Divine Chocolate - Rich Dark Chocolate with Refreshing Lemon 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar) - June 10, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Divine Chocolate
Rich Dark Chocolate with Refreshing Lemon 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 serving (9 squares) of bar
Cost: $4.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Easy Market, Mountain View, CA

Rich Dark Chocolate with Turmeric and Ginger 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving (9 squares) of bar
Cost: $4.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Easy Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Ginger and Citrus Theme Week.

Today's pair of Organic Rich Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa (Sao Tome) bars with flavor inclusions were from Divine Chocolate.*

Divine's "Rich Dark Chocolate with Refreshing Lemon 85% Cocoa Sao Tome" (bar) had a dark chocolate and citrus aroma with notes of lemon and lime peel(s). This smooth chocolate had a faint bitter citrus flavor note and finish.

The Turmeric and Ginger bar was previously featured and was re-tasted today as a pairing with its lemon sibling. This Turmeric an Ginger chocolate had a lovely, authentic ginger spice (ginger cookie) aroma and tangy, spice flavor, giving the illusion of sweetness beyond its ultra-dark 85 percent but smooth chocolate base. Satisfying and flavorful without being too sweet.

*Divine Chocolate is a Fairtrade cocoa farmers co-operative in Ghana. Divine Chocolate USA is based in Washington, D.C.

MIA Chocolate - 65% Almond and Coconut (bar) - Apr. 4, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

MIA Chocolate
65% Almond and Coconut (bar)
Good +
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 420 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $6.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Almond and Coconut (bar) was from MIA Chocolate (London, UK), a social concern that sources cacao grown in Madagascar and works to produce bean-to-bar chocolate in Africa.

The bar's description read: "flakes of salted almond and crunchy coconut have been sprinkled liberally over 65% dark chocolate..." The dark chocolate base had a slight tart, bright fruit note often associated with cacao grown in Madagascar.

The bits of almond and coconut pressed into the back of the bar were quite small and so did not overwhelm, but rather added subtle flavor and texture. And the sweet and salt balance was very deft. There was not too much of either, allowing the rich chocolate flavor to shine through.

Divine Chocolate - Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs 85% Sao Tome (bar) - Nov. 7, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Divine Chocolate
Rich Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 serving (30 g.) of bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information 

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cocoa Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Divine Organic Rich Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar) was made in Germany and distributed by Divine Chocolate Inc.in Washington, D.C. (Divine partners with farmers in Africa; and in fact cocoa farmers own 44% of the company. More information is available on the inside of the wrapper.)

This robust, ultra-dark chocolate was studded with earthy cocoa nibs. Nibs added crunchy texture and concentrated cocoa flavor was made using cacao from Sao Tome, part of the African island nation of Sao Tome et Principe.

What are Cocoa Nibs?
Cocoa nibs are pieces of cocoa beans. Generally these beans have been fermented and roasted first (unless they're sold as raw or unroasted), before being crushed into aromatic pieces, or nibs. These small pieces have a true, authentic, unsweetened chocolate flavor, and sometimes have nutty, fruit and/or fermented flavor notes. (Today's bar with nibs had earth and fruit notes.)

Traditionally these nibs have represented one of the first steps in chocolate making. They are ground into a paste to make chocolate, unless, like this week, we are lucky enough to get our hands on them before then.

What are they good for? Cocoa (or cacao) nibs are wonderful flavor inclusions in chocolates, adding flavor and a bit of soft, crunchy texture. Nibs are also very versatile and can also be incorporated into brownies, shakes, and many other sweet or savory edibles (roast spice rubs, filtered coffee drinks, liquor-marinated toppings for ice cream, salads, etc.) As a lesser processed form of cacao, nibs also retain relatively high anti-oxidant and nutrition levels.

*Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, 6% cocoa nibs. (May contain traces of milk, wheat, almonds, hazelnuts and coconut.)

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Hands Off My Chocolate - Milk Meets Dark - Nov. 6, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hands Off My Chocolate
Milk Meets Dark
Good +
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 277 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Missing information 

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's Milk Meets Dark chocolate was from Hands Off My Chocolate (Laren, North Holland, The Netherlands). Founders Kitty and Thomas set out in 2013 to make the best fairly traded Belgian chocolate possible.

The humorous "Hands Off My Chocolate" name for their company (recalling situations that many chocolate lovers have experienced) surfaced for the founders early on during initial trials and tastings.

Where do you hide your chocolate so that others can't find it? their website queries on one page. (Their website contains graphics that include a list of places people might choose to hide their chocolate.)

And, last but not least, each round piece that comprises the company's aggregate "bars" is printed with the word "Mine." Clever!

A blend of milk and dark chocolate resulted in a chocolate with a minimum of 39% cocoa solids, consisting of several round, bite-sized pieces fused together to make an aggregate "bar."

These thick, round pieces were fairly easy to break apart and eat. And the unique shapes created a fun tasting experience. The chocolate had a dark milk chocolate smooth texture and uniform sweet dark milk chocolate flavor with a hint of malt and vanilla.*

Belgian Chocolate - History
For many years Belgian chocolate was almost synonymous with African cacao. After all, West and Central African cacao-growing countries have been, geographically, the closest source of cacao for most European chocolate makers.

A European colonial history led to the growth of tea, coffee, cacao and other crops in many African nations in the 1800s and 1900s. For example, the former Gold Coast (now Ghana) used to be a British colony until 1959. Ivory Coast was a French colony until 1960. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) used to be the Belgian Congo (1908 - 1960), as recently as 59 years ago.

Times have changed. Today's European chocolate makers, such as Hands Off My Chocolate and many others (including some featured this week) are committed to better, more equitable relationships with farmers. Today's chocolate was made using "Fair Belgian chocolate," alluding to fair trade practices** that generally result in higher prices being paid to farmers for their crops in developing nations.

*Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, emulsifier (soy lecithin), natural vanilla flavoring.

**Built in to most fair trade organizations are also goals such as better working conditions and sustainable agricultural practices.

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White Label Chocolate - Tanzania Kilombero 68% (bar) - Nov. 5, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

White Label Chocolate
Tanzania Kilombero 68% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.14 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.29 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 171 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate, Santa Cruz, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's Tanzania Kilombero 68% (bar) was from White Label Chocolate, purchased at Mutari Chocolate (Santa Cruz, CA). Mutari offers single origin drinking chocolate and bars.

The chocolate in this White Label bar was made using Trinitario variety cacao beans (Amelonado x Nacional). This cacao was grown in a relatively wet, tropical region of Tanzania about 200 meters (approximately 656 feet) above sea level.

This dark bar was well executed and interesting. It had a chocolate aroma with fruit notes, a smooth melt, and initial creamy flavor that blossomed into full, bright tropical citrus + red sweet fruit with faint, fleeting five spice/herb/balanced earth notes.

The chocolate had a subtle, complex finish that began softly, then came subtle balanced bittersweet, and almost nutty notes. Following a few seconds of calm, there was a very tiny throat tickle of delayed sweet-sour astringency.

Maker's tasting notes: cream, nuts citrus rind

Notes about shelf life: This bar was recently expired, but seemed to have maintained good flavor and texture. I will try to re-taste a "freshly made" version of this bar in the near future. While most bars are better (less brittle, more flavorful, more attractive) before their expiration date, a few bars actually seem to benefit from some shelf time—mellowing a bit with age. 

Chocolate Storage Tips

For best results, store chocolate bars in a cool, dry place, at a consistent temperature (60-70 degrees F., or 16-21 degrees Celsius is ideal), to prevent the chocolate from going out of temper and from "bloom," which shows up as a white film or blotching on chocolates. A wine refrigerator (turned up to its higher temperature range) might also be a suitable place to store bars, as long as humidity is not too high.

Chocolate truffles and filled confections (some containing cream) have a much shorter shelf life than solid chocolate bars (often less than a week for optimal freshness), so it may be OK to refrigerate these for a short period if they are covered/well-wrapped to prevent against any condensation or absorption of other fridge flavors.

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Tony's Chocolonely - Milk Chocolate bar - Nov. 4, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tony's Chocolonely
Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Cacao is often grown by subsistence farmers in distant lands, making oversight in labor practices challenging.

Unfortunate consequences of this geographic schism can be poor labor conditions, low pay, and forms of slavery—conditions some chocolate makers are trying to address.

Today's Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Tony's Chocolonely (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). This company has pledged to work to help eliminate slavery (in the cacao supply chain going back to farms in Africa) by making 100% slave free chocolate.

This thick 32% cacao milk chocolate bar was a creamy, high-end milk chocolate experience.

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Domori - Trinitario 70% Tanzania Dark Chocolate bar - Nov. 3, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Domori srl
Trinitario 70% Tanzania Dark Chocolate bar
Good +
Weight: .44 oz. (12.5 g.) / .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere (online order)

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's Trinitario 70% Tanzania Dark Chocolate bar was from Domori srl (None, Italy), made with cacao grown in the Morogoro region of Tanzania in Africa.

This thin 4-square bar had a wild aromatic profile: earthen jars, marinated dried fruit/raisins, grapes/sweet and sour fruit fermenting in oak casks, a cute but slightly gamey lion cub,* and a slight bitter(s) note.

The melt and texture were very civilized: smooth, creamy and uniform. They were the tamest part of this bar.

The flavor was complex and interesting with some of the some earth and fermented fruit notes described in the aroma. (However, there was no touch of lion or bitterness.) And the finish was lingering, but fairly clean.

As wild as this bar sounds, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Bean to bar chocolates are becoming more uniform in flavor in recent years, thanks to fermentation training and expertise; decisions about what is "good" cacao; and farmers getting more support and a fair price for their cacao which may, in turn, enable efforts to produce better quality cacao.

This evolution has, arguably, produced better chocolate, or at least fewer bars with off flavors, which is good. But, there are also more bars with tamed down and uniform flavor profiles that are almost dull. I miss the Wild West sometimes.

*Yes, lions are a cheap way to get your attention, aren't they? Fortunately, Tanzania (while having to take strong measures to protect elephants (like the one pictured on the packaging for this bar)) has one of the healthier populations of wild lions remaining in Africa. Lion cubs are adorable and a privilege to hold when they're young (in a zoo or approved facility, not out in the wild). Like many wild animals, they can have a faint gamey or pungent aroma, especially if they've been in an enclosed area around adults. 

Note: This chocolate was recently expired (2019) when I wrote this review (2019). Generally, bars, if stored properly, have a reasonably long shelf life. However, I believe it is unfair the maker if I write a review of an expired bar without disclosing this information.

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Moka Origins - Gola Rainforest, Sierra Leone 85% (bar) - Nov. 2, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Moka Origins
Dark - Gola Rainforest, Sierra Leone 85% (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (33.9 g.) / 2.4 oz. (67.9 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Dark Gola Rainforest, Sierra Leone 85% (bar) was made by Moka Origins (Honesdale, PA).

This bold, ultra-dark chocolate had a smooth, even texture and melt—and flickers of earth, smoke and deep, opaque chocolate flavor. Think roasted nuts over fire that includes fennel* and licorice kindling.

*I happen to like fennel, so this is not necessarily a criticism. Even the dried wood/sticks from the fennel plant (the whole plant is edible) retain a polite fennel/black licorice aroma, with a touch of light vanilla and maple.

Chocolate Bonnat - Cote d'Ivorie Chocolat Noir 75% Cocoa (bar) - Nov. 1, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolat Bonnat
Cote d'Ivorie - Chocolat Noir 75% Cocoa (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 242.42 calories in 40 g. of bar
Cost: $8.95 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)*

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's Cote d'Ivorie 75% Cocoa Dark Chocolate, gluten free bar, was from Chocolat Bonnat (Voiron, France).

Most of world's cacao used to make chocolate comes from Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivorie) and Ghana. And yet today's bar was/is one of the few (branded) single origin Ivory Coast chocolate bars to be found.

The smooth chocolate had true deep dark, uniform chocolate flavor with a hint of dairy/cream (there was no added dairy product in this bar) and very faint, fleeting green/coconut note. It had a creamy melt and texture** and was not too sweet (thank you).

*Note: This bar is currently sold out on Chocosphere.com

**Ingredients: cocoa beans, cocoa butter and sugar. Chocolat Bonnat bars are known for their creamy texture, achieved through technique and with added cocoa butter.

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Mirzam Chocolate Makers - Madagascar 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 31, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mirzam Chocolate Makers
Madagascar 72% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.236 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 186 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Missing information

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week, and Happy Halloween to all who celebrate this holiday.

Instead of pumpkins, witches and ghosts, this year we visited colorful orange and black butterflies and birds at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. (The museum also included cacao in their rainforest habitat exhibit).

Cacao often enables one to enjoy virtual travel. So true, even more with today's chocolate.

Today's Madagascar 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made from bean to bar by Mirzam Chocolate Makers / Kakaw Manufacturing (in Dubai, U.A.E.). Mirzam's line of chocolate (bars) and flavor inclusions are inspired by ancient Arab seafaring trade routes that resulted in the exchange of an impressive array of goods, foods, spices and currencies from many different ports and origins.

This beautifully designed Mirzam African single origin bar was great for dark chocolate lovers who wanted to aim high, and forgo chocolate tricks or inferior treats. This three-ingredient* chocolate was crafted using Criollo and Amelonado** varieties/strains of cacao grown in Madagascar.

The bar had lovely notes of rich chocolate mousse, light fruit (faint tangerine to light red berry) and brown sugar, with no off taste. It had a fairly clean finish with a barely detectable hint of green tea astringency toward the end.

Mirzam (maker's) tasting notes: caramel, chocolate, citrus, smokey; low in bitterness.

*Ingredients: cocoa beans, unrefined cane sugar, cocoa butter. This chocolate was described as gluten free and vegan-friendly.

**Amelonado is a widely planted type of cacao in West Africa. Theobroma cacao varieties originated in the Americas and were brought to (and planted in) Africa approximately 200 years ago. However, cacao may have been sampled by certain residents before then. 

At least some Dutch and other European citizens and church members/clergy traveling or living in Africa would likely have known about cacao or drinking chocolate many years before then. 

Christopher Columbus is said to have brought back cacao beans to Europe after his fourth voyage (by 1504). Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes, brought more cacao beans back a few decades later. 

However, it took a very long time for demand for drinking chocolate/cacao to pick up. E.g., there is evidence that it wasn't until 1606 when cacao was formally introduced in Italy; and more people began to drink chocolate across Europe by the mid 1600s, around the same time that coffee and tea became more popular. 

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Chapon Chocolatier - Tanzanie Kamili small bar - Oct. 30, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
Tanzanie Kamili (small bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .176 oz. (5 g.) / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total package of 36 small bars
Calories: 27.7 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $N/A - part of larger collection of 36 bars ($45.00 set)
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Tanzanie Kamili* miniature chocolate bar was part of a larger collection of small, individually-wrapped single origin bars from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles, France).

This beautifully designed and packaged set contained 36 bars (3 each from 12 different origins).

This Tanzanie (Tanzania) bar had bright (mango, red fruit) fruit, true chocolate, and roasted aroma and flavor notes. The melt and texture were smooth. One should savor this little bar (try not eat it in one bite) to fully appreciate it.

*Kokoa Kamili means "exactly" in Swahili. The "Kamili" in the Tanzanie Kamili title of today's chocolate is Kokoa Kamili, a privately-owned fermentary and organization in the Morogoro region of Tanzania that works with hundreds of cocoa producers/farmers. 

By helping farmers and enabling improved fermentation quality and training, Kokoa Kamili has helped raise awareness about East African cacao from Tanzanie (Tanzania) with chocolate makers globally, and has led to many wonderful single origin Tanzania chocolate (bars) from different makers (and subsequently chocolatiers) as a result.

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Latitude Trade Company - 70% Dark Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Semuliki Forest 2017 Harvest (bar) - Oct. 28, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Latitude Trade Company
70% Dark Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Semuliki Forest 2017 Harvest (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .795 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's 70% Dark Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Semuliki Forest 2017 Harvest (bar) was from Latitude Trade Company (Bundibugyo and Kasese, Uganda) and was made, from bean to bar, in Uganda, using just two ingredients: cocoa beans and sugar.

Latitude Trade Co. is a self-described "...agricultural development and sourcing company active in the cocoa value chain in Uganda." They are helping to bridge "the gap between rural farmers in East Africa and consumers throughout the world." Their goals include more economic development in country and putting Uganda on the map for great cacao.*

And speaking of latitude, cacao only grows approximately twenty degrees above and below the Equator—an invisible band around the middle of our planet. The world's most delicious ingredients used to make award-winning chocolate are found only in this zone in Africa, South America, Asia and certain Pacific island nations. The Equator runs through Uganda, in the south above Lake Victoria, offering strong geographic potential for fine cacao.

This simply packaged, single origin dark chocolate had a rich aroma with sweet chocolate, slight green vegetation/forest and light spice and fruit notes, with a bit of faint earth.

The bar had a smooth, even texture and taste with well-rounded, complex yet friendly, upbeat chocolate flavor and a pleasing finish with no off notes.

The cacao, harvested in 2017 (and is the custom in chocolate making is often allowed to rest a bit before making it into bars) came from Semuliki, a forested preserve area near a large lake (Lake Albert), near the DRC border, in western Uganda.*

*The Republic of Uganda (about the size of the U.S. State of Oregon, but more heavily populated) is located in East-Central Africa, north of Tanzania—another country that has become known for its cacao; west of Kenya; and east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

Many in Uganda earn less than one U.S. dollar a day, so adding value in country that leads to economic development/prosperity for local farmers and workers is important.

Agricultural crops (about 25 percent of GDP) in Uganda include tea, coffee, tobacco and cotton. And in regions where tea and coffee are grown...you can generally find or grow cacao.

Ghana and Ivory Coast are currently the top cacao producing countries in Africa. These two West African nations together supply half the world's cacao. If you include neighboring countries, Nigeria and Cameroon, this 50% number jumps to 70%. Millions of people enjoy chocolate made with cacao grown in Africa.

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Divine - Organic Dark Chocolate Blueberry Popped Quinoa 85% Sao Tome (bar) - Oct. 26, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Divine Chocolate
Organic Rich Dark Chocolate with Blueberry and Popped Quinoa - 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 226.6 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Easy Foods Company, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Blueberry Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's Organic Rich Dark Chocolate with Blueberry and Popped Quinoa (bar) was from Divine Chocolate (London, UK), and was made using 85% organic cacao from Sao Tome.*

Divine Chocolate, founded in the U.K. in October 1998, is an international company based in the U.K. and the U.S., and is 44%** owned by the Kuapa Kokoo farmers' co-operative in Ghana. The company is a Certified B Corp (that stresses not only revenue and profits, but also aspects of business that can benefit communities, workers and the environment).

This Divine Chocolate ultra-dark bar had deep, dark (forest) chocolate aroma with hint of sharp (citrus/bittersweet) and earth notes.

The texture evoked cacao blended with thick creamy cacao butter (first tasting on a cold morning) that was embedded with crunchy popped quinoa. The chocolate tasted surprisingly mild and smooth, with muted earth and balanced bitterness. The bar was refreshingly un-sweet (thank you!).

The blueberry fruit (also on the subtle earthy side as fruits go) played a minor role. It was more evident toward the finish, and in the few bites that emitted a tiny tangy fruity burst of dark berry flavor.

Today's bar bore the following information/seals on the label: FairTrade, USDA Organic, Non GMO Project Verified, Vegan.

*Sao Tome is part of the island nation of Sao Tome e Principe, off the West Coast of Central Africa on the Equator. Sao Tome is a forested, tropical volcanic island with a long cacao growing history.

** This bar was a product of Germany and was Distributed by Divine Chocolate Inc in the U.S.  Source for co-op ownership percentage was a May 2019 Divine Chocolate press release.

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