Oakland Chocolate Co. - Hibiscus truffle - June 9, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Hibiscus Tea truffle
Good - Good +
Weight: .42 oz. (11.8 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 63 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Co., Oakland, CA

I enjoy mixing spices, herbs and flowers when cooking. This week I've been blending hibiscus, citrus and pink peppercorns, a combination that creates an interesting raft of flavor for beverages, desserts and chocolate items.

Happily, Nancy Nadel at The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA) celebrates these flavors as well, inspired by her relationship with cacao farmers in Jamaica*.

I tried Nancy Nadel's Hibiscus Tea truffle and a Pink Peppercorn Caramel side-by-side today. The truffle's white chocolate ganache (filling) was infused with a hibiscus tea flavor, was coated with dark chocolate and topped with an attractive bit of tropical pink (lightly candied hibiscus blossom I'm guessing).

Today was the third day of Chocolate and Hibiscus Theme Week.

*Trivia: Hibiscus based drinks go by various names. The name for a popular, red drink in Mexico made with this flower is flor de Jamaica (pronounced ha-mie'-ka), and Hondurans enjoy: agua de Jamaica. Interestingly, a similar red beverage in Jamaica is called Sorrel.