Food & Beverage

As a general rule of thumb, good chocolate should have a high percentage of cocoa about 55-75% is a good number. Of this, some 30% should be cocoa butter. Most of the remaining 25% or so of the bar consists of sugar.  The best is made with natural sugars. When looking for good chocolate, a good rule of thumb is to first start with dark chocolate.  Swiss Chocolate is one of the best tasting chocolates.

Some fell that that good chocolates should be “shiny.” This is an indication of the cocoa butter content (which is higher if it is shiny). Watch out however, that the chocolates do not contain paraffin which WILL make them nice and shiny. Some chocolatiers put it in to make the chocolates keep their shape &  look better when you get them. The paraffin takes away from the taste & makes them slightly “waxy” even though it does not harm you to eat it. If the chocolate is “whitish” or has a “grayish cast” don’t bother with it…the chocolate has seen its better days. This is called “bloom.” The most destructive type of bloom, sugar bloom (when the sugar crystals rise to the surface of the candy), can develop if moisture contacts the chocolate (which happens easily in the refrigerator if you’re not careful). You will NOT find this in the all natural animal product free VEGAN CHOCOLATE.

You may also go by how the gourmet chocolates taste and smell. Ultimately taste and smell is rather personal; if you (or the person you’re buying for) likes the flavor and aroma, you’ll do fine

Raw vegan restaurants are attracting a wider audience as more people seek healthy dining choices. These vegan restaurants serve “living” food that is not heated above 118 degrees. This is done to preserve the enzymes that are naturally present in uncooked food. Gourmet raw food restaurants, raw vegan chefs, and “living food” cooking schools are gaining popularity across the U.S. , and even internationally. Los Angeles has the largest number of raw vegan restaurants and raw food chefs. Whether you’re looking for New York raw food restaurants, Los Angeles raw food restaurants, or a raw vegan restaurant somewhere else, you can be sure to find healthy, delicious food (usually organic too).