<p><a href="http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/organic_enchanted_mushroom_candy_bar/organic_candy_bars" target="_blank"><img class="size-medium wp-image-716 alignleft" title="Life is short.  Buy quality chocolate.  " src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/shroom1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>

<p>I am not a fungus fan.  I enjoy a well-disguised shiitake or crimini mushroom in a flavorful Asian dish, but other than that, no thanks. </p>

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<p>Button mushrooms in a salad?  Bleck.  I just don’t get it. </p>

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<p>When I was at Whole Paycheck for the <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/09/21/day-5-i-scream-you-scream-whole-foods-screams-for/" target="_blank">Banana Split Caper</a></strong> the other day, I wandered off to the chocolate showcase.  If you’ve ever been to Whole Paycheck, you know that I’m not exaggerating when I use the word “showcase”.  Apparently, Whole Paycheck shoppers are chocoholics like the rest of the nation.  It’s just healthier chocolate, that’s all. </p>

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<p>While perusing the vast and exotic options, I came upon the most exotic of them all:  Enchanted Mushroom.  Organic, no less! </p>

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<blockquote><p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">“Superfoods unite! Cacao and mushroom, two of the world’s most healthy and desired foods merge into one enchanting bite!”</span></strong></p>

<p><strong><span style="color: #993300;">                                                                                   -- Vosges Haut-Chocolat</span></strong></p>

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<p>It’s about time this Late Bloomer chick tripped on some shrooms!  I forked over the $7.99 to Whole Paycheck for the promise of a choco-pscyhedelic experience.</p>

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<p>I didn’t want to fly on my magic carpet ride alone, so I forced my friends to come with me.  My teammates from work, to be exact.  We’re like one, big, dysfunctional family, so they were a prime and captive audience.  </p>

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<p>I hauled out the Enchanted Mushroom bar at our homecoming lunch for former teammate, Christy Jo.  Christy Jo recently moved up in the world, but misses us like nobody’s business.  (Her real name is Christy, and her middle name is Elaine, but you know me and nicknames.)  </p>

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<p>I began reading the flowery and trippy descriptions on the back of the packaging.  Kudos to the copywriter who works for Vosges.  If it’s a “he”, and he’s single, I think we might fall in love. </p>

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<p>My teammates completely ignored my staged reading except for Christy Jo, who always finds me entertaining.  Since I lost my audience, I ditched the monologue and dug into the chocolate. </p>

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<p>Everyone looked skeptical.  Mushrooms in chocolate?  You’ve got to be kidding. </p>

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<p>I explained that there were also walnuts and 66% cacao to mask the fungus.  They were going to eat it, and they were going to like it.  If they knew what’s good for them.  And a superfood unity is indeed good for them. </p>

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<p>They obeyed and partook.  A wave of delighted surprise rolled through the group.  Pupils dilated and eyes glazed over. </p>

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<p>Christy Jo was the only one who actually hallucinated.  Everyone else was very chill, but Christy Jo shrieked wildly and unintelligibly about a frumpy woman etched into the chocolate. </p>

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<p>And then Christy Jo muttered something about Etched Chocolate Woman being a Vegas bag lady in dire need of a push-up bra and Spanx.  I corrected her – the bag is labeled with “Vosges” which is the brand of this heavenly chocolate. </p>

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<p>Christy Jo’s little “journey” was thankfully short-lived.  She might enjoy the luxury of telecommuting her days away, but we needed to hightail it back to the office. </p>

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<p>I channeled my inner Padma from Top Chef and asked our panel what they thought of the Enchanted Shroom Bar.  Everyone nodded their heads, smiled, and uttered profound critiques such as, “It’s good!” </p>

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<p>O.k.  So they’re not exactly as eloquent as Tom, Gail, or Anthony Bourdain, but the team unanimously agreed that our culinary carpet ride was groovy, man.  </p>

<p>Life is short.  Buy quality chocolate.  <a href="http://www.vosgeschocolate.com"><strong>www.vosgeschocolate.com</strong></a><strong>.</strong> <br class="spacer_" /></p>

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