currants.
As soon as you open the Mylar wrapper you immediately get hit with the smell of the currants. It is sort of a cross between raspberries, grapes and cherries. The dark chocolate adds a woodsy note.

The bar breaks with a satisfying snap (I do love that sound) and when you put it on your tongue the first thing you taste is the bitterness of the chocolate (which you should expect because it's a minimum 73% chocolate). There is almost a burnt coffee, earthy quality to the chocolate. Because it is such a deep dark there is not much of a melt. The black currant reminded me of a cross between raspberries and cherries. I liked it because it was sweet enough to stand up to dark chocolate but not so tart that between it and the chocolate you found yourself puckered up like you had just sucked on an entire bag of Lemon heads.

If you are into dark, earthy and slightly bitter this is the bar for you.


PURCHASED FROM:
Zabars NYC

Cafe- Tasse Noir Orange

When I got this bar it was several months ago at my Local World Market
We all know I am obsessed with chocolate and orange together and that was what drove me to buy this bar. It wasn't until today when I was trying to do a little research to write this review that I learned more about Cafe-Tasse. One long look through they're website left me drooling and wondering what took me so long to dig this bar out of my stash.

Cafe-Tasse are makers of Belgian chocolate and they are dedicated to making high quality chocolate with traditional techniques.

The Noir Orange bar is a 54% dark chocolate with pieces of candied Spanish orange pieces.

Each bar is long and thick, separated into six segments.

As soon as you open the kraft paper the orange oils waft out and say hi. And that my friends is just a sign of the good things to come.

The segments break with a nice snap. Waiting just under the thick top coating of chocolate lay a layer of candied orange pieces. Each piece is just a teeny, tiny pebble but those pebbles are soft taste as good as they smell. Sometimes candied oranges can be rubbery or just bitter and hard but these should be held as the gold standard. If only all candied fruit was this good!

The chocolate has a surprisingly creamy melt for a 54% dark chocolate. It stayed true to a mildly dark chocolate and was neither too sweet nor too bitter. There are some nice woodsy notes.

If the rest of the line is as good as this bar I may have a new favorite brand!

PURCHASED FROM:
Cost Plus World Market

New Tree Rejoice Bar

Today I got a wicked craving for a chocolate with rice crispies type bar.
I place the blame for this with the always fab Cybele over at Candy Blog because in her last couple reviews she has been talking about missing old school Hershey's Krackle bars
I was not a big fan of the Krackle but I always liked it over the Nestles Crunch- it's a mute point in either case because I had neither on hand and I was not going to run out and buy a Hershey's assortment bag for a bar that is now mocklate.

But I did remember that hiding in my stash was the New Tree Rejoice bar.
The Rejoice bar is milk chocolate with bitter orange and crisped rice. How good does that sound? New Tree had yet to let me down and this bar was no exception!

Let's start with the aroma. While it is not strong if you take a good deep inhale you will get the vanilla, the cocoa and lime blossom. I was almost worried that the lime was going to be the dominate taste but it wasn't.

The creamy milk chocolate that new tree uses is what I wish all milk chocolates would be. It's very creamy, the dairy quality stands out. It's sweet without being cloying and they use REAL vanilla.

The orange component is bitter. It tastes of freshly zested orange and there is just a hint of the lime blossom is the background (it's actually the last citrus note you taste). The rice is crispy and malty. Rather then being large "crispies" like the Krackle or the old school version of the Nestles Crunch. Instead they are like little rice non perils.

Every time I think I have found the best New Tree bar I try another version and have a new favorite.

PURCHASED FROM:
Zabars NYC

New Tree Chocolate- Crave

Have people been CRAVING apricot chocolate bars?

Beyond my witty puns that is a question worth asking. It should be noted that I absolutely LOVE New Tree's Tranquility bar which is milk chocolate and lavender so I am pretty open to giving this flavor combo a shot.

I have to give New Tree props for packaging the chocolate in a sealed foil pouch. When you open the pouch not only is the chocolate fresh but it kept in the aroma. I happen to likely the subtle sweet smell of apricots.

The chocolate is portioned into squares just large enough to melt evenly on your tongue but not so small that you wonder that happened to the chocolate. New Tree makes a fantastic milk chocolate. Creamy and rich without being too sweet. As for the apricot there is no mistaking the flavor but it doesn't over power the chocolate. It actually leaves you hoping for more- in a good way. My only disappointment with the bar is that it is only apricot flavored and that there are no actual fruit pieces in the bar. It's a good bar already but the addition of bits of dried apricot would have pushed it to great.

I am making it one of my New Year's resolutions to eat a few of these in 2008!

PURCHASED FROM:
Zabars NYC

New Tree Tranquility Bar

New Tree is a brand of Belgian chocolates. I picked up the Tranquility bar around Christmas and truthfully forgot about it until today- WHY did I wait so long?!
The bar is divided into bite sized segments. The first thing I did was smell the bar. The smell alone would make it worth buying, it's milky and sweet and just lightly hinted of lavender.

The chocolate is one of the best milk chocolates I have ever had. If they had just a plain milk bar I would buy it.

The taste of the lavender is hard to explain. it's clean and mellow but not soapy or medicinal. There is also the a light citrus bite from the lime blossom. Can't wait to get another one!.