Fjak - Wild Mushroom Funnel Chanterelle Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 5, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak
Wild Mushroom Funnel Chanterelle Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good +++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / ~2.11 oz. (~60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 175.2 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's award-winning, Funnel Chanterelle Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Fjak Chocolate AS (Eidfjord, Norway). 

This Limited Edition chocolate was part of the company's "Nordic Specials" series, featuring seasonal, local Norwegian flavors (apples/cider, berries, moss, brown cheese--and in this case wild mushrooms) found in the Hardangerfjord area of western Norway.

Subtle but complex aroma notes for this bar included subtle dark milk chocolate (very faint, diffuse fruit and lemon-green herb (oxalis)), faint mushroom (soup), and a pleasant, natural sweetness (similar to woodsy honey).

This well-tempered bar had a pleasing, creamy melt and texture. 

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate (creamy cacao, milky drinking chocolate); very faint, honey and warm spiced fruit (peaches and pears), and almost undetectable mushroom with a dab of cream and a barely there aromatic (floral peppercorn) spice. At the very end (tail end of the finish) there was a very faint, fleeting, smoky/savory mushroom note.

I really enjoyed this well-executed, wild mushroom chocolate with subtle flavors simmering just below the sweet, milky surface. It wasn't salty or savory, but there was some trace, satisfying umami to it.

I paired this creamy milk chocolate with pecan nuts that were woodsy, nutty and slightly sweet.

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Milk Powder*, Cocoa Butter*, Funnel Chanterelle* (Min. 50% Cocoa). (* = Organic)

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

 

Back Roads - Dark Chocolate Pecan granola - Dec. 4, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Back Roads Food Company
Organic Dark Chocolate Pecan plant based granola
Good ++
Weight: 1/4 cup (27 g.) / 10 oz. (284 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $8.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Pecans Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Pecan plant based granola was from Back Roads Food Company (Brattleboro, VT). 

Aroma notes for this gluten free and vegan granola included: sweet oats, nuts (pecans, cashews) and seeds and very faint dark chocolate and dried fruit (raisin).

This fresh, crispy-crunchy granola cereal was full of balanced oat, fruit (raisin), nut, coconut and dark chocolate flavors. It wasn't too sweet; it had an attractive natural sweetness. The Vermont maple syrup added a little more flavor depth than other sugars.

Ingredients: Certified gluten free rolled oats, Vermont maple syrup, dark chocolate (coconut sugar and cocoa butter), coconut chips, pecans, sweetened cranberries (apple juice and sunflower oil), cashews, high oleic sunflower oil, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut and sesame seeds. 

Allergen-related information: Contains nuts (pecans, cashews), coconut. "Processed in a peanut free facility that processes other nuts. May contain nut shell pieces or seed hulls."