Markham and Fitz - Ooh La Lavender 64% bar - May 31, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Markham and Fitz Chocolate Makers
Ooh La Lavender - Lavender, honey, vanilla, nibs 64% dark chocolate bar
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA


Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Ooh La Lavender bar was made by Markham and Fitz Chocolate Makers (Bentonville, AK).

This lovely 64% dark chocolate bar contained the aforementioned lavender (lavender oil); Patagonia honey (a floral honey sustainably produced by Patagonia Bee Products); cacao nibs and vanilla.

The single origin chocolate was made using organic cacao that was grown in Oko Caribe, Dominican Republic. (The makers work with importing partners, such as Uncommon Cacao.)

The bar had a great lavender floral aroma—made extra beautiful with honey and an almost invisible but very effective touch of vanilla.

Honey itself can provide a subdued floral note or two. This bar was sweetened with honey and cane sugar. Using honey in this bar added great complementary flavor and, when combined with the DR cacao, the 64% cacao chocolate (that tasted more like a 75% bar), was not too sugary sweet (thank you!).

Why don't more makers choose to work with honey? Not everyone wants floral or honey flavors added to their chocolate, however subtle they may be. And refined cane sugar is considered more "neutral" as well as being less expensive. Honey can be more challenging to work with than cane sugar.*

The texture was smooth and the flavor was the realization of aromas promised, punctuated by crunchy cacao nibs. The chocolate had a bold, smooth dark flavor that the makers balanced very nicely with the other flavors.

This Ooh La Lavender bar had a very pleasant, very light lingering honey and lavender finish that felt both refreshing and calming. Overall it was a very well executed bar, and a well-deserved Good Food Awards** win.

*Unlike cane sugar which is fairly dry, honey is about 20 percent water, and is considered a humectant (meaning it acts to preserve moisture). Chocolate generally reacts poorly to water or moisture and can "seize up" in its melted form (when be made into chocolate bars) if one adds water. Not a great thing to happen in the manufacturing process, which is also why powdered milk (and not fresh milk) is added directly to chocolate in the making of milk chocolate. 

**The Good Food Awards have roots in the slow food and sustainability movements in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. If you're looking for great chocolates, peruse their list of winners. 

Choquiero Chocolate - Mayan Rose with Cinnamon and Maca 75% bar - May 30, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Choquiero Chocolate
Mayan Rose with Cinnamon and Maca Root bar
Good++
Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

The aroma of today's Mayan Rose with Cinnamon and Maca Root bar from Choquiero Chocolate (Grass Valley, CA / Santa Cruz, CA) promised a wonderful balance between the chocolate and flavor inclusions.

And this organic, vegan, fair trade 75% cacao bar delivered. The chocolate had smooth and soft (added cocoa butter) flavors and texture. Barely detectable hints of cinnamon, vanilla and salt gave it a lift. Sweetened with coconut sugar, the dark chocolate was sweet, but without a sugar buzz (thank you!).

Ingredients: (All Organic): Cacao paste, cacao butter, coconut sugar, vanilla bean, maca, Himalayan salt, rose "pedal," rose "essene" and cinnamon.

Mirzam Chocolate Makers - 62% Dark Chocolate with Rose bar - May 29, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mirzam Chocolate Makers
(Kakaw Manufacturing LLC)
62% Dark Chocolate with Rose bar
Good++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 229 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Mirzam Chocolate Makers 62% Dark Chocolate with Rose bar was made, from bean-to-bar, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This elegantly designed, ebony-colored chocolate broke with a well-tempered snap and gave off a lovely rose aroma.

The 62% cacao dark chocolate (made with cacao grown in Ghana, with a bold, smooth and slightly earthy flavor) was an interesting choice to pair with a delicate floral infusion (Bulgarian rose oil).

However, the rose oil was strong enough to stand up for itself. And its beautiful rose scent and flavor was a successful match the the bolder dark chocolate made by a talented chocolate maker. Had this same bar been made with a 75% or higher cacao solids percentage, the floral notes likely would have been overpowered.

Antidote Chocolate - Lavender Flowers + Red Salt slow roasted 84% bar - May 28, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Antidote Chocolate
Lavender Flowers + Red Salt 84% slow roasted cacao, low sugar bar
Good
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Lavender Flowers + Red Salt slow roasted cacao bar was from Antidote Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

The chocolate, made with cacao grown in Ecuador, had a relatively creamy melt and texture. The bar had a green plant aroma which softened into lavender flower bud flavors after the first bite. A balanced amount of red salt added some mellow contrast.

The lower sugar level in this vegan, 84 percent cacao bar (and no attempt to add alternative sweeteners) was refreshing.

Antidote Chocolate - Earl Grey and Orange 70% bar - May 27, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Antidote Chocolate
Queens of Paradise: Earl Grey and Orange 70% cacao bar
Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Earl Grey and Orange 70% Cacao bar was from Antidote Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY). I included this bar in a flower-themed chocolate week, as the floral notes of Earl Grey tea remind me of flowers as much as tea.

This vegan, gluten free and Kosher dark chocolate bar had an initial herb tea and light citrus/acetic acid (vinegar) aroma.

Chewy bits of orange peel yielded pleasant, authentic citric flavor that complemented the smooth dark chocolate base (made in Ecuador with Arriba Nacional cacao grown in Manabi, Ecuador) and not too sweet (thank you).

The bergamot* (Earl Grey tea) note was a bit more delicate and fleeting. The bar had a balanced, lilting orange finish.

*Bergamot, sometimes referred to as a bergamot orange, is an aromatic citrus fruit with floral notes, that gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavor. (It can be grown in Mediterranean climates.) The peel is where the fragrance stems from. The fruit itself is fairly sour, unlike the sweet orange fruit we are used to eating.

Goodio Craft Chocolate - Kukka - Chocolate with Flower Petals, Rose Crystals 69% bar - May 26, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Goodio Craft Chocolate
Kukka - Chocolate topped with flower petals, rose crystals 69% (bar)
Good +
Weight: .848 oz. (24 g.) / 1.696 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 129.8 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: (one of a 4-bar Nordic Flavors box)
Purchased from: Goodio Chocolate (online order)

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

Today's "Kukka" - Chocolate topped with flower petals, rose crystals 69% (bar) was made from scratch by Goodio Craft Chocolate (Helsinki, Finland).

This bar, part of a 4-bar Nordic flavors assortment pack was inspired by experiences and flavors in nature.* The back of the bar—arranged with edible flower petals with a hint of birch sugar—was a work of natural and culinary art.

The sweet, stoneground dark chocolate gave way to slight upticks in floral flavor. (Make sure you have a bite with a rose crystal in it.)

*Inside the packaging was printed a very endearing love letter to nature and childhood memories having to do with selecting a flower and playing the game: she loves me, she loves me not... The end of this note indicates that this bar has incorporated "only 'loves you' petals." Sweet.

Ethereal - 66% Dark Chocolate Blueberries, Lavender, Almonds bar - May 25, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ethereal Bean-to-Bar Craft Chocolate
66% Dark Chocolate Topped with Blueberries, Lavender, Almonds bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 234 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

Combining chocolate with edible flowers and floral flavors is one of our favorite pastimes, so we were looking forward to this week for months.

Today's 66% Dark Chocolate Topped with Blueberries, Lavender and Almonds bar was created by Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL).

The chocolate had a deeper, darker, slightly fruit-acidic chocolate aroma and flavor than other 66% cacao bars, and less sugar sweetness than expected (thank you!). Whether there was actually less sugar or not, we're not sure, but this would have helped explain why the authentic chocolate, blueberries, lavender and almond flavors seemed to shine through.

Freeze-dried blueberries provided some down to earthy fruit-acid flavor and finely sliced almonds provided some balance and slightly nutty texture/soft crunch. Lavender flower buds contributed a distinctive, calming, floral flavor that lingered in the finish.

Hogarth Chocolate Makers - Rose and Vanilla Tea bar - May 24, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hogarth Chocolate Makers
Rose and Vanilla Tea bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 194.6 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA


Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week and Day #1 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week (and is the second of two posts today).

Today's Rose and Vanilla Tea bar was from Hogarth Chocolate Makers (Nelson, New Zealand).

This 70% cacao (Madagascar) dark chocolate was infused with Dilmah Tea rose and vanilla tea, and was a New Zealand collaboration between chocolate maker Karl Hogarth and chef Simon Gault.

After opening the inner gold pouch that contained this dark bar, the smell of rosewater wafted up, with light fermented leaf/plant and vanilla notes in the background. If I was blindfolded, doing a taste test, I might not have guessed initially I was smelling a chocolate bar. However, it was early morning and the room was cold. Once it warmed up a few degrees, the dark chocolate aroma came to the forefront.

Meant to conjure images of a "high tea in a rose garden," this chocolate did just that. I also imagined fleeting images of Alice in Wonderland and a lost white rabbit, but that's another story.

The base dark chocolate was flavorful, slightly fruit-acidic, and not too sweet. The rose flavor continued to perfume the tasting experience from beginning to end. If you like floral flavors and scents, this light lingering rose note will be a lovely trait.

The Hogarth team hand mold their bars. And the mold design for this vegan, gluten free and soy free chocolate bar—with an "H" (for Hogarth) signature "block" in the center—was beautiful. We hesitated to break a piece off to taste, thus ruining the design.

Enlightened - Cold Brew Coffee Chip ice cream bars - May 24, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Beyond Better Foods, LLC
Enlightened Cold Brew Coffee Chip bars
Good
Weight: 3.75 fl. oz. (110 mL) (70 g.) in 1 bar / 15 fl. oz. (440 mL) in box of 4 bars
Calories: 90 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.79 for 1 box of 4 bars
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Enlightened Cold Brew Coffee Chip frozen bars were manufactured for Beyond Better Foods LLC (Bronx, NY). Small espresso chips with a hint of chocolate were embedded in a smooth coffee ice cream base.

This cool, frozen bar had a mild coffee-mocha flavor without a lot of chocolate to it. (In fact, the second entry for today was a 70% cacao chocolate bar with rose and vanilla (see post that follows this one). And this second bean-to-bar chocolate entry supplies the chocolate and vanilla flavors that are less present with this ice cream bar while providing a segue into a chocolate and flowers theme week.)

The Quest for a Lighter, Better Ice Cream
The Enlightened Cold Brew Coffee ice cream bar exemplified the perennial quest of suppliers to come up with good tasting, yet somehow healthier//better ice cream. In fact the tagline for today's bars read: "The Good-For-You Ice Cream."

Recent iterations of light ice cream often have more protein, fiber and less sugar. A step in the right direction (or back to basics) one might conclude—even if the ingredients* list is quite long.

One of today's bars contained 7 grams of protein and only 5 grams of sugar (plus erythritol and monkfruit extract). And, if one is counting calories, this bar contained only 90 calories in 1 bar.

*Ingredients: Skim milk, milk protein isolate, erythritol (natural sweetener), non-GMO soluble corn fiber, coffee, cream, cane sugar. Contained 2 percent or less of vegetable glycerin, dutched cocoa, coconut oil, carob gum, guar gum, mono and diglycerides, monk fruit extract, natural flavor, ghee, corn starch, soy lecithin

Mirzam Chocolate Makers - 62% Coffee and Cardamom bar - May 23, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mirzam Chocolate Makers
62% Dark Chocolate Coffee and Cardamom bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 186 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's 62% Dark Chocolate with Coffee and Cardamom bar was from Mirzam Chocolate Makers (Dubai, United Arab Emirates).

This dark chocolate bar had an authentic coffee aroma with a slight sweet spice note.

The ground Arabica coffee gave the bar a slightly earthy, but balanced, texture and flavor, and coffee finish, with an occasional faint twinkle of cardamom.

The African cacao used to make this 5-ingredient* single origin bar was grown in Ghana.

*Ingredients: Cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, coffee, cardamom

Antidote Chocolate - Coffee Crunch + Cardamom 73% cacao bar - May 22, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Antidote
Coffee Crunch + Cardamom 73% slow roasted cacao bar
Good
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Coffee Crunch + Cardamom bar made with 73% slow roasted cacao (from Manabi, Ecuador) was from Antidote (Brooklyn, New York).

This dark chocolate bar had dark chocolate and roasted coffee* flavor and crunchy bits with coffee buttercrunch toffee and cardamom spice notes.

*The Arabica coffee in this vegan, gluten-free and Kosher bar was grown in the Loja region of southern Ecuador.

Ethereal Confections - French Vanilla and Salted Almond - Olive Oil Ganache bar - May 21, 2019

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Ethereal Confections
French Vanilla and Salted Almond - Olive Oil Ganache bar
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week.

The filling for this Dark Chocolate bar from Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL) contained olive oil and a hint of balsamic vinegar.

The coffee potion of today's entry was supplied by an affogato—a shot of coffee* poured over a small bowl of Mocha Difference and Vanilla ice creams from Three Twins Ice Cream (Petaluma, CA).

*A shot of coffee containing chaga and reishi mushroom no less. I don't think there is any way to mess up affogato. Coffee + vanilla, chocolate or coffee ice creams were made for each other.

Scandal-less Mocha Chip - May 20, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lucerne Foods, Inc.
Open Nature Scandal-less Chocolate Mocha Chip Light Ice Cream
Good
Weight: 1/4 container (65.25 g.) (118.25 mL) / 1 Pint (473 mL) total container
Calories: 85 calories in 1/4 container
Cost: $3.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Open Nature Scandal-less Chocolate Mocha Chip Light Ice Cream was distributed by Lucerne Foods, Inc. (Pleasanton, CA).

A lot of people have created light ice creams, hoping to deliver the rich, creamy essence of ice cream, without all the fat and sugar. And the resulting products have mostly improved over time.

Today's "Scandal-less" ice cream had relatively creamy texture and light chocolate mocha flavor with a touch of authentic coffee taste, and tasted naturally sweet (erythritol) without an artificial sweetness.

The "only 340 calories in 1 pint" claim might encourage someone to have more than one serving, which may defeat the purpose. We still prefer a smaller portion of ice cream with the shortest ingredient list possible; but, people do enjoy having options like this.

Ritual Chocolate - Novo Coffee Anyetsu 60% bar - May 19, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ritual Chocolate
Novo Coffee Anyetsu 60% Cacao bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Miette, Oakland, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Novo Coffee Anyetsu 60% bar was made by Ritual Chocolate (Park City, UT).

This Novo Coffee bar had a bold roasted coffee aroma, smooth melt and relatively creamy texture.

The chocolate (a dark, multi-origin blend) had strong dark chocolate and fresh ground coffee* flavor.

For those wanting to experience more vanilla with your chocolate and coffee, Ritual also offers a great Vanilla (Madagascar) dark chocolate bar (featured previously on this site)—and a Vanilla Mocha truffle (part of their current spring 2019 assortment).

*Makers notes: "Novo Coffee's Anyetu is a sun-dried coffee from Wellega, Ethiopia. This ripe berry and floral coffee is paired with a balanced chocolate made from a blend of cacao sourced from several farms around the world."

JonnyPops - Cold Press Coffee, Chocolate and Cream Pops - May 18, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

JonnyPops LLC
Coffee Chocolate and Cream pops
Good ++
Weight: 1.55 fl. oz. (45.8 g.) / 9.3 fl. oz. (275 g.) in total box of 6 junior pops
Calories: 90 calories in 1 junior pop
Cost: $3.39 (estimate) for 1 box of 6 junior pops
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Coffee Chocolate and Cream Pops were from JonnyPops LLC (St. Louis Park/Minneapolis, MN).

The company, founded by four Minnesota college students, offers a variety of fruit and cream, and chocolate and cream, flavors in their frozen treat line. The founders are committed to a simple ingredient list and avoiding artificial ingredients in their pops.

Made with cold press coffee made at their manufacturing facility (cold press coffee is the first ingredient listed) and real (heavy) cream, today's cream pops were in fact creamy smooth and rich with authentic mocha latte flavor in every bite. A hint of vanilla helped give these a light and sweet flavor without being too sugary.

JonnyPop's frozen treats are gluten-free, kosher certified and peanut-free. (Products are made in a peanut-free facility and, other than coconut in some flavors, these cream pops are nut-free as well.)

These cream bars were "junior"* pop size, which were great if you just want a smidge of tasty, creamy fun without spoiling your appetite for dinner.

After the pop is eaten, you'll find a good deed oriented message printed on each stick. Co-founder and CEO Eric Brust is quoted as saying: "We believe that every act of kindness—no matter how big or small—goes a long way." (We appreciate that sentiment.)

*It's not clear if this smaller, junior pop, size is still available in stores. All other (standard-sized) flavors we saw came packaged 3 to a box.

Donnelly Chocolates - Almond Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich, Dark Chocolate Coffee Caramel - May 17, 2019

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Donnelly Chocolates

Dark Chocolate Coffee Caramel (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 large piece
Calories: unknown
Cost: $6.00 for 1 large caramel

Dark Chocolate with Vanilla Ice Cream Almonds (ice cream bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $6.00 for 1 ice cream bar
Purchased from: Donnelly Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week. The hunt for these three flavors led to Santa Cruz, CA.

Today's mini-bar sized Dark Chocolate Coffee Caramel and Dark Chocolate Vanilla Ice Cream and Almonds ice cream bar were created by Donnelly Chocolates (Santa Cruz, CA).

Thank you to Nick for counter assistance at Donnelly's and help in finding and selecting these two deluxe-sized chocolate, coffee and vanilla offerings, also known as dinner.

The Dark Chocolate Caramel bar was filled with everything you'd expect to find. The coffee flavor harmonized well with the dark chocolate, and the soft, caramel filling. The coffee helped balance the sweetness.

Now, on to the next course in this chocolate dinner. The vanilla ice cream in this Dark Chocolate Vanilla Almonds ice cream bar was from Marianne's Ice Cream (another local Santa Cruz, CA, sweets favorite). This tasty bar was a satisfying, cut above your standard store-bought ice cream bar for sure.

Chapon Chocolatier - Dark Chocolate Venezuela bar - May 16, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
(aka Chocolat Chapon)
Chocolat Noir D'Origine Venezuela (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 208 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Venezuela Theme Week.

This morning's Chocolat Noir (Dark Chocolate) (D'Origine) Venezuela bar was from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles, France with shops in Paris). Chapon is the creation of Patric Chapon.*

In addition to cocoa mass (from Venezuela), cocoa butter and cane sugar, this chocolate bar also contained a barely-there hint of Guerande sea salt.

This bar had a subtle chocolatey aroma and balanced forest floor/earth and light spice notes.
It had a smooth, almost creamy melt and texture and smooth dark chocolate flavor with a hint of nuttiness.

The chocolatier's notes read: "Tres belle couleur acajou, parfum de sous-bois, fueilles morte a l'automne, texture fondante, gout de fruits des bois, fruits rouges."

Translated from French into English (apologies for any errors) this means: Very beautiful mahogony color, aroma of forest floor (leaves, mushroom), autumn leaves, fondante texture, taste of wild forest fruits (berries), red fruits."

Both Chapon Venezuela bars this week (yesterday's robust Rio Caribe Venezuela 100 percent bar, and today's Venezuela (no percent given) bar) were attractive. They both had a glossy sheen and were well tempered (broke with a snap).

And when using the term attractive, it's impossible not to speak about Chapon's wonderful packaging design imagery. Both bars incorporated (different) vintage fantasy landscape elements evoking exotic places. Yesterday it was pink flamingos in the tropics against a pink sunset. Today, it was a tall, majestic bamboo temple in a lush, vertical jungle...all printed on a robustly sealed silver, but easy to open, pouch.

*Translated from French into English (again, apologies for any translation errors) was this message from Patrice Chapon printed on the back of today's bar: 

"I love above all things to work with chocolate, and beware of the word passion. Chocolate occupies a prime place in the gourmet landscape. The chocolate bar embodies a dream of a desire, within each square piece. With this bar, I'm looking to nourish childhood memories more than just the appetite."

Chapon Chocolatier - Rio Caribe Venezuela 100% bar - May 15, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
Pure Origin Rio Caribe, Venezuela 100% cocoa bar
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 208 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Venezuela Theme Week.

Today's Pure Origin Rio Caribe Venezuela 100% bar was from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles and Paris, France).


This bar had a bold, intriguing aroma with dried, fermented fruit, roasted coffee, light earthy forest and light nutty notes. The melt and texture were creamy.

And, surprisingly, the acid (and acidic fruit) levels was lower than expected and the flavor was balanced and satisfying, incorporating many of the same notes as were in the aroma (roasted coffee, light kindling wood. It was a very smooth,  deep, still and slightly bitter chocolate. With no added sweet (thank you for making this!).

The chocolatier's tasting notes read as follows: "Aromatic power, low acidity, bitterness and astringency medium. From Venezuela, this bar of chocolate reveals notes of dried fruits and wood."

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade - Porcelana cacao criollo Venezuela bar - May 14, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade
Porcelana cacao criollo Venezuela 71% bar
Good +++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 186 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $20.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Porcelana criollo cacao Venezuela 71% bar was from Rozsavolgyi Csokolade (Budapest, Hungary).

This three-ingredient* bar had a pleasing, balanced, complex yet rather delicate, dark aroma with a very faint brown butter note. The flavor had chocolate, light fruit (peach, champagne grape, light berry) and earthy, forest floor notes.

Earthiness is a tough flavor element to manage, and the presence of this note often goes back to fermentation (which the maker may not have been present for). Too much earth is too much, but this was handled quite nicely.

*Ingredients: cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter

Fresco - Limited Release Carupano Pintao Venezuela 72 percent bar - May 13, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Fresco Artisan Chocolate
Limited Release Carupano Pintao Venezuela 72% bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) (estimate) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $16.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Venezuela Theme Week.

At the beginning of this theme week, we talked about the potentially short lives of craft chocolate bars based on annual harvests (similar to wine) at smaller plantations and possible fluctuating circumstances in source countries themselves. Bars made from a small batch or harvest that are here today may be unavailable tomorrow. Makers successfully obtain a small batch of great cacao beans, but after that quantity is used up, that may be it.

Today's Limited Release Carupano Pintao Venezuela 72 percent bar was from Fresco Artisan Chocolate (Lynden, WA). The cacao for this bar was lightly roasted and had a "subtle conch."

The chocolate had a pleasant chocolate aroma with dried fruit, browned butter, very light spice and very faint green notes. The flavor was chocolatey with dried fruit and some earthiness.

Idilio Origins - Trinchera 74% Las Trincheras, Venezuela bar - May 12, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Idilio Origins GmbH

Trinchera 74% (cacao) Las Trincheras, Venezuela bar

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar

Calories: 235 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $16.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Venezuela Theme Week.

Today's "Trinchera 74% (cacao), 48 hour traditional conche, Las Trincheras, Venezuela" bar was from Idilio Origins GmbH Premium Swiss Chocolate (Basel, Switzerland).

This bar had a pleasant chocolately aroma and flavor with faint balanced earth, green, nutty and fruit notes. 

Maker's tasting notes read: ripe banana; mild, earthy notes; and tropical wood; a wisp of vanilla.

Yes, vanilla. So true. I missed that. The ingredients list: cocoa, cane sugar and cocoa butter. No vanilla listed. But the flavor note was there.

L'Amourette Chocolatier - Wild Cacao Single Origin Venezuela 75% bar - May 11, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

L'Amourette Chocolatier
Wild Cacao Single Origin Venezuela 75% bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 oz. of bar
Cost: $7.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Venezuela Theme Week.

Today's Wild Cacao Single Origin Venezuela 75% bar was from L'Amourette Chocolatier (San Francisco, CA).

L'Amourette's description of the wild cacao used for this bar read as follows:

"The special cacao beans from which this bar is made sets is apart from our other bars. The Amazonas cacao originates from the same area of South Venezuela as the original Criollo cacao, in the rainforest close to the source of the Orinoco River. Here, during the rainy season, the indigenous Piaroa people harvest the cacao deep in the jungle. It takes two days to transport it by canoe to the nearest road. A subtle note of burnt caramel defines the wild Amazonas cacao beans; it gives our 75% dark chocolate depth and an intricate flavor."

This bar* did indeed have a dark chocolate aroma with a hint of burnt caramel. The chocolate also had a balanced flavor blend of chocolate and light sweet and tart fruit notes.

* There was only three ingredients in this soy-free, gluten-free and vegan bar: Venezuelan cacao beans (Amazonas), Venezuelan cacao butter and organic cane sugar.

L'Amourette Chocolatier - Trinitario Single Origin Venezuela Trincheras 70% bar - May 10, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

L'Amourette Chocolatier
Trinitario Single Origin Venezuela Trincheras 70% bar
Good
Weight: 1.1 (31 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving of bar
Cost: $7.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

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

Today's Trinitario Single Origin Venezuela Trincheras* 70% cacao bar** was from bean-to-bar maker,  L'Amourette Chocolatier (San Francisco, CA).

This soy and gluten free, and vegan, bar had a dark chocolate aroma with dried fruit, and very faint bitter, citrus notes. And it had a relatively uniform bold dark chocolate flavor with dried fruit notes with hints of grapefruit and a slight earthiness.

*Trincheras, Venezuela, is located in a small mountain valley, and has a history of coffee and cacao production. The description printed on the packaging of today's bar explains that the name "Trincheras" came from clay trenches that were used for cacao fermentation.

**Ingredients: Trinitario cacao beans (Trincheras), Venezuelan cacao butter, Organic cane sugar