Guido Gobino - 63% Dark Chocolate Easter Fish - July 9, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Guido Gobino 
63% Dark Chocolate Easter Fish
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total fish
Calories: 212 calories in 1/2 fish
Cost: $22.99 for 1 fish
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order  

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Water Theme Week. 

Today's seasonal 63% Dark Chocolate Easter Fish was from Guido Gobino Srl (Torino, Italy).

Aroma notes included: smooth, sweet and rich dark chocolate

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with an even melt and mouthfeel

Flavor notes included: sweet, dark chocolate (chocolate-y, fudge brownie) bright fruit (cherry) and a hint of nut.

I loved the fish. Perfect size and shape. While I enjoyed this seasonal gem 3 months after Easter (its intended season), it was a great fit for this water-themed week. And it was fun; and having fun is never out of season. (Also, this fish confection extraordinaire wouldn't have lasted until Chocolate & Italy Week in fall this year.)

Ingredients: "cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, HAZELNUT, MILK, SOY. Cocoa solids: 63% minimum."

Allergen-related information: Contains Hazelnut, Milk, Soy. Gluten free.

Guido Gobino - (Guatemala) 3050 70% Single origin Chocolate bar - Feb. 17, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Guido Gobino 
Guatemala - 3050 70% Single origin Chocolate bar
Good ++ 
Weight: .95 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.9 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate & Central America Theme Week.

Today's Guatemala - "3050 70% Single origin Chocolate bar" was made by Guido Gobino Srl (Torino, Italy), using cacao grown in Guatemala. (The geographic (GPS) coordinates of the cacao origin were included on the packaging: 15 degrees 49' 24.9" N - 90 degrees 42' 51.9" W.*)

The cacao from Paso Cocodrilo cacao farm/estate* in Guatemala (near the border with Laguna Lachua National Park) is known for its pleasant, sweet, cooked fruit and warm spice notes.

Aroma notes for this bar included a subtle and smooth blend of: dark chocolate, sweet dried fruits (fig, date, mixed tropical fruits), warm earth/clay, very faint buttery nut, gentle wood and sweet green (green walnuts in syrup).

Texture: smooth and buttery with a satisfying melt.

Flavor notes included: very smooth dark chocolate; diffuse sweet dried fruits (mixed fruit, fig and very light citrus (lemon, tangerine), the faintest hints of sweet ripe pineapple and cacao fruit); and brief flickers of gentle warm spice (cinnamon) sweet-green herbal and nut.

I enjoyed the beautiful range of subtle, gentle aroma and flavor notes. This chocolate was very light on bitterness (almost none), and rich in very subtle fruit and other flavors mentioned above.

I appreciated the company's sourcing information; gentle (criollo-like) cacao flavors; the short list of three ingredients; and the choice of the brightly colored packaging that featured a water color design of a  rainbow-hued parrot flying above a misty green stroke of lush forest. It was a cheery bar, in more ways than one.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Distinct bitter notes and marked astringency are balanced by sweetness, which adds complexity and balance. Intense cocoa aromas, accompanied by spicy nuances, emerge on the nose and palette."

Ingredients: "cocoa mass from Guatemala, sugar, cocoa butter."

Allergen-related information: "Gluten Free". "It may contain Hazelnut, Almond, Milk and Soy."

*Guido Gobino description: "Il Cacao Paso Cocodrilo nasce nel cuore di una foresta rigoliosa, coltivato con cura dalle comunita indigene. Un'eccellenza della nature che diventa emblema di regenerazione del territorio e custodes della sua biodiversita." 

*My translation into English: (The) Paso Cocodrilo Cacao was grown in the heart of a lush forest, carefully cultivated by indigenous communities. It is a natural treasure that has become a symbol of regeneration for the region and a guardian of its biodiversity.

Sabadi - Il Cioccolato di Pantelleria 83% (bar) - July 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Sabadi 
Il Cioccolato di Pantelleria 83% (tavoletta)
(The Chocolate of Pantelleria 83% (bar))
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 235.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

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

Today's Il Cioccolato di Pantelleria* 83% cacao (bar) was from Sabadi srl (Modica, Sicily, Italy).

This was a cold-processed organic chocolate with caper berries and "flower of salt." The cacao used to make this bar was from Ecuador; and the caper berries were from the island of Pantelleria--known for its high-quality caper berries.

Aroma and flavor notes included: rich, fudge-y, and smooth ultra-dark chocolate (chocolate-y, very faint earth and fruit), with delicate savory (caper berry) and satisfying salt notes.

Texture: smooth fudge-y texture. It had the freshness and initial feel of a rustic, stone-ground chocolate, but with a hearty, smooth melt and mouthfeel. An excellent blend of characteristics. (There was also no added cocoa butter, as is the style associated with Modica chocolates.)

I loved everything about this bar: the dark but smooth cacao flavor and fudge-y texture; the savory yet almost floral caper berries (unopened flower buds cured in salt) notes and the "flower" salt.

Full disclosure: I enjoy trying savory flavors; and I tend to like these better than your average chocolate lover. But, this had a special balance to it that I think most dark lovers will really appreciate. The tie-in with special places in Italy (Modica, Sicily--with its own unique chocolate making history--and the island of Pantelleria) made this chocolate all the more pleasing.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass^#+ -- origin: Ecuador -- variety: Nacional Fino de Aroma; cane sugar^#, Caperberries^ (min. 1.5%), flower of salt (min: 0.5%). Cocoa: 83% minimum. (^ = organic; # = presidio slow food; + = from fair trade producers.)

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk, and soy." Gluten Free, Vegan

*Pantelleria is a volcanic Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea (Sicilian Strait). It is relatively isolated and rugged. (It was used as a place of banishment by the Romans long ago.) But, it also has aspects of an island paradise (vacation destination). I visualize tasting all sorts of tasty savory dishes with capers with a side of sweet local wine.

  

Bonajuto - Bittersweet Chocolate with Orange Zest (bar) - Oct. 18, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Antica Dolceria Bonajuto S.r.l.
Bittersweet Chocolate with Orange Zest 01 (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 270 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Il Parco, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Bittersweet Chocolate with Orange Zest 01 (bar) was from Antica Dolceria Bonajuto S.r.l. (Modica, Italy).

Aroma and flavor notes for this Italian chocolate included: bittersweet dark chocolate; faint herbal spice (licorice); subtle citrus (orange); and honeycomb.

The texture in this relatively smooth chocolate with a stoneground-like texture actually seemed to come more from the sugar. 

The very subtle orange zest was very finely ground--perhaps into glistening, visible sugar crystals and incorporated into the bittersweet dark chocolate.

I liked the flavor blend, the interesting complexity, that it didn't seem too sweet, and that there were just three ingredients (thank you).

Ingredients: "cocoa mass, cane sugar, orange zest"

Allergen-related information: "May contain almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and milk"

Domori - 70% Trinitario Dark Chocolate Colombia (bar) - Sept. 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Domori
70% Trinitario Fondente - Dark Chocolate Colombia (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's 70% Trinitario Colombia (bar) was from Domori S.p.A (None (TO) Italy).

Aroma notes included: strong dark chocolate with slight loam/soil/peat notes.

This dark chocolate had an even, smooth texture and melt; and it was surprisingly low astringency given the strong aroma and initial flavor.

Flavor notes included: strong--but balanced, well-managed and executed dark chocolate. It had peat (and almost but not quite smoky/umami)--notes; however, it was quite good. It was much better than expected, given the initial aroma after the sealed, inner packaging was opened.

I liked the short list of (two) ingredients, and the natural sweetness that emerged from what tasted more like an 80%+ dark chocolate than a 70% cacao dark bar.

Maker's tasting notes: "Notes of cashew nuts and honey. Extraordinary sweetness and persistence."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar

Allergen-related information: May contain nuts, milk and soy. Gluten free.

Sabadi - Il Cioccolato di Agrigento (bar) - April 22, 2024

Chocolate of the The Day

Sabadi 
Il Cioccolato di Agrigento (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 118 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

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

Today's Il Cioccolato di Agrigento (bar) 60% (Ecuador cacao) chocolate bar with olive oil and bay leaves was from Sabadi srl (Modica, Sicily, Italy). (Agrigento is a town in southwest Sicily.)

Sabadi (Saturday in English) offers a variety of chocolates, including raw chocolates and Italian herb and fruit infused items, as well as other Italian foodstuffs. I recommend a browse of their website. If I'm able to travel to Sicily in the future, I'll definitely look them up.

Aroma notes included: sweet dark chocolate, savory herb and oil (very faint olive oil potato chips).

The texture of this chocolate was slightly crunchy from (I'm assuming) less refined sugar crystals, similar to some stone-ground chocolate where the cacao was minimally ground, adding a slightly crunchy creamy texture. In this case the sugar was the "rougher" ingredient, and not completely incorporated. I was expecting olive oil and cocoa butter creaminess. But I also enjoyed the added textural interest. (The company does some wonderful things with different sugars.) 

Flavor notes included: sweet, dark chocolate (with very faint fruit-floral); herb (light rosemary-mint, faint tarragon, sweet (Turkish) bay leaf). Note: there are different types of bay leaves. Bay* leaves in California are much stronger, and less "sweet" and nuanced than those found in Southern Europe.

This 60% "cold processed" chocolate was relatively sweet because: 1.) in part because the sugar crystals weren't ground down and fully incorporated, so I could taste the sweetness in a more intense way; 2.) the Ecuadorian cacao was inherently smooth (low in bitter/sour notes that can dampen or counter-balance sweetness); and 3.) 60% is a lower percentage of cacao than many dark bars (by definition there is more sugar).

Flavors were well balanced. The dried bay leaf had a lovely, nuanced/layered herbal flavor. The olive oil was very subtle.

I paired this chocolate with a high-umami, Italian-inspired meal with savory tomato and mushroom sauce. (Tomato is a high-umami fruit from the Americas that has become fully embedded into European--and global--cuisine(s).)**

Ingredients: Cocoa mass** -- origin: Ecuador -- variety: Nacional Fino de Aroma; cane sugar*, extra virgin olive oil (min. 5%), dried bay leaves (min. 1%). Cocoa: 60% minimum.

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts, milk and soy.

*California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica)--aka California laurel, Oregon myrtle, Pacific myrtle, Myrtlewood, Spice tree, Pepperwood---is native to California and Oregon in the U.S. It has a strong, almost eucalyptus-like/menthol-like strength. A little goes a long way. 

European bay laurel leaves are much more nuanced and pleasant (and less likely to give some people a headache).

** The Americas, for a variety of reasons, became more densely inhabited later than Africa, Europe and parts of Asia. The indigenous peoples of the Americas cultivated many species of plants and domesticated animals early on. 

Subsequent European explorers sped the spread of cacao, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peppers, vanilla, allspice, many squashes, Brazil nuts, avocados, tobacco, and many other uniquely American tropical fruits, grains and other foods worldwide in a big way. 

According to the Smithsonian Institution, approximately 60% of the world's diet today is based on foods that originated from the Americas.

 

Amedei - Milk Chocolate with Hazelnuts (chocolate block) - Mar. 10, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Amedei 
Prendime - Cioccolato Al Latte Con Nocciole
(Milk Chocolate with Hazelnuts)
Good ++
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) in total chocolate block (bar)
Calories: 435 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $16.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Hazelnuts bar was from Amedei* S.R.L. (Pontedera, Pisa, Italy). 

Aroma notes for this Tuscan chocolate included: roasted nuts (hazelnuts, peanuts) and subtle milk chocolate. (Note: this bar did not contain peanuts.)

The large bar was packed with whole, crunchy, toasted Piedmont (IGP**) hazelnuts. There was just enough sweet, buttery milk chocolate to bind these round nuts together. 

Flavor notes included: authentic, high-quality hazelnuts with complex nutty notes; and sweet, smooth milk chocolate.

Ingredients: Cane Sugar, Piedmont Hazelnut (30%), Cocoa Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Cocoa Mass. (Cocoa min. 32%.)

Allergen-related information: Contains hazelnuts, milk. "May contain traces of almond, pistachio, walnut."

*The Amedei Tuscany "Italian chocolate brand was founded by Cecilia Tessieri," the "first female master chocolatier" in Europe.

***Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP) or "Indication of Geographic Protection" for Piedmont hazelnuts (nocciola Piemonte). A variety of foods (cheeses, meats, hazelnuts), wines, and other agricultural products from Italy carry this IGP designation.

Guido Gobino - Indonesia 80% disks - Dec. 2, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Guido Gobino 
Indonesia 80% pieces/disks 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 4.41 oz. (125 g.) total package of 25 pieces
Calories: 136 calories (estimate) in 5 pieces
Cost: $18.50 for 1 package of 25 pieces
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Indonesia (single origin) 80% individually-wrapped chocolates were from Guido Gobino (Turin, Italy). 

Happily, this family-owned, bean-to-bar maker offers smaller, high-percentage cacao, single origin, chocolates from different countries--including today's small (5 g.) disks made with Indonesian cacao. (Not all small chocolates are sugary, rather bland confections.)

Aroma notes for these individually-wrapped small disks included: aromatic dark chocolate; fruit (dark cherry); and woodsy earth (very faint, balanced peat/loam).

Texture: well-tempered (broke with a snap); smooth melt and mouthfeel--with a bit of faintly crunchy, ground cacao nib/bean fibers; and an almost invisible astringency in one or two bites (that may show up when you combine this chocolate with other foods).

Flavor notes included: rich, extra dark chocolate; very faint, dark/dried fruit (cherry); very faint, fleeting butter; very faint woodsy earth (peat, loam); and very faint, fleeting lemony-green herb (oxalis).

These chocolates were enjoyably complex, well-executed, robust and dark, and were not too sweet. (Thank you!)

Bar and Cocoa tasting notes: "...fragrant and intense, with notes of dried fruit and cocoa"

Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter; Cocoa 80% minimum

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of milk, hazelnuts, soy

 

Perugina - Dark Chocolate 51% Cacao Premium Chocolate (bar) - June 21, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Perugina
Dark Chocolate 51% Cacao Premium Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) / 3 oz. (86 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Perugina Dark Chocolate 51% Cacao Premium Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by Nestle Italiana S.p.A., Milano, IT).*

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: smooth, sweet dark chocolate (sweet green floral, vanilla, marshmallow, roasted cocoa, and very faint aromatic smoke/tobacco and malted crisped rice).

The bar had a creamy melt and thick, almost velvety texture.

Flavor notes included: sweet cocoa; chocolate-y (dark chocolate mousse, torte, ganache); sweet vanilla; creamy, sweet hot cocoa/drinking chocolate; and an almost undetectable (very faint, balanced) earth/dense forest (Forastero-like cacao variety) note in the finish.

This chocolate was described on the label as "...a surprisingly gentle and aromatic dark chocolate." 

A gentler flavor and/or smoother texture can be created from a more intense cacao variety in several ways: 1.) alkalize the cacao (neutralizing/reducing natural acidity and bitterness); 2.) conch/grind cacao mass for a longer period of time (reducing particle size and yielding a smoother flavor and texture); 3.) add cocoa butter for natural creaminess and vanilla to mellow/sweeten flavor.

Most small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate makers who source high-quality (and typically more expensive) single origin cacao beans may add cocoa butter (the fat portion of the cacao bean); but they rarely alkalize cacao or add vanilla to their single origin chocolate bars. As with wine, these makers aim to showcase unique and special varietal flavors, not to produce a uniform flavor year over year.

However, if you've ever done a side-by-side tasting of hot chocolates (made with processed (dry) cocoa powders with and without alkalizing) you'll understand why higher-volume manufacturers choose to "smooth out the rough edges" across different cacao batches/harvests/origins. There are more customers who prefer sweet and smooth cocoa (made with "tamed" cacao that was rougher (or occasionally lower quality) to start with) and at a more affordable price point. 

Today's skillfully executed 51% chocolate falls at the high-end of high-volume chocolate.

Ingredients: Sugar, chocolate** (processed with alkali), cocoa butter**, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor. (** Rainforest Alliance Certified)

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk and tree nuts."

*Perugina chocolates date back to 1907. Baci-Perugina was created by Luisa Spagnoli in the early 1900s; and the company was acquired by Nestle S.A. (Vevey, Switzerland) in 1988.

Karuna Chocolate - Raspberries and Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - June 20, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Karuna Chocolate 
Raspberries and dark chocolate 70% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 151.8 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Raspberries and dark chocolate 70% (bar) was from Karuna Chocolate (Velturno, Belzano/South Tyrol, in northern Italy).  

Aroma notes included: relatively bold, balanced dark chocolate with authentic red berry (red raspberry).

Flavor notes for this vegan chocolate included: bold dark chocolate (very faint roasted cacao/nut), authentic red raspberry--complete with dried raspberry fruit flecks, and tiny upticks in tart-sweet berry flavor.

Dark chocolate fans will appreciate the deep dense cacao flavor (with faint balanced forest/earth notes), and a 70% cacao + fruit chocolate that wasn't too sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: Cocoa beans*, raw cane sugar*, cocoa butter*, freeze dried raspberries* (1%). Cocoa min. 70%. (*certified organic)

Allergen-related information: "It may contain traces of nuts."

Aruntam - Caffe Latte 48% Caffe Napoletano & Latte Italiano (bar) - June 19, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Aruntam Sensory Chocolate
Caffe Latte Dark Milk 48% Caffe Napoletano and Latte Italiano (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Caffe Latte Dark Milk 48% Caffe Napoletano and Latte Italiano (bar) from Aruntam Sensory Chocolate (made at JoyFlor srl in Milano, Italia).

The company describes this "Italian Life Style" milk chocolate this way: "Esteemed Coffee from India with delicate chocolate notes, roasted in Naples, and united with the best Italian milk, creates a chocolate bar that will delight your palette."

Aroma notes for this bean to bar craft chocolate bar included: fresh coffee (cappuccino) blended with subtle sweet, rich cocoa; and very faint salt caramel.

The texture and melt were creamy. There was a very slight dryness (astringency) about 4 seconds in my mouth; otherwise is was quite smooth.

The 48% milk chocolate had smooth cocoa and fudge flavor with very faint nut and earth notes. This well-balanced blend was relatively complex and rich for a lower-percentage (<50%) cacao chocolate, and wasn't overly sweet (thank you!). The coffee and whole milk added authentic flavor and helped balance the sweetness.

Ingredients: "organic cacao beans, Italian whole milk, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter, coffee (4%); Emulsifier: organic sunflower lecithin." (Cacao: 48% min.)

Allergen-related information: Contains milk and may contain traces of nuts.

Sabadi srl - Prickly Pear Peels & Marjoram (bar) - June 18, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Sabadi srl
Prickly Pear Peels and Marjoram (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120.75 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA 

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

Today's Prickly Pear Peels and Marjoram (bar) was from Sabadi srl (Modica, Italy).

The cacao used to make this chocolate was from Ecuador. The prickly pear peels were, I'm guessing, from cactus fruits (Opuntia ficus indica*, aka fico d'india) grown in Catania (Sicily). These fruits are said to symbolize life in Catania (near Mount Etna)--a life that can include adapting to tough conditions and overcoming thorny obstacles, as well as enjoying sweet fruit.

Aroma notes for this "cold-processed organic chocolate" included: smooth dark chocolate and aromatic herbal (marjoram, thyme)** notes.

The base dark chocolate--peppered with crunchy sugar crystals--was relatively sweet (60%) and smooth.

Flavor notes for this 60% cacao chocolate included: smooth dark chocolate infused with authentic marjoram herbal flavor. I couldn't really pick out prickly pear peel flavors (perhaps a mild diffuse fruit sweetness and a few tiny fibrous botanical bits. (The peels did add some fiber, if not distinct flavor.)

I enjoyed the flavors. Marjoram was the most notable flavor inclusion, but all three elements (sweet cocoa, marjoram and prickly pear peels) were blended skillfully together.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass (organic, from fair trade producers, presidio slow food) -- origin: Ecuador -- variety: Nacional Fino de Aroma; cane sugar (organic, slow food), prickly pear peels (organic) (min. 2%), marjoram (organic) (min. 0.7%). Cocoa: 60% minimum.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk and soy"

*Rose-colored when ripe, prickly pear cactus fruits in the Americas are sometimes known as cactus pears (from the nopal cactus) in English, or "tunas" in Spanish. 

**This bar contained marjoram, but no thyme to my knowledge. As always, write-ups on Chocolate Banquet include observations about and descriptions of aroma and flavor notes (like wood, nut, herb, floral). These notes are perceived/tasted, but are not necessarily literal.

Kitchen & Love - 85% Cocoa Extra Dark Chocolate Covered Almond Stuffed Dates - June 17, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Kitchen and Love
85% Cocoa Extra Dark Chocolate Covered Almond Stuffed Dates
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .89 oz. (26 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 112 calories in 2 piece serving
Cost: $4.49 for 1 package of 8 pieces
Purchased from: Crossroads Specialty Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's 85% Cocoa Extra Dark Chocolate Covered Almond Stuffed Dates were from Kitchen and Love Foods ("Cucina et Amore"), and were imported into the U.S. by Cucina and Amore Inc (Novato, CA). They company began with Italian specialty foods and has expanded over time.

Aroma notes for these individually-wrapped treats included: dark chocolate, dried fruit (date) and nut (roasted almond).

The texture was a layered blend of thin dark chocolate shell, moist date, and crunchy almond at the center.

Flavor notes included: bold dark chocolate, date and roasted almond. I enjoyed this flavorful, complementary trio of flavors and textures. The 85% dark chocolate and the almond helped balance the sweet date fruit.

Ingredients: "Dates, Dark Chocolate [Cocoa Mass, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Powder, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Whole Milk Powder, Natural Vanilla], Almonds, Salt."

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Tree Nuts, Milk and Soy."

Sabadi - Zen, Zenzero Cioccolato Di Modica I.G.P. Biologico (bar) - June 16, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Sabadi srl
Zen - Zenzero Cioccolato Di Modica I.G.P. Biologico 
(Zen - Organic Modica Chocolate with Ginger (bar))
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 118 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Zen - Zenzero Cioccolato Di Modica I.GP. Biologico (bar) was from Sabadi srl (Modica, Italy), and imported into the U.S. by A. Priori Specialty Food Importing and Distribution (Salt Lake City, UT).

The dark chocolate had a smooth/even flavor, and a crunchy texture--from tiny sugar crystals, giving this bar a stoneground texture, and slightly more layered sweet taste.

Aroma and flavor notes included: sweet, dark chocolate; subtle warm ginger; and very faint malt.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, ginger (0.6%). Cocoa 60% minimum.

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes: nuts, milk and soy"

Karuna Chocolate - Date Sugar Dolcificante Ai Datteri Dark Chocolate 80% (bar) - June 15, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Karuna Chocolate 
Date Sugar Dolcificante Ai Datteri Dark Chocolate 80% (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 154 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Date Sugar Dolcificante Ai Datteri Dark Chocolate 80% (bar) was from Karuna Chocolate (Velturno, Belzano/South Tyrol, in northern Italy).  

The cacao used to make this bold dark chocolate was from Oko Caribe in El Cibao Region, Duarte Province, in north central Dominican Republic.

Aroma notes included: bold dark chocolate and very faint dried fruit (date and very faint caramelized dried, green banana), and very faint brown sugar.

The chocolate had a creamy, thick melt and smooth texture.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (deep, dark fudge, subtle earth, roasted cacao), faint dried fruit, and very faint sparkles of clean mineral water and barely there dark, bitter stout and dark roasted nuts. Instead of being sweetened with cane sugar, the maker(s) chose to use date powder, giving it a very faint date/brown sugar flavor. 

This made "without added sugar" ultra-dark bar had a balanced bitterness, and a relatively subtle fruit acidity.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans*, date powder*, cocoa butter*; Cocoa min. 80% (* certified organic)

Allergen-related information:  "It may contain traces of nuts."

Karuna Chocolate - Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate 80% (bar) - June 14, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Karuna Chocolate 
Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate 80% (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 157 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate 80% (bar) was from Karuna Chocolate (Velturno, BZ/South Tyrol, in northern Italy).  

Aroma notes included: pleasing dark chocolate (dark rich cocoa), subtle dried fruit (plum) and faint brown sugar.

This 80% bar, made with cacao grown in the Dominican Republic, had a creamy smooth melt and texture.

Flavor notes included: deep, rich dark chocolate (cocoa, fudge brownie), balanced stone fruit (plum, nectarine) acidity, very light sweet green, brown sugar, and very faint ale/porter, soft earth and fleeting warm spice, nut, and clean mineral water.

I really enjoyed this satisfyingly complex ultra-dark chocolate. It had very balanced, mild bitterness, and a wonderfully nuanced bouquet of single origin cacao and raw sugar notes.

Ingredients: "Cocoa beans*, raw cane sugar*, cocoa butter* (Cocoa min. 80%) (*certified organic)"

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts" 

Rimini - Hazelnut, Sicilian Pistachio & Italian Espresso Chocolates - June 13, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Rimini Chocolate
1.) Hazelnut - Good ++ - Good +++
2.) Sicilian Pistachio - Good ++ 
3.) Italian Espresso - Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 3 pieces out of a total 25-piece box
Calories: (No information; this was a gift)
Cost: $ N/A - gift from family (Thank you Megan!)
Purchased from: N/A - Mother's Day gift

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Italy Theme Week.

Today's Hazelnut, Sicilian Pistachio and Italian Espresso chocolates were from Rimini Chocolate (Colorado). 

After spending time in Rimini, Italy, owner and chocolatier Michael Schneider opened two Italian-inspired gelato and chocolate shops in Vail and Beaver Creek (CO) in the U.S.

These attractive, Italian-inspired, filled chocolates were skillfully executed blends of texture and taste. Flavor notes included rich, smooth dark/bittersweet chocolate and delicious soft, flowing caramel ganache flavored centers. 

The Hazelnut chocolate had almost impossibly silky smooth, sweet filling with authentic,  appealing hazalnut/gianduja flavor. The thin, attractively decorated dark chocolate shell had balanced boldness (very faint, fleeting earth) that helped balance the sweetness and natural nut flavor. The layered chocolate and hazelnut flavors were in perfect balance with each other.

Sicilian Pistachio very faint oxalis in aroma. Much like an excellent Italian pistachio gelato, the authentic pistachio flavor bloomed gradually after the first bite. And the texture of the filling was, like the Hazelnut, silky smooth.

 And the Italian Espresso was a faithful rendering of this most satisfying beverage.

Rimini describes their Italian Espresso filled chocolate this way: "...This...Tuscan pick-me-up presents rich caramel infused with fresh roasted Italian style espresso surrounded by dark chocolate." The texture, like almost all the chocolates in this collection was superb: silky smooth, almost whipped, yet very rich. 

This was a caramel, mocha cappuccino to remember. If I lived in Colorado, I would try out their gelato flavors as well. I'm sure they are good.

The centers were flavorful (and just a little bit salty like other ones?? or no). And the flavors were high-end, fresh and authentic.

They were well-executed, what you're more likely to see from a ?? trained chef/chocolatier. The couverture thicknesses were just right (not too thick). Everything was well-balanced--smooth yet flavorful. Not too sweet; and well balanced with salt. And their elegant, hand "painted" appearance made them well-suited for gifts.

Ingredients: (Received as a gift; outside packaging/information had been removed.)

Allergen-related information: (May have contained milk.) (No information.) 

 

Rimini - Tahitian Vanilla, Single Origin Dark, Raspberry, Spiced Orange - June 12, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Rimini Chocolate
1.) Tahitian Vanilla - Good + - Good ++
2.) Single Origin Dark - Good ++
3.) Raspberry Caramel - Good ++ - Good +++
4.) Spiced Orange Caramel - Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 4 pieces out of a total 25-piece box
Calories: (No information; this was a gift)
Cost: $ N/A - gift from family (Thank you Megan!)
Purchased from: N/A - Mother's Day gift

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

Today's four filled chocolates: Tahitian Vanilla, Single Origin Dark and Raspberry Caramel, were from Rimini Chocolate (Colorado). 

After spending time in Rimini, Italy, owner and chocolatier Michael Schneider opened two Italian-inspired gelato and chocolate shops in Vail and Beaver Creek (CO) in the U.S.

Filled chocolates tend to have fainter aromas. The notes I could detect for these Italian-inspired, high-end chocolates included: faint chocolate and authentic spice and fruit notes.

These attractive chocolates had skillfully executed blends texture and taste. 

Tahitian Vanilla flavor notes included: rich, flowing sweet caramel filling (balanced with a slightly earthy note in the dark shell, and faint, authentic vanilla bean. Aroma notes also included very faint, sweet tart green (oxalis).

The Single Origin* Dark chocolates were filled with a silky smooth dark ganache. Very pleasing on the palette. The thin dark shell that surrounded the ganache was smooth and flavorful. Aroma notes also included rich cocoa and a very faint fruit.

The Raspberry Caramel chocolate had an exceptionally good silky chocolate caramel ganache with a heavenly texture: light and lofty and almost flowing. All this was heightened by authentic sweet tart red raspberry infused flavor (the best fresh raspberry jam you can imagine, without the seeds). Aroma notes also included subtle, fresh raspberry fruit. This was a favorite.

The Spiced Orange Caramel was just as wonderful as the Raspberry Caramel. The same rich but yet light and fluffy at the same time (an apparent contradiction skillfully achieved). The spice and orange and chocolate flavors were in perfect balance.

The chocolates in this 25-piece assortment box were well-executed in every respect. The couverture thicknesses were just right. The ganaches were silky smooth. The flavors were fresh and authentic. Everything was well-balanced--smooth yet flavorful. They were not over-sugared. And their elegant, hand "painted" appearance(s) made them perfect for a special gift.

Ingredients: (Received as a gift; outside packaging/information had been removed.)

Allergen-related information: (May have contained milk.) (No information.) 

*The cacao origin wasn't listed; it tasted like a high-end, smooth dark chocolate.

 

Karuna Chocolate - Gin infused dark chocolate 75% Edelschwarz Alpine Bio Gin (bar) - May 14, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Karuna Chocolate
Gin infused dark chocolate 75% Edelschwarz Alpine Bio Gin (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 158.7 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Gin infused dark chocolate 75% Edelschwarz* Alpine Bio Gin (bar) was from Karuna Chocolate (South Tyrol, Italy).

Mountains are special places. This chocolate was made from Chuncho cacao grown in the mountains of the Urubamba Valley in Peru by Karuna Chocolate makers who live and produce chocolate in view of the Alps--in an area where Italian, German and Austrian influences can be felt (think Edelweiss flowers, felt hats, forests and mountains).

The subtle but complex aroma notes for this 75% dark chocolate bar included: chocolate (faint roasted, very faint raisin rice pudding, dark berries (blueberry, cranberry, juniper)), faint citrus botanical, and very faint Boston brown (molasses) bread.

This dark chocolate had a creamy, "light"/whipped texture with a relatively rapid melt. (Chuncho cacao is associated with having a slightly higher percent of cocoa butter and a creamy texture.)

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (dark forest, rich, roasted cacao), dark berries (blueberry, cranberry, juniper), and very faint gin citrus (lemon) and botanicals. (There was no alcohol flavor.)

This chocolate was not too sweet (thank you), making it easier to make out the chocolate and gin flavor nuances. The juniper (often the signature flavor of a gin flavor inclusion) was extremely subtle allowing other berries/fruits and botanicals to share the stage.

I suggest savoring this chocolate slowly to appreciate the subtle flavors. It reminded me of sitting quietly in a dark forest glade and gradually noticing berries, flowers and perhaps a small bunny or two scampering by. Something a little magical about this place. 

Maker's tasting notes: "berries, citrus fruits, juniper and herbs"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans*, raw cane sugar*, Edelschwarz Bio Gin* (20%), cocoa butter*, Cocoa min. 75% (*certified organic).

Allergen-related information: "It may contain traces of nuts." ("Non-alcoholic product")

*Edelschwarz is a dry London style gin with 17 botanicals including (edelweiss), blueberry (schwarzbeere), juniper, cranberry, rosehips...and more.  

D. Barbero - Cioccolato Senza Zuccheri Aggiunti and Fondente Cuba (bars) - Jan. 16, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Barbero Davide S.r.l. 

D. Barbero - Cioccolato Senza Zuccheri Aggiunti 70% (bar)
(70% Chocolate without Sugar) 
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 173.2 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mollie Stone's Market, Sausalito, CA

D. Barbero - Fondente Origine Unica Cuba Cacao 70% (bar)
(Dark Single Origin Cuba 70% Cacao (bar))
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 226 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mollie Stone's Market, Sausalito, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of European Chocolate Vacation Theme Week. Yesterday Chocolate Banquet (virtually) visited Milan in northern Italy; and today I (imagined) heading southeast to Asti (Piedmont Region) to enjoy a sip of Asti sparkling wine, Bunet pastry (amaretti, cocoa, eggs, milk, rum), and local Asti chocolates.

Today's two D. Barbero dark chocolate bars were from Barbero Davide S.r.l. (Asti, Italy). Both were 70% cacao single origin bars with smooth, sweet dark chocolate flavor. 

Cioccolato Senza Zuccheri Aggiunti (bar)

The first of today's two bars tasted was a sugar-free/no added sugar offering (made with Ecuador cacao). This dark chocolate had a faint chocolate cookie/biscuit note, and I tasted a very slight temperature flux (menthol note) on my palette (that I often experience with erythritol-sweetened items). However, for those who really need to limit sugar, this offering may be a welcome option.

Ingredients: Ecuador cocoa paste, sweetener: erythritol, cocoa butter, inulin, emulsifier: soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavour.

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts, milk. Contains natural sugars. An excessive consumption may cause laxative effects.

Fondente Origine Unica Cuba Cacao 70% (bar)

The second 70% cacao dark bar--made from Cuba cacao--was a treat, as this Caribbean nation origin is a rare find. It had smooth, true chocolate aroma and flavor (dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate frosting/dark chocolate mousse cake) with a hint of vanilla, and a very faint sweet, fruit blend (light ripe banana, strawberry, peach, light cherry) note in the finish. 

Ingredients: Cuba cocoa paste, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavour. Cacao min. 70%.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk."