Fruition - Bolivia Beniano Dark Tranquilidad 66% (bar) - Nov. 1, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fruition Chocolate Works
Bolivia Beniano Dark Tranquilidad 66% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Limited Release Bolivia Beniano Dark Tranquilidad 66% (bar) (Batch #1) was from Fruition Chocolate Works (Shokan, New York).

The company sourced the wild Beniano Bolivian cacao beans used to make this chocolate from Volker Lehmann via Uncommon Cacao. Lehmann operates Hacienda Tranquilidad, in northern Bolivia. And their cacao is designated as a special heritage cacao by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund.

Aroma notes included: subtle, complex dark chocolate that started with a slightly more intense dark chocolate and ended with a more delicate, almost floral, sweet botanical dark chocolate.

This well-tempered 66% dark chocolate bar broke with a hard snap, and had a smooth, even texture and melt.

Flavor notes included: sweet dark chocolate; very faint coffee; molasses brown bread; honey; and sweet nut(s). This Bolivia Beniano dark chocolate had a gentle, pleasing finish with slight roasted cacao/coffee and faint, fleeting forest notes.

I've tasted and featured several bars from different makers who used Tranquilidad, Bolivia, (Beniano) cacao grown in the Beni Department of northeastern Bolivia. 

While the resulting chocolates vary slightly (based on harvest year, selected roasting and conching/grinding times, etc.) all have had gentle, appealingly complex aroma and/or flavor aspects to them. 

Love live these wonderful islands of heirloom cacao trees and those that protect them. 

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter* (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Allergen Warning: Our facility contains tree nuts, peanuts, milk, wheat, eggs, soy, and sesame. Trace amounts possible."

 

Chuao Chocolatier - Potato Chip Milk Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 31, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Chuao Chocolatier
Potato Chip Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good + 
Weight: 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 420 calories in 1 bar
Cost: N/A - birthday present
Purchased from: N/A - birthday present (Thank you Megan!)

Happy Halloween--one of the biggest chocolate consumption days of the year in the U.S. 

This Potato Chip Milk Chocolate (bar) is the last of 4 bonus Halloween chocolate entries sandwiched in between a week of Bolivian Chocolates. Two of these Halloween chocolates contained potato (crisps and chips).

What's the connection between potatoes, chocolate and Bolivia? 

1.) My two favorite foods are: chocolate and potatoes.
2.) Both cacao and potatoes originated (and are still cultivated in) Bolivia* (and Peru).
3.) It's Halloween! I can eat any chocolate that I want. I like savory chocolates.

This evening's Potato Chip Milk Chocolate bar was from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA).

Aroma notes for included: sweet milk chocolate; very faint salted potato (potato chip); and very faint vanilla.

The texture was both creamy (milk chocolate, cocoa butter) and crunchy (embedded potato chip bits).

Flavor notes included: sweet (41% cacao) milk chocolate, salty potato chip bits, and very faint vanilla. The sugar and salt levels landed this bar into the addictive snack zone. 

Neither chocolate nor potato (chip) flavors were very strong. The sugar (and vanilla) and the fat (cocoa butter and oil from the potato chips) were more prominent. I like flavorful dark chocolates (including those with salt/umami flavor inclusions); but that didn't stop me from eating this entire milk chocolate bar. Scary. 

Ingredients: Premium 41% milk chocolate (cane sugar*, cacao butter*, milk, cacao*, sunflower and soy lecithin [as an emulsifier], natural vanilla*), potato chips (potatoes, vegetable oil [sunflower, corn and/or canola oil]), sea salt. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Milk, Soy" "Manufactured in a facility that uses tree nuts and wheat on shared equipment."

*There are thousands of varieties of potatoes in South America. The potato may have been first cultivated/domesticated in Bolivia as far back as 9,000+ years ago.

Sjaak's - 1.) Extra Dark 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar, 2.) Chipotle & Cinnamon Dark Chocolate Bar - Oct. 31, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day 

Sjaak's Organic Chocolates

Extra Dark 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 85 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Chipotle & Cinnamon 60% Dark Chocolate Bar
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 80 calories for 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome and Happy Halloween to all who celebrate. We interrupt Chocolate and Bolivia Theme Week to insert four spooky "bonus" Halloween chocolates on this night of tiny ghosts and goblins. 

This small bar duo: 1.) Extra Dark 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate and Chipotle and 2.) Cinnamon 60% Dark Chocolate Bars were from Sjaak's Organic Chocolates (Petaluma, CA). 

Extra Dark 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar

Aroma notes included: robust dark chocolate aroma with balanced earth (loam, faint peat) and very faint chocolate torte and faint vanilla.

Texture: smooth, uniform dark chocolate with a buttery, easy melt and mouthfeel.

Flavor notes included: rich, dark chocolate with balanced earth (faint peat, loam); silky chocolate ganache; and very faint vanilla.

Ingredients: 72% Dark Chocolate* (Cocoa Liquor*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Vanilla Bean Powder*) (*=Organic)

Allergen-related information: Produced in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, and coconut.

Chipotle & Cinnamon Dark Chocolate Bar

Aroma notes included: robust dark chocolate (very similar to the 72% dark chocolate above only diluted with a pinch more sugar, and spices); balanced, subtle earth notes (faint peat, loam); and very light warm spices (cinnamon); and faint chili pepper.

Texture: smooth, uniform with a buttery melt and mouthfeel.

Flavor notes were the same as the aroma notes, only with more dark chocolate-y taste--and heat from the chipotle pepper.

Ingredients: 60% Chocolate* (Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Liquor*, Cocoa Butter*, Ground Vanilla Beans*), Ground Chipotle Pepper*, Cinnamon*. (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: Produced in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, and coconut.