The Organic House - Banana Foster 65% Cacao, Nicaragua (bar) - May 29, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Banana Foster 65% Cacao, Nicaragua (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 147 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Central America Theme Week.

Today's Banana Foster 65% Cacao, Nicaragua O'Payo (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada).

This bar was made with O'Payo Nicaragua cacao from Ingemann, a family-owned cacao producer in Nicaragua.

Aroma notes included: smooth dark chocolate, light tropical fruit (banana) and faint, light sweet green.

Texture: smooth hearty texture and thick, creamy melt. The banana and coconut sugar were fully incorporated into the chocolate.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate accompanied by all aspects of banana: sweet, fruity, smooth, bitter/astringent; faint dark sugars (coconut flower sugar/brown sugar); fleeting caramel; and sweet floral (vanilla).

The freeze-dried bananas maintained a lot of their original concentrated flavor

I enjoyed this naturally sweet, flavorful and complex tropical banana ride, and appreciated the thoughtful sourcing and diligent execution behind all the ingredients, e.g. the use of single origin (Peru) cocoa butter.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Fruity notes accompanied with sweet notes of banana and vanilla."

Ingredients: "Nicaragua O'Payo cacao beans, Coconut flower nectar, Bananas, Peru cacao butter, Vanilla beans"

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that uses tree nuts.  

Hapa Chocolat - M.B.P. Uganda Distinct Flavors By Origin - Mango, Banana, Pineapple (bar) - Apr. 26, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hapa Chocolat 
M.B.P. Uganda - Mango, Banana Pineapple (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.22 oz. (63 g.) in total bar
Calories: 339 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Hapa Chocolat, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & Uganda Theme Week.

Today's M.B.P.* Uganda Distinct Flavors By Origin: Mango, Banana, Pineapple (bar) (Harvest: 2022, Batch #10) was created by Hapa Chocolat, LLC (Los Gatos, CA) using cacao from Uganda (Semuliki Forest) and three fruits that mirror naturally occurring cacao flavors.

Aroma and flavor notes include: dark chocolate and tropical fruits (pineapple, banana, mango and cacao pulp/fruit).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a slight crunchy granularity (finely ground, likely freeze-dried fruit particles) that all melted/chewed down together nicely by the finish. 

I enjoyed: 1.) the texture and flavor arc; 2.) authentic fruit flavors that mirrored/complemented naturally occurring cacao (fruit pulp) flavors; and 3.) the short list of ingredients.

Ingredients: "Chocolate (organic cacao, cacao butter, sugar), Banana, Pineapple, Mango"

Allergen-related information: "Soy Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free"

*I am assuming that M.B.P. stands for Mango, Banana and Pineapple.

Hana Gold - 51% Milk Chocolate with Hana Banana (bar) - Mar. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hana Gold
51% Milk Chocolate with Hana Banana (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in total bar
Calories: 241 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Hana Gold, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Gold Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week. 

Today's 51% Milk Chocolate with Hana Banana (bar) was distributed by Hana Gold Farm (Hana Highway, Maui, HI).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and light banana.

Texture: soft, initially almost gummy, texture with a creamy and light mouthfeel once melted.

Flavor notes included: slightly fruity, rich, sweet, dark and milky/creamy chocolate--with thin, crunchy banana slices of dried banana.

This sweet, balanced dark milk chocolate bar still had some pleasing, mild complexity (very slightly fruity cocoa, banana, vanilla). That is, the higher percentage of sugar and milk (51% vs. 70%) in this bar did not eclipse the other/more subtle flavors.

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole and skim milk, whey, soy lecithin, vanilla, organic dried banana.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, soy (lecithin). "Made in a facility that also processes nuts, dairy, soy.

Goodnow Farms Chocolate - Chocolate Banana Split; Ecuador, 59% Cacao (bar) - Feb. 2, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Goodnow Farms Chocolate
Chocolate Banana Split; Ecuador, 59% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 320 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 (current price) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Goodnow Farms Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Unique Chocolates Week.

Today's Chocolate Banana Split; Bean Origin: Ecuador, 59% Cacao (bar) was from Goodnow Farms Chocolate (Sudbury, MA). 

I loved that the makers took advantage of a cacao with slightly fruity (red fruit/berry) notes and leveraged that in creating today's banana split (ice cream sundae-inspired) chocolate. The vanilla and banana flavors (added to the cacao and berry notes) were subtle; and the final blend was creamy and delicious.

Warning: addictive, especially if you're hungry.

Thank you to the makers at Goodnow Farms for their thoughtful process and creations, short list of quality ingredients, and for using organic ingredients.

Ingredients: "Single Origin Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Single Origin Cocoa Butter, Organic Whole Milk Powder, Organic Bananas, Salt, Single Origin Vanilla Beans"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Soy Free, Gluten Free"

Ocho Candy - Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Minis - Nov. 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Ocho Candy

Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Minis
Good ++

Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package of 8 minis

Calories: 280 calories in minis
Cost: $ Missing information 
Purchased from: Missing information

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week. 

This post is about good memories.

Today's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Minis were from Ocho Candy, Inc. (Oakland, CA). Ocho closed down earlier this year after 14 years in business. (Fortunately, these were in my chocolate vault.)

Ocho Candy's founders were committed to making higher-quality chocolate candy bars--before many companies had even considered Organic and Fair Trade, or gluten-free, chocolate bars, or dropping artificial colors and ingredients. They made some great small candy bars.

And speaking of memories, I chose today's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter mini bars because they reminded me of a chocolate, peanut butter and fresh banana milk shake I fell in love with--at a poolside bar in Maui, many years ago. I made a delicious fresh banana milkshake at home and enjoyed these Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Minis with the shake, and pretended I was back in Hawaii. 

The two-bite bars had a smooth dark chocolate outer layer and a both creamy and very slightly crunchy peanut butter interior. The sugar and salt levels in the peanut butter filling were perfect for my taste. 

These individually-wrapped treats were easy to share and transport; but a smaller bar size didn't help with portion control. I'll just have one more...I thought, three times.

Ingredients: *Dark Chocolate, (*+Cacao Beans, *Evaporated Cane Sugar, *+Cocoa Butter, Sunflower Lecithin), *Peanut Butter (*Peanuts), *Cane Sugar, *+Cocoa Butter, *Peanut Flour, *Sugar (*Cane Sugar, *Tapioca Starch) and Sea Salt. (* = Organic; + = Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA)

Allergen-related information: Contains: Peanuts. Made on Shared Equipment That Processes Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, Eggs, and Wheat.

 

Heinde and Verre - Dutch Vegan Mylk 52% Chocolate (Indonesia, DR, Peru) - Nov. 26, 2023

Chocolate of the Day 

Heinde and Verre
Dutch Vegan Mylk 52% Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in package of 2 bars
Calories: 199 calories in 1 bar (1/2 of a 2-bar package) 
Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Indonesia Theme Week, featuring chocolates made with cacao grown across the Republic of Indonesia--that includes 17,000+ islands--and origins such as Java and Bali.

Today's Dutch Vegan Mylk Chocolate (bar) was from Heinde and Verre B.V. (Rotterdam, The Netherlands). Like the company's name (rough translation: near and far), high-quality ingredients were selected from at least three different continents.

The cacao used to make this 52% cacao bar was from Indonesia, the Dominican Republic, and Peru.

Aroma notes for this vegan bar included: complex dark chocolate, dried fruit (banana), sweet green and subtle rice/oat cereal. 

The texture was thick and creamy, with no unpleasant graininess (from oats, rice). All the flavor inclusions were fully incorporated into the mylk chocolate. 

The sealed packaging helped keep this bar smooth, in-temper,* and fresh-tasting. (And it also made it easy to share a bar with someone else.)

Flavor notes included chocolate, fruit - (fully incorporated), authentic banana, and pleasant, very subtle oat and rice "milk" and very faint coconut.

This was one of the most well-crafted and tasty vegan "milk" bars I've tasted. Alternative milk bars often taste/feel a bit starchy; or the oats or rice can muddle the taste of the cacao with duller flavors.

Today's bar was very nicely balanced, not too sweet, with a pleasing complexity. 

Ingredients: "Cacao beans and cacao butter (52%), sugar, oat, cocos, banana, rice, calcium, sunflower lecithin, salt." 

Allergen-related information: (None listed. See ingredients list above.)

*Chocolate is tempered (using precise cycles of heating and cooling). The perfect temper results in chocolate bars that break with a hard snap at room temperature, and well-tempered chocolates have a longer shelf life as well. If chocolate sits in the sun, or is subjected to other extremes, it can lose its firm texture and desirable appearance and become out of temper.

Rimini - Banana-Rum and Salt Caramel chocolates - June 2, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Rimini
1.) Banana Rum - Good ++
2.) Maple-Bourbon - Good ++
3.) Salted Caramel - Good ++ - Good +++

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

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Spirits and Savory Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Banana-Rum, Maple-Bourbon and Salted Caramel 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.

Aroma notes for these chocolates included: faint chocolate, warm spice, salt caramel, and very faint spirits.

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

The Banana-Rum chocolate had subtle tropical fruit (banana) and faint salted butter rum flavoring. The Maple-Bourbon filled chocolate had faint, authentic maple and bourbon flavor notes. 

The centers were flavorful (and just a little bit salty). And the flavors were high-end, fresh and authentic.

Last, but not least was the Salted Caramel piece. I paired all of today's chocolates with a savory snack plate (homemade salted potato with cheeses, artichoke, savory almonds); but even so, the salt level in the Salted Caramel was very satisfying even on its own. A dark chocolate shell surrounded a beautifully silky salt caramel center. 

These were my kind of filled chocolates. They were well-executed, likely by 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.) 

Pure Boost - Cocoa Banana Bounty Superfood Blend - Mar. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Pure Boost Superfood Blends
Cocoa Banana Bounty Superfood Blend
Good +
Weight: 1/3 cup (27 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 70 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Pure Boost Cocoa Banana Bounty Superfood Blend was distributed by IMS (Shelton, CT).

Aroma and flavor notes included: slightly tangy sweetened fruit (berry and banana) with smooth, subtle cocoa -- a cocoa flavor that became richer and closer to chocolate milk once mixed with milk. 

The powder mixed and incorporated fairly readily with the milk of choice and a bit of water. There was no grainy or sedimentary texture once blended.

No added sugar, non-dairy, gluten free, plant based, allergen free

The flavors were attenuated a little--often the case when foods are processed to create a powdered form. But, the flavors of real banana and faint cocoa did come through.

 The sweetness tasted a little too enhanced initially; but then it calmed down to something more natural. The pros of alternative sweeteners (like erythritol and stevia blends) included the absence of a processed sugar buzz or sugar-coated teeth afterwards. The plant/seed-based protein powder also helped balance the sweetness and any fruit acidity.

Today's blend was described as a "...boost to juices, smoothies and baking" and I tried sampling this powdered mix by itself and with (dairy) milk. 

On the back of the package was a smoothie recipe, calling for blending 1/3 cup of this Cocoa Banana Bounty blend with one cup of a milk of choice, 1 fresh banana and two tablespoons of nut butter. I agree this would be quite good.

Ingredients: Plant-based protein blend (pumpkin seed protein, sunflower flour, hemp seed protein, flax meal), banana powder, Pyure organic sweetener blend (organic erythritol, organic soluble tapioca fiber, organic stevia leaf extract, organic natural flavor), natural cocoa powder, natural flavor.

Allergen-related information: "Non dairy, gluten free, allergen free"

Daily Harvest - Banana + Cacao Bites - Jan. 20, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Distributed by Daily Harvest
Banana + Cacao Bites 
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total container
Calories: 200 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $1.99 for 1 serving
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week. 

Today's Banana + Cacao Bites were distributed by Daily Harvest Inc. (New York, NY). These bites were a blend of banana,* cashew, oats, almond, dark chocolate, chaga, and vanilla bean. 

Aroma notes for these frozen snack bites (made with mostly organic ingredients) included: banana, cocoa, light floral (vanilla), and a very faint nutty/savory note.

These frozen treats had the texture of soft, frozen cookie dough. The banana (the number two ingredient) had a nice (very mildly gooey), sweet ripe fruit, softness and acted as a pleasant, natural binder.

The complex blend of flavors (ingredients, see below) including a cocoa flavor mixed with banana and nut flavors were harmonious and each gradually emerged to take at least a small turn--including a brief flicker of mild mushroom (chaga).

I was pleased that these frozen bites easily satisfied a sweet snack craving after only two bites. (Unlike ice cream, which has a more addictive or "moreish" quality.) While not a low carb frozen dessert (date paste is the number one ingredient--although there is no white sugar), nut butter (cashew) and powder (almond) provided enough fat and protein (and added fiber) contributed to the sense of satiation.

Ingredients: Organic date paste; organic bananas; organic cashew butter; organic, gluten-free whole grain oats; organic cassava root flour; almond powder; organic 100% unsweetened dark chocolate; Himalayan sea salt; organic chaga mushroom powder; vanilla bean powder. 

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nuts (almond, cashew). Made in a facility that also processes tree nuts, soy and dairy.

* You may be asking, where are the berries in today's entry? In botanical terms, a "berry" is a fruit with seeds and pulp that develops from the ovary of a flower. Bananas are, using this classification system, considered berries.

Crunchies Natural Foods - Freeze-Dried Bananas in Milk Chocolate - May 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Distributed by Crunchies Natural Food Company, LLC

Freeze-Dried Bananas in Milk Chocolate

Good +

Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) / 5 oz. (142 g.) in total package

Calories: 280 calories in 2 servings

Cost: $3.99 for 1 package

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

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

Today's Freeze-Dried Bananas in Milk Chocolate were distributed by Crunchies Natural Food Company, LLC (Calabasas, CA).

These glossy, milk chocolate covered pieces had an aroma with mild milk chocolate and faint fruit (banana milkshake) notes.

The authentic, light (almost airy) and crunchy banana slices that lay at the center of these chocolate confections were a cause for celebration. The company offers a line of crunchy freeze-dried fruits, including some that are chocolate-coated (strawberry, banana and blueberry).

The smooth creamy and fairly sweet milk chocolate (coating) was the metaphorical "icing on the cake." These pieces also had an addictive snack quality (real milk chocolate with whole milk powder will do that to me sometimes). So if you're overly hungry or craving something sweet, you may eat more than you planned.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, whole milk powder, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (emulsifier), natural vanilla extract), freeze-dried banana, confectioners glaze, gum arabic.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy" "May contain eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat"

Alec's Ice Cream - Chocolate Organic Ice Cream (+ fruits) - Dec. 8, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Alec's Ice Cream
Chocolate Organic Ice Cream (+ fruits)
Good ++
Weight: 1/2 cup (92 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 cup
Cost: $2.99 for 1 container (pint)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Weeks.

Today's Chocolate Organic Ice Cream was made by Alec's Ice Cream (Petaluma, CA).

This chocolate ice cream was quite tasty, with a creamy melt and texture, and rich chocolate, cream caramel, and fleeting fudge-y earth, faint salt, nut and dark chocolate cookie aroma and flavor notes. 

I tried this ice cream by itself--and with a banana split, with sliced banana and two other ice cream flavors (strawberry and passion fruit). It was good both ways; but I liked it best a la carte. A great, flavorful chocolate ice cream will not let you down.

Ingredients: *Cream, *skim milk, *cane sugar, *bittersweet chocolate (*cacao beans, *cane sugar, *cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin), *cocoa (processed with alkali), *egg yolks. Less than 2% of: *locust bean gum, *guar gum. (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Contains: dairy and eggs." "Manufactured on equipment that also processes tree nuts, peanuts and soy."

Chocolate Naive - 61% Dark Milk Chocolate with Golden Berries and Banana (bar) - Nov. 30, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Naive 
61% Dark/Milk Chocolate with Golden Berries and Banana (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 158 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks.

Today's 61% Dark Milk Chocolate with Golden Berries* and Banana (bar) was from Chocolate Naive (Vilnius, Lithuania).

Aroma notes for this bar included: chocolate, slightly earthy, aromatic fruit (sweet berry), dairy (yogurt, butter), and faint cake/cookie.

The texture was thick and relatively creamy.

This bar had milk-muted yet complex fruit notes (tart-sweet berry, banana) and rich, creamy dark milk chocolate flavor. Because the fruit inclusions were so well incorporated (organic golden berries were freeze dried and ground into the milk chocolate), it was difficult to pick out individual cacao notes. 

The fresh golden berries I've tasted have a flavor a bit like a very sweet yellow cherry tomato. So, the combination with chocolate--the pairing of the golden berries with a bit of sweet, creamy banana, with the tartness mellowed/diffused a bit with grass-fed milk powder, made sense to me; and the blend worked quite nicely.

This 61% bar was a well-balanced dark milk chocolate bar with creamy sweet-tart fruit and cocoa flavors.

Maker's tasting notes: "Initial sourness followed by a creamy aftertaste. Very pleasant combination with pronounced flavor and long-lasting taste." (Notes: "Dried banana-like, honey-like, citrusy, caramely.") Suggested beverage pairing(s): sparkling wines (demi-sec champagne...slightly sweet prosecco); and still wine(s) "such as a pinot noir, merlot or zinfandel." 

Ingredients: "Specialty cacao*, cane sugar*, pure cacao butter*, grass-fed milk powder*,  golden berries*  (5%), banana* (2%). *wild or all-natural farming"

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of treenuts, peanuts, wheat."

*Golden berries (Physalis peruviana) are covered in a very thin, green-beige, papery husk. They are part of the nightshade (Solonaceae) family (as are tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes, eggplant and peppers). The bright yellow fruits, native to South America (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), are also known as aguaymanto, uchuvas, uvillas ("little grapes"), Inca berries, Aztec berries, Peruvian groundcherries, Poha berries, husk cherries, Pichu berries, and Cape gooseberries. (They are not gooseberries.)

Raven Rising - 76% Tanzanie Banana (bar); and Black Trumpet Mushroom Chocolate - Nov. 23, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Raven Rising

76% Tanzanie Dark Chocolate and Banana (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.71 oz. (105 g.) (estimate) in total bar

Calories: 290 calories (per label) in 50 g. of bar

Cost: $13.75 for 1 bar (+ shipping)

Purchased from: Raven Rising, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Raven Rising

Black Trumpet Mushroom (chocolate)

Good ++

Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 6 oz. (168 g.) (estimate per label) in 1 box of 12 pieces

Calories: 43.4 calories (estimate, per label) in 1 piece

Cost: $37.50 for 1 box of 12 chocolates (4 different flavors) (+ shipping)

Purchased from: Raven Rising, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Weeks.

Today's 76% Tanzanie (Tanzania) Dark Chocolate and Banana (bar) and Black Trumpet Mushroom filled chocolate were both handcrafted creations from Raven Rising (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada). 

The company is helmed by Chef Tammy Maki (a "proud Saulteaux Ojibwe Kwe from White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan" (Canada)) and produces "Global Indigenous Chocolates" including high-quality bars and confections. Maki sources ingredients from Indigenous people and businesses whenever possible, and uses Barry Callebaut (Callebaut and Cacao Barry) chocolate(s) that are traceable back to their respective origins.

Tanzanie Dark Chocolate and Banana (bar)

 

Maki does a masterful job of selecting chocolate origins and blends to pair with her Indigenous flavor inclusions. The Tanzania dark chocolate used as a base for light and airy banana slices was delicious, with chocolate (deep dark chocolate brownie/torte), diffuse fruit (prune, fig cookie, berry, green banana), nut and green notes.

This relatively thick bar had a creamy, smooth texture with a substantial, satisfying mouthfeel.

The freeze-dried banana slices added a subtle, authentic and highly complementary, banana fruit flavor.

Ingredients: "Tanzanie 75% (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, natural vanilla flavour), Freeze-dried banana (banana)."

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Soy."

Black Trumpet Mushroom chocolate

Mushrooms may be referred to as the "fruit(ing) body" of a fungi/fungus. But, they're not really fruits. However, mushrooms can make great flavor additions to chocolate(s). 

The second Raven Rising chocolate featured today was a filled chocolate flavored with black trumpet mushroom (also called the black chanterelle mushroom). The Black Trumpet was described as having a "nutty/smokey taste that pairs perfectly with the chocolate." (I couldn't agree more. Then again, I really enjoy savory/umami chocolate flavors; so perhaps I'm biased.)

This creamy, filled chocolate was made with "Cacao Barry 70% Fleur De Cao" (blend) couverature chocolate. It had well balanced, very subtle savory (mushroom), subtle tart-sweet red fruit/sweet red wine grape, faint floral (vanilla) and nut, and rich chocolate (faint brownie) aroma and flavor notes. The umami flavor of the mushroom helped balance out the sugar in these sophisticated confections.

Allergen-related information: Contains: dairy

Honduran treats - Spiced banana licuado; Chocolate rice pudding; Mayan Coffee & Cacao cheese

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Homemade Honduran Chocolate items 

Spiced Chocolate Banana Licuado

with Honduran chocolate

Good + 

Chocolate and Cinnamon Rice Pudding

with Honduran chocolate

Good +

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

For the last day of this Central American theme week, I made Honduran rice pudding and spiced banana licuado (chilled banana smoothie with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg) paired with Honduran chocolate. Combined with a slice of Mayan coffee and cacao cheese and sliced fruit, this was my idea of a proper dessert meal.

Mayan Coffee and Cocoa Fontal Cheese

The wedge of Go Board Mayan Coffee and Cocoa Fontal Cheese from the Schuman Cheese (Fairfield, NJ) had a faint spicy, mocha kick. And this cheese provided a great savory complement to the sweet, homemade sweet items above.

Ingredients: Fontal cheese (pasteurized cow's milk, cheese cultures, sea salt, enzymes), spices, cocoa, coffee, natural flavors, sweet potato, caramel color. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk...Manufactured in a facility that also processes tree nuts and shares equipment with an egg ingredient."

Vosges Chocolate - Banana Coconut 72% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 21, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Vosges IP, LLC
Banana Coconut 72% Cacao (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vosges, online order 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and ABCD* Theme Week.

Today's Banana Coconut 72% Cacao dark (bar) was from Vosges IP, LLC (Chicago, IL). 

I am so grateful to have witnessed (and enjoyed) the new wave of American chocolate makers and chocolatiers in the early 21st Century. 

In the late 1990s, several artisan chocolate makers (mostly men) were starting to develop bold, layered, complex bean-to-bar dark chocolates wrapped in brown wrappers in their kitchens and basements. And (with a few notable exceptions) there was a split between this more technical crowd--who loved the technical challenges of making chocolate from scratch--and existing chocolatiers and chefs who were making confections and bars from blocks of pre-made chocolate. 

During this same time, a young chocolate brand pioneer, Katrina Markoff at Vosges, following a prestigious apprenticeship in Spain, at El Bulli with Ferran Adria, was channeling a different spirit, engaging the senses, and creating and conveying her experiences and stories around chocolate in bold, creative ways. 

Markoff continues to incorporate exotic flavor inclusions from far-away places into an impressive array of attractively-packaged bars and confections--with occasional musical references, spices, flower petals and gold flakes along the way. She gained early fame from her Mo's bacon bars, but she pioneered (and continues to create) an amazing variety of flavors. (I remember trying a Vosges pandan** flavored confection years ago. It was a flavor revelation--virtual travel through chocolate.

In the last decade, the chocolate maker and chocolatier camps have converged a bit. Craft chocolate makers have become more sophisticated in their sourcing/supply chains, production techniques, packaging and marketing. Some chefs/chocolatiers even became chocolate makers.

Markoff and her team at Vosges have faced the challenges associated with cacao sourcing, as the company ramped up to become a high volume company. (Can one have high-quality cacao/chocolate with a range of ever-changing, cacao origin flavors that vary from harvest to harvest, when consistency is paramount with high volume sales?) 

Back to today's Banana Coconut Dark Chocolate Bar...

Today's Banana Coconut bar had a pleasant, balanced aroma and flavor that was a skillful meld of bold, dark chocolate (with a fleeting hint of earthiness) with authentic banana and light coconut, with light green banana, floral (vanilla) notes. Tiny bits of dried banana created a light crispiness and chewiness in the texture.

The maker's notes read: "...house-roasted bananas, (and their) peels, and Sri Lankan coconut permeate our dark chocolate with husky, tropical notes."

Ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate (Fair Trade unsweetened chocolate, Fair Trade sugar, Fair Trade cocoa butter, Fair Trade natural vanilla flavor), dried bananas (sic) pieces, bananas, natural flavor coconut extract.

*ABCD Theme Week highlights items that start with the letters A, B, C or D that also include some building blocks of chocolate. There are so many chocolates, and there is such a bounty of chocolate additions, that it seemed a pity to ignore this opportunity for absolute, crazy fun. Today's Banana Coconut bar was paired with a colorful, Arkansas Black Apple.

**The Pandan plant (Pandanus amaryllifolius) grows in SE Asia. The plant's long green leaves are mildly sweet and aromatic. Their unique flavor has been described as grassy with hints of rose, almond, vanilla and mild coconut. It's used to flavor a variety of foods, including desserts, beverages and rice. The leaves themselves are also used to wrap around small bundles of rice and savory foods.

Solely, Inc. - Banana with Cacao Jerky - Jan. 20, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Solely, Inc.

Banana with Cacao Jerky

Good

Weight: .812 oz. (23 g.) in 1 strip/package

Calories: 80 calories in 1 strip/package

Cost: $0.99 (estimate) for 1 package/serving

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

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

Today's Banana with Cacao Jerky was from Solely, Inc. (La Jolla, CA).

Solely produces fruit jerky snacks using "one whole fruit" in each serving. They did not add any sugar to today's banana jerky with cacao, relying instead on the fruit's own natural sweetness. And that was wonderfully sufficient.

This banana fruit jerky had a soft chewy texture; and the aroma and flavor included earthy, dried banana, cacao, and faint, fleeting savory olive and green floral notes. 

The concentrated, rich and sweet flavor nuances in this strip were banana-forward; however, the seamless blend of the banana and the ground cacao nibs, together, was greater than the individual flavors by themselves, resulting in more flavor depth.

The company's banana fruit jerky was made with just two ingredients: 1 whole organic banana and cacao nibs. 

Ingredients: Organic banana, organic cacao nibs 

Chloe's Fruit - (Frozen) Banana Dipped Pops - Jan. 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chloe's Fruit 
Frozen Banana Dipped Pops
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.5 fl. oz. (74 mL) (76 g.) / 10 fl. oz. (295 mL) in total box of 4 pops
Calories: 120 calories in 1 pop
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 package of 4 pops
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

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

Today's frozen Banana Dipped Pop was from Chloe's Fruit (New York City, NY). 

The company makes a line of 3-ingredient frozen fruit pops, chocolate dipped pops (and oat milk pops), and also offers soft serve fruit. (The pops are dairy free, gluten free, vegan and Kosher.)

And yes, there is a real "Chloe" behind the brand name. Co-founder of the company, Chloe Epstein, used to be an Assistant District Attorney; and she wanted to create simple, healthy frozen treat without artificial ingredients.

The banana pop on a stick was attractive (it matched the photo), and tasted authentic with real banana flavor. The dark chocolate coating was smooth and it added a bit of rich chocolate flavor on the upper half of the pop. 

The overall consistency/texture made it uniformly easy to eat. It had enough cohesion* that there was minimal danger of it falling apart; and it wasn't overly sweet and gooey like some other frozen treats. (Thank you to Chloe's for that, and for making a frozen dessert with no vegetable gums, or other less desirable additives.)

The chocolate in the dark chocolate coating was made from Ecuadorian cacao beans (according to FAQ on the Chloe's Fruit website).

Ingredients: banana puree, water, cane sugar; chocolate coating (cane sugar, coconut oil, cocoa processed with alkali, chocolate liquor, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor)

*Sugar lowers the freezing point of a frozen fruit pop, allowing them to exist in the frozen treat "Goldilocks"** zone. Just the right amount of sugar is needed for a successful state. Not enough sugar and the pops may be too rock hard (more like fruit ice cubes), and too much will result in a too soft, fall-apart quality. Just the right amount...and you're in the Goldilocks zone.

**For those readers outside the U.S. The Goldilocks term comes from the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," a fairy tale with origins in England more than 183 years ago. Goldilocks--who in subsequent re-tellings of the story morphed from an old woman to a little girl--enters a home that belongs to a family of three bears, who are not home. Goldilocks tries out different sized chairs, bowls of porridge and beds, until she finds items that are not too big or too small; not too hot or not too cold...but rather the one(s) that are just right for her.

 

Larabar - Banana Chocolate Chip bar - Jan. 18, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Larabar 

(Distributed by Small Planet Foods, Inc.)

Banana Chocolate Chip bar

Good - Good + 

Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar / 8 oz. (226 g.) in total box of 5 bars

Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.99 for 1 box of 5 bars

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

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

Today's Larabar Banana Chocolate Chip bar was distributed by Small Planet Foods, Inc.--a division of General Mills, (Minneapolis, MN). Larabar fruit and nut snack bars were created by Denver, CO, native Lara Merriken. 

These bars had a soft chewy texture with natural-tasting fruit (date, banana) and nuts (almonds). Chocolate chips contributed subtle chocolate flavor, and helped round out this blend. There was no need for added sugars and, thankfully, none were added. Dates and bananas both have plenty of concentrated sweetness.

Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten free, vegan and dairy-free, this bar had no preservatives* and "just four ingredients." Not bad for a mass-produced snack bar, especially when compared with similar packaged snack bar offerings a few decades ago.

*Ingredients: dates, almonds, unsweetened bananas, semisweet chocolate chips (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla extract).

Manoa Chocolate - Flavors of Hawaii, Mai'a Banana Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - Jan. 17, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Manoa Chocolate

Flavors of Hawaii - Mai'a Banana Dark Chocolate 70% (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar (check this)

Calories: 360 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar - part of a 3-bar Flavors of Hawaii set for $28.50 (+ discount)

Purchased from: Manoa Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Mai'a Banana Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) was made by Manoa Chocolate (Kailua (Oahu), Hawaii), and was part of a "Flavors of Hawaii" Collection. (I will be featuring the Haupia coconut 60% bar from this 3-bar set in the near future.)

This dark chocolate had an aroma with green chocolate, green banana and sugar cane notes.

The well-tempered bar broke with a snap and had a creamy melt and mouthfeel. 

The flavor was very similar to the aroma notes mentioned above, with luxe 70% dark chocolate flavor and authentic green (banana) notes; a natural sweetness (organic cane sugar, freeze-dried banana powder); and a lightly perfumed banana floral finish.

Manoa (a Hawaiian word that translates to mean "solid, vast, depth") suggestions for beverage pairings read as follows: wine: beaujolais; liquor: rye whiskey; beer: nitro stout.

Ingredients: Cacao, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, freeze-dried banana powder

Askinosie Chocolate - 77% Davao Philippines Dark Chocolate Bar - Jan. 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day 

Askinosie Chocolate
77% Davao Philippines Dark Chocolate Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Askinosie Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Philippines Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

The first single origin (Philippine) chocolate bar I remember tasting was back in 2009. It was a Davao (Philippines) milk chocolate bar from Askinosie Chocolate (Springfield, MO). So, it was only fitting that we hoisted our chocolate wrappers in praise of Askinosie Chocolate today as we sampled another, darker, Davao bar from this same company, started by Shawn Askinosie in 2005.

The star was the Davao Philippines 77% Dark Chocolate Bar made with cacao grown in Davao (on Mindanao island) in the southern Philippines--where most cacao trees used to make chocolate are under cultivation. The banana was just along for the ride.*

This bar had a dark bittersweet aroma with faint hints of earth and acidity, a lovely creamy melt and texture. The flavor was earthy with a bit of acidity, but it was balanced and relatively uniform (no spiky or off flavors). Reasons to like this Davao origin chocolate included its deep, dense cacao flavor, and the fact that it wasn't too sweet (thank you).

The maker's notes included the following: "This earthy chocolate is Certified Kosher D.E., vegan and gluten free."

Ingredients: Davao, Philippines cocoa beans (76% cocoa liquor), organic cane sugar (23%), cocoa butter (1%)--pressed in the Askinosie factory from Davao cocoa beans.

Note: I ordered this bar from the Askinosie Chocolate website. When I double-checked yesterday (Jan. 15, 2021) this bar was listed as sold out.

*If one lives in the Philippines, there are several varieties of banana to choose from. Here in the U.S., most stores carry the Cavendish variety of banana. That's what I used today to make an a la carte banana flambe. Ole. The pairing of dark chocolate with flaming fruit via a wee bit of alcohol, was enjoyed only after the chocolate was carefully tasted and studiously reviewed. We try to be serious professionals here.