Saturday Sacrament, August 1, 2009

Today, Your Chocolate Priestess is going to reveal the second offering from Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate -- isn't that a great name for a company? This is their "Milk Chocolate Heavenly Hash," and we're going to see if it can give you a step up toward that destination.

The box was wrapped in plastic, and when I opened it I found more plastic sealed around a plastic tray with the candy inside. This inside tray does not have a recycling number on it, so it will just need to be thrown away. As you can see, the candy is made up of individual pieces about 1 × 1 × 0.5 inches, but they are also covered with a layer of milk chocolate. These are easily broken apart with a knife to reveal the almonds and marshmallows inside. The scent when I open the internal plastic wrapping is both chocolate and marshmallow, so if you don't like marshmallow you don't want this. I happen to like the soft sugary treats, but their sugariness may overwhelm the potential cocoa rush.

The chocolate is smooth, not waxy, to my fingertips, and a reading of the ingredients shows that other than "vanillin" (an artificial flavor) and some kosher gelatin, all the other ingredients are what we'd expect in a higher quality chocolate product, including milk chocolate as its first and most important component. Taking a bite I primarily taste the marshmallow, which is the bulk of each piece, covered in a coating of the chocolate. There are a few almonds, but they do not have a strong taste.

As I've discussed before, Sisters and Brothers, the immediate rushing sensation that eating this creates goes from my mouth downward and out, which seems to me to be a function of sugar and not cocoa in my own body. With another piece these stirrings do move upward, so there is the potential for the chocolate to affect you, but after the sugar does. Corner pieces have thicker coatings of chocolate, and they provide a stronger cocoa reaction. This is very, very rich, and a little should go a long way, but your body may want more because of the intense sensations you are going to feel. Unfortunately the richness and sugar overwhelms the chocolate, which is our principal focus in The Chocolate Cult. I don't think this is a great choice for your Saturday Sacraments, but as a very sweet treat it does the job easily.

This reminds me a lot of a recipe for candy I usually make once a year around the winter holidays that my family called "Yummy Bars," which was basically chocolate and butterscotch baking chips melted with peanut butter, butter, and marshmallows. This tastes very different, because it has different ingredients and flavors, but what it looks and feels like is very similar, as are the reactions of my body. These two products are the type of treats that could be addictive very easily, because you get an immediate chemical reaction, and that is why I only make my family treat once a year.

Be aware of what you are eating as always, Sisters and Brothers, so you can stay on the Path of Moderation and Purposefulness. This 10 ounce box has seven servings in it. Each serving has 190 calories and 7 grams of saturated fat. It also has 5 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 20 g sugars (see, that's where the rush begins), 3 g protein, 6% of your daily requirements of calcium, and 2% of your daily iron needs. "Milk Chocolate Heavenly Hash" is something to break up and ration out or to share with a group.

Note: The company has changed the name of this product on their website to "Milk Chocolate Marshmallow NutWhip," and there is a dark chocolate variety as well. The pricing is fairly reasonable given the quality and most prices from smaller chocolatiers. Remember: Ordering delivery of chocolates in the summer will be more expensive, so now is the time to visit stores or make a note to order in the fall; shipping prices usually drop again in October for most places, but check first.

Sisters and Brothers, may you too take the time to slowly appreciate what the Divine and human ingenuity have offered you in chocolate.

If you are reading in the eastern half of the Midwest, don't forget The Chocolate Cult's first CONTEST. Only 2 days left to apply.

Comments

Ruth said…
Yum! This looks great... just wish I wasn't allergic to chocolate :(
Ah, yes, some people are allergic to cocoa products. I hope at least you can enjoy my words and observations as well as the pictures. Thank you for commenting, Ruth.