Alter Eco - Raspberry Blackout 85% Cacao Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 29, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Alter Eco Foods

Raspberry Blackout 85% Cacao Organic Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar

Calories: 190 calories in 1 serving (4 sections) of bar

Cost: $ missing information

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

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

Today's Raspberry Blackout 85% Cacao Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Alter Eco Foods (San Francisco, CA).

Alter Eco packaging for this bar included images of cacao trees surrounded by a diverse mix of (taller) banana trees, hardwood timber and shade trees--with a brief explanation of the benefits of regenerative agriculture (vs. industrial agriculture), inter-cropping and shade-grown crops. "Farm like a forest," was the message "to mimic an abundant forest ecosystem." 

Farmers can benefit from planting more than one crop (less reliance on one single crop if something happens), in addition to gaining more shade for themselves and cacao trees. 

Why should chocolate lovers care? Because we want great chocolate to continue to be farmed and available in the face of climate change and other challenges, and "regenerative agriculture creates extraordinary cacao."  So, how did this chocolate taste?

Aroma

I would describe the aroma for this ultra-dark bar as very berry (raspberry jam) in a base of dark and dense, bittersweet earthy cocoa and dark chocolate cake. (Whenever I smell baked goods, I think there is likely some added vanilla. 

This bar contained a judicious amount of vanilla bean. Unlike vanilla extracts, whole vanilla beans can be a mix of aromatic floral, sweet marshmallow, earthy/woody, faint almost boozy sweet rum and maple extracts, cake/cookie, and other flavors. (Like cacao, vanilla beans contain many different flavor compounds.)

Texture 

Smooth, dense and creamy with occasional tiny, firm raspberry seeds.

Flavor 

Bittersweet, deep dark cocoa (often associated with Forastero variety cacao) with micro-bursts of authentic, tart-sweet raspberry pulp and seeds.

This bar will likely be a delight for high-percentage (80% - 100% cacao) chocolate lovers who also enjoy authentic fruit inclusions. There was plenty of rich flavor(s), without much sugar.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cocoa butter, organic raw cane sugar, organic dried raspberries, organic vanilla beans. (

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, hazelnuts, almonds, coconut, and soy. Individuals who are allergic to these should not consume this product."

Andy's Orchard - Apricot Surprise - Nov. 28, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Andy's Orchard

Apricot Surprise

Good +

Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) (estimate) in 1 large confection

Calories: 230 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $3.50 for 1 package

Purchased from: Andy's Orchard, Morgan Hill, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks. 

Today's Chocolate Surprise was from Andy's Orchard (Morgan Hill, CA).

This jumbo-sized, dark chocolate covered confection had an aroma with fudge brownie and chocolate cookie notes.

A smooth dark chocolate shell covered a large piece of sweet, white divinity fudge with walnuts, topped with dried Blenheim apricot.

The fudge tasted high-quality and homemade but was (as most fudges are for me) too sweet and rich. The other components (the dark chocolate, apricot and walnuts in the fudge) all had authentic, satisfying flavors. Andy's Orchard grows a variety of fruits, including apricots. Prior to the development associated with Silicon Valley, apricots, cherries and plums were local and road-side market staples in Santa Clara County.* 

Ingredients: Dried Blenheim Apricots, Divinity with Walnuts, and chocolate

Allergy-related information: (No information on small label; contained tree nuts (walnuts).)

*Apricots orchards were everywhere in the South Bay 1950s. The street I had grown up on was once part of an orchard, as near as I can tell. "...Until the 1960s, Santa Clara Valley was the largest fruit production and packing region in the world, with 39 canneries."

By the 1970s, the fruit industry was winding down and many fruit canneries had closed. The remaining fruit trees were still beautiful, especially in the early spring, when apricot and cherry trees were covered with white blossoms, and swathes of green grass and yellow mustard flowers and sour grass (oxalis) flowers grew between the trees. 

Children would wander into orchard remnants to gaze at caterpillars and butterflies, eat an apricot, and occasionally throw ripe apricots at each other. At least that's what we did, before the old orchard behind our back fence was bulldozed and homes were built.

Now, I need to drive south for an hour to find apricot trees at Andy's Orchard; and I was grateful there were still some Bleinheim apricots left.

Andy's Orchard - Chocolate Apricot - Nov. 27, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Andy's Orchard

Chocolate Apricot

Good ++

Weight: 1.2 oz. (33.96 g.) (estimate) in 1 package

Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 package

Cost: $3.00 for 1 package

Purchased from: Andy's Orchard, Morgan Hill, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks. 

Today's Chocolate Apricot was from Andy's Orchard (Morgan Hill, CA).

This dark chocolate covered Blenheim apricot had aroma notes that included: coffee, earthy dark chocolate and very faint honey sweet-tart fruit and biscuit/cookie.

The plump, moist and sweet Blenheim apricot contributed authentic apricot tart-sweet, stone fruit flavor with rich, faint honey-floral notes. The smooth, dark chocolate couverture complemented the sweetness.

This also evoked childhood memories of eating chocolate covered (California-grown) apricots and prunes. 

Ingredients: Dried Blenheim Apricot (prepared with sulfur dioxide), and dark chocolate 

Allergen-related information: (none listed on small label))

Andy's Orchard - Apricot Amaretto Sandwich - Nov. 26, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Andy's Orchard

Apricot Amaretto Sandwich 

Good + - Good++

Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) (estimate) 1 piece

Calories: 160 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $3.50 for 1 package

Purchased from: Andy's Orchard, Morgan Hill, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks. 

Today's Apricot Amaretto Sandwich was from Andy's* Orchard (Morgan Hill, CA).

The aroma of this layered confection included notes of chocolate biscuit, almond biscotti, cooked rice, and sweet almond cookies.

Flavors included layers of dark chocolate, marzipan, and juicy, tart-sweet apricot with honey floral notes. The use of (now relatively rare) Blenheim apricots up-leveled the flavor. It made for a great California dessert.

Ingredients: Dried Blenheim Apricot (prepared with sulfur dioxide), glace apricot, marzipan, and chocolate

Allergen-related information: (none listed on small label/tag)

*Andy" of Andy's Orchard is Andrew Mariani -- part of a famous California fruit growing family.

Zotter - Cranberry In-Fusion in Cacao (bar) - Nov. 25, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
In-Fusion - Cranberry in Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zotterusa.com, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Fruit Weeks, and Happy Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., where cranberries and cranberry orange sauce are on the menu.

Today's In-Fusion - Cranberry in Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) was made from bean-to-bar in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

The aroma of this organic bar included fresh butter, subtle sweet, fruit (tart red berry and very faint sweet lemon and pineapple); and very faint fall floral spice (saffron-infused honey and sweet marigold) notes.

This chocolate had a smooth texture with a velvety melt that accelerated over a period of seconds, and a creamy mouthfeel. 

The dark chocolate had quite a smooth with uniformly balanced taste, well integrated dark chocolate and tart red fruit (cranberry) flavors with a very faint buttery sweet lemon and saffron floral honey scone note. The dark chocolate was low in bitterness and had mellow, balanced fruit acidity.

The sweetness level was pleasant and not too overpowering. (Thank you.)

Ingredients: Organic, fair trade cocoa mass; organic, fair trade cane sugar; fair trade organic cocoa butter; organic dried cranberries (4%); organic coconut powder (organic coconut paste, organic coconut milk, organic coconut flour); organic rice drink powder (organic rice, organic sunflower oil, salt), organic, fair trade toasted coconut; organic soy lecithin, organic lemon powder (organic lemon juice concentrate, organic corn starch, organic sugar), organic vanilla bean powder, salt, emulsifier: organic sunflower lecithin

Allergen-related information: Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, milk, and sesame. 

Raven Rising - Cranberry (filled chocolate) - Nov. 24, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Raven Rising 

Cranberry - (filled chocolate)

Good ++

Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 6 oz. (168 g.) (estimate, per label) in total box of 12 pieces

Calories: 43.4 calories (estimate, per label) in 1 piece

Cost: $37.50 for 1 box of 12 chocolates (4 different flavors) (+ shipping)

Purchased from: Raven Rising, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks. 

Today's Cranberry dark chocolate was made using Cacao Barry's relatively new Evocao "WholeFruit" chocolate made with cacao fruit.* This chocolate was part of a 4-flavor assortment box from Raven Rising (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada).

Edible berries including cranberries** have a long history in the Americas; and a Cranberry chocolate seemed an appropriate to mark Thanksgiving Day tomorrow (Thursday) in the U.S., as well as Native American Heritage Day, a holiday since 2008, that falls on the Friday that follows Thanksgiving here.***

Raven Rising offers "Global Indigenous Chocolates" that include local/native ingredients (flavor inclusions) and ingredients sourced from Indigenous people and businesses where possible. Pastry Chef and Chief Chocolatier, Tammy Maki, produces a variety of well-executed and interesting bars and confections. She uses chocolate from Barry Callebaut Group** (Zurich, Switzerland) for her creations. Maki is a "proud Saulteaux Ojibwe Kwe from White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan" (Canada).

Aroma

This dark chocolate confection and had a meaty, dark chocolate aroma with dark red fruit (cranberry) notes.

Flavor

I enjoyed this thoroughly dark (couverture and ganache filling) chocolate that had pemmican, tart authentic bittersweet red fruit (cranberry) and caramel notes with balanced bitter earth and citrus acidity. It's hard to find flavorful confections like this that aren't too sweet. (Thank you!)

Ingredients: (included: Cacao Berry WholeFruit Evocao dark chocolate, cranberries)

Allergen-related information: (None listed/found; possible of traces of soy, dairy)

*Barry Callebaut was created in 1996 after a merger between Belgian chocolate maker Callebaut and French chocolate producer Cacao Barry. Following the acquisition of the cocoa business from Petra Foods in 2013, Barry Callebaut became one of the largest producers of chocolate and cocoa products and suppliers to confectioners, chocolatiers and chefs worldwide.

In 2021, the company began shipping 72% dark chocolate Evocao(tm) WholeFruit (Chocolat Toutfruit) for chefs, bakers, chocolatiers and other food professionals--as the first offering in a WholeFruit chocolate line-up. This dark chocolate contains 31% cocoa mass, 41% cocoa butter, as well as "upcycled" cacao/fruit pulp/juice/sugars/"peel"--detectable by tart-sweet, citric acid-like flavor (although there was no palpable fruit pulp texture). It is also supposed to be lower in sugar (probably less cane sugar if natural fruit is being used).

**American cranberries are endemic to boggy/swampy areas in northeast North America. Growing areas extend as far south as Georgia and north into Canada. 

Tammy Maki at Raven Rising notes that the "...Tart, tangy cranberry has been a staple of Indigenous peoples and had been used as a food and medicine. Cranberries were an integral part of pemmican (somewhat similar to jerky, made from tallow, meat and cranberries/berries) and (cranberries) helped preserve the meat. The dye from cranberries was used for blankets and rugs."

***Indigenous Peoples days are celebrated in October in the U.S. and in June in Canada.

Raven Rising - 76% Tanzanie Banana (bar); and Black Trumpet Mushroom Chocolate - Nov. 23, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Raven Rising

76% Tanzanie Dark Chocolate and Banana (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.71 oz. (105 g.) (estimate) in total bar

Calories: 290 calories (per label) in 50 g. of bar

Cost: $13.75 for 1 bar (+ shipping)

Purchased from: Raven Rising, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Raven Rising

Black Trumpet Mushroom (chocolate)

Good ++

Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 6 oz. (168 g.) (estimate per label) in 1 box of 12 pieces

Calories: 43.4 calories (estimate, per label) in 1 piece

Cost: $37.50 for 1 box of 12 chocolates (4 different flavors) (+ shipping)

Purchased from: Raven Rising, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks.

Today's 76% Tanzanie (Tanzania) Dark Chocolate and Banana (bar) and Black Trumpet Mushroom filled chocolate were both handcrafted creations from Raven Rising (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada). 

The company is helmed by Chef Tammy Maki (a "proud Saulteaux Ojibwe Kwe from White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan" (Canada)) and produces "Global Indigenous Chocolates" including high-quality bars and confections. Maki sources ingredients from Indigenous people and businesses whenever possible, and uses Barry Callebaut (Callebaut and Cacao Barry) chocolate(s) that are traceable back to their respective origins.

Tanzanie Dark Chocolate and Banana (bar)

 

Maki does a masterful job of selecting chocolate origins and blends to pair with her Indigenous flavor inclusions. The Tanzania dark chocolate used as a base for light and airy banana slices was delicious, with chocolate (deep dark chocolate brownie/torte), diffuse fruit (prune, fig cookie, berry, green banana), nut and green notes.

This relatively thick bar had a creamy, smooth texture with a substantial, satisfying mouthfeel.

The freeze-dried banana slices added a subtle, authentic and highly complementary, banana fruit flavor.

Ingredients: "Tanzanie 75% (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, natural vanilla flavour), Freeze-dried banana (banana)."

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Soy."

Black Trumpet Mushroom chocolate

Mushrooms may be referred to as the "fruit(ing) body" of a fungi/fungus. But, they're not really fruits. However, mushrooms can make great flavor additions to chocolate(s). 

The second Raven Rising chocolate featured today was a filled chocolate flavored with black trumpet mushroom (also called the black chanterelle mushroom). The Black Trumpet was described as having a "nutty/smokey taste that pairs perfectly with the chocolate." (I couldn't agree more. Then again, I really enjoy savory/umami chocolate flavors; so perhaps I'm biased.)

This creamy, filled chocolate was made with "Cacao Barry 70% Fleur De Cao" (blend) couverature chocolate. It had well balanced, very subtle savory (mushroom), subtle tart-sweet red fruit/sweet red wine grape, faint floral (vanilla) and nut, and rich chocolate (faint brownie) aroma and flavor notes. The umami flavor of the mushroom helped balance out the sugar in these sophisticated confections.

Allergen-related information: Contains: dairy

Raven Rising - Paw Paw in Cacao Barry Ghana Milk Chocolate - Nov. 22, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Raven Rising 

Paw Paw in Cacao Barry Ghana Milk Chocolate

Good ++

Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 6 oz. (168 g.) (estimate, per label) in total box of 12 pieces

Calories: 43.4 calories (estimate, per label) in 1 piece

Cost: $37.50 for 1 box of 12 chocolates (4 different flavors) (+ shipping)

Purchased from: Raven Rising, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Weeks, beginning with a filled chocolate flavored with paw paw--a relatively rare. exotic-tasting fruit endemic to North America.*

Today's Paw Paw* filled chocolate was created using Ghana milk chocolate. This flavor was part of an intriguing, 4-flavor assortment box from Raven Rising (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada). 

The company offers "Global Indigenous Chocolates" that include local/native ingredients (flavor inclusions) and ingredients sourced from Indigenous people and businesses where possible. Pastry Chef, Owner and Chief Chocolatier, Tammy Maki, at Raven Rising produces a variety of well-executed and interesting bars and confections. She uses chocolate from Barry Callebaut Group** (Zurich, Switzerland) for her creations. Maki is a "proud Saulteaux Ojibwe Kwe from White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan" (Canada).

Aroma

The milk chocolate shell (colored an attractive paw paw peel green) had a rich, nuanced chocolate aroma with true chocolate (faint brownie) as well as faint fruit, nut and earth notes. 

Flavor

The taste of the creamy ganache filling (combined with the chocolate outer shell) contained notes of mango + banana + sweet citrus + over-ripe, almost boozy, nutty earthy pear + custard apple. Although diluted a bit by the cream, sugar and milk chocolate, happily, traces of this unique paw paw fruit flavor shone through.

Ingredients: Ghana 40% milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, unsweetened Ghana chocolate, soy lecithin, vanilla bean seeds), paw paw (paw paw fruit, invert sugar)

Allergen-related information: Contains dairy (milk), soy (lecithin).

*The paw-paw fruit (approximately 4-5 inches long) resembles an elongated kidney-shaped green pear on the outside. (The skin darkens considerably to an avocado black-green as it ripens or if bruised.) The fruit inside is a yellow to yellow-orange flesh that evokes a blend of mango, banana, citrus and custard apple. The fleshy center contains several relatively large brown seeds (about the same size as cacao seeds (beans)).

While found primarily East of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S., this fruit is also cultivated on the West Coast (including small, specialty orchards in California).

Perhaps most notably, the paw paw is thought to be the largest fruit native to North America. (It's a bit larger/longer than the relatively small "American persimmon.") Both of these indigenous fruits (along with berries and smaller fruits) were cultivated and eaten by Indigenous Americans, primarily in the Eastern U.S. (and Canada) for centuries before Europeans and others subsequently brought in larger fruits from around the globe: Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and Mediterranean and middle eastern countries.

**Barry Callebaut was created in 1996 after a merger between Belgian chocolate maker Callebaut and French chocolate producer Cacao Barry. Following the acquisition of the cocoa business from Petra Foods in 2013, Barry Callebaut became one of the largest producers of chocolate and cocoa products and suppliers to confectioners, chocolatiers and chefs worldwide.

Bixby and Co. - Organic 70% Dark Chocolate - Haitian Cacao (bar) - Nov. 21, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Bixby and Co.

Organic 70% Dark Chocolate - Haitian Cacao (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar

Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar ($46 for 4 bars)

Purchased from: Bixby and Co. via Good Food Awards Marketplace, online order

Welcome to the last day (Day #16) of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, featuring chocolates from the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti. 

It's been great to see (and taste) many high-quality, small batch bars from both these two nations that sharing one island, including a number of organic chocolate bars.

Today's Organic 70% Dark Chocolate bar from small batch artisan chocolate maker Bixby and Co. (Rockland, ME) was crafted from Haitian cacao beans.

This bar had a naturally sweet dark chocolate aroma and flavor with diffuse fruit acidity (very faint ripe, dark berries, with a barely detectable whisper of citrus and green). 

The two-ingredient bar had a bright sweetness with medium acidity, and was low in bitterness.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: "Prepared in a facility that also processes milk, tree nuts and peanut ingredients." Organic, vegan and gluten free.

Honeymoon Chocolates - 80% Haiti + Manuka Dark Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 20, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Honeymoon Chocolates

80% Haiti + Manuka (honey) Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar

Calories: 148 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, including chocolates made from cacao grown in the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti.

Today's 80% Haiti Cacao + Manuka (honey) Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Honeymoon Chocolates (St. Louis, MO).

The aroma notes for this ultra-dark bar included: dark chocolate, light, bright fruit (peach jam, sweet green banana, and very faint ripe berry + spice).

The chocolate had a very smooth texture, with a soft, relatively rapid melt.

Flavor notes included smooth dark chocolate with buttery and floral honey notes--with a relatively mild/friendly flavor profile for an 80% cacao bar, with no harsh or bitter notes and balanced acidity.

Maker's tasting notes: "Apricot, vanilla, green banana, pine"

Ingredients: "Cacao, raw honey, cacao butter"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that prepares products with peanuts and tree nuts." "Free of refined sugar, soy, dairy, and gluten."

 

Honeymoon Chocolates + Kaldi's Coffee - 75% Haiti + Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Honeymoon Chocolates

(with Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Co.)

75% Haiti Cacao + Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar

Calories: 140 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.95 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, including chocolates made from cacao grown in the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti.

Today's 75% Haiti + Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar) was created by Honeymoon Chocolates (Saint Louis, MO) in collaboration with Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Co. (Saint Louis, MO). 

Origin stories

This chocolate was a blend of single origin ingredients (each with their own story), including the Haiti Brew 4 Impact coffee (from Haiti) roasted by Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Co.; and the Haiti-grown cacao was from Produits des Iles S.A. (PISA)--an organization working directly with cacao farmers in Haiti. 

Last, but not least, this dark chocolate bar was sweetened with "Missouri Wildflower and Clover" raw honey. (Honeymoon Chocolates produces several honey-sweetened bars.*)

Aroma

As soon as I opened the sealed wrapper, I was greeted with the hearty, dark roasted aroma of coffee and chocolate. (This was a welcome wake-up breakfast bar this morning after a long hike yesterday.) 

Texture

The 75% cacao chocolate had smooth texture with a rapid, creamy melt.

Flavor

The flavors included rich coffee and dark chocolate flavor notes, as well as some flickers of light floral sweetness, nut butter and very faint, diffuse berry. This chocolate delivered abundant dark flavor(s), but with very balanced, and relatively low bitterness and acidity. The finish was relatively clean with light lingering mocha notes.

Ingredients: Cacao, raw honey, coffee, cacao butter

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that prepares products with peanuts and tree nuts." "Free of refined sugar, soy, dairy, and gluten." "This product contains raw honey and should not be given to infants under the age of one."

*A portion of the proceeds from this bar go to honeybee research. A unique bar number written on the packaging invites consumers to enter the number at a website to see how their donation is being used.

Triangle Roasters - "Haiti" - 70% Haiti PISA (bar) - Nov. 18, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Triangle Roasters

"Haiti" - 70% Haiti PISA (bar) 

Good ++

Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar

Calories: 132 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.25 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, featuring chocolates made with cacao grown in the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti.

Today's Haiti 70% (bar) was made from Produits des Iles S.A. (PISA) cacao that was roasted and handcrafted into bars by Triangle Roasters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The aroma contained subtle, sweet dark chocolate--and diffuse, naturally sweet berry (blackberry, blueberry)--notes.

The bar's flavor had a naturally sweet dark chocolate taste (almost vanilla, but there was vanilla added). The perceived sweetness also arrived in the form of diffuse fruit (dried grape, ripe (sweet, faintly earthy) dark berries (blueberry, blackberry)) notes. The finish was fairly clean and subtle.

Maker's tasting notes: "Vanilla, blueberry, floral"

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility with nuts and dairy"

Triangle Roasters - Coffee 68% Haiti PISA (bar) - Nov. 17, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Triangle Roasters

"Coffee" - 68% Haiti PISA + Ethiopian Coffee (bar) 

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.25 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, featuring chocolates made from cacao grown in the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti.

Today's Coffee 68% Haiti (bar) was made using cacao from Produits des Iles S.A. (PISA) in Haiti (and coffee from Ethiopia) that was roasted and handcrafted into bars by Triangle Roasters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

The intriguingly complex yet subtle aroma of this chocolate bar included: balanced coffee, faint leather, very faint vanilla tobacco, chocolate and faint, diffuse fruit (berry) notes. 

The well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap and had a smooth, uniform texture.

Flavor notes included uniformly rich yet polite dark chocolate and, most notably, clear blueberry (and faint ripe blackberry) notes. 

Overall this bar was smooth and well-executed, with enjoyable aroma and flavor notes.

Ingredients: Cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter, coffee

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility with nuts and dairy"

 

Tosier Chocolatemaker - PISA Haiti 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Tosier Chocolatemaker
PISA Haiti 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 164.7 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks. The focus: single origin chocolate bars made from cacao grown in the Dominican Republic (last week) and Haiti (this week)--the two nations that occupy the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Today's PISA Haiti 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Tosier Chocolatemaker (Gipping Valley, Suffolk, UK).

To create this bar, the makers used cacao from Produits des Iles S.A. (PISA), an organization that works directly with farmers in Haiti. The bar's packaging included information about how the cacao was grown,* and a beautifully illustrated explanation of steps involved on the journey that starts with sourced cocoa beans and culminates in finished chocolate bars.

Aroma
The aroma included: subtle herbal-berry flavored lozenge; diffuse fruit (dark, ripe berries: black raspberry, sweet elderberry, currant pastille); barely there, faint and fleeting tart green (lemon, oxalis, wood sorrel); and background chocolate (chocolate torte with red raspberry jam) notes.

Flavor
This well-tempered bar had a glossy sheen and broke with a satisfying snap. The texture and flavor were both uniform and pleasing with notes of dark chocolate cookie/cake. There were no harsh or off notes in this chocolate. 

The natural sweetness of this cacao (including bright red fruit/ripe berry notes) made this 70% bar taste slightly brighter and sweeter than the average 70% dark bar. The fruit complexity also seemed to have some nice potential depth to it. (I'm guessing a slightly darker, 75% cacao version of this bar (with more cacao and less sugar) would be good as well.)

There was a very faint trace of astringency (dryness that you might find in some red wines) in the finish after enjoying a few bites; but it was not off-putting.

Maker's tasting notes: "Complex, with hints of fig, sour cherry and red fruit."

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, ethically sourced cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts." "Gluten free, dairy free, palm oil free...plant-based product"

*The cacao was intercropped with yam, avocado, citrus and plantains. After the cacao fruit was harvested the batch(es) of wet cacao (cacao seeds (aka beans) with fruit pulp) were "centrally fermented...in wooden boxes for around seven days..." before being "sun-dried and turned at regular intervals" (to ensure even moisture content (and flavor) and to prevent mold). The maker also notes: the cacao was "certified organic at origin." 

Wm. Chocolate - Haiti KAFUPBO 80% Dark (bar) - Nov. 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Wm. Chocolate

Haiti KAFUPBO 80% Dark (bar)

Good +++

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar

Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar

Cost: $3.75 (sale) for 1 small bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order 

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks--featuring Dominican Republic cacao-based chocolates last week; and chocolates made from cacao grown in the Republic of Haiti this week.

Today's Haiti KAFUPBO 80% Dark (2019 Harvest) (bar) was made from bean to bar by William Marx at Wm. Chocolate LLC (Madison, WI).

KAFUPBO is "a farmer-owned co-op producing world-class organic cacao in northern Haiti." In 2019/2020, Haiti produced only about 5,000 metric tons of cocoa. (The Dominican Republic produced approximately 70,000 metric tons that year.) That's up from the 4,400 tons reported in 2016, but down from the over 20,000 tons from decades earlier--numbers that reflect challenges in this country.

Several organizations, including Produits des Iles S.A. (PISA) and Singing Rooster, have been working with farmers and helping to bring Haiti coffee and cacao to market. I felt grateful to find bars for a Haiti series this week.

Aroma and texture

Today's Wm. Chocolate 80% cacao chocolate had a subtle, complex aroma--a blend of chocolate cookie, with diffuse fruit (red berry, raspberry, very faint sweet lemon, and even fainter lemon herb (oxalis, sour grass, wood sorrel)) notes. The melt and texture were creamy and smooth.

Flavor and tasting ultra-dark bars

As is often the case with ultra-dark (80% and above) chocolates, the flavors are "darker" than the aroma.* Tasting this bar, the initial aroma evoked a sunlit summer tea party with cookies, raspberry jam and lemon slices. 

As I tasted the first piece, it felt like the imaginary tea party had suddenly decided to move into the shaded forest to pick and eat wild blackberries. And I was happy to follow, with an occasional imaginary glance over my shoulder for bears. (Thankfully, no bears or rough or off notes, or earthy spikes; just wonderful, perfectly ripe dark berries and one last cup of tea.)

This bar had a rich dark chocolate flavor that was smooth (well managed) yet complex (rich flavors were allowed to shine). Balanced occasional upticks of earthiness were effectively incorporated into authentic ripe, dark berries: soft undulations of blackberry tea, black currant/elderberry, and black raspberry ice cream notes.

Maker's tasting notes: "Rich and herbal with notes of raspberry, black tea, biscuit"

Ingredients: Certified Organic cacao beans, Certified Organic whole (unrefined) cane sugar, Certified Organic cacao butter

Allergen-related information: "No soy, dairy, grain, nuts, refined sugar, or animal products."

*This rather sudden shift to a darker, more unsweetened cacao taste (vs. a "sweeter" or fruitier initial aroma) found in bars with less than 20% sugar can be a shock--especially for those who are not used to pure cacao flavors or unsweetened chocolate. Our palettes and brains expect chocolates to taste sweet; that's what we're used to. 

However, the best chocolate makers work with farmers, post-harvest fermentation experts, and others to create ultra-dark chocolates with such care and skill that the unique and true flavors of great cacao sing without sugar sparkle; and occasionally (such as with today's maker), seem to add wings for an extra enjoyable ride, where it's possible to experience a form of imaginary culinary transportation.

Moku Chocolate - Dominican Republic Zorzal Cacao 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 14, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Moku Chocolate

Dominican Republic Zorzal Cacao 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) 

Good ++ 

Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar

Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.75 for 1 bar ($35 for 4 different bars)

Purchased from: Moku Chocolate, online order (via Good Food Awards Marketplace)

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, beginning with chocolates made using cacao from the Dominican Republic--the eastern portion of the larger Caribbean island known as Hispaniola. Haiti lies to the west; and chocolates made from Haitian cacao will follow.

Today's Dominican Republic Zorzal Cacao 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was handcrafted by Moku Chocolate (Philomath, OR), using cacao grown on the Zorzal* reserve.

The maker's motto: "Chocolate crafted from bean to bar with careful attention to the cacao that goes into it, respect for the farmers who grow it and reverence for the environment that sustains it." An articulate expression of the intent and ethos shared by many smaller batch, single origin chocolate makers.

The subtle aroma notes for this bar included: fruit (plum), molasses, and chocolate (brownie)--followed by secondary notes that included a slight uptick of freshly baked bread and a single very faint, fleeting vegetable (potato) note.

The melt and texture were relatively smooth.

And flavor notes included: sustained chocolate (fudge brownie) tart-sweet red fruit (plum), and a background flicker of molasses--very consistent with the Moku maker's notes (below). (There's not always this level of congruence.) The uniformly smooth, dark/bittersweet chocolate-y flavor was enough to provide an effective balance with the relatively bright tart-sweetness and fruit acidity levels.

Maker's tasting notes: "Plums, red wine, and molasses."

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "vegan, non-GMO, gluten free"

*Moku Chocolate maker and founder, Maureen Nikaido, became interested in bean-to-bar chocolate (after sponsoring a child in Nicaragua in 2006 and exposure to cacao and chocolate making, including travel in Central America). Nikaido founded Moku Chocolate in 2020. 

Moku is a word for "island" in Hawaii. Cacao is grown on many islands near the Equator, including Hispaniola (DR and Haiti)--and Hawaii--in addition to other tropical areas close to coastlines. (Large bodies of water can help moderate extreme temperature fluctuations.)

Nikaido has focused primarily on single origin bars (some with flavor inclusions). One of those origins has been Zorzal Cacao in the Dominican Republic.

Zorzal Cacao is an agricultural-forestry project that is part of Reserva Zorzal, a large (1,000+ acres) bird sanctuary. It includes a cacao demonstration farm and fermentery operations. Zorzal (Spanish for thrush--a type of bird) is located in a mountainous area in north central Dominican Republic. 

Manufaktura Czekolady (Chocolate Story) - Dominican Republic 70% cocoa + cranberries (bar) - Nov. 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Manufaktura Czekolady
(Chocolate Story)
Dominican Republic 70% cocoa + cranberries (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 316.25 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, with a focus in the first week on cacao from the Dominican Republic.

Today's Dominican Republic 70% cocoa + dried cranberries (bar) was from Manufaktura Czekolady aka Chocolate Story (Lomianki, Poland).

This dark bar had an aroma with slightly tart-sweet dried fruit (Concord grape/raisin, cranberry) in a sea of true chocolate (brownie) notes. 

The base 70% cacao chocolate was thick, soft and fairy creamy. Soft chewy dried cranberries added texture and sweet-tart flavor that complemented the chocolate nicely.

During the tasting, the chocolate (rich brownie) notes were more pronounced (than in the aroma). The chocolate was well-rounded with barely there nut and fruit notes--the latter was amplified a bit by the dried cranberries.

The finish was fairly clean with a faint lingering red berry (strawberry, cranberry) note.

Hats off to the bean-to-bar makers (Krzysiek Stypulkowski and Tomek Sienkiewicz) who produced this complementary melding of fine cacao flavors and the tart-sweet cranberries. 

I enjoy cranberry and orange together and it seemed there might have been a trace of citrus (very faint sweet orange?) in the cacao that created a nice pairing. Faint nut and/or savory or earth notes would also have helped create what felt/tasted like a well-rounded blend. 

It's more difficult to detect the underlying cacao notes when there is a flavor inclusion (fruit, nut, spice or other) item added to chocolate; but I can guess what might be there.

Ingredients: Roasted cocoa beans from Dominican Republic (70%), sugar, dried cranberry 9% (cranberry, cane sugar, sunflower oil). Chocolate: cocoa solids 70% min.

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, nuts."

Cacaoteca - 51% Negro con Leche Chocolate Dominicano (bar) - Nov. 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Cacaoteca 
51% Negro Con Leche 
(51% Dark with Milk) (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, featuring chocolates made with Dominican cacao this week. 

Today's 51% Negro Con Leche (51% Cacao Dark with Milk bar) was from Cacaoteca S.R.L., the only chocolate maker this week to be based in the Dominican Republic. 

This dark milk chocolate bar had a very pleasing aroma--one that encompasses a blend of nutty, faint earth, slight savory, and chocolate notes. (Sea salt brownie and milk anyone?) The milk (powder) contributed a creamy, smooth texture.

The flavors were also very pleasing with chocolate, a slight spike of earth, smooth nut, very faint savory, diffuse fruit sweetness and creamy milk notes. 

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder

Allergen-related information: "Contains: milk...Manufactured in a facility that also processes: milk, peanuts, almond, cashew, walnut, pecan"

Wm. Chocolate - Dark + Salt - 70% Cacao Dominican Republic (bar) - Nov. 10, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Wm. Chocolate LLC
Dark + Salt - 70% Cacao Dominican Republic (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Wm. Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, focusing this week on the Dominican Republic side of the island.

Today's Dark + Salt - 70% Cacao Dominican Republic Single Origin (bar) was produced by Wm. Chocolate LLC (Madison, WI). 

Aroma and flavor notes for this nuanced and complex chocolate included: chocolate brownie, pleasing, sweet earth and shimmering faint fruit (raisin, red berry, sweet orange, fig), light savory (subtle buttered nuts), molasses, faint green tea syrup, and very faint, and a fleeting aromatic (sweet, faint floral fruit) tobacco and faint toffee. 

Tiny crystals of salt (harvested in the U.S.) added an occasional flavor sparkle and crunchy texture.

Summary: This chocolate was well balanced with subtle, layered aroma and flavor. The shifting array of subtle cacao flavors included a judicious overlay of savory with the naturally sweet.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cacao butter, sea salt

Allergen-related information: "No soy, dairy, grain, nuts, refined sugar, or animal products."

Wm. Chocolate - Dark + Coffee 70% Cacao Dominican Republic (bar) - Nov. 10, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Wm. Chocolate LLC
Dark + Coffee - 70% Cacao Dominican Republic Single Origin (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Wm. Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, focusing this week on the Dominican Republic side of the island. Today's Dark + Coffee - 70% Cacao Dominican Republic Single Origin (bar) was produced by Wm. Chocolate LLC (Madison, WI). 

The maker (Will Marx) describes this bar as "smooth dark chocolate with crunchy coffee bean pieces." True statement; but it's a bit of an under-statement.

Aroma fest
When the sealed Dark + Coffee 70% Cacao bar pouch was opened, the air was filled with the scent of freshly ground coffee (with bright, almost fruity notes). After a few minutes, the underlying 70% dark chocolate surfaced with faint, sweet earth, nutty, brownie notes. And a few minutes after that, the coffee had receded to the level of a bold, smooth partner in this blend. An hour later, pleasing earthy, nutty, and graham cracker notes appeared.

The relatively thick bar had an enjoyable, substantial creamy and crunchy textural blend.

This rich and luxurious blend of flavors was a skillfully balanced marriage, that included dark chocolate, brownie, coffee, faint red berry, and fleeting gingerbread/molasses notes. Not too sweet or bitter, these bold flavors were crafted together to form a very satisfying match. (Note to self: great winter holiday gift for chocolate addict friends and relatives.)

This rich, special breakfast (or anytime) chocolate and coffee bar should be slowly savored over the course of an hour either with good company and conversation--or simply as a treat for oneself. The unfolding, complex and wonderful aromas--present with every Wm. Chocolate bar I've tasted--are well worth slowing down for.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cacao butter, organic coffee beans

Allergen-related information: "No soy, dairy, grain, nuts, refined sugar, or animal products." 

Wm. Chocolate - Classic Dark 70% Dominican Republic Single Origin (bar) - Nov. 9, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Wm. Chocolate LLC
Classic Dark - 70% Cacao Dominican Republic Single Origin (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 144 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Wm. Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, focusing this week on the Dominican Republic side of the island.

Today's Classic Dark 70% Cacao Dominican Republic Single Origin (bar) was produced by Wm. Chocolate LLC (Madison, WI). 

Aroma notes included (in order of appearance) brown sugar; a subtle, shifting blend of dried fruit (plum/prune/date/fig/banana); dark chocolate; very faint and fleeting vegetable (cooked potato); a faint green floral fruit riff (custard apple); and clear fudge brownie.

After a soft-spoken, short flurry of faint brown sugar, very faint herb-spice and delicate fruit notes, the chocolate flavors resolved into high-end fudge brownie, followed by occasional pop-up appearances from invisible tropical fruit(s); and high-end chocolate torte with a whisper of sea salt. And after I thought the flavor show was over, there were a few more very faint notes of delicious earth* and fruit. 

This was a well-balanced, masterfully executed bar with plenty of layered aroma and flavor notes.

Maker's notes/description: "...smooth dark chocolate sweetened with traditional whole cane sugar."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cacao butter

Allergen-related information: "No soy, dairy, grain, nuts, refined sugar, or animal products."  

*The phrase "earth notes" covers a lot of territory and can refer to harsher dirt notes, something more balanced and loamy (light mushroom), savory clay, clean mineral (think sidewalks after a rain), or even chalky notes. 

Occasionally you'll hear makers mention "forest floor" notes that might evoke a walk through a rainforest. 

In today's case, this earth note was one of the most pleasing, balanced earth chocolate notes I remember tasting. It was a light two-note chord with a soft, chocolatey, almost nutty, earthiness and a lighter, tropical fruit (almost lychee but not quite)--both arriving on the palette at the same time. 

I'm always grateful for mysterious and beautiful notes like this.

Wm. Chocolate - Extra Dark 85% Cacao Dominican Republic (bar) - Nov. 8, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Wm. Chocolate LLC
Extra Dark 85% Cacao Dominican Republic (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Wm. Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks, with a focus this week on the Dominican Republic.*

Today's Extra Dark 85% Dominican Republic (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Wm. Chocolate LLC (Madison, WI). 

Aroma notes for this ultra-dark bar included: brown sugar/molasses, deep dark chocolate, green, faint dried fruit and Boston brown bread notes. (Later re-tasting: also nut butter - freshly ground peanut butter and dried banana.)

The well-tempered, well-executed and relatively thick chocolate had a thick and creamy melt and texture.

The flavors were intriguingly layered--at once uniformly dark and smooth but also with faint layers of dried fruit (plum, light raisin) in the background--and, about 3/4 way through, fudge brownie that lingered a bit in the finish. In re-tasting this bar, there was a (barely there) fleeting lighter, sweeter fruit notes -- faint flavors of freshly baked, buttered bread with a wisp of light lychee fruit.

William Marx, the talented chocolate maker behind Wm. Chocolate bars, is very skilled at managing and realizing flavor depth in each unique cacao origin/batch he works with--to the point where skill may be mistaken for subtle magic. Do take your time with this Wm. Chocolate bar (and others), or you'll miss a lot along the way. And do re-taste this over time. A well-crafted chocolate will be smooth on the surface, but will reveal hidden facets over the course of a few hours, or even minutes.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cacao butter

Allergen-related information: "No soy, dairy, grain, nuts, refined sugar, or animal products."

*Hispaniola refers to the Caribbean island that encompasses both Haiti (to the West) and the Dominican Republic (to the East). Island nation neighbors include Cuba to the northwest of Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico to the southeast.

The Dominican Republic (DR) is larger than the U.S. state of Maryland, but smaller than West Virginia, and is home to more than 10 million people. It has varied terrain, including rain forests and mountains and areas well-suited to growing cacao.

Almost all DR cacao is shade-grown (under the canopies/leaves) of other trees, such as citrus, banana and avocado; and much of the cacao is Trinitario (variety).

Raaka Chocolate - 70% Pomegranate Orange Dominican Republic (bar) - Nov. 6, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate
70% Cacao Pomegranate Orange Unroasted Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.35 oz. (38 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50.9 g.) in total bar
Calories: 209 calories (estimate) in 3/4 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka.com, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and the Island of Hispaniola Weeks--with a focus this week on the Dominican Republic.*

Today's 70% Cacao Pomegranate Orange Unroasted Dark Chocolate (bar) was crafted by Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY)--with other flavor and sweetener inclusions from Just Date Syrup (San Mateo, CA).

Raaka makes their chocolate using fermented but unroasted cacao. Raaka does not used the term "raw" cacao as temperatures in the fermentation, mixing and fine grinding (e.g. melanging and conching) steps typically exceed 112 degrees (F) (44.4 degrees (C)).

The cacao used for this bar was from Zorzal Cacao (a fermentery, specialty cacao farm and bird sanctuary) in the mountains of the Duarte Province in the Dominican Republic. 

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: dark chocolate (warm, rich cocoa) with faint tangy citrus and red fruit. These concentrated fruit flavors were subtle and well integrated into the dark chocolate and were more discernible in the flavor than the aroma. 

During the tasting of this bar there were also balanced upticks of light earthiness and green notes, as well as very faint sparkles of authentic orange, dried fruit (date, plum), and pomegranate.

This bar had a fairly creamy, smooth texture, had smooth but interesting flavor complexity, and was not too sweet (thank you). It was sweetened with lower-glycemic** organic date sugar and Just Date's pomegranate molasses syrup, giving it a bit more flavor depth.

Maker's tasting notes: "Sweetened with date sugar and Just Date's pomegranate molasses, this bar blends tangy pomegranate with bright orange zest for a refined sugar-free treat."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic date sugar, organic cacao butter, organic pomegranate powder, organic pomegranate syrup, organic orange.

Allergen-related information: "Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free"

*Hispaniola refers to the Caribbean island that encompasses both Haiti (to the West) and the Dominican Republic (to the East). Island nation neighbors include Cuba to the northwest of Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico to the southeast.

The Dominican Republic (DR) is larger than the U.S. state of Maryland, but smaller than West Virginia, and is home to more than 10 million people. It has varied terrain, including rain forests and mountains and areas well-suited to growing cacao.

Almost all DR cacao is shade-grown (under the canopies/leaves) of other trees, such as citrus, banana and avocado; and much of the cacao is Trinitario (variety).

**The date sugar was considered to be "lower glycemic," meaning this food item would be absorbed more slowly, and scores lower on the glycemic index (GI) scale. The result is that blood sugar does not spike as much or as quickly as, e.g., more processed/refined white sugar.

Red Star Chocolate - Duffy's Dark Chocolate Orange 65% (DR) (bar) - Nov. 6, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Duffy's

(Red Star Chocolate)

Duffy's Dark Chocolate Orange 65% bar with single origin DR cacao

Good ++

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar

Calories: 174 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Dominican Republic Theme Week.

Today's Duffy's Dark Chocolate Orange 65% bar--"stone-ground and handmade in Lincolnshire, England"--was a product of Red Star Chocolate Ltd. (Cleethorpes, England). 

This 65% chocolate and citrus bar had a uniform, smooth--and a bit darker/richer chocolate flavor, than expected. (It tasted more like a 70% - 72% cacao chocolate, and that was fine by me.) The single origin cacao was sourced from the Dominican Republic.

Aroma notes included: of dark chocolate, orange and faint floral, spice and bread.

The bar had a creamy melt and texture. It was a pleasing, balanced blend of uniformly smooth yet rich dark chocolate with orange (oil) flavor with a very faint floral cake note.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic sugar, cocoa butter, orange oil and sunflower lecithin.

Allergen-related information: "Soya free, gluten free"

 

Michel Cluizel - Noir 63% Ecorces D'Orange (Dark 63% Orange Peels) (bar) - Nov. 5, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Michel Cluizel

Noir 63% Ecorces D'Orange

(Dark 63% Orange Peels)

Good ++

Weight: 33.3 oz. (1.16 g.) / 100 oz. (3.5 g.) in total bar

Calories: 179.8 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar

Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Noir 63% Ecorces D'Orange (Dark 63% Orange Peels) bar was from Michel Cluizel (Damville, France).

This chocolate had a subtle aroma. This relatively thick bar yielded a smooth, substantial mouthfeel with a sustained creamy melt and texture.

The dark chocolate had smooth and satisfying flavor and malt and butter notes, with occasional sparkles of orange (candied orange peel). The vanilla pod was used sparingly. Overall, it was very nicely balanced, not too sweet (thank you) and quite appealing.

Ingredients: Cocoa, sugar, candied orange peels (13% minimum) (orange, sugar, glucose syrup), cocoa butter, emulsifier (rapeseed lecithin), Bourbon vanilla pod.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of shelled tree nuts, milk and gluten."

Hogarth Chocolate Makers - Sarsaparilla and Orange 68% (bar) - Nov. 4, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Hogarth Chocolate Company Ltd.
Sarsaparilla and Orange 68% Cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 185.6 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Sarsaparilla and Orange 68% Cacao (bar) was from Hogarth Chocolate Company Ltd. (Nelson, New Zealand).

Hogarth makers described sarsaparilla* as a "thirst quenching, slightly spicy tonic, (that's) not so common these days." They combined sarsaparilla with licorice and ginger to achieve this classic spicy flavor (similar to sassafras, horehound, birch beer and/or root beer) and blended it with cacao and orange.

Orange is a challenging flavor to impart in desserts and baked goods. Orange peel loses it's flavor and is often enhanced with orange juice and/or orange oil (and/or artificial flavors) as a result. It also often requires preservatives. (Sugar can also act as a preservative.)

The aroma for this sarsaparilla flavored chocolate with candied orange pieces included: subtle dark/bittersweet chocolate, root-y/herbal, and faint citrus/floral notes.

The bar had a lush, thick, creamy texture with a satisfying melt and mouthfeel.

After a few day of sweet milk chocolates, this less sweet bar was very satisfying. (I admit I have a fairly strong bias toward less sugar, if only because too much sugar obscures flavor nuances.) This orange flavored chocolate was not too sweet. (Thank you!)

The flavor was a mix of dark/bittersweet chocolate and a balanced, yet complex, blend of slightly earthy and naturally sweet root flavors: sarsaparilla, ginger, licorice, and maybe a little inferred arrowroot (cookie) and star anise. These flavors lingered lightly into the finish. 

Tiny islands of sugared orange peel/zest shreds were pressed into the back of the bar. The orange peel provided a subtle, authentic citrus flavor (that complemented the roots/herbs) and contributed a barely there chewy textural element.

Maker's notes: "...aromatic and refreshing, with candied orange pieces for a sweet zesty bite."

Ingredients: Cocoa solids 68% (organic cocoa beans, organic, fair trade cocoa butter), organic sugar, sarsaparilla root, licorice root, ginger root, orange oil; candied orange (orange peel, glucose, sugar, citric acid, preservative E220).

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and nuts."

*Sarsaparilla (actually a group of similar plants in the Smilax genus) is a woody, tropical vine-like plant that can be found in South American rainforests, Jamaica, the Caribbean, Mexico, Honduras, and the West Indies...some of the same places where cacao is grown/originated.

The soft drink known as "sarsaparilla" that was popular many years ago was often made with sassafras, birch, and other roots and herbs. (The taste is said to be similar to sassafras, horehound and "wild sarsaparilla," birch beer and/or root beer.) Due in part to health concerns associated with people consuming too much sassafras and sarsaparilla (e.g., not being cooked in the correct way to make it fully safe), and perhaps cost savings associated with substitutes, the flavors of these herbs/roots are often synthesized in a lab or factory.

Note: The roots of "Wild sarsaparilla" (Aralia nudicaulis)--a North American plant closer to the ginseng family, and not part of the Smilax genus--is sometimes used as a sarsaparilla substitute to flavor root beer and has also been used as a medicinal plant.

Confusing? Yes it is.

Al Nassma Chocolate - Macadamia-Orange Camel Milk Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 3, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Al Nassma Chocolate
Macadamia-Orange Camel Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 198.8 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $8.50 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Macadamia Nut and Orange Zest Camel Milk Chocolate (bar) was produced by Al Nassma Chocolate (Dubai, United Arab Emirates). 

This is the third milk chocolate and orange bar this week. All three have been quite sweet. (Think richer versions of store-bought chocolate orange cupcakes or filled chocolate orange truffles). And some have had aromas and flavors possibly "enhanced" or altered slightly by addition of "natural flavors" or preservatives. 

Those with a sweet tooth will likely enjoy the sweetness. However, if you've cut back on sugar over time, and/or would like to taste more of the cacao and other flavor nuances, too much sugar can be a little overpowering.

Thanks to the unique addition of camel's milk, the texture was smooth and relatively creamy. Tiny bits of mild (macadamia) nuts added some soft crunchy texture, as did the slightly (naturally) chewy flecks of orange zest (outer, flavorful orange peel(s)).

Overall, flavor notes included sustained, uniform sweet chocolate and sweet orange flavor all the way through into the finish.

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa butter, camel milk powder (19%), cocoa mass, macadamia nuts (5%), orange zest (5%), honey, natural flavorings, bourbon vanilla. Cocoa 36% minimum in the chocolate mass.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of other nuts and soy lecithin."

Venchi - Crema Scorzette chocolate (bar) - Nov. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Venchi

Crema Scorzette Arancia Cioccolato Fondente 56% (bar)

(56% Bittersweet Chocolate with Candied Orange Peels Filling (bar))

Good + 

Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar

Calories: 260 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.00 (plus summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Crema Scorzette Arancia Cioccolato Fondente 56% (bar) was from Venchi S.P.A. (Castelletto Stura (CN), Italy. The company's history stretches back to Turin in 1878. The chocolatier became known for their hazelnut nougatine candies dipped in chocolate.

Aroma notes for this bar included an alluring blend of dark chocolate, orange, sweet orange liqueur and faint nut and candied orange peel cake.

Yes, this filled chocolate bar was sweet. However, the smooth, dark, bittersweet chocolate shell (that tasted a bit darker than 56%) that surrounded a soft, golden brown, orange-flavored filling,  helped to balance the sugars. The sweet center included small flecks of candied orange peel that had an authentic, soft chewy texture.

Milk, butter (and cocoa butter), vanilla and other flavorings in this gluten free bar rounded out the chocolate and orange blend.

Ingredients: Chocolate liquor, sugar, glucose syrup, cocoa butter, concentrated milk butter, candied orange peel (orange peel, glucose-fructose syrup, sugar, acidifier, citric acid. (100 g. of orange peels per 100 g. of candied product), whole milk powder, condensed sweetened whole milk - 9% fat (milk, sugar), cocoa powder, water, emulsifier: soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor, natural flavoring, acidifier: citric acid.

Allergen-related information: Contains: milk, soy. May contain: tree nuts.

Zotter - Orange Liqueur Milk Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 1, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter

Orange Liqueur Milk Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.25 (plus summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Orange Liqueur Milk Chocolate (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Cape Coral, FL).

Aroma notes included: slightly boozy, chocolate orange cake, nuts (faint sweet chestnut and almond paste) and brown sugar. Breaking this bar in half exposed a soft, creamy milk chocolate, ganache-style filling (with very tiny shreds of orange if I'm not mistaken). Also released: the subtle but invigorating aroma of fresh orange (juice, fruit).

The overall flavor of this well-executed, get-ready-for-the-holidays blend of orange, chocolate and spirits landed somewhere between a sophisticated, perfectly mixed chocolate lovers cocktail with hints of mild brandy and Cointreau, and an exquisite chocolate and orange chocolate mousse. A judicious amount of vanilla gave this sweet bar some extra floral warmth. 

Layers of complex flavors harmonized together enabled an enjoyable tasting journey. Were it just a filled, sweet milk chocolate bar (sugar was the number one ingredient), this would have been less fun and interesting. Cocoa butter (the number two ingredient) along with real butter (cream) provided richness (and likely a good base for flavor inclusion infusions); and the orange liqueur and real orange fruit and juice contributed flavor depth.

Note: This bar does contain low levels of alcohol.

Ingredients:  Cane sugar, cocoa butter, orange liqueur, sugar, 

 

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy. Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, eggs and sesame."