Chapon - Bolivie Tranquilidad 70% (small bar) - Aug. 30, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Chapon Chocolatier 
Bolivie Tranquilidad 70% (small bars)
Good ++
Weight: .352 oz. (10 g.) in 2 bars / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total assortment box
Calories: 55.4 calories in 2 small bars
Cost: $45.00 for 1 assortment box - 36 small bars 

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

Today's Bolivie (Bolivia) Tranquilidad 70% small bars were part of a single origin chocolate assortment box from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles and Paris, France). These tiny individually-wrapped bars were attractively-packaged miniature works of art. (The Bolivia bars were adorned with a beautiful peacock.)

Cacao beans used to make this bar were from Hacienda Tranquilidad, in northern Bolivia, known for its historic and wild cacao.

This chocolate had a creamy smooth melt and a sweet, rich dark chocolate aroma and flavor with nutty and light fruit tart astringency and malt/cereal notes, and a very faint, very balanced earthiness. 

Ingredients: Pate de cacao (cocoa mass/liquor), cane sugar, cocoa butter.

Chapon Chocolatier - Colombie (Colombia) mini bar - April 29, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
Colombie ( Colombia) bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .176 oz. (5 g.) / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total box of 36 mini bars
Calories: 27.7 calories in 1 mini bar
Cost: $45.00 for 1 box of 36 mini bars
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week.

Today's Colombie (Colombia) 70% dark chocolate mini bar was from Chapon Chocolatier (Paris, France).

The artful packaging for this Chapon single origin bar assortment box was suitable for framing with beautiful miniature imagery on the outer wrappers and copper foil inner wrappers).

This collection box brought back childhood memories of going through a jewelry box full of mesmerizing baubles and gems. Each tiny bar was individually wrapped masterpiece carefully stacked its place (sorted by country of origin) in the collection. (Maybe this is the thrill that stamp collectors feel when they're looking at their prize specimens?)

The Colombie 70% bar had a buttery, creamy melt and mouthfeel, and light fruit, floral and nut flavor notes. It was smooth in taste while still retaining some identifiable flavor elements.

Chapon Chocolatier - Perou Gran Blanco mini bar - Apr. 18, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Chapon Chocolatier
Perou Gran Blanco mini bar
Good +
Weight: .176 oz. (5 g.) in 1 mini bar / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in box of 36 mini bars
Calories: 27.7 calories for 1 mini bar
Cost: $45.00 for 1 box of 36 mini bars
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Perou Gran Blanco* 70% dark miniature bar was from Chapon Chocolatier (Paris, France). This smooth, chocolate morsel had fruit, balanced earth and true chocolate flavor notes. (*"Blanco" likely refers to ivory or white-colored Criollo variety cacao beans used to make this bar.)

As usual, Chapon packaging--and every illustrations in miniature, printed on tiny individual wrappers--was exquisite. These colorful, nature-oriented and lushly exotic scenes are the best kind of escape in today's world. On today's Perou (Peru) bar wrapper, indigenous people on horses become almost invisible against towering tropical foliage.

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.

Copyright 2019. Unauthorized use of the text and/or images from this site, www.ChocolateBanquet.com, is a copyright violation.

Chapon Chocolatier - Madagascar Millot (small bar) - Oct. 29, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
Madagascar Millot
Good +++
Weight: .176 oz. (5 g.) in 1 small piece/bar/ 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total collection of 36 bars
Calories: 27.7 calories in 1 small piece/bar
Cost: $45.00 for 1 set of 36 small bars
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Africa Theme Week.

Today's Madagascar Millot* chocolate was from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles, France).

Bravo Chapon. This was a beautifully packaged collection of single origin chocolates. An array of tiny individually-wrapped bars were displayed like a deck of exquisitely small collectible chocolate playing cards, or an exotic, miniature chocolate tarot deck.

Each bar's label was a work of art—a miniature version of a full-sized Chapon origin bar. This collection would make a dream-come-true gift for art and chocolate lovers.

A menu inside conveyed which flavors might be expected from each bar in the collection

Today's Madagascar Millot chocolate had a tasty, outsized aroma and flavor. The first whiff transmitted an exotic sweet scent of molasses, maca, maple syrup and coconut palm sugar notes all blended seamlessly together and inhabiting a rich, complex dark chocolate.

The relatively bright and bold chocolate flavor blossomed into a rich citrus/red fruit/plum bouquet.

This was a very nice, satisfying petite Madagascar Millot* bar.

*Millot Plantation(s) in Ambanja, Madagascar, was established in 1904 and produces cacao, spices and essential oils. Millot is a leading producer of organic cacao in Madagascar as well. (According to online sources, French chocolate maker Valrhona has had a partnership with Millot Plantation for 20 years.)

Copyright 2019. Unauthorized use of the text and/or images from this site, www.ChocolateBanquet.com, is a copyright violation.

Chapon Chocolatier - Bresil dark chocolate bar - Oct. 19, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Chapon Chocolatier
Bresil Torrefaction Longue Conchage Court bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) total bar
Calories: 208 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Bresil dark chocolate bar was made in France by Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles, France).

This complex dark chocolate (no percentage listed) had light roasted coffee, lightly fermented fruit (raisin, bright dried cherry plum) and true dark chocolate, and very faint coconut* and molasses aroma and flavor notes.

The texture and melt were smooth and pleasing, and the finish was clean and light.

The choices made in creating this bar included Torrefaction Longue (a long drying and roasting time) and Conchage Court (shorter conching time). A shorter conching time can preserve more flavor(s).

*This chocolate contained no coconut. Ingredients: Brazil cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cane sugar, and fleur de sel Guerande (French sea salt).

Copyright 2019. Unauthorized use of the text and/or images from this site, www.ChocolateBanquet.com, is a copyright violation.

Chapon Chocolatier - Fidji Chocolat Noir bar - July 7, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
Fidji Chocolat Noir bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 208 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Island Nations Theme Week.

Today's Fidji Chocolat Noir (Dark Chocolate) bar was from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles, France).

The packaging of Chapon's bars are adorned with an amazing amalgam of beautiful exotic, modern retro, images and designs. Today's "Fidji" bar was no exception. It included what looked to be an India-inspired scene.

This dark bar (no percentage listed) had a compelling chocolatey and malt aroma, with a creamy melt and texture, and chocolate brownie flavor. There was one tiny earthy uptick in one bite, but other than that, it was luscious smooth dark brownie-time in every bite.

The chocolate was made with a "Torrecaction Courte" (a short, specific roasting process in which some pyrolysis occurs), and a "Conchage Long" (long conche). The latter gives one a creamy mouthfeel (resulting from smaller, polished particles).

And while you do lose some more delicate or volatile (e.g. floral) flavors with conching* (a form of grinding and mixing) cacao paste over time, generally it is a smooth flavor that remains, often with any rough edges/flavors worn down.

*Conching come from the French/Italian (Latin root) word for (conch) shell. The equipment used for conching can resemble a conch or periwinkle shell.

Chapon Chocolatier - Dark Chocolate Venezuela bar - May 16, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
(aka Chocolat Chapon)
Chocolat Noir D'Origine Venezuela (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 208 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

This morning's Chocolat Noir (Dark Chocolate) (D'Origine) Venezuela bar was from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles, France with shops in Paris). Chapon is the creation of Patric Chapon.*

In addition to cocoa mass (from Venezuela), cocoa butter and cane sugar, this chocolate bar also contained a barely-there hint of Guerande sea salt.

This bar had a subtle chocolatey aroma and balanced forest floor/earth and light spice notes.
It had a smooth, almost creamy melt and texture and smooth dark chocolate flavor with a hint of nuttiness.

The chocolatier's notes read: "Tres belle couleur acajou, parfum de sous-bois, fueilles morte a l'automne, texture fondante, gout de fruits des bois, fruits rouges."

Translated from French into English (apologies for any errors) this means: Very beautiful mahogony color, aroma of forest floor (leaves, mushroom), autumn leaves, fondante texture, taste of wild forest fruits (berries), red fruits."

Both Chapon Venezuela bars this week (yesterday's robust Rio Caribe Venezuela 100 percent bar, and today's Venezuela (no percent given) bar) were attractive. They both had a glossy sheen and were well tempered (broke with a snap).

And when using the term attractive, it's impossible not to speak about Chapon's wonderful packaging design imagery. Both bars incorporated (different) vintage fantasy landscape elements evoking exotic places. Yesterday it was pink flamingos in the tropics against a pink sunset. Today, it was a tall, majestic bamboo temple in a lush, vertical jungle...all printed on a robustly sealed silver, but easy to open, pouch.

*Translated from French into English (again, apologies for any translation errors) was this message from Patrice Chapon printed on the back of today's bar: 

"I love above all things to work with chocolate, and beware of the word passion. Chocolate occupies a prime place in the gourmet landscape. The chocolate bar embodies a dream of a desire, within each square piece. With this bar, I'm looking to nourish childhood memories more than just the appetite."

Chapon Chocolatier - Rio Caribe Venezuela 100% bar - May 15, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
Pure Origin Rio Caribe, Venezuela 100% cocoa bar
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 208 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Pure Origin Rio Caribe Venezuela 100% bar was from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles and Paris, France).


This bar had a bold, intriguing aroma with dried, fermented fruit, roasted coffee, light earthy forest and light nutty notes. The melt and texture were creamy.

And, surprisingly, the acid (and acidic fruit) levels was lower than expected and the flavor was balanced and satisfying, incorporating many of the same notes as were in the aroma (roasted coffee, light kindling wood. It was a very smooth,  deep, still and slightly bitter chocolate. With no added sweet (thank you for making this!).

The chocolatier's tasting notes read as follows: "Aromatic power, low acidity, bitterness and astringency medium. From Venezuela, this bar of chocolate reveals notes of dried fruits and wood."