Godavari Chocolate - Bon-fiction "An Eclipse of the Senses" 99% dark chocolate (bar) - Apr. 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Godavari Chocolate Inc.
Bon-fiction "An Eclipse of the Senses" 99% dark chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: .485 oz. (13.75 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 92.5 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Village Market, S.F. Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and India Week.

Today's Bon-fiction "An Eclipse of the Senses" 99% 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 notes were roast-y and chocolate-y, and relatively subdued. The intensity arrived with the first bite. The flavor notes for this single origin, tree-to-bar 99% cacao chocolate included: ultra-dark chocolate; with relatively tart (yogurt), bitter and roasted wood and earth notes.

The texture was smooth and relatively buttery/creamy. (Note: Often there is added cocoa butter, on top of what is present with the cacao beans being used in ultra-dark bars. Surprisingly, there was no added cocoa butter listed on the ingredients. I consider that a brave choice with very bold, dark cacaos like this (with strong Trinitario + Forestero qualities.)

"The Eclipse of the Senses" was a fitting name for this bar. There were very few subtleties here. But, just like an eclipse, at the very end you feel the light from the Sun/Moon coming back again. 

I could imagine small quantities of this almost unsweetened chocolate being used with other, sweeter, flavors (sauces, meats, specific vegetable dishes, spirits, smoothies/shakes, dried fruits, affogatos, etc.)--to provide some interesting contrast or flavor depth.

I liked that this was tree-to-bar chocolate (made "in country" in India where the cacao was also grown); the short list of (two) ingredients; the unapologetic darkness (in small doses); and the faint mellower chocolate note(s) that popped up briefly at the very end of a long finish.

Ingredients: "Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar."

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

Pacific Resources International - Raspberry Dark Chocolate Patties with Manuka Honey - June 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Pacific Resources International (PRI)
Raspberry Dark Chocolate Patties with Manuka Honey
Good ++
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: PRI, online order 

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

Today's Raspberry Dark Chocolate Patties with Manuka Honey were distributed by Pacific Resources International (Carpinteria, CA).

Aroma notes for these individually-wrapped (in pink foil) patties included: faintly earthy dark chocolate and bright, sweet red berry (raspberry, strawberry), and very faint fig and nut cookie. 

Textures: slightly crunchy (in a cool room) the outer dark chocolate shell had a thick fudge-y, creamy melt and mouthfeel; and a soft, almost velvety honey filling.

I liked the contrast between the 99% cacao ultra-dark chocolate coating and the bright, very sweet, red-berry (raspberry)-infused honey filling. If it weren't for the earth-tethered cacao to ground the honey-fueled, sweet berry filling, it might have lifted off into the candysphere. 

The only downside: the chocolate and raspberry flavors were so commanding that it was harder to taste the floral and other honey notes (as I'd been able to do in PRI's Orange dark chocolate patties, featured yesterday).

Ingredients: "Manuka/Honey, 99% cocoa dark chocolate, natural raspberry flavoring"

Allergen-related information: (None I could find on the packaging.) 

*Manuka honey comes from the nectar of flowers that grow on the Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) shrub-like tree. It is native to New Zealand and parts of (coastal) Australia, but is also cultivated in other areas of the world. 

Pacific Resources International (PRI) - Orange Dark Chocolate Patties with Manuka Honey - June 18, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Pacific Resources International (PRI)
Orange Dark Chocolate Patties with Manuka Honey
Good ++
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: PRI, online order 

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & Honey Theme Week.

Today's Orange Dark Chocolate Patties with Manuka Honey were distributed by Pacific Resources International (Carpinteria, CA). The company imports Manuka honey from New Zealand and Australia--to enjoy a la carte, or as inclusions in chocolates and other offerings.

Aroma notes for these orange foil-wrapped patties included: faintly earthy dark chocolate and slightly spicy orange. 

The 99% cacao dark chocolate shell had a slightly crunchy (in a cool room) texture and a thick, creamy melt and mouthfeel. Inside was a soft, almost velvety honey filling.

I enjoyed the contrast between the ultra-dark, very slightly earthy and roasted flavors of the 99% cacao chocolate coating and the bright, sweet, complex (slightly floral/herbal) orange-infused honey filling. The well-executed and layered flavors (vs. a homogeneous blend found in a bar or ganache) made this more interesting and enjoyable.  

Made with only three ingredients, all three had their turn to shine. The spotlight on center stage belonged to the very slightly spicy orange and complex honey (floral, spice, herbal, etc.) flavors. And that filling was surrounded by 99% cacao dark chocolate around the edges. The more down to earth dark chocolate was the first taste, and then came back again to linger in the finish. 

Ingredients: "Manuka/Honey, 99% cocoa Dark chocolate, Orange Oil"

Allergen-related information: None listed. (Certified Kosher)

*Manuka honey comes from the nectar of flowers that grow on the Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) shrub-like tree. It is native to New Zealand and parts of (coastal) Australia, but is also cultivated in other areas of the world.

Pacific Resources International - Ginger Dark Chocolate Patties Manuka Honey - Mar. 26, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Pacific Resources International

Ginger - Dark Chocolate Patties Manuka Honey 

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) in total package

Calories: 120 calories in 3 pieces

Cost: $9.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and New Zealand Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate, Flowers and Honey Week.

Today's Ginger Dark Chocolate Patties with Manuka Honey were distributed by Pacific Resources International (Carpinteria, CA).

Aroma notes for these chocolates included: ultra-dark chocolate, honey, and very faint pollen, floral and warm spice.

The 99% cacao dark chocolate shell was thin and almost crunchy in a cool room. (Well-tempered chocolate breaks with a snap.) This outer, ebony-colored coating delivered satisfying ultra-dark flavor--and was thin enough to still showcase the generous, sticky-smooth and creamy, manuka honey center. 

Layered flavor notes included: ultra-dark chocolate; thick, authentic honey (with floral, pollen), and subtle, warm ginger.

What I liked. These chocolate patties had: 1.) a short list of (three) ingredients; 2.) a 99% ultra-dark chocolate coating that was refreshingly un-sugared and satisfying; a treat for dark fans; 3.) New Zealand Manuka Honey with an MGO rating* (MGO 60+); 4.) thoughtful layered flavors; and 5.) gluten free and dairy free ingredients.

Ingredients: "Manuka/Honey, 99% cocoa dark chocolate, ground ginger"

Allergen-related information: None listed. (gluten free, dairy free, Kosher Certified)

*"MGO" refers to the level of methylglyoxal (MGO), a naturally occurring compound found in manuka honey. A higher level (rating number) is often associated with stronger antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. An MGO rating of "60" means that the honey has at least 60 mg. of methylglyoxal per kilogram.

Today's rating of 60 is above what you might find in some honey's, but it's not at the upper echelon of manuka honey offerings from this company/distributor. They also sell jars of New Zealand manuka honey with MGO 200+-500 ratings. 

Taitau - 99% Extra Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 28, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Taitau (Tai Tau)
99% Extra Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving (3 squares) of bar
Cost: $3.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Crossroads Specialty Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's 99% Extra Dark Chocolate (bar) from Taitau (Tai Tau) Exclusive Selection (Lietuva, Lithuania) was imported into the U.S. by B&I Overseas Trading Inc. (Van Nuys, CA).

The company produces single origin bars as well as other chocolate confections. This 99% cacao chocolate was made using "premium quality Ghana cocoa beans." And each square of the bar was adorned with a sea shell, sea star or sea horse.

Aroma notes for this bar included: bold, deep dark chocolate (Forastero cacao variety-like), and very faint vanilla.

The texture was thick, smooth and uniform.

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes: deep, dark chocolate with balanced bitterness (not as much as some 99% chocolates). It was what I would expect from an ultra-dark, almost unsweetened chocolate made with (medium-dark roast) Forastero cacao beans. It was bold, dense and smooth without any detectable lighter (fruit, floral) notes. 

If you enjoy sipping a small serving of espresso roast coffee with very little sugar, you may enjoy this chocolate. It is all about bold flavor. It is perhaps the opposite of a 32-oz. sweetened and flavored coffee drink with milk and whipped cream.

Chocolates this dark are relatively satisfying, i.e. I don't find myself wanting to eat more than a few squares. They satisfy my cacao craving, and serve as a reminder that sugar (or sugar + salt) are the ingredients behind those "more, more, more" impulses to eat more than one should.

Ingredients: "Cocoa mass (made from premium quality Ghanian and Grenada cocoa beans), cocoa butter, sugar, emulsifier - rape (canola) lecithin, flavoring vanillin."

Allergen-related information: "This product may contain traces of peanuts, hazelnuts, gluten and milk." 

 

Lindt - 99% Cacao Noir Absolu (bar) - Feb. 8, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Lindt
99% Cacao Noir Absolu (bar)
Good +
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: missing information 
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #5 of 100% Cacao Theme Week. 

Today's 99% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) was made in France, available via Lindt and Sprungli USA Inc. (Stratham, NH). 

This almost 100% bar had a subtle aroma and smooth dark chocolate aroma and flavor with consistent chocolate cake/cocoa (and very faint roasted and mocha) notes. The relatively thin bar had a relatively thick buttery melt and texture. 

Another no (or almost no) sugar added, ultra-dark bar now, that is fairly widely available in stores in the U.S. Something to celebrate for pure cacao fans.

Ingredients: Cocoa paste, fat-reduced cocoa, cocoa butter, demerara sugar.

Allergen-information related: "May contain nuts, milk and soya."

Simon Coll Xocolaters - 99% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 14, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Simon Coll Xocolaters

99% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Calories: 180 Calories: in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar

Purchased at Nugget Markets, Tiburon, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of 100% Cacao and Nibs Theme Week.

Today's 99% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Simon Coll Xocolaters (Barcelona, Spain). Yes, I realize 99% cacao is not 100%, but stick with me here. 

Aroma notes for this bar, in order of appearance: nut (peanut), sweet green (matcha green tea), light chocolate cookie, sweet and savory Japanese rice cracker and very faint malt, dark chocolate.

The texture had an even, pleasing creamy melt and mouthfeel.

And then we have the flavor. This 99% bar conjured up the singular notion of a dark, muscular jaguar, softly padding through a faintly earthy tropical forest with notes of fresh rain, red clay, and black soil. This was a tamed jaguar. Nothing scary happened (quite the contrary); but it was experienced with ultra-dark respect and a little trepidation at first, nonetheless.

The deep, dark roasted notes were well balanced, with a carefully managed bitterness and loamy earth. The even, lingering finish had balanced, roasted charcoal (with barely there steamed, sweet green leaf bundles with rice) notes. The jaguar was tracking traces of an ancient fire-breathing dragon and an invisible sugar pixie (1%). 

Made in Spain, this bar contained elements (and inspired analogies) from multiple continents. The flavor profile might be a bit roasty for some, but it will be a fun 100%-like ride for others --and enjoyed by those wanting an escape from sugar land. I enjoyed this bar.

Ingredients: "Chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar. (Cocoa solids 99% minimum.) "

Cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar.

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, nut and soya traces."

ChocolateBet: November 10, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) 1 serving
Gourmet Nut
Body Boosting Antioxidant Mix
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)/ 9 oz. (255 g.) total bag
Calories: 165 calories
Cost: $3.99 total bag/package
Purchased from: Marshalls, Mountain View, CA

2.) 1 serving
TCHO
99% Limited Edition Peru-Ecuador
Good
Weight: .535 oz. (15 g.)
Calories: 77 calories
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: TCHO, in San Francisco, CA

Today was the second day of Chocolate and Blueberries Theme Week. I was excited to find a trail-style mix with nuts, dark chocolate chips, dried blueberries, and other dried fruits.

This Antioxidant Mix from Gourmet Nut was very good. Only one problem. For some odd reason, there were no dark chocolate chips in this bag. So, I ate this mix with a 99% Limited Edition small dark chocolate (Organic, Fair Trade) bar/square from TCHO (San Francisco, CA). The cacao in this bar hailed from "Peru-Ecuador" and it tasted somewhat acidic and flat, but richly dark nonetheless -- with no sugar to interfere with or soften this flavor.

ChocolateBet: March 25, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Michel Cluizel (Paris)
Noir Infini 99% cacao
Very Good
Wt. ~.5 oz. (~15 g.) in 1/2 bar; 1.05 oz. (30 grams) total
Calories: not clear (~72 calories for 1/2 bar)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: (don't know as it was a gift; possibly Dean and DeLuca)

Thank you George for sharing this find!

A hard wax-brittle start gave way to rich flavors (think unsweetened baker's chocolate and you'll get the general idea).

The very high 99% cacao content was achieved by adding just a small pinch of cane sugar, and omitting milk or any other fillers that might dilute the chocolate. The absence of sugar lets the cacao flavors and maker's skill shine through.