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Introduction
to :First Level Personal Preparedness:
Food
& Water: Nutrition Bars:
Mäya Bar
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Mäya
Bars - a subset of
Nutrition
Bars (Food )
Mäya Bars are an expansion of a popular chocolate theme
that already existed in the LäraBar line of nutrition
bars. Mäya Bars are a bon fide spin-off from the popular
Lära Bar and though they share most of the same ingredient
characteristics and holistic philosophy of the classic LäraBar
, they are decidedly a new family branch that spotlites chocolate
as the main theme. Humm Foods, the manufacturer of Mäya
Bars,is addressing the growing popularity of chocolate as
a marriage partner, not only to the fruit and nut based LäraBar
ingredients, but also to to a range of classic complimentary
flavor accents that include include mint, orange and coffee.
In tasting the new MäyaBars, we set off to study, not
only how they tasted to a water cleansed palate, but also
how well they were 'chased' by a variety of other beverages.
The chemistry of a dining experience being as holistic as
it is- we wished to communicate if and how the taste experience
was enhanced by the various beverages we tried. The Mäya
Bar name itself is a clever scandinavian 'accent' on the ancient
Mayan culture that were known to have prized chocolate as
a special beverage and food ingredient.
| Mäya-Chocolate |
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Evaluation
Criteria:
- Firmness to touch of packaged product
- Olfactory or 'nose'
- Visual appeal - especially coloration
- First bite & chew (texture, tooth and flavor)
- Second bite & chew (flavor)
- Finish including tenacity to tooth and palate
Complimentary Beverages
Tested ( Typically-No sugar, sweetener or milk added)
- Spring Water (still at 52ºf)
- Organic Peppermint infusion
- Chrysthanthemum infusion
- Jasmine Blossom infusion
- Mango Juice
- Peach Juice
- Low Acid Orange Juice
- Hard Apple Cider
- Grand Marinier Liquor & Courvoisier Liquor
- Jablum & 100% Pure Kona Coffee (pressed)
- Lightly sweetened Ghirardelli Double Chocolate- Hot
Chocolate in Soy Milk.
- Whole & 2% Milk(Cold)
Star Rating System - 4 Stars
= Maximum |
Mäya-Chocolate
Orange |
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Mäya-Chocolate
Mint |
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Mäya-Chocolate
Coffee |
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| Mäya
Bars |
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Mäya-Chocolate-
3 Stars
- Firmness to touch of
packaged product - 'Firm' compared with LäraBar
- Olfactory or 'nose'- Heady with a hint of fermentation
- Visual appeal - especially coloration-Similar to
Chocolate Chocolate brownie - rich brown
- First bite & chew (texture, tooth and flavor) - Chocolatety-
almost like a fudge brownie but with the faintest acid undertone,
hinting of a typically chocolate bitterness .Texture
and tooth are typical of Lära Bar- a tender and crumbly
nuttiness that lacks a gooey or sticky gumminess and yet retains
a chewiness that is lacking in many nutrition bars
- Second bite & chew (flavor)- develops into
a rich /bitter undertone overlaid with a spicy nuttiness.
some sense of chocolate nibs, perhaps even cinnamon lurking
in the background
- Finish including tenacity to tooth and palate-Clean
finish and release with no aftertaste
- Complimentary beverages include: Water,
Mango, Peach or Orange juices, Chilled Vanilla Soy Milk,Whole
& 2% Organic Milk, Mint infusion,- Chrysthanthemum infusion,
Hot Chocolate , Coffee
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Mäya-Chocolate
Orange - 4 Stars
- Firmness to touch of
packaged product- 'Firm' compared with LäraBar
- Olfactory or 'nose' Classic orange essence over
chocolate
- Visual appeal - especially coloration-Similar to
Chocolate Chocolate brownie - rich brown
- First bite & chew (texture, tooth and flavor)-
immediate reference to orange but especially orange liquor
rather than glazed orange peel or zest. Texture and
tooth are typical of Lära Bar- a tender and crumbly nuttiness
that lacks a gooey or sticky gumminess and yet retains a chewiness
that is lacking in many nutrition bars
- Second bite & chew (flavor) -matures pleasantly
with a faint and zingy bitterness and medium 'chocolatiness'
factor
- Finish including tenacity to tooth and palate
- finish is decidedly a lingering of orange liquor such as
Grand Marinier or Courvoisier Liquor. Clean finish and release
- Complimentary beverages include:
Water, Mango, Peach or Orange juices, Whole & 2% Organic
Milk, Chrysthanthemum infusion, Hot Chocolate , Coffee
. Chase with a sip of Grand Marinier or Peach Schnapps
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Mäya-Chocolate
Mint 2 Stars
- Firmness to touch of packaged product-
'Firm' compared with LäraBar
- Olfactory or 'nose'- faintly medicinal,a'
tip-off' to Spearmint or Wintergreen Mint rather than Peppermint
- Visual appeal - especially coloration-Similar to
Chocolate brownie -medium brown
- First bite & chew (texture, tooth and flavor) - I
sensed an artificial flavor rather than pure Peppermint essence-
Spearmint or Wintergreen mint are prominent.
Texture and tooth are typical of Lära Bar- a tender and
crumbly nuttiness that lacks a gooey or sticky gumminess and
yet retains a chewiness that is lacking in many nutrition
bars
- Second bite & chew (flavor)Slightly more bitter
towards the end with some sudden and strange alien flavors
such as bitter coffee nibs
- Finish including tenacity to tooth and palate-A
peculiar multiple flavor sensation- almost a bitter spiciness.
Clean finish and release
- Complimentary beverages include: Water,
Mint Medley Infusion, Chrysthanthemum infusion,
* In my personal opinion, this flavor should end up having
a Peppermint undertone, though I recognize that mint preferences
vary widely between people and that different varieties of
mint may work for a variety of tasters in different contexts. |
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Mäya-Chocolate
Coffee 4 Stars
- Firmness to touch of packaged product-
'Firm' compared with LäraBar
- Olfactory or 'nose'- subtle coffee aroma
- Visual appeal - especially coloration-Similar to
Chocolate Chocolate brownie - rich brown
- First bite & chew (texture, tooth and flavor) - Assertive
coffee overtone with secondary chocolate undertone- conspicuous
but understated sweetness
- Second bite & chew (flavor) Develops nuttiness
with a rich brownie flavor
- Finish including tenacity to tooth and palate A
melodic segue into a congnac-like sensation with chocolate
and coffee fading into the background.
Clean finish and release |
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