Thursday, March 19, 2020

HT Traders - Madagascar 32% Belgian Milk Chocolate (bar) - Mar. 19, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

HT Traders
(Distributed by Harris Teeter, Inc.)
Madagascar 32% Cocoa Belgian Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.3 oz. (38 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving of bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Milk Chocolate Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's 32% Cocoa "Madagascar Origin" Belgian Milk Chocolate bar was made in Belgium and distributed by Harris Teeter, Inc. (Matthews, NC).

This week features dark (and a few milk) chocolate bars made using cacao grown in Madagascar, a large island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa.

Chocolate made from cacao grown in Madagascar often has a slightly reddish hue, and bright berry/red fruit flavor notes. Yesterday's 58% Dark Milk Madagascar (Sambirano) bar from Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate was a delicious example of what dark milk chocolate can be. Less sugar and milk meant more cacao flavor and color traits were able to shine through.

While it's unfair to compare yesterday's 58% cacao Madagascar dark milk bar to today's 32% sweet confection, it was interesting to note the differences.

Today's bar was slightly pale, even a bit translucent. And it was mostly sugar, cocoa butter and milk.* It was very difficult to identify any other flavors beyond that. Just the right amount of sugar can help berry notes sing, but too much sugar (or any other inclusion) can bury a flavor experience. If you love a bar that is mostly sugar and is milky smooth, then this bar will satisfy that craving, but you may miss out on what Madagascar cacao has to offer.

*Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, skimmed milk powder, cocoa liquor, natural vanilla flavouring." (Cocoa solids minimum 32%; milk solids minimum 18%).

Dick Taylor - 58% Dark Milk Chocolate; 68% Espresso Dark (bars) - Mar. 18, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Dick Taylor
58% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Dick Taylor
Espresso - 68% Dark Chocolate bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 152 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Dark Milk Chocolate Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's highlight was re-tasting a 58% Dark Milk Chocolate Madagascar (Sambirano) bar from Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA).

This was an outstanding dark milk chocolate bar with creamy texture and great flavor. The aroma and flavor had molasses, dried bright fruit, chocolate and caramel pot de creme notes. (The maker's tasting notes read as follows: prunes, almond butter and caramel.)

One good Dick Taylor bar deserves another.... The Madagascar dark milk bar (above) was paired with a 68% Dark Chocolate Espresso bar (with coffee from Sightglass Coffee (San Francisco, CA)). Loved that the authentic dark roasted coffee flavor was fully incorporated into the dark chocolate that was made from a blend of cacao beans (from Belize, Madagascar and Guatemala). And that there was no coffee grit to chew through, leaving one to enjoy smooth but complex flavor harmony.

Slitti Cacao Pregati - LatteNero 62% (bar) - Mar. 17, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Slitti Cacao Pregati
LatteNero 62% (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 3 oz. (100 g) in total bar
Calories: 596 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, and welcome to Day #6 of Milk Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's LatteNero 62% bar was from Slitti Cacao Pregati (Tuscany, Italy).

This thick, ultra-dark milk chocolate bar will appeal to dark chocolate lovers who don't usually like milk chocolate. In fact, except for the rich, creamy (from whole milk powder) texture and mouthfeel, one might not have guessed this chocolate even contained milk.

The bar had the aroma and flavor of dark chocolate chips, chocolate chip cookies (with raisins). It was dark (milk) chocolate with a well balanced flavor blend that included subtle dried fruit (raisin) and mild, pleasant earth notes.


Michel Cluizel - Mon Truc A Moi 45% (bar) - Mar. 16, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Michel Cluizel
Mon Truc A Moi - Milk Chocolate 45% bar
Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162 (estimate) calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.40 (sale price) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Today's Mon Truc A Moi* Milk Chocolate 45% bar was from Michel Cluizel (France). The company has been manufacturing chocolate in the French town of Damville in Normandy since 1948.

This French chocolate bar was a wonderful blend of crunchy (cacao nibs) and rich, flavorful creamy dark milk chocolate and a hint of hazelnut. And, it was not too sweet (thank you!)

The combination of dark milk chocolate, cacao nibs, croquant and hazelnut paste disappeared all too quickly.

*Mon Truc A Moi loosely translates into "my thing" in English. Perhaps this was also a way of saying the maker's favorite combination of ingredients. It certainly was close to ours.

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