Rozsavolgyi Csokolade - Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka with Fennel (bar) - Aug. 9, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade
Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka with Fennel (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 171.85 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $22.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order, 

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka* and with Fennel (bar) was from Rozsavolgyi Csokolade (Budapest, Hungary). 

The company's name when translated into English ("Rosevalley Chocolate") is also tied to their location. "Rosevalley is a suburban part of Budapest in Hungary."

Aroma and flavor notes for today's flavorful bar included: smooth, naturally sweet and slightly fruity dark chocolate joined by fennel--that contributed light green, sweet licorice notes.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with little crunchy bits (lightly candied cacao nibs, perhaps some fennel).

I enjoyed the balanced, complementary flavors: dark 73% cacao chocolate, subtle, warm fruit (sweet stone fruit (peach, apricot); and authentic fennel in this bean-to-bar chocolate. 

The illustrations on the packaging of a cartoon cocoa pod named Erik, a cartoon cocoa pod wearing a palinka barrel, and a cartoon apricot character (complete with a hat and a moustache) carrying a flask, etc. were whimsical and fun.

I also appreciated the maker's choice of a short list of quality ingredients in this well-executed bar.

Ingredients: dark chocolate with 73% min. cocoa content (cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter), candied cocoa nibs soaked in palinka, organic cane sugar, fennel.

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a factory that also handles milkpowder, nuts and sesame seed."

*Palinka is a fruit brandy--a distilled spirit, from Hungary that is made with fermented fruits (plums, apricots, cherries and pears, grown in Hungary) without added sugar or other additives.

Vixen Chocolate - The Heart Flight (3 dark chocolate hearts: Desert (Peru), Forest (Uganda), and Island (Vanuatu)) - July 28, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Vixen Chocolate
The Heart Flight
Desert - Sechura Desert Peru - 73% Dark - Good ++
Forest - Semuliki Forest Uganda - 73% Dark - Good ++
Island - Malekula Island Vanuatu 72% Dark - Good ++ 
Weight: .0.77 oz. (22 g.) in total tin of 3 hearts 
Calories: 119 calories (estimate) for 3 hearts
Cost: $22.00 for 1 tin of 3 hearts
Purchased from: The Chocolate Dispensary, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Fire & Passion Theme Week, part of a month long series of chocolates with tie-ins to the elements: earth, water and fire.

Today's The Heart Flight was created by Vixen Chocolate (Portland, OR). Vixen infuses the message of boldness and passion into their chocolates.* Their packaging is artful and memorable. (Today's black and magenta metal tin could be re-purposed to hold jewelry or other keepsakes.)

This 3-piece flight included three, faceted (gem-cut) chocolate hearts, wrapped in different colored foils (pink, green and blue, respectively) and made using cacao from three different countries: Peru, Uganda and Vanuatu. Each represented a different elemental landscape: desert, forest & island: "3 hearts + 3 origins + ONE bold tasting of place."

Desert Heart - Sechura Desert, Peru 73%

This chocolate was both balanced and bold with nuanced flavors. Chocolate-y with diffuse fruits (dried fruits, citrus). The texture: smooth, relatively creamy, satisfying dark chocolate.

Forest Heart - Semuliki Forest, Uganda 73%

Chocolate-y, relatively sweet/bright, with very faint, well-managed earth notes. The texture: smooth, relatively creamy, satisfying chocolate.

Island - Vanuatu Malekula 72%

Also, chocolate-y with a subtle lushness (sweet green; hidden fruit)--an experience I associate with a single origin/terroir chocolates. Texture: smooth, creamy. (Origin notes: "Grown on the remote island of Malekula, where volcanic soil meets ocean breeze...")

All three were well-managed and executed, and were smooth and sweet, but some individual origin notes were allowed to peek through (thank you).

Ingredients: cacao, cane sugar*, cacao butter* 417 Hz, 528 Hz, 852 Hz, LOVE. (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: (None found on small, 3-piece tin)

*And Vixen also infuses their chocolates with different sound frequencies.

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade - Lavender Fields Forever (bar) - Apr. 19, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade 
Lavender Fields Forever (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 172 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $22.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order 

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate & Flowers Theme Week.

Today's "Lavender Fields Forever" (bar) was from Rozsavolgyi Csokolade (Budapest, Art Quarter, Hungary).*

Aroma and flavor notes for this 73% cacao dark chocolate + lavender oil bar included: relatively bold, but well-balanced dark chocolate (roasted dark chocolate cake) infused with subtle, aromatic lavender floral.

Texture: smooth, with a relatively thick, almost creamy melt (in a cool room).

I appreciated the (compostable) packaging with creative artwork and the use of a short list of (just four) ingredients.

Ingredients: dark chocolate (cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter - contains min. 73%), lavender oil

Allergen-related information: Produced in a factory that also handles nuts, sesame seed and milk powder.

*The translation of Rozsavolgyi Csokolade into English is: Valley of the Roses (Chocolate); and the name "Rozsavolgyi is a suburban part of Budapest, where the company was born." The company also offers chocolates with floral and many other interesting flavor inclusions.

Compartes Chocolatier: Thailand Sticky Rice with Mango & The Margarita Bar (bars) - Dec. 26, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
Mango Sticky Rice Chocolate 36% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order

Compartes Chocolatier
The Margarita Bar - Dark Chocolate Margarita Lime 73% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) / 2.6 oz. (74 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order 

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate & Rice Week and Day #2 of Chocolate and Thailand Theme Week, through the lens of a virtual holiday vacation in Thailand.

Today's two bars were from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA). They join the long list of fun flavored and elegantly clad bars from Compartes featured over the years.

The first of the two bars -- The White Lotus - Mango Sticky Rice Chocolate 36% Cacao (bar) -- is a reference to "The White Lotus" (HBO series). Season 3 was filmed in Thailand. 

White chocolates are occasionally enjoyed here on Chocolate Banquet, but without cocoa solids they don't count. So the "Mango Sticky Rice Chocolate" white chocolate bar was paired with "The Margarita Bar" dark chocolate bar from the same chocolatier.

Together, these two bars launched virtual visits to several restaurants and cafes in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, including those with tropical fruits and mango with sticky rice items (K. Panich, Bangkok), and a visit to one bar with a very creative Thai-inspired take on a Margarita-style cocktail, garnished with an edible gold chocolate.

The White Lotus 35% White Chocolate (bar)

Aroma notes for this bar included: tropical fruit (pineapple, mango), sweet rice cereal, vanilla caramel,  and very faint coconut.

Texture: creamy, caramel-hued white chocolate with softly crunchy crisped rice 

Flavor: sweet, fruity, slightly tangy, with rich caramel and vanilla; very faint (barely detectable) coconut

This bar evoked the smells of days at the beach with tropical juice-drinks, caramel candies, and coconut suntan lotion as a child, as well as mango and pineapple fruit salads and popsicles.

Ingredients: White Chocolate (Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Whole Milk, Soy Lecithin as an Emulsifier, Vanilla), Mango, Rice, Coconut Milk.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. "Made in a facility that handles dairy, peanuts, wheat, egg, soy, tree nuts."

The Margarita Bar 73% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Today's "The Margarita Bar" 73% dark bar was a fitting tribute to a popular cocktail that likely originated in Mexico in the late 1930s.

Are there Margaritas in Thailand? Yes, there are, particularly in larger cities catering to tourists and ex-pats. I was impressed by a talented bartender (Nopadon Thamsongla, aka "Bomb") at the "Margarita Bar" in Bangkok who has mixed up some amazing drinks, including a Margarita-like cocktail garnished with a golden (gilded chocolate) nugget.*

Aroma notes for this Margarita 73% chocolate bar included: dark chocolate, tart-sweet citrus (lime), faint vanilla, and faint spirits (tequila).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a constellation of tiny, crunchy salt crystals.

Flavor: smooth, rich dark chocolate, gentle and authentic lime, sparkles of sea salt and faint spirits.

I enjoyed the authentic dark chocolate and lime flavors--and the use of salt to add flavor, evoke a Margarita and balance the sweetness. The ingredients were well-balanced; the vanilla and tequila were not too overwhelming (thank you); and all the elements harmonized nicely together.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Soy Lecithin as An Emulsifier, Vanilla), Tequila, Lime, Sea Salt 

Allergen-related information: "Vegan, Gluten Free" "Made in a facility that handles Dairy, Peanuts, Wheat, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts"

*As part of this week's virtual visit to Thailand, I watched (videos of) a very talented bartender in the "Margarita Bar" in Bangkok. One featured a cocktail garnished with a golden (gilded chocolate) nugget.*

The video explained that this golden nugget was filled with a garnet-colored dehydrated concoction of pomelo, soy sauce and agar agar that was coated with chocolate, and then covered in edible gold to accompany what might have been a pomelo Margarita.

Compartes - White Lotus Pineapple Coconut 73% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 13, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
The White Lotus Pineapple Coconut Chocolate 73% Cacao (bar)

Good ++
Weight: 2.7 oz. (77 g.) in total bar
Calories: 460 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order 

Welcome to Day #20 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week(s).

Today's The White Lotus Pineapple Coconut Chocolate 73% Cacao (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA). 

This bar was inspired by the award-winning (HBO) TV show The White Lotus -- Season 1 (Hawaii), a dark comedy centered around the staff and guests at a tropical resort.* 

Aroma notes for this attractively packaged bar included: smooth, sweet dark chocolate and subtle, dried fruit (pineapple) and toasted coconut.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy dark chocolate with tiny bits of softly chewy pineapple and chewy (slightly tougher chew) lightly toasted, golden-hued coconut shreds.

The small pieces of candied pineapple weren't overly sweet (thank you). The tiny coconut shreds were more detectable in the flavor than the aroma, and also tasted authentic (not too overwhelming).

I liked the balanced blend of flavors in this 73% cacao dark chocolate with tropical flavor inclusions. 

Maker's description: "Unwrap a delectable infusion of flavors with rich, decadent chocolate, coconut and pineapple for chic Hawaiian vibes, and be transported to "The Pineapple Room" (where drama unfolds). 

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Soy Lecithin as An Emulsifier, Vanilla), Pineapple, Coconut"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles dairy, peanuts, wheat, egg, soy, tree nuts."

*The Pineapple Room featured on "The White Lotus" TV show was modeled after (and filmed in) the 3-bedroom, Lokelani Presidential Suite at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Kihei, Hawaii).

Compartes - Wild Cherry Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao (bar) - Nov. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
Wild Cherry Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order

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

Today's Wild Cherry Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA).

Aroma notes included: smooth, subtle dark chocolate, clean mineral notes, and light stone fruit (cherry) and cherry soda.

Texture: smooth, creamy dark chocolate, chewy dried fresh cherries, and a much softer chew from translucent candied cherries. 

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (fudge with faint vanilla) and two different cherry flavors: dried tart-sweet, authentic cherry flavor and candied cherry.

I enjoyed the creamy texture of the dark 73% cacao chocolate and the range of cherry flavors was fun to try.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Soy Lecithin as an Emulsifier, Vanilla), Cherries (Cherries, Sugar, Citric Acid, Red #3)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles dairy, peanuts, wheat, egg, soy, tree nuts. "Vegan, Gluten Free"

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Soconusco, Chiapas with Mezcal Joven (bar) - Sept. 10, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra 
73% Mexican Cacao from Soconusco, Chiapas with Mezcal Joven (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in /12 bar (per label)
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Soconusco, Chiapas with Mezcal Joven (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico).

Today's cacao + mezcal bar was a celebration of two, time-honored traditions in Mexico. The cacao used to make this bar was from Soconusco, Chiapas, in southern Mexico. And the Mezcal was made with 100% Maguey Espadin from Santiago Matatlan, a town located in the Central valleys of Oaxaca, considered to be the 'world capital of Mezcal.'"

Aroma notes included: rich, relatively sweet chocolate with soft, sweet green (and very, very slightly smoke-y) botanical (lightly sweetened cactus and green fig jam with a tiny squeeze of lemon).

Texture: Relatively smooth and creamy with a very slight stone-ground quality (that I associated with all the flavors being intact).

Flavor notes: Rich cacao flavors including dark chocolate with lush botanical, and balanced tart-sweet elements (balanced, sweet, gentle red fruit, apple and nopales (cactus) marinated with brown sugar). I'm assuming what I was tasting (embedded in the dark chocolate) were balanced, fermented and very lightly pit-smoked agave flavors, that when mixed with the single origin Chiapas cacao yielded a complex and wonderful bar. 

I liked the flavorful, yet subtle aroma and flavors; the short list of only three, quality ingredients; and the opportunity to try two great Mexican traditional foods/beverages in one bar. Once again, I feel fortunate to have experienced Cuna de Piedra's dedication to Mexican Cacao.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Alcohol removed Mezcal Joven from 100% Maguey Espadin (Agave angustifolia Haw).

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs." Non-Alcoholic Product. 

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Mezcal Reposado (bar) - Sept. 9, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra 
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Mezcal Reposado (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in /12 bar (per label)
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Mezcal Reposado (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico).

Today's cacao + mezcal bar was a celebration of two, time-honored traditions in Mexico. The cacao used to make this bar was from Comalcalco, Tabasco, in southeastern Mexico. And the Mezcal was made with 100% Maguey Espadin from Santiago Matatlan, a town located in the Central valleys of Oaxaca, considered to be the 'world capital of Mezcal.'"

Aroma notes included: rich, sweet chocolate, clean mineral and sweet green botanical (green figs in syrup), and very faint spirits and brown sugar and spice.

Texture: Relatively smooth and creamy with a slight, tart botanical and fruit astringency.

Flavor notes: Rich cacao flavors including dark chocolate with lively, tart-sweet elements (balanced, almost pickled, sweet fruits and nopales with vinegar and brown sugar). This tartness helped replace the fact that the alcohol had been removed from the mezcal, allowing us to taste (what I'm assuming was) some balanced, fermented agave flavors, that when mixed with the single origin Tabasco cacao yielded a hearty, flavorful bar. 

I liked the complex, flavors and the short list of only three, quality ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Alcohol removed Mezcal Reposado from 100% Maguey Espadin (Agave angustifolia Haw).

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs." Non-Alcoholic Product.

Cuna de Piedra 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Coffee (bar) - Sept. 2, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra 
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Coffee (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

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

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Coffee (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico).

The cacao beans used to make this bar were from: Comalcalco in the State of Tabasco, in southeastern Mexico; and the coffee was a Dalia blend from Buna. (Buna is a Mexican coffee company that works with small, family-run coffee producers/operations).

Aroma notes included: smooth, pleasing, aromatic, roasted coffee and rich, smooth dark chocolate with very faint red fruit/berry soaked in honey and brown sugar.

Texture: satisfying creamy smooth chocolate with slightly crunchy texture from small bits of ground coffee; with a very slight fruit astringency in the long, pleasing finish.

Flavor notes included: bold, beautiful, complex and balanced rich dark chocolate and coffee notes (red fruit, berry, citrus, faint caramel). Medium fruit acidity. Nicely balanced medium-level, mellowed bitterness. Note: this was slightly addicting; so don't start sampling this bar too close to bedtime if caffeine keeps you up at night.

While I was savoring this coffee + chocolate blend, I couldn't help but think about other ways to enjoy this bar. This Mexican chocolate would be a great addition to a dessert plate; a tasting flight; the basis for a small cup of mocha drinking chocolate; or incorporated into another dessert item.

Chock full of authentic, layered, chocolate and coffee flavors, this well-balanced and well-executed chocolate delivered so much, with only three ingredients. 

Ingredients: "Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Coffee beans."

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a Facility that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs."

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco with La Lupulosa beer (bar) - Aug. 28, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco with La Lupulosa beer* (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Village Market, SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Beer & Hops Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco with La Lupulosa beer* (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, NL, Mexico).

The cacao beans used to create this chocolate were from Comalcalco, Tabasco, in southeastern Mexico. And the beer in this bar was from Cerveceria Insurgente (founded in Tijuana, Mexico in 2010).

Aroma and flavor notes for this cacao + brew collaboration bar included: chocolate, lightly roasted malt, complex hops/beer (stout)--and barely detectable, fleeting floral notes. All these flavors carried over into a pleasing finish.

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a snap; and had a smooth, even texture.

Balanced, delicious complexity. One of the best beer bar blends I've tasted so far. The chocolate and the beer aromas and flavors harmonized very nicely.

Ingredients: "Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Beer."

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured on equipment that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs. Non-alcoholic product."

*La Lupulosa beer is a West Coast IPA-style beer from a pioneering artisanal beer making duo (that began in a back yard) in northern Mexico, not far from the U.S. border. It's known for its complex and tasty hop notes.

 

Meurisse Chocolate NV - Himalayan Salt Dark Chocolate Bar - July 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Meurisse Chocolate NV 
Himalayan Salt Dark Chocolate Bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Il Parco, Presidio, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

Today's Himalayan Salt Dark Chocolate Bar from Meurisse Chocolate NV (Antwerp, Belgium) was manufactured in Belgium.

Founded in 1845 by Adolphe Meurisse, the company is one of Belgium's oldest chocolate makers. I'm impressed with any enterprise that surpasses the century mark, much less 180 years. (Less than half of one percent of U.S. companies have made it to 100 years.) 

The company offers a variety of bars using single origin cocoa from Papua New Guinea.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate with faint earth and dried fruit (fig) and faint sweet vanilla. (The faint earth note disappeared a few minutes after the sealed inner wrapper was opened.)

This generously-sized bar was relatively thick. It had a satisfying, smooth, slightly fudge-y texture. 

Flavor notes for substantial (thick and generously-sized 73% cacao chocolate included: dark chocolate (fudge-y, chocolate-y) with vanilla; subtle dried fruit (fig); and very faint nut (sweet walnut**, hazelnut). Note: there were no nut ingredients in this bar. The salt was well-balanced (in the Goldilocks zone*). 

I enjoyed this relatively hearty, balanced dark chocolate with fudge brownie, subtle and authentic-tasting vanilla, and (Pink Himalayan) salt notes. I liked the sweetness level, the cacao percentage level (73%) and the subtle, well-executed complexity of the cacao (from Papua New Guinea). This chocolate exceeded my expectations.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*, natural vanilla powder*, salt. (* = from organic agriculture.)

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk, soy, pistachio, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts."

*Not too little, not too much. Just right for me.

** In Greece and other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries you can buy young/green walnuts in syrup (aka walnut jam or walnut preserves). The blend has a unique, sweet green fig/nut flavor. It's a taste that I've tasted in chocolates as well (especially those made with organic sugar), and have described it as having sweet, green botanical/syrup notes. 

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Ancient Spring Salt (bar) - July 9, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco with Ancient Spring Salt (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate & Mexico Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & Salt Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco with Ancient Spring Salt (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra* (Monterrey, NL, Mexico).

The company pays "homage to Mexican Cacao." The cacao used to make this bar was from Comalcalco, Tabasco in southeastern Mexico. (Cacao harvest information: Dry Season Harvest 2023.)

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: attractive dark chocolate; subtle fruit (pear and barely detectable banana); and very faint sweet green herb.

Flavor notes included: smooth, appealing, rich dark chocolate (not too acidic natural cocoa, drinking chocolate) naturally sweet dark chocolate; gentle fruit; faint, sweet (almost floral) herb; and very faint nut.

I enjoyed the short-list of thoughtfully-sourced and high-quality ingredients; the subtle perfection in the use of salt (not too much, not too little); and the origin stories behind the cacao and the ancient spring salt. 

The company sourced the salt from Zapotitlan Salinas (Puebla, Mexico). This salt has been harvested from mines in the same area for more than two thousand years.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Mineral spring salt.

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

*The company name Cuna de Piedra translates to "cradle of stone." 

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco - July 4, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Mexico Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra* (Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico).

The company is an "homage to Mexican Cacao." And the cacao used to make this bar was from a "single estate bean from a single grower, Malaquias (farm) in the Tabasco region where "several hundred cacao trees coexist with wild black pepper vines and various citrus species." (The cacao beans were part of a "Rainy Season, Harvest 2024".)

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: dark chocolate (rich and chocolate-y/dark cocoa), very faint earth in the aroma, in the beginning; and very faint but also very balanced bitter flavor toward the end.  

I enjoyed this flavorful, balanced and lightly sweetened dark chocolate. I admired the subtle complexity: diffuse fruit (citrus, dried fruit and barely detectable red fruit), and diverse, well executed very faint dark cacao notes, including barely detectable, balanced earth/olive, and sweet green (young walnuts in syrup)). And I appreciated the thoughtful sourcing and the short list of only two, quality ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar.

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

*The company name Cuna de Piedra translates to "cradle of stone."

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabaso & Smoked Heirloom Chile (bar) - July 3, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco & Smoked Heirloom Chile (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 77 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

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

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco, Tabasco & Smoked Heirloom Chile (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra* (Monterrey, NL, Mexico).

The company is an "homage to Mexican Cacao." And the cacao used to make this bar was from the Comalcalco, Tabasco region in southeastern Mexico. (The cacao beans chosen were part of the "Dry Season, Harvest 2023".)

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: appealing dark chocolate with faint, refreshing tart-sweet (vitamin C-rich) fruit aspects (that might have been from the fruit-tree/wood** smoked chile pepper), and wonderfully subtle and rich smoked chile.

This dark chocolate was full of rich, authentic flavor...beginning with a very slightly fruity, high-quality cacao chocolate, that was followed by (about five seconds later) the fiery arc of the lightly smoked heirloom chile that gradually rose, hit peak heat, and then receded. 

I liked the sweetness level. It was just enough sugar to add some brightness; but it wasn't too sweet. And I felt fortunate to try this rare Tres Lomos heirloom chile (from the central region of Veracruz).

**Maker's notes: "Chiles in Mexico, just like cacao, are a fundamental part of our gastronomic identity." The chile was "processed at origin according to the Meridional-Totonacapan method: a pre-Hispanic technique of smoking at ground level for three days using wood from fruit-bearing trees such as guava and wild berries." For more information on chiles: @arodiorea.mx. 

My notes: Consider taking a smaller first bite if you're sensitive to hot foods. 

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Smoked Heirloom Chile.

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured on equipment that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs."

*The company name Cuna de Piedra translates to "cradle of stone," which immediately made me think of women grinding roasted cacao beans into a paste using a stone metate and mano (grinding stone) in the jungles of Central America.

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Hibiscus Flowers (bar) - June 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Hibiscus Flowers (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Floral Theme Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate & Mexico Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Hibiscus Flowers Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra* (Monterrey, NL, Mexico).

The company is an "homage to Mexican Cacao." And the cacao used to make this bar was from the Comalcalco, Tabasco region in southeastern Mexico. (The cacao beans chosen were part of the "Rainy Season Harvest 2024".)

To this cacao, the makers added bits of sun-dried hibiscus flowers--that were harvested by indigenous community members who have been cultivating the "creole Hibiscus tree(s)"** (introduced by the Spanish) for centuries. These two flavors were showcased effectively in this three-ingredient chocolate.

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: dark chocolate and faint, tart floral (hibiscus).

The lightly sweetened dark chocolate and the ruby-hued hibiscus flower bits pressed across the back of the bar tasted authentic; and it was interesting to taste the hibiscus flowers without a lot of sugar. (Normally, hibiscus drinks (like Jamaica) here in northern California are very sweet.)

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Sundried Hibiscus flowers.

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

*The company name Cuna de Piedra translates to "cradle of stone," which immediately made me think of women grinding roasted cacao beans into a paste using a stone metate and mano (grinding stone) in the jungles of Central America.

** This hibiscus variety was "originally introduced by the Spanish galleons on the Pacific route from Manila to Acapulco, and is known for being particularly robust and aromatic." 

Fruition Chocolate Works - Zorzal Eco Reserve 73% Dark Chocolate with Puffed Quinoa, Candied Sunflower Seeds, Wild Blueberry & Citrus (bar) - June 2, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fruition Chocolate Works
Zorzal Eco Reserve 73% Dark Chocolate with Puffed Quinoa, Candied Sunflower Seeds, Wild Blueberry & Citrus (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 164 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Fruition, online order

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

Today's Zorzal Eco Reserve 73% Dark Chocolate with Puffed Quinoa, Candied Sunflower Seeds, Wild Blueberry & Citrus (bar) was from Fruition Chocolate Works (Shokan, NY).

The cacao used to make this bar was grown on a cacao farm in a bird reserve in the Dominican Republic. The certified "Bird Friendly"* cacao farm designated as "forever wild" inspired the makers to create this bird seed bar.

Aroma and flavor included: rich, sweet (slightly fruity) dark chocolate, seed, nut; dried dark berry (blueberry) and very faint citrus. (Note: this bar did not contain nuts.)

Texture: smooth dark chocolate (covered with a dense riot of) softly crunchy sunflower seeds, interspersed with small chewy fruit pieces (blueberries). Tiny rounds of puffed quinoa added additional, subtle texture.

I enjoyed the blend of flavors--an elevated homage to cacao and birds (and very high-quality bird seed).

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (cocoa beans*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*), Sunflower Seeds, Wild Blueberries, Puffed Quinoa, Lemon Zest, Sugar, Citric Acid, Citrus Essential Oils (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains sunflower seeds. May contain traces of milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and sesame.

*As designated/certified by the Smithsonian National Zoo and Smithsonian Bird Center. This honor is being bestowed on coffee and cacao growing areas/plantations that meet certain agroforestry and forest conservation criteria.

The Chocolate Conspiracy - Blackberry Ginger 73% Cacao Chocolate Bar - May 9, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Chocolate Conspiracy
Blackberry Ginger 73% Cacao Chocolate Bar
Good ++
Weight: .625 oz. (17.50 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Warm Spices Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate, Bees and Trees Theme Week.

Today's Blackberry Ginger 73% Cacao Chocolate Bar (Batch #000143) from The Chocolate Conspiracy (Salt Lake City, UT) was made from bean-to-bar using cacao from Peru (Ucayali region).

Aroma notes included: subtle dark chocolate with warm spice (ginger) and berry notes

Texture: smooth, almost soft, silken texture, melt and mouthfeel. The honey, blackberry Ginger balsamic vinegar and ginger oil were completely incorporated into the dark chocolate. (There were no blackberry seeds or spice grit.)

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes only with a deeper dark chocolate flavor. This 73% cacao dark chocolate was relatively dark and dense in flavor, but also quite smooth. The honey provided a gentle sweetener that was not too sweet (thank you), and the subtly complex ginger and blackberry flavors were balanced and authentic.

Maker's description: "...crafted from organic, unroasted, single-origin cacao beans from the Ucayali region of Peru and sweetened with raw, unfiltered wildflower honey. This results in a silky texture and unique flavor."

Ingredients: "Raw Organic Cacao Beans, Raw Organic Cacao Butter, Raw Unfiltered Honey, Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar (Grape Must, Red Wine Vinegar, Natural Flavors, Naturally Occurring Sulfites), Organic Ginger Oil"

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, coconut, and pistachios." ("Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free...No Refined Sugar, Fair-Trade Cacao")

Godvavari Chocolate Inc. - Bon-fiction "Out in the Dark" 73% dark chocolate (bar) - Apr. 11, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Godavari Chocolate Inc.
Bon-fiction "Out in the Dark" 73% dark chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Market, Palo Alto, CA  

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and India Week.

Today's Bon-fiction "Out in the Dark" 73% dark chocolate (bar) was made from tree-to-bar in India, and imported and distributed by Godavari Chocolate Inc. (Folsom, CA).

The cacao used to make this bar was "hand-picked from farms in the Godavari region of Southern India."

Aroma and flavor notes for this single origin, tree-to-bar chocolate included: rich dark chocolate with faint tropical fruit (mango, cacao fruit); honey; and a balanced, very faint, fruit (grape) muskiness and maltiness. The levels of tannins/acids and bitterness were all relatively low in this bar.

The texture was smooth and relatively buttery/creamy with a very, very mild fruit (grape or mango level) astringency. 

I liked the balanced, subtle sweet fruit flavor notes and the short list of quality ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter."

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes: Milk, Peanuts, Almond, Cashew, Walnut, Coconut, Hazelnut, Pistachio." 

The Chocolate Conspiracy - Coconut Lime 73% Cacao Chocolate Bar - Feb. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Chocolate Conspiracy 
Coconut Lime 73% Cacao Chocolate Bar
Good + 
Weight: .625 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) total bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Conspiracy, online order

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

Today's Coconut Lime 73% Cacao Chocolate Bar was from The Chocolate Conspiracy (Salt Lake City, UT).

Aroma notes for this lime oil-infused bar included: smooth dark chocolate and lime shortbread cookie.

Texture: smooth chocolate with a creamy (honey) melt occasionally punctuated with gentle, tiny shreds of coconut.

Flavor notes included: relatively smooth dark chocolate, gently sweetened with honey, and a somewhat surprising bitterness that I attributed to the lime oil. 

I like botanically bitter flavors (e.g. hops, 100% cacao), as long as they are balanced--often with salt/sugar. (Maybe more salt would have balanced the bitter? Not sure.)

The maker's additions of honey, coconut and salt would have been exactly what I would have included to balance this bitter flavor, and these counter elements almost worked. I'm looking forward to trying other flavors from this maker, to see what their chocolate tastes like with other flavor blends.

Ingredients: "Raw Organic Cacao Beans, Raw Unfiltered Honey, Raw Organic Cacao Butter, Lime Oil, Organic Coconut Shreds, Smoked Coconut Lime Sea Salt."

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, coconut, and pistachios." "Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free"

 

Fossa Chocolate - Tokushima Collection Indigo (bar) & 73% Dark Sake Kasu (bar) - Feb. 11, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
Tokushima Collection "Indigo" (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 144 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

Fossa Chocolate
73% Dark Sake Kasu (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 136 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

Welcome to the last day (Day #14) of Unique Chocolate Theme Week. And today features two special and unique chocolate bars.

Today's Indigo (38% white) and 73% Dark Sake Kasu bars were created by Fossa Chocolate (Singapore). The company offers thoughtfully crafted, well-executed bars, many with special teas and Asian flavor inclusions.

Indigo* (bar)

Aroma and flavor notes included: white chocolate; slightly sweet floral; milky citrus (orange blossom + lemon ice cream); and hard to pin down botanical (sweet, woodsy, tea) notes. These relatively delicate, sweetly complex and creamy notes lingered into the finish.

This truly unique ivory-colored 38% white chocolate--part of Fossa's Tokushima Collection**--was a muted darker green-teal color and had a well-executed, creamy texture with a very slightly textured mouthfeel (from the dried indigo).

I enjoyed the nuances of flavor in this sweet 38% white milk chocolate, and the opportunity to experience my first taste the unique plant behind the beautiful blue indigo color.

Maker's description: "Dried and made into a powder to be blended with 38% white chocolate, the flavor is soft and delicate, reminding us of woods and florals."

Ingredients: Cocoa butter, milk powder, cane sugar, dried indigo

Allergen-related information: Contains dairy. Produced in a facility that processes nuts.

*There are different species of plants known as "indigo"--a member of the legume/pea family--with most associated with Africa, India, South China and Japan. (Indigenous people in the Americas also used similar plants for dyeing materials.) It's also used as a medicinal plant in some cultures. 

Note: I would advise researching the plant/indigo source first, before eating it, particularly if you think you've found it growing in the wild.)

**Tokushima Prefecture is on Shikoku Island, Japan.

73% Dark Sake Kasu (bar)

Aroma notes included an aromatic orchestra of scents: chocolate, lightly sour fruit(s) candy, very slightly bitter, fermented spirits, and umami. 

This was a blend of tasty dark chocolate + slightly umami and fermented sake kasu "candy" squares. The layered, slightly sweet, sour, bitter and fermented (sake) flavors (from two types of kasu*) extended into a long, slightly fermented sweet finish. 

Texture: smooth, creamy dark chocolate interspersed with small, thin, firmly chewy squares of flavored candy.

I like umami flavors with chocolate; and this sake 73% dark bar was authentic and delightful to try. 

This Sake Kasu bar reminded me a little bit of a naturally sweeter (less hoppy) version of chocolates made with beer, malt and hops. It had the richness and depth of flavor(s) found in other bars with fermented spirits.

*Maker's notes: The white kasu comes from Akishika Shozu, a "kiian-zukuri" or "seedling to sake" brewery that makes sake using organic rice grown in-house...And the red kasu comes from the brewing of Inemankai - a one-of-a-kind sake by Mukai Shuo using a strain of red rice that grows in the master brewer's hometown of Ine in rural Kyoto.

Ingredients: Cacao, cane sugar, sake Kasu (rice, koji), dextrose

Allergen-related information: Produced in a facility that processes nuts & dairy.