The Smooth Chocolator - 72% Madagascar bar - May 3, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Smooth Chocolator
72% Cacao Madagascar bar
Good ++++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 159 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Chocolate and Africa Theme Weeks. Over the next few weeks, we'll be virtually traveling across this great continent, from east to west, sampling a new chocolate made with African cacao each day.

Let's start our journey in Madagascar, a sizable island nation off the coast of Eastern Africa, also known for its fine cacao with red fruit notes and often a lighter/redder color.

Today's award-winning* 72 percent Cacao Madagascar bar was made (bean-to-bar) by The Smooth Chocolator (Australia)—from cacao beans grown at Akesson's organic estate in the Sambirano Valley area of Madagascar. Akesson's supplies several chocolate makers with beans.

However, even if different chocolate makers are using the same harvest and/or batch of cacao grown on the same land, each maker's finished chocolate will taste slightly different. This is due to the many choices and decisions made during the rather long process of making chocolate.

Tasting notes printed on the packaging for today's bar promised hints of raspberry and plum. And, in fact, this attractively designed and functionally (resealable) packaged bar delivered a very nice tart ripe plum and red raspberry ride.

It began with a complex red fruit and fig aroma and moved on to a satisfying tasting experience. There was a touch of spice flavor at the beginning, and lush plum and red berry fruit all the way through, including a lingering red fruit finish.

*This 72 percent Madagascar bar from The Smooth Chocolator earned both International Chocolate Awards Asia-Pacific 2016 Gold, and International Chocolate Awards Americas 2016 Silver.

Paleo Baking Co. - Paleo Chocolate, Paleo Banana mixes - May 2, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Paleo Baking Company Inc
Paleo Chocolate - Cake and Muffin Mix
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) for 1/2 muffin / 7.3 oz. (208 g.) in total dry mix
Calories: 250 calories (estimate) in 1/2 large muffin (1/2 was chocolate); 500 calories (estimate) total muffin
Cost: $7.99 for 1 package of mix
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Berkeley, CA

Paleo Baking Company Inc
Paleo Banana - Bread and Muffin Mix
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) for 1/2 muffin / 8.9 oz. (253 g.) in total dry mix
Calories: 250 calories (estimate) in 1/2 large muffin (1/2 was banana); 500 calories (estimate) total muffin
Cost: $7.99 for 1 package of mix
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Berkeley, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

It's very hot outside—not exactly the best weather for baking and heating up the kitchen. However, it was great for solar cooking in the backyard. And that worked well for today's two paleo mixes from Paleo Baking Company Inc. (Seattle, WA).

Several muffins and cakes were made with these Chocolate and the Banana paleo mixes. Both were moist and honey-sweetened with natural chocolate and banana flavor, respectively. Honey gave the muffins/cakes some caramel-like sweetness. (Organic, unrefined coconut oil was used, so there was also a slight hint of warm coconut flavor throughout.)

The two flavors also blended well together. Variations of chocolate-banana blends made included: a marbled banana and chocolate cake; a half chocolate and half banana cake; a chocolate-banana yin and yang muffin; etc.

What was wonderful was what was missing in these gluten-free mixes. No vegetable gums, preservatives, refined sugar, or other ingredients that one occasionally pays for later. It felt different (more authentic/clean?) making and eating these baked goods.