Wednesday, April 17, 2024

J. Street Chocolate - Shoyu Chocolate 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) - April 16, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

J. Street Chocolate 
Shoyu Chocolate 72% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.)/ 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 136.4 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 (web site price today) for 1 bar
Purchased from: J. Street Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week. And it seemed like a good time to feature bars from J. Street Chocolate (San Francisco, CA). 

Today's Shoyu Chocolate 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Julia Street at J. Street Chocolate (San Francisco, CA). Street is a small-batch, bean-to-bar maker who explores chocolate "through the world of fermentation, upcycled food, and single origin bars." Chocolates with fermented flavor inclusions often have more umami* flavor.

Aroma notes for today's vegan, gluten- and soy-free dark chocolate included: sweet and very slightly savory/umami dark chocolate. The sweetness had a pleasing depth, complexity and substance to it. (It was similar to the first whiff of either less processed sugars: cane and coconut sugars, maple syrup, or honey -- or certain cooked sugars (caramel, toffee). 

Flavor notes included: smooth, almost creamy, rich, chocolate-y, dark chocolate, blended with tiny taste bubbles of umami-like savoriness (fermented shoyu flecks, sea salt). 

This bar was thoughtfully conceived, and well executed--with complementary flavors that were allowed to shine and dance a little together. It was well balanced, not too sweet or salty. 

Maker's description/notes: "Fudgey chocolate blended and topped with shoyu lees**--a...blend of salty and sweet."**

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans from Camino Verde" (Ecuador), "organic coconut sugar, organic cocoa butter, Shared Cultures shoyu lees (organic lentils, organic quinoa, water, sea salt, koji)"

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut (sugar). 

*Umami foods have a savory quality, and contain higher levels of glutamate.

**More info from the maker: "This bar is carefully crafted with dehydrated gluten and soy free organic shoyu lees (moromi) from Shared Cultures (left over from pressing the sauce) ground into it in addition to sprinkled on the back so you'll get bites where you truly get to enjoy the moromi. Paired with beans from Camino Verde in Ecuador, the fudgey and citrusy backdrop of the beans highlights the moromi and with everything together, tropical explosions happen in the mouth." 

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