Xocolatl - Spooky Mermaids - Coconut Milk, Vanilla-Infused Sea Salt & Nibs (bar) - Oct. 31, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Xocolatl
Spooky Mermaids - Coconut Milk, Vanilla-Infused Sea Salt & Nibs (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.6 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 400 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl, online order 

Happy Halloween, and welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Fruits Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet.

The prices of cacao and chocolate have soared to scary levels. But I'm sticking with multiple chocolates today, in memory of all those little candy bars and chocolate confections consumed as a trick-or-treating child.

Today's "Spooky Mermaids" 60% Dark Chocolate with coconut milk, vanilla-infused sea salt and nibs (bar)--wrapped in special Halloween packaging with luminous orange houses and trees--was created by Xocolatl LLC (Atlanta, GA).

Spooky Mermaids...

Aroma and flavor notes for today's Spooky 60% bar included: (very slightly earthy, sweet) dark chocolate, haunted with ghostly vapors of faint coconut milk and vanilla. A pinch of sea salt balanced out this concoction.

The texture was smooth (much more satisfying than spooky), and the vanilla-infused sea salt and softly crunchy cacao nibs, added complementary textures and flavors. You may be relieved to know that no mermaids were added or harmed in the making of this bar....Or, were they?...Only Xocolatl knows for sure. (I think I just heard cackling laughter and thunder outside...)  

I enjoyed this bar with fall fruits: pumpkin-hued persimmons and blood-red pears. (Also on the menu: pumpkin soup. And yes, pumpkins are technically fruits.)

Ingredients: "Cacao*, Cane Sugar*, Coconut Milk*, Cocoa Butter*, Sea Salt, Vanilla (* organic)"

Allergen-related information: Made on equipment that processes soy, wheat, peanuts & tree nuts (almond, hazelnut, pecan).

Charles Chocolates - Hella NorCal Bar 2.0 65% Bittersweet Chocolate - Oct. 30, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Charles Chocolates
Hella NorCal Bar 2.0 65% Bittersweet Chocolate
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 275 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $8.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Hella NorCal Bar 2.0 65% Bittersweet Chocolate was from Charles Chocolates (San Francisco, CA).

Note: This chocolate was, I believe, a special collaboration with Whole Foods in California. (It's not currently on the Charles Chocolates website.)

Aroma notes included: sweet, dark chocolate; coconut nectar/vanilla, sesame candy, and faint fruit (berry).

Texture: thick and smooth dark chocolate, crispy-crunchy sesame seed candy, and small, chewy dried berries.

Flavor notes included: chocolate-y (fudge brownie, cocoa), faint vanilla, sweet sesame brittle, and chewy goji berries.

I really enjoyed this hearty, chocolate-y blend of authentic flavors and textures. It was a geographic tribute to Northern California (where Charles Chocolates and Chocolate Banquet are based). We do like our dark chocolate, fruit and seeds in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Ingredients: Bittersweet Chocolate (Cacao Beans, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla Beans), Cane Sugar, Sesame Seeds, Organic Goji Berries, Salt.

Allergen-related information: Contains sesame. "Manufactured in a facility that processes products containing peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, and soy."

Compartes Chocolatier - Peaches & Cream 44% Cacao (bar) - Oct. 29, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
Peaches & Cream 44% Cacao (bar)

Good + 

Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Crow's Nest Beach Market, Santa Cruz, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Peaches & Cream 44% Cacao (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA). The company has produced an amazing assortment of bars and confections with different flavor inclusions over the years. 

I love fresh peaches and nectarines when they're in season. The season ended last month; but this chocolate was a chance to enjoy a belated taste of summer peaches.

Aroma and flavor notes included: sweet, creamy milk chocolate and peaches.

Texture: smooth, creamy 44% milk chocolate with a very slightly gummy melt; and crunchy pieces of freeze-dried peaches.

I liked the light and crunchy, freeze-dried peaches and the fact this bar was gluten free. Those with a sweet tooth may love the candy-level sweetness in this rich bar. It was a little too sweet for me.

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Soy Lecithin as an Emulsifier, Vanilla), White Chocolate (Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Whole Milk, Soy Lecithin as an Emulsifier, Vanilla), Peaches, Cream.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. 

Rhyme and Reason Chocolate - Maracuya Passion White and Dark Ecuador Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 28, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Rhyme and Reason Chocolate
Maracuya Passion Fruit White and Dark Ecuador Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .845 oz. (24 g.) / 1.69 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate Fruits Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet. 

Today's Maracuya Passion Fruit White and Dark Ecuador Chocolate (bar) was from Rhyme and Reason Chocolate Company LLC (Greensboro, NC).

Aroma notes included: chocolate, tart-sweet fruit (passion fruit, citrus)

Texture: well-tempered, broke with a snap; two layers that were both smooth in texture, and had a very slight difference in the way they melted. Nicely executed; a unique and pleasing experience.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (chocolate-y, dark fudge brownie, very light and balanced earth and floral) and a white chocolate layer full of bright, sweet and delicious passion fruit. Together, they created a very tasty chocolate bar.

I enjoyed this attractive, layered bar where both dark and white strata contributed high-quality, balanced and authentic flavors. That passion fruit infused white chocolate layer really was like eating real passion fruit; and the dark chocolate tasted like single origin chocolate. And it was (Ecuador cacao).

Thank you to the makers for this deliciously fun tasting experience.

Ingredients: "Cocoa Butter, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Beans, Organic Passion fruit Powder"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility which also handles peanuts and tree nuts"

Crow & Moss Chocolatery - Cardamom Baked Banana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Crow & Moss Chocolatery
Cardamom Baked Banana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate & Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Cardamom Baked Banana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was thoughtfully created and executed by Crow & Moss Chocolatery (Petoskey, MI).

The company's attractive bar, packaging* and origin stories were transporting.

The cacao used to make this bar was from the Anamalai Estate in India, "organically grown by producers Harish Manoj and Karthi Palaniswamy."**

Aroma notes for this aromatic and flavorful bar included: subtle roasted banana, dark chocolate and very faint warm spice.

Texture: relatively smooth with a faint fruit (banana) astringency

Flavor notes included: rich and flavorful roasted banana, hearty (bold) dark chocolate with medium-high (fruit) acidity; and very faint warm, earthy spice. 

I enjoyed the blend of bold, balanced flavors. This was a far cry from the milk chocolate banana candy one might find in most places in the U.S. I found it very satisfying. 

It was hard to pick out any lighter, bubble gum notes I often associate with (green) cardamom. The spice (likely black cardamom) stayed mostly in the shadows, just out of reach, but still contributed a faint almost smokey/earthy spice accent flavor.

This might also be an excellent dark chocolate for cooking/baking (for desserts (ice creams, custards, Bananas Foster, high-end parfaits, dessert flights); batter breads (banana nut) breads; and maybe even savory rice and meat dishes).

Ingredients: "Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Banana, Organic Cardamom."

Allergen-related information: ("Dairy Free, Gluten Free")

*Who says recycled packaging can't look grand?

**The makers included this poetic description of the Anamalai estate in India: "The trees are intercropped with coconut palms and nutmeg trees in the foothills of India's Western Ghats, where (native) desi cows meander and elephants enjoy the coconuts by night."

SOMA chocolatemaker - Green Raisins tumbled in dark Milk chocolate - Oct. 26, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

SOMA chocolatemaker
Green Raisins tumbled in dark Milk chocolate
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1/3 package (390 calories in 1 pkg.)
Cost: $14.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Fruits Week on Chocolate Banquet.

Today's "Green Raisins tumbled in dark Milk chocolate" was created by SOMA chocolatemaker--a talented chocolate maker and chocolatier based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

There's something special about a simple dish or chocolate that's been elevated to next level goodness. This SOMA offering exceeded my expectations for chocolate covered raisins. They used shade-dried Kashmiri raisins (vs. golden raisins/sultanas we normally see in the U.S.) and a blend of dark and milk single origin cacaos.

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate, raisin (softly tart-sweet, gently fruity, moist, golden raisin), and faint authentic vanilla. 

Texture: soft, dark milk chocolate coated (Kashmiri) gold-green oblong, softly chewy raisins.

I loved that the raisins weren't too tough, tart or sweet; but they were delightful and flavorful. Gently sweet, almost buttery, complex and sophisticated, I appreciated being able to taste these little green grape gems coated with just the right amount of high-quality, dark milk chocolate. Warning: slightly addictive.

Ingredients: "Raisins, Cocoa Butter, Cacao Nibs, Organic Cane Sugar, Milk Powder, Natural Vanilla"

Allergen-related information: "May contain trace amounts of peanuts, and tree nuts." 

Froken Frankenstein Chocolatier - Choklad Havtorn Kakaohalt 46% (bar) - Oct. 25, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Froken Frankenstein Chocolatier
Choklad Havtorn Kakaohalt 46% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from Toni 

God morgon (good morning) and welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Choklad Havtorn Kakaohalt 46% (bar) from Froken (Miss) Frankenstein Chocolatier was from Oland, Sweden. 

This chocolate contained havtorn (sea buckthorn)--a plant with small, tart orange fruits (berries).*

Aroma and flavor notes included: creamy milk chocolate with very faint, gently tart-sweet fruit (light persimmon, orange berry, kumquat, sweetened sour orange).

Texture: rich, creamy milk chocolate with a satisfying melt layer of berry-infused sugar on one side. The tiny, crunchy, berry sugar crystals added a bit of texture and very subtle flavor. I also enjoyed the leaf motif on the bar. The "leaves" were gently highlighted with cocoa butter "paint." 

I appreciated the authentically extra-creamy milk chocolate texture; the subtle cocoa; the sugar with the berry juice; and the lovely botanical illustration by a local Swedish artist.** 

I felt very grateful to taste sea buckthorn in a new way, thanks to my friend who brought this bar back with her--all the way from the island of Oland in Sweden. (Thank you Toni!) This was a lovely virtual travel experience.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, sugar, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), vanilla extract, sea buckthorn juice (from a sea buckthorn garden in Oland).

Allergen-related information: May contain nuts and soy.

*Sea buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides) has been used by humans for thousands of years as a food and for medicinal uses. The berries, leaves and seeds are edible. (Not to be confused with other"buckthorn(e)" berries that are often in a different family and may or may not be edible/enjoyable to sample.)

**Emma Tinnert is a biologist, artist and illustrator that lives in Orland, Sweden.

Philippe Beaulieu - 70% Dark Chocolate Raspberry - Oct. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Philippe Beaulieu
70% Dark Chocolate - Raspberry (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $N/A - from Touring Chocolatier
Purchased from: N/A - from Touring Chocolatier 

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and France Theme Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate & Fruits Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate - Raspberry (bar) was from Philippe Beaulieu USA LLC (Miami, FL). The company is inspired by French/European chocolate making traditions and uses cacao from Colombia (Tolima region). 

Thank you to Kay at Touring Chocolatier (Flower Mound, TX)* for sending this bar.

Complex aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate (with very faint roasted cacao/dark chocolate and berry licorice); and tart-sweet red raspberries/raspberry jam.

Texture: Smooth chocolate with a slight granularity, with a vibrant, colorful field of freeze-dried red raspberries on one side.

I appreciated the attractive, sophisticated packaging (black and gold, with a clear window view of the bright raspberry within) and the authentic freeze-dried raspberry fruit (with enough berry seeds to be authentic, and not so many that it was hard to eat). 

Ingredients: Organic Cocoa Mass, Organic Unrefined Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Freeze dried raspberries. 

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of tree nuts. ("No Lecithin, Gluten Free, Chemical Free, Egg Free, Artificial Flavor Free, Soy Free, No Refined Sugar")

*Touring Chocolatier offers chocolates, classes/tastings and parties at their site in Flower Mound, Texas, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Cluizel Paris - Kayambe Noir de Cacao 72% Chocolat Noir - Oct. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cluizel Paris
Kayambe Noir de Cacao 72% Chocolat Noir (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 213.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and France Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week. 

Today's Kayambe Noir de Cacao 72% Chocolat Noir (bar) was from Cluizel Paris (Paris, France).

The blend of cacaos used to make this chocolate came from Central America, Central Africa and Java, and possibly Ecuador.

Aroma and flavor notes for this smooth-textured chocolate included: rich and balanced dark chocolate (chocolate-y); faint, roast-y licorice; and very faint red berries.

It was a little sweet for a 72% cacao dark chocolate. (It tasted more like a 65%-67% cacao bar.) But, it did contain developed and balanced dark chocolate flavors.

I paired this bar with several fruits, including slices of guava, apple and pear.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Flavors of Red Berries, Licorice and Finely Bitter Cocoa."

Ingredients: "cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, Bourbon vanilla pod"

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of shelled tree nuts, milk and gluten."

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Strawberry Champagne Truffle 54% (bar) - Oct. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company
Dark Chocolate Strawberry Champagne Truffle 54% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Andronico's Community Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and France Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week. This is the second of two bars featured today. (See previous post for a short write-up on Valrhona's 70% Guanaja dark chocolate.)

Today's Dark Chocolate Strawberry Champagne Truffle 54% Cocoa (bar) was from Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company (St. Louis, MO).  

Strawberries may not have been native to France; but, like chocolate, strawberries were taken to a new level there. The French and Swiss helped perfect milk chocolate, and the modern strawberry was cultivated in Brittany France (a hybrid two "New World" strawberries from the Americas) in the 1750s. Champagne was the third element in this bar. This sparkling wine is unique to a growing region in northeastern France.

Put chocolate, strawberries and Champagne together and you have the makings of a romantic and/or a special occasion.

Aroma and flavor notes for today's filled bar included: sweet, dark chocolate; slightly fermented red berry (strawberry) and white wine grapes/white raisins.

Texture: soft, almost creamy, smooth dark chocolate, that surrounded a thin layer of sweet, slightly jammy, red strawberry fruit. 

I enjoyed trying this celebratory, upbeat chocolate.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cane Sugar, Chocolate Liquor - Processed with Alkali, Cocoa Butter, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin - an Emulsifier, Vanilla Extract), Cane Sugar, Corn Syrup, White Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Whole Milk, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin (am Emulsifier) and Natural Vanilla Flavor), Heavy Cream (Cream (milk) and Carageenan), Whey Powder, Natural Flavor, Marc De Champagne, Strawberry Puree, Fruit Juice, Natural Colors from Fruits and Vegetables, Invertase

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Milk, Soy" "Products have been manufactured on shared equipment that processes Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Egg, Soy, Dairy and Wheat products. Contains bioengineered ingredients."

Valrhona - Guanaja Valrhona Chocolate (piece) - Oct. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Valrhona 
Guanaja Valrhona Chocolate (piece)
Good +++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total piece
Calories: 219 calories (estimate) in 1/2 piece
Cost: $5.60 for 1 wrapped piece (sold by the pound)
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and France Theme Week. This week would not be complete without at least one Valrhona chocolate offering; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Guanaja Valrhona chocolate made by Valrhona SAS (Tain L'Heritage, France) was an individually wrapped piece, sold by the pound at a high-end market.

Guanaja is a Valrhona 70% dark blend that was first announced in the 1980s.* This very well-balanced, sophisticated blend contained (according to online sources) cacao beans from six different origins including: Trinidad, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Madagascar.

I really appreciated this chocolate. It was chocolate-y with a balanced, gentle fruit and very balanced subtle roasted and bittersweet notes. It was "just right" on many levels. Perfect for a baking or dessert; and it was great all by itself.

Note: See also the next post for a second (never featured before) chocolate (a strawberry champagne chocolate) today--because I tasted what was likely the same 6-nation Guanaja blend back in 2009.

Company's product description: "Bittersweet and Elegant"

Ingredients: (No ingredients were listed on this one piece.) (Online information suggested ingredients have included: cacao(s), sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, and soy lecithin.)

Allergen-related information: (No allergen-related information printed on this label.) 

*Valrhona was founded in the 1920s. When the company introduced Guanaja dark chocolate decades later, it was considered almost revolutionary -- a "bitter" but balanced/darker chocolate. The name Guanaja is a "nod to Christopher Columbus when he washed up on" the island of Guanaja (Honduras) in the Caribbean more than 500 years ago, on the voyage when they were (the first Europeans to be) exposed to cacao. 

Chocolat Bonnat - Les Recettes de Jean Sulpice - Sarrasin Caramelise 55% Milk Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolat Bonnat
Les Recettes de Jean Sulpice - Sarrasin Caramelise 55% Cacao Chocolat Au Lait
(The Recipes of Jean Sulpice - Caramelized Buckwheat 55% Cacao Milk Chocolate) 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 297.5 calories in 1/2 bar (50 g.)
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Jemome's C.V. Market, Carmel Valley, CA

Bonjour, and welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & France Theme Week.

Today's Les Recettes de Jean Sulpice - Sarrasin Caramelise 55% Cacao Chocolat Au Lait (bar) made by Bonnat Chocolatier (Voiron, France). It was a collaboration between chocolate maker Stephane Bonnat and French chef, Jean Sulpice.*

The cacao(s) used to make the chocolate was from Indonesia and Mexico.

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: complex milky, mild chocolate with light cocoa and very slight earthy grain with barely detectable roasted green tea notes.

Texture: smooth, milky chocolate with slightly crunchy, pyramid-shaped (presumably toasted/browned) caramelized buckwheat. (Caramelized in this case did not mean sweet caramelized sugar.) Each bite of chocolate had a slow then rapid melt (in a cool room).

Buckwheat (a seed from a plant) is believed to originate in Asia (Yunnan province in southwestern China). It spread to Europe, and eventually the United States. Many of us remember eating buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup and butter when young. I wondered what caramelized buckwheat would taste like in chocolate.

Maker's comments/notes (rough translation): Indonesian and Mexican milk chocolate for rare cacaos with casse-claire and a pinch of caramelized buckwheat to spice it up and enhance the floral aromas of these rare cacaos.

I enjoyed the opportunity to try this chocolate with buckwheat. I appreciated being able to taste the nuanced flavors present in this flavor inclusion, as well as the list of short, quality list of ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, powdered milk, buckwheat."

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, and buckwheat.

*Jean Sulpice is perhaps best known in France as the youngest French chef to receive a Michelin star. (He was 26 years old at the time and earned a second star in 2010 -- becoming the youngest chef to win two stars.)

Chocolat Bonnat - Grue de Cacao 65% de Cacao Chocolat Noir - Oct. 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Bonnat Chocolatier 
Les Recettes de Jean Sulpice - Grue de Cacao 65% de Cacao (tablette)
(The Recipes of Jean Sulpice - Cacao Nibs 65% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar))
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 294 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $22.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: WorldWide Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and France Theme Week.

Today's Les Recettes de Jean Sulpice - Grue de Cacao 65% de Cacao (tablette/bar) was made in France by Bonnat Chocolatier (Voiron, Isere, France). The bar was part of a series of Bonnat bars inspired by an encounter between Bonnat chocolatier Stephane Bonnat and Michelin starred chef Jean Sulpice.

Bonnat bars are thicker and more generously sized (100 grams) than most bars--yielding a heartier tasting experience. 

Today's cacao nib studded dark chocolate was well-balanced, very chocolate-y, and reminded me of the experience of eating a rich, thick, fudge brownie with nuts. There were no nuts in this bar, just beautiful cacao basics: smooth 65% dark chocolate and crunchy, nutty cacao nibs. (The cacao was sourced from South America.)

The maker's description (translated roughly into English) read: This delicate dark chocolate is sprinkled with roasted cacao nibs...with a hint of natural acidity (that balances the) sweetness of the South American cacao(s).

Ingredients: Cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa nibs.

Allergen-related ingredients: (None listed on label that I could see.)

La Fermiere - Chocolate Creme Dessert - Oct. 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day 

La Fermiere 
Chocolate Creme Dessert
Good ++
Weight: 4.4 oz. (125 g.) in one glass container
Calories: 260 calories in 1 serving/container
Cost: $3.79 for 1 container
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's chilled Chocolate Creme Dessert was distributed by La Fermiere* Inc. (Jersey City, NJ). It was made "in the U.S. with U.S. and imported ingredients "-- using a French recipe and single origin 73% chocolate from Vietnam.

Texture: Creamy, almost silken, and substantial. (It was thicker, creamier than a chocolate mousse; and it contained real cream and egg(s).)

Flavor notes included: chocolate pot-de-creme, flavorful milk chocolate, very slightly nutty cocoa.

I liked that this (baked), chilled "naturally French" chocolate dessert was made using a French recipe, using a short list of (gluten free) quality ingredients. I appreciated the use of single origin chocolate and the lack of vegetable oils and gums, emulsifiers and other extra ingredients.

Ingredients: Pasteurized Whole Milk, Pasteurized Cream, Dark Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, natural vanilla flavoring), Pasture-raised Eggs (whole eggs, citric acid), Cane Sugar, Tapioca Starch.

Allergen-related information: "Contains Milk, Eggs. Made in a facility that uses coconut and pistachios."

*La Fermiere means the lady farmer. The company was "born in 1952 in Provence" (France). Yogurts and desserts in the U.S. are made in New York.

Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat - Ca Phe Sua Vietnamese Coffee Milk Chocolate 44% - Oct. 18, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat 
Ca Phe Sua Vietnamese Coffee Milk Chocolate 44% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .8 oz. (24 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.17 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and France Theme Week.

Today's Ca Phe Sua Vietnamese Coffee Milk Chocolate 44% (bar) was made by Marou Chocolate in Vietnam. 

What's the French connection? Marou was founded in 2011 by two Frenchmen, Samuel Maruta and Vincent Mourou. Also, a French missionary is credited with having first brought coffee to Vietnam in 1857; and coffee became a significant crop under French colonial rule. (Vietnam still produces 40% of the world's Robusta coffee beans.)

Aroma notes included: fragrant coffee/mocha.

This sweet, milky dark chocolate bar just the right amount of quality coffee (Robusta from Vietnam); very faint warm spice (cardamom, cinnamon); and barely detectable, diffuse, dried fruit (cacao pulp, sweet, mild kumquat + tamarind) notes.

What did I like? The smaller size was great. It was as satisfying as a small cup of espresso and milk. No need for more. I also liked that the coffee was incorporated into the chocolate. (I did not miss the coffee grit.) And I appreciated the short list of quality ingredients.

Ingredients: Cane sugar, cacao butter, whole milk powder, cacao nibs, coffee. Cacao content: 44%.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Manufactured in a facility that also processes: Eggs, Cashews, Peanuts and Coconut."

*Robusta is one of the two main species of coffee we encounter. (The other is Arabica.) Like the Forastero variety of cacao, Robusta coffee has a reputation for bolder flavor and for being more disease resistant. However the flavor was quite smooth. And perhaps because of the higher level of sugar and the smooth cacao, I found the coffee flavor to be almost delicate.

Chocolate Bonnat - Chocolat Fondant Surfin Pur Cacao & Sucre 65% Cacao (bar) - Oct. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolat Bonnat
Chocolat Fondant - Surfin Pur Cacao & Sucre 65% Cacao (bar)
Good ++   
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 296.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $16.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Jerome's C.V. Market, Carmel Valley, CA

Bonjour, and welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & France Theme Week.

Today's Chocolat Fondant - Surfin Pur Cacao & Sucre 65% Cacao (bar) from Bonnat Chocolatier (Voiron, France) was made using an original recipe "invented by Felix Bonnat in 1884." 

It was created with a blend of cacaos from Venezuela, West Africa, Brazil, Peru and Mexico.

Aroma notes for this bar included: smooth chocolate with subtle, pleasant, clean green floral (orchid)/green tea.

This bar had a smooth, almost creamy texture; and it was relatively thick. It broke with a hard, well-tempered snap.

Flavor: smooth and very chocolate-y; relatively low in bitterness with gentle (extremely subtle) complexity (very faint botanical, balanced earth, floral, green notes).

I really enjoyed this blend of single origin cacaos that dated back generations, and the smooth sophisticated and chocolate-y flavor of the chocolate. Thank you Elise for the tasting help.

Ingredients: Cocoa, Cocoa Butter Sugar

Allergen-related information: (No allergens listed on label.)

Sted Foods - French Grey Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Sted Foods 
French Grey Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) in 1 small bar
Calories: 78 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: N/A -  gift from a friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and France Theme Week, with the French component being the mineral-rich grey sea salt.

Today's Sted Foods French Grey Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN). 

This bar had smooth, very pleasing, chocolate-y aroma, texture and flavor notes with very faint spice/herb (black licorice/sweet fennel seed), roasted note and tiny sparkles of sea salt.

It had a very balanced bitterness and toasty taste; and I found this chocolate to be somewhat addicting. (Often the case with sweet and salty chocolates/snacks.)

Thank you to Wendy for this lovely chocolate gift from Minnesota!

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that uses coconut, pecans, almonds, cashews, seasame (sic), hazelnuts, and milk." "Free from Soy, Gluten, & Palm Oil"

A. Morin - Vietnam Thanh Long Noir 70% (bar) - Oct. 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

A. Morin
Vietnam Thanh Long Noir 70% (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 294 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Vietnam Theme Week; and Day #2 of Chocolate & France Theme Week.

Today's Vietnam Thanh Long Noir 70% (bar) was from SAS Chocolaterie A. Morin (Donzere, France). This company has been handed down from father to son since its inception in 1884.

The cacao used to make this bar was from the Ben Tre region of Vietnam, south of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The area is nestled between branches of the mighty Mekong River.

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (chocolate-y hot cocoa); faint nut and even fainter spice and diffuse red fruit (jam).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate

I appreciated the smoothness and fullness of this balanced, chocolate-y bar that had just enough gentle complexity (chocolate-y cocoa, nut and fruit) to make it very satisfying.

Maker's tasting notes: "acidule et epice tres agreable en bouche " Translation into English: "...this cocoa turns into an acidulous and spicy chocolate, very pleasant on the palate."

Ingredients: Cocoa beans from Vietnam, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin. Cocoa: 70% minimum.

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

Maison Vietnam Marou - Happy Holidays with Merry Cacao Dark Milk Chocolate 48% & Rum Raisin (bar) - Oct. 14, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Maison Vietnam Marou
Happy Holidays with Merry Cacao Dark Milk Chocolate 48% & Rum Raisin (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.13 oz. (32 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 187 calories in 32 g. serving of bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cacao, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate & Vietnam Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & France Theme Week.

Today's Happy Holidays with Merry Cacao Dark Milk Chocolate 48% & Rum Raisin (bar) was from Maison Vietnam Marou (Vietnam); and Imported by A. Priori Specialty Food (Salt Lake City, UT).

I can thank France for today's bar. French colonists are credited with bringing cacao to Vietnam in the 1800s (although the Spanish introduced many new world foods to Asia before then). 

However, there were obstacles to overcome. Crops from Europe and the Americas (notably coffee) experienced greater success than cacao. (Later, the Vietnam War destroyed many cacao trees and other crops.) 

Happily, the global growth of the craft chocolate movement in the early 2000s launched many new global ventures. French chocolate makers/pioneers Samuel Maruta and Vincent Mourou breathed life into single origin Vietnam chocolate production when they founded Marou Chocolate in Vietnam in 2011.

Aroma notes for today's rum raisin chocolate (a blend of New and Old world traditions) included: dark milk chocolate, fruit (currant, raisin) and very faint (likely imagined) warm spices.

Texture: smooth and relatively creamy, with bits of rum-soaked dried fruit (raisins).

Flavor notes included: creamy dark milk chocolate. (It was darker, but smoother than many dark milk chocolates.) The creamy dark milk chocolate with the additional warmth from the bits of rum-soaked raisins made this bar even more appealing in the cooler weather.

Ingredients: Dark milk chocolate 48% (cacao nibs, cane sugar, whole milk powder, cacao butter (90%), rum (5%), raisins (5%)

Allergen-related information: "Contains Milk. Manufactured in a facility that also processes: wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts, coconut"

 

The Organic House - Brazil Nuts & Date Slats 70% Vietnam dark chocolate with Brazil nuts and dates - Oct. 13, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House 
Brazil Nuts & Date Slats 70% Vietnam dark chocolate with Brazil nuts and dates
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 2 servings (1/2 pkg.)
Cost: $10.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Organic House, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Vietnam Theme Week.

Today's Brazil Nuts & Date Slats 70% Vietnam dark chocolate with Brazil nuts and dates "slats" were from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada) -- bean-to-bar (and confection) craft chocolate makers.

The cacao used to make this bar was from Vietnam.

Aroma notes for these substantial chocolate shards included: chocolate; sweet (dried) fruit (date); and very faint (pomegranate) molasses, nut and biscuit.

Texture: thick bites of dark chocolate; softly crunchy Brazil nuts pieces; and softly chewy slices of date.

I enjoyed the hearty flavors and textures. The 70% dark chocolate had a hearty satisfying taste with balanced bitterness. And the rich, sweet dates and classic, very slightly earthy Brazil nut flavors harmonized well with this Vietnam dark chocolate. And, the coconut flower nectar added some brown sugar like warmth.

I appreciated the short list of quality, organic ingredients and single origin (Vietnam) 70% dark chocolate. This was much more flavorful and fun than most chocolate bark with fruit and nut confections (that I find so sweet that I can barely taste any of the ingredients, other than the refined sugar(s)).

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, Organic medjool dates, Organic brazil nuts, Organic coconut flower nectar, Organic cacao butter, Organic sea salt"

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

Belvie Chocolate Maker - Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Coffee-Mint-Nibs Trinitario (bar) - Oct. 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Belvie Chocolate Maker
(Socala Ca-phe Sua bae ha (bar))
Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Coffee-Mint-Nibs Trinitario (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 226 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Coffee-Mint-Nibs Trinitario (bar) was from Belvie Chocolate Maker (Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam).

The Trinitario variety cacao beans used to make this chocolate were from Dong Nai province.

Aroma notes included: sweet dark chocolate, coffee and mint candy; with very faint fruit and warm spice/cookie (vanilla).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a satisfying melt with tiny, crunchy bits of coffee. (The coffee bean bits were just the right size, and were not too hard. Thank you!) 

Flavor notes included: smooth, relatively sweet dark chocolate, coffee latte--and chocolate and vanilla mint (cookie-like notes). (Note: there was no vanilla listed in the ingredients; but it did have that pleasant, warm (almost floral) flavor.) 

The milk in this bar was quite subtle; and it added a bit of creamy texture and a little natural, mellow sweetness.

I enjoyed trying this coffee and sweet chocolate dessert; it was like a dessert parfait all in one bar.

Ingredients: "Cacao & Cacao Butter 55%, Milk Powder, Coffee, Mint Extract, Cane Sugar: 45%"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk.

Belvie Chocolate Maker - Kumquat Dark Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Trinitario (bar) - Oct. 11, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Belvie Chocolate Maker
Kumquat Dark Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Trinitario (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 226 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Kumquat Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Trinitario (bar) was from Belvie Chocolate Maker (Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam).

The Trinitario cacao beans used to make this bar were ("purchased directly from planters on an above fair trade price...") from Dong Nai province, "a highly inland area underlaid by volcanic rock, (that) supports cacao plantations on its low-lying slopes as well as its valley..."

Aroma notes included: chocolate (cocoa) slightly floral matcha latte; light fruit (banana, aromatic citrus); and barely detectable marshmallow. 

Texture: relatively smooth, with barely detectable fruit particles (kumquat peel powder). These particles were almost entirely incorporated into the chocolate.

Flavor notes included: smooth-flavored, sweet chocolate with diffuse tropical fruits (gentle, sweet citrus, banana) and very faint matcha latte marshmallow.

I enjoyed tasting this 55% dark milk chocolate--that lacked a heavy milk or cream flavor or texture,  allowing the light, aromatic fruit to shine.

Ingredients: "Cacao & Cacao Butter 55%, Cane Sugar 25%, Milk Powder (20%), Kumquat Peel Powder"

Allergen-related information: "Contains Milk." 

Ranger Chocolate - 75% Vietnam Ben Tre (bar) - Oct. 10, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Ranger Chocolate

75% Vietnam Ben Tre (bar)
Good ++

Weight: 1.25 oz. (32 g.) in 1 bar

Calories: 194 calories for 1 bar

Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Ranger Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 75% Vietnam Ben Tre (bar) was from Ranger Chocolate (Batch #13) (Portland, OR).

Aroma and flavor notes included: pleasant, smooth, naturally sweet chocolate with very faint warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, root beer, molasses); dried fruits (fig, date); and barely-there vanilla notes.

Texture: This relatively thick bar broke with a well-tempered snap; the smooth, dark chocolate had a relatively creamy texture and melt.

Note: Apologies to the maker. I enjoyed this well-executed bar after the likely expiration date. While it still tasted fine to me, I may have missed out on some notes/qualities that were beyond their best. 

Maker's tasting notes: "dried fig, nutmeg, molasses"

"Two ingredients: organic cacao, organic cane sugar"

Allergen-related information: (labeled as Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free)

The Organic House - Vietnam Dak Lak Cacao Vanilla Bean and Sea Salt 60% Cacao (bar) - Oct. 9, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House 
Vietnam Dak Lak Cacao Vanilla Bean and Sea Salt 60% Cacao (bar) 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 293 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Organic House, online order

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

Today's Vietnam Dak Lak Cacao Vanilla Bean and Sea Salt 60% Cacao (bar) by The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada).

The cacao used to make this bar was from Dak Lak--a mountainous province in the Central Highlands of  Vietnam. (Sourced from T-BROS chocolate makers in Vietnam.*)

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: chocolate, light and bright botanical (fruit, banana floral--all infused with vanilla (and to a lesser extent vanilla marshmallow and vanilla coconut flower nectar/sugar).

Texture: This relatively thin dark chocolate bar had an almost velvety smooth melt and mouthfeel, and a fleeting texture from the generous dusting of fleur de sel flakes (if you can detect the delicate salt flakes before they quickly melt and disappear).

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate with an uplifting chorus of sweet, almost floral flavors--buoyed by vanilla and coconut floral nectar. These more angelic notes were tempered with sea salt, faint smoke, and balanced, flavorful dark chocolate with medium (diffuse fruit) acidity and low-medium bitterness.

I enjoyed the texture and the lively mix of aromas and flavors in this bar. (Even though the vanilla and salt almost stole the show.) Almost everyone enjoys a gravity-defying vanilla uplift--especially warming and welcoming as the weather turns cooler.

Many chocolates have very similar aroma and flavor notes. But single origin chocolates (especially those with certain teas/herbs, coffee, fruits, flowers, spirits and authentic vanilla bean flavor inclusions) often call for additional aroma details. My advice: smell chocolates before eating them, or you may miss something very unique and special. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Vanilla bean and maple with light notes of cherry, lemon, orange, and mocha."

Ingredients: "Vietnam Dak Lak cacao beans, Coconut flower nectar, Ontario maple sugar, Peru cacao butter, Vanilla beans, Sea salt"

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

*T-BROS (aka TBROS), a bean-to-bar chocolate company, was founded in 2017 by two friends and classmates, Truong Minh Thang and Nguyen Duy Thong. They direct source cacao from farms/farmers and focus on "meticulous post-harvest cacao processing" -- resulting in award-winning chocolate bars.

Mashpi Chocolate - 65% Cacao Chocolate (mini bar) - Oct. 8, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
65% Cacao Chocolate (Mini bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .212 oz. (6 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total pack of 10 Mini bars
Calories: 35 calories in 1 mini bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 pack of 10 Mini bars
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's 65% Cacao Chocolate mini bar was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV). It was part of a larger 10-bar variety assortment.

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma." 

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: rich, smooth dark chocolate with fruit (cacao fruit pulp syrup + very faint brown sugar).

Texture: pleasantly smooth dark chocolate with an attractive melt.

I loved the complex, bright and almost earthy sweetness (think sweet potato/yam + citrus, melon, mango and maple syrup brownies). Cacao fruit (pulp that surrounds the seeds) flavors vary a lot, depending on the cacao variety, ripeness and origin/where it was grown. It can taste like many other tropical fruits melded together, like watermelon candy; and/or, like today, its very unique self. 

This 65% Masphi dark chocolate would be great in a side-by-side chocolate tasting, if for no other reason to enjoy the range of sweet, cacao fruit notes, and the relatively low level of bitterness.

I appreciated: the short list of (just three) authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)   

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar 80% Cacao (bar) - Oct. 7, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar 80% Cacao
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bar 80% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The Ecuadorian Nacional Cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma" grown in Ecuador.

Aroma and flavor notes for this 80% cacao chocolate included: rich, dark, (chocolate-y) chocolate with  sweet green (botanical, almost floral), diffuse tropical fruit (cacao fruit pulp) and balanced, slightly woody/nutty, toasty cacao nibs. It had a pleasant, clean finish with a very faint, doubly dark chocolate cookie/brownie--made with brown sugar--taste.

Texture: smooth, chocolate-y texture. 

Relatively low in bitterness and acidity, this dark chocolate was full of balanced cacao flavor(s) and gentle complexity. 

I enjoyed tasting both yesterday's Mashpi 80% bar with unroasted cacao (which had more nuanced sweet green, maybe a little clay and less nutty/toasty notes) as well as today's 80% bar made with (roasted) cacao. 

Today's bar had a flavor profile similar to Mashpi's dark chocolate bar with cacao nibs, but with a smoother texture. (The nibs were fully ground/incorporated in this version.) I found this Ecuadorian cacao (and this batch/lot) to be very friendly and tasty.

I appreciated the short list of (just two!) authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's thoughtful commitment to and practice of regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.) 

*The vast majority of the world's chocolates are made with roasted cacao, so you'll rarely see the word "roasted" mentioned on the packaging or list of ingredients (because it's assumed the cacao was roasted). Happily a few makers include information on cacao roast profiles. (Usually said makers have experience roasting coffee, or have customers who appreciate these details).

Mashpi Chocolate - Unroasted Chocolate Bar 80% Cacao - Oct. 6, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Unroasted Chocolate Bar 80% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bar with Unroasted Chocolate Bar 80% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma" from Ecuador.

Aroma and flavor notes for this 80% unroasted cacao chocolate after first opening the inner wrapper included: smooth dark chocolate with fruit (tropical fruit - mango, cacao fruit, light date), followed by assorted botanical, green notes; and very light marshmallow/mallow and mild nut/seed. These flavors evolved over time. The sweetness, lighter, fruitier and green notes lessened and the classic dark chocolate flavor came to the forefront.

Texture: smooth textured, with a light (fruit/green) astringency toward the finish. This faint astringency turned slightly less astringent slightly more (balanced) light bitterness over the next few hours.

I expect that most 80% dark chocolates will be more intense (harsh, acidic or bitter) in flavor (than 60-70% cacao percent chocolates). However, certain heritage cacao varieties have a milder profile. Today's bar was not too acidic or bitter and, at least initially, was full of botanical complexity and natural sweetness.

Why unroasted? Some find unroasted cacao milder than roasted cacaos. More delicate floral and other notes may be better preserved. Others like the nutritional benefits: higher levels of anti-oxidants (polyphenols, flavanoids) are conserved with less processing/heating.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to taste this 80% unroasted cacao bar. And I look forward to comparing this bar with the company's 80% (roasted) cacao (bar) tomorrow.

I also appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; and the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Maker's tasting notes: "...many dark chocolates are considered bitter, our 80% Cacao bar is exceptional..."

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)

Mashpi Chocolate - Macambo Chocolate 65% Cacao Mini Bar - Oct. 5, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Macambo Chocolate 65% Cacao (Mini bar)
Good ++
Weight: .212 oz. (6 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total pack of 10 Mini bars
Calories: 35 calories in 1 mini bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 pack of 10 Mini bars
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order 

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Macambo Chocolate 65% Cacao mini bar was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV). This bar was part of a mini bar assortment (package of 10 different flavors).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma--from Mashpi Shungo, Ecuador.

Macambo (Theobroma bicolor*)--aka bacao, jaguar cacao, white cacao, pataxte, and other common names--is related to cacao (Theobroma cacao). 

This bar contained 65% cacao dark chocolate as well as soft white nut-like (macambo) bits.

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: dark chocolate, diffuse fruit; subtle nut (close to almond + pine nut); and very faint brown sugar and clean green (young, tender green bean). 

Texture: smooth dark chocolate -- with one side of this mini bar covered in tiny bits of light-colored, softly nutty, seeds.

I enjoyed trying this theobroma family bar--with a smooth rich 65% Theobroma cacao chocolate that was the base for the Theobroma bicolor seeds. The macambo seed bits added unique flavor(s) and had a pleasantly chewy texture.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao (and other ingredients) from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, macambo

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)  

*While I've had macambo ("jaguar cacao") bars years ago, I am pretty sure the two bars I tried were also made with some Theobroma cacao (cacao butter or solids). 

While the fermenting process for cacao brings out interesting and appealing flavors, the same is not always the case for its bicolor sibling. Adding bicolor seeds to today's chocolate seemed like a good decision and allowed the macambo's balanced flavors to shine through. 

Thank you to the makers for making this tasting experience possible and helping to educate us about the bounty of plants and fruits in the Ecuadorian rain forest.

Conexion Chocolate - Pineapple & Pink Salt Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar) - Oct. 4, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Conexion Chocolate
Pineapple & Pink Salt Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Touring Chocolatier, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Pineapple & Pink Salt Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar) from Conexion Chocolate was made in Quito, Ecuador, by Aromasabor Cia. Ltda. 

The cacao used to make this bar was Arriba Nacional Cacao from the Fortaleza del Valle Co-op in Manabi. (Manabi is a western coastal province in Ecuador.)

Aroma flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (chocolate-y, faint nut butter*); relatively subtle sweet-tart tropical fruit (pineapple); and very faint sea salt.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a pleasing melt and mouthfeel, interspersed with chewy shreds of authentic (not over-sweetened, gently complex and balanced) dried pineapple.

I appreciated the smoothness of the dark chocolate, the subtle complex flavors and textures and the use of Ecuadorian cacao. The company's name: "Conexion" helps describe the key role craft chocolate makers can play. 

The company "strives to be the Conexion (connection) between the world of the small Ecuadorian cacao farmer and yours." Thank you to both Conexion founder/owner Jenny Samaniego (for her work with farmers and making these Ecuadorian chocolates possible), and to Chef Derek Poirier, for creating chocolates that can be enjoyed around the world.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, cane sugar, cacao butter, pineapple, pink salt, sunflower lecithin.

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a facility that also handled dairy and nuts." 

*Nutty, fruity, woodsy, floral and other notes are all naturally occurring flavors you may experience in single origin chocolates that vary by cacao variety, country, region and growing conditions (soil/terroir, climate, seasonal fluctuations, etc.)

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Calamondin 65% Cacao - Oct. 3, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Calamondin 65% Cacao 
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.33 for 1 bar (3 for $25.00)
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bar with Calamondin 65% Cacao was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma." (There was no cacao percentage listed.)

Calamondin (Citrofortunella microcarpa) "is a small citrus fruit with a delicate, soft, aromatic skin." The makers used the skin of this citrus fruit in this bar. And this fruit tasted every bit like a cross between a kumquat (sweet rind) + a mandarin orange/tangerine.

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: pleasantly smooth dark chocolate with gently aromatic and slightly floral citrus (that had a very pleasant, almost undulating, nuanced tart-sweet taste), and brown sugar notes.

Texture: pleasantly smooth dark chocolate--with only one tiny, tiny dark particle (seed or cacao nib bit?). 

I enjoyed the opportunity to try yet another unique and special bar made with a blend of tropical fruit and cacao supporting a bio-reserve in Ecuador. It had an intriguing, gently complex flavor.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, calamondin"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.) 

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Covered Bananas - Oct. 2, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Covered Bananas (package)
Good ++ 
Weight: 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories (estimate) in 1 package
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Covered Bananas were made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma."

The "seda" (translation: silk) bananas*--that were covered in Ecuadorean chocolate in today's offering--were an heirloom variety preserved by small producers.

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: dark chocolate; aromatic, softly sweet, banana and subtle brown sugar (panela).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate; the dehydrated banana pieces (slices) were just right with an authentic texture that seemed to preserve the best of the banana. (The fruit was just right: not too mushy, not too tough; i.e., it did not have a hard chew.)

I enjoyed the sweet, mellow flavor and texture of the banana, and the fact that it tasted slightly less acidic than Cavendish bananas we find in stores here in the U.S.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; the well-executed and balanced flavors; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Dehydrated banana, cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.) 

*Bananas originated in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. They arrived in the Americas centuries ago. Commercial banana growers in the Americas were impacted by disease(s); and some cultivars like the popular Gros Michel cultivar survived in smaller pockets after suffering from fungal disease(s), and being declared "commercially extinct" in 1965. Following that period, the more disease-resistant (at that time) cultivar, the Cavendish, became the banana we know and love today in the U.S. But, concerns about fungal diseases continue--with bananas and cacao.

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Cacao Pulp 65% Cacao - Oct. 1, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Cacao Pulp 65% Cacao
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bar with Cacao Pulp 65% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma."  

This bar was part of the company's line of bars produced with "Ecuadorean Nacional Cacao, tropical fruits, spices and raw sugar cane coming from 100% agroecological farms."

Aroma and flavor notes for this fruit-filled 65% cacao dark bar included: slightly boozy, sweet fruity chocolate (smooth, sophisticated cocoa note) with pockets of intense (concentrated) cacao fruit flavors: thick, jammy cacao fruit pulp centers -- with a mouthfeel somewhere between a dark, rich apple "butter" and slightly fermented (or trace of high-end fruit vinegar) fruit gel).

The cacao pulp's bright, complex tropical fruit butter flavors--cacao fruit pulp, mangosteen, dried sweet melon, citrus (sweet tangerine), tamarind and dried cherry--stole the show. 

Texture: pleasantly smooth dark chocolate with a smooth, jammy/fruit (thick fruit butter-like) silky-gel paste-like filling.

I loved this sweet-tart, flavorful celebration of cacao fruit and chocolate -- in this form: a dark chocolate bar with segmented squares filled with tasty and authentic cacao fruit paste). Most people never get to taste real cacao fruit pulp-- that lends so much flavor to the cacao fermentation process, while tasting nothing like dark chocolate.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, cacao pulp"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)