What’s Going on at the Raaka Factory?
Oh my, that’s a lot of herbs. During the winter months, we like to experiment with exotic ingredients here at Raaka. We concoct many test batches, some delicious, and some we’d like to forget we ever put in our mouths.
Stinging nettles, marshmallow root, fennel seeds- these are just a few of the many herbs that have piqued our interest this winter. Fun fact alert!
Did you know that in medeval times, it was believed that if you soaked rosemary in wine and drank it, you could cure paralysis?
Stay tuned to our blog to be the first to know about new flavor announcements in the coming months!
Just for fun, below is an action shot of Pete attempting to fix our useful, but troublesome, mini test-batch grinders:
Raaka’s Bourbon Casked Aged Bar Wins Good Food Award!
The photo above is of Nate receiving a Good Food Award at the Ferry Building in San Francisco! Nate and Ryan recently traveled west to accept the merit for Raaka’s Bourbon Cask Aged bar. Nate got to share the stage with some of the most acclaimed chocolate makers in the U.S. like Alan McClure (Patric Chocolate) and Sean Askinosie (Askinosie Chocolate) to name a few.
It was a surreal honor for Raaka, and a true testament to the passionately loyal customers and employees that make Raaka’s engine turn. We can’t thank everyone enough for their support.
You can purchase the bourbon bar here, so that you can share award winning chocolate with your family and friends (they’ll think you’re pretty hip).
Nate’s Bourbon Cask Aged bar: finalist for a Good Food Award!
“The Good Food Awards celebrate the kind of food we all want to eat: tasty, authentic and responsibly produced.” Nate’s Bourbon Cask Aged bar is one of 22 finalists, out of of 1,366 entries in chocolate!
See all the finalists on the Good Food Awards site!
Raaka Chocolates paired with Samuel Adams’ Winter Collection
Beer and chocolate: a match made in foodie heaven. Don’t believe us? You will once you eat a piece of Raaka’s 71% Dark with Sea Salt chocolate and chase it with a Sam Adam’s White Christmas. Even the biggest doubters of these unusual combinations were pleasantly surprised by the complexity of flavors present during the tasting. Below we have provided all of our pairings and tasting notes so you can bring this experience home.
Bourbon Cask Aged 83% paired with the Boston Lager
The malty flavor and subtle bitterness from the Noble Hops in the Boston Lager bring out the rich flavors of the Bourbon Cask Aged chocolate and the distinct notes of bourbon.
Black Coffee with Cafe Grumpy 80% paired with the Winter Lager
The roasted coffee notes in the chocolate match the intensity of the Winter Lager, a rich and hearty brew, while the citrus and cinnamon notes in both the beer and the Black Coffee chocolate complement each other.
71% Dark with Sea Salt paired with the White Christmas
White Christmas is a crisp, unfiltered white ale blended with holiday spices. The 71% Dark with Sea Salt chocolate’s bright raspberry character and clove notes complement the citrus and wheat characters of the ale bringing out the warmth of the spices.
Blueberry Lavender 69% paired with the Holiday Porter
Holiday Porter is a robust and flavorful brew. The Blueberry Lavender chocolate has subtle floral notes and flavors of orange blossom which complement the darker flavors of espresso and roasty notes of this beer.
Vanilla Rooibos 67% paired with the Old Fezziwig Ale
Old Fezziwig Ale is bursting with spices of the season and full flavors of deep malt. The Vanilla Rooibos chocolate has flavor delicious of marshmallows, cherries and a slight citrus note that pairs nicely with the pleasant spiciness of the ginger and cinnamon in the beer.
85% Dark paired with the Chocolate Bock
Chocolate Bock is a dark, decadent beer with a big, malty character combined with the subtle sweetness of chocolate. The earthy and dark roasted flavors of the 85% Dark chocolate are balanced by the subtle hint of a molasses note and this brings out the rich and wonderful chocolate flavor of the beer.
Visit us at the Bryant Park and Columbus Circle Holiday Markets!
Raaka Chocolate is proudly being sold at two of the Holiday Shop locations this winter season in NYC. Visit our stores in Bryant Park and Columbus Circle to sample unique Raaka flavors and learn a bit about our distinctive process.
Is there someone on your list this year that loves dark chocolate? You should find yourself at Raaka’s pop-up shop. Is there someone on your list this year that deals with dietary restrictions? Our chocolate is vegan, kosher, gluten free, soy free, and nut free!
The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park will be open from October 26, 2012 to January 6, 2013. The Columbus Circle Holiday Market will be open from December 1 to December 24th. Happy holidays, from all of us at Raaka!