Friday, November 6, 2020

Scharffen Berger 62% Semisweet (bar), and Christopher Elbow - Lemon Chocolates - Nov. 6, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker
62% Semisweet Fine Artisan Dark Chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 9.7 oz. (275 g.) in total package
Calories: 165 calories in 1 oz. serving
Cost: $ missing information 
Purchased from: missing information

Christopher Elbow
Fresh Lemon Chocolates (white chocolate) confections
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32 g.) / 2.3 oz. (64 g.) in total box of 6 pieces
Calories: 240 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $12.95 (estimate) for 1 box of 6 pieces + shipping
Purchased from: Christopher Elbow, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Honey and Citrus Theme Week. Today the weather turned cooler and I spent time indoors enjoying a chocolate, lemon and honey banquet day. 

First I sampled (and conjured chocolate treats using) a block of 62% Semisweet Fine Artisan Dark Chocolate from Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, with "hints of citrus and honey overtones." (This chocolate is marketed as good for baking or eating. I agree.)

Scharffen Berger 62% Semisweet Dark Chocolate

The company's website suggested pairing items with their different chocolates, including wines and other beverages. The pairing suggested for this 62% dark chocolate was a fresh cup of Guatemalan coffee. Yes, I could imagine that...perhaps with a twist of lemon peel on the saucer. 

The "citrus" notes in this dark chocolate were light, balanced sweet lemon. The "honey" note was subtle and very nicely balanced. The chocolate was rich, and uniform in flavor and not too sweet (thank you!).

Instead of pairing this dark chocolate with something strong and wild, I went the other way. I paired it with two other lighter, but flavorful lemon items: hot, homemade lemon (3 different kinds, from the garden) and honey tea; and some delectable, pie-like, Fresh Lemon white chocolate filled confections.

Ingredients: cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter. 

Christopher Elbow 

Each bright, sunny yellow Fresh Lemon confection from Christopher Elbow Chocolates (Kansas City, MO) conjured up images of lemon cream pie and freshly made lemon curd. Sweet? Yes, one or two of these white chocolate beauties will satisfy any dessert craving you might have. They had a creamy white chocolate melt and texture balanced with a tart lemon "marmalade" layer and lemon-infused white ganache.

Ingredients: "White chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, dry whole and skim milk, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), natural vanilla); heavy cream, lemon juice, sugar, butter, glucose, invert sugar, apple pectin, citric acid, FDA approved colors."

Cemoi - Dominican Republic 70% Cocoa (bar) - Nov. 5, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Cemoi 
Dominican Republic 70% Cocoa (bar)
Good +
Weight: 4 squares - 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1 serving (4 squares) of bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the final day of (Day #18 of) Chocolate, Dominican Republic and Haiti Theme Weeks, and Day #2 of Chocolate, Honey and Citrus Theme Week.

Single origin chocolates featured this week with honey and citrus aroma and flavor notes usually don't contain actual honey or citrus fruit ingredients. Rather, like wine, coffee and spirits, chocolates contain complex elements that influence how we smell and taste food and beverages.

Today's Dominican Republic 70% Cocoa (bar) was produced in France and distributed by Cemoi Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA).

The chocolate had fruit (sweet citrus, light lemon and honey), woodsy and faint nut notes with one (fleeting) earth note.

Cemoi tasting notes read: Honey, Prunes, Dried Wood

Ingredients: Dominican Republic unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla extract.


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