Chuao Chocolatier - Exploding Coal - popping candy and black cacao (bar) - Jan. 30, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Chuao Chocolatier
Exploding Coal - popping candy and black cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: FarmFresh, online order 

Welcome to Day #2 of Unique Chocolates Week, featuring interesting origins and form factors, as well as surprising flavor additions.

Today's Exploding Coal bar with popping candy and black cacao was created by Chef Antonorsi at Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA). 

Drawing inspiration from a fossil fuel is unique, although the reference to coal has more to do with Christmas* than combustibles.

Aroma notes included: roasted dark chocolate and sweet vanilla.

I enjoyed the playful textures in this holiday bar: the hard snap of dark chocolate, effervescent popping candy and a constellation of tiny, crunchy sugar sparkles.

Flavor notes included: robust but friendly, toasty dark chocolate (deep but smooth cocoa) and warm sweet vanilla (marshmallow) and sweet popping candy.

This naughty (rather addicting) and nice "coal" dark chocolate would be a welcome addition to any Christmas stocking.

Ingredients: Premium 60% dark chocolate (cacao*, cane sugar*, cacao butter*, sunflower lecithin [as an emulsifier], natural vanilla), popping candy (sugar, maltose, carbon dioxide), black cacao powder*.

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

*Children in the 1800s-1900s were told they would receive a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking if they landed on Santa's "naughty" list. As coal was often used to heat homes, the sight of these black lumps in a scuttle by the stove or fireplace (where Santa entered a home) made it a more credible threat back then.

Preston's Candy By Javier - Black Sesame & Pinenut Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 29, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Preston's Candy By Javier
Black Sesame & Pinenut All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Market, Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #1 of Unique Chocolates Week, including chocolates with harder to find or unique origins, formulations and flavor inclusions.

Today's Black Sesame & Pinenut All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Preston's Candy By Javier (Burlingame, CA). This local (San Francisco Bay Area) shop has been selling confections and bars since 1946. 

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth (well-roasted/tamed) bittersweet dark chocolate, subtle toffee, sesame, and faint vanilla.

This thick dark chocolate was interspersed with generous and very tasty embedded pieces of chewy-crunchy black sesame toffee brittle. I enjoyed the dark sesame brittle quite a bit; and appreciated that the dark chocolate base was not overly sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: 63% Bittersweet chocolate (cacao beans, pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla beans), Pine Nuts, Black Sesame Seeds.

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also makes products containing milk, soy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat."

Fossa Chocolate - 44% Dark Pulut Hitam (bar) + Vanuatu lunch - Jan. 28, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day 

Fossa Chocolate
44% Dark Pulut Hitam (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 284 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Vanuatu Week. For the last day of this theme week, I enjoyed two items.

Vanuatu Laplap

First I made some "laplap." Also known as the "national dish of Vanuatu," this baked pudding contained yam, green banana, coconut milk and salt. (I also added a little cinnamon, ginger and kumquat zest.) I enjoyed it, and will likely make it again.

The laplap was followed by today's chocolate made with purple rice and coconut palm sugar--inspired by the Indonesian dessert Pulut Hitam (a black/purple rice porridge with coconut palm sugar that is also popular in Singapore and elsewhere).

Pulut Hitam (bar)

Today's 44% Dark Pulut Hitam bar was from Fossa Chocolate Pte Ltd (Singapore).

Aroma and flavor notes included: soft cocoa (luscious light cocoa, faint floral and very faint diffuse fruit); aromatic purple rice; faint coconut, cocoa butter and rice pudding notes; and (imagined) pandan leaf.

Texture: smooth, slight creamy starch, quickly followed by a rich, creamy melt and mouthfeel.

The makers successfully channeled the sweet soul of rice pudding in this chocolate, plus the subtle flavors in the cacao, the purple rice and the coconut sugar that we rarely experience with "plain" white rice pudding in the U.S.* 

Ingredients: Cacao butter, purple glutinous rice, cacao, coconut palm sugar, cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut (sugar). "Produced in a facility that processes nuts & dairy."

*The first rice puddings likely originated in China or India. Today we have many different versions of this dish/dessert around the world (kheer in India; sombi in Senegal; Arroz con Leche in Mexico, etc.)

Most modern American versions use white rice, milk, sugar and often egg. Occasionally we adorn our white rice pudding with raisins, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet citrus peel, or maybe a little spirits (rum, whiskey)); but most of what is sold in stores is ivory-hued, soft, comfort food.

 

Gaston Chocolate - Tree to Bar Dark 70% Chocolate Kava (bar) - Jan. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Gaston Chocolat
Tree to Bar Dark 70% Chocolate Kava (bar) 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 2.4 oz. (68 g.) in total bar
Calories: 189 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: N/A - gift from friend (thank you Toni!)
Purchased from: N/A gift 

Welcome to Day #6 of the Chocolate and Vanuatu Series.

Today's Tree to Bar Dark 70% Chocolate Kava (bar) was from Gaston Chocolat (Port Vila - Efate, Vanuatu).

Aroma notes included: subtle dark chocolate and faint, slightly green/botanical.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate and kava*-- that had a slightly sour, then bitter, followed by a slight tingling (tongue-numbing) sensation. 

Texture: broke with a hard snap and had a light (weight) feel and relatively creamy melt. The kava was fully incorporated into the chocolate, so there was no fibrous texture from the kava. (Kava beverages sometimes have thread-like particles from the crushed roots of the plant.)

This slightly peppery, slightly bitter flavor blend kava and chocolate was fun to try. (Thank you again to friends who generously shared chocolates they found on their Vanuatu vacation.)

Health Note: This chocolate bar contained 15% kava, and was labeled as suitable for ages "18+ Only." Why? Kava can have mild sedative and narcotic effects. I didn't notice any effects. But, be advised, this chocolate may not be for everyone. (There are also potential health risks associated with regular/prolonged kava use; and there have been bans on kava in several countries.) 

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Kava (15%)

Allergen-related information: No information found on packaging -- but this bar was labeled 18+ (years of age) Only, because of the kava.

*Kava (Piper methysticum) likely originated in northern Vanuatu. It has been selectively cultivated by farmers there for 3,000 years, and is a sterile cultivar propagated (cloned) from a wild ancestor (Piper whichmanii). The root of this plant is usually crushed and prepared with water, i.e. served as a beverage, sometimes in a half coconut shell. It can be found in several Pacific islands, including Hawaii.

Gaston Chocolat - Tree to Bar Candied Orange Dark 70% (bar) - Jan. 26, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Gaston Chocolat
Tree to Bar Candied Orange Dark 70% (bar) 
Good ++
Weight: 1.22 oz. (34.5 g.) / 2.44 oz. (69 g.) in total bar
Calories: 189 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: N/A - gift from friend (thank you Toni!)
Purchased from: N/A gift 

Welcome to Day #5 of the Chocolate and Vanuatu Series.

Today's Tree to Bar Candied Orange Dark 70% (bar) (Batch #58/24) was from Gaston Chocolat (Port Vila, Vanuatu).

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate (pleasant, mild cocoa and chocolate cookie) and subtle, authentic orange. 

This relatively thick bar broke with a hard snap (in a cool room). The texture was uniform and smooth; and tiny bits of candied orange peel (adhered to the back of the bar) added a micro-crunchiness to some bites.

I enjoyed the smooth, authentic and complementary flavors; the short list of ingredients; and being able to try a chocolate made "in country" (made within the same island nation where the cacao beans are grown) by a Vanuatu-based company.

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Orange Peel

Allergen-related information: (No information found on packaging)

Aelan - Dark Chocolate Single Origin from Vanuatu 70% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 25, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Aelan Chocolate Makers
Dark Chocolate Single Origin from Vanuatu 70% Cacao (bar) 
Good ++
Weight: .795 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: N/A - gift from friend (thank you Toni!)
Purchased from: N/A gift 

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Vanuatu Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Single Origin from Vanuatu 70% Cacao (bar) was from Aelan Chocolate Makers (Port Vila, Vanuatu). 

Fun facts on the label: "Aelan is (the word for) "island" in Bisiama, Vanuatu language." The company sources cacao from the islands of Vanuatu. And the cacao used in today's bar was sourced from the island of Malo.

Aroma and flavor notes included: pleasing dark chocolate with very diffuse red fruit (cherry, berry); very faint sweet green; and faint coffee/latte notes.

Texture: relatively normal dark chocolate texture, but minor dry/powdery* mouthfeel in the middle that lasted until the chocolate finished melting in my mouth. 

I enjoyed the pleasant rich chocolate-y flavor(s) in this two-ingredient bar.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Sugar

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts.

*This subtle powdery-like "dryness" could have been caused by the cacao (tannins), the age of the bar, tempering or storage conditions or heating/cooling that occurred in transit. (The chocolate looked fine, broke with a snap, and had no obvious white/bloom). It also had neither the puckery (unripe persimmon-type) astringengy nor the chalky mouthfeel that might be present in extreme examples. 

Firetree - Single-Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island 72% Cocoa (thins) - Jan. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree
Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island 72% Cocoa (thins)
Good ++
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 5.9 oz. (150 g.) in total box of 25 thins 
Calories: 204 calories in 6 thins
Cost: $35.00 for 1 box of 25 pieces
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Vanuatu Theme Week.

Today's Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island 72% Cocoa (Rich Volcanic Chocolate Thins) were from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, United Kingdom). 

Firetree offers chocolates from a variety of island nations, including the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. And the "Firetree" name is linked to the flame-hued colors of cocoa pods and the fiery volcanic origins of many islands.

Aroma and flavor notes for these smooth-textured, ultra-thin rounds included: rich chocolate (cocoa) with a well-managed roastiness and very faint earth; and faint, diffuse fruit.

Some heavy roast notes can seem overdone (too smoke-y); and some earth notes can taste a bit off (too compost-y). But both these aspects seemed in character with the cacao origins of today's chocolate, i.e. the dark, porous volcanic soils where these cacao beans and trees grew in Vanuatu.

Just as terroir comments show up in wine and coffee tasting notes, the jumbled lava rocks that break down into soils and black sand beaches (seen also in the Big Island of Hawaii in the U.S.) can contribute to detectable flavors in the fermented and roasted cacao seeds (beans) that we enjoy later.

Texture: ultra-thin rounds allowed full access to the flavors and gave one a prolonged opportunity to enjoy the lingering, almost creamy finish that was also present in yesterday's featured 100% Vanuatu bar from Firetree.  

Maker's Tasting Notes: "...Cherry, soft lemon and white grape aromas give an essence of lush fruit."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin. 

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

Firetree - 100% Cacao Single-Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island (bar) - Jan. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree
100% Cocoa Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 209.3 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 100% Cocoa Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, United Kingdom). 

This creamy, relatively smooth, ultra-dark chocolate -- made with just one ingredient -- had aroma and flavor notes that included: rich cocoa; smooth mineral; very faint toast and (red) fruit jam sandwich cooked over a campfire; and barely detectable, naturally sweet green (almost mild nut) botanical notes.

Texture: Relatively thick, creamy/cocoa buttery melt and mouthfeel, with a satisfying, extended finish.

This was a polished, well-executed 100% cacao, ultra-dark bar without ultra-rough edges. The bitterness was well balanced and almost enjoyable. I found the lack of sugar to be refreshing. 

Terroir influences flavors (with wine grapes, cacao, coffee and other crops). Firetree's "rich volcanic cocoa" tagline reminded me of the mineral-rich dark sand and soil of other cacao-growing islands (like the Big Island of Hawaii).

Not everyone shares my appreciation for single ingredient (unsweetened) chocolates, much less a whole side-by-side tasting flight of different 100%ers. However, if you're so inclined, today's 100% Vanuatu bar belongs in such a tasting.

Ingredients: 100% Cocoa mass

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts and milk.

 

Luisa's Vegan Chocolates - Vanuatu 72% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Vegan Chocolates by Luisa Ltd. 
Vanuatu 72% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $12.99 + shipping for 1 bar
Purchased from: DeLaurenti (store), Seattle, WA (online order)

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

Today's Vanuatu 72% Cacao (bar) was from Vegan Chocolates by Luisa Ltd. (Nottingham, U.K.).

Aroma and flavor notes: dark chocolate (fresh baked fudge brownie) with diffuse, dried fruit (fig, berry, cherry); faint, fleeting oolong tea; and very faint sweet green, and light molasses/caramel notes. 

Texture: This very thick bar had a smooth, even and slightly creamy texture.

I loved the complexity, the fruit and tea notes and the rich chocolate that wasn't too sweet (thank you!) This Vanuatu bar was full of bright, well-balanced flavors; and it was a perfect warm up/wake up chocolate for a winter morning.

Maker's tasting notes: "Sweet cherry notes on the nose, with fruity nuances that mellow into toffee caramel end-notes."

Ingredients: Cacao mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: Made in an environment that handles nuts.

Kasama Chocolate - Limited Release - Echague Isabela, Philippines, 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
Limited Release - Echague Isabela, Philippines, 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162.5 calories in 1/2 bar (325 cals. in 1 bar)
Cost: $17.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Limited Release - Echague Isabela, Philippines, 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Aroma notes for this special chocolate included: dark chocolate with subtle fruit, almost floral/botanical, and butter notes.

Texture: smooth, creamy/buttery texture with a thick, luxe melt (in a cold room).

Flavor notes included: dark, buttery chocolate, with subtle, fleeting fruit (something green and very slightly tart-sweet, diffuse red fruit -- maybe apple); fleeting mild, "clean" (white) seed/nut (chestnut); and very faint earth. 

I enjoyed: 1.) the subtle intriguing flavor complexity (it felt like a game of hide and seek in a forest); 2.) the short list of quality, organic ingredients; and 3.) that it wasn't too sweet. 

Maker's tasting notes: "...smooth, creamy chocolate with notes of roasted chestnuts, Black Forest Cake and stout beer."

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, "Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter* (* = Organic) 

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

 

Oodaalolly - 55% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Mango (bar) - Jan. 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Oodaalolly
55% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Mango (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Oodaalolly, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 55% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Mango (bar) was manufactured by Oodaalolly, A H&G (Richmond, CA), and was made with Philippine cacao.

Aroma notes for this bar included: smooth dark chocolate, subtle coconut (milk) and ripe fruit (mango).

This 55% coconut milk chocolate had rich, sweet chocolate-y flavor (high-end dark chocolate fudge sauce, ganache), and very slight tangy and earthy notes. 

Tiny clusters of mango pieces on the back of the bar added subtle, authentic tart-sweet mango flavor, and a bit of textural and visual interest. 

Maker's tasting notes "Savor the mellow sweetness of mango blended with our luscious coconut milk...a non-dairy delight."

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Dried Mango, Organic Coconut Milk Powder (Organic Coconut Milk, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin, Organic Gum Acacia"

Allergen-related information: Manufactured In a Facility That Also Processes Milk, Almond, Coconut"  

Oodaalolly - 50% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt (bar) - Jan. 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Oodaalolly
50% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Oodaalolly, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 50% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt (bar) was manufactured by Oodaalolly, A H&G (Richmond, CA).

I enjoyed the smooth flavor in this 50% oat milk chocolate. It was rich and chocolate-y (high-end chocolate fudge sauce, ganache), but it wasn't too sweet (thank you). The sea salt and the oat milk (powder) helped balance the sweetness; and both harmonized well with the cacao. 

The oat powder was seamlessly integrated into the chocolate and added a very faint (almost undetectable) maltiness. And the tiny snowflakes of sea salt had a perfect texture and flavor.

Oodaalolly founder and chocolate maker Hernan Lauber has successfully delivered a blend of high-quality cacao (and short list of ingredients) with Swiss-style chocolate making techniques (smaller particle size, creamier texture, and relatively smooth flavors). 

This bar was well-balanced and smooth, yet also more flavorful than other 50% cacao bars and/or other most oat milk chocolates I've tried.

Maker's description: "This lush velvety bar is a love letter to my dual heritage, crafted with the finest  Philippine cacao using the Swiss chocolate making magic I learned from my father...Ilocano sea salt from the Pangasinan region has a unique crystal structure and minerality making it a culinary treasure of the Philippines..."

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Oat Powder, Sea Salt"

Allergen-related information: Manufactured In a Facility That Also Processes Milk, Almond, Coconut" 

Oodaalolly - 70% Premium Cacao Dark Chocolate with Coconut Sugar (bar) - Jan. 18, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Oodaalolly, A H&G
70% Premium Cacao Dark Chocolate with Coconut Sugar (bar)
Good ++  
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 380 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Oodaalolly, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 70% Premium Cacao Dark Chocolate with Coconut Sugar (bar) was made by Oodaalolly, A H&G (Richmond, CA).

The sugar lent great, rich, nuanced sweetness. The taste wasn't maple sugar; it wasn't brown sugar...It was in its own class. And it harmonized very nicely with the 70% cacao dark chocolate.

I loved the sugar flavor; the balance of dark chocolate and sugar; and the short list of quality, organic ingredients. (I also found this bar to be mildly addictive.)

Maker's description: "Delicious 70% dark chocolate infused with the golden sweetness of coconut sugar from the Philippines..."

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter"

Allergen-related information: Manufactured In a Facility That Also Processes Milk, Almond, Coconut"

 

The Organic House - Philippines 100% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) - Jan. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Philippines 100% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and the Philippines Week.

Today's Philippines 100% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, Ontario, Canada). 

Bon Bulak ("floral") refers to a micro-lot (of cacao) from Kablon Farms in South Cotabato, Davao, in the Philippines; and chocolates using this cacao origin have been created by several craft chocolate makers in the past year or so. Yesterday I featured a 70% cacao version of this cacao from the same maker.

Today's 100% bar included much fainter versions of the same aroma and flavor notes (that appeared in yesterday's 70% version): dark chocolate with faint fruit and floral, very subtle light molasses/brown sugar, and warm spice. Flavor notes also included deep, appealing chocolate-y notes and warm buttery umami (slightly sweet mushrooms in butter and green herbs (savory, mint family). 

The texture was very cocoa-buttery and smooth, with a pleasant creamy melt and mouthful. 

The difference was with no sugar, this chocolate was more bitter, and some of the bright/sweet fruit and buttery mushroom notes dropped out quite a bit--as did some of the flavors in the coconut blossom sugar. The (relatively earthier) mint herb notes were still intact. (Today's 100%er would be a great educational bar to pair with its 70% sibling as part of a tasting flight.)

Maker's tasting notes: "Porcini, sage, lilac, petit verdot (small red wine grape (slow to ripen), primarily from Bordeaux). Mellow earthy notes, with a smooth finish."

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, Organic cacao butter"

Allergen-related information: "May contain Almonds, Cashews, hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios"  

The Organic House - Philippines 70% Cacao, Bon Bulak (bar) - Jan. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Philippines 70% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 392 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and the Philippines Week.

Today's Philippines 70% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, Ontario, Canada). 

Bon Bulak ("floral") refers to a micro-lot (of cacao) from Kablon Farms in South Cotabato, Davao, in the Philippines. Kablon Farms, a bio (organic) grower, is producing some very tasty cacao--based on both yesterday's (Ritual Chocolate) and today's (The Organic House) bean-to-bar chocolates made with cacao grown there.

Aroma and flavor notes for today's 70% bar included: dark chocolate with faint fruit and floral, very subtle light molasses/brown sugar, and warm spice. Flavor notes also included deep, appealing chocolate-y notes and warm buttery umami (slightly sweet mushrooms in butter and green herbs (savory, mint family). 

Note: I like chocolates with umami flavors and/or coconut (flower nectar) sugar, so those flavors in today's balanced and subtlety complex chocolate was a bit of heaven for me.

Texture: smooth chocolate, and a pleasant creamy melt and mouthful. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Porcini, sage, lilac, petit verdot (small red wine grape (slow to ripen), primarily from Bordeaux). Mellow earthy notes, with a smooth finish."

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, Organic coconut flower nectar, Organic cacao butter"

Allergen-related information: "May contain Almonds, Cashews, hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios" 

Ritual Chocolate - Limited Edition Philippines Kablon Farms 75% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Ritual Chocolate
Limited Edition Philippines Kablon Farms 75% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Ritual Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and The Philippines Week.

Today's Limited Edition Philippines Kablon Farms 75% Cacao (bar) was from Ritual Chocolate (Heber City, UT).

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate with very faint, diffuse fruit (dark red, ripe berry); forest (very faint woodsy/cedar/fir); nut (roasted peanuts with skins); and very faint (barely detectable) spice (black pepper, black licorice, star anise).

Texture: this was a relatively slim chocolate bar (all the better as it allows better, more immediate access to texture and flavors) that had a smooth chocolate bite and a creamy melt and mouthful. 

After enjoying a few weeks of chocolates with flavor inclusions, it was great to get back to a single origin bar (made with just three organic ingredients) where 100% of the focus was on this full-bodied cacao from the Philippines that had well-executed complexity.

Maker's tasting notes: "Kablon Farms...organic since the '90's and pioneers in fermentation.....Their beans topped our taste tests with rich, roasted peanut flavors..."

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter"

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of Wheat, Tree Nuts and Soy"

Kasama Chocolate - The Endless Summer (Philippines cacao) (bar) - Jan. 14, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate

"The Endless Summer" - Seasonal Release 55% Chocolate with Coconut Milk and Saba Banana (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 329 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's "The Endless Summer" - Seasonal Release 55% Dark Chocolate with Coconut Milk and Saba Banana (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Tropical flavor inclusions and island origins are great for cold winter days. It was chilly outside today where I live; but this "Endless Summer" bar offered a welcome, virtual trip to the Philippines.

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate (dark ganache); sweet green (banana); and subtle, authentic coconut milk. 

There was also a faint and balanced fruit tanginess to this bar also; but it was hard to pin down whether it was coming from the cacao, the coconut milk, the banana or a combination of all the ingredients. In any case, it added a tiny bit of oomph to the overall taste. Not too tart or sour, but enough to add some interest--like a squirt of lime or lemon on a fruit salad.

Texture: The base chocolate had a creamy, almost silken, texture -- thanks to the combination of coconut milk and cocoa butter. 

The Saba* banana chips (pieces on the back of the bar) added subtle banana/plantain chip texture and flavor. The chips (a generous sprinkle of small, thin, crunchy pieces) were just right for my taste; and it was great to see a variety of banana that originated in the Philippines.

As with other Kasama Chocolate offerings, I appreciated the short list of quality ingredients. And I liked that the 55% cacao dark coconut milk bar had a richer, darker flavor (more like a 65%+ cacao dark chocolate) than some other dark milk chocolates.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans*, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Coconut Milk Powder*, Saba Banana Chips, Sea Salt" (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut. "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

*The Saba banana is a triploid hybrid cultivar, that originated in the Philippines. It's used in cooking and eating fresh.

Kasama Chocolate - 55% Goat's Milk, Philippines (bar) - Jan. 13, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
55% Goat's Milk, Philippines (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 318 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 55% Goat's Milk, Philippines (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Aroma notes included: smooth, dark milk chocolate with very faint, clean floral and light hay.

Texture: smooth dark milk chocolate with a clean, light mouthfeel and melt.

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate with a very small hint of goat milk (with no game-y or off notes). Think goat milk (metaphorically wrapped in freshly washed silk and) blended with rich cocoa.

Thank you to the makers for the short list of quality ingredients, and for the opportunity to try chocolates made with cacao from the Philippines.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, "Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Goat's Milk Powder (* = Organic) 

Allergen-related information: Contains Goat Milk. "Made in a facility that contains nuts." 

Theo & Philo - 65% Dark Chocolate with Labuyo Chili (bar) - Jan. 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Theo & Philo 
65% Dark Chocolate with Labuyo Chili (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 110 cals. for 20 g. serving
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 65% Dark Chocolate with Labuyo Chili (bar) was from Theo & Philo Chocolate Factory (Metro Manila, Philippines). 

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (ganache), and very faint red chili/bell pepper and even fainter brown sugar/maple syrup.

Texture: smooth texture, with a firm but creamy fudge aspect.

Flavor notes included: chocolate (dark, slightly fudge-y, ganache) with some heat from the Labuyo chili kicking in now and then.

I appreciated the short list of ingredients and overall flavor in this well-balanced bar. I also found it oddly addicting. 

The sweetness level was relatively high, but I enjoyed the brown sugar-like complexity that may have come with the choice of sugar.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chili"

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, and other dairy products." Halal.

*Labuyo chili (Capsicum frutescens 'Siling labuyo') is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines. The fruits and leaves are used in traditional Philippine cuisine. How hot is this pepper?  Approximately 80,000-100,000 Scoville units. (The hottest scoring chili peppers in the world (so-called "super hots") can score over 1,000,000 units.) 

Kasama Chocolate - 57% Earl Grey Tea, Philippines (bar) - Jan. 11, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
57% Earl Grey Tea, Philippines (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 157 calories in 1/2 bar (314 cals. in 1 bar)
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama, online order

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 57% Earl Grey Tea, Philippines (bar) was created by Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada). The company offers a variety of bars made using cacao from the Philippines*-- and you'll see at least four of these bars featured this week.

Aroma and flavor notes include fragrant bergamot (floral, citrus); dark milk chocolate (cocoa, ganache); and smooth, satisfying and sweet tea latte.

Texture: smooth, with a very slight (authentic) black tea astringency in the finish. Extra points for providing a full Earl Grey tea experience. 

I really enjoyed "sipping" (savoring small bites of) this tea-inspired chocolate. This bar would be a great gift for (or to share with) chocolate and Earl Grey tea fans.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, "Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Whole Milk Powder, Earl Grey Tea" (* = organic) 

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

*One of the founders has roots, and family, in the Philippines. 

Fossa Chocolate - 53% Dark Milk Chrysanthemum Tea Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 10, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate

53% Dark Milk Chrysanthemum Tea Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 139 calories in 1/2 bar; (278 calories in 1 bar)
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs & Spices Theme Week; and Day #2 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week. 

Today's 53% Dark Milk Chrysanthemum Tea Chocolate (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate Pte Ltd (Singapore). They used cacao from the Philippines to make this chocolate.

Aroma notes included: dark milk chocolate; very faint floral tea notes. 

Texture: very smooth, buttery texture with a soft caramel-like melt. (The chrysanthemum buds were fully incorporated into the chocolate.)

I loved the creamy texture, and I was happy to find that despite relatively high levels of sugar I could still taste and enjoy the relatively delicate, sweet floral notes of the chrysanthemum (light, clean, honey-ed, almost chamomile-like floral -- no detectable earthy notes with these flower buds).

I would love to taste this chocolate with a little less sugar (maybe a 60% cacao version?) to taste more of the lovely chrysanthemum tea and the cacao.* 

Thank you to the makers for the short list of high-quality ingredients and the gentle, balanced complexity in this bar. 

Maker's description: "Chrysanthemum is a symbol of longevity and rejuvenation. Brewed as a tea, it is believed to have cooling and cleansing properties...Prized chrysanthemum buds from Zhejiang, China, are blended with with fruity cacao from Rehoboth Estate (Philippines) in a 53% dark milk chocolate, bringing forth an elegant floral aroma and notes of honey with a sweet lingering finish..."

Ingredients: "Cacao, cane sugar, cacao butter, milk powder, chrysanthemum flower buds"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Produced in a facility that processes nuts & dairy." 

*General comment: Smooth, sweet chocolates may appeal to more buyers; and the price of cacao has gone way up in recent years; so dark chocolates are more expensive to make. I can appreciate the challenges some makers have in trying to satisfy a variety of customer tastes (especially dark and ultra-dark chocolate lovers) at a reasonable price point, and to be profitable.

Fossa Chocolate - 53% Dark Milk Ginseng Chrysanthemum (Tea) (bar) - Jan. 9, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate

53% Dark Milk Ginseng Chrysanthemum (Tea) (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 139 calories in 1/2 bar; (278 calories in 1 bar)
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs & Spices Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week. 

Today's 53% Dark Milk Ginseng Chrysanthemum (Tea) (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate Pte Ltd (Singapore). They used cacao from the Philippines to make this chocolate.

Aroma notes included: dark milk chocolate; faint tea; clean, slightly floral, faint, fleeting olive (oil) (there was no olive oil); and mild root/herb (ginseng).

Texture: very smooth, buttery texture. The chrysanthemum and ginseng flavor elements were fully incorporated into the chocolate, leaving no botanical "grit."

I loved the fine creamy texture and the fact that the ginseng and chrysanthemum flavors seemed to be very harmonious together.

However, I was even happier to find that despite relatively high levels of milk and sugar I could still taste and enjoy the tea-like chrysanthemum (light, clean, honey-ed, almost chamomile-like floral) and ginseng (pleasant root, herb) notes. 

It reminded me of a very special sweet and floral milk tea -- that I've never had before, but now I want to find or make.

Thank you to the makers for the short list of high-quality ingredients and the gentle, balanced complexity in this bar.

Maker's description: "Ginseng chrysanthemum tea has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an immunity booster and a natural remedy to treat fatigue...Blending American ginseng and chrysanthemum buds with fruity cacao from Philippines' Rehoboth Estate makes for a powerful yet comforting aroma..."

Ingredients: "Cacao, cane sugar, cacao butter, milk powder, ginseng, chrysanthemum buds"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Produced in a facility that processes nuts & dairy."  

Fjak Chocolate - Limited Edition - Glogg (Mulled Wine) (bar) - Jan. 8, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Chocolate AS
Limited Edition - Glogg (Mulled Wine) (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.11 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 352 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week(s).

Today's Limited Edition - Glogg (Mulled Wine) (bar) was from Fjak Chocolate AS (Eidfjord, Hardangerfjord, Norway).

Crafted in Norway, Fjak's small batch chocolates often include Nordic/European and seasonal flavor inclusions. 

Aroma and flavor notes for this mulled wine bar included: sweet dark chocolate and red fruit (red wine, red grape juice) infused with citrus (orange), apple, and a warm spice blend.

This was a festive and relatively addictive chocolate, that I found very satisfying after being outdoors on a winter day. I paired this chocolate with a hot cup of Wild Sweet Orange tea from Tazo Tea Company.

The interplay of sweet yet sophisticated flavors in this bar evoked an authentic mulled/spiced wine. This was an enjoyable bar to taste, and fun to share with others.

The 60% cacao dark chocolate (made with Tanzania cacao) was relatively sweet. And that sweetness was amplified by the sweet orange (peel), apple, and warm spice notes. (It was comparable to what you'd taste in a sweet mulled/spiced wine.) 

This harmonious blend made me wonder: why haven't I tried a similar chocolate like this before? Where cocoa beans are soaked in red wine and blended with spices. 

Speaking of spices, I really enjoyed tasting all the spices. The short list of quality spices and other ingredients really made a difference.

Maker's tasting notes: "Made with cocoa beans from the wonderful Kokoa Kamili in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. We have infused this fine cocoa with our organic mulled wine recipe, creating a "Bold and Boozy" chocolate bar, with the distinctively spicy and fruity taste, of this seasons winter warmer."

Ingredients: "Cocoa beans* infused with mulled wine (red wine*, apples*, orange peel*, cardamom*, cinnamon*, anise*, cloves*), cane sugar*, cocoa butter*, cardamom*, cinnamon*, anise*, cloves* (* = Organic)"

Allergen-related information: Certified Organic; Vegan; dairy and gluten free. "Processed in a facility that handles nuts, dairy & gluten"

Intrigue Chocolate - Honey & Salt; Pomegranate Bay Leaf; Fresh Mint; Coffee & Balsamic Fig Truffles - Jan. 7, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.

• 1.) Honey & Sea Salt Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 2.) Pomegranate Bay Leaf Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 3.) Fresh Mint Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 4.) Coffee Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 5.) Balsamic Fig Truffle - Good ++

Weight: 1.57 oz. (44.5 g.) in 5 truffles / 4.09 oz. (116 g.) (estimate) in total box of 12 (13) truffles
Calories: 245 calories (estimate) for 5 truffles
Cost: $44.00 for 1 box of 12 (13) truffles
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Tea, Herb and Spice Week--featuring a range of bars, truffles, and hot chocolates infused with herbs and/or spices and/or teas.

Today's five truffles were made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). These individually-wrapped truffles were part of a 13-piece truffle assortment box. 

Pairing these truffles with a few (non-competing) side dishes and some teas, resulted in an instant, well-crafted cacao feast.

Honey & Sea Salt Truffle aroma and flavor notes included: rich, creamy fudge brownie, honey, very faint honey cookie, and sea salt. Sounds simple, but the flavors were perfectly balanced in this truffle. Another favorite.

Pomegranate & Bay Leaf Truffle notes included: rich chocolate with flavorful red fruit and sophisticated herb (bay leaf). Well-executed, and wonderfully balanced. The result was something akin to a classy, vertical, floral arrangement with subdued, elegant reds and greens. (Ode to a truffle?)

Fresh Mint Truffle notes included: fresh and authentic mint infused into rich, creamy chocolate.But the mint wasn't the strong, overpowering, sweet peppermint found in most mint-flavored chocolates. Instead, the maker chose to use a mint closer to spearmint (and perhaps a touch of another mint). A very nicely balanced chocolate with pleasing, subtly complex mint flavor.

Coffee Truffle notes included: beautiful coffee, cream latte, and coffee cheesecake/cream cheese (there was no cream cheese). I really enjoyed that I could taste the nuanced flavors in the coffee, which was wonderful.

Balsamic & Fig Truffle notes included: rich fruit (dried fig), red wine (there was no wine) and chocolate notes. The Balsamic added some flavor depth and a sweet, rich, slightly tangy taste.

I enjoyed the buttery smooth truffle texture, the authentic and balanced flavors, and the choice of herbs and spices in the assortment box (of 13 truffles). 

Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, soy lecithin), Cream (milk), flavors (as described in the truffle name).

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk.  

Intrigue Chocolate - Basil; Orange & Fennel; Ginger & Molasses Truffles - Jan. 6, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.
1.) Basil Truffle - Good ++ 
2.) Orange & Fennel Truffle - Good ++
3.) Ginger & Molasses Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .944 oz. (26.7 g.) in 3 truffles / 4.09 oz. (116 g.) (estimate) in total box of 12 (13) truffles
Calories: 147 calories (estimate) for 3 truffles
Cost: $44.00 for 1 box of 12 (13) truffles
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate, Tea, Herb and Spice Week, featuring a range of bars, truffles, teas and flavored hot chocolates.

Today's three truffles were made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). These individually-wrapped truffles were part of a 13-piece truffle assortment box. 

(I also enjoyed these with my own citrus, herb and spice tea that complemented these flavors.)

Aroma and flavor notes for the Basil Truffle included: chocolate (creamy, almost silken ganache) and faint green herb (basil).

Aroma and flavor notes for the Orange & Fennel Truffle included: chocolate (rich, creamy smooth ganache), fleeting savory (appealing mushroom jerky -- in aroma only); toasted fennel seed; and authentic citrus (orange). Light fennel lingered longest in the finish.

Aroma and flavor notes for the Ginger & Molasses Truffle included: creamy chocolate ganache, ground ginger spice, followed by appealing, authentic molasses that lightly lingered into the finish. 

I enjoyed the buttery smooth texture, the authentic and balanced flavors, and the choice of herbs and spices in the assortment box (of 13 truffles).

Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, soy lecithin), Cream (milk), flavors (as described in the truffle name).

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. 

 

Intrigue Chocolate - Gingerbread 60% Cacao (bar) + Brandy Cherry and Anise Seed Truffles - Jan. 5, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.

Gingerbread 60% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Truffle assortment box 

• Brandy Cherry Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• Anise Seed Truffle - Good ++

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week(s).

Today's Gingerbread 60% Cacao (bar) made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA) was part of the company's bean-to-bar Origins line. The bar was made using cacao beans from Ghana (Asante Akim region). Community: Three Mountains, Kome blend; Type: "Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario, and more pending identification." Crop Year: 2023.

Aroma notes for this bar included: authentic gingerbread and gingerbread spices, and dark chocolate.

I appreciated the short list of quality ingredients in this well-balanced, judicious and warm seasonal bar. I often find 60% cacao chocolates a little too sweet; but this was not the case today. I could taste both the rich dark chocolate and the spices: the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and a bit of black pepper in this blend. 

(Disclosure I love ginger molasses cookies and gingerbread; and as an adult I also love gingerbread teas and lattes with similar spices.) 

I enjoyed today's Gingerbread bar with two different Intrigue truffles from an assortment box of 13 different, and individually-wrapped, flavors. 

Intrigue's Brandy and Cherry Truffle was a classic. Rich, creamy, dusted in cocoa powder. Very Good. 

A warm cup of Tazo Ginger Jasmine tea + Intrigue's Anise Seed Truffle (also authentic and tasty), provided the "tea" and "herb" components of this week's theme (Chocolate Tea, Herbs and Spices Week). 

Maker's Tasting Notes for Gingerbread bar: "...smells like home and grandma's baking."

Ingredients: Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, ginger, cassia cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, sea salt."

Allergy-related information: "No actual bread was harmed in the making of this treat..." (minimizes gluten worries).

ChocolateSpiel - Spicy Orange Chocolate Bar - Jan. 4, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

ChocolateSpiel 
Spicy Orange Chocolate Bar
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (27 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Etsy.com, ChocolateSpiel, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week.

Today's Spicy Orange Chocolate Bar was from ChocolateSpiel (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes included: chocolate; citrus (orange) and spices.

Overlapping splashes of colored cocoa butter "paints" gave this bar an attractive/festive appearance.

This chocolate had a smooth, relatively creamy texture.

Flavor notes included: chocolate (smooth, dark ganache), citrus (orange) and a bit of spicy heat.

The orange flavor with the dark chocolate and spices was a successful blend. I enjoyed this bar with a cup of tea.

Maker's tasting notes: "72% bean to bar chocolate made with Colombian cocoa beans. This bar has a classic cayenne pepper spiciness to it and fruity orange flavor."

Ingredients: Cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, orange oil, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, harissa seasoning, colored cocoa butter.  

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of tree nuts, gluten, coconut and peanuts." (The colors are made with colored cocoa butter. "Some of the colors (used) are artificial."

Raaka - Winter Citrus Unroasted Dark Chocolate 53% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 3, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka 
Winter Citrus Unroasted Dark Chocolate 53% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week.

Today's organic Winter Citrus Unroasted Dark Chocolate 53% Cacao (bar) was from Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY). 

This bar was made with unroasted, organic, cacao beans from the Semuliki Forest, Uganda. 

Aroma notes included: sweet, smooth chocolate, subtle coconut (milk), and faint citrus (bergamot orange--that flavors Earl Grey tea).

The texture was smooth, creamy, almost silky (from coconut milk + cocoa butter).

Flavor notes included: rich, sweet and creamy dark chocolate; subtle coconut milk; and lovely, floral, citrus (bergamot orange). Unlike some vanilla and floral aromas in bars that recede when you taste the chocolate, both the cacao and bergamot in this Winter Citrus bar blossomed very nicely (and harmoniously) with the first bite.

I felt like I was sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea out on the veranda in spring...an escape from the gray, rainy, cold weather today outside (and the fact I don't have a veranda).

I enjoyed the short list of organic, quality ingredients, the rich yet smooth chocolate, the uplifting citrus (bergamot orange), and the creaminess of the coconut milk. Yes, it was sweet; but it felt appropriately so, i.e. consistent with a cup of sweet tea/hot chocolate.

Note: this Winter Citrus blend is a Limited Batch flavor. So, it may not be available by the time you read this post. (Although I'd argue this would be a lovely chocolate for spring and summer too.)

Maker's tasting notes/description: "Cheery, Creamy, Citrusy. Our take on the holiday orange..." "We make our chocolate with unroasted cacao beans so you can taste the natural, fruity flavor of the cacao."

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic coconut milk powder, organic cacao butter, organic vanilla bean, organic bergamot oil"

Allergen-related information: Contains coconut. "Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free" "Certified Organic and Kosher"

Intrigue Chocolate - Jasmine Green Tea Turkish Bay Leaf Lemon 67% Dark (bar) - Jan. 2, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate
Jasmine Green Tea Turkish Bay Leaf Lemon 67% Dark (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 194 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week.

Today's Jasmine Green Tea Turkish Bay Leaf Lemon 67% Dark (bar) was made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA).

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate, clean green herb/green tea, subtle citrus (lemon) and faint, diffuse herb/warm spice.

Texture: The bar broke with a well-tempered snap, and had a smooth, pleasing texture and melt with barely detectable, almost fully incorporated, very fine, tiny herb (bay leaf)/tea particles that were almost crunchy (not gritty). All these elements worked well together from both a textural interest and flavor perspective.

I enjoyed the choice of 67% cacao dark chocolate. It was smooth and not overly sweet--letting the flavor inclusions shine. 

The jasmine green tea, bay leaf and citrus flavors were well-balanced, complementary and subtle--causing me to lean in with interest to catch the nuanced notes. It was an intriguing chocolate. Not too woodsy or herb-y or lemon-y, just right. 

The choice of Turkish Bay Leaf meant it was a subtler, gentler bay note. (I live in California and our bay laurel trees (a different species) are potent and give some people headaches.*)

The floral (jasmine) notes were hard to pick out, but the "light" refreshing notes that I associate with floral green tea (and bay) were still somehow felt in the mix. (It's the difference between a walk in the woods in May vs. October in the Western U.S.)

Makers tasting notes/description: "...Floral and cool wood aromatics, lightly tannic and mineral, with a bright finish."

Ingredients: "Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin [emulsifier], natural vanilla flavoring), jasmine green tea, bay leaf, lemon powder"

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility with milk, soy and nuts"

*California Bay Laurel trees (and leaves) have a stronger menthol note to them (think Eucalyptus) than milder, more tea-like, Laurel trees from European/Mediterranean regions. I found this description of the two online:

"Turkish bay leaves are shorter and fatter, more oval-shaped, and may or may not have a point. California bay leaves are longer and slender with a point, like a spearhead." 

Yes, and like a spear, a single California bay leaf goes a long way. Some people like its "nutmeg and camphor notes." I like the flavor punch it gives some items, like vanilla ice cream and certain slow-cooked soups and stews--if used sparingly.)

Intrigue Chocolate - Hops and Clover Honey 59% Dark (bar) - Jan. 1, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.
Hops and Clover Honey 59% Dark (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 388 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week. 

Today's Hops and Clover Honey 59% Dark (bar) was created by Intrigue Chocolate, a small batch maker and specialty chocolatier (in Seattle, WA). Their chocolate maker also is a chef, and the 100s of bars and truffles (different flavor-infused chocolates) he's created have been inspiring and enjoyable to taste.

The word "tea" includes many infusions of leaves, herbs and spices--even plants like hops (or hop flowers), that are known for their distinctive bitter flavors they add to modern beers. (Their use in Germany can be traced back almost 1,300 years ago. And the Vikings used hops as well.)

Closer to home in the U.S....Wild hops growing in the Americas were used by indigenous peoples "to flavor drinks, and as a remedy for nausea, indigestion and inflammation"* -- before the arrival of Europeans.

Does that qualify hops as an ingredient in an herbal or medicinal "tea"? Close enough for me. 

(Disclosure: I'm a regular consumer of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's Hop Splash (water), Hoplark's HopTea and other hop waters (that use hops and carbonated water--that's it, no alcohol). And I enjoy different varieties of hops; so I was pre-disposed to like this bar already.)

Today's Hops and Clover Honey (bar) from Intrigue Chocolate was also the first chocolate I recall tasting with authentic and prominent hops flavor. Great way to start the New Year with something new.

Aroma notes included: chocolate (cocoa, ganache, very faint vanilla and warm spice); hops (faint citrus (citra hops), faint bitter and menthol (evergreen/pine/Doug fir tips); and faint honey (warm, floral, sweet).

Texture: smooth, dark chocolate (hops and honey flavors were fully incorporated into the chocolate).

Flavor notes included: sweet, dark chocolate with a quick uptick in bitter hops that gradually receded back into honey-ed chocolate. For some who are most sensitive to bitter flavors, one bite may be enough to satisfy one's curiosity. 

Others (like me) who enjoy hops--and well-orchestrated ebbs and flows of nuanced and unabashed bitter and sweet--in a well-executed chocolate like this will appreciate the flavor teeter-totter ride to the end and will happily wait between bites as the hops finish gradually fades away. 

I loved the opportunity to try hops, honey (and a tiny bit of vanilla) + chocolate together in one bar, and the bold, yet balanced and authentic hop flavors. 

As with any well-made chocolate, eat this slowly so you can really appreciate it.

Intrigue Tasting Notes: "The lingering citrus and pine notes of the hops are softened by a familiar dark sweetness." 

Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin [emulsifier], natural vanilla flavoring), honey, hops

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility with milk, soy and nuts"

*Source: Philadelphia Orchard Project