Qantu Cacao et Chocolat - Noyer Noir Black Walnut 70% (bar) - Oct. 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Qantu Cacao et Chocolat Inc.
Noyer Noir, Black Walnut (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 227 calories in 4/5 bar
Cost: $21.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Black walnuts may be one of the most "umami"* of nuts. And most of us rarely taste true black walnuts. Instead, at least where I live in California, we are usually snacking on the milder English walnuts (aka Persian walnuts).

Today's Noyer Noir, Black Walnut dark chocolate (bar) was created from bean-to-bar by Qantu Cacao et Chocolat Inc. (Montreal, QC, Canada). This 70% bar was a triple tribute to three trees: cacao, black walnut and maple. 

Some describe black walnuts as bold and earthy and even bitter or tannic. But, they're more complex, and more nuanced than that. (I did not detect much earth or bitterness in this black walnut chocolate; although it may have made the base chocolate seem less sweet, which was fine with me.)

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: black walnut, maple, faint and diffuse fruit, and very faint fleeting kalamata olive, forest and floral. 

About 5 seconds into the first bite, there was a bloom of bright fruit-floral flavor. Not too sweet though (thank you). Plenty of complex but elegant (umami) flavor. 

In addition to the fruit (subtle ripe dark berry), there was a trace of almost sweet, tree terpene (gentle pine) in the finish along with unique, not quite floral (orchid, very faint tuberose or lilac) notes. 

It was a very well-executed bar. It seemed to possess just the right amounts of everything. Whatever the cacao source/variety, it was certainly a fine match for the black walnuts--that had a slightly bolder and more complex flavor profile. And the maple seemed like the perfect sweetener.

Not all chocolates evoke thoughts of beverage pairings. However, something in this chocolate made me wonder what a wine pairing would taste like. While I didn't have the opportunity to investigate (I'd also finished the chocolate by that time.) But it might be fun to hunt for matches with this chocolate in the future.

Maker's description: "Eye: caramelized black walnut pieces; Nose: floral like lilac; Mouth: like a good Chardonnay; Finish: fruity with a touch of pine tree"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, black walnut, maple syrup, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: Contains nuts (black walnuts). "May contain traces of milk."

*Umami foods (tomatoes, parmesan cheese, mushrooms, meats, etc.) generally contain fairly high levels of glutamate. In the nut and seed category, almond and walnuts are relatively high in glutamate content.

Green Girl Bakeshop - Reishi Chocolate Plant-Based Superfood Gelato - Oct. 29, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Green Girl Bakeshop

Reishi Plant-Based Superfood Gelato 

Good 

Weight: 1/2 cup (118 mL) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container

Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 cup serving

Cost: $8.89 for 1 container

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Mushroom Theme Week and Day #2 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's Reishi* Chocolate Plant-Based Superfood Gelato was from Green Girl Bakeshop (San Leandro, CA). 

The aroma profile for this gelato included: dark chocolate coconut milk ice cream with woodsy, bitter notes.

The bitter flavor was slightly less than in the aroma. (I'm assuming this tough-to-love flavor came from the reishi mushrooms and not the chocolate.) The rougher, albeit authentic, woody earth (Reishi) mushroom taste contrasted with the smoother, creamy, sweet dark chocolate, plant (coconut milk)-based gelato base. 

I really enjoy umami flavors. The umami in this blend comes from the mushrooms (and nuts I added). (Both mushrooms and nuts contain glutamate/glutamic acid--a common amino acid that vegetable and animal-based umami rich foods share.) I topped this chocolate frozen dessert with some Organic almonds and sea salt, for a little extra umami flavor. 

This bitter-sweet gelato flavor was interesting; but I'm not sure I'd recommend it to people just looking for a culinary highlight. However, it might excite novelty-seekers who are also interested in the possible health benefits of certain mushrooms. 

Props to Green Girl Bakeshop for continuing to offer allergy-friendly gelato flavors with a short list of quality ingredients. (Today's Reishi Chocolate flavor contained/listed just 4 ingredients.)

Ingredients: Organic coconut milk, Organic maple syrup, Organic cacao powder, Organic reishi mushroom.

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut. "Made in a dedicated facility free from dairy, gluten, grains, peanuts, egg, and soy."

*Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) are currently a popular medicinal mushroom (often available in powder and/or extract form) in the U.S. Ganoderma are often used in traditional Chinese medicine. Their earthy, tree bark-like flavor makes them a bit less appealing as a culinary mushroom.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat - Walnut and Chanterelle 80% Cacao (bar) - Oct. 28, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Vosges Haut-Chocolat 
Walnut and Chanterelle 80% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vosges, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Mushroom Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's attractively-packaged Walnut and Chanterelle* 80% Cacao (bar) was from Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Vosges IP, LLC, Chicago, IL). 

The bar was part of the company's LAB collection, and was made using the entire cacao pod (fiber, fruit and seed) and no refined sugars.

The aroma notes for this ultra-dark bar included: freshly baked walnut fudge brownies, roasted cacao nibs, and faint diffuse fruit. 

This well-tempered bar had a crunchy, almost stoneground, texture that worked very effectively. A variety of very tiny flavor bits (including cacao nibs ("seeds")) harmonized nicely and created flavor and textural depth.

There was enough cocoa butter (number one ingredient) to create a pleasing sensation on the palette. (It prevented the feeling of a dry, grainy texture that occasionally occurs in chocolates with a coarser grind (or shorter conch times), while still preserving intact flavors.

It was difficult to single out specific chanterelle mushroom flavor in this blend. However, a very light sparkle of sea salt and walnut "flour" contributed to a subtly satisfying umami experience.

Ingredients: Cocoa butter, unsweetened chocolate processed with alkali, coconut sugar, defatted walnut flour, cacao berry (cacao berry fiber, cacao berry flour), vanilla (maltodextrin, vanilla), cacao fruit puree, chanterelle mushroom powder, Baja Gold salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Walnuts, coconut." "Processed on equipment that also processes milk, soy, wheat, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts."

*Chanterelle mushrooms are popular (and relatively expensive) culinary mushrooms. The golden sun-colored floral trumpet-shaped like fungi are usually eaten cooked (less likely to cause upset stomach if eaten cooked). They have a meaty (umami) texture, and sometimes unique faint yellow stone-fruit (apricot, peach) aroma/flavor notes. 

Standout Chocolate - Nordic Nature Porcini 67% (bar) - Oct. 27, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Standout Chocolate
Nordic Nature Porcini 67% (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150.75 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Mushroom Theme Week, featuring cacao-based items blended with a range of edible, non-psychoactive fungi, including: chaga, chanterelle, cordyceps, lion's mane, porcini, reishi, shitake, and others.

Today's Nordic Nature Porcini 67% (bar) was made by Standout Chocolate (Kallered, Sweden).

The rich blend of aroma notes for this Swedish craft chocolate dark bar included: dark, sweet chocolate; cream of mushroom soup; faint nut and fruit (dark ripe berry); and almost undetectable roasted red bell pepper notes. The texture (in cool weather) was thick and creamy.

Flavor notes included robust, fruit (berry) forward dark, slightly earthy, chocolate (more like a 75% cacao chocolate than a 67%). Any mushroom notes were relegated to the back seat--other than a very faint, fleeting whisp of nutty cream soup. 

The finish of this flavorful bar was more like a dessert course, with clearer, sweet, dark berry-bright and acidic notes.

Creating this well executed bar, made with cacao produced by Oko Caribe in the Duarte Province of the Dominican Republic, must have involved a balancing act between too sweet and too dark, between showcasing the relatively bold and fruity flavors of the DR cacao and allowing some smooth and satisfying mushroom umami notes to shine through. We enjoyed the end product.

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

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of milk.

*Porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis)--"piglets" in Italian--likely due to their plump or chubby appearance--can be found growing in countries across the Northern hemisphere (including Europe, North America), and cooler countries in the Southern Hemisphere (such as New Zealand). They grow at the base of trees in forests and at the edge of forest clearings. 

They are a bit more flavorful than common mushrooms, with a meaty texture and woodsy, earthy and slightly nutty notes; and they're used in a variety of pasta, rice and other savory dishes.

 

Herbal Cacao - Chaga and Cacao Medicinal Drinking Chocolate - Oct. 26, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Herbal Cacao 
Chaga and Cacao Medicinal Drinking Chocolate
Good +
Weight : .35 oz. (10 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 60 calories in 1 wedge (1/10 package)
Cost: $19.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Chaga and Cacao Medicinal Drinking Chocolate was from Herbal Cacao (Groningen, NL).

Aroma notes for this chocolate blend included: forest (wood), very faint green (stalks, wood), subtle, fleeting diffuse dark red berry, cacao, and vegetable (red bell pepper/ripe red tomato, mushroom red sauce). (Later, after the chocolate sat on a plate in the open air for a few hours, very light spice (cinnamon) and vanilla became more detectable.)

Flavor notes for the chaga,* cacao and spice blend included fibrous plant/wood, dried chilis, fruit (apple), fleeting bitter cacao notes--suffused with a hot, spicy kick (cayenne pepper).

Once melted and whisked, the texture was smoother than expected, almost velvety. (I melted this slowly in a small quantity of warm water.)

The un-sweet chocolate (think a 100% cacao bar or drinking chocolate with flavor inclusions) had an untamed complexity about it that transported me to a Central American jungle in Southern Belize. This was a two forest fiesta. (The cacao was from Belize (warm forest); the chaga* was harvested in Siberia (cold forest.) Ceylon cinnamon, cayenne pepper and vanilla added authentic flavor depth and interest.

Overall, this unsweetened blend grew on me over time. However, sweetening it a bit--with a bite of another, smoother, stevia-sweetened dark chocolate--made the woody and wild notes recede a little, and made the drinking chocolate more approachable. I could see this as a flavorful addition to other items. (While the directions advise against boiling it as some of the health benefits may diminish, perhaps it could be chopped and melted on warm breads or low-sugar brownies.)

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Inonotuus Obliguus (chaga mushroom powder), ceylon cinnamon, cayenne pepper, vanilla

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging.)

*Chaga mushrooms are described as having an earthy, slightly bitter flavor; and as containing a form of natural vanilla-adjacent flavor. Some have described them as having a coffee-like flavor.

As with other mushroom flavor inclusions this week, this fungus is non-psychoactive. (Note: chaga mushrooms contain antioxidants and have health benefits, but are also high in oxalates, which are not great for those with kidney issues/prone to kidney stones.)

Chaga is native to colder climates in the Northern Hemisphere (Canada, Alaska, Russia, Northern Europe). It appears as a dark protrusion on (birch and other) trees.

Cherie Sweet Heart - Cacao and Reishi - Oct. 25, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Cherie Sweet Heart 

Cacao and Reishi

Good - Good +

Weight: 2 Tablespoons (15 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package

Calories: 60 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package

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

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

Today's Cherie Sweet Heart Organic Cacao and Reishi* (mushroom) blend was manufactured for Sweet Heart Group Ltd (City of Industry, CA).

Aroma notes for this blend included: subtle, slightly savory (mushroom soup) note and cocoa.

After a few minutes of stirring this powdered blend with water and letting it sit for a while, the resulting beverage was smooth, with no powdery grit.

This unsweetened, two-ingredient blend was unadorned with any sugars, sweeteners or fillers, and it had bold cacao and earthy mushroom flavor with a slightly bitter finish. (It was hard to tell whether this bitterness was from the cacao or the mushroom powder, or both.)

Ingredients: Organic cacao powder, organic reishi mushroom powder

Allergen-related information: (None listed/found on packaging.) "Organic, Non-GMO, Plant-based"

*Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) are non-psychoactive mushrooms, native to East Asia but also found in the Americas and elsewhere, that have an earthy, somewhat bitter flavor. 

They have a relatively tough texture, and look like semi-circular shelf fungus (bracket fungus)--typically growing on the side of hardwood and conifer trees. (As with any wild foraging, make sure you consult an expert before hunting for yourself.)

The taste has been described using words like "tree bark-like." This may explain why you won't see the reishi mushroom on many restaurant menus. Instead, it may be listed more in medicinal and health-related items. (Note: reishi may lower blood pressure and increase blood clotting time; so consult your health professional if you're on medication(s) or have questions.)

Four Sigmatic - "Perform" Mushroom Cacao Mix with Cordyceps - Oct. 24, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Four Sigmatic 

"Perform" - Mushroom Cacao Mix with Cordyceps 

Good +

Weight: .21 oz. (6 g.) in 1 packet

Calories: 25 calories in 1 single-serving packet

Cost: $2.09 for 1 packet

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's "Perform" Mushroom Cacao Mix with Cordyceps was manufactured for Four Sigmatic Foods Inc. (Santa Monica, CA).

Aroma notes for this dairy-free cacao blend included: gentle warm spice, light citrus, very faint sweet warm mint/menthol, and subtle cocoa.

This lightly sweetened (coconut sugar), subtle warm cocoa was livened up with the spicy flavor of ginger. I did feel a little lift after drinking this; it may have been from the ginger.

I did not detect any noticeable texture or flavor from the added cordyceps mushroom extract. Mushrooms, in general, often have a slightly savory, umami flavor with earthy and/or nutty notes. Cordyceps mushrooms tend to have a more mild flavor, sometimes with a very slightly sweet finish.

Ingredients: Organic cacao powder, organic coconut palm sugar, organic cordyceps extract (500 mg), organic ginger powder.

Allergen-related information: "Contains Tree Nuts (Coconut)."

Dream Pops - Chocolate Lion Pops - Oct. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dream Pops LLC

Chocolate Lion (frozen pops)

Good ++ 

Weight: 1.42 fl. oz. (42 mL) / 5.68 fl. oz. (168 mL) in total package of 4 pops

Calories: 80 calories in 1 pop

Cost: $ (N/A - bought by a friend; thank you Don!)

Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate, Mushroom and Umami* Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Lion Dream Pops were from Dream Pops LLC (Los Angeles, CA), a company offering a line of frozen, non-dairy, plant-based frozen desserts. These coconut milk-based chocolate frozen pops contained Lion's Mane mushroom powder.

These pops reminded me of the frozen fudge Popsicle (Fudgesicle Fudge Pops) and similar chocolate pops I enjoyed as a child. Both had a smooth, frozen creamy texture, and frozen hot cocoa flavor. 

If I didn't know these dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free chocolate pops contained mushroom, I might have missed this fact. The mushroom powder had a very faint, mild flavor--barely detectable toward the "finish," as ingredients warmed and melted in the mouth.* The coconut milk also had a very faint flavor. 

Props to Dream Pops for creating these tasty, relatively low sugar (coconut sugar) frozen pops, with a short list of ingredients, and no artificial ingredients, gums or emulsifiers listed.

Ingredients: Coconut milk, organic coconut sugar, cacao powder, lion's mane mushroom powder, chocolate extract, vanilla extract.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Coconut."

*Lion's mane mushrooms have mild sweet earthy flavor, that some liken to seafood (lobster or crab). Most people I know suggest eating it cooked. (In its uncooked form, this almost fluffy-looking ivory-colored fungus looks a little like a lion's mane.)

Chocolarder - Wild Gorse Flower 50% Milk Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 22, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolarder
Wild Gorse Flower 50% Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 401 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Wild Gorse Flower 50% Milk Chocolate (bar) was from small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Chocolarder (Falmouth (Cornwall), England, U.K.). 

Aroma notes for this bar included sweet milk chocolate and floral coconut. 

You'll be forgiven if you swear this four-ingredient, milk chocolate bar contained coconut. It did not. Pretty yellow gorse flowers (Ulex europaeus) bloom in the spring on spiny bushes across the Cornish landscape (where today's chocolate company is based). While painful to pick, these wild flowers when infused into cream--or, in today's case steeped in cocoa butter-- yield a "...heady, warm coconut scent..."

Yes, this 50% cacao bar was smooth and sweet, but I also enjoyed the special opportunity to sample the warm floral coconut + milk chocolate flavors. I did wonder what a 60% version might taste like; but generally there are reasons chocolate makers have when selecting more or less sugar.

There was no cacao (country of) origin listed on the bar's packaging. (However, previous versions of this bar were made with cacao grown in Nicaragua.)

There was something wonderful, akin to virtual travel, that I felt as I read about the chocolate maker's treasured, albeit prickly, local (botanical) flavor inclusion. The description was engaging as well as informative.*

Maker's tasting notes: "Warming toasted coconut with hints of fudge and hazelnut ending in light red fruit."

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, unrefined raw sugar, milk powder (milk), gorse flowers.

Allergen-related information: "Made in a factory that also handles tree nuts."

*Gorse bushes can offer cover/habitat for "many insects and birds, such as Stonechats, Dartford Warblers, and Yellowhammers...During their bloom, clouds of warm coconut scent drift on the breeze...and are integral to our nostalgia for the long unmitigated summers of childhood..."

"Traditionally, Gorse has had many roles aside from its burst of coconut fragrance as we trek the coastal paths. The dry branches can be gathered for an effective fuel, used in bread ovens and stoves, and when bound together could form an efficient chimney brush. The flowers have also been used in wine-making and cordials, but more surprisingly the vibrant yellow has been used in making colours for Easter eggs."

"Larder fact: Picking gorse flowers really, really hurts."

While I may never have the privilege of seeing a Dartford Warbler (bird), I can picture the landscape and the town of botanical origin mentioned here as clearly as if I was taking a hike along a coastal path there.

Kuli Kuli - Mint Chip Super Bark Dark Chocolate Superfood Snack - Oct. 21, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Kuli Kuli
Mint Chip Super Bark Dark Chocolate Superfood Snack
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4.2 oz. (119 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Mint Chip Super Bark Dark Chocolate Superfood Snack was distributed by Kuli Kuli, Inc. (Oakland, CA).

Aroma notes for these two-bite sized, roughly rectangular, dark chocolate pieces included relatively aromatic mint, chocolate and other faint botanical and light seed notes.

Dark chocolate was interspersed with tiny bits of coconut, chia seeds (as well as puffed quinoa and breadfruit flour), yielding very faint green/botanical (moringa powder*), very slightly malty dark chocolate and mint flavors, with a hint of sea salt. Not too sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: Chocolate liquor, Kuli Kuli Proprietary Blend (organic cacao nibs, organic moringa powder, organic moringa coated coconut [flaked coconut, organic moringa powder], organic black chia seeds, puffed quinoa, breadfruit flour), erythritol, inulin (extract of chicory root), cocoa butter, sea salt, soy lecithin, vanilla, Reb A (extract of stevia), peppermint oil 

Allergen-related information: Contains soy, coconut. "Processed in a facility that also processes dairy, eggs, peanuts, wheat and tree nuts."

*Kuli Kuli offers several moringa-containing products. Moringa oleifera is a nutrient-dense green plant native to southern Asia (India, Pakistan) and Africa. The plant is also known as the drumstick tree and/or the miracle tree.

Zotter - Mi-Xing bar - "Flower Power" - Oct. 20, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
Mi-Xing bar - "Flower Power"
Good +
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 300 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar (+ warm weather shipping charge)
Purchased from: Zotter, online order 

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

Flowers are botanicals. One can argue cacao and many chocolates are botanicals. 

Today's "Flower Power Mi-Xing bar created by Zotter (Austria). It was a generously-sized, flower-shaped milk chocolate bar adorned with embedded flower and fruit flourishes.

Aroma notes for this pretty bar included different gradations of chocolate (milk, white) as well as flower and fruit notes.

The bar was relatively thick, with a creamy mouthfeel and texture.

This bar contained different levels of milk chocolate (40% and 50%), some decorative swirls of white chocolate, and what looked like candied flavor bits. 

Delicate clusters of dried cornflowers (petals) added blue violet color. And tiny "crunchy fruit" and caramel baubles (candy) were imbued with 1.) bright sparkles of tart-sweet passion fruit and 2.) caramel-flavored candy-coated cacao nibs, respectively--creating a nice flavor "reveal" when bitten into, and some welcome flavor complexity.

Ingredients: (Ingredients no longer listed online; product may no longer be available.)

Allergen-related information: Contained milk. 

Standout Chocolate - Nordic Nature Spruce Shoots 66% (bar) - Oct. 19, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Standout Chocolate

Nordic Nature Spruce Shoots 66% (bar)

Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 144.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Organic and vegan Nordic Nature Spruce Shoots 66% (bar) was handcrafted by chocolate maker Fredrik Martinsson and team at Standout Chocolate (Kallered, Sweden).

Aroma and flavor notes included tart sweet green and citrus as well as very faint evergreen forest notes.

The cacao used to make this bar was grown in the Dominican Republic and it provided dark rich flavor (Forastero-Trinitario hybrid cacao variety perhaps?) with one faint, fleeting flicker of earth. The sugar, chocolate and spruce together created a nicely-balanced red berry-citrus like sweetness.

I highly recommend this unique and tasty spruce tip flavored bar for chocolate lovers who also enjoy botanicals and edible plants. No surprise--coming from an area where evergreens are enjoyed and appreciated--the spruce flavor in this chocolate was particularly wonderful.*

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter, organic spruce shoots.

Allergen-related information: May contain milk.

*Native Americans also used edible Spruce tips (as well as spruce "gum" (resin) and occasionally inner bark) for medicinal purposes. And European explorers learned to stave off scurvy with these Vitamin C rich botanicals. Occasionally I am able to find Douglas Fir and/or spruce tree tip teas; but they're a rare commercial find in the U.S.

Siddha Chocolate - Cool Calm 65% Cacao + Coconut Crunch - Oct. 18, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Siddha Chocolate

Cool Calm 65% Cacao + Coconut Crunch

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total package

Calories: 240 calories in 1 package

Cost: $4.00 (sale) for 1 package

Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Siddha Chocolate Cool Calm 65% Cacao + Coconut Crunch (bar) was from Siddha Remedies (Oxnard, CA). The company offers a range of flower essences, botanically-linked products and a line of chocolates.

Aroma notes for this organic, vegan and keto-friendly bar included: hushed, sweet cocoa and very faint floral and sweet green, and even fainter coconut.

The sweetness (organic coconut sugar) in this 65% cacao chocolate was pleasant and not too sweet. It was balanced by smooth cocoa, and very faint sweet herb and floral notes.

The Siddha Remedies tagline read: "elevate your nature." The use of tailored remedies in this chocolate to achieve this goal included: "10 calming herbs (and) 3 flower essences" along with 7 g. of fiber and 2 g. of coconut sugar. (For details, see Ingredient listed below.)

Ingredients: Organic cocoa mass, organic cacao butter, organic coconut sugar, organic dried coconut, organic VitaFiber(tm) (IMO; prebiotic fiber), organic erythritol, organic yacon, organic sunflower lecithin, passion flower, zizyphus seed, albizia bark, L-theanine, lemon balm leaf, shilajit, organic vanilla, organic lemon peel, chamomile flower, pink salt, hops flower, valerian root, kava root, bloodroot flower essence, buttercup flower essence, coffee flower essence

Allergen-related information: (No specific allergy information listed. "...Low sugar, high fiber, stevia free, vegan, 96% organic ingredients")

Siddha Chocolate - Clean Cacao 70% Cacao + Vitamin D3 - Oct. 17, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Siddha Chocolate

Clean Cacao 70% Cacao + Vitamin D3 

Good ++

Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total package

Calories: 240 calories in 1 package

Cost: $4.00 (sale) for 1 package

Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Siddha Chocolate Clean Cacao 70% Cacao + Vitamin D3 was from Siddha Remedies (Oxnard, CA). The company offers flower essences and remedies "to elevate your nature" including a line of chocolates with different botanical inclusions.

This chocolate, made with organic cacao, had a naturally sweet (slightly floral) and cocoa (light chocolate cookie) fragrance.

Smooth dark chocolate flavor was accented with a very slight dose of coconut sugar, vanilla salt (pink salt), and very faint floral (12 flower essences) and citrus (lemon peel) touches. I also experienced barely there chocolate malt and diffuse red fruit notes.

Additional sweetness in this keto-friendly, vegan chocolate was provided by erythritol and yacon. 

Overall this genteel, floral chocolate offers something for most health-conscious chocolate lovers, particularly those enamored with all flowers and all things botanical.

Ingredients: Organic cacao mass, organic cacao butter, organic coconut sugar, organic VitaFiber(tm), (IMO; prebiotic fiber), organic erythritol, organic yacon, organic sunflower lecithin, organic vanilla, organic lemon peel, pink salt, Vitamin D, cabbage rose flower essence, chestnut rose flower essence, china rose flower essence, damask rose flower essence, Kamchatka rose flower essence, old rose flower essence, rose alba flower essence, rosa hardii flower essence, rosa horrida flower essence, rosa macrophylla flower essence, sulphur rose flower essence, virginia rose flower essence.

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut (sugar)

Dr. Bronner's - Magic All-One Chocolate - Peppermint Cream Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - Oct. 16, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's 

Magic All-One Chocolate

Cool Peppermint Cream Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.93 oz. (54.78 g.) / 2.93 oz. (83 g.) in total bar

Calories: 340 calories (per label) in 2/3 bar

Cost: $ N/A - company supplied and sent samples

Purchased from: N/A - company supplied samples

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

Today's Magic All-One Chocolate - Cool Peppermint Cream Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) was made in Switzerland and distributed by Dr. Bronner's (Vista, CA).

Dr. Bronner's is a U.S.-based, family-owned company ("family soapmakers since 1858"), best known for their organic soaps, that (full disclosure) I have used at home for many years. One of their most historically popular soap scents was peppermint. 

In 2021 the company introduced a line of six Organic, fair trade (fair for life) certified chocolate bars, with an emphasis on regenerative farming and ethical supply chains. (Cocoa is from Ghana and the Ivory Coast.)*

But, there was no mint, specifically peppermint, flavor in the initial Dr. Bronner's 2021 Magic All-One Chocolate line-up. This fall (2022), an eagerly anticipated Peppermint bar has become available; and it was worth the wait.

Peppermint Cream Dark Chocolate 70% 

Aroma notes for this organic, gluten-free bar included: a harmonious blend of rich, chocolate (fudge brownie, very faint lemon herb (oxalis)), very faint coconut and maple (tree sap), and menthol (peppermint).

The aroma immediately put me at ease that this was not going to be an overly sweet chocolate bar with a blast of amped up, sugary mint flavoring. Nor was the relatively bold 70% chocolate going to be overly sharp/bitter. And these first impressions were all true. 

The smooth, but relatively flavorful dark chocolate (made with what tasted like a milder, well-balanced Forastero variety of cacao) held a natural caramel-colored filling that was judiciously sweetened (with organic coconut sugar). And, it was infused with the perfect amount of authentic peppermint--enough to impart a little warmth and authentic botanical mint glow-- without the after-dinner-mint or mint toothpaste-level of sweetness. 

The gentler, harmonic flavor complexity showed what more subtle, authentic mint can offer. And the judicious use of the less buzzy (lower glycemic) coconut palm sugar reminded me why I've used Dr. Bronner's soaps all these years. They offer all of what I do want, and none of what I don't want or need. (Thank you!)

Ingredients: Fair trade organic cocoa beans, fair trade organic coconut sugar, fair trade organic cocoa butter, organic sunflower oil, organic peppermint oil, fair trade organic bourbon vanilla bean. 

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that processes almonds, hazelnuts, milk, coconut and soy." 

*The company's work with cocoa farmers in West Africa was a natural extension of work already underway with sustainably harvested palm oil (used in soaps). The current Bronner management team also continues in honoring their grandfather's (founder Emanuel Bronner's) philosophy--bits of which are printed on Dr. Bronner soap and chocolate labels.

"....we are all-one or none" appeared on the pieces of chocolate I enjoyed today. Still as relevant a sentiment today as it was in the 1900s.

Shekoh Confections - Saffron - Oct. 15, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Shekoh Confections

Saffron

Weight: .49 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece

Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $4.45 for 1 piece ($22.25 for 5-piece box)

Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Botanicals Theme Week, that will feature cacao blended with flowers, leaves (herbs), spices, trees, and other plant-based inclusions.

Today's Saffron filled chocolate was from Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA). Shekoh Moossavi, the company's chief chef and chocolate-maker, produces a variety of high-end chocolate confections. All her (Valrhona dark and white chocolate based) confections so far that I've tasted have been well-executed and wonderful.

Saffron

I love saffron, in savory and sweet dishes. This spice is made up of tiny aromatic botanical threads (the vivid red-orange stamens harvested from purple crocus flowers) that contribute a unique flavor and sunny yellow color.

Aroma notes for this Saffron chocolate included: chocolate (dark chocolate with faint lemon herb (oxalis) and very faint earth), and soft, layered, floral spice (saffron).

An impossibly thin white chocolate (pale sky blue) shell covered a soft, creamy golden saffron infused white chocolate interior. The dark chocolate base layer formed the base of this angelic domed confection, providing just the right amount of chocolate grounding with true dark chocolate and very faint earth notes (without taking away from the lighter elements).

This chocolate had an architectural beauty to it with light blue sky above, the dark earth below, and a golden heaven of saffron sunshine in the middle.

No ingredients formally listed (or allergen information) on assortment "to go" box.

Zotter - 60% Milk Chocolate with Coconut Blossom Sugar - Oct. 14, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
60% Milk Chocolate with Coconut Blossom Sugar (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zotterusa.com, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's 60% Milk Chocolate with Coconut Blossom Sugar (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Cape Coral, FL).*

Aroma notes for this 60% dark milk bar included: graham cracker, faint coconut cookie, very faint lemon-green herb (oxalis, sorrel, sour grass), very faint, diffuse fruit (mild red berry, mild sweet citrus) and barely there floral (vanilla) and caramel notes.

This approachable chocolate had gentle complexity, mellowed by vanilla and milk. A judicious amount of vanilla bean powder added pleasing flavor and implied sweetness. And milk added creaminess. The 60% cacao milk chocolate was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. 

The bar was sweetened with a generous dose of coconut blossom sugar. (Coconut blossom sugar is collected/harvested from high up in the canopy of coconut palm trees, and is lower on the glycemic index (scale) than white cane sugar.) This coconut blossom-based sugar imparts a nice, mild flavor and less sugar buzz--even in today's bar where it comprised 23% of this bar's constituents.

Ingredients: Organic, fair traded cocoa mass; organic, fair traded coconut blossom sugar (23%); dry whole milk; organic, fair traded cocoa butter; salt; organic vanilla bean powder.

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

*The company's Florida-based operation in the U.S. was affected by Hurricane Ian recently (Fall 2022) and there may be delays in ordering certain products. 

Momotombo - Milk Chocolate, Cranberries, Almonds, Coconut (bar) - Oct. 13, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Momotombo
(Momotombo Chocolate Factory)
Milk Chocolate, Cranberries, Almonds, Coconut (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 315 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Milk Chocolate, Cranberries, Almonds, Coconut (bar) was from Chocolate Momotombo (Managua, Nicaragua). The company offers a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates and confections using Nicaragua-grown cacao.

Aroma notes for this bar included: chocolate (slightly earthy, buttery fudge brownie), very faint red fruit (berry) and very, very faint green (lemon-mint green tea and chocolate cookie).

This well-executed bar had a creamy, fudgey texture interspersed with tiny crunchy/crispy nut bits (almonds, coconut) and small pieces of chewy dried tart red fruit (cranberry). 

The smooth, creamy dark milk chocolate was flavorful and not overly sweet (thank you!). It contained just the right amount of nut and fruit inclusions. (The coconut was very subtle.) The results: a balanced blend of elegant, high-quality ingredients with nuanced flavor depth and pleasant (slightly addicting) complexity. 

The cranberry and faint warm spice notes (faint cinnamon and cardamom, very faint ginger) made me think of a fall/winter holiday spiced latte.

Ingredients: Cacao, powdered milk, sugar, cranberries, coconut, almonds.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, nuts (almonds), coconut.

Truffettes de France - Pumpkin Spice Flavored Cocoa Truffles - Oct. 12, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Truffettes de France
Pumpkin Spice Flavored Cocoa Truffles
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) in total package/box
Calories: 190 calories in one (4-piece) serving
Cost: $2.99 for 1 package/box of approx. 20 truffles
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

It's autumn, and pumpkin spice-spiked items are everywhere. Today's Chocmod Truffettes de France Pumpkin Spice Flavored Cocoa Truffles were made in Canada and Imported by Chocmod USA (Fort Lee, NJ).

Aroma notes for these gluten free, seasonal, confections dusted with cocoa powder included: pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin latte, very faint green nut and cocoa.

Notably, the first ingredient listed on the label was vegetable oil (coconut oil). Coconut oil offers a reliably creamy smoothness (even creamier if paired with coconut milk or cream) to chocolate confections. The choice of coconut oil created a satisfying, soft, chocolatey, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Flavor notes included: very sweet, rich chocolatey cocoa, and pumpkin pie spices. The cocoa used was alkalized, resulting in lower acidity and bitterness levels. Whey powder also likely contributed to a mild and sweet (lactose) taste.

Ingredients: Vegetable oil (coconut oil, mixed tocopherols), sugar, cocoa powder processed with alkali, whey powder, natural flavors, soy lecithin.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Milk, soy." (Also contains coconut oil.) "May contain: Tree nuts."

Chloe - Coconut Dipped Pops (frozen) - Oct. 11, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Chloe

Coconut Dipped Pops (frozen)

Good +

Weight: 2.5 fl. oz. (74 ml) / 10 fl. oz. (295 ml) in total package of 4 bars

Calories: 180 calories (per label) in 1 bar

Cost: $2.99 for 1 package/box of 4 bars

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

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

Today's frozen Coconut Dipped Pops were manufactured for Chloe's (New York, NY).

As with most frozen items, the aroma for the Coconut Dipped Pops was fairly faint. Cold, dry air slows down molecules and volatiles.

The texture for this frozen pop was above average for a frozen treat. It felt cohesive (and creamy even in its icy, compact form) and had a satisfying melt. 

The chocolate coating (that covered the top part (approximately half) of the pop) provided a complementary texture and chocolatey flavor that meshed well with the coconut.

Ingredients: 

Coconut pop: Coconut cream, water, cane sugar, tapioca syrup, natural coconut flavor, coconut. Contains less than 0.5% of: sunflower lecithin, locust bean gum.

Chocolate Coating: Cane sugar, coconut oil, cocoa processed with alkali, chocolate liquor, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor. 

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut. 

Bulletproof - Chocolate Dipped Collagen Bar Coconut - Oct. 10, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Bulletproof 360, Inc. 
Chocolate Dipped Collagen Bar - Coconut 
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Coconut Chocolate Dipped Collagen Bar was distributed by Bulletproof 360, Inc. (Seattle, WA). 

Aroma notes for this bar included: tree (maple) syrup, chocolate, and slightly nutty and sweet coconut "nougat." The softly crunchy bar interior was covered with a layer of smooth dark chocolate. 

The combined flavors and texture exceeded my expectations. (I brace myself a little when I sample energy/protein style bars and see "natural flavors" in the ingredients list.) Yes, this designed-to-be-functional, keto friendly (Net 3 g. carbs), protein bar wasn't single origin dark chocolate, but it was surprisingly tasty.

Bulletproof founder, Dave Asprey, has focused on aspects of nutrition and longevity. Collagen (grass-fed) proteins are often featured in their offerings. Today's Collagen Bar contained 7 grams of protein (about the same amount of protein in 1 egg; or 1 ounce (28 g.) of cheese; or 1.25 oz. /(35.37 g.) of almonds).*

Ingredients: Cashew butter, chocolate coating (unsweetened  chocolate, inulin, erythritol, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, stevia leaf extract), inulin, hydrolyzed collagen, MCT oil powder (caprylic and capric acid triglycerides from highly refined coconut oil, coconut oil, tapioca dextrin), coconut. Less than 2% of: safflower or sunflower oil, sunflower lecithin, natural flavors, sea salt, organic stevia leaf extract.

Allergen-related information: Contains: coconut, cashews, milk. "Processed in a facility that also processes peanuts, egg, soy, milk, wheat, tree nuts."

*The amino acids that form the building blocks of collagen are important. Collagen proteins play an important role in healthy skin, hair and joints. (Collagen protein contains 19 amino acids, and is especially rich in glycine, hydroxyproline and proline.) Bulletproof protein offerings include mostly Type 1 and Type 3 collagen proteins. For more information, visit their website, https://www.bulletproof.com/

Mission Chocolate - Ao Leite De Coco (Coconut Milk Chocolate) - Oct. 9, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Mission Chocolate

Ao Leite De Coco (Coconut Milk Chocolate) (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++ 

Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar

Calories: 163.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Ao Leite De Coco (Coconut Milk Chocolate) bar was created by Arcelia Gallardo at Mission Chocolate (Rua Novo York (São Paulo) Brazil).

Aroma notes for this relatively creamy coconut milk chocolate included: warm spice, rich hot chocolate, faint diffuse fruit (citrus) and very faint coconut.

Balanced, pleasingly complex flavor notes for this 4-ingredient bar mirrored the aroma notes mentioned above, but with more warm chocolate depth (hot cocoa, chocolate ganache).

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic sugar, cocoa butter, coconut milk. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain wheat, oats, milk, almonds, hazelnuts, cashew nut, Brazil nut, nuts: macadamia, pecan, pistachios, pinoli (pine nut), and natural latex. May contain traces of gluten."

Baiani Chocolates - Dark Chocolate with Tapioca and Coconut 65% (bar) - Oct. 8, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Baiani Chocolates

Dark Chocolate with Tapioca and Coconut 65% (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.02 oz. (29 g.) / 2.04 oz. (58 g.) in total bar

Calories: 150 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Baiani Chocolates Dark Chocolate with Tapioca and Coconut 65% (bar) was produced by Kakawa Agro., Arataca, BA, Brazil.* 

Bahia-based Baiani Chocolates offers "tree to bar" chocolate bars, made using Brazilian cacao.* The company's history dates back to the Pinheiro and Aquino families "involved in cacao culture since the end of the 19th century."

Aroma notes for this family breakfast treat inspired bar included: dark chocolate (cocoa, drinking chocolate), earth and coconut. The smooth dark chocolate was peppered with tiny crispy tapioca bits.

Flavor notes included: earthy dark chocolate with faint coconut, and very faint, fleeting clean mineral toward the finish. (The tapioca did not have a detectable flavor, but added textural interest.) 

The relatively bold dark chocolate and judicious amounts of tapioca and coconut, kept this chocolate from being too sweet. (Thank you.) I tasted a few tiny morsels of authentic-tasting, unsweetened (or very lightly sweetened) coconut in the mix; however, the coconut was a subtle background flavor overall.

Ingredients: Single origin cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, tapioca and coconut.

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

*Produced in the State of Bahia in Eastern Brazil, at Vale Potumuju in Arataca, Brazil. "Our cacao is grown in an agroforestry system known as "Cabruca", protected by the canopy of native hardwood and fruit trees of the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia state, one of the most biodiverse biomes on the planet."

The company is committed and passionate about their mission, describing their artisanal chocolate making process as extending... "From Cacao To Soul."

Standout Chocolate - Vegan Coconut Milk 60% (bar) - Oct. 7, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Standout Chocolate
Vegan Coconut Milk 60% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 157.75 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Coconut Milk 60% (bar) was from Standout Chocolate (Kållered, Sweden).

Aroma notes for this creamy smooth chocolate included: elegant rich chocolate (warm cocoa, brownie), smooth coconut, and faint fruit and mild nut notes.

The cacao used to make this chocolate (from Oko Caribe) was grown in the Duarte Province in northeast Dominican Republic. (The coconut was harvested in Sri Lanka and the Philippines.)

Ingredients: Cacao beans, cane sugar, coconut milk powder, cacao butter

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut. (May contain traces of milk.) "Organic cacao content 60%"

Shekoh Confections - Coconut filled chocolate - Oct. 6, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections 
Coconut filled chocolate
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .4 oz. (11,32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece 
Calories: 62 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $4.45 (estimate) for 1 piece (one piece in a 5-piece box) + tax
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Coconut filled chocolate was created by Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (fudge brownie), very faint tart lemon green herb (oxalis, sorrel), and coconut (very slightly fruity coconut, coconut water).

Texture(s) in this small, filled chocolate dome were very smooth. A velvety, ultra-thin dark chocolate shell covered a very creamy, Valrhona white chocolate, coconut infused interior. 

The toasted coconut flavored ganache (filling) was accented with a subtle hint of coconut liqueur. Bold (but smooth), slightly earth dark chocolate prevented this confection from being too sweet. The result: flavor depth and rich, complementary flavor complexity. 

Maker's description: Coconut infusion, toasted shredded coconut, Valrhona white chocolate, coconut liqueur.

Ingredients: (No label with exact ingredients)

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut

Marou - Coconut Milk Chocolate 53% Popped Rice (bar) - Oct. 5, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat

Coconut Milk Chocolate 53% and Popped Rice (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.20 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Xin chao (hello) and welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Vietnam Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Coconut Milk Chocolate 53% and Popped Rice (bar) was made by Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat (Ho Chi Minh City), in southern Vietnam.

Aroma notes for this single origin chocolate bar included: authentic coconut (coconut milk), dark chocolate, crisped rice (marshmallow treats) and very faint (likely implied) sweet vanilla wafer/cookie.

This high-end 53% coconut milk chocolate (single serving bar) was wrapped to look like a candy or snack bar (even though the pretty green and gold colors in the packaging signaled something more high-end). But, when I took the first bite, I knew I was on an interesting and lush flavor journey. It was satisfying aggregation of velvety, creamy and crunchy textures.

The flavor notes had more layered depth (and authentic quality) than most coconut and chocolate confections you'll find. These notes included (as advertised/expected) a well-executed, flavorful blend of rich dark chocolate (fudge brownie), sweet coconut (milk) and crispy rice flakes.

Warning: mildly addictive if you like coconut and dark chocolate. Tasted more like a darker chocolate, while at the same time being approachable for milk chocolate fans. 

Ingredients: Cacao nibs, cane sugar, coconut milk powder (coconut milk, glucose syrup), popped rice, cacao butter

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut. Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs.

Solstice Chocolate - 70% Dak Nong Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 4, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Solstice Chocolate, Inc.
70% Dak Nong Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Solstice Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 70% Dak Nong Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Solstice Chocolate, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT). Solstice is a small batch, craft chocolate maker that offers a variety of single origin chocolate bars.

The cacao used to make this 70% dark chocolate was grown in Dak Nong province, located in the central highlands of southern Vietnam.

Aroma notes for this dark chocolate included: dark chocolate (fudge, dark ganache), dried fruit (prune, date), very faint green earth, and fleeting and faint sweet almond marzipan and mocha (very faint roasted coffee). 

This chocolate yielded a smooth, almost silky texture with a relatively rapid, melt.

The flavors were subtle and pleasing, starting with relatively uniform, slightly fruity dark chocolate (fudge brownie) notes that lingered lightly into the finish. There were also very faint, fleeting flickers of subtle green floral, and honey-drizzled fruit (pear, dragon fruit, and white wine grape raisin). 

Thank you to the farmers, fermentery, and of course Solstice chocolate maker(s), for the enjoyable tasting experience, especially the layered and delicate flavor and fruit nuances in this single origin (Vietnam) chocolate. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Prunes, Raisins, Marzipan"

Ingredients: Cacao Bean, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a tree nut, peanut, gluten, dairy and soybean free facility." 

Solstice Chocolate - 70% Ben Tre Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 3, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Solstice Chocolate, Inc.
70% Ben Tre Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Solstice Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 70% Ben Tre Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Solstice Chocolate, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT).

Aroma notes for this dark chocolate were subtle, very faint and fleeting oxalis (tart lemony green), diffuse, mild poached fruit with light warm spice (cinnamon, very faint licorice), and mocha notes. 

This well-tempered chocolate yielded a smooth, almost silky texture.

The flavor was pleasing and relatively uniform, with slightly fruity dark chocolate (brownie) notes that flowed gently into the finish. There were also very faint, fleeting flickers of balanced earth, yogurt and honey-drizzled pear (in the re-tasting of this bar a few hours later).

Maker's tasting notes: "Pear, Dates, Cinnamon"

Ingredients: Cacao Bean, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a tree nut, peanut, gluten, dairy and soybean free facility."

White Label Chocolate - Vietnam Ben Tre 72% (bar) - Oct. 2, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

White Label Chocolate
Vietnam Ben Tre 72% (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information; part of a large, multi-bar purchase
Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate (Santa Cruz, CA) 

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

Today's Vietnam Ben Tre 72% (bar) was from White Label Chocolate (Santa Cruz, CA*).

Ben Tre Province is located in the Mekong River delta area of southern Vietnam, southwest of Ho Chi Minh City.

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: faint warm spice and molasses, cocoa and dried fruits (date, raisin, prune).

The well-tempered chocolate had a smooth texture and even melt.

Flavor notes were relatively complex and interesting and included: green, molasses, spice (star anise), and dark chocolate (ganache) -- flavors that mellowed and became more integrated in the finish.

Maker's tasting notes: "Brown spice, raisin, molasses"

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

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging.)

*Note: Mutari Chocolate, the cozy, single story retail store on Front Street in downtown Santa Cruz that served drinking chocolates, confections, and chocolate bars, closed shortly after this Vietnam bar was purchased (Feb. 2022), due to a large multi-story building project in that location. The company is planning to re-open at another location.

Seahorse Chocolate - Vietnam Ben Tre 70% (bar) - Oct. 1, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Seahorse Chocolate
Vietnam Ben Tre 70% (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Seahorse Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Vietnam Ben Tre 70% (bar) was from Seahorse Chocolate (Bend, OR). The company developed their roasting expertise with specialty coffee. They drum roast small batches of cacao and offer a line of bean-to-bar chocolates.

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: sweet, fresh green, green sugars, sweet berry pie, dark chocolate, and very faint vanilla tobacco.

Rich, smooth chocolate flavors included dark chocolate (ganache, torte), brown sugars, very faint molasses, tart-sweet berry jam and very faint fresh berry yogurt.

Maker's tasting notes: Blueberry, graham cracker

Ingredients: Cocoa beans and organic sugar.

Allergen-related information: (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

  

Marou - Ginger and Lime 69% Ba Ria Vietnamese Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 29, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat
Ginger and Lime 69% Ba Ria Single Origin Vietnamese Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Ginger and Lime 69% Ba Ria bar was from /made by Marou Faiseurs de Chocolate (Chocolate Makers) based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Aromas for this Vietnam bar included faint, warm ginger, dark chocolate and faint citrus.

This 69% dark chocolate had gentle swells of warm spice (ginger), dark chocolate and fresh lime citrus flavor notes. The flavor emphasis was on the smooth dark chocolate; and the other accent flavors were balanced, authentic-tasting and complementary.

The makers found all three flavors (cacao, ginger and lime) in Ba Ria, a southeastern, coastal province in southern Vietnam.

Maker's notes: "...the perfect harmony between the bitterness of cacao, the spiciness of ginger and the sweet acidity of lime."

Ingredients: Cacao nibs (65.5%), cane sugar (29.5%). Soy, gluten, nuts, and dairy free.

Allergen-related information: Manufactured in a facility that also processes coconut.