Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Charlotte's - Raspberry Belgian Dark Chocolate bar - May 30, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Charlotte's Confections
Raspberry Belgian Dark Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .2 oz. (5.6 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 26.6 calories in 1/15 bar
Cost: $4.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Nob Hill Foods, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Today's Raspberry Belgian Dark Chocolate bar was from Charlotte's Confections (South San Francisco*, CA). This bar had a pleasant raspberry aroma; and tiny bursts of sweet raspberry flavor were embedded evenly throughout the bar

So far, raspberries are pulling ahead of the other berries. No surprise. Chocolate and raspberries pair very well together. However, there are still more chocolates, and more berries, left to discuss this week.

*This bar was manufactured in Napa, using Belgian dark chocolate, for Charlotte's Confections.








Stone Grindz Chocolate - Raspberry bar - May 29, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Stone Grindz Chocolate
Red Raspberry bar
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: .66 oz. (18.86 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 99 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Stone Grindz Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Today's Red Raspberry bar was carefully made from scratch, from bean to bar, by Stone Grindz Chocolate (Scottsdale, AZ).

Seventy percent dark chocolate was blended with real berries. And the result was a medium bodied dark bar with a very pleasing, authentic, luscious red raspberry jam flavor.

Stone Grindz Chocolate makes small batch, high-quality organic chocolate in their workshop in one of the hottest metro areas of the U.S. Triple digit temperatures are a regular occurrence in the warm months. Air conditioning is a must have. (Either that or one might explore solar power to run the operation.)


Sunday, May 28, 2017

Torn Ranch - 4 pc. Assortment, dark chocolates - May 28, 2017



Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Torn Ranch

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - Good ++
Raspberry Truffle - Very Good
Orange Truffle - Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (24 g) for 3 pcs. / 1.2 oz. (34 g.) in total box of 4
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) in 3 pieces
Cost: $N/A - free with purchase
Purchased from: N/A - free with purchase (Draeger's, Los Altos, CA)

Welcome to Day #7 of Dark Blends Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Dark chocolate blends also find their way into dark confections. Today's Torn Ranch 4-piece chocolate assortment contained blended flavors, textures and, perhaps, cocoa sources.

Torn Ranch's "...gourmet chocolates start with a custom blend of ethically sourced and sustainably farmed cocoa beans."...."All of (our/their) chocolates are created by skilled chocolatiers."

I particularly liked the Raspberry Truffle; and that was fitting, as today was also the first day of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.




Saturday, May 27, 2017

Guittard - Nocturne 91% bar - May 27, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Guittard
Nocturne 91 percent Blend No. 09 bar
Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 168 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $missing information for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Dark Blends Theme Week.

Today's Nocturne 91% bar (Blend No. 09) from Guittard (Burlingame, CA) was surprisingly smooth and pleasant for an ultra-high percentage bar. It was not bitter and had very subtle red fruit and nutty notes.

The tasting notes describe the base extra dark chocolate as "elegant," and I think that fits. It wasn't brash or jarring. It had refined character. For those that think they don't like ultra-dark chocolate, you might give this one a try.

This extra dark chocolate bar was a true citizen of the world. It was made of a "multi-bean blend" of cacao (beans) that had been grown in regions across the globe, including: Central America, South America, South Pacific, West Africa, Caribbean and Indian Ocean; and it contained all three of the major varieties of beans: Forastero, Trinitario and Criollo.

This Nocturne 91% bar was part of a line of chocolate bars from Guittard, that range from 45% cacao to 100% cacao blends.

Friday, May 26, 2017

Guittard - Soleil de Autumn 45% bar - May 26, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Guittard
Soleil d' Automne 45% Cacao Blend No. 30 bar
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 176 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $missing information for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Dark Blend Bars Theme Week.

Today we push the edge of the envelope for what's considered dark chocolate with this Soleil d' Automne 45% Cacao (Blend No. 30) bar from Guittard (Burlingame, CA). Technically, 45% can still be considered dark chocolate, although perhaps "dark milk" might be a better description.

If you like milk chocolate, this dark milk bar (part of a line of Guittard blend bars with cacao % content ranging from 30% to 100%) might be to your liking.

Today's bar had a pleasant milk chocolate aroma with a hint of toffee popcorn. This chocolate managed to be creamy and sweet (without being overwhelmingly so) and had more authentic fine chocolate flavor than many other similar lower percent dark milk bars*.

Tasting notes listed on the packaging read: "Milk chocolate with notes of caramel apple and creme fraiche dairy."

This Guittard bar was made with a blend of Criollo and Forastero varieties of cocoa beans that were grown in West Africa and Indian Ocean regions.

*Many popular, high-volume commercial milk chocolate bars contain less than 15% cocoa solids.







Thursday, May 25, 2017

Guittard - L'Harmonie 64% Cacao bar - May 25, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Guittard
L'Harmonie 64% Cacao bar - Blend No. 29
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $missing information for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Dark Chocolate Blends Theme Week.

Today's L'Harmonie 64% Cacao bar (Blend No. 29) from Guittard (Burlingame, CA) was an upbeat* dark bar with subtle floral and fruit (apple, banana, apricot, light tropical) and with a faint hint of floral green tea.

Tasting notes printed on the packaging read: "Semisweet chocolate with floral aromatics and tart fruit notes."

The L'Harmonie bar incorporated cacao from Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The varieties of cacao that were selected from these three regions included the three primary members of the cacao holy trinity: Forastero, Trinitario and Criollo beans.

*This dark chocolate bar was lighter, sweeter and more carefree (if dark chocolate can be carefree) than most of this week's ultra-dark bars. Stands to reason, as there was more sugar in this bar than other dark blends sampled so far this week.


Guittard - Clair de Lune 85% bar - May 24, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Guittard
Clair de Lune 85% bar - Blend No. 49
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $missing information for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA


Welcome to Day #3 of Dark Chocolate Blends Theme Week.

Today's bar was the first of several dark chocolate blends created by Guittard (Burlingame, CA). Guittard has been making chocolate in the San Francisco area* since the 1800s.

This Clair de Lune 85% bar (Blend No. 49) was described as "bittersweet chocolate with subtle cherry notes," and was prepared with no added cocoa butter. I also found this to have bittersweet, tart and sour cherry/red fruit or berry notes. For an ultra-dark bar, it was well balanced overall.

While we don't know the exact origins, we know that this Guittard blend contains Forastero, Trinitario and Criollo varieties of (non-GMO) cacao beans that were grown in Central America, South America and the Caribbean.


"The art of chocolate making begins on the farm." This sentence was printed on inside of the wrapper/packaging. So true.

Many steps are involved in making great chocolate, but without the right beans to begin with from the farmer, great chocolate is all but impossible. Blending may help tone down sharp notes or balance "flaws" but even blending techniques have their limits.

Guittard has years of experience arriving at the right flavor profile(s) for wholesale and retail chocolatiers as well as consumers; and this line of blend bars will be interesting to taste.

*Guittard has a distinguished history in the San Francisco Bay Area. The founders of Guittard—and Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (now owned by Lindt and Sprungli)—came from Europe to the Bay Area in the 1800s. Many people were drawn to San Francisco in the mid-1800s after the discovery of gold. Fortunately, company founders at both companies found it more profitable to sell chocolate than to pan for gold themselves. Wise choice. Guittard is also still being managed by descendents of 


Wednesday, May 24, 2017

SOMA - Blend Crazy 88 bar - May 23, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

SOMA Chocolatemaker
Blend Crazy 88 bar
Good ++
Weight: .765 oz. (21.6 g.) / 2.29 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 115 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $11.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Dark Blends Theme Week.

Today's Blend Crazy 88 bar was crafted by SOMA Chocolatemaker (Toronto, ON, Canada) using a blend of cacao beans from 5 different origins: Venezuela, Ecuador, Jamaica, Peru, and Java.

The resulting chocolate was a smooth blend of beans with a sweet, pleasing rich chocolate aroma and a very light spice and fruit note. The makers honored this five origin bar by making this chocolate "almost as a 100% bar, with no added vanilla or lecithin," and that enabled a more pure tasting experience.

The tasting notes for this dairy-free, dark chocolate, vegan, award-winning* bar suggested: "nuts, citrus, a tingle of green bananas," and that the chocolate was "creamy and strong with a floral base."

SOMA has great designs imprinted on their bars. I imagined the collection of chocolate hieroglyphics (cacao flower, cacao pod, exotic bird with high-top tennis shoe, Canadian Maple leaf, etc.) being carved into stone, and being unearthed hundreds of years from now. What will they make of our veneration of chocolate?

*The Blend Crazy 88 bar won: International Chocolate Awards: Americas 2016 - Silver

Monday, May 22, 2017

SOMA Chocolatemaker - Arcana 100% bar - May 22, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

SOMA
Arcana 100% bar
Good ++
Weight: .76 oz. (21.6 g.) / 2.29 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 115 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $13.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the dark side, and Day #1 of Dark Chocolate Blends Theme Week.

Today's Arcana 100% bar from SOMA Chocolatemaker (Toronto, ON, Canada) was made with cocoa beans from three different origins (Madagascar, Ecuador and Venezuela).

The name "Arcana" conjures up images of mysteries that can't be readily explained, and the secrets in nature that alchemists pursued. Blending is probably a bit like this—acquainting oneself with the deep mysteries of each batch of cocoa beans, and finding just the right mix of complementary flavors.

The aroma of this ultra-dark bar had floral, marshmallow and green banana notes (reminiscent of Ecuador); and it was (as is often the case with 100% bars) almost deceptively light. Ah, the brain thought, I am about to bite into a sweet rich chocolate. Then after the first bite, the brain had to hit the re-set button. It had trouble understanding that there was no sugar in this bar.

The melt and texture were smooth (and seemed to grow creamier toward the end.) The taste was almost dull for a few seconds but incredibly deep and dark. There was no sugar or fruit (Madagascar, where are you?) to balance and brighten things up. Then there was a bitter then sour (tart berry-fig balsamic?) taste, which was interesting even if it was a bit somber. (It certainly had the depth and a complex flavor arc associated with Venezuela.)

The aftertaste, was much calmer and more subdued. It lingered for quite awhile, with the same floral notes that were present in the initial aroma. And then the brain thought, hmmm. I think I'd like to take another bite.




Sunday, May 21, 2017

Baron Chocolatier - Premium Dark Chocolate 70% bar - May 21, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Baron Chocolatier, Inc.
Premium Dark Chocolate 70% bar
Good ++
Weight: .706 oz. (20 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 105 calories in 1/5 bar (2 squares)
Cost: $missing information for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information, CA

Welcome to Day #18 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks.

Today's 70% Premium Dark Chocolate bar from Baron Chocolatier* had smooth, deep dark chocolate flavor with very subtle hints of fudge brownie with walnuts, flourless dark chocolate cake, earth, nuts, and slight acidity in aftertaste.

The country of origin was not explicitly identified on the packaging for this bar; however, the company has indicated they use cacao grown in West Africa (Ivory Coast) for their chocolate in the past.

Chances are if you've eaten a dark chocolate bar, and there was no origin listed, you probably were sampling a bar made at least in part with African cacao.

Ivory Coast and Ghana (each with a coast that borders on the Atlantic Ocean) together supply almost half the world's cacao. And so we end our virtual chocolate tour we've made in the past few weeks, moving from east to west across this vast continent, in this high production zone.

Starting tomorrow, we'll explore the world of dark chocolate bars made with blends of cacao.

*Baron Chocolatier, a division of the Milano Group, was founded in Poland in 1982. This bar was a "Product of Poland."






Saturday, May 20, 2017

Neuhaus - Milk Chocolate West Africa 32% Cacao bar - May 20, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Neuhaus sa
Milk Chocolate from West Africa 32% Cacao bar
Good ++
Weight: 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 540 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks.

Today's 32% Milk Chocolate bar was made by Neuhaus (in Vlezenbeek, Belgium) using cacao grown in West Africa. Neuhaus invented a form of praline many years ago and has been making confections and chocolate since 1857.

I was very hungry when I ate this bar, and managed to eat the whole thing. Haven't done that, i.e. eaten a whole bar that was a thirty-something percent cacao for awhile. The bar was a smooth and creamy and very edible, with hints of fruit and caramel.





Friday, May 19, 2017

Tony's Chocolonely - Dark Chocolate 51% Pecan Coconut bar - May 19, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tony's Chocolonely
Dark Chocolate 51% Pecan Coconut bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $4.89 for 1 bar
Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks. We've been sampling chocolates made from cacao grown in several African nations this month. Our last stop this week is in West Africa.

"West Africa" is made up of 18 countries, most of which were former European colonies that gained independence in 1960.

Many years ago, the French and other Europeans brought cacao from the New World, and other crops, to grow in West Africa. And today, two countries, Ivory Coast and Ghana, together supply about half of the world's cacao. However, over the years there have been concerns about the use of slave labor in this region.

Today's Dark Chocolate 51% Pecan Coconut bar was produced by Tony's Chocolonely (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), and made in Belgium. The company's mission is targeted at increasing awareness about and helping to prevent slavery and human trafficking in Ivory Coast and Ghana. And, oh yes, to produce good-tasting chocolate.

It may be my imagination, but I believe this large bar actually tasted better, "happier," than other chocolates made from West African cacao. The bar had a bright, true chocolate flavor (brownies with pecans), and was quite good. The coconut was subtle and added an upbeat, sweet note. 

TCHO - Origins Dark Chocolate 62% West Africa bar - May 18, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

TCHO
TCHO Origins Dark Chocolate 62% Cacao bar
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate 62% Cacao West Africa bar was from TCHO (Berkeley, CA). It had a classic, sweet dark chocolate* aroma with light spice notes.

The bar tasted quite sweet and smooth (and relatively low in fruit notes and/or acidity), but offered a uniform, predictable chocolate tasting experience.

Most of the world's high-volume, commercially produced chocolate in the U.S. and Europe is made from cacao from West Africa. Most people's chocolate tasting experience and expectations have been formed around this chocolate.

For many years, most large-scale operations have chosen to maintain a predictable flavor profile in their chocolates from year to year, across different regions and sources. Beans are carefully blended and roast profiles and other operations help to control variations in batches and different harvests.

So a West Africa bar like today's bar from a relatively large maker* may not have the nuances of flavor that a small batch bar would have, that would vary from season to season. Nonetheless, it's interesting to learn more about West African chocolate, as transparency about origins increases, and more chocolates become available for side-by-side tasting.

*TCHO was a relatively early entrant into the new American chocolate maker movement (2005) and was instrumental in helping to educate the public about the different flavors that were possible to develop in chocolate. TCHO bars have focused on cacao (single and blended origins) that highlighted nutty, fruity, chocolatey and other "flavors" of cacao—sometimes mentioning the country of origin, and sometimes not.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Blanxart - Organic Dark Chocolate 42% Congo bar - May 17, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Blanxart
Organic Dark Chocolate 42% Grand cru single origin Congo (bar)
(Chocolat Noir Bio 42% Grand cru)
Good+
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.25 g.) / 4.4 oz. (125 g.) in total bar
Calories: 182 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Village Market, SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks.

We're sampling cacao (in chocolate bar form) from the Republic of Congo today—and larger Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, aka Eastern Congo) yesterday—as we move through Africa from east to west.

Cacao grows up to 20 degrees north or south of the Equator). Africa contains several countries that are located within this large possible growing area (including Madagascar, Tanzania, Uganda, the Republic of Congo, Eastern Congo (DRC), Ghana, and Ivory Coast).

Both yesterday's Original Beans 55% cacao bar and today's Blanxart 42% cacao bar were organic, milk chocolate bars made with fair trade/fairly traded cacao from the Congo region. Both Congos border the Congo River Basin area.

The origin for the cacao in today's bar was from the Mountains of the Moon. Blanxart explains: "Between the East African savannahs and the vast rainforests of the Congo Basin lie the ice-covered Lunae Montes" (Mountains of the Moon)." Here approximately 100 farmers grow the organic Mountains of the Moon cacao used to make today's bar.

Today's 42% milk chocolate bar, made in Spain with certified organic cacao, was quite a bit sweeter* than yesterday's 55% "dark" milk chocolate bar. It had hints of fruit and sweet caramel and vanilla.

*The Blanxart Organic 42% Congo bar wrapper listed the following ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa, vanilla








Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Original Beans - Femmes de Virunga 55% bar - May 16, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Original Beans
Femmes de Virunga 55% bar
Good ++
Weight: .82 oz. (23.3 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 123 calories (guesstimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $missing information
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks. We've been taking a virtual trip, from east to west, across this large continent. Yesterday we were in Uganda, and today, we are in the Congo.

Today we move to Eastern Congo (D.R.), with this Femmes del Virunga 55% organic milk chocolate bar from Original Beans (Amsterdam).*

This organic milk chocolate bar was—in contrast to yesterday's ultra-dark 80% Uganda bar—fruity, light, sweet, and almost "fluffy." It was a very tasty, creamy milk chocolate bar.

The mission of the makers at Original Beans was not only to produce a fine, organic milk chocolate bar, but also to support women cacao farmers and to preserve "Africa's oldest nature park, Eastern Congo (D.R.)."

*Original Beans is based in Amsterdam, and this bar was made in Switzerland.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Cachet - Uganda 80% bar - May 15, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cachet
Uganda 80% Dark Chocolate bar
Good ++
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (per label) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $4.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks. Today we make a virtual visit to Uganda, via chocolate.

This Uganda 80% Dark Chocolate bar from Cachet (Tienen, Belgium) had a dark aroma with hints of roasted nuts, earth, deep dark chocolate, and flourless chocolate cake with no added sugar.

The chocolate had a fairly even, creamy melt, and tasted much the same as it smelled. It had a deep dark even chocolate flavor with balanced earth notes.

The texture was relatively creamy dark chocolate with a very slight, fleeting second of graininess. The chocolate had a slight bitter ale finish, and a slight astringency that showed up at the end but then tailed off rapidly.

What was "missing" was red berry fruit and acidity—and the sugar. It was quite smooth and very satisfying, a bar you could eat and enjoy one small bite at a time, with very little sugar to egg you on.

"Forestero beans from Uganda are known for their classic cocoa flavor and low acidity." Agreed. No wonder this bar was hard to find. It was a reasonably priced ultra-dark bar with good flavor.



Sunday, May 14, 2017

LetterPress Chocolate - Kokoa Kamili 70% Tanzania Dark bar - May 14, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

LetterPress Chocolate LLC
Kokoa Kamili 70% Tanzania Dark Chocolate bar
Good ++
Weight: .766 oz. (21.6 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 114 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks.

We're extending our "stay" in Tanzania by one more day, to cover today's 70% Tanzania Dark Chocolate bar from LetterPress Chocolate (Los Angeles, CA).

The cacao for this two-ingredient bar (cacao beans, unrefined cane sugar) came from Kokoa Kamili* in southern Tanzania. Unlike other bars made with cacao from this same organization, that were featured this past week, this 70% dark bar had less (red) fruit and a darker coffee, almost earthy, balanced flavor.

The maker's tasting notes read: "green banana, peppery mocha." It's always interesting to see what roasting and flavor profiles makers create with their batch of cacao from a given origin.

*Located near the Udzungwa Mountain National Park, in the Kilombero Valley area of the Morogoro region of southern Tanzania, Kokoa Kamili works with many cacao farmers to supply chocolate makers with the highest quality cacao possible. Like most cacao farming areas across the globe, the journey to get there is along unpaved roads. 









Saturday, May 13, 2017

Cachet - 72% Dark Organic Chocolate Tanzania bar - May 13, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cachet
72 percent Dark Organic Chocolate (Chocolat Bio)
Good ++
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 146 calories (per label) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Stars USA, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's featured 72 percent Dark Chocolate Organic bar from Cachet (Belgium) was made with cacao grown in Tanzania.

"Made from fairly traded cocoa beans from Kyela, Tanzania," this bar had very satisfying, smooth cherry and fruit as well as true dark chocolate aroma and flavor.





Friday, May 12, 2017

Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolates - 75% Tanzania bar - May 12, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolates
75% Kokoa Kamili (Tanzania) bar
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) in total small bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar
Cost: $2.75 for 1 small bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks. This week we're focusing on bars made from Tanzania cacao, before we continue our journey from east to west across the continent.

Today's 75% Kokoa Kamili (Tanzania) bar was made by Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolates (Santa Barbara, CA).

This Tanzania bar had a similar aroma to other artisan bars featured this past week that were created with cacao from Kakao Kamili (located in southern Tanzania): dried fruit, berries, steamed Boston brown bread,* true chocolate (dark cocoa). The flavor followed this same lovely general profile, with no off notes.

Mike Orlando, company founder and chief chocolate maker at Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolates, began his career as a marine biologist. A scientist who liked nature and building things, he started experimenting with roasting coffee (and tinkering with machines to do so) many years ago. He ultimately become an early chocolate bean-to-bar maker in the new American chocolate maker movement (that also has been expanding worldwide).

Knowing how to create, tweak and fix your own machines in the multi-step chocolate-making process may as well be a job requirement. Precision is important for quality when making chocolate. One learns a lot when making chocolate from cacao beans that hail from different countries/sources and the adjustments needed for each one.

Makers take well deserved pride in their home-built and improvised mechanisms incorporated into their process. From what I've seen in the past 11 years, these makers are living examples of creative ingenuity at its best.

And speaking of creative, let's not forget the packaging. Today's small, narrow, rectangular bar contained the "imprint", although hard to see in the image at right) of a single feather—perhaps from one of the legendary blackbirds** of old times.

*Boston brown bread is a steamed, almost cake-like dark bread with molasses, raisins and cornmeal. 

**Four and twenty blackbirds may or may not refer to a piece ("Sing a Song of Sixpence" by Mother Goose) written long ago. While hard to describe, essentially four and twenty blackbirds were baked into a pie but started to sing when the pie was cut open. ("Mother Goose" childrens' rhymes often had an incredible and/or dark side.) "When the pie was open, the birds began to sing, wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king..."









Thursday, May 11, 2017

Fresh Coast - Tanzania 70% Dark bar - May 11, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Fresh Coast Chocolate Co.
Tanzania 70% Dark bar
Very Good
Weight: .96 oz. (28 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 2/5 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks.

This week the focus is on Tanzania; and this is the third of four bars made from cacao supplied by Kokoa Kamili* in the Kilombero District of Tanzania. This location promises to be a great source of cacao if recent batches of finished, bean-to-bar chocolates from top makers are any indication.

Today's Tanzania 70% Dark bar** was handcrafted by Fresh Coast Chocolate Co. (Traverse City, MI). The chocolate had a tart, sour cherry aroma and red berry and traditional chocolate flavor notes, with faint balsamic/acidic berry notes in aroma and late-finish. The maker's tasting notes read: "Raspberry, roasted nuts, deep cocoa finish."

*Kokoa Kamili is a social enterprise similar to a traditional cooperative that is located in the Kilombero Valley in the Morogoro Region of southern Tanzania. This organization works with more than 2,500 farmers in the region and pays them over market price for their cacao. Kokoa Kamili ferments and dries cacao beans and provides guidance/training and assistance to farmers to help ensure a uniform level of quality.

**Unfortunately, as of today's date, it looks like this bar is sold out on Fresh Coast Chocolate's website.

Arete - Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 70% Dark Chocolate bar - May 10, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Arete Fine Chocolate
Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 70% Dark Chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 173 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks. This week we're exploring Tanzania.

Today's Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 70% Dark Chocolate bar was carefully crafted by Arete Fine Chocolate (Milpitas, CA).

This was a very pleasing two-ingredient bar that tasted like plum and raisins—but not just any raisins. The wonderful kind that are embedded in the best Boston brown bread* one can make. It also tasted like great chocolate, i.e. had classic chocolate flavor with balanced rich flavor notes.

*Boston brown bread is a dark-colored, cake-like "bread" with molasses, corn meal and raisins that is steamed in a can. It was a childhood favorite. While there is no cocoa in the original recipe, it has a similar rich flavor and color.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

The Smooth Chocolator - 70% Tanzania bar - May 9, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

The Smooth Chocolator
70% Cacao Tanzania bar
Very Good
Weight: .706 oz. (20 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 106 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks. This week we're in Tanzania.

Today's 70% Cacao Tanzania bar was crafted by The Smooth Chocolator (Australia).

The maker's tasting notes on the packaging read: sour cherry, rose, coffee. My tasting notes were similar: plum, sour cherry, chocolate with a not unpleasant, subtle bittersweet roasted coffee note in the finish.

The packaging was simple, yet elegant, and the bar's design included representations of cacao fruit (cocoa pods).
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