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The zombie apocalypse in the game-turned-TV series The Last of Us on HBO is based on the idea that fungi (such as mushrooms) can turn people into zombies. Now with the second season imminent, the show's producers partnered with an upstart new food company to bring us luscious chocolate made with mushrooms - specifically, the same cordyceps that turns into mushrooms that's at the heart of the show.

Available now, Brainstorm is a Last Of Us-branded dark chocolate treat incorporating a blend of real-world cordyceps mushrooms. It's being made by Alice Mushrooms, a new food company specializing in mushroom-infused chocolate - and Brainstorm is said to be directly inspired by the zombie fungus in The Last of Us. It contains fairly traded organic dark chocolate, organic Lion’s Mane, and organic Cordyceps "from 100% fruiting body mushrooms" - as well as guarana and phosphatidylserine. According to Alice Mushrooms, each Brainstorm square contains 66mg of natural caffeine which is equivalent to ⅔ cup of coffee.

"We started Alice with one clear mission: to create a daily mushroom ritual that is both effective and delicious," reads the company's website description. "Alice gives people what neither the pharmaceutical industry nor supplements have provided: safe, effective consumables that pair long-term benefits with immediate boosts to cognitive functioning. All in one chocolate bite."

Related: HBO's The Last of Us: The real-life inspiration to the Infected zombies

The Last of Us Star Pedro Pascal isn't just a celebrity in this - he's also co-owner in Alice Mushrooms. In 2024, he, Zac Efron, and Kevin Hart became investors in the company - and now months later, they landed this unique partnership with Pascal's Last of Us.

What does chocolate with Cordyceps mushrooms taste like?

I know, this is what you really want to know. The food mavens at Bon Appetit have sampled the Last of Us-inspired Brainstorm mushrooms chocolates from Alice, and say it has a nutty flavor with an "amazing" creamy texture, saying its "soft and sort of fudge-like—they melt in your mouth so nicely, and genuinely feel luxurious to eat." And they also help you focus, which will come in handy after we watch the season 2 premiere of The Last Of Us on April 13 and then proceed to binge re-watch season 1 and/or play the games (again).

Alice Mushrooms products are sold in the US at Earth Fare, Sprouts Farmers Market, Erewhon, Pop Up Grocer, and other places. You can also, of course, order online on Amazon or at its website.

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