The Oakland Chocolate Co. - Raspberry Bar - March 4, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Raspberry Bar
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $3.50 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

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

Today's Raspberry Bar was made by Nancy Nadel owner and chief chocolate maker at The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA). 

Nadel has been making her bean-to-bar (and bean-to-bonbon chocolates) from cacao beans grown in one country, Jamaica, for many years now. She was also the first woman craft chocolate maker I met in the U.S. when I started Chocolate Banquet in 2006.

She obtained cacao to make the three bars featured this week from Bachelors Hall Farm, Saint Thomas Parish, in eastern Jamaica, and practices Direct Trade. She knows the cacao farmer (Desmond Jadusingh at Bachelors Hall Estate) personally. 

Raspberries are one of my favorite items to pair with dark chocolate. This small (filled) Raspberry Bar was packed with great aroma (true (brownie) dark chocolate, red raspberries).

The dark chocolate had smooth, almost creamy, substantial texture and the same rich, true chocolate (brownie) flavor as the aroma, with faint earth and red fruit notes. 

The tart-sweet raspberry filling wasn't overly sweet or tart (thank you), allowing authentic fresh/ripe berry flavor to shine through. The filling contained real raspberries (with real seeds) that were delicately firmed into a soft jelly with judicious use of pectin and lemon juice. 

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, raspberries, pectin, lemon juice  

The Oakland Chocolate Company - Sorrel Ginger Tea Truffle, Orange Truffle - June 4, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Sorrel Ginger Tea Truffle
Good +++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece/truffle
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.50 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company (online order)

Orange Truffle (Vegan)
Good +++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece/truffle
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.50 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company (online order)

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate, Ginger and Citrus Theme Week.

Today's Sorrel Ginger Tea Truffle and Orange Truffle were made from bean-to-bonbon (with Jamaican cacao) by Nancy Nadel at The Oakland Chocolate Company, LLC (Oakland, CA).

The Sorrel* Ginger Tea Truffle was covered in smooth dark chocolate and filled with a light, soft, creamy and mild filling (with no chocolate solids). I enjoyed the layers of great, natural flavor. A small piece of candied ginger gave this chocolate some pizazz. Unless you were told what mild leafy vegetable might have been infused into this mix, you'd probably never guess. The sorrel added a very subtle, almost sweet, very light lemon-green/lettuce flavor.

The second chocolate, an Orange Truffle, had a very creamy, satisfying melt and texture. It was also vegan; so the smooth tasting dark chocolate ganache (filling) was not made with traditional cream. It may leave you wondering how was this texture achieved without cream? This dark confection had a natural chocolate and orange aroma and smooth chocolate flavor. A small shred of candied orange peel on top added orange accent flavor. And, this chocolate was not too sweet (thank you!). 

These are my kind of truffles. Hats off to chocolate maker Nancy Nadel for her chocolate making skills and novel, balanced flavor inclusions in her bars and bonbons year after year. (Sorry I missed the Loquat Ginger Jam truffle when I was ordering these truffles online. That would have fit nicely in this week's ginger and citrus line up as well. I am a huge loquat fan.) One can see how living in California, having neighbors with fruit trees and selling chocolates at a Farmer's Market or two over the years can light up a number of fruit and botanical possibilities. But, not every maker would take the next step and actually pursue so many successful flavor blends.

*Sorrel is a leafy vegetable often eaten in salads and used as a cooking herb. Its taste has been likened to green spinach with a hint of lemony, kiwi or wild strawberry tang. The plant's light, sour grass-like tartness is largely from oxalic acid.

The Oakland Chocolate Company - Strawberry Cardamom Caramel - May 20, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Strawberry Cardamom Caramel
Good +++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g. ) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.50 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company (online)

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Caramel and Toffee Theme Week.

After eating more industrial versions of chocolate and sugar this week, I really appreciated today's flavorful Strawberry Cardamom Caramel from Nancy Nadel, who is the chief chocolate maker at The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA).

Nadel was an early player in the artisan chocolate maker movement that lifted off around the turn of the century (2000). She was also one of the first women making chocolates from scratch in California, starting with cocoa beans rather than blocks of pre-made chocolate.

Nadel's tree to bonbon/bar chocolates, have been crafted using cacao grown in specific areas in one country--originally the Parish of St. Mary in Jamaica via the (now defunct) Jamaican Cocoa Industry Board for 13 years. Cacao beans are now from Bachelors Hall (Parish of St. Thomas) in Jamaica. (And she managed this business and its many moving parts for several years while serving on the Oakland City Council. Impressive.)

Over the years, her chocolates have included an array of flavor inclusions that have incorporated exotic blends and tropical fruits and spices, and today's piece was no exception.

Today's Strawberry Cardamom Caramel was a layering of fresh, authentic flavors. The result was a match made in heaven. Sweet, naturally fruit tart caramel with a very soft chew was surrounded by flavorful dark chocolate. A subtle hint of cardamom added an uplifting spice note. And a tiny piece of strawberry on top contributed a natural berry sparkle.

*Earlier Bay Area chocolate-making pioneers, such as Domingo Ghirardelli (Italy via South America) and Etienne Guittard (France) arrived in the San Francisco area in the 1800s, influenced by the Gold Rush. Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (now in San Leandro, CA) is part of Hershey Chocolate Company; and Guittard Chocolate Company is still family-owned as of this writing.

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - Walnut Turmeric Chocolate Spread - July 16, 2017

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Company

Walnut Turmeric Chocolate Spread
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.)/7 oz. (198 g.) in total jar
Calories: 55 calories (estimate) in 1 TB serving
Cost: $6.50 for 1 jar
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

Licorice Tea Truffle
Good++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

Welcome to Day 4 of Chocolate and Spices Theme Week.

Nancy Nadel, chief chocolatemaker at The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA) has created an impressive array of confections and bars from Jamaican cacao. She makes her chocolate from scratch, from bean to bar in Oakland, CA, where she's also been an active member of the community (and served as a former city council member) for many years.

I suspected she might have some interesting chocolates with spices that I might not have tried, and was delighted to find this was the case when I visited her at the Old Oakland Farmers' Market recently.

I enjoyed her creamy dark Licorice Tea truffle and unique chocolate turmeric spread with ground walnuts packed with anti-inflammatory potential that wasn't too sweet (thank you!).

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - Mint Crisp Bar - July 8, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Mint Crisp Bar - Jamaican Origin 70% Cacao
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $2.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

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

Today's 70% Cacao Mint Crisp Bar was from The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA). Chief chocolate maker, Nancy Nadel, makes bean-to-bar chocolates from scratch with cacao beans from Jamaica.

The company's chocolates can be ordered online, or purchased at some local haunts and farmers markets.

Summer is great fun, but not always for chocolate vendors. It's a challenge to sell or transport chocolate outdoors in hot summer weather.

But, Nancy Nadel at The Oakland Chocolate Company manages. She sells her chocolates on Fridays at the Old Oakland Farmers' Market in downtown Oakland, and was keeping her bars and confections in a cooler in the shade yesterday. I scurried back to an air-conditioned car with her chocolates after buying them as fast as possible.

The Mint Crunch Bar was a thick creamy bar with a slow melt, filled with earthy dark cacao bean flavor. A light sprinkling of candied cacao nibs (pieces of bean) supplied extra cacao flavor and crunchy texture. And peppermint oil provided a subtle hint of mint. Last, but not least, this bar wasn't overly sweet (a plus).

The Oakland Choc. Co. - Pumpkin truffle - Nov. 1, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Pimento Pumpkin Truffle
Good ++
Weight: .49 oz. (13.8 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 72 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $N/A - sample (Thank you Nancy)
Purchased from: N/A - sample, The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

Today was Day #1 of Holiday Spice Theme Week.

I had the good fortune to visit Nancy Nadel, the creative force behind The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA) today. When I arrived at her relatively new facility and tasting room, I donned a hairnet and interviewed her while she was roasting beans, pouring liquid chocolate into containers, and making caramels.

Nancy is a bean-to-bar-to-bonbon chocolate maker and chocolatier (one of the few women to make chocolate from scratch in the San Francisco Bay Area). She has a relationship with the farmers in and buys her beans from St. Mary Parish in Jamaica.

Toward the end of my visit with Nancy, I sampled a few holiday-relevant* offerings, including today's Pimento Pumpkin Truffle. The dark (Jamaican) glossy, pumpkin-shaped chocolate shell enclosed a spiced pumpkin (white chocolate) filling.

The "Pimento" in this Pimento Pumpkin Truffle didn't refer to a pimento as we know it in the U.S., but rather to an allspice berry blend. The filling was infused with a subtle hint of Berry Hill pimento allspice liqueur from Wray and Nephew (Kingston, Jamaica).

The pumpkin and spice flavors were well balanced, and not overpowering, and stood up nicely to the rich, dark chocolate couverature.

*I also sampled a juniper berry truffle (think a tall, cylindrical flavored truffle, like a gin and tonic glass) that I hope to feature in the future.

Hot Pink truffle - June 2, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Hot Pink truffle
Good+
Weight: .43 oz. (12.16 g.) (estimate) for 1 truffle
Calories: 64 calories (estimate) for 1 truffle
Cost: $2.00 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

It was a hot day outside today, on this fourth day of Chocolate and Spicy Theme Week. It seemed like the perfect occasion for a Hot Pink truffle from The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA).

This round truffle made with rich and earthy Jamaican cacao beans was constructed in layers. Beneath a dark chocolate exterior was a dark chocolate ganache (creamy filling) flavored with a hint of cayenne pepper. At the very heart: a piece of strawberry. And a tiny pink flame of strawberry garnished the top.

Also radiating pink spiciness (flanking the Hot Pink truffle in the picture above right), were two Pink Peppercorn Caramels, that were quite nice. I will feature this caramel in the future. 

Tamarind Mango Caramel - May 25, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Tamarind Mango Caramel
Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.00 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA)

Nancy Nadel of The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA) has done it again -- another great flavor combination.

Today's Tamarind Mango Caramel had just the right amount of tamarind and mango flavors infused into a beautiful caramel center, that was wrapped in 70% cacao dark chocolate from the parish of St. Mary in Jamaica, and topped with a thin mango tile. Very flavorful, without being too overpowering.

Today was the first day of Chocolate and Mango Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: June 4, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz. package
The Oakland Chocolate Company
Candied Tangerine Peel
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.35 g.) package
Calories: 129 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.50
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Mediterranean Theme Week. Morocco seemed like an interesting place to investigate today, and so I made some pomegranate seeds with cinnamon, sugar, and orange flower water, sipped some Moroccan Mint tea, and enjoyed two different kinds of fresh tangerines. Tangerines are rumored to have been so named after the port city of Tangiers. Apparently, this was the point of entry (from China) to Europe for this mandarin orange fruit.

Tangerines have taken root in the citrus growing regions of the U.S., such as California. Today's chocolate was a package of small slivers of candied tangerine peel coated with 70% dark chocolate (from Jamaica) from The Oakland Chocolate Company. 

ChocolateBet: May 26, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces
The Oakland Chocolate Co.
1.) Rosebud bonbon - Very Good
2.) Cherry in the Snow - Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.00
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, in Oakland, CA

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate, Banana and Cherry Theme Week. Unlikely theme? Not so. In addition to banana splits and chocolate banana shakes topped with a cherry, there are many interesting fine chocolate offerings that incorporate these flavors.

One example: Nancy Nadel's Oakland Chocolate Company bean-to-bar-to-bonbons, that are made with rich dark chocolate from Jamaica. Her Rosebud bonbon was filled with a banana and white chocolate ganache, and the Cherry in the Snow, sprinkled with a bit of white sugar on top, contained a dark chocolate ganache and a cherry.

ChocolateBet: May 17, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 truffle
The Oakland Chocolate Company
Coconut Crunch
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 74 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ part of larger assortment box
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Co., Oakland, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. The Oakland Chocolate Co. (based, fittingly enough, in Oakland, CA), offers a variety of chocolates, using fresh flavors and ingredients, including at this hand-rolled Coconut Crunch truffle.

Nancy Nadel, the owner and chief chocolatier at this bean-to-bar-to-bonbon company, uses dark chocolate from a single region (St. Mary's Parish) in Jamaica, for truffles, filled and molded chocolates, drops, and chocolate dipped fruit pieces.