Monday, June 29, 2015

Manoa - Ali'i Kula Lavender bar - June 29, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Manoa Chocolate
Ali'i Kula Lavender 60% bar
Good++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $10 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

Lavender is a strong floral flavor often linked to soaps, perfumes, and teas. For an unlucky few, the association between these fragrant, almost pine-y purple buds and soap/perfume is so strong that the thought of eating lavender is considered odd at best. But, for lavender lovers, today's freshly minted Manoa Chocolate Ali'i Kula Lavender bar would be a special treat.

Manoa Chocolate (Kailua, Oahu) founder and chocolatemaker, Dylan Butterbaugh, was born and raised in Oahu, and makes bean-to-bar chocolate -- using local ingredients when possible. For example, the cacao beans frequently come from "a network of farmers" across Hawaii (the only U.S. state that currently grows cacao commercially). And the cane sugar is from Maui.

The dehydrated lavender buds used to flavor this 60% cacao chocolate came from Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm in the hills of Maui -- a beautiful spot. The dried buds were ground into a fine powder that imparted a uniform lavender flavor throughout this bold-flavored dark milk chocolate bar.




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