Chocolate of the Day: Zak's Chocolate
Belize 70% Cacao dark bar
Good ++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.75 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zak's Chocolate, Scottsdale, AZWelcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Central America Theme Week—featuring mostly single origin dark chocolate bars made from cacao grown in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and/or Nicaragua.
Today's Belize 70% Cacao dark bar was created by wife and husband team, Maureen and Jim Elitzak at Zak's Chocolate (Scottsdale, AZ*).This three-ingredient (cacao, organic sugar, and a small amount of cocoa butter) small batch bar was carefully crafted from Belize-grown beans, and wrapped in a beautiful copper-colored foil inner wrapper and a green and gold print paper outer wrapper.
The bar had a slightly earthy dark aroma and a pleasant spectrum of dark chocolate flavor including a nice fruit (blackberry) note.
All of Zak's dark bars are vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
*I've often thought chocolate makers in the Southwest U.S. (where summer temperatures can top 110 degrees (F) on a regular basis) were incredibly brave. Zak's retail space is very attractive and both shop and production areas are comfortably air conditioned. They're used to dealing with the heat.
