Chocolate of the Day
Sabadi srl
Prickly Pear Peels and Marjoram (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120.75 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA
Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Italy Theme Week.
Today's Prickly Pear Peels and Marjoram (bar) was from Sabadi srl (Modica, Italy).
The cacao used to make this chocolate was from Ecuador. The prickly pear peels were, I'm guessing, from cactus fruits (Opuntia ficus indica*, aka fico d'india) grown in Catania (Sicily). These fruits are said to symbolize life in Catania (near Mount Etna)--a life that can include adapting to tough conditions and overcoming thorny obstacles, as well as enjoying sweet fruit.
Aroma notes for this "cold-processed organic chocolate" included: smooth dark chocolate and aromatic herbal (marjoram, thyme)** notes.
The base dark chocolate--peppered with crunchy sugar crystals--was relatively sweet (60%) and smooth.
Flavor notes for this 60% cacao chocolate included: smooth dark chocolate infused with authentic marjoram herbal flavor. I couldn't really pick out prickly pear peel flavors (perhaps a mild diffuse fruit sweetness and a few tiny fibrous botanical bits. (The peels did add some fiber, if not distinct flavor.)
I enjoyed the flavors. Marjoram was the most notable flavor inclusion, but all three elements (sweet cocoa, marjoram and prickly pear peels) were blended skillfully together.
Ingredients: Cocoa mass (organic, from fair trade producers, presidio slow food) -- origin: Ecuador -- variety: Nacional Fino de Aroma; cane sugar (organic, slow food), prickly pear peels (organic) (min. 2%), marjoram (organic) (min. 0.7%). Cocoa: 60% minimum.
Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk and soy"
*Rose-colored when ripe, prickly pear cactus fruits in the Americas are sometimes known as cactus pears (from the nopal cactus) in English, or "tunas" in Spanish.
**This bar contained marjoram, but no thyme to my knowledge. As always, write-ups on Chocolate Banquet include observations about and descriptions of aroma and flavor notes (like wood, nut, herb, floral). These notes are perceived/tasted, but are not necessarily literal.