Rogue Chocolatier - Tranquilidad (Bolivia) 75% bar - Sept. 15, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Rogue Chocolatier
Tranquilidad (Bolivia) 75% bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 318 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $19 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

The aptly named Tranquilidad (tranquility) 75% cacao bar from Rogue Chocolatier (Three Rivers, MA) was made with cacao beans from Hacienda Tranquilidad in the Bolivian Amazon Basin.

I experienced none of the brash, acidic boldness of Bolivian cacao in this bar that I found in other Bolivian cacao bars featured earlier this week. Instead, this bar had lovely, lilting, floral, marshmallow, and cream honey on toast aroma and flavor, with a clean finish.

Lest you think this flavor profile sounds too "sweet" -- I should add, it was not. It was just right. Well executed and well balanced.

I like floral flavors. But, many dark chocolate critics seem unimpressed with this floral + marshmallow + green banana profile, often associated with Ecuadorian cacao-based bars.

Some critics prefer bold flavors, the way a wine fan might prefer reds. However, today's bar exemplifies a successful execution of this lighter, floral cacao. Thank you to Colin Gasko at Rogue Chocolatier for his focus on quality and coaxing great flavor out of a variety of cacao types.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

twenty-four blackbirds - Palos Blancos 75 percent (Bolivia) bars - Sept. 14, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

twenty-four blackbirds
Palos Blancos 75 percent (Bolivia) bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. of bar
Cost: $6.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

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

twenty-four blackbirds is based in Santa Barbara, CA. This small operation turns carefully made, bean-to-bar chocolate bars and drinking chocolate.

These single origin bars were graced with tile-style letters and symbols -- the image of a single blackbird feather was pressed into a smaller version of the same bar. Both bars were carefully wrapped in brown craft paper.

Today's two Palos Blancos 75 percent bars were made from Bolivian cacao beans, and had a fairly smooth, well balanced flavor.  The bar had a faint aroma that evoked rainforest (green vegetation, rich soil), and the flavor had some of the bold acidity that other single origin Bolivia bars have had this week, with a very slight sour/bitter note.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.