Chami Cacao - 70% Cardamom Colombia dark chocolate (bar) - May 8, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Chami Cacao
70% Cardamom Colombia - dark chocolate (bar)

Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.80 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week.

Today's 70% Cardamom Colombia dark chocolate (bar) was from Chami Cacao (Pereira, Risaralda, in central west Colombia, with connections in California (Mill Valley, CA) and Tampa, FL). 

Chami Cacao owner and chocolate maker Juliana Grajales P. chose the name Chami for her company as an homage to the Embera Chami indigenous people in Colombia.

Aroma and flavor notes for this 70% Colombia spice bar included: dark chocolate and aromatic, complex spice (ground cardamom).

Texture: stone-ground dark chocolate and cardamom*

I enjoyed the warm, authentic and complex cardamom (bright, warm spice, tropical fruit bubble gum, light earth) spice and relatively smooth 70% dark chocolate flavors that harmonized well together. I was fine with the slightly rough, stone-ground mouthfeel/texture as I felt I was able to enjoy more flavor nuances than if the chocolate had been more highly processed.

And I appreciated the short list of (just 3) ingredients, as well as the biodegradable cassava starch inner wrapper. (It's nice to have some relief from plastic-clad bars.)

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Organic raw cane sugar & cardamom.

Allergen-related information: "Vegan, Soy Free, Nut Free, Gluten Free"

*Originally from Southern India, Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) production began to ramp up in Central America over 100 years ago. Guatemala is now the world's leading grower and exporter of cardamom--referred to as "green gold" in that country. Colombia and Costa Rica have experienced increased production in recent years.

Origen Cacao - Vegan White Chocolate with Nibs (bar) - May 7, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Origen Cacao 
Vegan White Chocolate with Nibs (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $30.00 for a 6-bar variety pack
Purchased from: Origen Cacao, online

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

Today's Vegan White Chocolate with Nibs (bar) from Origen Cacao was "handcrafted in small batches" at the company's factory in San Roque, Antioquia (Colombia). 

Most white chocolates are made with cocoa butter (the fat from the cocoa bean), but not the darker hued cocoa solids.* 

Today's white chocolate bar did contain some cocoa solids--in the form of pieces of cacao beans (nibs).*

Aroma and flavor notes for today's white chocolate with cacao nibs bar included: oats, vanilla and faint cacao. This mild white oat milk chocolate was very low in bitterness and acidity. It reminded me of a vanilla oatmeal cookie with cocoa nibs; but it wasn't that sweet. (Thank you!). The flavor was more oatmeal porridge than cookie.

Texture: relatively smooth white oat milk chocolate interspersed with small, softly crunchy cacao nibs. 

I liked the oat flavor more than I expected. I liked that I could taste the oats (in a less processed oat milk form), without any detectable oat straw/roughage. 

I enjoyed trying this balanced, well-executed white chocolate. White craft chocolate bars today are diverse and interesting, and worth trying. They're a far cry from the overly sweet white chocolates of decades ago, some of which may have contained hydrogenated vegetable oils and no cacao at all.

I also appreciated the short list of quality and organic ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter, oat milk, vanilla, sea salt

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

*A white chocolate (or any chocolate) is only featured on Chocolate Banquet if it contains at least some cocoa solids.

Cocoa butter, the main constituent of white chocolate, has a long history of being used by indigenous peoples Central and South America for culinary, ceremonial, medicinal (e.g. skin balms) purposes. It's used in the U.S. in the manufacturing of chocolates and white chocolates and confections, as well as vegan butters, and skin care products (e.g. in lotions, creams, lip balms).