Goûter

The raw scene is really heating up (get it? - ha!) in DC -- first came Elizabeth's Gone Raw and now we have Goûter! Goûter is a new local business in DC that focuses on making the vegan lifestyle as approachable as possible. Goûter means "to snack" or "to taste" in French, which is exactly what they'd like people to do. It was founded by Violaine and Steve who formerly worked in the hospitality industry together. They teamed up to form this new company that focuses on creating raw organic vegan treats and providing home delivery of superfoods such as hemp seeds, trail mixes, raw drinks, and more.

Violaine, or V as she prefers to be called, contacted me to see if she could bring me some of her treats. I'd be silly to say "no!" So, V and Steve brought me some of their treats to try. They even live right up the street from me. So cool.

I have to admit I loved everything they brought me!  The first thing I tried was the crunchy sprout salad that was loaded with beets, apples, celery, and cabbage in a mustard vinaigrette. I just felt uber-healthy while eating it. I think fresh sprouts do that to me.

I also tried three flavors of her little macaroon-like treats. My favorite was the chocolate chip cookie bites. These raw wholesome bites were packed with deliciously raw cacao nibs, oats, and date paste. They were very dense and filling, but in a good way.

The other ones were great too. The chocolate cake bites were like raw chocolate macaroons. They had a great soft texture to them and seemed like just the right balance of nuts, coconut, cacao, and dates.

The vanilla macaroons also had a great flavor.

Lastly, I tried the superberry bark and oh, what a treat this was! It is thick, fresh, raw cacao with gojiberries, gooseberries, and mulberries.  The gooseberries provided a nice surprise to the typical gojiberries and a boost to the nutritional value. This bark was as silky as milk chocolate.

Goûter conducts classes and workshops at DC-area Whole Foods, makes their own fresh juices, and hosts a supper club here and there. I, for one, am really excited to see a new local raw business making such great food. They are even selling their treats at Budda B Yoga studio and Smucker Farms. For more info, just go to their Facebook page.