ChocolaTree - Maca Maca - Feb. 22, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

ChocolaTree

Maca Maca
Good+
Weight: .7 oz. (19.8 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 112 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $4.44 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: ChocolaTree, Sedona, AZ

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Maca Theme Week.

What is Maca?
Maca is a from a plant (Lepidium meyenii), from the Andes in Peru, that has been cultivated as a vegetable crop for thousands of years. It looks (and smells) a bit like a large butterscotch radish. It's also known as "Peruvian Ginseng," and is used medicinally. The slightly nutty, sweet flavor lends itself well to desserts and in combination with chocolates.

I've found enough chocolate items that contain maca lately that I'm devoting a theme week to it.

The ChocolaTree cafe and marketplace ("organic oasis") (Sedona, AZ) offered several chocolates on-site, including some that contained maca, honey, lucuma, mushrooms, and other "health foods." Most intriguing was the "The Chocolate Room" door that we passed on the way to the backyard patio. I knew I must be in the right place.

ChocolaTree's Maca Maca, a faceted dome-shaped chocolate -- was filled with golden creamy filling and the soft nutty texture and flavor of a macadamia nut (the other "maca" in Maca Maca). This sunny center was lightly sweetened with honey, and contained a hint of vanilla.

I also enjoyed sampling two other ChocolaTree chocolates: a Caramel Macchiato (with chocolate, honey, coffee and lucuma); and a "Treasure" chocolate that contained mushrooms. Perhaps I'll get the opportunity to go back and taste more of these chocolates in the future.

ChocolaTree chocolates are made using raw chocolate, and without processed sugar. From what I could see, all of the items in the cafe and chocolates were gluten free. Heaven for me.

ChocolaTree - Rose Saffron - Feb. 15, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

ChocolaTree
Rose Saffron
Good ++
Weight: .37 oz. (10.4 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 55.5 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.22 for 1 piece
Purchased from: ChocolaTree, Sedona, AZ

Today was Day #7 of Valentines Chocolates Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and India Theme Week.

I've been interested in Indian spices, snacks and other flavors for several years now. I'll be featuring some chocolatier offerings that incorporate these flavors into chocolate bars and confections.

I'm also blending some of my own chocolates that I hope capture the spirit of India -- at least from an American perspective, and given that I haven't actually been to this very large and diverse country.

I love the use of flowers in Indian dishes, including marigolds, kewra, onion, drumstick, banana, orange blossoms, roses (petals and rose water), and saffron.* Roses are also popular this Valentines Day weekend.

Today's Rose Saffron chocolate from ChocolaTree (Sedona, AZ) incorporates two of these floral ingredients from the above list. This chocolate had a velvety melt and texture, was suffused with authentic rose flavor. It was also gluten free, dairy free and soy free.

I also sampled a ChocolaTree white chocolate elephant flavored with frankincense which tasted as intriguing as it sounded. My thoughts wandered to Indian elephants (especially male elephants with tusks) that are being killed by poachers in India. Best wishes to those who are in a role to help protect this endangered species.

* Kewra water is made with an extract distilled from the pandanus flower.
**Saffron is a spice made with the red-orange stamens from the saffron crocus flower (Crocus sativa).

ChocolaTree - Raspberry raw chocolates - Feb. 11, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

ChocolaTree

Raspberry Mama
Good - Good +
Weight: .35 oz. (9.9 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 52 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $2.22 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: ChocolaTree, Sedona, AZ

Cosmic Raspberry
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: .35 oz. (9.9 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 52 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $2.22 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: ChocolaTree, Sedona, AZ

I really enjoyed a recent stop at ChocolaTree (Sedona, AZ). The chocolate display case in this progressive cafe + marketplace oasis beckoned to us as we entered. And the wide range of raw and organic chocolates, made from Ecuadorian cacao, immediately invited a closer inspection.

The chocolates came in attractive molded shapes and natural colors, many with stencil patterns across the tops. Unique chocolates included a white chocolate elephant. This wonderful little elephant came in two flavors when we visited: a rose saffron, or infused with frankincense.* (More on this elephant and these flavors soon.)

Today, because of the proximity to Valentines Day, I selected two ChocolaTree raspberry chocolates. The faceted, dome-shaped "Raspberry Mama" was made with raspberry leaf and, like other ChocolaTree chocolates was mild but flavorful, and not too sweet. (Sorry folks, no sugar buzz, just satisfying natural flavor here.)

The "Cosmic Raspberry" had a delicate stencil pattern across the top that was a little difficult to see until I held it up to the light. It depicted what looked like a cacao pod growing on a tree.

On biting into this chocolate my taste buds were surrounded by a whirlwind of authentic raspberry flavor, and the promised "honey sunburst" came seconds later. A very nice chocolate for Valentines Day, or any other occasion.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Raspberry Theme Week.

*Frankincense is a fragrant gum resin from a tree (Boswellia) found on the Arabian peninsula and Northeast Africa, mentioned in the Bible as one of the gifts carried by the 3 wise men (Magi) to Jerusalem. 

ChocolaTree - Goji Bliss, Bee Love - Feb. 10, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

ChocolaTree

Goji Bliss
Good +
Weight: .35 oz. (9.9 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 52 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.22 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: ChocolaTree Organic Oasis, Sedona, AZ

Bee Love
Good +
Weight: .35 oz. (9.9 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 52 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.22 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Chocola Tree, Sedona, AZ

What could be more appropriate than a little more bliss and love for Valentines Day week. I selected this duo -- the Goji Bliss and the Bee Love -- from ChocolaTree (Sedona, AZ) -- for Day #2 of Valentines Day Chocolates Week.

The Goji Bliss square was a pretty golden ivory (with cacao butter) and pink (goji berries) layer on a dark chocolate base.

The Bee Love square dark chocolate was dusted with tiny grains of yellow pollen and tasted like a spoonful of honey with cocoa butter -- a very pleasing sensation and taste.

Both of these chocolates had a fast, even melt and mouthfeel (think pure cocoa butter or coconut oil) and lacked the "rush" that often accompanies conventional chocolates, as ChocoloTree has sought to avoid processed sugar.

Why raw chocolate? Raw* (unroasted chocolate) typically yields a smoother flavor profile with a gentler finish, often without the more complex, high, low or bitter notes of roasted cacao. Some will like this and others may miss the roasted flavors. Also, theoretically, more of the nutritional elements in cacao are preserved when temperatures are kept lower.

The ChocolaTree Organic Oasis was a combination cafe and marketplace (shop) that offered a range of organic, gluten-free and dairy free entrees, soups, salads, drinks and desserts and -- oh yes, organic, raw* chocolates in a case by the front entrance. The shop also carried local and wild-crafted ingredients and items.

A friend and I ate dinner out back in a patio seating area. Arizona winters are generally mild enough that you can enjoy sunny, warm days and eat outside on milder evenings, while you are reading about far off cities covered in snow.

*Raw chocolate is made with unroasted cacao beans. Instead beans are ground and processed until smooth at temperatures not exceeding a certain temperature -- in this case, 115 degrees Farenheit (46.1 degrees Celsius).