Raw reportage: Roxanne’s new food line

Some of you may remember Roxanne’s, the raw emporium in Larkspur, that drew oohs and ahhs for a menu that interpreted cooked food favorites like pizza and tamales with nothing but raw, fresh ingredients. Now Roxanne has come out with her own line of raw foods and yes, they actually taste good. Really good.

Because I’m still on some PR lists from when I reviewed restaurants, I was fortunate enough to receive a plentiful supply of these new packaged items, and I devoured them all with vigor usually reserved for non-raw foodstuffs. The almonds make a great snack, the chocolate squares work wonders when staving off a more dangerous sweets craving, and the apple crisp is positively decadent. Perhaps my favorite product from Roxanne’s new line is the granola parfait. The Granola itself is fantastic—both as cereal or eaten like trail mix—but with the added parfait, made of coconut meat and flavored with real vanilla, it’s a creamy, dreamy delight. I could eat buckets of the stuff, given the opportunity and a free pass to fats (healthy or otherwise). The huzz and I agreed that this stuff is like hippie crack, though Roxanne’s sensibilities and packaging are far too refined to be mistaken for proferrings from the patchouli crowd. You’ll find her products in Whole Foods and other such markets, next to the other healthful snacks with tie-dyed motifs and new age drawings of unicorns and rainbows. Just look for the smart green labels and expect something altogether more appetizing—both visually and taste-wise.