Cowgirl Chocolates - Mild Milk Chocolate Sarsaparilla 33% Cocoa Sarsaparilla Chocolate Bar - July 31, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cowgirl Chocolates
Mild Milk Chocolate Sarsaparilla 33% Cocoa Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 93 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Mild Milk Chocolate Sarsaparilla 33% Cocoa Chocolate Bar was from Cowgirl Chocolates (Pilot Point, TX).

This bar had a relatively creamy melt and texture, and a sweet sarsaparilla/root beer aroma and flavor blended in nicely with the milk chocolate.

It powered a hike into a beautiful, iconic western white rock canyon that was so quiet, one could hear a single leaf move on a tree.

This chocolate also brought back childhood memories of summertime root beer floats and root beer popsicles. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we left our room with a view of horses and hard-working horseback riders (and cowgirl), in Abiquiu and moseyed on to Taos, New Mexico, in search for a few more chocolates.

Cowgirl Chocolates - Spicy Milk Chocolate Mint 33% Bar - July 30, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cowgirl Chocolates
Spicy Milk Chocolate Mint 33% Cocoa Chocolate Bar
Good
Weight: .625 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 93.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Spicy Milk Chocolate Mint 33% Cocoa Bar was from Cowgirl Chocolates (Moscow, ID).

This bar was sweet and creamy with natural mint (mint oil) flavor and a hint of spicy cayenne pepper.

Today's bar was sampled near a horse pasture in New Mexico (with a tiny herd of micro cattle on the table in the foreground, for effect). We also enjoyed meeting a real cowgirl, Ellie, who helps care for and train these wild horses in Abiquiu, NM, near the Abiquiu Inn and Georgia O'Keeffe's home. (She also leads trail rides.) Real hat and boots, and the real deal too.

I also realized today that my mother, a real horsewoman and cowgirl in her day, was likely the inspiration for this theme week, and would have loved this view if she were here. Thanks mom!

Fine and Raw Chocolate - Espresso (bar) and Hazelnut Butter (bar) - July 29, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Fine and Raw Chocolate
Espresso 70% cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 171 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $25.00 for 5 bar set
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order


Fine and Raw Chocolate
Hazelnut Butter 49% cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 159 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $25.00 for 5 bar set
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Espresso 70% cacao and Hazelnut Butter 49% cacao bars, from Fine and Raw Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY), were both great bars to sample after getting up in the middle of the night to catch a plane to New Mexico where cowboys and cowgirls still exist. Some caffeine and theobromine will help to stay awake and to drive across this beautiful state.*

If cowboy coffee is made with a pot on hot coals, then perhaps cowgirl espresso is a bit more refined...something like today's Espresso bar. Coffee has been part of ranch and cattle drive culture for some time. (Yesterday we talked about mesquite coffee, which also has a long tradition in the Southwest U.S.)

These two bars were part of the company's Brooklyn Bonnie collection, and were adorned with drawings of girls from the wild west, many of them endowed with a cowgirl spirit.

Both were sweetened with coconut sugar and were made with 50% raw and 50% roasted cacao and had pleasing espresso and hazelnut aromas, respectively. Both bars had a creamy melt and had balanced (and complementary) flavors. (Eating them together was like enjoying a hazelnut latte.)

The Espresso bar contained small chewy bits of coffee. And the Hazelnut Butter bar had tiny bits of ground nuts, but were otherwise quite smooth.

Both had a pleasing finish as well.

Sweet 55 - Bonus Chocolates, Cowgirl Creamery for July 28, 2019

Chocolate(s) of the Day (Bonus Entry):

Sweet55

1. Eiger - milk chocolate
2. Eiger - dark chocolate
3. Heart - filled chocolate

Welcome to a bonus, evening entry, as part of Chocolate and Cowgirl Theme Week.


A surprise find of cheese from Cowgirl Creamery (Point Reyes Station, CA) this evening led to the decision to feature a cheese and fruit plate with three flavors of filled chocolates from Sweet55 (Half Moon Bay, CA).

Cowgirl Creamery

Cowgirl Creamery (Point Reyes Station, CA) specializes in making artisan, organic cheeses. While they do have a few chocolate items (high end chocolate milk, and an occasional panna cotta or dessert with chocolate), their wonderful local cheeses are a welcome addition to any chocolate and fruit platter.

And that includes Cowgirl Creamery's Clabbered* Cottage Cheese, made "the traditional way with pillowy non-fat curds tossed in a dressing of cultured cream and organic milk..."

This is not your bulk supermarket cottage cheese. It looks similar. But it was made with a shorter list of higher-quality ingredients and had a pleasingly authentic cheese flavor that big store brands lack.

The cheese was paired with fruit, nuts, gluten-free crackers and three types of filled chocolates.

Sweet55 Chocolates

We enjoyed the three creamy smooth chocolates from Sweet55, a Swiss-style chocolatier. All three paired nicely with fruit, nuts and cheese.

The first two of three chocolates on this cheese plate were milk chocolate and dark chocolate versions of the "Eiger"—filled with almond gianduja and orange caramel crunch. The company developed special 3D molds to accurately capture the shape of this impressive mountain in the Bernese Alps.**

The third chocolate was a pretty heart-shaped chocolate with a light filling.

*Clabbered cream is similar to creme fraiche and is added to the cottage cheese curds.

**The Eiger is a 3,967 meter (13,025 foot) mountain in Switzerland that draws climbers from around the world who are intent on reaching the top of this mountain.

Fine and Raw Chocolate - Mesquite No Sugar Added (bar); Ginger 67% (bar) - July 28, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Fine and Raw Chocolate
Mesquite No Sugar Added 58% cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 63 calories (per label) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order

Fine and Raw Chocolate
Ginger 67% cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 164 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $25.00 for 5-bar collection set
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Mesquite No Sugar Added 58% cacao and Ginger 67% cacao bars were both made by Fine and Raw Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).


Rounding up cows out on the range conjures up thoughts of hard work, dusty rides through high chaparral and mesquite tree country, and music around a fire. And speaking of mesquite...

Mesquite
...Mesquite wood smoke is used for barbeques. But lesser known is the fact that the beans these trees produce are edible and can be ground into a flour and eaten.

Roasted mesquite beans are said to have notes of slightly sweet vanilla, cream, caramel, coconut and/or chocolate. They were a food source for native peoples in Mexico and the Southwest U.S., who referred to mesquite as the tree of life, because of its many uses.

People continue to use mesquite flour ground from seeds (pods shown at right), bean pod pulp, in items including gluten free pine nut cookies, roasted mesquite bean "coffee," protein drinks/bars, mesquite bean jelly, and, of course, chocolates.

Today's raw Mesquite bar contained cacao and mesquite powder and none of the usual sugar sweeteners: i.e., coconut, cane, maple or birch sugar. Instead this chocolate was lightly sweetened with organic ground lucuma (a South American fruit with a mild sweet flavor and thick creamy, slightly starchy texture).

This Mesquite bar had a surprisingly sweet and warmly spicy chocolate aroma, and a faint trace of light fruit (apple custard), sweet potato and honey notes in the flavor and finish. The three American native plants: cacao, lucuma and mesquite worked well together. This chocolate had a thick, creamy texture and a very slight granularity.

Ginger
If you like ginger, you might like Fine and Raw Chocolate's 67% dark ginger bar, made with organic ginger powder.


The ginger was thoroughly incorporated and not visible to the naked eye. However, it was evident in the aroma and flavor of this bar and lingered into the finish. The melt was even, and the texture was slightly granular.

The added ginger gave the "50% raw and 50% roast(ed)" cacao bar a warm, satisfying zing. Ginger is from Asia originally, but we've adopted it as one of our own.* (Many of us have fond childhood memories of homemade ginger molasses cookies.)

We paired this Ginger bar with a sweet, spicy kick of music from Ginger Cowgirl, (aka Stacy Antonel, originally from the Bay Area, who moved to Nashville in 2017. We wish her well. She's got a great sound. (Photo source: Ginger Cowgirl website.)

*True, ginger is from Asia and not the wild west. However, there are very capable horsewomen—cowgirls in spirit—in Asia too. Just ask someone who has visited Mongolia or ridden in the Mongolian Derby. (Photo Source for image of Mongolian girl riding horse: Daily Travel Photos)

The spice closest to ginger that's native to the Americas and has co-evolved with chocolate historically would likely be allspice. Allspice is not uncommon in Caribbean-adjacent cuisines, local chocolates and drinking chocolate.

Fine and Raw Chocolate - Habanero Salt 70% bar - July 27, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Fine and Raw Chocolate
Habanero Salt 70% Cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) in total bar / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 82.5 calories (per label) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar (plus shipping)
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Habanero Salt 70% Cacao (bar) was from Fine and Raw Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

Aroma is an important aspect of chocolate tasting. The smell of a chocolate can be very similar to its taste, or it can be different in a surprising way (e.g. the first time you take a bite of a 100% cacao bar with no sugar or sweeteners or a dark chocolate with multiple layers of flavor that seem to blossom in your mouth).

Some flavor inclusions in bars may have a very weak aroma, but pack a flavor wallop, like hot chili peppers.

So, it was with some anticipation that I bit into today's Habanero Salt 70% bar containing organic habanero* powder. The bar smelled like relatively mild chocolate with a trace of coconut sugar and a very faint salt or savory vegetable note.

The habanero flavor was tied to small salt crystals. And unless you bit into a piece with more crunchy salt flecks, the burn on your lips and the tears in your eyes will be very manageable. The heat index (at least in the pieces I sampled) was relatively low, due to judicious use of this powerful pepper (thank you!).

There was also not a big heat flare at the finish of the tasting curve. So fear not. Unless you want to steer completely free of chilis altogether, you'll probably be OK, and you'll still be able to taste the chocolate.

And speaking of the chocolate, this 70% cacao gluten free bar with habanero salt was made using "50% roast and 50% raw," ethically sourced cacao, from bean-to-bar, with no refined sugar.

Ingredients: Organic cacao bean(s), organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, organic habanero powder, sea salt.

*Habanero peppers are from the Americas, in the West. Early Spanish explorers found them and spread them across the globe. They are widely cultivated in Mexico. They can also be found growing in Belize and other Latin American countries and remains of these peppers have been found from centuries ago, as far south as Peru, and as far north as the southwestern U.S. 

As every cowboy and cowgirl knows, a little of this small, fiery cherry red pepper goes a long way in a chile, stew or sauce. (Image of ripe, red habanero pepper above is from www.habaneromadness.com)

On that note, we're taking this chocolate on a hike around some California sagebrush and Coastal Live Oak trees, and we'll say hello to the cows for you.

**Cows Eat Chocolate?
Oh, and by the way, did you know that some specialty ranchers feed their cows chocolate? Yes, chocolate is a small part of a special diet that helps build unique flavor. A herd of Cadbury's chocolate-fed Wagyu beef cattle at Mayura Station in Australia are on the menu of some pretty fancy Michelin-starred restaurants. (Note: Please don't feed cows chocolate without their owners permission. Not all animals can eat cacao.)

Fine and Raw Chocolate - Alderwood Smoked Salt 70% Cacao (bar) - July 26, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Fine and Raw Chocolate
Alderwood Smoked Salt 70% Cacao (bar)
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $25.00 for 5 bar set
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Alderwood Smoked Salt 70% Cacao (bar) was from Fine and Raw Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

This bar had an aroma with chocolate, green, fruit, and very light savory and butterscotch notes. The melt was even, with a slightly stoneground, astringent mouthfeel—likely from both the cacao and coconut sugar that the company uses to sweeten bars.

Flavor notes included chocolate, light fruit and very faint smoked salt and coconut, with a mild chocolate finish.

Most of the cowgirls and horseback riders we know ride in the hills in the outskirts of urban areas around San Francisco Bay (a bay with a rich history of salt-making).

Fortunately there are still enough open spaces to be a cowgirl. (If you look closely at the landscape photo (at right) you may not be able to spot the horseback rider in the distance, riding through golden grasses, and oak, bay and eucalyptus trees.

Why alder trees?

Most of the smoked salt chocolate bars we've tried have contained Alderwood Smoked Salt. What's so special about alder tree wood smoke?

Red alder trees in the Pacific NW were used medicinally by native peoples. The bark contains aspirin-like substances. However, the real reason why these trees are used to smoke salt has to do with the flavor of the smoke from this wood. It's subtle and even a bit sweet, according to some. (Contrast this with the stronger Hickory smoke used for bacon, or Cedar smoke, which can impart a strong woodsy flavor with a hint of pine or camphor, which may overpower many chocolates.)

Another factor in choosing a milder smoke may be that a smoky flavor in fine chocolate has been considered a defect, in part because cacao farmers in more tropical climates may have smoke dried their cacao beans under thatched or covered structures due to higher than desirable levels of  moisture/rain (which can signal other challenges with a batch of cacao).

Personally we're OK with trying unique and well-balanced umami flavors and have enjoyed bars with smoked nibs and smoked salt and other similar inclusions. Bring it!

Fine and Raw Chocolate - Sea Salt 70% bar - July 25, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Fine and Raw Chocolate
Sea Salt 70% bar
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $25.00 for a 5-bar set
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, Brooklyn, NY (online order)

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cowgirls Week.

Today's Sea Salt bar was from Fine and Raw Chocolates (Brooklyn, NY). The company operates a factory and cafe in Bushwick, Brooklyn (NY) and was founded by Daniel Sklaar.

Fine and Raw bars are sweetened with coconut sugar and made using "50% raw and 50% roasted chocolate." (Raw chocolate can be milder than roasted cacao. It sometimes lacks flavor that can be coaxed out (or lost) with roasting and processing with higher temperatures.)

The dark chocolate flavor in today's bar was well balanced with the far-flung constellation of sea salt sparkles on the back of the bar. Ingredients: "organic cacao bean(s), organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, organic sea salt"

Cowgirl Art and Chocolate
The company's collection of Brooklyn Bonnie bars,* including today's bar, were all adorned with illustrations of girls from the wild west, who were described on the label as"...ladies who are bold, independent, brave, sassy, eloquent and tasty." It's always interesting to hear the stories behind and inspiration for different chocolates.

The cowgirl on today's Sea Salt 70% bar wore a black cowgirl hat and cowgirl boots, and an outfit, not really suitable for roping and riding. The line drawings in the packaging were reminiscent of illustrations from the 1900s, from artists like Gil Elvgren** and other painters and illustrators.

On a slightly more wholesome note, there is also a long tradition of vaquero (cowboy) and vaquera (cowgirl) painting going back many years in Mexico (a country with a long chocolate history). And some of these artworks romanticizes the hard work done at ranches. or revolution-related narratives. Artists representing this genre include Jesus Helguera 1910 - 1971). These warm-toned works would be lovely on chocolate bar packaging should copyright owners agree. But, we digress.

*The five bars in this set included Alderwood Smoked Salt, Espresso, Ginger, Hazelnut Butter and Sea Salt.

**Gillette (Gil) Elvgren (1914 - 1980) was an American painters perhaps best known for his pin-up girls, including several cowgirl illustrations that graced magazines and advertisements.

Domori - D-Fusion LatteSal Milk Chocolate with Salt (bar) - July 24, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Domori srl

D-Fusion Latte Sal Milk Chocolate with Salt 45% (bar)

Good - Good +

Weight: .44 oz. (12.5 g.) / .88 oz. (25 g.) in total package

Calories: 75 calories in 1/2 bar 

Cost: $3.96 (sale) for 1 bar + any shipping

Purchased from:  Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's D-Fusion Latte Sal Milk Chocolate with Salt (bar) was from Domori srl* (None, TO, Italy), and was made with Arriba Nacional cacao.

This 45% cacao milk chocolate had a sweet, caramel (almost "candy") aroma, with some light fruit and chocolate notes. The thin bar had a creamy smooth, almost gummy texture. The sweetness masked the chocolate and salt nuances a bit, but it will have a definite appeal for some.

Maker's notes: "(the bar was made with)...sweet and aromatic Guerande** sea salt to bring forth a fresh hint of banana and citrus fruits..." ***

And speaking of the chocolate maker, the following quote was printed on the Domori website:

"I am only a humble servant to Chocolate, and my true mission is to help change the history of fine cacao." -- Gianluca Franzoni

*Domori has been part of the illy Group since 2006. The company was involved in looking at fine cacao and supply chains before the craft/artisan chocolate movement really took hold. And they were one of the first and only makers to offer a 100% Criollo bar, made using a delicious, fine heritage variety of cacao.

**The Guerande salt used in this bar was harvested from the Guerande salt marshes of France.

*** Ingredients: "Cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole powdered milk (20%), cocoa mass, Guerande salt (0.4%)"

Jelina Chocolatier - Organic Sea Salt Dark Chocolate bar - July 23, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Jelina Chocolatier
Organic Sea Salt (fleur de sel) Dark Chocolate bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Willows Market, Menlo Park, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's Organic Sea Salt Dark Chocolate bar was from Jelina Chocolatier (a Division of GMV Chocolates, Quebec, Canada).

This thick, 72% cacao, fair trade dark bar had a creamy texture and aroma and flavor notes of chocolate, nut butter and fruit jelly with a faint bold, balanced earthy note.

The sweet and salt ratio was close to the "addictive zone" that many snack foods seem to occupy by design. Maybe we should take another bite...to make sure we can verify this point. (Yes, still seems to be true.)

Health Lab - Cacao Sea Salt Collagen Ball - July 22, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Health Lab
Cacao Sea Salt Collagen Ball
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) for 1 package
Calories: 196 calories in 1 ball
Cost: $0.69 for 1 ball
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's Cacao Sea Salt Collagen* Ball ("Beauty Snack for hair, skin and nails") was from Health Lab (Melbourne, Australia).

This chocolate had the even aroma and flavor of a fudge brownie, only chewier.
It had a thick, substantial texture and was satisfying, with a sweet cocoa aftertaste.

The added sea salt was quite subtle but was present throughout the tasting experience at about the same level.

*The company uses marine collagen for its collagen balls.

Goodio Craft Chocolate - Sea Salt 77% Cacao bar - July 21, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Goodio Craft Chocolate
Sea Salt 77% Cacao bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 112.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and (Sea) Salt Theme Week.

Today's four-ingredient* Sea Salt 70% Cacao bar was made from stoneground cacao (from the Congo in Africa) and sea salt (hand harvested from Icelandic fjords) by Goodio Craft Chocolate (Helsinki, Finland).

See image (right) to see this bar, and the three men behind Goodio in the background. (Picture/background shown in photo is from Goodio Craft Chocolate website.) Chief Creative Officer, Jukka Peltola, pictured at far right, founded the company in 2015.

This chocolate had a bold, earthy, slightly acidic chocolate and savory (sea salt) aroma, which in some bars might signal a very strong flavor. However, because this chocolate was made with raw cacao, it did not get roasted, or processed over a certain temperature. It did not have the heavy, acidic or slight smoky "charcoal" flavor that the aroma caused us to brace for.  (Think espresso vs. a mild coffee.)

Instead the chocolate had relatively robust cocoa flavor with a lower acidic and sharpness level than expected. It had light floral,** cocoa, fruit and coconut sugar notes, and a faint sparkle of sea salt.

The chocolate was smooth yet slightly granular in texture because it was stoneground, likely for a relatively shorter period. Larger particle size and less grinding time means more intact flavors. However, the "creamiest" mouthfeel often comes from long grinding/conching time, which, you guessed it, leads to loss in certain flavors. It's a chocolate making trade-off.

The coconut sugar—and less sugar in general with a darker, 77% cacao bar—allows one enjoy flavorful cacao, but with a gentler tasting experience in other aspects. That is, coconut palm sugar has been shown to be lower on the glycemic index than refined cane sugar. So you may experience less of a sugar buzz. (Fine by us.)

Today's bar was raw, vegan and organic.

*Ingredients: Organic Cacao beans (Congo), organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter and sea salt
** More delicate floral notes are often the first to go when cacao is roasted or heated, so you're more likely to taste these in raw chocolate and in origins where floral flavor is commonly found, but then lost in cacao processing.

Fossa Chocolate - 70% Dark Sea Salt bar - July 20, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Fossa Chocolate Pte Ltd
70% Dark Sea Salt (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.236 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and (Sea) Salt Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Sea Salt bar was crafted in Singapore by Fossa Chocolate.

The texture of this bar was compact and creamy; and the aroma and flavor was very appealing and, well, yummy. You can tell when you're enjoying a bar when you want it all for yourself, even though you almost always share your chocolate with someone else.

Yes, this bar was, as the tasting notes read: "creamy and full-bodied Pak Eddy* 70% dark chocolate,  accompanied by the delicate crunch from hand-harvested sea salt."

Seeing the visible salt on the back, led me to think this might be adorned by a bit more salt that I would care for, but it did not overpower the fine flavor of the chocolate which had fruit, nut, true chocolate and great, subtle fermentation notes.

*The source of the cacao for this organic, gluten free and vegan Fossa Chocolate bar was a single estate in Indonesia run by Pak Eddy (a local term loosely translated as Uncle Eddy). Pak Eddy cultivates, ferments and dries the cacao before sending it to Fossa. The results speak to a successful relationship.

RXBAR - Chocolate Sea Salt protein bar - July 19, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chicago Bar Company LLC
RXBAR - Chocolate Sea Salt 12 g. Protein bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.83 oz. (52 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's RXBAR Chocolate Sea Salt* 12 g. Protein bar was distributed by Chicago Bar Company LLC (Chicago, IL).

This gluten free bar had a chewy, satisfying texture and flavor. Nut pieces (almond) were visible with each bite. The chocolate flavor was somewhat muted, but still present. The bar wasn't too sweet. (No added sugar, just 2 dates. Thank you!).

The short list of ingredients, and transparency regarding the ingredients list (highlighted on the front of the wrapper), were also much appreciated.

*While crystals of salt were visible on one side, this bar was not as salty as it looked. The salt and sweet levels were quite well balanced (also appreciated). 

OWYN - Dark Chocolate Sea Salt bar - July 18, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Only What You Need, Inc.
OWYN Dark Chocolate Sea Salt bar
Good +
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt 10g Protein Bar was distributed by Only What You Need, Inc. (OWYN) (Fairfield, NJ)

This 100% plant-based bar contained 10 grams of protein and was made with the company's own OWYN protein blend that contained pumpkin seeds, pea protein isolate and chia seeds.

The bar had a chewy, substantial texture that was in between a not-too-sweet (thank you) brownie cookie and a conventional protein bar. A generous helping of whole pumpkin seeds provided soft crunchy texture. The chocolate taste (provided by semi-sweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder) shared the spotlight with the other ingredients. The sea salt added a delicate, uniform savory flavor that helped balance the sweetness (brown rice syrup, cane sugar).

This bar was gluten free and made in a dedicated peanut-free facility.

While the list of ingredients for this bar was short, by traditional protein bar standards, it did contain "natural flavors" and I can't help but wonder what those were and if we really needed them.

Hageland - Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 54% bar - July 17, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hageland
Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 54% bar
Good+
Weight: 2 squares (29 g.) / 10.5 oz. (300 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 2 squares (29 g.) of bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and (Sea) Salt Theme Week.

Today's Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 54% bar was from Hageland (Belgium). The large, thick bar would be practical for cooking, sharing, fondue, or even chocolate painting.*

The chocolate had an appealing dark chocolate aroma and flavor with a light touch of sea salt. The sugar and salt levels were relatively well-balanced for a 54% bar, i.e. the chocolate did not taste overly sweet.

*Painting with Chocolate
For those interested in dabbling with painting with melted chocolate, starting with a small piece of chocolate with salt is a good way to start. Watch for a YouTube video on this subject.

Xocolatl de David - Jacobsen Salt Co. 72% Cacao bar - July 16, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Xocolatl de David
Jacobsen Salt Co. 72% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: James at Home, San Diego, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's Jacobsen Salt Co. 72% Cacao (bar) was made in Portland, OR, by Xocolatl de David—a company specializing in chocolates with savory or umami flavor inclusions. (Confession: I love umami flavors.)

This particular bar with Oregon Sea Salt was a collaboration with Jacobsen Salt Co. (Portland, OR), a company that offers high-end salts, honey and other products to discerning home cooks and chefs.

This 72% dark chocolate (made with Ecuador cacao) had a great, complex but smooth aroma with some subtle nut butter*, fruit, savory, green and balanced, mellow, sauteed mushroom earth and spice (+ a barely-there hint of floral) notes. All good. The melt and texture were smooth and fairly creamy.

The dark chocolate taste was satisfying with the occasional, balanced (there's that word again)* light sparkle of salt. And it was not too sweet (thank you!).

*There were no nuts in this bar. Every batch of cacao can potentially bring with it many flavors that remind us of other foods, flowers and plants, fruits, etc. Chocolate makers also shape what we taste by steps they take to enhance or suppress certain flavor characteristics, as they transform cacao into chocolate.

**Balanced aromas and flavors can be subjective attributes. One person's savory picnic could be another person's umami nightmare. And one person's favorite sweet chocolate could be another's undesirable sugary candy, and so on. However, balanced and layered flavors are key characteristics of great craft chocolate, craft beer and so many other artisan foods and beverages. 

Brona Chocolates - Dark Chocolate with Beara Sea Salt bar - July 15, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Brona Chocolates
Beara Sea Salt - Dark Chocolate bar with Beara Sea Salt
Good +
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 265 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: World Market, North Scottsdale, AZ

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Sea salt plays a large role in many cultures and has a rich history. It is with some pride that people identify with single origin salts (as well as chocolates), as salt has its own "terroir" equivalent, based on mineral content, and where waters have passed through on the way to the sea.

Today's Beara Salt - Dark Chocolate bar with Beara Sea Salt was created by Brona Chocolates (Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland), in the southwest of Ireland.

Brona specializes in handmade Irish chocolates. Today's bar had a slight malt and salt aroma and flavor. The Irish Altantic Sea Salt in this bar was from the Beara Peninsula in West Cork (County), Ireland, not that far from Brona Chocolates, and where salt has been harvested for many years.* The salt flakes had a lovely texture, quality and flavor.

The 54% dark bar had a pleasant, uniform fudge brownie, dark chocolate flavor. Its smooth texture was complemented with slightly crunchy, very thin flecks of salt. The result: a well balanced, even-handed blend of chocolate, sugar and sea salt.

*Almost ninety-seven percent of water on our planet is considered saline or salty (vs. fresh) water, and most of that is sea or ocean water. These waters are approximately 3.5 percent salt. Creating salt ponds and evaporating the water in these ponds multiple times (leaving successive layers of salt behind) has been a time-honored way to make salt in coastal regions. Salt was especially valuable for food preservation and seasoning in the pre-industrial era; and the first evidence of humans making salt in Europe dates back to almost 7,000 years ago.

Chocolate Sneak Peak - CocoTerra - July 14, 2019

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

CocoTerra
(Chocolate Samples)
Dark - 70% (different origins)
Dark Milk - hint of salt
Ruby* chocolate
White chocolate
Coffee (round)

Have you ever wanted to make your own chocolate, but were discouraged by all the steps involved?

What if you could just pour some cocoa nibs and sugar into one machine and let a magic, personal chocolate-making machine do all the work, including grinding the nibs and sugar into chocolate, and tempering and molding?

Well, this might become a reality sooner than you'd think. I spoke to CocoTerra (Palo Alto, CA) Chief Operating Officer, Karen Alter, recently about a new chocolate making machine they've been developing. (Photo of machine at right from CocoTerra website.)

CocoTerra is not a traditional chocolate maker. A small team of Silicon Valley engineers, designers, and others have come up with a promising design for a countertop machine that will make bean-to-bar chocolate in a few hours.

In the true Silicon Valley inventor spirit, influences on this patent-pending design may have included coffee machines/appliances, multi-function culinary devices, and beekeeping.

Sounds almost too good to be true, right?

I was given two small bags of chocolate samples to try. I did not see the CocoTerra machine, or how these samples were made. However, they were better than expected. The pieces were in different shapes (likely made with different molds).

The different single origin dark chocolate pieces tasted like they might have been Ecuador or Peru or DR grown cacao-based chocolates. The dark milk had a slightly savory (salt) aroma and flavor and a thick texture, as did the white chocolate. The white chocolate also contained vanilla, and was better than most commercial white chocolates.

CocoTerra's take on ruby* chocolate was a pretty pink color, and had cacao fermentation and light red berry notes. It was not overly sweet (thank you).

I was also given a small, jumbo pearl-shaped coffee-flavored "ball" to taste (they're experimenting with different molds, forms and shapes), that was a very pleasing sweet coffee confection.

I asked if this machine could make 100% cacao chocolate (1 or 2 ingredient bars). The answer was yes, although initially they'll be providing supply kits and supplies, and providing customers "recipes" to help ensure correct proportions and optimal results.

No formal launch date (or pricing) have been announced yet, but CocoTerra does have a website, where you can go to check out intriguing details.

Who Might Use a Personal Chocolate Making Machine?

This might be particularly interesting for those who want to run smaller test batches of craft chocolate (to validate a certain origin, or fermentation or roast profile), or for chocolatiers wanting to broaden their offerings to customers.

Last but not least, this may be popular (depending on price point) for home hobby chocolate makers.

Thank you to Karen Alter for providing these chocolate samples and for answering questions about how their machine might work. Look forward to hearing more details about their machine soon.

*Ruby chocolate was introduced in 2017 by Belgian-Swiss chocolate company, Barry Callebaut as a new type of chocolate. An attractive deep pink color, the details of how this "new" chocolate type was created were not revealed by Callebaut.