Friday, September 9, 2022

Sjaak's - Roasted Almond Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 8, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Sjaak's Organic Chocolates
Roasted Almond Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + 
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 320 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Presidio Visitors Center, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Roasted Almond Dark Chocolate 60% cacao (bar) was from Sjaak's Organic Chocolates (Petaluma, CA). 

Aroma notes included: subtle dark chocolate and nuts, and faint honey cookie.

This relatively thick bar had smooth dark chocolate texture with small flecks of almonds.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (brownie), fleeting earth, mild and mellow nutty and faint wood notes.

This bar had bold, yet smooth dense dark flavor (walk through an old-growth forest) mellowed by subtle almond. 

And speaking of forests...today's bar (packaging) was adorned with illustrations of a person near in a redwood tree forest, and was being sold at the Presidio (National Park) in San Francisco. A suitable tribute to an iconic Northern California legacy.

Ingredients: Organic 60% chocolate (organic cane sugar; organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa liquor; Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa butter), organic almonds, organic sunflower lecithin.

Allergen-related information: Contains nuts (almonds). "Vegan, Kosher and Non-GMO"


 

Hu - Almond Crunch Dark Chocolate Organic 70% (bar) - Sept. 7, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Hu Products LLC
Almond Crunch Dark Chocolate Organic 70% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Almond Crunch Dark Chocolate Organic 70% Cacao (bar) was distributed by Hu Products LLC (Austin, TX). The company got its start with Hu Kitchen in New York City; and they now offer a variety of chocolates and snacks (gems, hunks, grain-free cookies, other) made with organic and paleo-friendly ingredients.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (dark ganache) and subtle nut (almond) notes. 

This Organic, Fairtrade 70% cacao dark bar had rich, relatively well-preserved smooth cacao, nut (almond bits) and sea salt flavors with slightly crunchy texture (from almonds and sea salt) and a very faint, fleeting earth note. 

The company uses its organic, house-ground cacao as a base for its bars. Coconut palm sugar added a little flavor warmth and (being lower on the glycemic index) slowed down the sugar rush. This was a simple, five-ingredient bar with enough flavor complexity to extend a bit beyond the basics.

Ingredients: Organic and fairtrade certified cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, organic fairtrade cocoa butter, organic almonds, sea salt. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains almond and coconut. May contain traces of cashew and hazelnut. Allergen cleans made prior to production, but beware that product is produced using equipment that also processes tree nuts, soy, peanuts, milk, and wheat."


Hu Kitchen - Hazelnut Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 6, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Hu Kitchen
Hazelnut Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Hazelnut Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar) was distributed by Hu Products LLC (Austin, TX). The company got its start with Hu Kitchen in New York City; and they now offer a variety of chocolates and snacks (gems, hunks, grain-free cookies, other) made with organic and paleo-friendly ingredients.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (dark ganache with tart green citrus (oxalis/oxalic acid)); nut cookie (hazelnut, coconut sugar and vanilla); and coffee (slightly tart fruit (berry, citrus) with a balanced acidity and the sharp (wake-up) fresh aroma that coffee provides.

This Organic, Fairtrade 70% cacao dark bar had a slightly stoneground texture with rich, relatively well-preserved cacao, coffee and nut flavors that included notes of fruit (berry, citrus), vanilla nut, and coffee, with fleeting faint earth.

The tiny bits of hazelnut contributed crunchy texture and diffuse nutty flavor. 

The only potential down-side for nut lovers, the sweet nuances of the hazelnut were a bit overwhelmed by its (bolder) fellow ingredients. But, if you like flavor layering--and want an organic, lightly infused hazelnut and vanilla coffee blended with smooth, 70% dark drinking chocolate--you may enjoy this relatively complex bar.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic hazelnuts, organic coffee, organic vanilla bean. (Fairtrade cocoa and cocoa butter and coffee: mass balance is used to match Fairtrade sourcing, total 65%.) Visit info.fairtrade.net/sourcing

Allergen-related information: Contains hazelnut and coconut. "May contain traces of almond and cashew. Allergen cleans made prior to production, but beware that product is produced using equipment that also processes tree nuts, soy, peanuts, milk and wheat."


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