Chocolate of the Day:2/5 bar
Artisan du Chocolat
Black Cardamom dark chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: .636 oz. (18 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) total bar
Calories: 94 calories (estimate)
Cost: $6.00
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA
Today's featured chocolate was Artisan du Chocolat's dark chocolate (70% Cocoa) Black Cardamom bar. This bar (that contains both black and green cardamom from India) is nicely compatible with other Mediterranean flavors, such as fresh oranges or orange peel, and fresh green fennel, as well as other spices you might find in chai tea (cinnamon, cloves, star anise, allspice, pepper, etc.).
I sampled in the same sitting, but not mixed together, this cardamom bar with two tiny flavored (gluten-free) chocolate cakes: one orange cake with orange/rose flavored frosting, and one almond (with almond paste filling) cake.I enjoyed reading "gerard's notes," on the back of the Artisan du Chocolate package. The first part of his write-up appears below.
"Queen of spices, cardamom oozes sensuality and opulence. Cleopatra found its scent so enticing that she would bathe in cardamom infused water and burn the crushed pods instead of incense to welcome her lover."
Too bad Cleopatra didn't live long enough to discover cacao from the new world. This bar may have been one of her favorites.Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Mediterranean Theme Week. However, I may have to extend this theme week a few more days. A region with twenty plus countries is too much to cover in 7 days. Plus I haven't even gotten to the savory dishes and salads with cacao nibs yet.
