Taste Testings: Consumer Product Reviews

New Moon Kitchen is a Toronto-based gourmet bakery offering healthy baked goods. The eight varieties of cookies are made with 100-per-cent organic spelt flour, are dairy-, egg- and nut-free, are vegan, and contain no preservatives or cholesterol. Varieties include: Chocolate Chip: The Best Seller, featuring chewy toasted oats and semi-sweet chips; Bite Me! The Original, a crunchy cookie with seeds, oats and raisins; Lovebites, with dark double chocolate, spicy chipotle pepper, and hints of orange and vanilla; Goldies: The Traditional, a classic oatmeal cookie; Mokas: The Cult Classic, with organic fair-trade espresso, chocolate bits and cinnamon; MoMints: The Desire, with a brownie-like texture, double chocolate and organic peppermint; Ginger Snappers: The Siren, with real ginger pieces; and Mackies: The Rockstar, made with double chocolate, coconut and organic brown rice flour.

Male, 40-something, retail manager
Bite Me! The Original. “If there is anything negative to say about New Moon Kitchen’s cookies – well, actually, there isn’t. The seed (sunflower and sesame) & raisin Bite Me cookie was absolutely delicious. Buy it. Okay, there are two negatives: (1) the so-called new moon image that makes up the outer box actually looks more like a waxing gibbous moon, or depending on your view of it, a waxing crescent moon; (2) the cookies were so darn good I ate the whole box of 13 cookies in one sitting. Evil. But delicious.”

Female, 20-something, sales
MoMints and Mokas: “For the most part I try to eat clean but also not to deprive myself. A lot of people assume that going vegan is all about your food tasting like styrofoam. This is not the case at all. After trying several vegan recipes, vegan meals and treats have been apart of my lifestyle for years now. But what happens when my sweet tooth kicks in? How can I be satisfied and feel guilt free? Instead of surrendering to egg, milk, aluminum and flour? Well I stumbled across these brown recycled boxes with cute cookie names such as MoMints. This is truly for the chocolate mint lovers! NMK presents a cookie made of chocolate chips and pure organic peppermint leaves all baked together in a brownie-like cookie. And who could forget the Mokas! NMK has dedicated this flavour to the coffee lovers, with chocolate bits, cinnamon and organic fair-trade espresso. All healthy and all natural! After trying these cookies I must say that New Moon Kitchen has won my heart. The most delicious cookies I have had in my life! All the ingredients are wholesome, and a non-vegan wouldn’t even guess that it is vegan. Plus a portion of your purchase goes to a good cause. I have been very lucky to try all of their goodies now and they are all great. Definitely try the Mokas, MoMints and Bite Me’s!

Female, 30-something, teacher
Chocolate Chip: “You can smell the chocolate when you open the package. And it’s not grainy, powdery chocolate either. It melts a little in your fingers and it’s got a creamy texture. It’s really rich tasting. Talk about perfect comfort food. I could have eaten the whole box! The cookies are soft and crumbly at the same time. They’re just a simple, satisfying treat. And one that is more on the guilt-free side of indulgence, too. That scores big points with me. My three-and-a-half-year-old son loved them, and since they’re peanut-free, he could take them to school.”

Female, 11
Goldies and Mackies: The Rockstar. “I don’t really like the feel of the box. I like the cutouts of stars and the moon. It’s good that they’re peanut free. The box looks like there’s less in there, but there’s a lot in the package. They’re packaged well. They’re [Goldies] a great snack to eat. They’re yummy. I don’t like the coconut [Mackies], but I like the chocolate in them.

Female, 30-something, IT specialist
Goldies and Mackies: “The oatmeal cookies are so good! I love the flavour, the texture – really homemade style. They don’t taste what I thought a gluten-free or low-sugar cookie would taste like. I also love the package – very simple and low-key, and it’s surprising how many cookies are in the box. The Mackies are also delicious, a wonderful blend of coconut and chocolate. It does taste a bit drier than the oatmeal variety though.”

Female, 30-something, teacher
Ginger Snappers: “I love the packaging. The outer box has the look and feel of something organic and homey. But the plastic wrap the cookies were in was tricky to open without scissors and it rips too easily. I had to store the cookies in a resealable bag. Now for the cookies! These were delicious. I love the taste and bite of ginger and these had both. I would have loved them with a stronger taste of ginger, too. And if it weren’t for the packaging, I would never have known these were made with spelt flour. My three-and-a-half-year-old son tried them and said they were too spicy. I’d buy these for me.”

Male, 40-something, retail manager
Love Bites: “I admit that I didn’t really read the whole name of this product. I just knew that New Moon Kitchen made really good cookies, and that this particular brand was chocolate. I popped a cookie in my mouth and began chewing – smokey hokes! My mouth was on fire! I grabbed the box and noticed the word “spicy.” Ah-ha! Then I flipped it over and read the ingredients. There, ingredient nine out of 13 was chipotle peppers. That explains the heat in my mouth. The spiciness wasn’t uncomfortable, as I unconsciously jammed a second cookie in. The heat was good. Mr. Christie might make good cookies, but New Moon Kitchen makes great ones. The spicy heat remained in my mouth for about five minutes after swallowing. While adults will enjoy getting their glow on, I would be reluctant to offer one to a child. Still, it’s an awesome cookie. I’ve never eaten anything like it in my life, and I want more.”

Female, 32, public relations specialist
Lovebites. “These are awesome. I’ve never tried this combination before. You don’t get the spicy chipotle pepper effect until a few seconds after you’ve chewed a bite. And then there’s a rush of heat. It’s a pleasant surprise. Not enough to send you rushing for water, just enough to be satisfying. And the combination of dark, double chocolate and heat really works well together. I can’t imagine having these with a glass of milk, though. Would they work with red wine? Also for dark, double chocolate these cookies are surprisingly light tasting and dense at the same time. One will cure a chocolate fix for sure. I’d buy these for a treat and for something different.”

Male, 48, area sales manager
Mackies: “These are great – a good bite, not too chewy but not too crumbly either. Love the combination of chocolate and coconut. I’m not sure about the package though, but dull. It does make it look like a homemade product. A good before bed snack.”