Chocolate of the Day
Seahorse Chocolate
La Cueva del Oso 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Seahorse Chocolate, online order
Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week.
Today's La Cueva del Oso 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by the bean-to-bar chocolate makers at Seahorse Chocolate (Bend, OR).
The cacao beans were sourced from smallholder farmers in Huila, Colombia (and were processed at a centralized fermentary in Altamira--run by Osito Coffee. (Osito means little bear. And the name of their cacao operation is La Cueva del Oso (bear's cave).
The connection with "bears" could also be a tribute of sorts to local bears*--that have also become a modern day symbol of conservation and good stewardship.
Unique aroma and flavor notes for this single origin bar included rich dark cocoa, sweet toffee and balanced herb-y menthol--that I thought might be headed toward bitterness, but that never happened.
Texture: smooth, relatively pleasant melt
I liked the short list of ingredients, the single origin cacao story, the smooth texture, the unique flavor profile...and the bear connection.
Maker's Tasting Notes: Toffee, Molasses, Wild Mint
Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar
Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging.)
*Osos de Anteojos (Spectacled Bears, aka Andean Bears) live in several South American countries, including Colombia--and can be found not far from where today's cacao was grown/fermented. These bears live in mountainous and forested areas. They occasionally visit farms to enjoy fruits, including the pulpy cacao fruit (that surrounds the cacao seeds/beans). This helps disperse seeds and can benefit local ecosystems.
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