Taste Artisan Chocolate - Limited Edition Palo Santo 75% Ecuador (bar) - July 31, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taste Artisan Chocolate
Limited Edition Palo Santo 75% Ecuador (bar)
Good 
Weight:  1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

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

Today's Limited Edition Palo Santo 75% Ecuador (bar) was crafted by Taste Artisan Chocolate (Provo, UT).

This well-tempered, 75 percent cacao bar had a subtle aroma with polite dark chocolate notes and a hint of green forest. The chocolate had a uniformly smooth, almost creamy melt and texture. Flavor notes included a faint sour milk note, even fainter, green (green tea), marshmallow and light floral (vanilla) notes, muted true chocolate, and a very fleeting uptick of earth. 

There were no strong bitter or sour notes; so this might appeal to those who like a smoother dark chocolate that still has some identifiable flavor notes.

The finish was relatively mild with an almost undetectable amount of astringency (very mild throat tickle), and the bar was not overly sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Vanilla Bean

Cemoi - Ecuador 50% cocoa rich milk chocolate (bar) - July 30, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Distributed by Cemoi Inc. 

Ecuador 50% cocoa rich milk chocolate (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar

Calories: 210 calories in 4 squares (1 serving) of bar

Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Bonjour (good day) and welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Ecuador 50% cocoa bar was produced in France and distributed by Cemoi Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA).

The aroma in this gluten-free and Non-GMO Project Verified chocolate featured earthy, fermented fruit (grapes being made into brandy) notes. The melt and texture were creamy, with a very slight gummy caramel chew.

Flavors included rich milk chocolate, fermented fruit notes present in the aroma, and unfolding caramel overtones, with a chocolate caramel finish.

I applaud the choice of going with the 50% dark milk chocolate. Anything less than 50 percent cocoa would have been too much sugar (for me); and more of the single origin (Ecuador) chocolate flavor notes would have been eclipsed by sugar. (E.g., yesterday's Cemoi 80% Ecuador bar had similar earthy fermented fruit notes. However it also had subtle floral and green notes (more delicate notes often associated with Ecuador cacao) that were absent in today's bar, or at least supplanted by sugar-related (caramel) flavor. 

The chocolate maker's tasting notes read: "Caramel, Dried Fruits, Woody Notes"

*Ingredients: whole milk powder, Ecuador unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla extract

Cemoi - Ecuador 80% cocoa (bar) - July 29, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Distributed by Cemoi

Ecuador 80% cocoa (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar

Calories: 210 calories in 4 squares (1 serving) of bar

Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Ecuador 80% cocoa bar was produced in France and distributed by Cemoi Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA).

The chocolate had dark, chocolate cake and frosting, very faint waxy chocolate initially, followed by wood, forest, floral (jasmine) and faint concentrated fruit (light citrus and plum) notes. Tasting the chocolate, these aroma notes continued with additional green and roasted cacao notes chiming in. 

This bar was complex and interesting. By choosing a high cacao percentage (80% cocoa), a range of flavor notes were preserved and were saved from drowning in too much sugar. (Thank you!) And the price ($1.49 USD) at an outlet store made this a very good value for an ultra-dark chocolate bar with some flavor depth and complexity.

The maker's tasting notes read: "Jasmin, Dried Fruits, Woody Notes"

Ingredients: Ecuador unsweetened chocolate, sugar, sunflower lecithins (emulsifier), vanilla extract.

Chapon Chocolatier - Equateur (Ecuador) Los Rios 70% (bar) - July 28, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier

Equateur (Ecuador), Los Rios 70% (bar)

Good +

Weight: .175 oz. (5 g.) / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total package of 36 mini bars

Calories; 27.7 calories (estimate) in 1 mini bar

Cost: $45.00 for 1 package of 36 mini bars 

Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Equateur (Ecuador) Los Rios 70% (mini bar) was from Chapon Chocolatier (Paris and Chelles, France).

This bar had an aroma with rich, sweet (brown sugar/molasses) chocolate and light spice notes.

The melt was fairly creamy. The flavor profile was well-balanced with light bittersweet and true chocolate notes with a faint fruit uplift/brightness.

The outer box, and inner (bar) packaging, for this Chapon assortment box supplied enjoyable eye candy. Lush, colorful fantasies of the natural world blended landscape and animal imagery with impressions of cacao origins. This was true even with these small bars, tiny canvases for this art (that is more well developed in larger Chapon bar wrappings).

The small 70% mini bar was just the right size for a satisfying sample.

Amedei - Cru Cioccolato Fondente Extra 70% (bar) - July 27, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Amedei srl
Cru - Cioccolato Fondente Extra - Dark Chocolate Extra 70% (bar)
Good 
Weight: 87.5 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Italian Chocolate and Day #3 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week

Today's Cru Cioccolato Fondente Extra - Dark Chocolate Extra 70% (bar) was from Amedei srl (La Rota, Pontedera (Pisa), Italy). 

This Mono Orgine (Single Origin) Ecuador (bar) was made using trinitario (variety of) cacao grown in Ecuador. The 70% chocolate had a warm sugar/sweet (brown sugar, molasses, hint of faint spice) aroma and flavor, and a smooth, uniform melt. 

The flavor was relatively sweet, uniform dark chocolate with slightly green (breakfast cereal, cereal box packaging, mild natural adhesive (chewing gum)) notes that lingered into the finish.

Ingredients: cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter.

Domori - Nacional 70% Ecuador Dark Chocolate; Arriba Milk Chocolate 45% with Sea Salt - July 26, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Domori srl
Nacional 70% Ecuador Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 276 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $6.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Domori srl
Cioccolato Al Latte Con Fior Di Sale (milk chocolate with fleur de sel)
Good ++ - +++ (reviewed a similar bar before - this is almost a re-tasting)
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 300.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Nacional 70% Ecuador Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Domori srl (None, Torino (Turin), Piedmont, Italy). Domori (founded in 1997 by Gianluca Franzoni) offers a variety of single origin bars, and a few bars with sea salt. In addition to the company's Arriba Nacional Ecuador bar, I sampled a Domori milk chocolate with sea salt bar that was very close in description to a similar bar featured previously on Chocolate Banquet.

Arriba Nacional 70% Ecuador bar
This Domori dark bar had a very enjoyable, surprising complexity. The aroma included slightly earthy, fermented stone fruits, light molasses, and rum-marinated dried fruit (raisin, prune) notes. 

I thought I knew how this 70% Ecuador (Hacienda Victoria) dark chocolate would taste, i.e. very similar to the aroma. But, this chocolate opened up further when I took the first bite.

It had a well-executed creamy, fudgey melt and smooth texture. And ooh the flavors: layers of tart, concentrated fruit (nectarine and citrus (sweet lemon, tangerine), balanced flourishes of green floral (very subtle versions of white jasmine, citrus blossom, other blooms), fudge brownie, and faint nut butter. 

The aroma and flavor notes lingered into the finish. 

All these flavors from just two ingredients: cocoa mass and cane sugar. Sometimes I get tired of uniformity and want a bit of well-executed, layered excitement. Today I felt rewarded. And, thank you Domori. This bar was not too sweet. 

The maker's notes read as follows: Hacienda Victoria has an extraordinary vision of cultivating three pure clones of Nacional cocoa, with their extreme elegance and delicate notes of white flowers.

Milk Chocolate Fleur de Sel 45% Arriba bar

This 45% dark milk chocolate (made with Arriba cacao) also was relatively complex and well executed. It was well balanced with faint, balanced, bitter earth, fruit and green notes in the aroma. It had a creamy melt and texture. 

The well-made chocolate was flavorful with fruit, fermented fruits (ripe fruit, very light citrus), milk chocolate with delicious rich caramel notes, with occasional, balanced wavelets of Guerande fleur de sel (sea salt) that lingered for a short while.

This was meant to be a sweeter, creamer bar; however, the sugar/sweet level was relatively restrained allowing more subtle flavors to shine through (thank you!).

Venchi - Ecuador Organic 85% Cocoa (bar) - July 25, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Venchi S.p.A.
Ecuador - Organic 85% bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.95 for 1/2 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Organic Ecuador 85% cocoa bar was from Venchi S.p.A. (Castelletto Stura, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy).

The aroma of this 85% cocoa bittersweet chocolate was more gentle than most 85% bars, with subtle fermented fruit, green jungle, light earth, light floral and clean, spring meadow and light green tea notes. There were no harsh, bitter or heavy acid notes.

The texture and melt were creamy smooth, in part due to added cocoa butter.

The flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes mentioned above. This ultra dark bar had a freshness and lightness to it. (It also had a very faint, fleeting hint of herb/spice: caraway.)

The finish was clean and had the same fresh green "feeling" to it as the aroma and flavor. It was as if some imaginary mint ghost left an aura of freshness in its wake, even though one couldn't taste any mint. (More likely than any spooky goings on, invisible flavors are inferred flavors--based on years of tasting experiences and memories of chocolates past.) In my experience, no other country of origin tops Ecuadorian cacao's range green-related and green/floral notes.

Ingredients: Organic chocolate liquor from Ecuador (66.5 percent), organic cocoa butter, organic cane sugar.

Slitti Cacao Pregiati - LatteNero 70% (bar) - July 24, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Slitti Cacao Pregiati
LatteNero 70% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 299 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week.

This bar had a bold dark chocolate aroma with earthy, fermented fruit notes, and a relatively smooth melt and texture. The flavor was similar to the aroma; however it was mellowed (and arguably improved) by the addition of milk. 

This was an ultra-dark 70% milk chocolate bar that worked. Seventy percent of this bar was cacao/cocoa. Normally that would mean that the remaining 30 percent would be sugar. However, with a dark milk chocolate like this, some of that 30 percent is whole milk powder, and the percent of sugar may then be lower--closer to what you might find in an 80 percent cacao bar, pushing it into a more profound flavor feast. Less sugar means greater access to the authentic or original cacao flavor. 

The same ultra-dark milk chocolate flavor extended into a lingering finish.

Guido Gobino - Latte 35% Sao Tome e Principe - July 23, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Guido Gobino 

Latte 35% Sao Tome e Principe

Good 

Weight: .194 oz. (.5 g.) in 1 piece

Calories: 29 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $ missing information ($0.89 estimate for 1 piece)

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, part of a larger online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Latte 35% Sao Tome e Principe chocolate was from Guido Gobino (Torino (Turin), Italy).

Swathed in gold foil, this individually-wrapped, disc-shaped piece was sweet, creamy, relatively flavorful milk chocolate, made using cacao from Sao Tome e Principe off the west coast of Africa.

Luigi Zaini S.p.A. - Cioccolato Fondente (Dark Chocolate bar) - July 22, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Luigi Zaini S.p.A.

Cioccolato Fondente Extra (Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar

Calories: 195 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Cioccolato Fondente Extra (Dark Chocolate bar) was from Luigi Zaini S.p.A. (Milano (Milan), Italy)--a company founded over a century ago (1913).

This dark chocolate (no cocoa % listed on package) had a sweet chocolate, faint coconut, green and very slight waxy aroma notes. The chocolate was uniform in texture and flavor and had a pleasant dark chocolate taste.

Ingredients: Sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (emulsifier), natural flavor. 

*Made in Italy and imported into the U.S. by Lettieri and Co., Brisbane, CA

Venchi - Cuor Di Cacao 85% (bar) - July 21, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Venchi
Cuor Di Cacao 85% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 300 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week.

This thick, faceted ultra-dark had fermented fruit, earth, green jungle, mild sour/bitter aroma and faint vanilla tobacco aroma and flavor notes. The taste also had a light marshmallow floral note. The texture was relatively smooth and creamy.

The chocolate possessed a variety of deep and serious notes, all balanced and with soft edges. 

It lacked brightness and light -- no ripe citrus or summer peach and strawberry Criollo cacao notes here. But, then again, one may not associate these traits with 85% chocolate. 

Ingredients: Chocolate liquor (chocolate liquor from Ecuador 26.5%, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor.

Venchi - Nougatine Bonbons - July 20, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Venchi
Nougatine Bonbons 
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .388 oz. (11 g.) for 2 pieces (1.94 oz. (5.5 g. each))
Calories: 58 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces -- 539 cals. in 100 g.
Cost: $1.90 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, part of online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Nougatine Bonbons were from Venchi (Torino (Turin), Italy).

Nougatine is an historic specialty for Venchi. The recipe for today's confection is said to date back to 1878. First, sugar is caramelized in a copper cooking pot and then bits of special, local (IGP) hazelnuts are incorporated. Then the nougat center is covered with chocolate.

The 56% dark chocolate coating around these capsule-shaped bonbons covered a hard, crunchy center of toffee-like caramelized bits of Italian IGP hazelnuts. These special hazelnuts from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy had a special sweet, creamy roasted nutty flavor that lingered into the finish. 

Because of the capsule shape of these shiny, individually-wrapped chocolates, I was tempted to write a prescription to myself: take two of these each morning; to be taken daily, for the rest of 2020.

Ingredients: Hazelnut Piedmont i.G.P. caramelized (sugar, Piedmont hazelnut 48%) 66.2% cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, coating agent: gum Arabic, emulsifier: soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor. (Venchi chocolates are "naturally gluten free;" however, (this nougatine) may contain traces of other nuts, milk, fruits.)

Guido Gobino - 80% Chontalpa dark chocolate - July 19, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Guido Gobino
80% Extra Bitter Chontalpa dark chocolate
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .58 oz. (16.5 g.) in 3 pieces
Calories: 87 calories (estimate) in 3 pieces
Cost: $0.89 x 3 = $2.67 for 3 small pieces
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's 80% Extra Bitter Chontalpa* dark chocolate from Guido Gobino (Turin (Torino), Italy) had a relatively complex chocolate aroma and flavor with balanced, molasses spice, very faint green, lightly tart-sweet, concentrated fruit notes. 

The fruit notes--ripe, dried blackberry, goji berry, dried mulberry and golden raisin--came from the cacao type and terroir/origin environment, fermentation and subsequent processing steps; and the fruit gave this ultra-dark 80% chocolate a relatively sweet flavor--an appealing characteristic for those who like a bright fruit-sweet taste without the additional sugar.

Despite the "Extra Bitter" in the product name, this was a balanced, flavorful chocolate with relatively low bitterness.

*Note: These small disc-shaped chocolates (produced from single origin cacao in Chontalpa, Tabasco, Mexico) were made for an event (Presidio Slow Food in this case); and this size may not always be directly available to consumers.

Venchi - Granblend "Montezuma" Fruttato 65% squares - July 18, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Venchi
Granblend "Montezuma" Fruttato 65% squares
Good 
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) in 2 squares (7.5 grams each)
Calories: 86 calories in 2 squares
Cost: $2.40 for 2 squares ($1.20 x 2) + shipping
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Ciao and welcome to Day #1 of Italian Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Granblend "Montezuma" Fruttato 65% squares were from Venchi, made using cacao from four plantations (primarily Madagascar and perhaps other sources). Venchi is a large, privately held chocolate manufacturer based in Castelleto Stura, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy). 

Italian Chocolate Overview
The first chocolate makers in Italy date back to the late 1700s. Italy is also home to some of the longest running chocolate businesses in the world. There are still several family and privately held chocolate companies in existence after more than a century.* 

In the 1800s, companies like Caffarel, Pernigotti, Streglio, Peyrano and Venchi got their start. Venchi was founded in 1878 in Torino (Turin), Italy, by chocolatier Silviano Venchi, and became well-known for their chocolate and hazelnut nougatine candies.

Fruttato Squares
Today's Venchi dark chocolate 65% cocoa squares had an attractive circle of pink (flavored white chocolate?) on each square. The individually-wrapped squares had a subtle chocolate and fruit (strawberry - strawberry rose-vanilla aroma) and flavor.

The inclusion of whole milk powder yielded a smooth, creamy melt and mouthfeel. The milk may also have muted the sweetness a bit (OK by me) and mellowed flavors (maybe not so good, depending on the flavors that were muted). 

Madagascar cacao is often associated with red berry and citrus notes. A touch of "vanilla in ground berries"** and an acidifier (citric acid)** were added to this chocolate--perhaps to enhance the berry and citrus notes. (A salute to Madagascar terroir perhaps?)

In any case, the subtle flavors were nicely balanced, and we're asked to accept the trade-off of adding milk to dark chocolate, i.e. you get creamier texture but tamer flavors. This could well have been a good choice; but we'll never know. 

Venchi tasting notes: "Grand blend Montezuma*** with four plantations that combine to give off unique sensations of exotic fruit, bananas and vanilla, a prized plantation from Madagascar with aromas of ripe fruit and plane tree centrally embeds a citrus-fermented rosacea chocolate to preserve its characteristics."

*In the U.S., U.K. and other countries large, historic chocolate makers' operations are now primarily owned by, or are managed as, large, publicly-traded corporations with brand portfolios. Cailler, one of the oldest chocolate companies, founded in 1819, in Switzerland, now is part of Nestle. One notable local exception where I live in Northern California is: Guittard Chocolate, founded in the 1800s south of San Francisco and the company is still going strong in 2020 with descendants from the original founder.

**Ingredients: "Madagascar cocoa mass 44.2%, sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, emulsifier: soy lecithin, acidifier: citric acid, vanilla in ground berries, natural vanilla flavor." 

***Montezuma

The "Montezuma" name on the label was a bit of a puzzle. Montezuma was the name of a hero-god in Indian (extending up into SW U.S.) mythology; and he was the Aztec chief  that ruled over a mighty empire in what is now Mexico in the 1500s). Montezuma is said to have consumed a large amount of cacao. This leader eventually met his downfall when forces led by Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes (Cortez) arrived looking for wealth and gold. And, Cortez brought some of the first cacao back to Spain with him. Cacao would eventually made its way to Italy and the rest of Europe as well. And, given the wonders of today's complex food supply chains, today's chocolate ended up in Northern California, closer to the original source of cacao (Central and South America).

Safeway - Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - July 17, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway
Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
Good 
Weight: .81 oz. (23 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 100 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $0.60 for 1 piece
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Savory Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel was from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA).

The square-shaped, chocolate covered confection had a pleasant chocolate aroma; and each bite yielded a soft swoon into a caramel center punctuated by a few crunchy sea salt crystals. A classic high-end candy combination for a very reasonable price; and just the right size--hearty enough for a tidy, 3 bite serving of sweet, yet small enough to avoid a sugar avalanche.

Sea salt + caramel + chocolate. Adding two addictive substances to a third, and one of the most common example of a savory chocolate. I also sampled this Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel with a small fruit and cheese plate, and the two items paired together very nicely.

Ingredients: Caramel (corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk (milk, sugar), sugar, heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, invert sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, soy lecithin; dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla); sea salt

K+M Extravirgin Chocolate - Dark Chocolate 75% Peru bar - July 16, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

K+M Extravirgin Chocolate

(Thomas Keller + Armando Manni)

Dark Chocolate 75% Cocoa Peru bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 375 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Equator Coffees, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Dark Chocolate 75% Cocoa Peru bar was from K+M Extravirgin Chocolate (Napa, CA), a collaboration between chef Thomas Keller and olive oil maker Armando Manni. The results: a series of interesting chocolates created in the heart of Northern California wine country, a region famous for fine food as well.

This single origin cacao (Peru) bean-to-bar chocolate had an earthy fruit and deep dark chocolate aroma and flavor, and a hint of very balanced bitterness. All these characteristics helped prevent the chocolate from tasting too sweet (thank you!).

The inclusion of Manni's organic, extra virgin olive oil. instead of added cocoa butter, gave this bar a silky smooth melt and mouthfeel.

This bar paired well with a savory meal and salty items. One could almost imagine it as a high-end steak sauce ingredient or accompaniment.

The maker's tasting notes read: "...notes of orange blossom and quince." 

I would agree with the description of the floral note: it was balanced but bolder (more like citrus blossom or a slightly woodsy, fermented bergamot orange) than a light, green floral note you might find, e.g., in some Ecuador cacao bars. As for the fruit note, I might go with dried cherries and pears that had been slightly aged in a barrel. Both these flavor notes had a depth and complexity you might find more in a fermented food or beverage. 

Also each olive oil contains flavor elements that would influence the overall chocolate taste. It was not clear if a smooth blend of olive oils (e.g. on the smooth, round, buttery or nutty side, or an olive oil with peppery, or grassier notes) might have been included or not. It must have been challenging, but fun, to pick the most complementary flavor blend for this particular cacao.

Ingredients: organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic Manni extra-virgin olive oil, organic soy lecithin.

Vosges - Manchego and Cherry Chocolate Bar - July 15, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Vosges IP, LLC
Manchego and Cherry Chocolate Bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 420 calories for 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vosges, online order

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

Today's Manchego and Cherry Chocolate Bar was from Vosges IP, LLC (Chicago, IL). Vosges founder, Katrina Markoff, has been an innovator when it comes to savory and exotic flavor inclusions. Her world travels and relationships with suppliers have continued to inspire new flavors.

Katrina founded Vosges in the late 1990s. (Vosges was one of the first premium brands to elevate sweet chocolate and savory bacon from county fair food into an art form.) Being a savory chocolate fan myself and having organized informal chocolate and cheese tastings many years ago, I was interested to read that Vosges might be launching a cheese-inspired series of chocolate bars this year (2020).

This 67% cacao bar had an aroma informed by authentic D.O.P.* 12-month aged Manchego cheese, tart Montmorency cherry fruit and chocolate--exactly what one might expect from the bar's title. 

Cheese and a bit of emulsifier gave this bar smooth, slightly oily melt with rich, smooth texture and a very slightly gummy mouthfeel with some tiny bits of slightly crunchy flavor inclusions (Was it cheese? Himalaya salt? cherries? It was hard to tell; but a few un-homogenized bits can help to layer flavors.)

The slightly buttery, nutty, salty Italian sheep's milk-based hard (Manchego) cheese, which shone in the aroma, was slightly less pronounced when chewed with a bite of chocolate. Although the cheese did mute the sweetness of the chocolate (thank you).

The combined flavor inclusions in this "proprietary bittersweet chocolate" resulted in a lingering almost honey-nutty finish with an occasional, faint squeak of cherry, and a slow receding parade of flavors. If I waited long enough I could detect a savory sparkle of cheese. (Does cheese sparkle? Well, yes, a good cheese does coat and please the palette in an exciting way.) And, as today's bar shows, the right chocolate and cheese can pair very well.

*Each country in the European Union (EU) has local food product designation guidelines. In Italy, D.O.P.  refers to a certification process that helps designate, protect and authenticate a food's origin and packaging in Italy. The literal translation in English is "Protected Designation of Origin." Manchego cheese, produced in La Mancha region of Spain (yes, home to Don Quixote), falls under these D.O.P. guidelines. 

Chugach Chocolates - Dark Chocolate Alaskan Kelp & Cayenne (bar) - July 14, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chugach Chocolates and Confections
Rich Dark Chocolate with Alaskan Kelp and Cayenne (bar)
(Made with Barnacle Foods Bull Kelp)
Good 
Weight: 1.75 oz. (49.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 263 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift (thank you Megan!)
Purchased from: N/A - gift

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

Today's Rich Dark Chocolate with Alaskan Kelp and Cayenne bar was from Chugach Chocolates and Confections (Girdwood, Alaska).

When I opened the packaging, I was greeted by the sweet childhood smells of chocolate: Swiss Miss* hot cocoa, Cocoa Puffs* and other chocolate breakfast cereals, i.e. the aroma of alkalized cocoa** -- cocoa that has been treated to make it less acid and/or bitter. 

There was no cacao/cocoa percentage listed on this bar. I'm guessing, by the sweetness level, it was made with less than 50% cacao dark chocolate. (In the U.S. dark chocolate needs to contain at least 15% chocolate liquor or cocoa mass from ground cocoa bean pieces or nibs. The mildest dark chocolate might only contain 15-34% cacao.)

The sweet chocolate had a smooth melt and creamy mouthfeel (butterfat) that was accented by crunchy bits of dried kelp (from Barnacle Foods in Juneau, AK) that had a very mild, salty flavor (that helped balance out the sweetness). And a friendly, soft tingle of cayenne pepper rounded things out. Overall, this was a fun bar to try; and, surprisingly, it stimulated many childhood memories.

Kelp (seaweed) is quite edible and nutritious. It's a good natural source of iodine and other minerals and vitamins. I first tried it during a Girl Scout outing on the beach (it was boiled in a large pot for us children to try) in the late 1960s after a long hike to the sea. 

Kelp is still found washed up on West Coast/Pacific Ocean beaches in the U.S.; but, sadly, kelp forests (home to fish and undersea wildlife) have declined by almost 90% since I first sampled it on a Northern California beach many years ago--primarily due to rising ocean temperatures. 

Thank you to Chugach for featuring kelp (and cayenne) in today's chocolate bar--that was made with a special blend of ingredients that originated in the Americas.

--o--o--o--

*General Mills introduced Cocoa Puffs breakfast cereal back in 1956, the year I was born. Americans elevated sweet, crunchy cereals to a commercial art form in the 1900s.

Around that same time, Charles Sanna invented Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix where consumers could just add hot water to a packet of cocoa (instead of fixing it on the stove with milk). Hot chocolate on the go was made much easier for families, soldiers, field workers, campers and explorers. I remember drinking Swiss Miss on backpacking trips. (Incidentally, engineer and inventor Charles Sanna passed away in 2019 at age 101. He continued to drink hot cocoa even after the formula changed when the brand was purchased by Beatrice Foods and then Conagra over the years.)

Like it or not, these chocolate-for-breakfast items had a big influence on me. After all, I've been sampling unique chocolates in the mornings for almost 14 years now. And while I've lost my taste for overly sweet, sugary items, my love for chocolate lingered.

**Ingredients: Dark chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor processed with alkali, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, butterfat (milk), soy lecithin and vanilla); (Barnacle Foods) Kelp; Cayenne Pepper; Salt. 

Mindo Chocolate Makers - Special Edition Sea Salt Sesame Garlic 77% Chocolate Bar - July 13, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mindo Chocolate Makers
Special Edition Chocolate Bar
Sea Salt and Sesame Garlic bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.45 oz. (40 g.) / 2.9 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mindo Chocolate Makers, online order

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

Today's Special/Limited Edition Sea Salt and Sesame Garlic 77% Chocolate Bar from Mindo Chocolate Makers (Dexter, MI and Mindo, Ecuador) was one of the most savory flavored bars to date.

The aroma was complex with hints of garlic,* and savory soup-like notes--along with wisps of chocolate and sesame. There are times when it's fun to be confused.

The base 77% heirloom cacao (Ecuador) chocolate had some floral aroma and flavor notes (characteristic of Ecuador cacao). You would think that these more almost light, sweet and delicate floral notes might have been crushed under such strong savory flavor inclusions and a relatively dark (higher % cacao) chocolate. But no. This co-existence was a testament to the makers, who created a nicely balanced, and very unique bar.

I enjoyed the tiny spikes of crunchy sea salt, garlic, sesame seeds, and some unique synergistic flavors created by this blend. About 3/4 way through the tasting process I tasted a fleeting, faint waxy flavor note. It was not necessarily unpleasant; and it may have been a reaction from the garlic and chocolate together.

This special bar may not be for everyone, but I had fun trying it. It should be noted: I'm fond of savory chocolate snacks and chocolate that isn't too sweet.

Ingredients: cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, garlic,* celtic sea salt, toasted sesame seeds

*The garlic used in this bar was from Dyer Family Organic Farm (Ann Arbor, MI).

Nuance Chocolate - Rosemary, Sea Salt and Olive Oil Truffle - July 12, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nuance Chocolate 

Rosemary, Sea Salt and Olive Oil Truffle

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .69 oz. (19.5 g.) (estimate) in 1 truffle

Calories: 103 calories (estimate) in 1 truffle

Cost: $3.80 for 1 truffle

Purchased from: Nuance Chocolate, Fort Collins, CO

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

Today's Rosemary, Sea Salt and Olive Oil Truffle was made (hand-rolled) by Nuance Chocolate (Fort Collins, CO).

This truffle had a rich chocolate aroma and taste with a smooth melt and texture. This flavorful dark chocolate and taste paired very nicely with authentic, aromatic rosemary flavoring, and a balanced whisper of sea salt. 

Botanical herbs, sea salt and olive oil combined with great chocolate--a recipe for sweet and savory chocolate success.

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - Wild Onion Roasted Almond Truffle - July 11, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Wild Onion Roasted Almond Truffle
Good ++
Weight: .49 oz. (13.8 g.) (estimate) in 1 truffle
Calories: 74 calories (estimate) in 1 truffle
Cost: $2.50 for 1 truffle
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, online order

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

Today's Wild Onion Roasted Almond Truffle was created by chocolate-maker Nancy Nadel of The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA). 

Nadel makes her chocolate bars and bonbons from scratch using cacao beans from Jamaica (Bachelors Hall). And flavor inclusions in her bean-to-bar, small batch chocolates are often locally (San Francisco Bay Area) sourced, from a farmers market or garden.

This dark chocolate truffle was filled with a creamy smooth dark chocolate ganache that contained a tiny sprig of wild onion and piece of roasted almond--inside and outside--embedded in the filling and as a topping. This garnish created a lovely appearance as well.

Balance is important in all food preparation, perhaps especially so for food items that combine sweet and savory. While salt is the most frequently used way to create a savory-sweet chocolate, there are other ways to incorporate an umami flavor or two, such as using herbs and spices people associate with savory dishes (e.g. rosemary, tarragon or black pepper). A dash of sea salt often balances out lots of sugar or or caramel and appeals to our food cravings. But no heavy dose of salt was required or desired today. Just a whisper would do just fine.

Today's wild onion truffle was not too sweet (thank you!). And because of the lack of extra sugar one could really taste the layers of sweet, rich and savory authentic flavors. 

Savory ice cream coconut sundae & Safeway Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - July 10, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Sweet and Savory Ice Cream Sundae
Peanut Butter cup ice cream, toasted coconut strips, savory seed and nut blend, cacao nibs
Good ++
(Various vendors)

Weight: Approx. 16 oz. (1 lb.)

Cost: Approx. $10.00
Purchased from: three different suppliers/stores

Safeway
Signature Reserve Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
Good
Weight: .8 oz. (23 g.) in one piece
Calories: 100 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $0.60 for 1 piece 
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week and Day #1 of Chocolate and Savory Theme Week.

Today's chocolate double feature, began with a large sweet and savory, homemade ice cream sundae made using ingredients from several companies.

Savory Ice Cream Sundae
The base vanilla ice cream was embedded with slightly salty flecks of chocolate peanut butter cups. And the toppings included a generous serving of organic, toasted coconut chips, a savory nut and seed blend that added crunchy texture, and a little sprinkle of cacao nibs.

The savory elements balanced out the sweetness very nicely. And layering toppings elements (vs. being homogenized together in one ice cream flavor) added flavor fun and depth and kept the topping textures fresh and crispy/crunchy. I'll be making this sundae again in the future.

Safeway - Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
I also tasted a Signature Reserve Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA).

Crunchy crystals of salt made this substantial milk chocolate covered caramel seem less sugary sweet--a neat trick given that caramel is mostly (heated) sugar. The caramel stretched into soft points with each new bite. 

Living Intentions - Activated Superfood Nut Blend - Dark Cacao - July 9, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Living Intentions

Activated Superfood Nut Blend - Dark Cacao

Good 

Weight: 1/4 cup (28 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package

Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Dark Cacao Activated* Superfood Nut Blend was made by Living Intentions (Point Richmond, CA). 

The company produces a variety of cereals, popcorn(s), and other nut and seed blends; and others with cacao have been featured on this site previously.

This satisfying, slightly crunchy mix of nuts (sprouted almonds, raw cashews), coconut chips and fruits (raisins, dried blueberries) was covered with an ebony-colored chocolate glaze that added cacao flavor but was not overly sweet. The raisins provided plenty of fruit sugar on their own; and there was also a touch of coconut sugar. A hint of sea salt, vanilla and olive oil rounded out this blend.

*The company describes "activated" as a philosophy and a practice--possibly involving sprouting (ingredients) with active enzymes, the inclusion of superfoods (with high levels of phyto-nutrients) and/or prebiotics.

Hungry Buddha - Coconut Clusters Cocoa Crisp - July 8, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Hungry Buddha 

(Distributed by Temple Lifestyle Inc.)

Coconut Clusters Cocoa Crisp

Good 

Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package

Calories: 260 calories in 1 serving (3/4 cup)

Cost: $5.99 (estimate) for 1 package

Purchased from: missing information

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

Today's Coconut Clusters Cocoa Crisp were from Hungry Buddha (Montreal, Quebec, Canada).

The clusters had a substantial crunch and light coconut and cocoa aroma and flavor. The additional inclusions of puffed rice and cranberries added accent flavors and textures; but this was a coco + cocoa show.

West Thomas Partners - GFB - Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar - July 7, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

West Thomas Partners LLC

GFB - Coconut Cashew Bar (mini bars)
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1 mini bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package of individually wrapped mini bars (2 flavors)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

GFB - Dark Chocolate Coconut  (mini bars)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1 mini bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package of individually wrapped mini bars (2 flavors)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

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

Today's two GFB* Coconut Cashew and Dark Chocolate Coconut mini bars from West Thomas Partners LLC (Grand Rapids, MI) were packaged together.

Both of the coconut mini bars were individually-wrapped, chewy protein bars. But only one contained chocolate.

The plant-based protein sources included cashews, brown rice protein and pea protein.

Protein ingredients tend to muffle, or balance out, sweet and acidic flavors. For this reason, the GFB Dark Chocolate Coconut mini bar didn't appear to taste too sweet--even though the bar contained organic dates (the first ingredient**) and three more sweeteners (brown rice syrup, agave nectar and cane sugar).

 

I could taste the dark chocolate in this bar, but it was in a supporting role; and I was unable to detect any cacao flavor nuances.

*GFB stands for Gluten Free Bar

**Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Coconut mini bar: Organic dates, Complete Protein Blend (organic brown rice protein, pea protein), organic brown rice syrup, organic dark chocolate (organic chocolate liquor, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter), organic agave nectar, toasted coconut, organic brown rice, organic sunflower seeds, cocoa powder, natural vanilla flavor, natural coconut flavor, flax seed, sea salt.

Oakdale Orchards - Milk Chocolate Coconut Cashews - July 6, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Oakdale Orchards

Milk Chocolate Coconut Cashews

Good 

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 9 oz. (255 g.) in total package

Calories: 150 calories in 1 serving (approx. 2 Tablespoons)

Cost: $2.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Milk Chocolate Coconut Cashews were manufactured for Oakdale Orchards (Oakdale, CA).

For chocolate and nut lovers with a sweet tooth, this snack had an appealing description: "roasted cashews caramelized with coconut and covered in milk chocolate.

These milk chocolate drenched pieces had a sweet coconut aroma. The outer chocolate shells (shiny with confectioners glaze) had a creamy melt and mouthfeel. The inner coating was crunchy, crystallized sugar(s) with a coconut flavor. And, at the heart of each piece was a cashew nut.

These cashew confections were a bit too sweet for me. I like to taste the subtle chocolate and the nut flavors; and sugars tend to overpower these flavors. But, those with a sweet tooth who appreciate chocolate and nut candy bars would likely enjoy these.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, chocolate liquor, non-fat dry milk, soy lecithin - an emulsifier, vanilla), cashews, sugar, coconut; tapioca dextrin, natural flavor, butter, salt, confectioners glaze.

Bare Foods - Chocolate Coconut Chips - July 5, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bare Foods Inc.
Chocolate Coconut Chips
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (79 g.) in total package
Calories: Approx. 200 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Chocolate Coconut Chips from Bare Foods Inc. (San Francisco, CA) pare down the combination of chocolate and coconut to the very basics. The company* makes preservative-free, Non-GMO fruit and veggie baked snacks.

This simple, baked snack had mild roasted coconut aroma with nutty, cocoa notes. The crunchy, cocoa-colored coconut shavings were sweetened with coconut nectar and were not too sweet (thank you)!

The cocoa was uniformly applied and the product was a balanced melding of cocoa and coconut.

At 19 carbs for one (1/2 cup) serving these were not a low carbohydrate snack (although 6 grams of that was fiber); but they were still relatively healthy, based on the following reasoning:

 1.) This snack had only three ingredients: coconuts, coconut nectar, and unsweetened cocoa. There were no additives, preservatives or refined white sugar(s) added. (Coconut nectar is lower on the glycemic index than beet or cane (white) sugar.)

2.) These were baked, not fried. There were no palm oils or other vegetable oils that had been heated or processed along with these three ingredients. Therefore, no worry about trans fats either.

3.) This product was not organic, but it was Non-GMO Project Verified, along with being gluten free.

4.) For those who are looking for roughage, there was 6 grams of dietary fiber in 1 serving (1/2 cup).

Note: I am assuming the cocoa powder is not alkalized cocoa--that is lower in health benefits (polyphenols/anti-oxidants) and still relatively high in phosphorus (for those with kidney issues watching their phosphorus-calcium balance).

*In 2018, PepsiCo announced it was acquiring Bare Foods.

Square Organics Inc. - Chocolate Coated Coconut Organic Protein Bar + 4th of July Sundae - July 4, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Square Organics Inc.
Chocolate Coated Coconut Organic Protein Bar
Good
Weight: 1.69 oz. (48 g.) / 20.3 oz. (576 g.) in total box of 12 bars
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 box of 12 bars
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

So Delicious
Chocolate (Coconut) Frozen Dessert (No Sugar Added)
(with blueberries, red plum sauce, white coconut topping)
Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (85 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. Today we celebrate the 4th of July Independence Day holiday in the U.S. I enjoyed two coconut and chocolate items. One was a red, white and blue sundae in honor of today's holiday.

Chocolate Covered Coconut Organic Protein Bar
The first of today's chocolate items was the Chocolate Coated Coconut Organic Protein Bar from Square Organics Inc. (Oakland, CA).

This individually-wrapped, chocolate covered protein bar was semi-sweet with oat-y and coconut palm sugar (think slightly caramelized, brown sugar) flavors. (It also contained other forms of coconut.) The slim, filled bar had a soft chew and was a relatively satisfying snack.

"So Delicious" Chocolate Coconutmilk Sundae - Happy 4th
Today's holiday sundae was made with So Delicious* Chocolate Coconutmilk Frozen Dessert (No Sugar Added). I topped this dairy free dessert with organic blueberries, homemade red plum sauce and (white) coconut cream.

The underlying non-dairy (also certified gluten-free and vegan, and Non-GMO Project Verified) chocolate frozen dessert was fairly creamy due to its coconut milk base.

This no sugar added dessert was sweetened with monk fruit and erythritol, and it wasn't too sweet. Nor did it taste like it was artificially sweetened (Thank you on both counts.)

Alkalized cocoa made the chocolate flavor less exciting (less acidic/strong); but this is not unusual with ice cream/frozen dessert and hot cocoa market offerings. Some prefer smoother, more predictable cocoa flavor.

*So Delicious Dairy Free (founded in Oregon in the 1980s) was acquired by The WhiteWave Foods Company (Denver, CO) in 2014. And in 2017, Danone S.A. (Paris, France) became the parent company of WhiteWave Foods.

**The company also offers versions of this dessert with sugar, which I have featured on Chocolate Banquet in past years.

Lindt - Lindor Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffles - July 3, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lindt and Sprungli

Lindor - Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffles (Limited Edition)

Good

Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 6 oz. (168 g.) in total package of 14 truffles

Calories: 230 calories in 3 truffles (1 serving)

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week. 

I'd be remiss if I left out strawberries in the the red fruit line-up. This red berry blends so effortlessly with chocolate, they seem made for each other. Both cacao and strawberries originated in the Americas; however, strawberries were found further from the Equator in North and South America.

Today's Limited Edition Lindor Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffles were manufactured in the U.S. by Lindt and Sprungli (USA) Inc. (Stratham, MA). Lindt and Sprungli is a large chocolatier based in Switzerland in business since the mid-1800s.

Like other members of Lind't Lindor truffle family, today's strawberry truffles were individually-wrapped orbs swaddled in a decorative jacquard-patterned outer wrappers.

Inside, were relatively soft rounds--sweet and creamy hollow chocolate balls injected with creamy smooth pale pink strawberry flavored fillings. Each chocolate orb yielded a consistent sweet chocolate and strawberry aroma, and had a soft, creamy smooth melt and texture throughout the tasting experience.

Culinary Tours - Cherry Belgian Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 2, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Culinary Tours Foods
(Product of Belgium, distributed by Topco Associates)
Cherry Belgian Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week.

Happy July and summer to you all. Remember the aroma, flavor and creamy texture of cherry  chocolate chip ice cream?

Today's 57% cocoa Culinary Tours Cherry Belgian Dark Chocolate bar (made in Belgium and distributed by Topco Associates LLC in Elk Grove, IL) captured this summer frozen treat experience with its cherry ice cream aroma and flavor and a smooth, creamy* dark chocolate melt and mouthfeel.

The combination of dried sour cherries and cherry flavoring (cherry with a hint of almond extract) seemed to be the same combination that perfumed chilled cherry desserts from childhood. This bit of nostalgia and virtual time travel thrown in for free was a welcome thing, as health concerns related to the Corona virus (Covid-19) have made "real" chocolate and culinary travels difficult this 4th of July holiday weekend.

Ingredients: Chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, butterfat,* dried sour cherry pieces, soy lecithin, natural flavor.

Mindo Chocolate Makers - Special Edition Raspberry Chocolate Bar - July 1, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Mindo Chocolate Makers 
Special Edition Raspberry Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 193 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mindo Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Limited Edition Raspberry Dark Chocolate bar was from Mindo Chocolate Makers (Dexter, MI). The cacao beans used to make this Mindo bar was grown in an Ecuadorian cloud forest, and the chocolate was crafted in Michigan. (Mindo Chocolate also has a small chocolate demonstration tasting/making facility in Ecuador.)

This rich, smooth 67% dark chocolate bar had very faint malt and earth notes and genuine, tart sweet red raspberry fruit flavor from bits of freeze-dried raspberries.

The challenge with concentrated, freeze-dried red fruit flavor inclusions? Their boldness dazzles and delights, but can overshadow possible fruit notes that were present in the cacao/base chocolate. In a balanced bar, this isn't really a problem; but if you want to ferret out chocolate notes at the micro-level, you may find it difficult.

This three-ingredient* bar had a lingering, faint tart sweet fruit finish (and a few lingering raspberry seeds between my teeth that provided proof of genuine fruit content). All in all a satisfying bar.

*Ingredients: cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, freeze-dried raspberries