Mandela Chocolate - Vanilla Orchid Raw Dark Chocolate (bar) - Apr. 18, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Mandala Chocolate
Vanilla Orchid Raw Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.80 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Flowers Theme Week. This week includes a variety of floral ingredients, including today's vanilla bar. Vanilla is a spice derived from a pod of a Vanilla orchid flower.

Today's Vanilla Orchid Raw Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Mandala Naturals, LLC (Barnardsville, NC).

Aroma and flavor notes for this Organic, Raw 77% dark chocolate bar included: smooth dark chocolate and warm vanilla bean.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy, dark chocolate with no graininess

I appreciated the warm vanilla (and coconut sugar) flavors in this dark chocolate, as well as Mandala's short list of quality, authentic and organic ingredients used in this bar and their other chocolates.

Ingredients: *Cacao, *Coconut Sugar, *Raw Tahitian Vanilla Bean, Celtic Sea Salt(TM) (* Organic & Raw)

Allergen-related information: (No allergen warnings were found on packaging.)

Mandala Chocolate - Lavender Citrus (bar) - Apr. 17, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Mandala Chocolate
Lavender Citrus
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.80 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

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

Today's Lavender Citrus (bar) was from Mandala Naturals, LLC (Barnardsville, NC).

Aroma notes for this Organic Raw chocolate bar included: smooth dark chocolate, mint, sweet citrus (orange/tangerine) and very faint smokey earthy flavor. 

When I tasted this chocolate (an hour after it had been opened), I tasted a little more lavender, the smokey + umami + slightly earthy (flavor), and very faint vanilla bean. The lovely citrus notes complemented the lavender, vanilla and earth notes. Sadly the orange oil faded (dissipated) a little after the package had been opened for a few hours. But it was still a great blend of flavors.

I'm an outdoors girl who likes forests and gardens. I also enjoy umami flavors. So the slightly smoky flavor notes mentioned above didn't bother me. But for those who prefer a tamer, sweet brownie/chocolate cake flavor profile, this might not be your first choice.

I appreciated the short list of quality, authentic, and organic ingredients.

Ingredients: *Cacao, *Coconut Sugar, *Raw Tahitian Vanilla Bean, *Lavender Oil, *Orange Oil, Celtic Sea Salt(TM) (* = Organic & Raw)

Allergen-related information: (None found on packaging.)

Sama Delights Truffles - Lavender and Cardamom truffles - Apr. 16, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Sama Delights Truffles
Lavender truffles
Good++
Weight: .918 oz. (26 g.) for two truffles

Calories: 145 calories (estimate) for 2 truffles
Cost: $3.69 each x 2 = $7.38 total for two truffles

Purchased from: The Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

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

Today's Lavender truffles were created by Sama Delights Truffles (Pacific Grove, CA). 

I found these at the Xocolatl Garden in Carmel, California -- a shop one enters via an arched pathway facing onto a secret garden--in a beautiful seaside community blocks away from a white sand beach on the Pacific Ocean, not far from where these truffles were created.

Aroma and flavor notes included: authentic lavender and chocolate and very faint coconut butter. 

Texture: outside was a humble truffle that you might find in the woods (slightly oblong with a dusting of cocoa); and the inside was very luxurious and perfectly creamy chocolate ganache, with a dreamy melt.

This was a true truffle. I loved the authentic and balanced lavender and the creamy texture.

Ingredients: No ingredients list or allergen list was included. These were sold by the piece in a small display case.