Obolo Chocolate SpA - Masala Chai Spicd 64% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 11, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Obolo Chocolate SpA

Masala Chai Spiced 64% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar

Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Masala Chai Spiced (tea) 64% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Chilean chocolate maker, Obolo Chocolate SpA (Santiago, Chile). 

This Certified B Corporation makes bean-to-bar chocolate in Santiago, a large city with a climate similar to Los Angeles, making it a bit easier to make chocolate (vs. in the more remote regions where cacao grows in the Amazon), while at the same time affording relationships with nearby cacao producers in South America. 

Masala Chai is a blend of spices and tea (and often milk). There was masala tea infused into this sweet chocolate--that was made with organic cacao from Pangoa, Peru--but no milk (powder). Similar to yesterday's Earl Grey bar from Obolo, the aroma was very subtle, but the flavors became stronger over the course of the tasting experience, ending with a clearer taste of the spices (and the chocolate) in the finish. 

The relatively high level of sugar made it difficult to pick out the cacao flavors in the base chocolate but there seemed to be hints of balanced fruit acidity/brightness and true chocolate/cocoa notes. (There might have been a wee bit of a floral note, but there was too much going on with the tea spices to be able to be sure of that.)

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, masala chai tea. 

Obolo Chocolate SpA - Earl Grey Blend 64% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 10, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Obolo Chocolate SpA

Earl Grey Blend 64% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar

Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Tea Theme Week. We're also celebrating Chocolate Banquet's 14th Anniversary this week. Our 14th year of sampling a different chocolate every day, visiting great chocolate makers and exploring cacao-related destinations. 

Today's Earl Grey Blend 64% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Chilean chocolate maker, Obolo Chocolate SpA (Santiago, Chile).

Earl Grey tea, a black tea blend flavored with oil of Bergamot (extracted from the rind of the aromatic Bergamot orange (Citrus bergamia)), was first mentioned in the early 1800s. The yellow-orange Bergamot fruit (aka sour orange) shares the tart brightness of other citrus fruits but also possesses pronounced floral and spice notes.

This Chilean-made, tea-infused chocolate (crafted with cacao from Pangoa, Peru) had a very subtle aroma with a whisper of Earl Grey tea (bergamot, aromatic light woodsy citrus and tea notes). Stronger Earl Grey and chocolate flavors unfolded during the tasting experience. The bar had balanced tea and chocolate acidity levels, and a citrus/bergamot tea flavored finish. It was difficult to pick out the flavor the cacao may have contributed (e.g. perhaps its own floral and citrus fruit notes), but the relatively sweet chocolate did add chocolate depth and richness.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, Earl Grey tea.

Obolo Chocolate - 70% Cacao con Sal de Cahuil (bar) - Jan. 20, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Obolo Chocolate
70 percent Cacao con Sal de Cahuil (bar)
Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 142.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

Today's 70 percent Cacao with Cahuil Salt dark chocolate bar was from Obolo Chocolate (Santiago, Chile).

This organic three-ingredient* bar had a pleasing fudge brownie, slightly earthy dark chocolate aroma and initial flavor, followed by a few seconds of tart acidity (acetic acid/vinegar).** It also contained a touch of salt (from Cahuil, Chile).

I paired this bar with warm ginger tea (fresh sliced ginger, honey and hot water). And something very interesting happened. The ginger tea seemed to soften and neutralize the tart acidity mentioned above.

Paired flavors often complement each other nicely. Only occasionally do they rise above this level to create something better than what had existing before. And even more rarely, one item seems to "fix" a potential flaw in the other. Such was the case here.

*Ingredients: organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, Cahuil salt. (Cahuil is a village in Chile known for its salt production.)

**This tartness often can be traced back to choices made in the cacao fermentation phase of chocolate making. Sometimes it may even be a deliberate choice to create some tartness; although too much is generally undesirable.

Obolo Chocolate - 64% Cacao Lapsang Souchong bar - Dec. 28, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Obolo Chocolate
64% Cacao Lapsang Souchong (bar)
Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Holiday Tea and Spirits Theme Week.

Today's 64% Cacao Lapsang Souchong (tea) bar was made by Obolo Chocolate, a bean-to-bar chocolate maker based in Santiago, Chile.

This complex, relatively sweet dark chocolate broke with a hard snap and was full of smoked tea, savory, fruit, floral aroma and flavor notes. It was an enjoyable and satisfying dark chocolate ride.

I love umami flavors, so I'll never say no to a well-executed, well-balanced bar like this with hints of clean smoked tea.

*Lapsang Souchang tea is a black tea originally from the Wuyi region (Fujian Province) in China. Tea leaves are dried over a smoking pine fire, giving the tea its characteristic smoky flavor and aroma.

Obolo Chocolate - 70% Cacao with Nibs (bar) - Nov. 14, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Obolo Chocolate
70% Cacao con (with) Nibs (bar)
Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 132 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's 70% Cacao con (with) Nibs (bar) was made in Chile by Obolo* Chocolate (Santiago, Chile). Obolo is one of the first (if not the first) small-batch, bean-to-bar, locally-based, chocolate makers  based in Chile, certainly in recent times.**

Chile is known more for fine wine grapes than cacao. However, cacao-growing neighbors like Peru and Bolivia to the north (where cacao grows best, within 20 degrees of the Equator), are relatively closeby, and Obolo has already made chocolate with other cacao (origins) and flavor inclusions. It's delightful to have a Chilean-based maker join the growing list of artisan chocolate makers.

This dark bar had chocolate flavor with fruit (dried banana, grape, fresh red plum) and faint green notes. The texture was smooth and uniform and cacao nibs added a bit of soft crunchy cacao texture.

*Obolo means a small gift or contribution.
** Most large chocolate companies selling products in Chile are from Europe or elsewhere.