ChocolateBet: September 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Patric Chocolate
Madagascar 67% dark chocolate bar with habanero salt
Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar
Calories: 172 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 total bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

This evening after a dinner of chocolate sausage (made with cacao nibs) -- more on this later -- I enjoyed a dark chocolate bar that captured the overlap of two chocolate theme weeks. (Today was Day #8 of Spicy Chocolate Theme Week, and Day #2 of Madagascar Chocolate Theme Week.)

This Madagascar 67% dark chocolate offering from Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO) had a light sprinkle of salt crystals on the back side of the bar. Tiny, emerald-tinged salt gems had been infused with habanero chili pepper flavor.

 
The salt harmonized well with the chocolate that had citrusy fruit/acidic notes characteristic of Madagascar cacao beans. When it comes to chili flavor, it's hard to beat the smoky sweet peppers (like chipotle and ancho) when mixed with chocolate, but it was fun to try a bar with a light habanero kick.

ChocolateBet: September 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:  

Monique's Chocolates
1.) Madagascar truffle - 64% dark
2.) Liquid Chocolate with Madagascar chocolate and Mexican spices
3.) Ash's Chai truffle

Monique's Chocolates (Palo Alto, CA) offered customers single origin truffles and other specialty chocolates, as well as Liquid (drinking) Chocolate(s) with several options.

I started by sampling a plain, dark chocolate (64%) truffle from Madagascar (Sambriano), and then had a cup of Liquid Chocolate made from this same Madagascar chocolate base. It had well balanced, subtle citric/acidic notes -- a characteristic often associated with this country of origin.

Monique's Liquid Chocolate was available either hot or iced. I chose the iced option, and selected the Madagascar chocolate base, a 1% fat milk as my "liquid" of choice, and Mexican Spices (cinnamon and Ancho chili) as an added flavor.

Last, but not least, I enjoyed Monique's Ash's Chai truffle, made with milk chocolate, tea and chai spices. This Monique's chocolate, topped with pieces of ginger, was a great chocolate replica of this sweet milky, spicy tea beverage.

Today was Day #6 of Spicy Chocolate Theme Week, and Day #1 of Madagascar Chocolate Theme Week.