Sunday, May 31, 2015

The Republic of Tea - Strawberry Chocolate - May 31, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Republic of Tea
Strawberry Chocolate Tea
(from Cuppa Chocolate Tea Assortment box)
Good + Good +
Weight: .056 oz. (1.6 g.) in 1 tea bag / 1.35 oz. (38.4 g.) in total package of 24
Calories: 0 calories in 1 serving of tea (+ milk, cocoa)
Cost: $13.99 (part of previous assortment box purchase)
Purchased from: East-West Bookstore, Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

Neapolitan ice cream is layered with strawberry, chocolate and vanilla flavors.

Today's Strawberry Chocolate Tea from The Republic of Tea (Novato, CA) might be the closest I've come to tasting Neapolitan Tea. Made with rooibos (caffeine-free tea), carob, "cocoa kernels", natural strawberry flavor, blackberry leaves and bourbon vanilla beans, this tea was also certified gluten free.

I enjoyed this tea hot and unsweetened, and iced in a yogurt shake. Even without sugar the tea had a slightly sweet berry flavor. I normally don't care for carob, but this blend tasted fine.

*Neapolitan (also spelled Neopolitan) ice cream is a variant of spumoni, a three-flavored ice cream from Naples (Napoli), Italy. This Neapolitan style ice cream became popular in the the U.S. in the 1800s, with strawberry + chocolate + vanilla eventually becoming the flavors of choice.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Libby Patterson Organics - Love Tea - May 30, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Libby Patterson Organics
Love Tea
Very Good
Weight: .25 oz. (7.075 g.) in one large serving
Calories: 5 calories (guesstimate) for 1 serving
Cost: $18.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: SLOWCOAST.org, (Airstream trailer), Davenport, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

I fell in love with the look, smell and taste of this "Love Tea" from LPO: Libby Patterson Organics (Davenport, CA). This complex, well-balanced herbal tisane contained many of my favorite ingredients: rose petals (favorite flower), nutmeg (a favorite spice), raw cacao (goes without saying), and possibly a new favorite, damiana*.

No surprise about the intoxicating aroma, given that Libby Patterson is a Master Perfumer.

How did it taste? Like the aroma, the tea possessed complex and interesting layers of flavors. I would add nothing to this tea. Enjoy it just as it is.

I bought this tea from SLOWCOAST.org, or more specifically, at/inside their Airstream trailer that was parked at Swanton Berry Farm in Davenport, CA, off the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1), in between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz, CA.

*Damiana is a shrub native to Mexico, Central America and parts of the Southwest U.S. that has been used as a medicinal plant and aphrodisiac. 






Friday, May 29, 2015

Tea of Life - Rooibos Chocolate Vanilla tea - May 29, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tea of Life
Rooibos Chocolate Vanilla tea
Good
Weight: .0525 oz. (1.5 g.) (estimate) for 1 tea bag
Calories: 2 calories (estimate) for 1 serving
Cost: $1.49 for 1 box of 20 tea bags
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

Yesterday I had a rooibos* chocolate tea (from Cup of Life). That tea had cinnamon and banana pieces in it. Today's (very similar) Rooibos Chocolate Vanilla Tea from Tea of Life (imported from Sri Lanka) omitted the banana, and was flavored with roasted cocoa pieces, cinnamon pieces, and vanilla pods.

The tea by itself was interesting, but despite the rich mahogany color, it seemed to need a bit more oomph. Adding warm milk to this tea and a dash of cinnamon and cocoa worked fairly well.

*Rooibos (also known as "redbush" or bush tea) is a naturally caffeine-free alternative to black and green tea, made from the leaves and stems from a South African bush. 

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Cup of Life - Dreamy Decadence Tea - May 28, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cup of Life
Dreamy Decadence Tea
Good
Weight: .106 oz. (3 g.) in 1 tea bag (+ tea chocolates)
Calories: 2 calories (estimate) for 1 serving (+ tea chocolates)
Cost: $N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - sample

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

Sitting down and sipping tea can be very calming. It's an occasion to slow down and relax and savor flavors. Cup of Life's Organic, "Dreamy Decadence" rooibos-based tea contained roasted cocoa, as well as cinnamon and banana pieces and vanilla flavor.

I paired this tea with a trio of Chocolate Teacups (Jasmine in Dark Chocolate) from Kitchen T.L.C. (Bozeman, MT), that I featured previously some time ago. These tiny, edible teacup-shaped chocolates were just as florally flavorful and wonderful as I remembered them to be.

Spicely Organics - Lapsang Souchong bar - May 27, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Spicely Organics
Organic Dark Chocolate Lapsang Souchong bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.44 oz. (40.8 g.) / 1.8 oz. (51 g.) in total bar
Calories: 224 calories in 4/5 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spicely Organic Spices, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Week(s).

Lapsang Souchang is a black tea known for its rich, smoky taste and aroma. In the traditional style, this tea is smoke-dried over pinewood branches.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Lapsang Souchang 60% cacao bar from Spicely Organics (Fremont, CA) was suffused with an evocative, yet subtle campfire flavor and a salt umami note.

I love good renditions of smoky, salty flavors with chocolate, and this blend was definitely one of my favorites this year.




Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Spicely Organics - Turmeric Tea 60% bar - May 26, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Organic Spices Inc.
Spicely Organics
Organic Dark Chocolate Turmeric Tea bar
Good++
Weight: .36 oz. (10 g.) / 1.8 oz. (51 g.) in total bar
Calories: 56 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spicely Organic Spices, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Organic Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Week(s).

I loved the subtle exotic spice flavor notes in this Spicely Organics Dark Chocolate Turmeric Tea bar from Spicely Organic Spices (Fremont, CA). A whisper of coriander and vanilla rounded out the turmeric. And the texture of the bar was smooth and not at all gritty, the way some chocolate with ground spices or coffee beans can be.

The Organic Spice Company is based in Fremont, CA, but the store on Market Street in San Francisco carried the company's line of spices and chocolate bars and discs infused with different tea and spice flavors.

The San Francisco shop was packed with dozens of different organic spice, tea and chocolate items (and probably hundreds of different possible combinations of these items). I purchased three new chocolates (2 bars + discs) that I hadn't tried yet, including this spice-infused, 60% cacao Turmeric Tea bar.

Today's gluten-free and Non-GMO bar was certified organic by Oregon Tilth.




Monday, May 25, 2015

Bridge Brands - Gaia Dark Chocolate Drops - May 25, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bridge Brands Chocolate
Gaia Dark Chocolate Drops
Good
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in 1 package/box
Calories: 127 calories in 1/4 package/box
Cost: $2.99 for 1 package/box
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Organic Theme Week, and I enjoyed sampling a small handful of Gaia Dark Chocolate Drops from Bridge Brands Chocolate (San Francisco, CA).

Organic and Fair Trade certified, these penny-shaped chocolate discs had a pleasant, uniform, dark cocoa flavor and aroma, with a smooth melt and texture.

Bridge Brands - Gaia Milk Chocolate Drops - May 24, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bridge Brands
Gaia Milk Chocolate Drops
Good
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total package/box
Calories: 133.5 calories in 1/4 package/box
Cost: $2.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Organic Theme Week.

These Gaia Milk Chocolate Drops from Bridge Brands (San Francisco, CA) were USDA Organic (Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth*) and Fair Trade Certified.

Rather than a bar, this chocolate was formed into thin, disc-shaped milk chocolate rounds. These milk chocolate drops were nestled in a recyclable, slim brown box, printed with soy-based inks. Made with "organically grown and sustainably harvested" ingredients, Bridge Brands' Gaia line of milk (and dark) chocolates is geared toward helping farmers lead a better life.

The disc or drop shape allows chocolate flavors to be easily accessible for tasting. In this case, the milk chocolate tasted uniformly sweet; and that may delight some. However, the high percentage of sugar in milk chocolate can obscure subtle chocolate flavors.

*Organic Certifiers
Yesterday, I wrote about organic certification and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are also almost 80 third-party certifiers, or accredited certifying agents, who are authorized by the government to certify organic products. That list includes Oregon Tilth's Certified Organic (OTCO) program.

Oregon Tilth (Corvallis, OR) is a third party, non-profit organization that worked with USDA on the National Organic Program. Oregon Tilth staff focuses on sustainably raised food, from farm to table. (Their work also extends to manufacturers and retailers -- with fibers, textiles and personal care products.)

Food companies (farmers, processors, others) pay an annual certification fee (from a fee schedule that's based on income) and an inspection fee to become certified.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

sweetriot - 85% Dark Chocolate bar - May 23, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

sweetriot
Pure 85% Dark Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Organic Theme Week. Many companies have incorporated organic ingredients not only into their products, but also into their core company goals.

Sara Endline founded sweetriot, a women-owned and "mission based" company (based in New York City, NY) that produces chocolate bars, chocolate covered nibs, and other sweets using organic, Non-GMO and fair trade ingredients.

The sweetriot gluten-free 85% cacao extra dark bar had a uniform, dark flavor, with a smooth, creamy melt. (The bar was made in Italy.)

Because of the high percentage of cacao (and lower percentage of sugar or other ingredients), this dark bar was not too sweet, and had a mild bitterness that high percentage bars often have without sugar or more complex fruit or other flavor notes.

Organic and Certification
What does certified organic mean? This sweetriot bar was USDA Organic certified. In the U.S., the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service website offers the following information on our National Organic Program.

Specifically companies that display the USDA Organic seal need to follow "...cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used..."

The numbers of certified organic producers, and products, have been growing steadily.*

*According to 2015 data on the USDA website, there are a record number of certified organic producers in the U.S. At the end of 2014, there were 19,474 certified organic producers in the U.S. (up more than 250 percent from 2002), and 27,814 certified organic producers worldwide.




Friday, May 22, 2015

Casa de Chocolates - Organic Peruvian Espresso bar - May 22, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Casa de Chocolates
Organic Peruvian Espresso bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2.89 oz. (81.7 g.) in total bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in .5 oz. (14.1 g.) of bar
Cost: $8.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Casa de Chocolates

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Organic Theme Week. Many chocolatiers and chocolate makers are concerned about sustainable farming practices and manufacturing processes, and choosing organic cacao beans and other ingredients may be part of that philosophy. Today's bar was a good example.

This Organic Peruvian Espresso 61% cacao bar was "hecho a mano" (made by hand) by Casa de Chocolates (Berkeley, CA). The company specializes in sustainable chocolates (many are organic) with Latin American inspired themes and flavor inclusions.

Today's vegan and gluten-free bar had the nicely balanced blend of smooth, sweet dark chocolate and coffee (espresso) flavor and texture (the ground coffee bits were not too gritty). 

The Chocolate Conspiracy - Dark 74% bar - May 21, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

The Chocolate Conspiracy
Dark Bar - 74% Cacao
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Organic Theme Week.

Yesterday I kicked off "Organic" Week by featuring a raw, organic bar made with Peruvian cacao.

Today's 74% Cacao Dark Bar from The Chocolate Conspiracy (Salt Lake City, UT) was also a raw, organic chocolate bar, but with some taste and texture differences. This dark bar had a creamy mouth feel and even, smooth chocolate flavor, with relative low acidity. It was sweetened with wildflower honey; and the honey gave the bar a pleasant, lilting sweetness.

According to the packaging, the company sources cacao from different regions -- all raw, organic, fair trade and kosher -- and notes a low microbe count in their cacao (addressing a concern that some people have about raw cacao).

As with other raw cacao vendors, processing times and steps that could raise the temperature of the cacao (fermentation, roasting, conching, etc.) are either kept to a minimum and operated at more controlled, lower/slower levels. Some beans the company sources are either lightly fermented, or non-fermented and air-dried to preserve freshly picked cacao bean flavor.

Certain flavors will be harder to develop with lower temperatures and without fermentation and roasting. However, I continue to enjoy sampling raw and/or raw + lower-glycemic chocolates. Some are very smooth and flavorful, and many raw chocolates also seem to have less of a sugar rush and chocolate flush -- which I like.

SweetE Organic
Thankfully, there are many more places to buy good, organic raw chocolates than when I started this website in 2006.

I bought this chocolate bar at SweetE Organic, north of San Francisco. Elana Turchon, owner of SweetE Organic (Mill Valley, CA), has seen the organic market evolve. She founded SweetE Organic to be inclusive, to offer organic sweets and gifts that would serve everyone in the community, including those with food allergies. She offers organic, raw, gluten-free, nut-free and vegan/dairy-free options in her shop, and now online. 



Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Santosha Chocolate - Single Origin Peru bar - May 20, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Santosha Chocolate
Single Origin Peru bar
OK + - Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1 oz. (29 g.) (per packaging)
Calories: 65 calories for 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Bienenidos a Day #1 of Chocolate and Organic Theme Week.

I'm continuing last week's Chocolate and Peru Week Theme with today's Organic, Single Origin Peru bar from Santosha* Chocolate (Asheville, NC).

A Word About Organic...
Back in 2006, when I started ChocolateBanquet.com, it was harder to find organic chocolate. Now, happily, there are more organic offerings, even in large chocolate company product lines.

It should be noted that many craft chocolate bars may be made with organic cacao, but certifications are expensive, and some makers choose to do without -- meaning bars aren't labeled as organic; and no certification seals appear on packaging. It's good to ask about the maker's cacao sources if you have questions. Regardless of their answer, you'll learn more about their practices and their supply chain.

Back to today's bar...
The first bite of today's raw 85% cacao bar was relatively flavorful and smooth. It sweetened with organic, low-glycemic coconut palm sugar and was fairly sweet for an 85% dark bar. However, subsequent bites went a bit funny in terms of texture (a little grainier feel) and flavor (a bit of sourness). I'm not sure what caused this. When making chocolate (organic or not) from scratch, many things can happen during the dozen or more steps that are part of the process.

My hat is off to all chocolate-makers; it's a craft that's always as challenging as it is rewarding. Santosha founder, Don Rowe, started by selling his organic, raw bars in local farmers markets several years ago, and the business grew from there. His raw, vegan and certified organic bars are free of nuts, soy, dairy and gluten, and are made without emulsifiers.

*"Santosha" roughly translates as being content in the moment with what you have; not requiring more than you have in the moment to achieve contentment.



Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Lillie Belle Farms - Sunshine Daydream 45% bar - May 19, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lillie Belle Farms
Sunshine Daydream 45% Milk Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 375 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

Welcome to "bonus" Day #8 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

I celebrate chocolates in unique combinations with edible items. This Limited Edition Sunshine Daydream 45% Bean-To-Bar Milk Chocolate bar from Lillie Belle Farms (Central Point, OR) was made with powdered cultured buttermilk instead of "regular" powdered milk. This caught my attention.

The description on the packaging read as follows: "...Using extremely fruity (organic) cacao beans from Peru in combination with some organic sugar, powdered buttermilk, and a hint of (organic) vanilla bean, we created a rich and just a bit tangy (bar)."

I'd say this was accurately described. This rich, fairly creamy bar did indeed have a very subtle tangy flavor, and very mild, not unpleasant dark/sour fruit and bitter undertones (likely from the cacao and not the buttermilk). Short of a side-by-side tasting with a bar made from the same ingredients + regular powdered milk, it's hard to know. It was an interesting and fun bar to try.






Monday, May 18, 2015

Lillie Belle Farms - Perfect Illusion 65% bar - May 18, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lillie Belle Farms
Perfect Illusion 65% bar
Good++
Weight: 2.06 oz. (57.75 g.) / 2.75 oz. (77 g.) in total bar
Calories: 309 calories (estimate) in 3/4 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Lillie Belle Farms' (Central Point, OR) makes bars and confections. The company's Perfect Illusion 65% Bean-to-Bar Dark Chocolate bar was crafted with just two ingredients (cocoa beans and sugar) using "rare White Beans from the remote valleys of Peru."

The maker description states that these mysterious (organic, fair trade) white beans "...are so special that we had to promise not to reveal exactly how we got them..."

The white beans have mild but complex flavor and seem to lack the bitter grapefruit twist that some other Peruvian beans seem to have. More cacao trees with fruit containing these white beans have been planted in the last several years; but it can take five years or more before harvests from trees become reliable/bountiful.

So, we may be seeing and tasting more of these beans in our chocolate in the future; but, in the meantime we can enjoy bars like this one.

So, how was it?

This very thick, gluten-free and vegan bar was well tempered and broke with a hard snap. It was smooth throughout the tasting experience, albeit with a slightly slower melt due to the bar's thickness. As the flavors were released they were varied and subtle -- with hints of dried fruit, cafe mocha/latte (there was no milk in this bar), and molasses. The bar was intriguingly complex; but no one flavor note jumped out as being too strong or visible. It all was unfolding slightly below the surface.

"Is it an illusion? Or is this just the best chocolate you have ever eaten?" the bar's packaging notes ask the reader? I don't know. You'll have to try this Good Food Awards winning bar to decide.




Sunday, May 17, 2015

Patric Chocolate - Piura dark milk bar - May 17, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Patric Chocolate
Piura Dark Milk bar
Weight: 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 348 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Alan "Patric" McClure's painstaking hand-sorting, and careful slow-roasting, of cocoa beans pays off. His single origin, blended and flavored bars are some of the best in the U.S.

Blending cacao with milk, sugar, emulsifiers, vanilla and other added ingredients can dilute or dull cacao flavors substantially. But, today's Piura* Dark Milk chocolate bar from Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO) was a good example of a milk chocolate bar that can maintain a great flavor profile.

This carefully crafted "dark milk chocolate" bar had even and consistent caramel and sea-salted toffee notes throughout, and was buttery smooth. The slightly bitter flavor that I seemed to taste in most of the dark chocolate Peru bars this week, was instead more similar to "ruby red grapefruit" in this bar, as the tasting notes indicated.

*Piura is a coastal region in northwest Peru, one of several areas of the country where cacao is grown. (The capital city of Piura was founded by Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro in 1532.) Prized, white Porcelana cacao beans come from a valley in the Piura region. These cacao trees/beans were "re-discovered" this century and are being replanted elsewhere in the past several years as demand for fine-flavored cacao has continued to increase.




Saturday, May 16, 2015

Timothy Adams - Machu Picchu Sipping Chocolate - May 16, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Timothy Adams Chocolates
65% Machu Picchu Peru Sipping Chocolate
Very Good
Weight: 8 fl. oz. (estimate) for 1 serving
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1 serving
Cost: $5.75 for 1 serving
Purchased from: Timothy Adams Chocolates, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Timothy Adams Chocolates (Palo Alto, CA) is a local Bay Area chocolate shop run by creative duo Timothy Woods and Adams Hollands.

Today I tried their drinking chocolate for the first time -- an iced, 65% Machu Picchu* Peru Sipping Chocolate made with non-fat milk that was served in a slender glass bottle with a straw over ice.

Customers select the milk of their choice for their chocolate beverage. I chose cow's milk over hazelnut "milk." The hazelnut did sound tempting, but I wanted to be able to taste the 65% Peruvian chocolate flavor.

It may have been my imagination, but I thought I detected the same slightly bitter (grapefruit?) note as I've been tasting all week with other chocolates made from Peruvian cacao beans. Unique and unpleasant, this characteristic was part of a nicely well-balanced complex flavor profile in each chilled sip. It was very good, and very satisfying.

I look forward to tasting more hand-crafted truffles and Sipping Chocolate flavors from Timothy Adams in the future.

*Machu Picchu is an impressive, ancient (Inca) city. Ruins of this city, located in the Andes mountains of Peru, attract a large number of visitors and/or tourists). 

Friday, May 15, 2015

Trader Joe's - Peru 60% bar - May 15, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Peru 60% cacao dark chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.25 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 57.5 calories (estimate based on label) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $N/A - part of a larger single origin Chocolate Passport tasting pack
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

The Chocolate Passport single origin tasting pack was this past year's collection of single origin bars from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA).

This sampler of 8 different bars was sold in local (California) Trader Joe's stores for a short time around the November-December holiday season. I hope the tasting pack concept will continue. These collections, with bars from different cacao-growing countries, have sold out quickly in the past year's that they've been offered. (Last May, I featured a similar Peru single origin bar from Trader Joe's that tasted slightly differently. Hard to tell whether the beans were the same plantation or not; but beans do vary from year to year, just like wine grapes do.)

Today's Peru 60% cacao dark chocolate bar was smooth, with a similar bitter note that I've tasted in other Peru single origin bars this week. But, the finish was clean, and the bitter note did not linger too long.  Tasting notes on the bar's packaging suggested an ideal pairing might be with a Cabernet Sauvignon (wine).

Lucuma ice cream
I did not have any Cabernet on hand. Instead I paired this chocolate with a small bowl of homemade Lucuma* ice cream, a dessert you might find served in Peru, with some Amazon-related toppings (dried golden berries, maca powder, chopped brazil nuts, etc.).

Gluten-free brownie
I also enjoyed a homemade gluten-free brownie from friend, Julie. Thank you Julie! Her cupcake shaped brownie were infused with very tasty ginger and lemon flavor. Yum.

*Lucuma is a fruiting plant that grows in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, and has a slight maple-butterscotch flavor.






Hageland - Peru 64 percent dark bar - May 14, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hageland
(Made in Belgium by Kim's Chocolates)
Peru 64% dark chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 151 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

The Hageland Peru 64% dark chocolate bar was made in Belgium by Kim's Chocolates.

I agree with the tasting notes printed on the packaging: "An unmistakable hint of fruit, with a slightly bitter cocoa taste, creates a surprising first impression..."

There was some fruit/acid that gave this bar some oomph/interest, and a bitter flavor that, surprisingly, didn't linger too long or spoil the experience.








Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Cello Chocolate - Peru bar - May 13, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cello Chocolate
70% cacao Peru bar
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ (part of a $36.00 single origin set of 6 bars; included shipping)
Purchased from: Cello Chocolate (online order)

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's Peru 70% cacao dark chocolate bar was from Cello Chocolate (Nevada City, CA). Founders Ned and Debi Russell are committed to making single origin, bean-to-bar chocolate with just three ingredients: cacao beans, sugar and cacao butter, and to buying organic and fair trade ingredients when possible. (This bar contained both.)

I've said it before, but there is no place to hide with you're making chocolate bars with just cacao and sugar. The cacao has to be great, and the chocolate maker needs to get every step right to produce a great result. This is why I have such respect for smaller, craft chocolate makers. It's a great adventure.

South American countries (considered the birthplace of cacao) often have a complex and interesting flavor arc. Cello Chocolate's Peru 64% bar reminded me of single origin bars from both Venezuela and Ecuador that I've tasted.

This fairly thick bar was carefully swaddled in silver foil. It was well tempered and broke with a hard snap. The 70% dark chocolate was full of complex aroma and flavor, ranging from "lighter" notes: floral/marshmallow and dried fruit/cherries, to stronger notes: slightly bitter, earthy/loamy, mushroom. Overall it seemed well balanced and executed.

Not bad for making chocolate in a "home kitchen" environment.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Vanini - Dark chocolate with rosemary bar - May 12, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Vanini Chocolate (ICAM SpA)
dark chocolate 62% cocoa with rosemary bar
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) pieces of bar
Cost: $ lost information
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Walnut Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Manufactured by ICAM SpA (Orsenigo, Italy), the Vanini 62% cocoa bittersweet chocolate bar was peppered with bits of sugared rosemary, giving this chocolate a sweet, crunchy, rosemary finish and flavor.

This bean-to-bar chocolate was made in Italy from Peruvian cacao beans. Specifically, it was made from "Bagua lost world cacao from Peru" -- grown thousands of years ago in Amazon rainforest by the Mayo Chincipe people (in what is now Peru and Ecuador)..."who used it to prepare beverages well before the Maya and Olmec."

The Vanini 62 percent dark chocolate bar with rosemary was gluten-free, kosher, and made with "Sustainable Trade" cacao beans.

Rosemary and chocolate can go either sweet or savory and I like surfing the line between the two. I enjoyed this bar with a side of toasted walnuts with butter, rosemary, sea salt, and a hint of garlic.

I've enjoyed having a Chocolate and Walnut Theme Week. While cacao is thought of as a "New World" food (from Central and South America), walnuts have a rich, global history and were growing in what is now "New" and "Old" worlds. In other words millions of years ago, before the continents started splitting apart, many nuts including walnuts were already spread far and wide.

Now, on to Peru theme week...


Monday, May 11, 2015

Amport - omega-3 trail mix - May 10, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amport Foods
omega-3 trail mix
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 9 oz. (255 g.) in total container
Calories: 160 calories (estimate) in 1/4 cup (30 g.) serving
Cost: $4.89 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Walnut Theme Week.

This omega-3 trail mix from Amport Foods (Minneapolis, MN) was a blend of walnuts, dark chocolate covered soybeans and dried cranberries. This versatile and well balanced blend could be enjoyed anytime of day -- on the trail or otherwise.

The walnuts tasted sweet and fresh, and the chocolate covered soybeans provided some nice crunchy texture and chocolate flavor. The cranberries added a nice, tart and chewy fruit flavor. A good mix.

This trail mix was part of Amport's "Fresh Pack Line" of snack nuts, granolas, chocolates and related items packaged in resealable clear plastic, stackable tubs. 

Whole Foods - Double Feature Trail Mix - May 11, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Whole Foods
(365 Everyday Value brand)

Double Feature Trail Mix
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) (1/4 cup) / 16 oz. (454 g.) in total package/bag
Calories: 150 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) serving
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package/bag
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Strider's Snack Trail Mix
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) (1/4 cup) / 16 oz. (454 g.) in total package/bag
Calories: 140 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) serving
Cost: $8.99 for 1 package/bag
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

There have been trail mixes galore this walnut-themed chocolate week, including this "365 Everyday Value" branded duo from Whole Foods Market (based in Austin, TX).

The "Double Feature Trail Mix" included crunchy salted almonds and cashews, tiny little peanut butter cups, and dried sour cherries.

The "Strider's Snack Trail Mix" was a blend of raisins, unroasted and unsalted almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and, you guessed it...walnuts. Together they were great.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Walnut Theme Week.



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