Choquiero Chocolate - Puro Sabor Dark Lover's Bar with Himalayan Salt 80% Cacao - Apr. 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Choquiero Chocolate

Puro Sabor Dark Lover's Bar with Himalayan Salt 80% Cacao

Good + - Good ++

Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Country Sun, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Puro Sabor Dark Lover's Bar with Himalayan Salt 80% Cacao (bar) was distributed by Choquiero Chocolate (Nevada City, CA). The company produces a line of chocolates/bars made with directly sourced, organic, fairly traded, unroasted cacao.

The cacao type/variety used to make today's chocolate: Ecuadorian wild arriba criollo. Criollo cacao is prized for its subtle, almost delicate flavors.

The aroma notes for this bar included dark chocolate, lemon herb (oxalis), faint molasses/brown sugar, and vanilla biscuit (shortbread cookie).

The well-tempered bar broke with a snap. The flavor notes mirrored the aroma notes (above)--slightly citrusy, chocolate with brown sugar, and vanilla coconut sandwich cookie.

The subtle touch of salt was a good fit and complemented the relatively mellow natural sweetness of the milder, less bitter, unroasted criollo cacao (and added coconut sugar and vanilla). It was certain less intense/bitter than most other 80% ultra-dark chocolate bars. The end result was a flavorful, balanced, gently complex blend of ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic cacao paste, organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, Himalayan salt, organic vanilla bean

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that processes tree nuts and seeds." ("Vegan, Paleo, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Non-GMO, Low Glycemic, Kosher, Ethically Sourced - Raw Cacao)

Choquiero Chocolate - Luca Maca Lucuma and Vanilla Bean bar - August 25, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Choquiero Chocolate
Luca Maca with Lucuma and Vanilla Bean 60% bar
Good+++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Luca Maca with Lucuma and Vanilla Bean 60% cacao bar was from Choquiero Chocolate (Grass Valley, CA; Made in Santa Cruz, CA). *

The company is committed to creating bars using ethically sourced, organic, unroasted cacao (in this case Ecuadorian Wild Arriba Criollo cacao), sweetened with coconut sugar.

This bar had subtle smoked toffee/caramel and fruit (mango) notes. I associated some of this aroma and flavor with lucuma, a Peruvian/South American fruit, aka egg fruit, that also contributes a thick, creamy texture.** Unfortunately, like cacao fruit, it doesn't travel well, so most of us in the U.S. have only experienced lucuma in powdered or, more rarely frozen, form.

Maca and coconut sugar added rich, subtle sweetness to this bar and vanilla added an upbeat, slightly floral sweetness of its own.

Beware, this creamy, silky little number with lovely chocolate and spiced cookie flavor highlights went down very easily, and quickly. Poof! And it was gone.

*Congratulations to Choquiero Chocolate on the opening of their new store in Nevada City, CA, near Grass Valley.

**Some have described lucuma fruit as a green-skinned, round, golden-orange relatively sweet avocado (with a pit in the middle) with the texture of a slightly starchy fruit + a cooked sweet potato.

Choquiero Chocolate - Mayan Rose with Cinnamon and Maca 75% bar - May 30, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Choquiero Chocolate
Mayan Rose with Cinnamon and Maca Root bar
Good++
Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

The aroma of today's Mayan Rose with Cinnamon and Maca Root bar from Choquiero Chocolate (Grass Valley, CA / Santa Cruz, CA) promised a wonderful balance between the chocolate and flavor inclusions.

And this organic, vegan, fair trade 75% cacao bar delivered. The chocolate had smooth and soft (added cocoa butter) flavors and texture. Barely detectable hints of cinnamon, vanilla and salt gave it a lift. Sweetened with coconut sugar, the dark chocolate was sweet, but without a sugar buzz (thank you!).

Ingredients: (All Organic): Cacao paste, cacao butter, coconut sugar, vanilla bean, maca, Himalayan salt, rose "pedal," rose "essene" and cinnamon.

Choquiero Chocolate - Spicy Chipotle with Cacao Nibs and Cayenne Pepper bar - Apr. 6, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Choquiero Chocolate
Spicy Chipotle with Cacao Nibs and Cayenne Pepper 73% Cacao bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Spicy Chipotle with Cacao Nibs and Cayenne Pepper 73% Cacao bar was from Choquiero Chocolate (Grass Valley, CA).* The company sources "Heirloom, Wild, Arriba Criollo cacao from small farmers in Central America.

This organic, fair trade and vegan bar had a dark chocolate aroma with a hint of spicy pepper (chipotle and cayenne). It was studded with crunchy cacao nibs on the back of the bar, sweetened with coconut sugar, and there was a small heat flare in the finish from the cayenne pepper.

*Choquiero is California-based, with roots in a few locations. The company was "born in Oakland in 2013," and this bar was made in Santa Cruz, CA.