Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Fu Wan Chocolate - Taiwan #10 Ping Tung 53% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 31, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fu Wan Chocolate
Taiwan #10 Ping Tung 53% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .795 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Taiwan #10 Ping Tung 53% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) was created by Fu Wan Chocolate (Pingtung County, Taiwan, R.O.C.).

This single origin bar offered a uniquely special and very subtle bouquet of chocolate aroma notes, including: chocolate (subtle milk chocolate), faint fleeting malt, faint clean mineral (clay), faint diffuse fruit (apple, raisin, peach), faint warm floral spice (soft vanilla and very faint cinnamon), very faint nut/seed, and very faint green tea floral.

The texture of this 53% dark milk chocolate was uniformly smooth and relatively creamy.

The flavor notes closely mirrored the aroma notes (above). This dark milk chocolate was filled with a very subtle array of fruit flavors. The milk (powder) softened/muted any strong fruit acidity and possibly other more subtle flavors. The chocolate was very low in bitterness. And it had a very mild, but long finish. In that finish were hidden whispers of nut (very fleeting lightly roasted peanut), and fruit (peach and light osmanthus blossom tea).

I paired this chocolate with small cups of osmanthus* oolong tea and jasmine green tea.

Some 53% cacao dark milk chocolates and confections can be very sweet. This bar was not. (Thank you!) The choice of less sugar (less than is often present here in the U.S.) made it much easier to detect the subtle flavors that were present.

I recommend trying this bar, or including it as part of a chocolate tasting flight. (Try this one first before stronger tasting chocolates, so you can still taste the softly complex notes.)

Maker's tasting notes: Apple, raisin, toffee, nuts, vanilla

Ingredients: Cacao bean, sugar, milk powder, cacao butter, vanilla pod

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk) 

*Osmanthus are aromatic flowering evergreen large shrubs/small trees native to China, Indochina and Japan. 

There are some that grow in a park near my house in California. I walked by a row of tall bushes with small clusters of tiny, fragrant, ivory-colored flowers last November; and I immediately recognized the smell as the flavoring in an Chinese tea I'd enjoyed. 

I've since been able to make my own flower-infused tea from local osmanthus blossoms, since it grows here as well as Taiwan, R.O.C.--where today's chocolate originated; and where osmanthus-infused tea is also popular.

My experience with osmanthus is that is has an apricot/peach scent and light citrus/stone fruit-floral, lightly herby flavor.

 

Monday, January 30, 2023

Patricia's Chocolate - The Tea Collection - 5.) Bumble Blossom Oolong, 6.) Hummingbird Nectar - Jan. 30, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Patricia's Chocolate
The Tea Collection 
5.) Bumble Blossom Oolong chocolate - Good + - Good ++ 
6.) Hummingbird Nectar chocolate - Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total box of 6 pieces
Calories: 156 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $16.50 for 1 box of 6 (different) pieces
Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today I sampled the last two flavors in the Tea Collection (assortment) created by Patricia at Patricia's Chocolate (Grand Haven, Michigan), in collaboration with Michigan blended Light of Day certified organic teas and tisanes.

Bumble Blossom Oolong tea chocolate

Aroma and flavor notes for this attractive, generously-sized, filled chocolate included: chocolate; faint, lightly floral oolong tea; and diffuse, slightly sweet, slightly earthy botanical and faint fruit (stone fruit) notes. (The latter notes were likely from the red top clover, a common cover crop in Michigan, and one that attracts bumblebee pollinators.)

Maker's notes: "The delightful dark chocolate palet is infused with Shui Xiang oolong tea and herbal red top clover yielding a relaxing and lovely subtle peach note."

Hummingbird Nectar tea chocolate

Aroma and flavor notes for this Michigan-inspired tea chocolate (decorated in gold) included an intriguing blend of sweet dark chocolate and gently complex cherry and berry fruit notes (cherry, blueberry, raspberry) infused into a velvety dark chocolate ganache filling. (Note: what I think was bright red raspberry was actually part of a hibiscus flower tea with bright red fruit-floral notes.)

As with the previous members of this Tea Collection, today's two chocolates were well-crafted, thoughtfully-balanced tea chocolates. Each element contributed bouquets of Michigan-inspired flavors. 

The choice of a dark(er) chocolate also helped prevent these two filled confections from being too sweet (thank you).

Maker's notes: "A golden ganache in every sense, this rich dark couverture is created with cream infused with a tisane of hibiscus, Montmorency cherry, blueberry, grape, currant, elderberry, and maple syrup. A luscious and creamy indulgence with an incredible and unique flavor profile."

Patricia makes "...artisan chocolates...handcrafted in the French tradition from the finest non-GMO fair trade couverture cocoas." Made without preservatives, artificial flavorings, or additives. 

Ingredients: (Ingredients listed on box, were for all six (different) chocolates. So it was difficult to determine the exact list for each individual chocolate.)

Allergen-related information: Ganache fillings contain dairy (heavy cream, unsalted butter). Some flavors may contain traces of nuts. Contact Patricia's Chocolates for more detailed information.

 

Patricia's Chocolate - The Tea Collection - "In The Mood?" - Jan. 29, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Patricia's Chocolate
The Tea Collection (assortment)
"In the Mood?" chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total box of 6 pieces
Calories: 78 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $16.50 for 1 box of 6 (different) pieces
Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today's "In the Mood?" filled chocolate was one of a 6-piece Tea Collection assortment box from Patricia's Chocolate (Grand Haven, Michigan). And the tea in this chocolate was more of a floral, berry and herbal blend.

Aroma notes for this filled chocolate included: sweet chocolate, diffuse floral (rose), mixed herbal/botanical, very subtle berry and very faint tea.

The dark chocolate outer shell was flavorful (relatively bold and well balanced cocoa) and had a "just right" thickness (thin, but thick enough to securely surround a creamy ganache (filling).

The filling components included a complex blend of diffuse fruit (berry), floral and herbal/botanical flavors. There was also a light, lingering rose note in the finish. The more bold/darker chocolate couverture helped balance the sweetness in this chocolate.

Maker's notes: "Dark couverture infused with partridge berry, rose hips, passion flower, ginger and rose. The cream is also steeped with damiana and muira pauma bark, both potent aphrodisiacs, and so the name of this most extraordinary and delectible treat." 

Ingredients: (Ingredients listed on box, were for all six (different) chocolates. So it was difficult to determine the exact list for each individual chocolate.)

Allergen-related information: Allergen-related information: Ganache fillings contain dairy (heavy cream, unsalted butter). Some flavors may contain traces of nuts. Contact Patricia's Chocolates for more detailed information. 

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Leith Chocolate - Earl Grey Tea Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 28, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Leith Chocolate
Earl Grey Tea Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 218 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.67 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Earl Grey Tea Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Leith Chocolate (South Queensferry, Scotland, with an EU office in Belfast). 

Virtual Travel via Tea and Chocolate

Like most chocolate bars, this tea chocolate had a multi-layered international supply chain and story to tell. Leith Chocolate is named after Leith, a port in north Edinburgh, in Scotland. 

The company sources cacao to make their chocolates from South America. The cacao used to create this bar was from Colombia. 

The black tea in this bar was also grown in a more tropical/equatorial locale. And the bergamot oil used to flavor said tea may have come from a Mediterranean country.*) 

This citrus-floral forward international chocolate also evoked bergamot oil scented tea memories from visits to relatives in Europe and the U.K. And, finally, this bar was shipped to U.S. locations. And I was able to purchase this chocolate in California at a World Market store location. The scent alone was uplifting and transporting.**

Aroma notes for this attractively packaged (a plum colored field covered with pale purple blossoms) dark 61% chocolate included: dark chocolate, aromatic citrus (bergamot, Earl Grey tea) and very faint vanilla.

This well-tempered bar broke with a snap and had a smooth creamy melt and texture.

Flavor notes included: smooth, relatively sweet dark chocolate, bergamot oil flavored Earl Grey tea, and very faint vanilla.

Overall these flavors were appealing and well-balanced. The sweetness (sugar) level for this 61% tea chocolate was a little too high for my taste, but it was quite good otherwise.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, non-GMO soy lecithin, natural vanilla extract), Earl Grey tea, bergamot oil.

Allergen-related information: Made in a factory that handles dairy, peanuts, soy and tree nuts.

* Bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia) is a hybrid citrus fruit (sour orange + lemon) cultivated in southern Italy. (Almost all citrus fruit originated from Asia/SE Asia, but various cultivars and crosses developed elsewhere over time.) Its aromatic rind, and the essential oil extracted from the peel, are what gives Earl Grey black tea its unique flavor. Bergamot is also used in perfumes, fragrances, lotions, and for other uses.

**Yes, it is sobering to think about the carbon emissions/energy involved in international agricultural and packaged goods supply chains; but, fortunately, the virtual travel imaginings and memories this tea chocolate triggered were almost 100% carbon free. 

 

Friday, January 27, 2023

Patricia's Chocolate - The Tea Collection 2.) Heartwarming Cinnamon, 3.) Peaceful Peninsulas - Jan. 27, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Patricia's Chocolate
The Tea Collection 
2.) Heartwarming Cinnamon tea chocolate - Good + - Good ++
3.) Peaceful Peninsulas tea chocolate - Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total box of 6 pieces
Calories: 156 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $16.50 for 1 box of 6 (different) pieces
Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today I sampled two more flavors in the Tea Collection (assortment) created by Patricia at Patricia's Chocolate (Grand Haven, Michigan), in collaboration with Michigan blended Light of Day certified organic teas and tisanes.

Heartwarming Cinnamon tea chocolate

Aroma and flavor notes for this attractive, generously-sized, filled chocolate included: dark chocolate and balanced herbal/botanical spices (cinnamon bark, rooibos (herbal tea), faint star anise and clove).

Peaceful Peninsulas tea chocolate

Aroma and flavor notes for this Michigan-inspired tea chocolate included an intriguing blend of complex fruit (cherry, berry, elderberry, and apple toward the finish), faintly herbal warm spice, faint fluxing floral, and very faint green tea.

This unique and subtle blend conjured up images of sitting in a garden, surrounded by soft scents of ripe lush fruits and flowers. 

Both chocolates were well-crafted, thoughtfully-balanced tea chocolates. Each element contributed satisfying bouquets of aroma and flavor. 

The dark chocolate couverture (outer covering) for these two palet-style pieces was thin, almost softly crispy (in a cold room at 65 degrees F. (18.3 degrees C.)). The chocolate was thick enough to impart flavor, but not thick enough to overpower the more delicate tea, fruit and floral infusions in the smooth, velvety ganache fillings that were creamy and fresh tasting.

The choice of a dark(er) chocolate also helped prevent these two filled confections from being too sweet (thank you).

Maker's notes: "...artisan chocolates...handcrafted in the French tradition from the finest non-GMO fair trade couverture cocoas." Made without preservatives, artificial flavorings, or additives.

Ingredients: (Ingredients listed on box, were for all six (different) chocolates. So it was difficult to determine the exact list for each individual chocolate.)

Allergen-related information: Ganache fillings contain dairy (heavy cream, unsalted butter). Some flavors may contain traces of nuts. Contact Patricia's Chocolates for more detailed information.

 

Patricia's Chocolate - The Tea Collection (assortment box) - 1.) Earl Grey Tea - Jan. 26, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Patricia's Chocolate
Earl Grey Tea chocolate
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total box of 6 pieces
Calories: 78 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $16.50 for 1 box of 6 (different) pieces
Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today I sampled the first flavor in a Tea Collection assortment -- an Earl Grey Tea chocolate -- created by Patricia's Chocolate (Grand Haven, Michigan).

Aroma notes for this attractive, generously-sized, filled chocolate included: dark chocolate (balanced cocoa, very faint earth and oxalis (tart lemon-green herb) and very faint tea.

The dark chocolate outer shell was flavorful (bold but well balanced dark cocoa) and had a "just right" thickness (relatively thin, but thick enough to securely contain a creamy, velvety ganache (filling)--with a very pleasing Earl Grey/Lady Grey* tea infused chocolate taste.

This was a well-crafted, well-balanced tea chocolate. Each element contributed great flavor. The dark chocolate was, happily, more complex than the rather bland dark chocolate(s) that are often used for confections. 

And the tea components (which included some very light floral ingredients) still had a chance to shine. There was also a light, lingering Earl Grey tea finish. The more bold/darker chocolate also helped prevent this chocolate from being too sweet.

Maker's notes: "Our original Earl Grey ganache has blossomed into an exquisite confection with cream suffused with black tea, blue cornflowers, lavender, calendula petals, vanilla, and of course, oil of bergamot."

Ingredients: (Ingredients listed on box, were for all six (different) chocolates. So it was difficult to determine the exact list for each individual chocolate.)

Allergen-related information: Allergen-related information: Ganache fillings contain dairy (heavy cream, unsalted butter). Some flavors may contain traces of nuts. Contact Patricia's Chocolates for more detailed information.

*Lady Grey tea (named after Mary Elizabeth Grey, was introduced (and trademarked) by Twinings Tea in England in the early 1990s). This black tea contains the traditional Earl Grey bergamot (oil) flavor (derived from the aromatic bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia) citrus peel) as well as other lighter citrus (lemon, orange peel) elements. 

The bergamot citrus fruit is a cross between a bitter orange and a lemon. Other similar bergamot oil infused tea blends may also contain citrus peel(s) as well as calendula (pot marigold) flower petals and lavender buds. 

In 2016, Twinings further extended their bergamot-flavored tea portfolio, and began offering new versions of Earl Grey tea (including one with lavender).


Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Fu Wan Chocolate - Taiwan #1 Ping Tung Chocolate 85% (bar) - Jan. 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fu Wan Chocolate
Taiwan #1 Ping Tung Chocolate 85% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .795 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate and Tea Week.

Today's Taiwan #1 Ping Tung 85% (bar) was from Fu Wan Chocolate (located in Ping Tung (aka Pingtung) County, in southern Taiwan, R.O.C.).

The company makes a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates featuring local ingredients. These include tree-to-bar chocolates made using local cacao from southern Taiwan. Other chocolates have infused tea or spice flavor inclusions.

Aroma notes in today's single origin (tree-to-bar) chocolate included: chocolate (cocoa, lightly roasted coffee), faint brown sugar/molasses, fruit (goji berry, faint raisin), and green (very light algae) notes. 

This relatively thick 85% bar had smooth, uniform texture and a very light, faint (fruit) astringency. Each bite yielded rich, deep cacao flavor, and notes that mirrored aroma notes mentioned above. There was also a faint, fleeting spice note (star anise). 

This ultra dark bar had interesting, balanced complexity; and a relatively low(er) sugar percentage content enabled more direct, clear access to the natural range of cacao flavors. It was full of subtle aroma and flavor and low in bitterness.

I paired today's chocolate with a small cup of warm "Iron Goddess"* tea, a relatively straight-forward tea blend that was low in bitterness, and had pleasant green tea floral, and very faint grassy and clean mineral notes.

Ingredients: Cacao bean, sugar, cacao butter

Allergen-related information: (No information found on label.)

*Iron Goddess Oolong tea is frequently associated with Fujian province in southeastern China--that borders the China Sea coast (across from Taiwan), where this tea is also grown. Iron Goddess tea is a tea that has typically been oxidized. (Although the degree of oxidation may range from 50 to 25 percent, depending on where it is made.)

Endangered Species - Oat Milk Mixed Berries + Dark Chocolate 75% Cocoa (bar) - Jan. 24, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Endangered Species Chocolate
Oat Milk Mixed Berries + Dark Chocolate 75% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.19 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the last day (Day #12) of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week. 

Today's Oat Milk Mixed Berries + Dark Chocolate 75% Cocoa (bar) was from Endangered Species Chocolate, LLC (Indianapolis, IN). 

The company produces a wide variety of dark and milk chocolate bars with flavor inclusions; and more recently, oat milk chocolate bars as well. (Endangered Species Chocolate also donates 10 percent of net profits to save wildlife.)

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate, fruit (diffuse dark berries), light vanilla cookie, and oat cracker.

The ebony-toned 75% dark chocolate had smooth, deep dark flavor. (It was neither too bitter nor was it too sweet (thank you). 

The berry flavors: "darker" blueberry and occasional upticks of brighter raspberry were complementary and well-balanced with the dark chocolate and very subtle oat flavors. And vanilla added a faint, floral spice, baked cookie-like warmth.

I liked this bar better than other oat milk chocolates I've tried. The faint oat flavor was closer to a toasted whole grain cracker. Some other oat milk chocolates can have (worst case) a slightly mealy, or pulpy cardboard texture/flavor. The higher percent (75%) dark chocolate (and amounts of other fats) that were used as well as the type/treatment of the oats, and conching/grinding times could also have been factors. 

Ingredients: Chocolate (chocolate liquor, cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole grain oats, soy lecithin, vanilla), infused dried blueberries (cane sugar, blueberries, sunflower oil), dried raspberries, coconut oil.

Allergen-related information: Contains soy. Produced on equipment that also processes products containing milk, peanuts and tree nuts.

Monday, January 23, 2023

Hu - Chocolate-Covered Hunks Sour Goldenberries & Cashew Butter + Vanilla Bean 70% Chocolates - Jan. 23, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Hu Products LLC
Chocolate-Covered Hunks Sour Goldenberries
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 65 calories in 1/2 (oz.) serving
Cost: $7.49 (estimated discounted/sale price) for 1 package 
Purchased from: Molly Stone's Markets, Palo Alto, CA

Hu Products LLC
Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean 70% Cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.19 total bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate-Covered Hunks Sour Goldenberries and Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean (bar) were distributed by Hu Products LLC (Austin, TX).

The company offers a variety of chocolate bars and confections, made with short lists of high-quality ingredients. Their products are as notable for what they don't contain (additives, allergens, refined sugar, dairy, gluten, lecithins, etc.) as what they do contain. 

Chocolate Covered Hunks Sour Goldenberries

These flavorful berry-related chocolate "hunks" (rounded pieces) were made with only four (organic) ingredients, considerably fewer than most chocolate-covered fruits or nuts.

Aroma notes for this included: dark chocolate, cookie (chocolate cookie, Fig Newton*), and sweet and sour fruit (tart orange). 

The 70% dark chocolate exterior quickly dissolved into a chewy, tart, concentrated goldenberry flavor--a tartness that lingered into the finish. 

Goldenberries (Physalis peruviana) hail from South America and look a bit like yellow cherry tomatoes inside a pale-greenish, lantern-like husk. They are occasionally seen in grocery stores here in California. 

Those who like naturally sweet and sour flavors will enjoy this pop of authentic, concentrated yellow berry flavor that tastes like a cross between a golden raisin and a dried sweet cherry tomato.*

Ingredients: Organic goldenberries; Organic, Fairtrade cacao; Organic unrefined coconut sugar; Organic, Fairtrade cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: "Contains coconut. May contain milk, peanuts, other tree nuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pistachio, walnuts). Allergen cleans are made prior to production, but beware that product is produced using equipment that also processes tree nuts, soy, peanuts, milk and wheat."

*Also known as Inca berries, Peruvian ground cherries, poha berries and cape gooseberries, goldenberries are (like tomatoes) members of the nightshade family.

Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean (bar)

Hu's Organic 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar filled with cashew butter and vanilla bean seemed like a good companion chocolate for the company's dark chocolate covered goldenberries.

Aroma and flavor notes included dark chocolate and baked cookie (cashew + vanilla shortbread). The chocolate was relatively bold (very slightly earthy), yet smooth. 

The cashew butter filling added appealing, mild nutty flavor. And the vanilla bean contributed upbeat floral-spice warmth that one gets when catching a whiff of fresh baked cookies.

Altogether the 70% organic bar offered a healthy and authentic tasting trio of flavors, and complemented the tartness of its 70% organic chocolate-covered goldenberries sibling.

Ingredients: Organic, Fairtrade cacao; Organic, unrefined coconut sugar; Organic, Fairtrade cashew butter; Organic, Fairtrade vanilla bean; sea salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains cashew and coconut. May contain almond, cashew, hazelnut, pistachio and dairy."

 

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Fjak Sjokolade - Nordic Collection 50% Milk Blueberry (bar) - Jan. 22, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Sjokolade
Nordic Collection 50% Milk Blueberry (bar)
Good +
Weight: .935 oz. (26.5 g.) / 1.87 oz. (53 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week. 

Today's Nordic Collection 50% Milk Blueberry (bar) was from Fjak Sjokolade (a bean-to-bar chocolate maker located in Hardangerfjord, Norway). 

This 100% Organic chocolate was made using cacao from Akessons Bejofo Estate (located in the Sambirano Valley, Madagascar).

Aroma notes for this bar included: chocolate (cocoa, soft oxalis (tart, almost lemony green herb; e.g., sour grass, wood sorrel), faint dark berry, and vanilla.

The texture was a uniform blend of smooth dark milk chocolate and a very slight graininess and faint fruit astringency (from the blueberries). 

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate, vanilla, and tart-sweet dark berry (Nordic blueberry*).

I enjoyed being able to taste both elements of the cacao and the blueberry; and this dark milk chocolate was not too sweet (thank you).

Maker's description: "Creamy milk chocolate with Nordic blueberry and a hint of vanilla"

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic milk powder, organic cocoa butter, organic blueberries and organic vanilla.

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that handles nuts, diary (dairy) and gluten"

*Nordic wild blueberries (Vaccinium martillus) are also known as bilberries. They are relatively small(er) in size, slightly darker in color, and have (in my experience) a slightly more intense, tart blueberry flavor.

They are also typically higher in antioxidants than most (larger, slightly sweeter) American (and cultivated) blueberries (e.g., Vaccinium corymbosum). There are many varieties of highbush and lowbush blueberries one can grow in the northern/northeast U.S.; most that we buy/taste in the U.S. are the larger, highbush variety.

 

Gnaw Chocolate - Raspberry Crisp 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 21, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Gnaw Chocolate
Raspberry Crisp 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + 
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.6 g.) / 3.45 oz. (98 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $2.37 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week. (This is the second of two entries today.)

Today's Raspberry Crisp 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Gnaw Chocolate (Norwich, UK).

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate, raspberry (flavoring) and faint vanilla.

Smooth dark chocolate was punctuated by tiny bursts of tiny, crispy raspberry flavored pieces.

The flavors were distinct--bold, but relatively uniform and balanced dark chocolate with distinct sweet raspberry flavor, and floral spice (vanilla).

Ingredients: Chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, raspberry crisp (sugar, glucose syrup, palm oil, natural flavor, grape color extract, sunflower lecithin), soy lecithin, natural flavoring (vanilla, raspberry). 

Allergen-related information: Contains soy. May contain traces of milk, wheat, tree nuts and peanuts.  

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Chocolove - Ruby Chocolate 34% Cocoa (bar) - Jan. 21, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolove
Ruby Chocolate 34% Cocoa (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.03 oz. (29 g.) / 3.1 oz. (87 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories (per label) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Michael's, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week. (This is the first of two posts for today: one ruby chocolate bar and one dark chocolate raspberry-flavored bar.)

Today's Ruby Chocolate* 34% Cocoa (bar) was from Chocolove (Boulder, CO). 

If I ever am able to assemble enough chocolates for a Chocolate and Poetry Theme Week, I'd have to include bars/confections from Chocolove. Inside every wrapper is printed a poem of some sort. (Today's was the aptly titled: "Ruby" by Thomas Carew.)

Aroma notes for this bar included: faint berry and even fainter vanilla.

This (Milk of Magnesia) pink-colored bar had a relatively thick cocoa butter texture, melt and mouthfeel. (This was eaten in a cool, 66 degrees F. (18.8 degrees C.) room.)

Flavor notes included white chocolate and berry. There was "no berry flavor added" (but it did contain citric acid). The finish notes: berry jam and/or berry (very faintly medicinal) syrup.

Yes, this 34% cacao bar was (as expected) quite sweet; but was reasonably balanced with the tart-sweet berry flavor. The flavor was uniform with relatively low complexity (red berry with vanilla), due primarily to high sugar (and low cocoa solids) content.

For decorative use and fun and/or pink colored confections, I can see where this might be a hit. Also, for those who like white chocolate, berry and vanilla flavors.

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa butter, milk, cocoa liquor, soy lecithin, citric acid, vanilla. 

Allergy-related information: Contains milk, soy. "Made in a facility that also processes eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts." ("No artificial preservatives; no artificial colors")

*Swiss cocoa processor Barry Callebaut introduced the pink-hued, Ruby Chocolate in 2017.  Skeptics initially questioned whether this new chocolate contained sufficient cocoa solids to warrant the term "chocolate," and wondered if this was closer to white chocolate. The company indicated that certain compounds were extracted from cacao beans grown in Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Brazil to give it its unique rosy shade. 

Daily Harvest - Banana + Cacao Bites - Jan. 20, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Distributed by Daily Harvest
Banana + Cacao Bites 
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total container
Calories: 200 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $1.99 for 1 serving
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week. 

Today's Banana + Cacao Bites were distributed by Daily Harvest Inc. (New York, NY). These bites were a blend of banana,* cashew, oats, almond, dark chocolate, chaga, and vanilla bean. 

Aroma notes for these frozen snack bites (made with mostly organic ingredients) included: banana, cocoa, light floral (vanilla), and a very faint nutty/savory note.

These frozen treats had the texture of soft, frozen cookie dough. The banana (the number two ingredient) had a nice (very mildly gooey), sweet ripe fruit, softness and acted as a pleasant, natural binder.

The complex blend of flavors (ingredients, see below) including a cocoa flavor mixed with banana and nut flavors were harmonious and each gradually emerged to take at least a small turn--including a brief flicker of mild mushroom (chaga).

I was pleased that these frozen bites easily satisfied a sweet snack craving after only two bites. (Unlike ice cream, which has a more addictive or "moreish" quality.) While not a low carb frozen dessert (date paste is the number one ingredient--although there is no white sugar), nut butter (cashew) and powder (almond) provided enough fat and protein (and added fiber) contributed to the sense of satiation.

Ingredients: Organic date paste; organic bananas; organic cashew butter; organic, gluten-free whole grain oats; organic cassava root flour; almond powder; organic 100% unsweetened dark chocolate; Himalayan sea salt; organic chaga mushroom powder; vanilla bean powder. 

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nuts (almond, cashew). Made in a facility that also processes tree nuts, soy and dairy.

* You may be asking, where are the berries in today's entry? In botanical terms, a "berry" is a fruit with seeds and pulp that develops from the ovary of a flower. Bananas are, using this classification system, considered berries.


Thursday, January 19, 2023

Nibble Chocolate - Strawberry Cream Oat Milk Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 19, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nibble Chocolate
Strawberry Cream Oat Milk Chocolate (bar) 
Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Strawberry Oat Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Nibble Chocolate, LLC (San Diego, CA).

Aroma notes for this non-dairy bar included: sweet green, oatmeal/oats, brown sugar, chocolate and faint fruit.

Texture: relatively thick, creamy texture with a slow melt. The oats (oat milk) and berry fruit ingredients were fully incorporated, but there was a slight, fine-grained, "milky" thickness in the mouthfeel.

The diffuse fruit evolved into a brighter, sweet red fruit, to clear strawberry, and back again over the tasting experience, adding some very subtly layered flavor interest.

Ingredients: Organic nibble chocolate (organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic oats, organic strawberries, organic vanilla, sea salt.

Allergen-related information: "Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts." "Vegan, Paleo, Gluten Free, Soy Free"


Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Touched by Nature - Cashew Dips, Milk Chocolate Strawberry - Jan. 18, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Touched by Nature
Cashew Dips - Milk Chocolate Strawberry
(Distributed by Thrive Brands LLC)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 678 calories in 1 package (per label)
Cost: $1.49 (marked down) for 1 package
Purchased from: Ross Stores

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Cashew Dips were made in Slovenia and distributed by Thrive Brands LLC (Chicago, IL). 

Aroma notes for this chocolate covered cashews included: sweet baked goods (doughnut), very faint potato, chocolate and red berry fruit (candy). 

These roasted nuts had a soft crunch with natural milk chocolate and strawberry flavors as promised. Surprisingly, these were not too sweet--largely due to their construction, and the goal to have "less chocolate, more cashews."

After a thin coating in milk chocolate these cashews were rolled in freeze-dried strawberry powder providing a layer of sweet-bright, concentrated strawberry flavor. Both coating layers were light enough that they didn't overwhelm the cashew nuts. The end result was an authentic-tasting, somewhat addictive snack.

Ingredients: "Cashews, milk chocolate [sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, cocoa liquor, lecithin (from soy), vanilla extract], freeze dry strawberry powder."

Allergen-related information: "Contains, cashews, soy. May contain traces of peanuts, other tree nuts or gluten." 

Coracao - Superberry Bars - Acai, Pomegranate & Raspberry 81% Dark Choc. - Jan. 17, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Coracao Chocolate 
Superberry Bars - 81% Dark Chocolate
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in total 
Calories: 240 calories in 2 small bars
Cost: $8.25 for package of 2 small bars
Purchased from: Missing information

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Coracao Chocolate Superberry Bars covered in 81% dark chocolate were created in Oakland, CA. Coracao produces a variety of "healthy, more nourishing" confections, bars and drinking chocolates.

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate (deep dark, high percentage cacao, faint tart green herb (oxalis, wood sorrel), brown sugar and warm spice (faint smoky vanilla), and faint fruit (berries).

Inside a smooth 81% ultra dark chocolate coating was a generously jammy fruit center captured the sweet depths of rain forest berries (acai berries), tempered with some bright pomegranate and naturally sweet-tartness of raspberry.

Loved that this confection was not made with ultra-sweet chocolate. (These bars were sweetened with coconut sugar and stevia.) Less sugar meant being able to enjoy bold, balanced and complementary dark chocolate and berry flavors. The bars had authentic flavor depth and complexity. 

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic coconut sugar, organic coconut butter, organic acai, organic pomegranate, organic raspberry, organic lime, Himalayan salt, organic vanilla bean and organic stevia.

Allergen-related information: "Contains coconut. Made in a factory processing other tree nuts." 

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Standout Chocolate - Nordic Nature Black Currant 63% (bar) - Jan. 16, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Standout Chocolate
Nordic Nature Black Currant 63% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 146 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Nordic Nature Black Currant 63% cacao (bar) was made in a small town (Kallered) in Sweden. Standout Chocolate maker, Fredrik Martinsson, crafts chocolate from bean to bar, and offers single origin bars, as well as a tasty line of Nordic-influenced flavors, including today's bar.  

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: chocolate (dark cocoa), berry jam (ripe black currants, mixed berries), very slight fermentation (freshly baked bread) and very faintly warm, smoky spice (imagined vanilla).

This 63% cacao chocolate yielded skillfully layered flavors: dark chocolate (relatively bold but smooth, possibly faint fruit, and fleeting, balanced earth) integrated with ripe dark berry (bright, dark-sweet currant, ripe blackberry). 

The blending of chocolate and berry flavors was perfect. It was almost seamless, yet this chocolate still had the benefits of a layered chocolate (vibrant, distinguishable flavors).

Today's black currant bar had appealing complexity and excellent balance. It was full of authentic fruit flavor; and it was neither too tart nor too sweet. (Too much sugar can mask flavors, and is sometimes an issue with chocolates that are less than 70% cacao--and higher in sugar). 

Note for dark fans: This bar tasted closer to a 70% cacao than a 63% cacao chocolate). 

As already mentioned, this was a particularly nice capture of the black currant (Ribes nigrum) fruit. If it weren't for an occasional, beloved blackcurrant pastille (candy) from a metal tin in childhood, I would have entirely missed out on tasting this fruit in the U.S.*

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter, organic blackcurrant. 

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of milk.

*Due to a possible (disease) threat to certain pine trees (potential timber industry damage/losses), cultivation of blackcurrants was banned in 1911 in the U.S. And during this period of restrictions, most people in the U.S. missed out on tasting these fresh black berries.

Happily blackcurrants (aka black currants) are now grown commercially, in cooler, wetter areas most like Scandinavia in climate--i.e., the Pacific NE and NW. I look forward to trying this fruit one day.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Zotter - Wild Berries with Vanilla (filled bar) - Jan. 15, 2023

Zotter
Wild Berries with Vanilla (filled) bar
Good +
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: zotter.com, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Wild Berries with Vanilla (filled) bar was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

The company offers a wide variety of filled bar (with a range of layered flavors) as well as bean-to-bar, single origin bars (their "Labooko" line), using organic, fair trade ingredients.

Aroma notes for today's sweet, winter warmer filled bar included: sweet red berry (red currant, strawberry) jam, vanilla and chocolate.

A thin chocolate coating enveloped two (fruit and vanilla) soft, internal layers. 

Relatively thin, layered, flavors like this can have an advantage over chocolates where distinct flavors everything thoroughly blended. Each complementary berry fruit flavor was able shine.

The overall flavor was rich in berry jam notes (strawberry, red raspberry and tart currant, and faint blueberry). Rich cocoa (dark milk chocolate) and warm vanilla notes made me feel like I was eating a sweet, complexly sophisticated dessert. 

Speaking of dessert, yes, this bar was very sweet. (Organic, fair traded sugar was the number one ingredient; and it also contained honey and glucose syrup.) A few confection-sized bites made for a fun treat. 

I plan to share the rest of this attractively layered bar with a few people and/or cut it up and display the pieces on a dessert/fruit plate.

Ingredients: Organic, fair traded cane sugar; organic, fair traded cocoa butter; organic, fair traded cocoa mass; dry whole milk; milk; dry skim milk; honey; organic glucose syrup; organic strawberries; organic blue berries; organic dried raspberries; organic almonds; organic cranberry concentrate; organic redcurrant concentrate; organic dried strawberries; organic dried blackcurrants; organic dried blueberries; dry sweet whey; organic dark brown cane sugar; organic soy lecithin; organic vanilla bean powder; salt; organic lemon powder (organic lemon juice concentrate, organic corn starch, organic sugar); organic cinnamon; organic rose petals; (78% organic)

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

Saturday, January 14, 2023

Zotter - Currant 'n' Chili (filled bar) - Jan. 14, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
Currant 'n' Chili (filled) bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: zotter.com, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Currant 'n' Chili (filled) bar was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

The company offers a wide variety of filled chocolate bars with thinly layered creative flavors, as well as single origin chocolate bars.

The relatively complex aroma of today's Currant 'n' Chili bar included: dark chocolate, roasted coffee (there was no actual coffee), slightly savory chili powder and salt, and very faint dried fruit (dark berry) and vanilla.

Soft layers revealed many flavors. The relatively thin, outer envelope of smooth dark chocolate had brownie and very light and balanced earth notes, and contributed a steady taste "center," while a cast of different, complementary, flavors took the stage: rich brown sugar, tart sweet berries (with imagined sweet, tart berry lemonade), very subtle chili blend with warm spice + very faint salt.

I enjoyed the layered, complex flavors in this Zotter filled bar. It was almost jammy fruit sweet, but the dark chocolate and chili-salt balanced out the sweetness. Bold, skillfully orchestrated, festive flavors in this creation offered a unique and delightful variation on the chocolate, berry and vanilla blends often found in bars and confections.

Ingredients: Organic, fair traded cane sugar; organic, fair traded cocoa mass; organic, fair traded cocoa butter; organic redcurrant concentrate; milk; organic glucose syrup; dry skim milk, dry whole milk, organic dried blackcurrants; dry sweet whey; organic, fair traded dark brown cane sugar; organic soy lecithin; organic vanilla bean powder; salt; organic chili ("bird's eye"), organic cinnamon. (85% organic)

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

Friday, January 13, 2023

Javier Confectionery - 5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 13, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Javier Confectionery
5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.4 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) in total bar
Calories: 232 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Berries are adding color and flavor to a rain-soaked January. Dark chocolate adds depth to bright sweet berries. And vanilla adds a warm baked-goods flavor. The blend of all three offers the perfect antidote for our unusually long stretch of gray, wet weather.

Today's 5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Javier Confectionery (Burlingame, CA). The company offers a range of bars and confections; and this Very Berry bar was part of the company's All Natural Dark Chocolate Bar Collection.

Aroma notes for this very berry dark bar included: cocoa, vanilla and very faint spice and barely detectable dried fruit.

This bar had a handsome look: rich ebony color off-set with burgundy and berry fruit gem tones. The relatively thick chocolate had a creamy melt and texture, interspersed with chewy dried fruits. 

Hearty but smooth dark chocolate flavor complemented the bright dried fruits: berries (goji, raspberry, blueberry), raisins and cherries. Flavors were well balanced; and this 63% cacao chocolate bar was not overly sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: 63% bittersweet chocolate (cacao beans, pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla beans), dried goji, raisins, raspberry, blueberry and cherries.

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also makes products containing milk, soy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat."

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Patricia's Chocolate - Spartan Bar - Michigan Cherries, Pistachio Nuts - Jan.12, 2023

Chocolate of the Day 

Patricia's Chocolate 
"Spartan Bar" 58% Cacao + Michigan Cherry, Blueberry; Pistachio Nut; Fleur de Sel
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) in total piece
Calories: 158 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $4.25 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 58% cacao dark chocolate "Spartan Bar" with Michigan cherries and blueberries, pistachio nuts and Fleur de Sel (sea salt) was from Patricia's Chocolate (handmade in Grand Haven, MI). 

This Spartan Bar was one of three in a Michigan-shaped bar series (created in 2010) from this company--all in the shape of (lower, mitten-shaped) Michigan. This one was embellished with a small, hand-piped green heart candy (for the Michigan State University Spartans; green is their school color). 

The back of this chocolate was "embedded with Grand Traverse dried cherries and South Haven blueberries, pistachio nuts, and Fleur de Sel, from Brittany."

Aroma notes included: sweet dark chocolate, marshmallow and vanilla.

The texture was a blend of smooth (chocolate), chewy (cherries) and crunchy (nuts).

Flavors: smooth, almost creamy, sweet dark chocolate was interspersed with dried cherry, subtle blueberry, crunchy pistachio nuts, and tiny sparkles of sea salt. I enjoyed the mixture of flavors. The fleur de sel sea salt was a nice touch; it helped balance the sweetness.

The base chocolate had--from what I could pick out among the other flavors--upticks of vanilla and gentle earth, and very faint menthol notes.

This Michigan-shaped bar was a higher quality chocolate offering than most novelty chocolates. I also enjoyed the fact that the cherries in today's entry were linked to the origin/creation location. While California (where I live), Washington and Oregon are leaders in sweet cherry production, Michigan is the number one producer of tart cherries in the U.S.--and number four in sweet cherry production. Go Michigan and Patricia!

Ingredients: 58% Dark Non-GMO Couverture Chocolate (Certified Fair Trade cacao bean, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin and vanilla bean), Michigan cherries, Michigan dried blueberry, pistachio nut, fleur de sel sea salt.

Allergen-related information: (Contained pistachio nuts.) No other information listed on small label for this novelty chocolate piece shaped like the State of Michigan.


Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Ben & Jerry's - Cherry Garcia (Non-dairy, almond milk) frozen dessert - Jan. 11, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Ben and Jerry's 
Cherry Garcia (non-dairy, almond milk) frozen dessert
Good - Good +
Weight: 2/3 cup (140 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 230 calories in 2/3 cup serving
Cost: $6.49 (sale) for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week

Today's Cherry Garcia Non-dairy frozen dessert was from Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (Burlington, VT). 

This flavor variation on a dairy ice cream classic --and other recently announced non-dairy frozen dessert flavors--reflect an increased demand for non-dairy (and vegan) offerings. 

Aroma notes for this almond milk based frozen dessert included: cherry, vanilla, almond and subtle dark chocolate.

The melt and mouthfeel was a blend of smooth and creamy with pieces of cherry fruit and both soft, small (thin) fudge flakes and (larger) "crunchy" dark chocolate fudge pieces.

The flavor was similar to the original Cherry Garcia Ice Cream. The fudge flakes that yielded sweet, dark chocolate flavor, and the texture and flavor of the cherries were similar. The touch of vanilla was also there. 

The differences between this non-dairy frozen dessert and the original: it did not have the dairy cream flavor and texture (although it was close), and had a fairly distinct, sweet almond flavor. 

It seemed sweeter (or at least slightly sweeter than expected). (Sugar(s) featured prominently in the ingredients. See below.)

Ingredients: Almond milk (almonds, water), liquid sugar (sugar, water), cherries, sugar, coconut oil, corn syrup, cocoa processed with alkali, pea protein, sunflower lecithin, fruit and vegetable concentrates (color), guar gum, natural flavor (coconut), lemon juice concentrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vanilla extract, locust bean gum, citric acid, water. 

Allergen-related information: Contains almond, coconut, and soy.

*Today's non-dairy frozen dessert was a(n almond milk) frozen dessert variation on a classic Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor (Cherry Garcia ice cream). The original Cherry Garcia ice cream was first unveiled in the U.S. on February 15, 1987. And, as I write this in Jan. 2023, it is still described as a long-time, best selling flavor on the company's website.

Ben and Jerry's is a Unilever brand, acquired in 2000.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Chocolates of the World - Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 10, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Cost Plus - Chocolates of the World
(Manufactured for Cost Plus by Astor Chocolate Corp.)
Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories in 1/2 bar (150 cals. for 1/3 bar or 1 oz.)
Cost: $2.54 (after 15% discount) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market (store), Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherries Week.

Today's Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar) was made for Cost Plus Inc. by Astor Chocolate Corp. (Lakewood, NJ).

Aroma notes for this bar included: sweet, lightly fruit-spiced, dark chocolate, and very, very faint wood (pulp), menthol, and cherry flavored cold syrup.

The flavor was less complicated than the aroma. The relatively smooth dark chocolate had the taste and mouthfeel of an upbeat, bubbly cherry soda, in chocolate form.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla flavor), freeze-dried tart cherries, citric acid, natural cherry flavor.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: soy. May contain milk, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts.

 

Woodside Chocolate Company - Dark chocolate with almonds, cherries - Jan. 9, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Woodside Chocolate Company
Dark chocolate with almonds, cherries (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g. ) (estimate) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) (estimate) in total bar
Calories: 273 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00+ (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Village Bakery, Woodside, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherries Week.

Today's dark chocolate with almonds and cherries (bar) was from Woodside Chocolate Company in California.

The aroma notes for this relatively thick bar included: dark chocolate (bittersweet, very faint smokey vanilla), toasted almonds and dried cherries.

I enjoyed this blend of balanced, complex and harmonious flavors: hearty dark chocolate, crunchy almonds, bursts of chewy, tart-sweet cherries, and tiny sparkles of salt.

Ingredients: (none listed on packaging) Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla flavor), freeze-dried tart cherries, citric acid, natural cherry flavor.

Allergen-related information: (none listed on packaging)

 

Monday, January 9, 2023

Liofilizovana Visnja - Sour Cherry in Dark Chocolate - Jan. 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Liofilizovana Visnja
Sour Cherry in Dark Chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total package
Calories: 161.4 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!) 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend who purchased in Europe

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherries Series.

Today's Lio Sour Cherry (dragees) in Dark Chocolate were produced by ART IVAL d.o.o. (Republic of Serbia).

The company describes these chocolate coated, freeze-dried sour cherries as being "packed with sweet and sour power." 

First, the aroma...These confections (before putting it into my mouth) had a relatively subtle chocolate (dark chocolate cookie, hot cocoa with faint vanilla) aroma.

Things got much more interesting upon taking the first bite. There were bursts of contrasting textures (smooth + an unexpected crunchiness) and flavors (smooth, sweet chocolate and tart-sweet and sour cherry). 

I experienced more of a hard crunch in some pieces than others when I bit into them. When I held a piece in my mouth (for 20+ seconds), the crunchy freeze-dried fruit mellowed into a more tender texture.

These sour cherry chocolates were authentic-tasting, nicely balanced and enjoyable to eat. (And yes, I did enjoy the "sweet and sour power.")

Ingredients: "dark chocolate min. 87% (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavouring. Cocoa solids: 56% min.), freeze-dried sour cherry min. 10%." 

Allergen-related complexity: "The product may contain traces of milk and nuts. No(t) recommended for children under the age of 3, due to the size of dragees."

* What are dragees? Generally, they are sweet, bite-sized confections (with nuts or fruits at the center) covered by a (sometimes crunchy candy, sometimes softer chocolate) shell.

The French word dragee may have come from Latin or Greek. The Greek word tragema referred to a dried fruit or sweetmeat (confection, sweet food).

Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Cherries (65% Belize dark chocolate) - Jan. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate 
Chocolate Coated Cherries - 65% Belize dark chocolate
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total container
Calories: 260 calories in 1 (2 oz./57 g.) serving 
Cost: $16.00 for 1 container
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Belize Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cherry Week.

Today's Chocolate Coated Cherries from Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA) were a delicious intersection of these two themes.

It's a cold, rainy winter outside; but it's bright and fruity inside. Last week's New Year's lineup featured the almost magical fruit flavors/notes in six different single origin Belize dark chocolate bars. This week: a Chocolate and Cherry Series, will be followed by a Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla week. Winter seems less drab and gray with bright fruits, warm spices and chocolate.

Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Cherries

Aroma notes for these high-end chocolate coated cherries included rich dark cocoa, warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom) and very faint fruit and sweet cream/yogurt. 

Every mouthful was full of flavor. When I bit into a piece, there was a gentle crackling through the successive layers of thinly-deposited 65% Belize dark chocolate, into a chewy dried cherry fruit center. This chocolate had mild tart-sweet fruit notes. 

The tasting experience was both a reveal and a delightful ambush: that started with smooth and flavorful, layered dark chocolate followed by strong bursts of tart-sweet, organic cherry. 

Notes: Possibly addictive. I recommend not biting into these pieces right away. You'll get more of the chocolate experience that way. The authentic, concentrated cherry flavor tends to dominate once you bite into the center.

Maker's notes/description: "Organic dried tart cherries deliciously coated in layer upon layer of our award-winning 65% Belize dark chocolate. " 

Ingredients: Organic cherries, organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa powder, organic cocoa powder, organic sunflower oil (cherries).

Allergen-related information: (None visible on label. Check with Dick-Taylor if you have questions about these confections.) Note: the allergen-related language printed on the packaging of the last Dick-Taylor bar I sampled read: "Made in a facility that also processes milk, tree nuts, wheat and peanuts." 


Friday, January 6, 2023

Zotter - Belize Sail Shipped Cacao 72% dark chocolate (bar) - Jan. 6, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
Labooko Belize Sail Shipped Cacao 72% dark chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total package of 2 bars
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar (of 2)
Cost: $8.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zotter, online order 

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

Today's Zotter Labooko Belize 72% dark chocolate (bar) was made in Austria using cacao sailed across the Atlantic, and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Zotter offers several single origin bars (Labooko line) as well as a wide variety of organic and fair trade, creatively layered, filled bars with flavor inclusions. (The wrapper design/artwork is powered by Andreas H. Gratze and has helped convey this family-owned company's unique and creative spirit.)

Aroma notes for this bar included: subtle dark chocolate (brownie, dark chocolate cookie), and very faint, fleeting cool green, warm sweet spice and barely there nut.

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

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate with balanced, mixed fruit acidity, and a bit of ripe, sweet blackberries in the finish.

Like the other makers (and Belize bars featured this week), Zotter's 72% dark bar was made using cacao beans from the well-respected co-op and fermentery, Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC), in the Toledo District of southern Belize. The fact that cacao was sail-shipped to its European maker/destination is a nice environmental story. (It took two month to sail the cacao from Belize to Hamburg.) 

This bar was a bit higher in cacao solids (72%) than the other Belize dark chocolates (70%). It was creamier in texture, but tasted slightly darker, and had subtler fruit complexity than the even more tart-sweet, fruit-forward others.* The enjoyable, fluxing fruit from this origin can't be denied.

Maker's description: "...This bar starts with a fruity bouquet along with a hint of olive and cinnamon, then transforms into something entirely different on the tongue: a pleasantly mild taste, caramelized nuts, sweet condensed milk, and a delicate floral note. The finish offers blackberries and a beautiful aftertaste of grape hulls and malt."

Ingredients: Organic, fair traded cocoa mass; organic, fair traded cane sugar; organic, fair traded cocoa butter. 

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

*All these Belize chocolates have been above average; and tasting them in the same week makes it easier to experience the many choices, and sometimes trade-offs, that are made when working with a given cacao origin. 

In today's case, a creamier mouthfeel may have been, in part, the result of the 21-hour conching time and added cocoa butter. While still having some Belize/MMC fruit magic, the milder (less intense) fruit flavor (compared with others) could have been a result of roasting and processing times and/or the higher cacao percentage.

Standout Chocolate - Maya Mountain Belize 70% (bar) - Jan. 5, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Standout Chocolate
Maya Mountain Belize 70% (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 146 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $10.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Maya Mountain Belize 70% (bar) was handcrafted in Sweden by Standout Chocolate (Kallered, Sweden), using cacao beans from Maya Mountain Cacao in the Toledo District of southern Belize.

Aroma notes included smooth dark chocolate, soft fruit (stone fruit salad: dried peach, ripe sweet cherry, plum with a drizzle of honey), sweet yeast bread, and very faint sweet green.

The texture was smooth with a very faint tart fruit astringency in the finish.

Low in bitterness, this flavorful 70% dark chocolate was high in tart sweet fruit flavor (stone fruits and dried fruit acidity--the type one might find in dried grapes (golden raisins) or dried golden berries, aka Inca berries (Physalis peruviana).

This naturally sweet bar gave me a lift with its invigorating, pleasing, tart fruit notes. 

Maker's tasting notes: Stonefruits, raisin, honey

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of milk. 

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Maverick Chocolate - 70% Belize Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 4, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Maverick Chocolate Co.
70% Belize Dark Chocolate (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: $10.00 (estimate - part of a larger, 3-bar order) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Good Food Awards Marketplace, online order

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

Today's 70% Belize Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Maverick Chocolate Co. (Cincinnati, OH), using cacao from Maya Mountain Cacao* in the Toledo District of southern Belize. 

Aroma notes for this person included true chocolate (dark chocolate cookie/brownie), gently undulating fruit (sweet black currant, pomegranate juice, peach jam), nut butter, faint warm vanilla spice and brown sugar.

Flavor notes for this three-ingredient 70% cacao chocolate included rich, smooth and subtly flavorful dark chocolate with subtle fruit (ripe red cherry) and spice (warm vanilla), faint bread, and ultra-faint sweet green notes. 

Summary: Nicely balanced, single origin bar; enjoyable deep (for 70%) dark chocolate bar with subtle, sophisticated layered fruit complexity. Clean finish; relatively low in bitterness.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and milk products due to shared equipment. Soy free. Vegan."

*Founded in 2010, Maya Mountain Cacao--a co-op and centralized fermentery that works directly with cacao farmers in Belize (and Guatemala)--has become a key supplier of high-quality cacao for many craft chocolate makers--and has made possible the single origin Belize bars featured this week from Spinnaker Chocolate, Maverick Chocolate Co. and Standout Chocolate (Sweden).

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Spinnaker Chocolate - 70% Belize with Nibs and Salt (bar) - Jan. 3, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker Chocolate
70% Belize with Nibs and Salt (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spinnaker Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 70% Belize Nibs and Salt (bar) was made by Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA) using cacao from Maya Mountain Cacao in southern Belize. 

This is the 3rd Belize bar featured this week from Spinnaker. All have been well above average. Like every bean-to-bar chocolate that "scores" very well, today's makers started with sourcing great beans, and followed a very rigorous chocolate making process to ensure the best results possible.

They have, e.g., built some of their own sorting equipment* to further ensure that no off flavors happen and they roast cocoa nibs vs. cocoa beans.**

Aroma notes for this bar included: Criollo-like (cacao variety) smooth chocolate; complex and layered fruit (dried peach and light tropical fruits, dried goji and red berries, very faint date); and fresh bread with jam and salted butter.

Flavor: deep, appealing chocolate with complex fruit notes. Flavor notes included: "true" chocolate (freshly roasted and ground cacao, deep dark chocolate brownies with cacao nibs (with mild woodsy nut aspects) that balanced out the natural sweetness of the mixed fruits (dried stone fruits (peaches, red plums), sweet citrus, very faint sweet tropical fruit and ripe red berries). 

There was a fleeting earthiness in one bite (likely from one nib), but otherwise it was awash in waves of bright, beautiful freshly baked fruity chocolate sunshine, and quite low in bitterness.

All this flavor was balanced with a perfectly balanced, judicious dose of sea salt. The Pure Flake Finishing Salt from Jacobsen Salt Co. (Portland, OR) contributed subtle, warm saline sparkles. When you have a cacao that is this flavorful, every inclusion must be thought about carefully.

Ingredients: Cacao, organic cane sugar, cocoa nibs, sea salt flakes.

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts.

*Without exception, all my favorite bean-to-bar chocolates have been made by chocolate makers who have been driven (some would say obsessed) with their process and machinery, right down to the micron level. 

And all who have been willing to show me how they operate in their factory will stand with pride (rightfully so) next to equipment they have either created themselves or finely tuned with a great deal of precision. Hats off and a deep bow for their dedication.

**Cacao beans may vary enough in size that a single roasting profile may not roast all beans equally; whereas grinding the cacao beans into smaller, more evenly sized cacao nib pieces may result in more even, predictable flavor. 

Note: My question was would the greater surface to mass ratio of the pieces vs. the whole cacao bean in the roasting process result in the loss of more volatile flavors. However, the makers at Spinnaker Chocolate seem to be very carefully choosing gentle roasting profiles.

 And, the proof is in the results. The resulting chocolates (based on the Belize bars I've tasted this week) have been very flavorful and wonderful.





Monday, January 2, 2023

Spinnaker Chocolate - 70% Belize (bar) - Jan. 2, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker Chocolate
70% Belize (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spinnaker Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 70% Belize (bar) was made by Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA) using cacao from Maya Mountain Cacao in southern Belize. 

Aroma notes for this bar included: Criollo-like (cacao variety) smooth chocolate; slightly honey-ed fruits (peach, light tropical fruit, goji berry, faint date); faint fleeting fresh bread; faint sweet green; and graham cracker/cookie.

Flavor: tangy, relatively tart fruity flavor notes including: mixed fruits (stone fruits (dried peaches, red plums), sweet citrus (tangerine), very faint sweet pineapple, and berries (golden and goji)), and gently complex dark chocolate.

Summary: This single origin 70% dark bar had an appealing chocolate complexity with abundant and complex fruit, a natural sweetness (warm, fresh baked bread with honey), and long pleasant and clean finish. It was also relatively low in bitterness. A well-executed chocolate that preserved and highlighted the best features of a wonderful cacao.

Ingredients: Cacao, organic cane sugar

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts.





Spinnaker Chocolate - 70% Belize with Bourbon - Jan. 1, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker Chocolate
70% Belize with Bourbon (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar

Welcome to Day #1 of 2023, and the first day of Chocolate and Belize Theme Week.

Today's 70% Belize with Bourbon (bar) was crafted by Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA) using cacao from Maya Mountain Cacao in southern Belize, and with 100% Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey supplied by Seattle distillery 2BAR Spirits.

Aroma notes for this New Year's Day bar included: Relatively "mellow(ed)" dark chocolate, sweet green notes, heady bourbon whiskey spirits, and faint, diffuse fruit (sweet orange, goji berry, very faint, fleeting fig and cherry).

Wow, the flavor. Notes included dark chocolate; diffuse and gently morphing/fluxing fruits (listed above); bourbon; sweet butter/cream; vanilla; very faint sweet corn; and much more. 

Flavorful may be an overused word to describe single origin chocolates, but today's 70% dark chocolate raised the bar for use of this term. There was more flavor per (ounce, gram, square, bar, ingredient, etc.) than 90% of 70%ers out there. 

And yes, I do like the flavors that spirits impart. Whiskies pair very nicely with many chocolates. Today, e.g., I enjoyed getting the maximum residual distilled and aged flavors without much (if any) alcohol.*

Thank you to Spinnaker Chocolate for making today's special chocolate. After some heavy rain yesterday in California (that included minor flooding in my kitchen, today's soothing, flavorful chocolate was especially welcome--and the Spinnaker "nautical" theme was humorously appropriate. Ride the waves!

Ingredients: Cacao, organic cane sugar, straight bourbon whiskey (for flavor)

*Maker's Note: "This product contains liquor and the alcohol content is one percent or less of the weight of the product."

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts.





Sunday, January 1, 2023

Definite Chocolate - 75% Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Oscuro) Dominican Republic Rum - Dec. 31, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Definite Chocolate
75% Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Oscuro) Dominican Republic, Finca Elvesia
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 171 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Spirits Theme Week. 

Today's 75% Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Oscuro) Dominican Rum (bar) was made by Definite Chocolate, S.R.L. (Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic) with Dominican Republic organic cacao from Finca Elvesia* 

Aroma notes for this three-ingredient, single origin bar included: dark chocolate and faint warm spice and vanilla, woodsy and nut, with even fainter, diffuse caramel, tropical fruit and aromatic tobacco.

Texture: This 75% bar had a thick melt (in a cold room at around 67 degrees F. (19.4 degrees C.), and a very light (fruit) astringency in the finish.

The taste: Deep rich flavorful dark chocolate and rum with balanced, smoky, distilled spirits (whiskey, rum) in aged barrels notes. There was also a small pop of tropical fruit (mango, stone fruit) toward the finish.

Three ingredients, and all that flavor. I really enjoyed the subtle complexity of this single origin bar. 

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, rum (less than 1%).

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that handles nuts and milk.

*Finca Elvesia is a cacao plantation in northeastern Dominican Republic, about 70 miles (112 km) east of Punta Cana. This 150-hectare (370.6 acre) farm is located in "the agricultural community of El Valle, in the Hato Mayor region," according to the background information for this chocolate provided by Bar and Cocoa (the site where I purchased this bar).


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