Sunday, April 2, 2023

MIA - Ghana Gold - Sea Salt and Cocoa Nibs Dark Chocolate 73% Cocoa (bar) - Apr. 2, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

MIA
Ghana Gold - Sea Salt and Cocoa Nibs Dark Chocolate 73% Cocoa (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Ghana Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's MIA Ghana Gold - Sea Salt and Cocoa Nibs Dark Chocolate Chocolate 73% Cocoa (bar) was a product of Ghana and distributed by Kuanza Ltd. (London, UK).

MIA chocolate bars don't just contain cacao grown in Africa. Their finished chocolate is made in two African countries (Madagascar and Ghana). Only a small percent of chocolate bars are made from bean to bar in Africa.*

This Sea Salt and Nibs chocolate was part of the company's "Ghana Gold" series of bars (announced in 2022) made with Ghana cacao.*

Aroma notes included: chocolate (sweet cocoa), faint citrus (lemony herb, oxalis), and even faint cookie (graham cracker and coconut shortbread cookie).

The well-tempered smooth chocolate had a relatively slow, even melt (eaten in a cool room) and was interspersed with small crunchy flecks of cocoa bean (cocoa nibs). 

Flavor notes included rich cocoa (faint roasted mocha latte with a twist of lemon peel). The citrus was slightly sweet and had a mild tartness (faint lemon acidity and faint bitterness).

Too much salt can overpower more delicate cacao notes. That was not a problem with this relatively mild sea salt and nibs chocolate. If anything, a bit more cocoa (e.g. deep, dark brownie-ness) and sea salt might've helped to balance the inherent sweetness--that was relatively high for a 73% cacao chocolate with cacao nibs. (In defense of choices made with this bar, U.S. foods tend to have a lot of salt and sugar. You can always add salt if you need more. But, overly salty chocolate is very hard to fix.) 

Fans of less intense dark chocolate will enjoy the lighter touch this bar offers.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa nibs (7%), cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), salt (less than 1%). Minimum cocoa solids: 73%.

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

*MIA is a brand of Kuanza Ltd. (I'm guessing that MIA might stand for Made in Africa, but I could be mistaken.) While Africa produces the bulk (approximately 70%) of the world's cacao, only about 1% of finished chocolate is produced in Africa. 

Making finished chocolate "in country" (Ghana in this case) allows cacao farmers and producer communities to benefit from proceeds that normally flow out of Africa and into manufacturing centers in other nations.

MIA - Ghana Gold Fleur de Sel Milk Chocolate 48% Cocoa (bar) - Apr. 1, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

MIA
Ghana Gold - Fleur de Sel Milk Chocolate 48% Cocoa (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ghana Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week.

Today's MIA Ghana Gold - Fleur de Sel Milk Chocolate 48% Cocoa (bar) was a product of Ghana and distributed by Kuanza Ltd. (London, UK).

MIA produces chocolates (bars) made using cacao grown in Africa; and produces finished chocolate in two African countries (Madagascar and Ghana). Only a small percent of chocolate bars are made from bean to bar in Africa.*

This chocolate was part of the company's "Ghana Gold" series of bars (announced in 2022) made with Ghana cacao.*

The aroma notes were relatively uniform and included: sweet, milky cocoa and very faint salt dough. The texture was smooth and creamy. And this 48% cocoa bar had a sweet milk chocolate flavor and finish with a blush of caramel.

The salt was very subtle. (It was inherent in the fleeting salted caramel notes I tasted.) This milk chocolate may be most appreciated by those with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), salt (less than 1%). Minimum cocoa solids: 48%.

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

*MIA is a brand of Kuanza Ltd. (I'm guessing that MIA might stand for Made in Africa, but I could be mistaken.) MIA co-founders, Brett Beach and Sarah Lescrauwaet, lived in Africa for seven years. 

While Africa produces the bulk (approximately 70%) of the world's cacao, only 1% of finished chocolate is produced in Africa. 

Brett and Sarah saw an opportunity to make finished chocolate "in country" where the farmers and producer communities can benefit from proceeds that normally flow out of Africa and into manufacturing centers in other nations.

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