Taza - 70% Dark Chocolate Lemon Cookie Crunch (bar) - Sept. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate
70% Dark Chocolate Lemon Cookie Crunch (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Taza, online order 

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

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate Lemon Cookie Crunch (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). 

Taza founders have been making stone ground ("perfectly unrefined") chocolate bars, discs and confections since 2005--and were early adopters of organic cacao and direct trade efforts/practices.

There was no tea in this bar, but this lemon cookie 70% chocolate paired well with a creamy matcha tea latte and with an aromatic black tea with citrus notes.

Aroma notes included: lemon, lemon cookie, dark chocolate and vanilla.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate and crunchy (lemon cookie bits)

Flavor notes included: sweet lemony flavor and lemon cookies that lightened up the earthy dark chocolate. 

The bright, light floral qualities of the creamy smoothness of the matcha green tea latte (pairing item) complemented the sweet lemon cookie and helped reduce the spikier/bolder earth notes in the 70% dark chocolate. (The cacao used to make this chocolate was from The Dominican Republic.) A high-quality black tea with a squeeze of lemon also worked nicely.

Always a pleasure to explore different chocolate + tea pairings and to try to get everything to harmonize. I was hoping to try a pairing without adding dairy, but the matcha latte (with milk) seemed to be the best pairing match.

I appreciated the use of organic, fair trade and less processed ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Lemon Cookies* (Gluten Free Whole Oat Flour*, Cane Sugar*, High Oleic Safflower Oil*, Pear Juice from Concentrate*, Tapioca Starch*, Lemon Juice from Concentrate*, Lemon Extract*, Salt, Pure Vanilla Extract*, Cream of Tartar, Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate), Sunflower Lecithin*, Xanthan Gum, Rosemary Extract*), Cocoa Butter*, Lemon Flavor Oil* (Sunflower Oil* and Natural Flavors), Sunflower Lecithin*. (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: May Contain Traces of Tree Nuts and Sesame Seeds.

Taza Chocolate - 95% Dark Chocolate Wicked Dark Ginger (bar) - Apr. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate
95% Dark Chocolate Wicked Dark Ginger (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Taza Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Cardamom & Ginger Theme Week.

Today's 95% Dark Chocolate Wicked Dark Ginger (bar) was made from bean to bar by Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).

Aroma notes for this "perfectly unrefined" bar included: dark chocolate (drinking chocolate), fresh baked bread and ginger.

Texture: stoneground ultra-dark chocolate and candied ginger bits. These two were fully blended into each other, but the chocolate was less refined/processed (not velvety smooth). Why stonegrind cacao other than it is a time-honored technique? More flavors tend to be preserved with stoneground/less processed chocolate. Some will love this. Others who prefer softer, more diffuse end results may not. 

Flavor notes included: ultra-dark, relatively bitter (initially quite strong) chocolate, but with pleasing (almost, but not quite fully integrated ginger); however, as long as you're not ultra-sensitive to bitter flavors, you may enjoy this bar more than you think you would. Just eat this bar slowly. The bitterness tends to recede after the first few bites and you'll find authentic cacao and ginger flavors that melt together and are worth the time.

I appreciated being able to taste this 95% organic dark chocolate bar. Sometimes I prefer a small piece of very flavorful, high-percentage (cacao) dark chocolate--as long as it's balanced, without all the sugar. Would I include this in a chocolate tasting for the general public? Probably not. This one might be too much for more delicate palettes, or for those seeking sweet solace.

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Candied Ginger (Organic Ginger, Organic Cane Sugar), Organic Cane Sugar. 

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Tree Nuts and Sesame Seeds."

Taza Chocolate - Organic Chocolate Covered Nuts - April 26, 2024

 Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate 
Organic Chocolate Covered Nuts
Good ++

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 16 oz. (453 g.) in total package
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $8.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market 

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Haiti Theme Week.

Today's Organic Chocolate Covered Nuts were from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). 

While the cacao origin wasn't explicitly stated on the package, there was an image of a woman cacao farmer in Haiti; and the company sources cacao from the Dominican Republic, Ghana and Haiti (PISA* in the Acul du Nord District).

Aroma notes included: bold chocolate-y chocolate (extra dark brownies); faint roasted nuts; (almonds); very subtle and balanced earth; very faint vanilla; and very faint sweet/tart green-citrus (oxalis) and red fruit.

Texture: smooth, chocolate coating over softly crunchy (whole) nuts.

Flavor notes included: deep, dark bold chocolate (with a very slight, well-balanced earthiness); authentic, whole nut (almond, cashew and hazelnut) centers; and a faint trace of vanilla.

Maker's notes (for Haiti cacao): Dried fig, tart cherry, roasted nuts.

Ingredients:  Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Almonds, Organic Cashews, Organic Hazelnuts, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Vanilla Beans, Sea Salt.

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds, Cashews and Hazelnuts. May Contain Traces of Other Tree Nuts and Sesame.

*Taza has been working with Produits Des Iles SA, or PISA, since 2015. PISA represents over 1,300 cacao farmers and works with farmers to develop high-quality cacao that can be sold to specialty markets, including bean-to-bar chocolate makers, such as Taza Chocolate. Most of the cacao in this week's Haiti bars come from PISA.

Taza Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate "Deliciously Dark" (bar) - Sept. 4, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate 
70% Dark Chocolate "Deliciously Dark" (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Dark Chocolate Week.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate "Deliciously Dark" (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). 

The company offers a variety of bars, drinking chocolates and confections. Several years ago, I sampled another "plain" 70% dark chocolate. However, this had a slightly different title, and likely was made with a different cacao blend (different cacao growing regions, farms) and different harvest years.

Aroma notes for this vegan and dairy-free bar included: dark chocolate (deep, rich chocolate cookie/warm drinking chocolate); sweet green floral/botanical; subtle, balanced earth; and dried fruit (plum, banana).

Taza Chocolate is known for its slightly rougher texture. Their description notes that this chocolate "isn't silky smooth--on purpose." This 70% dark bar had a stone-ground, slightly granular texture--that wasn't objectionable to me because the company delivered (once again) on their promise of chocolate with texture and "bright, bold flavor that is...unique...never boring and always satisfying." 

Shorter cacao bean grind/processing times can mean a rougher texture; but you also get a more flavorful chocolate. And if makers purchase/start with high-quality cacao, why wouldn't they want to preserve great flavors--not to mention more of the nutrients, like polyphenol/flavonols and trace B and C vitamins?

If you prefer silky, buttery texture over flavor, there are plenty of good options out there. But, either way, if you're a dark chocolate fan, I recommend giving Taza Chocolate dark chocolate a try. (The company has also focused on cacao sourcing practices and partnering with farmers in cacao growing countries since their inception.)

Flavor notes for this 70% "Deliciously Dark" bar included: hearty, authentic cacao flavor with deep, dark chocolate and mild, well-balanced earth notes and very subtle green floral and fruit notes similar to the aroma notes (listed above). It also was relatively sweet for a 70% dark chocolate -- perhaps due to some of these naturally sweet-tasting flavor notes and being able to "taste" the rougher grains of sugar more. I'm not sure.

I enjoy well-executed, complex dark chocolates, where you can taste the variety(ies) of cacao that were used. Today's chocolate had cacao flavor notes I associated with bold Forastero (deep, dark cocoa)--with a little Trinitario (fruit) and possibly Arriba or Nacional (green, floral) cacao varieties blended in for good measure.)

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter. 

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Tree Nuts and Sesame Seeds."

Taza - Hazelnut Praline 70% Dark (bar) - Aug. 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate
Hazelnut Praline 70% Dark (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the last day (Day #12) of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week. 

Today's Hazelnut Praline 70% Dark (bar) was from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).

Taza is known for their organic, bean-to-bar, less processed and stone-ground chocolates. (Less processing can result in more authentic flavor(s). (Some more volatile, natural aroma and flavor notes may be lost with longer processing times, even if smaller particle sizes can result in a creamier mouthfeel.)

Aroma notes for today's bar included: dark chocolate with balanced earth (peat notes that disappeared after being opened for several minutes), nuts, and brown sugar/toffee.

The texture was relatively smooth. And flavor notes included: deep, dark chocolate, balanced rich forest/earth, bitter and sweet, clean mineral, faint nut, tiny crunchy toffee bits--and a relatively long dark finish.

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Toffee (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Organic Caramel Color), Organic Hazelnuts, Organic Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt, Organic Sunflower Lecithin." 

Allergen-related information: "Contains Hazelnuts. May Contain Traces of Other Tree Nuts and Sesame Seeds."

Taza Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate Covered Brazil Nuts - Nov. 9, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate 

70% Dark Chocolate Covered Brazil Nuts

Good + 

Weight: 1/4 cup (28 g.) / 16 oz. (453 g.) in total package 

Calories: 180 calories in 1 (1 oz.) serving

Cost: $9.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Organic, Keto Dark Chocolate Covered Brazil Nuts were from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).

Aroma notes for this organic, gluten free snack included: cacao nibs, very faint cacao fermentation, very faint brown/maple sugar and very slightly savory (salt). (The faint cacao fermentation note receded after the package had been opened for a few hours.)

Relatively bold, but balanced, 70% dark chocolate surrounded softly crunchy Brazil nuts, yielding faint hints of earthy nut flavor. Not too sweet (thank you) or salty.

Ingredients: Organic Brazil nuts, organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic sunflower lecithin, sea salt. 

Allergen-related information: Contains Brazil nuts. May contain traces of other tree nuts and sesame seeds. 

Taza Chocolate - Dark Bark 80% Dark Organic Chocolate Thins - Coconut Almond - Aug. 11, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate

Dark Bark 80% Dark Organic Chocolate Thins - Coconut Almond

Good +

Weight: 1/4 package (29 g.) / 4.2 oz. (119 g.) in total package

Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 cup (1/4 package) serving 

Cost: $3.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Organic Dark Bark Coconut Almond 80% Dark Chocolate Thins were from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). The chocolate maker offers a variety of bars, discs and treats that are made with stone-ground, bean-to-bar chocolate. 

These Chocolate Thins (shards of bark topped with tiny coconut and almond bits) had an aroma with dark chocolate, green, maple (tree syrup) and fermentation notes.

The texture was a blend of thick, creamy dark (bold but smooth) stoneground dark chocolate and a slightly crispy and crunchy texture (from tiny bits of almond and puffed quinoa).

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes above, with a deeper, richer dark chocolate experience with faint, fleeting olive-earth notes and very faint coconut.

The 80% cacao Organic dark chocolate was bold, balanced and not too sweet, with balanced bitterness and acidity. The chocolate flavor was rich enough that it took center stage; other flavor inclusions played very minor bit parts.

If you're looking for a snack with a less processed, deep dark, dense but satisfying chocolate flavor--and with very little bright, buzzy sugar, and no preservatives, emulsifiers, vegetable gums or other unnecessary ingredients--this might be for you.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic puffed quinoa, organic almonds, organic toasted coconut, organic cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: "Contains almonds and coconut. May contain traces of other tree nuts and sesame seeds." Certified Organic and gluten free. Also: "dairy free, soy free, vegan" and Pareve (OU).)

Taza Chocolate - Wicked Dark, 95% Dark with Toasted Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 10, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate

Wicked Dark - 95% Dark with Toasted Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Wicked Dark - 95% Dark with Toasted Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate was from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). 

The chocolate maker is known for stone-ground, bean-to-bar chocolate, and a commitment to fair and transparent trade. Today's bar was made with Certified Organic and "Taza Chocolate direct trade certified" cocoa. (Country of origin not specific on wrapper.)

The aroma for this three-ingredient bar included: fruity, authentic fresh coconut, dark chocolate (ultra-dark chocolate brownie, chocolate ganache), and subtle green (tree/maple syrup and green floral botanical) notes.

The texture was uniform and consistent with stone-ground chocolate (larger particle size), with a very slight chewiness--from the visible tiny shreds of embedded, toasted coconut.

The flavor was uniform, dark stone-ground (less processed) chocolate with bold, but smooth, flavor. It was not too bitter and had a well-balanced fruit acidity. This refreshingly un-sweet,* flavorful bar ended with a warm, deep cocoa finish. This "Wicked" bar was also pretty Wonderful, and much more approachable than it sounds--in case you want to share it friends fearful of very dark chocolates.

Maker's notes: "stoneground, bold flavor"

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic coconut, organic cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: "Contains coconut and traces of almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and pecans." Certified Organic and Gluten Free; dairy free; soy free; vegan; pareve (OU).

*2 grams of added sugar per (1/2 bar) serving 

Taza Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans - July 13, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) serving (about 36 pieces)
Cost: $3.99 for 1 serving
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Organic and Vegan* Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans were from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). 

My favorite part of this tasting experience may have been when I first opened the package and inhaled deeply. Many of this past week's featured items have been more chocolate forward. Today it was coffee's turn. These espresso beans had a wonderful, bold coffee aroma.

The texture was a study in contrasts: smooth, creamy dark (direct trade, Ghana) chocolate covered crunchy, almost fibrous, coffee beans. Taza Chocolate is known for chocolate that is stone-ground cho--a process that can result in bolder/less processed flavor and a thicker/almost gritty texture. (I noticed no grit in today's chocolate. It seemed very thick and creamy in contrast with the roasted coffee beans.)

The flavor notes included the aforementioned bold espresso-roast coffee beans and true chocolate. However, the more fully intact (less processed) flavors also had vibrant, authentic complexity with flickers of fruit (diffuse red berry, faint red apple and nectarine, olive), balanced earth, roasted (wood, seed, nut) and sweetness (light brown sugar, faint vanilla).

A full serving (approximately 36 pieces, or 1 oz. (28 g.)) of these flavorful Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (and the caffeine and theobromine they contain) will engage all your tasting senses and leave you wide awake and ready to start your walk, hike, run, ride or other project.

Ingredients: Organic cane sugar, organic cacao beans, organic espresso beans, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla beans.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of tree nuts and sesame seeds." "Dairy Free, Soy Free, Vegan,* Gluten Free"

*Many chocolate covered items use shellacs, glazes or "varnishes" made from insect-derived resinous lac/shellac to give them a shiny, glossy appearance--making them ineligible for Vegan status. Today's Vegan Taza chocolate-covered offering did not contain these insect-derived ingredients.

Taza Chocolate - Seriously Dark 87% Dark Chocolate (bar) - June 13, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate

Seriously Dark 87% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Tea Theme Week, including chocolate items with tea, and chocolate and tea pairings.

Today's "Seriously Dark" 87% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). The company specializes in minimally processed, stoneground chocolate and offers a variety of bars, discs, barks and chocolate covered nuts.

Taza's Seriously Dark bar was made using direct trade certified cacao; and the aroma had relatively bold dark chocolate, floral and vanilla, diffuse ripe fruit, and tropical forest notes. Taza is known for less processed, flavorful chocolate--flavors preserved in part due to short(er) grinding and conching times in large stainless steel machines.

Today's 87% bar did not contain tea. Instead I searched for three different teas to find the best pairing with this chocolate. 

I knew this bold dark chocolate might not pair easily with teas....But, the perils of pairing be damned; the hunt was on for a match.

Tea partners for Taza: Matcha (ice cream bar), ginger, grapefruit leaf...

I first tried pairing today's Taza Chocolate ultra-dark bar with its apparent opposite: a frozen, creamy, smooth, delicate, grassy Matcha (green tea) Brown Sugar Boba ice cream bar -- inspired by popular boba (tapioca pearl/mini-mochi) tea drinks from Taiwan. The refreshing, matcha tea bar (like green tea ice cream or an iced matcha latte) was perfect for today's hot weather.

However, the pairing of a Matcha ice cream boba bar with the Taza 87% chocolate was a study in contrasts. They each had unique, enjoyable aromas and flavors. Unfortunately, the combined array of vibrant taste and texture (and temperature) sensations failed to mesh harmoniously.

These two offerings were best enjoyed separately. Blind dates don't always work out. However, after a little more tea speed dating, I did find better mates for both the chocolate and Matcha tea bars.

Cool ginger tea did not agree with this ultra-dark bar. Just when I thought this Taza 87% bar was a confirmed singleton, with its rough, almost crunchy texture, unique floral sweetness, and untameable spirit, I tried pairing it with some warm grapefruit leaf tea (made by pouring very hot water over torn grapefruit (or lemon) tree leaves and letting the infusion steep for a few minutes).

The pale, amber-hued grapefruit leaf tea had a lemony citrus flavor. And it was surprisingly harmonious with today's Seriously Dark chocolate. The warmer tea (vs. frozen tea ice cream) also made the chocolate flavors more accessible. (Frozen chocolate quickly loses textural and flavor benefits.)

And, for our Matcha Brown Sugar Boba bar, the best match was: creamy, buttery, dark chocolate truffles dusted in dark cocoa powder.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla beans.

Allergen-related: "Contains traces of almonds, cashews, coconut, hazelnuts and pecans."

Taza Chocolate - 80% Cacao Crunch bar + Nicaragua Rosquillas cookies - Apr. 3, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Taza Chocolate
80% Cacao Crunch Organic Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's featured 80% Cacao Crunch Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).

This ultra-dark bar was made from cacao from an unknown origin(s). (The country (ies) of origin were not on the label.) However, it was a perfect pairing with the Nicaraguan Rosquillas cookies I made today. (More on these cookies below.) 

This Taza Chocolate bar was everything these cookies were not (except both were crunchy). The chocolate had a deep, dark roasted (yet not roasted),* green aroma. It conjured the feeling of being in a cool, green forest, with almost (but not quite) a mint/menthol note. It was, refreshingly, un-sweet (thank you!).

The even, stone-ground dark chocolate flavor also had depth (with a faint umami hint of leather). Embedded throughout the chocolate was a tiny riot of crispy, crunchy, puffed quinoa particles. 

Nicaraguan Rosquillas, chocolate cookies

Today's effortlessly light, crunchy shortbread style cookies were made using masa harina (finely ground corn flour). These relatively airy but substantial cookies were good with coffee, but could be enjoyed anytime. They were delicious and gluten-free. I made two different kinds. 

The first batch had "flower" petal-shaped indentations around the edges, with small mounds of panela (unrefined brown sugar) in the centers. 

And the second batch was made with an egg (making these cookies a bit lighter and fluffier) and these had Nicaraguan chocolate centers. 

I'm now a fan of rosquillas. They can be made slightly less sweet. (I used less sugar than most of the online recipes I found called for; and that did not seem to make a difference in the outcome.)

Taza Chocolate Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic puffed quinoa, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla beans."

*It's possible to have a blend of different roasted batches, each with a different flavor profile.

If makers heavily roast all their cacao, they run the risk of losing more subtle green and floral notes. (Occasionally more roasting time is used to lose objectionable flavors in lesser quality cacao.) However, if cacao beans are under-roasted, makers may miss out on some of the flavor development that comes with roasting. Some makers mix different roast batches to try to capture the best of both worlds. 

The best chocolate makers create several test roast batches to optimize roast settings/times for a given lot of cacao. Each cacao origin/variety may have different percentages of fat, moisture and various flavor attributes.

Taza Chocolate - Paleo Dark Chocolate Slab with Almonds - Mar. 31, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Paleo Dark Chocolate Slab with Almonds
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 15 oz. (424.5? g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) of bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's paleo dark bar with almonds was from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).
This generous slab of 65% dark stoneground chocolate, sweetened only with coconut sugar (no cane sugar), contained un-roasted organic almonds, and was made with cacao grown in the Dominican Republic.

The bar had a dark chocolate aroma with balanced wood/green banana and dried fruit and raw nut notes. Un-roasted almonds added some authentic nut texture and flavor.

This chocolate was certified USDA Organic, Direct Trade, Gluten Free and Kosher Pareve, and Non-GMO Project Verified. It was also dairy free, soy free and vegan.

This deluxe bar could feed a large family. Since large social gatherings are curtailed this month due to flu concerns, I can't share with friends. Instead, I will enjoy this bar over time.

Ingredients: organic cacao beans, organic coconut sugar, organic almonds, organic cacao butter

Taza Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Covered Hazelnuts - Jan. 8, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Covered Hazelnuts
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 4.2 oz. (119 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 1 oz. serving
Cost: $7.95 for 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA


Welcome to Day #8 of Hit the Trail with Chocolate Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Hazelnuts Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Covered Hazelnuts were from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).


The 55% cacao chocolate was stone ground, Organic, Direct Trade, Non GMO Project Verified, Certified Gluten Free, Kosher Pareve, dairy free, soy free, and vegan.

The roasted, organic hazelnuts was crunchy and flavorful and complemented the slightly rustic, flavorful dark chocolate. This was a great winter walk snack and not too sweet (thank you!).

Today's walk outside was extra beautiful. Rainbows by the Pacific Ocean and a walk on the beach to look at elephant seals and surfers. And chocolate.

Ingredients: Organic dark chocolate (organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla beans), organic roasted hazelnuts.

Taza Chocolate - Bolivia 87% Dark bar - Nov. 18, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Bolivia 87% Dark bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #28 of South American Chocolate Theme Weeks.

Today's single origin bar was made with cacao grown in Bolivia. The 87% Dark bar was crafted by Taza Chocolate in Somerville, MA.

This chocolate had a very pleasant hot chocolate/chocolate malt aroma with very faint, but again pleasing, sweet green, fruit and nut notes. This aroma was considerably more upbeat and friendly than one would expect for 87% cacao chocolate, in part due to the addition of what smelled like high-quality vanilla* beans. And the taste was very approachable as well.

Taza has worked hard to perfect the taste and texture of their stoneground drinking chocolate, bars, snacks and confections over the years to balance the benefits of more rustic stoneground beans and a smooth buttery chocolate experience that some desire. Sounds good, but it takes precision and skill to know just how long to (or not to) process/grind/blend cacao beans for the optimal result.

The company used traditional Mexican stone mills (molinos) to grind their beans. And today's bar was described as "perfectly unrefined."

Indeed the resulting chocolate maintained good flavor and was both smooth and slightly crunchy, with tiny sparkles of what felt like cane sugar crystals or vanilla* rather than weedy cacao or vanilla bean flecks—the likely result if I tried to make bean-to-bar chocolate in my kitchen with a coffee or nut grinder. (One also needs to know when to put in the sugar and vanilla bean so the right components sparkle and shine.)

*The Bolivia 87% Dark bar contained just three ingredients: Certified Direct Trade organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic vanilla beans

Thanksgiving Chocolate Banquet - Taza, Lake Champlain - Nov. 24, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Maple Pecan 70% Dark Stone Ground Chocolate bar
Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (17.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70.7 g.) in total bar
Calories: 105 calories for 1/4 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate in the U.S. I'm very thankful for family, friends—and another day with new chocolates to try.

Maple Pecan Bar
Today's gluten-free Maple Pecan 70% dark bar from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) was made from organic, direct trade, stone-ground chocolate and it contained maple (organic maple sugar and natural maple flavor) and roasted pecan nut pieces. (The company is also offering Cranberry Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread and Peppermint Stick bars this holiday season, in addition to its eggnog chocolate disc which is quite good as hot drinking chocolate.)

Chocolate Turkey
I also enjoyed a dark chocolate place-setting turkey and a maple leaf-shaped (gold foil-wrapped) Dark Chocolate 57% Maple Caramel from Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington, Vermont).

I'll save the chocolate-covered cranberries for the next few days...I couldn't eat another thing right now.

Taza - Organic 55% Chocolate Covered Nibs - Sept. 23, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Organic 55 percent Dark Chocolate Covered Nibs
Good ++
Weight: .8 oz. (22.4 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total package
Calories: 128 calories in .8 oz. (22.4 g.)
Cost: $5.50 for 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Nibs Theme Week.

Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) was an early player in this century's new wave of American chocolate makers.

Not insignificantly, the founders also sought to build relationships directly with farmers and co-ops to bring organic chocolates to the market, including more "rustic" stone-ground chocolate (and drinking chocolate). The less processed style is more flavorful and granular, and was new for many people in the U.S. (except perhaps those who had spent time in Mexico and Central America).

Today's 55% dark chocolate covered nibs from Taza were a bit sweeter than their 67% dark chocolate covered nibs I remember tasting in 2012. They were still good, but I'd love to taste an even darker 70+ percent version.

The challenge with more added sugar (which reduces the percentage of cacao) is that it's harder to taste the subtle cacao flavors in the nib (pieces of cacao bean). Some may like the sweetness. (Today's nibs were far better than some overly sweet, commercial dark chocolate offerings.)

Thank you to SweetE Organic for providing a range of organic sweets and chocolates such as the Taza line (as well as expertly-curated gifts).

Taza Peppermint Stick Bar; + Smokin XO Hot Pants - Dec. 26, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Peppermint Stick bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate, Smoke and Fire Theme Week—with a post-Christmas chocolate double feature.

The first chocolate was the Peppermint Stick 60% dark stone-ground chocolate bar from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). It was full of authentic flavor, and robust, slightly crunchy texture, from organic ground peppermint stick and cacao nibs.

This bar was made with direct trade and Non GMO verified ingredients, and was gluten free and pareve.

XO Baking Co.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake - Gourmet Cake Mix
Good ++
Weight: unknown 
Calories: unknown
Cost: $5.99 (estimate) for 1 box of mix
Purchased from: HomeGoods, Santa Clara, CA

This second chocolate of the day came from a cake mix. I added some smoke-infused olive oil and a small pinch of alderwood smoked sea salt to this mix. In finished form, these cupcake-sized, chocolate cakes were cooked in blue jean "muffin top" silicone cooking molds ("Fred" brand), that humorously (and rather accurately) depicted holiday overindulgence.

This smokey chocolate cake was great topped with smoked almond ice cream. Perfect dessert for those who love umami flavors.

The gluten-free Chocolate Cake mix was from XO Baking Co. (Woodland Hills, CA).

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Taza Chocolate - Belize bar - May 2, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Factory Limited Belize Bar
Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 115 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $6.95 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

This Factory Limited Belize dark bar was crafted from the first batch of cacao beans that Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) obtained from Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC), located in the Toledo District of Southern Belize). MMC sources beans from local farmers in the region and helps supply the beans to premium chocolate makers like Taza.

Taza Chocolate is known for flavorful stoneground chocolate -- disc-like rounds with break-apart wedges used for drinking chocolate in the rustic Mexican style.

Taza continued in the stoneground tradition with this bar. Rather than buttery smoothness made possible by particles ground (for days) into a tiny size for smoothness, each bite of this Belize bar sparkled with intact cocoa and sugar flavors and semi-granular textures.

Taza Chocolate - Coffee Chocolate Mexicano - Sept. 3, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Coffee Chocolate Mexicano - Dark
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2.7 oz. (77 g.) in package with 2 discs
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.95 in 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

If you feel like you need a morning pick-me up, try one or two of these robust, stone-ground, dark chocolate discs from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).

Carefully swaddled in paper (shown front and back at right), made with Certified Direct Trade beans, and infused with the subtle, almost fruity flavor of Counter Culture Coffee, the two Mexican Dark Coffee discs in one package consisted of several wedges, making it easier to break-off the desired amount to make your drinking chocolate.

Of course, instead of mixing up some drinking chocolate, you can always eat this chocolate straight up; this is what I did today.

Apologies to Taza Chocolate, this Coffee package was affected by hot sun. The round package normally looks much more crisply circular than this one.

Taza - Chipotle Chili, Salted Almond Discs - July 29, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate

1.) Chipotle Chili - Chocolate Mexicano
Good ++
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) / 2.7 oz. (77 g.) total package
Calories: 112 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.95 for 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

2.) Salted Almond - Chocolate Mexicano
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) / 2.7 oz. (77 g.) total package
Calories: 112 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.95 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #5 of Smoke and Savory Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet.

This Mexican Chocolate double header from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) featured the sultry smokiness of Chipotle Chili and the savory goodness of salted almonds. The month of July may be drawing to a close, but I'm determined to enjoy summer while it lasts, with all the outdoor living, picnics, and smoke and savory flavors I can manage.

Taza stonegrinds (with hand-carved, Oaxacan granite millstones no less) their rustic, Mexican style chocolate that is packaged in discs that break off into smaller wedge-shaped segments for hot chocolate or other uses (e.g. incorporate a wedge or two into a mole or a barbecue sauce; or grate it into (or melt and pour over) Mexican Chocolate ice cream or vanilla yogurt).

The "rougher" stoneground texture resulted in fresher, less processed/homogenized flavors. It may take some getting used to if you favor buttery smooth chocolate, but I recommend giving these organic, kosher, gluten-, dairy- and soy-free Taza chocolates a try.

I tried all of these "uses" for these two Taza (smokey and savory) Mexican Chocolates today. Que rico. The Chipotle Chili chocolate had some earthy, smoky fire to it, balanced nicely with a rich, dark chocolate (70% dark) flavor. I loved the Salted Almond ("40% Dark"), and had no trouble eating a wedge of this chocolate all by itself. All four flavors: 1.) sweet (organic cane sugar), 2.) salt (kosher salt), 3.) nutty (organic roasted California almonds), and of course 4.) chocolate (organic cacao beans) were well balanced and really sang together.