Oaxacan Chocolate 100% Cacao (pieces) - June 15, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

(Vendor unknown)
Oaxacan chocolate 100% cacao (pieces)
Good ++
Weight: .6 oz. (15 + 2 g.)/ 2.4 oz. (69 g.) total bag of 2 pieces
Calories: 93 calories (estimate) in 1/2 of 1 piece
Cost: N/A - gift from neighbor
Purchased from: N/A - gift from neighbor (Thank you Nallely and Gomez family)

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Mexico Theme Week, featuring two chocolates.

The first chocolate, from Oaxaca, was very special; it was part of a Mexican chocolate gift bag from my neighbors. 

Aroma notes for this single-ingredient, full-strength (100%) cacao included: deep, rich, authentic cacao (beans, nibs), faint olive, dark brownie, and diffuse wine/fermentation and acidity. 

I was expecting a strong taste; but this cacao was very well-behaved for a 100% cacao item (no sugar). This was not a shiny tempered chocolate that broke with a hard snap, but rather it was easy to break off pieces--making it well-suited for making hot chocolate or adding to other dishes/beverages/desserts.

Full of authentic cacao flavors, it created a relatively smooth drinking chocolate; and I enjoyed it sprinkled over nuts and fruit for breakfast. 

It also would be a great addition to a blander, sweeter hot chocolate, to punch up the taste a bit. 

Javier Confectionery
Velvet Dark Drinking Chocolate with marshmallows
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 15.75 oz. (444 g.) in total package
Calories: 375 calories (estimate) in 1 serving 
Cost: N/A - gift from neighbors
Purchased from: N/A - gift from neighbors (Thank you Nallely and Gomez family)

Today's Velvet Dark Drinking Chocolate Mix (with Marshmallows) was from Javier Confectionery* (Burlingame, CA).

This mix had a pleasing drinking chocolate (cocoa) aroma and flavor. Cocoa butter and butter oil gave this mix a creamy flavor and texture. The marshmallows added some sweet and light, lofty texture.

I also tried this chocolate with milk and a pinch of 100% cacao to make this blend slightly richer on the cacao bean side, and to make it taste a little less sweet.

Ingredients: Semi-Sweet Chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, butter oil, soya lecithin, emulsifier, pure vanilla). Marshmallow (sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar gelatin).

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk and Soy. "Made in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, wheat, and soy."

*Javier Confectionery is located in/co-located with the Preston's Candy and Ice Cream store in Burlingame, CA

Chocolate Mayordomo - Drinking Chocolate - June 13, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Mayordomo 
Premium Drinking Chocolate (Tabletas)
Good+++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (part of a larger package)
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) for 1 oz. piece
Cost: N/A - gift from neighbor
Purchased from: N/A - gift from neighbor (gracias a Nallely y la familia Gomez)

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

Today's Drinking Chocolate/Hot Chocolate (en tabletas - bar form) was from Chocolate Mayordomo  (Oaxaca, Mexico). This was generously shared with me by my neighbors.*

Mayordomo is known for its mole sauces and "table chocolate" (drinking chocolate in scored tablet form and other chocolates).

Aroma notes included: rich chocolate and cinnamon, and very faint, fleeting stone fruit (ripe peach).

This chocolate was very tasty. It produced the kind of warm beverage that makes you want to sit back and relax and savor each sip with a good friend or a book.

I also found it to be great, all by itself -- to eat out of hand; as a chilled drinking chocolate with milk (or at temperature); and grated over desserts or ice cream. 

If you do taste a square or two of a tablet by itself, the initial texture will seem a bit crumbly/grainy (like the first cut of stone-ground cacao with sugar and cinnamon). This is an opportunity/reminder to savor (this and other) chocolate slowly, as you let it dissolve in your mouth.

This was a less processed, flavorful authentic cacao that was low in bitterness. I found this much more tasty than the alkali-processed cocoa we normally find when we're served hot chocolate here in the U.S.--which is also lower in bitterness, but in flavor as well as it has been processed to remove all potential bitter and sour notes that might be present. This process also takes away some of the better flavors as well.

I loved the authentic cacao flavors, and the short list of ingredients. The warm, spicy-sweet cinnamon flavor was almost intoxicating.

Ingredients: Roasted cacao beans, almonds and cinnamon, sugar

Allergen-related information: None listed on gold foil packaging (part of a larger package).

* I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and the brands of hot chocolate we see from Mexico most often in specialty stores are Ibarra and Abuelita. So this Oaxacan chocolate gift was a real treat. (For those that live in the U.S., you may be able to find Mayordomo chocolate on Etsy.)

 

Cuna de Piedra - 60% Mexican Cacao (Chinantla, Oaxaca) with cinnamon (discs) - June 11, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra 
60% Mexican Cacao - Chinantla, Oaxaca with cinnamon
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.10 oz. (60 g.) in total package of 2 discs
Calories: 130 calories in 1 disc
Cost: N/A - gift from neighbor
Purchased from: N/A - gift from neighbor (Thank you Nallely!)

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

Today's 60% Cacao Mexican (Chinantla, Oxaca)* chocolate disc(s) were made in Mexico by Cuna de Piedra (Nuevo Leon, Mexico). There were two small discs (individually wrapped in blue foil) in an attractive, compact black package.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate with faint floral and gentle earth notes.

The texture was relatively smooth for a drinking chocolate style disc.** The smooth, rich texture made it a great "eating" chocolate as well. (I can't say the same for many other drinking chocolates.)

Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate with mild/faint green floral notes, and just a little bit of earthiness in one wedge. I enjoyed the authentic, bean-to-bar chocolate flavors (vs. blends of over-roasted cacaos used in many commercial dark chocolates). It also tasted slightly darker and richer (and less sweet -- thank you!) than most 60% cacao chocolates.

The (Ceylon-style) Mexican cinnamon was very subtle, adding a faint warm, wood/spice note, while still allowing the nuanced cacao notes to shine.

I also enjoyed the smaller size disc -- that was easier to break into wedges -- as I usually make small (espresso cup sized) drinking chocolate servings for just a few people.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Mexican cinnamon.

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured on Equipment that Processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs."

*I hope to visit Oaxaca (in Southern Mexico) one day. Sampling and studying food history (corn, squash, mole sauces, drinking chocolates) alone would be worth the flight.

** Drinking chocolate discs like this are usually bigger in size and have a more stoneground (slightly granular) texture. These discs are meant to be dissolved in hot water and often mixed with milk to create a creamier, smoother texture.

 

Srsly Chocolate - Oaxacan Espresso 70% Dark (bar) - Apr. 28, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Srsly Chocolate
Oaxacan Espresso 70% dark (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 (plus any shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Srsly Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Oaxacan Coffee Espresso 70% dark (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Srsly Chocolate (Austin, TX).

Aroma notes for this (Dom. Rep. cacao) chocolate included: chocolate, chili pepper, faint mole spice, and even fainter coffee.

The dark chocolate had a slightly granular astringency (that could also have been part of an authentic stoneground texture choice) and a slightly fruity (acidic red berry) flavor that meshed well with the faint roasted coffee and pepper flavors.

An uptick in rich, almost smoky (BBQ) spicy chili heat began its ascent about mid-way through each mouthful, tickling the throat on the way down.

This four-ingredient, wild bunch bar conjured up a flavorful southwest experience. And the bold, layered complexity of the cacao, chipotle (smoked and dried jalapeno) chili peppers, and coffee made it a good wake-up chocolate.

Maker's tasting notes: "Smoke and fruit dominate the beginning. A warm, complex coffee and chocolate middle note that gives way to a spicy finish..."

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, coffee, chipotle pepper

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also processes milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts and wheat."

ChocolateBet: June 30, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Oaxacan Foods
Chicken Mole Negro Plate
Good +
Weight: N/A 1 plate
Calories: 450 calories (estimate for portion I ate)
Cost: $12.00 for 1 plate
Purchased from: Oaxacan Foods, booth at Palo Alto Farmers Market, Palo Alto, CA

Nothing says summer like a Oaxacan Foods hot lunch plate and a fresh watermelon drink, at the Palo Alto Farmers Market, and enjoying this meal at a picnic table in the yard across the street. What could be better? The yard belonged to The Chocolate Garage, which meant my Chicken Mole Negro plate with vegetables, rice, black beans and handmade corn tortillas, could be followed up with chocolate tasting at The Chocolate Garage.


Rich, savory mole sauce usually contains a mix of roasted and ground peppers and seasonings, as well as cacao/ cocoa powder. This dark, Oaxacan version of "barbeque" sauce was great with everything on the plate.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Backyard Barbeque and Bacon Theme Week.