Rowe of Venice - Coconut Organic Gourmet Super Snacks - Jan. 31, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Rowe of Venice
Coconut Organic Gourmet Super Snacks
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 1 package
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh To You CSA box delivery service, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Covid-19 has made travel to chocolate shops and destinations more challenging. So, I was happy to learn that my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm-to-home delivery service offered chocolate items, including craft (bean-to-bar) chocolate (from Theo Chocolate, Cru Chocolate and others) that I've featured previously, as well as several chocolate-related snacks.

Today's first of two chocolate and coconut snacks was from Rowe of Venice Super Snacks (Venice, CA/Los Angeles, CA). Rowe of Venice is the "nutritional love child" of Rowe Samieian, who, inspired by autoimmune issues, consulted with Ayurvedic, Chinese and other medical practitioners to create a series of natural snack offerings.

Today's Rowe of Venice's Organic Coconut Gourmet Super Snacks were vegan dairy free and gluten free. They had a refreshingly authentic, real coconut and almond aroma, flavor and chew with a rich carob flavor note, accented with a faint hint of Himalayan sea salt. Coconut oil and blue agave nectar provided cohesiveness, a touch of healthy fat (satiation) and bit of sweetness. (Note: do watch for nut shell fragments.)

There was one "missing" ingredient here...cacao or cocoa! 

Carob can be a good substitute for people wanting to avoid cacao. Understood. But clearly, Chocolate Banquet welcomes all things cacao. And, more to the point, to qualify for a daily chocolate entry on this site, an item must include some form cocoa solids. 

Thankfully, I'd ordered a second snack item from Farm Fresh To You (with cocoa solids). Both were from the L.A. area. And I've added this item (below). Close call. Cacao withdrawals avoided.

Ingredients: Organic raw almonds, Organic carob powder, Organic unsweetened shredded coconut, Organic raw blue agave nectar, Organic cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil, Himalayan Pink Salt. 

Foodstirs Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

Foodstirs
Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Good 
Weight: Portion: 2 small baked cookies / 7.94 oz. (225 g.) in total package of dry mix
Calories: Approximately 110 calories in 2 small cookies
Cost: $7.00 (estimate) for 1 package of mix + cost of additional, required ingredients
Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You, CSA box delivery service, online add-on

The second item sampled today was a finished cookie made from a Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie mix created by Foodstirs (Santa Monica, CA). The company, founded in 2015, sells baking kits, mixes and baked goods. One of the three founders was actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.

I added the required ingredients to this gluten-free cookie dry mix: a generous, lump of butter, almond milk and vanilla extract, and baked them in the oven. 

The resulting cookies didn't taste too sugary sweet which was a plus. There was, however, a noticeable non-sugar, sweetener flavor--from the erythritol used as a sugar replacement, that made the Keto label possible. (The mix also contained stevia, and a bit of organic cane sugar in the chocolate chips.)

The small chocolate chip cookies hung together and browned up fairly nicely (thank you butter). A cookie fresh out of the oven is a pleasure on a cold wintery day.

Ingredients: Organic almond flour, organic erythritol, organic pea protein flour, organic chocolate chips (organic cane sugar, organic cocoa liquor, organic cocoa butter), organic coconut flour, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sea salt, organic cacao powder, organic stevia extract, organic chocolate extract, organic vanilla extract.

Sahale Snacks - Cherry Cocoa Almond Coconut Snack Mix - Jan. 30, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Sahale Snacks 

Cherry Cocoa Almond Coconut Snack Mix

Good

Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 10.5 oz. (297 g.) in total box of 7 bags

Calories: 240 calories in 1 bag of snack mix

Cost: $3.99 for 1 box of 7 bags

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

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, where I've been featuring chocolate items with flavor inclusions starting with the letters A, B, C and/or D.

Today's Cherry Cocoa Almond Coconut snack item from Sahale Snacks, Inc.* (Seattle, WA) served as an alphabetic trifecta, and provided a lead-in to Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Week.

In recent years, chocolate and coconut snack items have multiplied and are easy to find in California. Many of these offerings reflect current food trends (organic, less refined sugar, keto, paleo, grain free, "healthier" snacks with simplified ingredients lists, fewer/no artificial ingredients, etc.). 

Sahale Snacks is known for trail mixes with "nuts, fruits and spices." Many of these, like today's mix, are glazed with a light layer of extra sweetness and flavor (e.g. cashews with a pomegranate coating, or a nut mix with a maple glaze).

Today's glossy snack clusters had a coconut candy aroma and a texture with uniform, optimal crunchiness--from the larger toasted coconut and almond pieces. 

Tiny cacao nibs provided a soft chewy crunch and faint rich flavor accent (although their cocoa flavor was all but eclipsed by other elements). And dried cherry bits added tart sweet fruit sweetness with a softer chew.

 

The flavors were fresh-tasting, sugar-sparkled, and naturally brightened further by a faint hint of citrus and vanilla. The ingredients were relatively high-end and thoughtful. (There were no artificial ingredients and preservatives.) 

However, the glaze that welded small bite-sized confection clusters together contained at least three sweeteners (cane sugar, organic invert sugar and tapioca syrup). The end result was too sweet for me, but this snack mix may appeal to those with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients: Toasted coconut, almonds, organic cane sugar, organic invert sugar, dried cherries (cherries, sugar, sunflower oil), organic tapioca syrup, cacao nibs, sea salt, cocoa, organic extra virgin coconut oil, dried orange peel, natural vanilla extract, pure ground vanilla beans.

*J.M. Smucker Company, a large food company, agreed to purchase Sahale Snacks, Inc. in 2014. The two men who founded Sahale were/(are) outdoor enthusiasts and mountain hikers/climbers who worked at NBC--and who, after an outing on Mount Rainier (a large mountain in Washington State), felt inspired to create a better trail mix.

Thrive Tribe - Cacao Nib Paleo Bites (with nuts + seeds) - Jan. 29, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Thrive Tribe (1908 Brands)
Cacao Nib Paleo Bites  

Good

Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total container

Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $2.99 for 1 container

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

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

Today's container of Cacao Nib Paleo Bites with nuts + seeds was from 1908 Brands (Boulder, CO).

These tasty, ebony-colored, cork-shaped bites had an aroma with coconut, dark chocolate (cacao nibs and cocoa powder), nut and seed notes--and a hard, but satisfying chew. 

Each piece was condensed chewy coconut, crunchy nut (almond) and seed (pumpkin and flax) flavor, texture and goodness. They would be great trail snacks, or snacks on the go. (Less likely to melt than a chocolate bar.)

The Paleo Bites were sweetened with a judicious amount of honey, date paste and vanilla powder. The cacao nibs and other ingredients helped to balance the sweetness, so they weren't cloyingly (overly) sweet. (Thank you!) 

Ingredients: coconut chips, honey, pumpkin seeds, almonds, ground flax, date paste, coconut oil, cacao nibs, cocoa (processed with alkali), water, vanilla powder (sugar, maltodextrin, natural flavor), salt.

Cacaoteca - Dark Chocolate 84% El Arca Dominican Republic (bar) - Jan. 28, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Cacaoteca SRL

Dark Chocolate 84% Al Arca Dominican Republic (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 112.5 calories in 1/2 of bar

Cost: $7.50 (+ shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cacao, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, an alphabetic showcase of chocolate terms that begin with the letters A, B, C and D, including cacao destinations and origins.

Today's Chocolate Negro (Dark Chocolate) 84% cacao en apoyo a la comunidad (in support of the community of) El Arca* de la Republica Dominica (El Arca, Dominican Republic) was from Cacaoteca SRL, a tree-to-bar chocolate maker from Miches (a northeast coastal town), with a presence in Gascue DN (Santa Domingo), in the Dominican Republic.

This ultra-dark bar had an aroma of dark chocolate with light incense floral, and very faint green spice (saffron) notes. The flavor was beautifully and deliciously approachable for an 80+% cacao chocolate. The dark chocolate flavor arc also included very light, pleasant loamy and subtle umami/savory notes. I adore skillfully preserved floral and umami flavors, and well-balanced bitterness and acidity, so I was happy.

Ingredients: grue de cacao (roasted and ground cacao nibs/cacao mass), azucar de cana (cane sugar)

* El Arca in English translates to "the rainbow." This Santa Domingo "community of peace and hope" that "embraces individuals with mental incapacities." This bar was a collaboration between this community and Cacaoteca.

Al Nassma - Camel Milk Chocolate 70% with Almonds (bar) - Jan. 27, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Al Nassma Chocolate
Camel Milk Chocolate 70% Cocoa with Almonds (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 212.45 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Camel's Dark Milk 70% Cocoa with Almonds bar was produced by Al Nassma Chocolate (Dubai, United Arab Emirates). The company was, as far as I know, the first to offer fine Arabian (Dromedary)* camel milk chocolate.

The theme this week is: chocolates with flavor inclusions that begin with the letters A, B, C and D. While there are dozens of flavor inclusions that start with "c" (cardamom, cherry, cinnamon and curry spices, to name a few), camel's milk offered the chance for a little virtual culinary travel. Blend this drome-dairy milk with dark chocolate and almonds?  All the better.

This bar had an aroma with sweet chocolate (dark chocolate cake/frosting, fresh baked cookie) notes; and after taking a bite, the chocolate aroma was joined by faint coconut, almond and brown sugar flavor notes. A hint of floral vanilla flavor--and a very faint malt/oxidized note possibly from the almonds--also helped explain the association with baked goods in the aroma. 

The whole almonds embedded in the dark milk chocolate provided crunchy texture, and the bar's finish had balanced, smooth dark chocolate flavor with a faint whisper of earthy/smokey vanilla. 

What about the camel's milk? Since I have never tasted camel's milk (by itself) it was difficult to detect any unique, or dairy-like, flavor in the small amount that was present (2%) in this chocolate. 

Too much milk and sugar can obscure the underlying cacao flavors in milk chocolate bars (particularly mass produced/large batch offerings). However, the cacao** flavor nuances were able to shine through with this 70% dark milk bar, in large part because there was not too much milk or sugar (and honey); and the makers chose to go with a relatively high percent of cacao (for a milk chocolate bar). Thank you!

It's unusual to find dark milk bars above 68% cacao. There are a few 70%-ers produced by European and U.S. makers. However, generally speaking, milk chocolate bars--even dark milk ones--cater to those with more of a sweet tooth. The best makers learn to harness the alchemy involved with different cacao varieties and milks and sweeteners of different sorts.

Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, almonds (15%), camel milk powder (2%), honey, bourbon vanilla

* Of the species of camels alive today, Dromedary camels (Camelus Dromedarius), generally found in the drier areas (deserts) of Saudia Arabian peninsula and Africa, are the most numerous. They have a single hump vs. the Asian Bactrian camels that have two humps. As with cattle, cow camels give milk, bull camels do not. 

Camel milk is an important staple in certain countries, and approximately 3 million tons of camel milk is produced for consumption each year worldwide. (Approximately 600 million metric tons of cattle/cow's milk is produced worldwide.)

**I'm guessing the cacao variety used to make this chocolate bar might have been Forastero or a Trinitario-Forastero blend from Africa.

Chamisa Chocolate - Cardamom Coffee bar - Jan. 26, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chamisa Chocolate
Cardamom Coffee bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (30 g.) / 2 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chamisa Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week. If you're just tuning in, you may be wondering, what does this alphabetic nonsense all about? This week, I'm featuring chocolates with flavor inclusions that start with the letters A, B, C and/or D.

Today's Cardamom Coffee 65% dark chocolate bar was from organic, micro-batch chocolate maker Amanda Hatherly at Chamisa Chocolate (Santa Fe, NM).  

The cardamom* used to infuse this chocolate was allowed to be the star flavor, with coffee and dark chocolate playing important supporting roles. Great choice. 

Who ever said "three's a crowd," never experienced these three flavors making magic together. Each of these bold flavors can hold their own and are amiable companions. Anything but boring, and deeply satisfying.

The skillful flavor blend in this well-tempered, organic and vegan bar allowed me to fully appreciate and savor cardamom's deep complexity. The aroma and flavor had subtle herby, minty, caraway, anise, bubble gum, fragrant black pepper, very light sweet, smoked mustard, and other notes) during the tasting experience. And the blend of cardamom and the coffee helped to create a long, pleasing, flavorful finish.

We can thank culinary pioneers and spice traders in Arab countries, centuries ago, for being the first to blend coffee with cardamom. This flavor duo was adopted by neighboring countries; and, more recently, it can be found in chocolate bars and confections/desserts in the U.S. 

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic sugar, organic cacao butter, organic coffee, organic cardamom.

*Cardamom has it's origins in Asia. Black (also known as brown) cardamom is from Bhutan, Nepal, and India. Green cardamom has its origins further south, in the lush forests of India and across parts of Malaysia.

While not specified in the ingredients list, I'm assuming the cardamom in this bar was predominantly black/brown cardamom (vs. green cardamom); but it could have been a mix of both. 

I have seen people using black cardamom and green cardamom with their coffee (and chocolate). And some people do use a mix of both types. Green cardamom has more upbeat notes: bubble gum/tropical spice and green vanilla/nutmeg; whereas black cardamom is a bit less zingy, but subtley complex, and sometimes almost smoky.

Chamisa Chocolate - Strawberry Basil bar - Jan. 25, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chamisa Chocolate
Strawberry Basil bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (30 g.) / 2 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chamisa Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Strawberry Basil bar was created by Amanda Hatherly at Chamisa Chocolate (Santa Fe, NM).

Amanda's organic, rich, dark sweet chocolate (65% cacao) bar sparkled with bright, fresh summer flavors: tart-sweet strawberry and authentic fresh basil. (I also caught a barely detectable whiff of very faint roasted coffee in the initial aroma.) The finish was light and lingering with sweet chocolate, red berry and subtle herbal (basil) notes.

This chocolate was the perfect antidote for a blustery, cold day in January.

The scent of basil did create a bit of a brain surprise when I took the first bite of chocolate. My palette/brain was anticipating a savory Mediterranean dish with tomato sauce and cheese, or a savory basil fruit salad...since this herb is rarely used in sweet dishes. A pity really. 

Basil is a member of the mint family. And while it's possible to use sweet* basil to make basil chocolate chip ice cream, lemon and basil sorbet, or sweet basil tea--most of us are so used to peppermint (and more occasionally spearmint) being wedded to sweet items that basil blended with sugar and chocolate may take some getting used to. (Peppermint also has a stronger mint (menthol) punch per bunch, making it a potentially less expensive flavoring in large scale production.)

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic sugar, organic cacao butter, organic strawberries, organic basil.

*There are many types of basil, including Thai, Lemon, Greek and Cinnamon--each with their own flavor nuances--but the most common variety found in U.S. grocery stores is "sweet" basil (Ocimum basilicum) or cultivars of this common basil, such as Genovese basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Genovese'). 

Chamisa Chocolate - Oat Milk Maca Breakfast Bar - Jan. 24, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chamisa Chocolate
Oat Milk and Maca Breakfast Bar
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 310 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $N/A for 1 bar
Purchased from: N/A - sample from Chamisa Chocolate - thank you

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

Today's Oat Milk and Maca Breakfast Bar was crafted by Amanda Hatherly at Chamisa Chocolate (Santa Fe, NM), a micro-batch chocolate maker.

I sometimes eat oatmeal for breakfast; but, today's Chamisa prototype Breakfast Bar was a delicious, elevated chocolate + oat a.m. entree. (For the broad-minded, this bar would also be perfectly enjoyable as a lunch/picnic/hike or dinner dessert.)

This Breakfast Bar had a rich, oaty aroma, from oat milk and a sprinkling (and incorporation) of whole oat pieces, and layers of flavor from whole raisins, pumpkin seeds and pieces of almond. It was sweet without being overly so (thank you!). 

Maca* root (powder) provided light sweetness, along with faint earthy and nutty notes.

Ingredients: cocoa beans, cocoa butter, oat milk, organic sugar, raisins, maca, pumpkin seeds, almonds. (Guess: Maybe a tiny dash of cinnamon?)

*Maca (Lepidium meyenii) root resembles a large, tuberous radish; and it has become a popular health food and flavor inclusion in recent years. Usually found in powdered form, this edible plant's origins are in the highlands of Peru/South America. It has been harvested there by native Peruvians for millennia, and used as a medicinal plant. (Maca has also been called "Peruvian ginseng.") 

Maca aroma and flavor observations range from butterscotch, caramel and malt to earthy and nutty.

Domori - Amarene - Sour Cherries Covered with Dark Chocolate; White Chocolate Berries (bar) - Jan. 23, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Domori 
Amarene - Sour Cherries Covered with Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder 
Good 
Weight: .705 oz. (20 g.) / 1.41 oz. (40 g.) in total package
Calories: 190.6 calories in 1 package
Cost: $4.25 for 1 package
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Domori
White Chocolate (with) Berries (bar)
Good  
Weight: .44 oz. (12.5 g.) / .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 75 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, where I've selected chocolates with flavor inclusions that start with the letters A, B, C or D.

Today's Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries, and White Chocolate with Berries were from Domori srl (None, Italy).

Amarene - Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries

At the heart of these confections were candied, sour (Amarene) cherries that had a soft chew and a sweet flavor. The dark chocolate coating and dusting in cocoa powder helped to moderate the sweetness a bit. 

Italian-grown Amarene cherries are small and dark in color and are prized for their tart-sweet flavor. They're typically packed in syrup and used as a topping for a chocolate desserts.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate 60% (cocoa minimum 72% pasta di cacao, cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: soy lecithin), candied amarena cherries 39% (amarena cherries, glucose-fructose syrup, sucrose, colouring agent: E163, acidifying agent: E330, natural flavors), cocoa powder 0.6% dextrose. 

White Chocolate (with) Berries

Domori's petite, pink "White Chocolate Berries" dessert bar was made with real cocoa butter (from tree to bar) and flavored (and colored) with raspberry (powder) and strawberry (powder). 

This pretty bar will please those with a sweet tooth. (The number one ingredient was sugar.) Combined with a hint of vanilla, the aroma was similar to a dessert mousse or berry-flavored vanilla cake frosting.

Ingredients: Cane sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, raspberry powder, strawberry powder, emulsifier: soy lecithin, vanilla extract. (Non GMO ingredients; made without gluten)

Domori - Dark Chocolate Apricot with Almond Grains (bar) - Jan. 22, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Domori

Dark Chocolate Apricot with Almond Grains (bar)

Good +

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar

Calories: 148.5 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $4.00 for 1 package

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, where I'm featuring flavor inclusions and forms of chocolate that start with the letter A, B, C or D. (Yesterday's chocolate pairing involved apple, banana, coconut and dark chocolate. Today the focus is on apricot, almond and dark chocolate.)

Today's Dark Chocolate Apricot with Almond "grains/nibs" bar was from Domori srl* (None, Italy). The company was founded by Gianluca Franzoni in 1997 (after he lived in Venezuela where he worked to help preserve Criollo cacao varieties). 

The smooth, 60% Cocoa (African blend) dark chocolate base had a robust flavor with a subtle earthiness. The apricot and crunchy almond bits added authentic, dried stone fruit (tart-sweet, lush, apricot scent) and pleasant nutty aroma and flavor notes that balanced the bold dark cocoa.

Chocolates with stone fruits (other than cherry), such as apricot, nectarine and/or peach, are difficult to find, so I was delighted to come across this one. A is for Apricot (or Albicocca in Italian.)

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (89%): cocoa paste, cane sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (soy lecithin); almond nibs (10%) and apricot powder (1%).

*Domori became part of Grupo Illy (Illy SpA Group) in 2006. 

Vosges Chocolate - Banana Coconut 72% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 21, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Vosges IP, LLC
Banana Coconut 72% Cacao (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vosges, online order 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and ABCD* Theme Week.

Today's Banana Coconut 72% Cacao dark (bar) was from Vosges IP, LLC (Chicago, IL). 

I am so grateful to have witnessed (and enjoyed) the new wave of American chocolate makers and chocolatiers in the early 21st Century. 

In the late 1990s, several artisan chocolate makers (mostly men) were starting to develop bold, layered, complex bean-to-bar dark chocolates wrapped in brown wrappers in their kitchens and basements. And (with a few notable exceptions) there was a split between this more technical crowd--who loved the technical challenges of making chocolate from scratch--and existing chocolatiers and chefs who were making confections and bars from blocks of pre-made chocolate. 

During this same time, a young chocolate brand pioneer, Katrina Markoff at Vosges, following a prestigious apprenticeship in Spain, at El Bulli with Ferran Adria, was channeling a different spirit, engaging the senses, and creating and conveying her experiences and stories around chocolate in bold, creative ways. 

Markoff continues to incorporate exotic flavor inclusions from far-away places into an impressive array of attractively-packaged bars and confections--with occasional musical references, spices, flower petals and gold flakes along the way. She gained early fame from her Mo's bacon bars, but she pioneered (and continues to create) an amazing variety of flavors. (I remember trying a Vosges pandan** flavored confection years ago. It was a flavor revelation--virtual travel through chocolate.

In the last decade, the chocolate maker and chocolatier camps have converged a bit. Craft chocolate makers have become more sophisticated in their sourcing/supply chains, production techniques, packaging and marketing. Some chefs/chocolatiers even became chocolate makers.

Markoff and her team at Vosges have faced the challenges associated with cacao sourcing, as the company ramped up to become a high volume company. (Can one have high-quality cacao/chocolate with a range of ever-changing, cacao origin flavors that vary from harvest to harvest, when consistency is paramount with high volume sales?) 

Back to today's Banana Coconut Dark Chocolate Bar...

Today's Banana Coconut bar had a pleasant, balanced aroma and flavor that was a skillful meld of bold, dark chocolate (with a fleeting hint of earthiness) with authentic banana and light coconut, with light green banana, floral (vanilla) notes. Tiny bits of dried banana created a light crispiness and chewiness in the texture.

The maker's notes read: "...house-roasted bananas, (and their) peels, and Sri Lankan coconut permeate our dark chocolate with husky, tropical notes."

Ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate (Fair Trade unsweetened chocolate, Fair Trade sugar, Fair Trade cocoa butter, Fair Trade natural vanilla flavor), dried bananas (sic) pieces, bananas, natural flavor coconut extract.

*ABCD Theme Week highlights items that start with the letters A, B, C or D that also include some building blocks of chocolate. There are so many chocolates, and there is such a bounty of chocolate additions, that it seemed a pity to ignore this opportunity for absolute, crazy fun. Today's Banana Coconut bar was paired with a colorful, Arkansas Black Apple.

**The Pandan plant (Pandanus amaryllifolius) grows in SE Asia. The plant's long green leaves are mildly sweet and aromatic. Their unique flavor has been described as grassy with hints of rose, almond, vanilla and mild coconut. It's used to flavor a variety of foods, including desserts, beverages and rice. The leaves themselves are also used to wrap around small bundles of rice and savory foods.

Solely, Inc. - Banana with Cacao Jerky - Jan. 20, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Solely, Inc.

Banana with Cacao Jerky

Good

Weight: .812 oz. (23 g.) in 1 strip/package

Calories: 80 calories in 1 strip/package

Cost: $0.99 (estimate) for 1 package/serving

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

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

Today's Banana with Cacao Jerky was from Solely, Inc. (La Jolla, CA).

Solely produces fruit jerky snacks using "one whole fruit" in each serving. They did not add any sugar to today's banana jerky with cacao, relying instead on the fruit's own natural sweetness. And that was wonderfully sufficient.

This banana fruit jerky had a soft chewy texture; and the aroma and flavor included earthy, dried banana, cacao, and faint, fleeting savory olive and green floral notes. 

The concentrated, rich and sweet flavor nuances in this strip were banana-forward; however, the seamless blend of the banana and the ground cacao nibs, together, was greater than the individual flavors by themselves, resulting in more flavor depth.

The company's banana fruit jerky was made with just two ingredients: 1 whole organic banana and cacao nibs. 

Ingredients: Organic banana, organic cacao nibs 

Chloe's Fruit - (Frozen) Banana Dipped Pops - Jan. 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chloe's Fruit 
Frozen Banana Dipped Pops
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.5 fl. oz. (74 mL) (76 g.) / 10 fl. oz. (295 mL) in total box of 4 pops
Calories: 120 calories in 1 pop
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 package of 4 pops
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

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

Today's frozen Banana Dipped Pop was from Chloe's Fruit (New York City, NY). 

The company makes a line of 3-ingredient frozen fruit pops, chocolate dipped pops (and oat milk pops), and also offers soft serve fruit. (The pops are dairy free, gluten free, vegan and Kosher.)

And yes, there is a real "Chloe" behind the brand name. Co-founder of the company, Chloe Epstein, used to be an Assistant District Attorney; and she wanted to create simple, healthy frozen treat without artificial ingredients.

The banana pop on a stick was attractive (it matched the photo), and tasted authentic with real banana flavor. The dark chocolate coating was smooth and it added a bit of rich chocolate flavor on the upper half of the pop. 

The overall consistency/texture made it uniformly easy to eat. It had enough cohesion* that there was minimal danger of it falling apart; and it wasn't overly sweet and gooey like some other frozen treats. (Thank you to Chloe's for that, and for making a frozen dessert with no vegetable gums, or other less desirable additives.)

The chocolate in the dark chocolate coating was made from Ecuadorian cacao beans (according to FAQ on the Chloe's Fruit website).

Ingredients: banana puree, water, cane sugar; chocolate coating (cane sugar, coconut oil, cocoa processed with alkali, chocolate liquor, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor)

*Sugar lowers the freezing point of a frozen fruit pop, allowing them to exist in the frozen treat "Goldilocks"** zone. Just the right amount of sugar is needed for a successful state. Not enough sugar and the pops may be too rock hard (more like fruit ice cubes), and too much will result in a too soft, fall-apart quality. Just the right amount...and you're in the Goldilocks zone.

**For those readers outside the U.S. The Goldilocks term comes from the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," a fairy tale with origins in England more than 183 years ago. Goldilocks--who in subsequent re-tellings of the story morphed from an old woman to a little girl--enters a home that belongs to a family of three bears, who are not home. Goldilocks tries out different sized chairs, bowls of porridge and beds, until she finds items that are not too big or too small; not too hot or not too cold...but rather the one(s) that are just right for her.

 

Larabar - Banana Chocolate Chip bar - Jan. 18, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Larabar 

(Distributed by Small Planet Foods, Inc.)

Banana Chocolate Chip bar

Good - Good + 

Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar / 8 oz. (226 g.) in total box of 5 bars

Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.99 for 1 box of 5 bars

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

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

Today's Larabar Banana Chocolate Chip bar was distributed by Small Planet Foods, Inc.--a division of General Mills, (Minneapolis, MN). Larabar fruit and nut snack bars were created by Denver, CO, native Lara Merriken. 

These bars had a soft chewy texture with natural-tasting fruit (date, banana) and nuts (almonds). Chocolate chips contributed subtle chocolate flavor, and helped round out this blend. There was no need for added sugars and, thankfully, none were added. Dates and bananas both have plenty of concentrated sweetness.

Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten free, vegan and dairy-free, this bar had no preservatives* and "just four ingredients." Not bad for a mass-produced snack bar, especially when compared with similar packaged snack bar offerings a few decades ago.

*Ingredients: dates, almonds, unsweetened bananas, semisweet chocolate chips (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla extract).

Manoa Chocolate - Flavors of Hawaii, Mai'a Banana Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - Jan. 17, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Manoa Chocolate

Flavors of Hawaii - Mai'a Banana Dark Chocolate 70% (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar (check this)

Calories: 360 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar - part of a 3-bar Flavors of Hawaii set for $28.50 (+ discount)

Purchased from: Manoa Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Mai'a Banana Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) was made by Manoa Chocolate (Kailua (Oahu), Hawaii), and was part of a "Flavors of Hawaii" Collection. (I will be featuring the Haupia coconut 60% bar from this 3-bar set in the near future.)

This dark chocolate had an aroma with green chocolate, green banana and sugar cane notes.

The well-tempered bar broke with a snap and had a creamy melt and mouthfeel. 

The flavor was very similar to the aroma notes mentioned above, with luxe 70% dark chocolate flavor and authentic green (banana) notes; a natural sweetness (organic cane sugar, freeze-dried banana powder); and a lightly perfumed banana floral finish.

Manoa (a Hawaiian word that translates to mean "solid, vast, depth") suggestions for beverage pairings read as follows: wine: beaujolais; liquor: rye whiskey; beer: nitro stout.

Ingredients: Cacao, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, freeze-dried banana powder

Askinosie Chocolate - 77% Davao Philippines Dark Chocolate Bar - Jan. 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day 

Askinosie Chocolate
77% Davao Philippines Dark Chocolate Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Askinosie Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Philippines Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

The first single origin (Philippine) chocolate bar I remember tasting was back in 2009. It was a Davao (Philippines) milk chocolate bar from Askinosie Chocolate (Springfield, MO). So, it was only fitting that we hoisted our chocolate wrappers in praise of Askinosie Chocolate today as we sampled another, darker, Davao bar from this same company, started by Shawn Askinosie in 2005.

The star was the Davao Philippines 77% Dark Chocolate Bar made with cacao grown in Davao (on Mindanao island) in the southern Philippines--where most cacao trees used to make chocolate are under cultivation. The banana was just along for the ride.*

This bar had a dark bittersweet aroma with faint hints of earth and acidity, a lovely creamy melt and texture. The flavor was earthy with a bit of acidity, but it was balanced and relatively uniform (no spiky or off flavors). Reasons to like this Davao origin chocolate included its deep, dense cacao flavor, and the fact that it wasn't too sweet (thank you).

The maker's notes included the following: "This earthy chocolate is Certified Kosher D.E., vegan and gluten free."

Ingredients: Davao, Philippines cocoa beans (76% cocoa liquor), organic cane sugar (23%), cocoa butter (1%)--pressed in the Askinosie factory from Davao cocoa beans.

Note: I ordered this bar from the Askinosie Chocolate website. When I double-checked yesterday (Jan. 15, 2021) this bar was listed as sold out.

*If one lives in the Philippines, there are several varieties of banana to choose from. Here in the U.S., most stores carry the Cavendish variety of banana. That's what I used today to make an a la carte banana flambe. Ole. The pairing of dark chocolate with flaming fruit via a wee bit of alcohol, was enjoyed only after the chocolate was carefully tasted and studiously reviewed. We try to be serious professionals here.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - Milk Chocolate with Turon 44% with Banana (bar) - Jan. 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
Milk Chocolate with Turon 44% with Banana (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 220 ?? calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.25 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Turon 44% (bar) was from Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates/Chocolate Factory, based in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.

This milk chocolate Turon* bar was flavored with "banana chips, crispy caramel and sesame seeds."

The initial aroma that arose from the freshly opened copper foil packaging was one of milk chocolate enhanced by a pleasant savory smell--with a very faint and fleeting cheese/fermented note that dissipated quickly, after the bar had been opened for a minute or so.

The milk chocolate was sweeter than the authentic, dried banana pieces with the occasional flourish of caramelized brown sugar. Sesame seeds added a bit of texture and seedy/slightly nutty flavor. Even though I've never had banana lumpia, I feel this bar conveyed the essence of what I know about this dessert.

After tasting and reading ingredients lists on all Theo and Philo Chocolate bars this past week, it confirms my experience that chocolates with authentic, unadulterated, high-quality ingredients really do taste better. The lack of "natural flavors," preservatives, emulsifiers or lab-created extracts almost always goes hand-in-hand with a fuller, more enjoyable tasting experience.

Ingredients: sugar, cacao beans, milk powder, cocoa butter, dried bananas, butter, sesame seeds

*I thought today's "Turon" might be related to popular nougat confections from Southern Europe. Turron (Spain) or Torrone (Italy)--typically made with honey, sugar, egg whites and nuts (often almonds). Both are sweet dishes/confections. 

However, this unique Filipino Turon bar was likely inspired by banana lumpia (lumpiang saging) a dessert one might find in the Philippines--made with thinly sliced, local bananas and brown sugar, and wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, and then fried. 

Thank you Theo and Philo for enabling a virtual culinary trip to the Phillipines this week.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - 65% Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Salt (bar) - Jan. 14, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
65% Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Salt (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 65% Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Salt (bar) was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines). 

The company produces (Filipino origin) artisan chocolate bars, many with Filipino-inspired flavor inclusions. Look carefully at the imagery on today's attractively packaged bar and you'll see (among the lush green foliage) regal Philippine eagles--one of the largest eagle species in the world.

This bar gave off a subtle dark chocolate, fruit (mango, light aromatic citrus) aroma with a faint savory note. The base dark chocolate had smooth, even flavor and texture, interspersed with chewy fruit pieces (authentic, tangy-sweet mango, with a light lime note). 

The judicious touch of sea salt complemented both chocolate and mango flavors and balanced the sweetness very nicely. 

Ingredients: Cacao beans, sugar, dried green mangoes, cocoa butter, sea salt

 

Theo and Philo Chocolate - 65% Dark Chocolate with Calamansi - Jan. 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
65% Dark Chocolate with Calamansi bar
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 65% Dark Chocolate with Calamansi (bar) was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines). The company produces (Filipino origin) artisan chocolate bars, many with Filipino-inspired flavor inclusions.

The aroma of this bar was lightly perfumed with authentic, bittersweet citrus notes. The flavor was similar--sweet 65% dark chocolate with balanced flavor bursts from slightly chewy bits of tart-sweet Calamansi* citrus rind that lingered a bit into the finish.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, sugar, calamansi rind, cocoa butter

*The Calamansi orange (Citrofortunella microcarpa)--also known as calamondin, Philippine lemon and Philippine lime)--is a semi-tropical, citrus hybrid (think tangerine + kumquat) from the Philippines, SE Asia and China. Fully ripened it is orange in color; although in the Philippines it is also harvested when still green. The skin of this small citrus fruit is thin,  fragrant and quite edible. Calamansi can be used to make orange marmalade, citrus drinks (similar to lemonade), and is used in savory sauces and meat/fish dishes as well.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - Milk Chocolate with Pili Nuts and Pinipig (bar) - Jan. 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
Milk Chocolate with Pili Nuts and Pinipig (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.59 oz. (estimate) (45 g. on label*) in 1 bar
Calories: 240 calories (per label for 40 g.) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.25 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Pili Nuts and Pinipig (bar) was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines).

This milk chocolate bar contained a generous helping of pili nut and pinipig** bits, and had a pleasant aroma of a high-end dark milk chocolate candy bar.

initial aroma had a pleasant high end milk chocolate and nut candy bar

slightly chunky smooth and crunchy textures

Ingredients: Sugar, cacao beans, milk powder, cocoa butter, glazed pili nut (pili nuts, sugar, oil), pinipig.

*This bar was labeled as a 45 g. bar. However, the kj and kcal energy information was slightly different, i.e. 1/2 bar serving (120 calories) was labeled as 20 grams (and not 22.5 g.). 

** What is pinipig? Immature grains of glutinous rice that are pounded flat and then toasted. These faintly green flakes were similar to toasted/crisped rice that we see as a flavor inclusion in the U.S., but these seemed to have a bit more flavor depth. (The authentic rice and nut flavors and textures varied just enough to make the flavor experience interesting.) Pinipig is used as a dessert topping and/or component, and is used in beverages and in other dishes, in the Philippines and other parts of SE Asia.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - Dark Chocolate with Black Sesame and Nuts bar - Jan. 11, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
Dark Chocolate with Black Sesame and Nuts bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate with Black Sesame and Nuts bar was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines).

The relatively soft, sweet dark 65% cacao chocolate provided a great foil for the crunchy fiesta of black sesame seed praline, cashew and glazed pili* nut bits embedded throughout the bar. This satisfying blend yielded layered roasted nut and seed and true smooth chocolate flavors, with a very faint malt note in the finish.

Ingredients: "Cacao beans, sugar, glazed pili nuts (pili, sugar, oil), cashew, cocoa butter, black sesame"

*Today's bar was made using a blend of ingredients from the Philippines; although many of these ingredients likely originated from different parts of the world centuries ago. Cacao originated in Central and South America and was spread primarily by the Spanish (and other Europeans) to overseas colonies with similar tropical climates.

Pili nuts (Canarium ovatum) grow on trees that are native to Northern Australia and nearby islands (Papua New Guinea and "maritime" Southeast Asia). They've also been cultivated in the Philippines for some time. Technically a seed, these nuts can also be found in many Pacific island nations. Their shape is somewhere between an almond and a sheathed pine cone seed that is more pointed at one end. 

Pili nuts are surrounded by a tough shell, probably similar to Macadamia nuts. (Many years ago, I remember seeing tourists driving their car over Mac nuts in Hawaii to crack them--an incident that helped explain their inherent toughness, and high cost.)

Black sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum) are native to Asia and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Like cacao seeds (aka cacao "beans"), sesame seeds grow in a fruit pod. 

Cashews (cashew apples) are native to NE Brazil and can be found growing in Central and South America--as well as other tropical climates, including the Philippines. (Nigeria, Vietnam and India are currently the largest producers of cashews.)

Every day I feel fortunate to be able to savor the results of all this botanical migration, in the form of single origin chocolates and/or chocolates with creative flavor inclusions. Chocolate is almost a "universal" food. It's one of those foods (like lemon, breads, certain herbs, nuts) that can successfully be part of sweet or savory offerings, or both at the same time.

 

Theo and Philo - 70% Dark Chocolate bar - Jan. 10, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates 
70% Dark Chocolate bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate bar was from Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines). The company offers single origin bars as well as chocolate with flavor inclusions inspired by Filipino cuisine.

This 70% bar had a smooth melt and a consistent, true chocolate with light mellow, red fruit (cherry, mild red berry) and faint caramel aroma and flavor notes. The chocolate, made with beans grown in the Davao region (on Mindanao further south from where Manila headquarters are) had low acidity and bitterness and a light, friendly finish. It was sweet, but not overly so.

The maker's description of this bar follows:

"Straight-to-the-point and brutally honest, our 70% Dark Chocolate is a proud no-nonsense heavy-hitter. Just like that dapper lolo you can rely on to dish only the bittersweet truth with suave; this classic bar uses high-quality cacao for rich depth that features notes of cherries and earthiness. This smooth and forever stylish bar smothers you with an addictive sweetness born from the finest of Davao's* cacao beans."

Ingredients: Cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter

*The Davao region, known for its cacao, is located in the southern part of Mindanao island,  located in the southern Philippines--north of the Equator by 6-8 degrees (latitude). Manila, the Philippines capital city, where Theo and Philo HQ is located is further north on the Island of Luzon (closer to 16.5 degrees North (latitude)--still within the band where it's possible 

Auro Chocolate - 77% Dark Chocolate bar - Jan. 9, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Auro Chocolate
77% Dark Chocolate bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 77% Dark Chocolate Filipino Origin bar was produced by Auro Chocolate (Calamba, Laguna, Philippines). The rapidly growing company was founded in 2015. Auro Chocolate branded offerings include finished bean-to-bar chocolate, single origin (Filipino) bars, as well as chocolate ingredients (cacao beans, cocoa butter) from farming partners in Mindanao.*

This relatively thick, square bar had a smooth, velvety melt and texture. It had true, uniform, bold chocolate flavor with balanced bitterness and acidity, a very faint vanilla note, and a polite finish. This chocolate was a very approachable ultra-dark bar.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, cane sugar, soy lecithin (emulsifier), natural vanilla extract.

*The Republic of the Philippines is made of more than 7,000 islands; however, the island nation is perhaps best known for the largest (and most populous) islands of Luzon (in the north) and Mindanao (in the south). The latter (home to more than 25 million people) is a geologically "younger" mountainous island with fertile, volcanic soils--ideally suited for growing cacao, coffee and many other crops. 

Southern Mindanao (especially the Davao region in SE Mindanao) is known for cacao. Cacao grows best in areas close to the Equator. And Davao City is located at an ideal 7.2 degrees latitude (just north of the Equator). 
 

Auro Chocolate - Regalo Single Estate 85% Dark Chocolate Philippine Origin bar - Jan. 8, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Auro Chocolate

Regalo Single Estate 85% Dark Chocolate Philippine Origin bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Limited Edition Regalo Single Estate 85% Dark Chocolate Philippine Origin bar was produced by Auro Chocolate (Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines) (dba FODC, Inc.).

This two-ingredient* chocolate starred bold, deep dark cocoa/true chocolate and faint sweet brown sugar notes, with supporting players that included: fruit/sugar acidity (dried apple, sweet pink/red grapefruit broiled with brown sugar and imagined cinnamon), slightly fermented chocolate and dried fruit notes. And, in the latter part of the tasting curve, there was a fleeting, faint smoked flavor (smoked dark tea, umami/barbecue) note.

This ultra-dark bar offered a robust and well-executed smoothness. It was a polite, polished and approachable 85% bar.

The Regalo** cacao beans used to make this bar were grown in "the lush, tropical forests of Davao" in the southeastern Philippines. The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "...the Regalo variety has notes of green apple, green tea and pine wood."

*Ingredients: Cacao mass, organic muscovado sugar.  

**The Spanish word "regalo" means gift, present or treat in English.

 

Auro Chocolate - Mana Single Estate 85% Dark Chocolate Philippine Origin bar - Jan. 7, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Auro Chocolate
Mana Single Estate 85% Dark Chocolate Philippine Origin bar
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Limited Edition Mana Single Estate 85% Dark Chocolate Philippine Origin bar was produced by Auro Chocolate (Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines) (dba FODC, Inc.).

This two-ingredient* chocolate had bold, deep dark cocoa, sweet (brown/unrefined) sugar (molasses, green coconut/nut/seed/peanut brittle), dried fruit (dried apricot, peach/nectarine, fig, prune, banana, apple), rum, and slightly green (aroma and flavor) notes. 

This ultra-dark bar offered a robust yet smooth, well-executed complexity. It had moderate dried fruit acidity, but relatively low bitterness--for a higher percentage (85%) cacao bar. The organic muscovado sugar contributed flavor, without being too dominant or sweet. (Thank you.)

The Mana cacao beans used to make this bar were grown in "the lush, tropical forests of Davao" in the southeastern Philippines. The maker's tasting notes included the following: "...Mana has notes of caramelized apple, rum, sweet, banana and cashew apple." 

*Ingredients: Cacao mass, organic muscovado sugar.  

Firetree Chocolate - Philippines Mindanao Island 73% Cocoa (bar) - Jan. 6, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Philippines Mindanao Island 73% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 137 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Single Estate Philippines Mindanao Island 73% Cocoa (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.).  

The aroma and flavor notes of this smooth, almost creamy dark bar included true dark chocolate, caramel, honey, very faint and intriguing green-floral, and even fainter pleasant, almost savory earthiness and nut butter cookie notes. It was a well executed, pleasing chocolate. 

This chocolate was sweet, but the bump up from 70% to 73% Cacao--and the slightly unrefined quality of the sugar--seemed to have softened the hard, processed sugar effect,  allowing more cacao flavors to be experienced. (Thank you!)

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Citrus, honey and caramel layers yield a gentle yet rich nature. To enjoy fully, take time to let the flavours develop on the palate."

Ingredients: Cacao mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter 

 

Dormouse Chocolates - 71.5% Dark Chocolate (Philippines) - Jan. 5, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Dormouse Chocolates

71.5% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good +

Weight: 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 405 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $9.00 + shipping for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week. Last week featured bars made from cacao grown in the "South Pacific." Today the focus shifts to the Republic of the Philippines--an archipelago made up of more than 7,000 islands.

Today's 71.5% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Dormouse Chocolates (Manchester, England). This bar was made using Trinitario/Criollo beans (2017 harvest) from Kablon Farm--a family firm based in the Cotabato region, on the southern island of Mindanao, in the Philippines.

This dark bar's aroma had fleeting green-floral (saffron), light nut, wood and spice (brown sugar molasses cookie) notes.

The texture of this well-tempered bar was relatively smooth, with an even, light sugar astringency and very fine graininess. (Think stoneground cocoa beans with whole sugar.) 

Conch time was 48 hours, which likely preserved flavors. (Long conch times in dark chocolate making can extend to up to 90+ hours. This longer processing time creates very smooth textured chocolate; however, some of the flavors may be lost after this length of time.)

Tasting notes for this sweet and flavorful chocolate included subtle dried fruit (date), dark chocolate, and faint brown sugar molasses cookie and fresh sugarcane and fruit jelly notes.

The dark chocolate finish gradually faded with with a rich brown sugar sweetness.

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Toasted oats, biscuits and caramel with a hint of blackcurrant."

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, muscovado sugar, cocoa butter

(Muscovado sugar is unrefined, or partially unrefined cane sugar with a molasses flavor. Muscovado sugar is less refined than brown sugar--which is refined white sugar with molasses added back in.)

A. Morin - Java Arjuna 70% Noir (Dark) (bar) - Jan. 4, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

SAS Chocolaterie A. Morin 
Java Arjuna 70% Noir (Dark) bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 292 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.80 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Week. This extended edition 10-day "week" is ending with two days of cacao origins from further West--where the Pacific Ocean flows into the Indian Ocean.

Indonesia--an island archipelago made up of 17,000+ islands (approximately 6,000 of which are inhabited)--is one of the top cacao producing regions in the world. Cacao is cultivated on several of the larger islands/countries, namely Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Java, Papua, and East Kalimantan. That said, few people in the U.S. have had access to a large number of single origin bars from these islands. 

Java is the most densely populated island in Indonesia, but there is still room for crops like: palm, coconut, rice, coffee, tea, spices (e.g. ginger), sugar, cocoa and other fruits and vegetables.

Today's Java Arjuna 70% Noir (Dark) bar was made by SAS Chocolaterie A. Morin (Donzere, France)--a bean-to-bar/artisanal chocolate company since 1958, with family origins dating back to 1884. 

I'm guessing the cacao used to make this chocolate was grown either near Arjuna* (aka Arjuno) the name of a volcanic mountain in eastern Java; or closer to the Arjuna temple complex in Central Java. 

Aroma and flavor notes for this polite, but intriguingly complex, 70% chocolate included such a huge range of aroma and flavor notes over the course of a few hours, it was hard to believe. Notes included: wood, faint savory/umami (light mushroom soup gently simmering over a wood stove with buttered toast/popcorn), very faint barn yard/saddle leather, gently roasted seed/mild nut notes, cocoa, and very faint fruit (mild red apple, dried apricot, light lemonade) and spice (the almost invisible smell of freshly baked banana spice bread with ginger, cinnamon and lemongrass). The was an ultra-faint oxidized note very late in the finish.

With each taste, the flavors shifted a bit, revealing a new facet with every bite. Very few chocolate bars are able to conjure up the breadth of aromas and flavors, or can manage this many shifts, in the way this Java bar did.** There were no strong or "off" notes during the entire tasting arc, just more flavors appearing and sharing the stage with each bite. Magic.

The texture was even and smooth, with a very mild astringency. 

Tasting notes from the maker: "This chocolate stands out with woody aromas. Gently smoky, it releases notes of nuts and spices..." (These) "aromas reflect our emotions while tasting this chocolate but they should not prevail over the ones you experience."

Tasting notes on the Bar and Cocoa site read as follows: "This chocolate is distinguished by woody aromas. Slightly smoked, it has some notes of dried fruits and spices. Java cocoa has a large percentage of Criollo..." (Note: Criollo is a cacao variety, heritage (variety) prized for its mild, but complex, delicate and sophisticated flavors.) 

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin. 

*According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia: "Arjuna (also given as Arjun) is the great hero of the Indian epic Mahabharata and the philosophical-religious dialogue Bhagavad Gita. His name means "shining", "silver" and similar terms relating to brightness...Arjuna represents the best aspects of humanity: Courage, Strength, and Humility." (It is not an uncommon name in Java.)

**The other notable "shape-shifter" bar in the past year that rivaled this Java bar's layered tasting experience was a delicious Venezuela Porcelana 70% Chocolate bar crafted by William Marx of Wm. Chocolate (Madison, WI). 

Firetree Chocolate - PNG Karkar 72% Cocoa (bar) - Jan. 3, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Single Estate Papua New Guinea Karkar 72% Cocoa (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 kcals (calories) in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Single Estate Papua New Guinea Karkar 72% Cocoa (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.).

This chocolate had an aroma with strong dark chocolate, balanced loamy earth, earthy nut, umami, and wood notes. The melt, texture and mouthfeel were smooth and even.

Flavor notes included dark, sweet fruit (prunes and dark, ripe black cherry) with a balanced acidity. This satisfying deep, dark chocolate had even, slight earthy nut/umami notes. These flavors fused and receded into a smooth, rich dark chocolate finish.

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Walnut and wild mushroom yield to intense cocoa, ending with truffles. To enjoy fully, take time to let the flavours develop on the palate."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin.

 

Firetree Chocolate - Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar) - Jan. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day 

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 (mini) bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K). 

This bar had an aroma with bold dark, roasted chocolate and bright (dare I say fiery?) fruit notes. 

The flavor was similar to the aroma--a clearer and stronger version of the above with fruit notes included sweet lemon, barbequed tart berry/cherry, broiled pink/red sweet grapefruit, and roasted strawberry.* The chocolate had an unapologetic roasted, almost smokey flavor with a fleeting hint of balanced, ultra-dark earthiness. 

I loved this bar. What well-executed and bold fun. The black and hot lava-colored packaging perfectly suited the chocolate inside. 

This would make a good addition to an ultra-dark chocolate tasting flight...It reminded me of  good smokey, peaty Scotch whiskey, although if you paired these two dragons (this whiskey and this chocolate) together you might get a flavor fight, or you might get transcendence. One never knows. I wish I'd ordered the full size of this bar to conduct this experiment (and pairing it with different spirits). But alas this chocolate, fully enjoyed on its own merits, magically disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Maker's tasting notes read: "Cherry, Soft Lemon and White Grape aromas give an essence of lush fruit.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin).

*By the way, if you haven't tried "hot" fruits this winter (or ever before), I'd recommend doing so. Broiled grapefruit with a sprinkle of cinnamon can be quite good--as can roasted strawberries or grapes, and grilled or flambeed bananas. A nice, spiced hot fruit compote is warming on a cold day as well. 

Firetree Chocolate - Solomon Islands Makira Island 75% (bar) - Jan. 1, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Solomon Islands Makira Island 75% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 (mini) bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands, and Happy New Year!

Today's Single Estate Makira Island (Solomon Islands) 75% Cacao (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.).

The company's packaging depicts swirling, hot lava-like colors, captured on a stark, elegant black background, and color icons from this palette are used to depict flavor elements.

This bar had an aroma with chocolate with fruit acidity (citrus, red fruit) notes. The flavor was similar with more "detailed"acidic fruit flavors: pink/red grapefruit, tart berries (cranberries, blackberry), dried plum and a tasty, fleeting true, deep chocoatey note (baked brownies, chocolate confections). 

The true chocolate note became more accessible (as the initial fruit acidity mellowed a bit) in the latter half of the tasting curve; and this rich chocolate note lingered into the finish. There was also a very faint oxidized, fermented note blend in the second half, but it was not off-putting. I enjoyed the choice of 75% cacao (i.e. a bit more cacao and less sugar over a typical 70% chocolate*), that resulted a bit bolder flavor profile.

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Soft grapefruit and raisin tones married with rich caramel. To enjoy fully, take time to let the flavours develop on the palate."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin. (This bar was dairy free, made in a nut free factory, Kosher, Halal, (and) suitable for vegans.)

*Is 70% the ideal percentage (of cacao) for dark chocolate?

Before the craft chocolate wave in the U.S. took hold in the 1990s with cacao content percentages prominently displayed on labels, chocolate lovers were not looking as carefully at the percentage of cacao in their chocolate. The choices for "dark chocolate" were often blends of different cacaos to create products with very smooth (or flattened) flavor curves. Most commercial/bulk dark chocolates did not reach the 70% cacao content mark, meaning they were more than 30% sugar. Chocolate was sweeter and less flavorful--in a word, candy. 

As chocolate makers began offering more dark chocolates with unique flavors linked with smaller batch cacao origins, chocolate lovers started to learn more about cacao content. The new default/ideal percent of cacao in a dark chocolate bar was now thought be 70% cacao (with "only" 30% sugar). 

And, much like what happened with craft beer, coffee and other foods and beverages, things evolved in "dark" chocolate. Chocolatiers and consumers appreciated how different cacao varieties, and their countries of origin, created unique and appealing flavors. This made boosting percentages of cacao beyond that 70% mark more viable. Makers found that 70% cacao was no longer the upper limit for many consumers, especially if they could gain access to truly great cacao beans. 

Consumers started to have many more single origin, high-end, small-batch chocolate choices from a growing number of artisan chocolate makers--allowing us consumers to experience more individual cacao flavor nuances and complexities that had not been possible with high-volume and/or highly processed chocolate blends (made from commodity cacao from hundreds of small, subsistence farmers located around the globe). In the high-volume world, consistency required some trade-offs with flavor. No wonder higher percentage, 70% cacao chocolate required some marketing initially.

Happily, today, 70% is just a starting point for experimentation now and not a blind requirement. And there is not as much discussion/confusion about percentages. We've made the leap to the new dark frontiers. Skilled makers are creating the optimum chocolate bar(s), which may or may not be 70% cacao, based on what will create the best results for a given batch of cacao, and what their customers will buy. Some cacao beans might make a great 80% bar, and others a 69% bar. Some 70% chocolates will taste too sweet, others too dark. And that is a wonderful thing.