Poor carob. It’s so misunderstood.

Often viewed as “fake chocolate” and looked at with scorn because it doesn’t taste like chocolate, carob is one of those foods that lives in the shadows, but really deserves to be considered on its own.

I’ve always liked carob. Even as a kid, when my mom would take me to the local health food store and let me buy a treat, I’d often pick a carob bar. Today, the taste of carob takes me back to my childhood, but I also enjoy it for its own taste pleasures. Baked goods with carob tend to be a little drier than their chocolate counterparts, but offer a unique bite that makes their flavor quite distinct.

One of the items that’s reminded me recently how much I like carob is Frankly Natural’s Vegan Decadence Double Carob Cookie. They look much more appealing than the picture and have a wonderful balance of carob and “other stuff,” so that no one taste is too overwhelming. Sure, not everyone can appreciate carob, but those that do will definitely want to hunt this one down in their local co-op.

To find out some more about carob, I point you to the mighty Wikipedia.