Chocolate of the Day
Monsoon Chocolate
Chiltepin 75% Dark Chocolate, Supporting the Northern Jaguar Project (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order
Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Mexico Theme Week.
Today's 75% Dark Chocolate "Chiltepin--Supporting the Northern Jaguar Project*"--(bar) was hand-crafted in Arizona by Monsoon Chocolate, LLC (Tucson, AZ). This bar was part of the company's Desert Series.
My hat is off to those who make chocolate in very hot places. Having visited Arizona, I'm also impressed by the wildlife that survive in desert corridors--like the jaguars that range from Mexico to Arizona. The chili and cacao blend in this bar linked these two areas of appreciation for me. The chiltepin peppers grow where the jaguars still roam. Chocolate with a story.
Aroma notes for this 75% cacao bar included: dark chocolate and very faint, diffuse fruit/botanical and roasted (coffee).
Texture: smooth dark chocolate
Flavor notes included: dark chocolate and pepper heat that varied slightly from bite to bite.
While the heat made it hard to detect subtler notes, it subsided into the finish with most bites with a polite and polished efficiency. However, there was one bite that included a few throat-grabbing flames; so you may want to enjoy this bar with a glass of water nearby, just in case.
I enjoyed this in smaller bites; and I was happy to support this maker and the Northern Jaguar Project.
Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Chiltepin (*Certified Organic)
Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles tree nuts, wheat, milk, eggs and peanuts. May not be suitable for people with allergies to these foods."
*"The Northern Jaguar Project (NJP) leads efforts to protect North America's northernmost jaguars in the Sierra Madre Occidental, where the chiltepin pepper also thrives. Known as the "mother of all chilies" and the only wild chili native to the US, the chiltepin is honored in the Slow Food Ark of Taste for its cultural and environmental significance. Sourcing chiltepin from NJP-protected areas allows us to support their crucial work."
