Rozsavolgyi Csokolade - Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka with Fennel (bar) - Aug. 9, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade
Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka with Fennel (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 171.85 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $22.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order, 

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

Today's Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka* and with Fennel (bar) was from Rozsavolgyi Csokolade (Budapest, Hungary). 

The company's name when translated into English ("Rosevalley Chocolate") is also tied to their location. "Rosevalley is a suburban part of Budapest in Hungary."

Aroma and flavor notes for today's flavorful bar included: smooth, naturally sweet and slightly fruity dark chocolate joined by fennel--that contributed light green, sweet licorice notes.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with little crunchy bits (lightly candied cacao nibs, perhaps some fennel).

I enjoyed the balanced, complementary flavors: dark 73% cacao chocolate, subtle, warm fruit (sweet stone fruit (peach, apricot); and authentic fennel in this bean-to-bar chocolate. 

The illustrations on the packaging of a cartoon cocoa pod named Erik, a cartoon cocoa pod wearing a palinka barrel, and a cartoon apricot character (complete with a hat and a moustache) carrying a flask, etc. were whimsical and fun.

I also appreciated the maker's choice of a short list of quality ingredients in this well-executed bar.

Ingredients: dark chocolate with 73% min. cocoa content (cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter), candied cocoa nibs soaked in palinka, organic cane sugar, fennel.

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a factory that also handles milkpowder, nuts and sesame seed."

*Palinka is a fruit brandy--a distilled spirit, from Hungary that is made with fermented fruits (plums, apricots, cherries and pears, grown in Hungary) without added sugar or other additives.

Chami Cacao - 70% Cacao Aji Cayenne, Canela & Nibs de Cacao (bar) - July 26, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Chami Cacao 

70% Cacao Aji Cayenne, Canela & Nibs de Cacao (tableta)

(70% Cacao Cayenne Pepper, Cinnamon & Cacao Nibs (bar))
Good ++ 
Weight: .706 oz. (20 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in one serving (20 g.) of bar 
Cost: $11.80 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Fire & Passion Theme Week.

Today's Chami Cacao 70% Cacao Aji Cayenne, Canela & Nibs de Cacao (tableta/bar) was made in Bogota, Colombia.

The company's founder, Juliana, tells us the name "Chami" is "a tribute to the Embera Chami indigenous people in Colombia. It also means mountain range in their language..."

Aroma notes included: chocolate; subtle, sweet, slightly smokey chilis; and warm spice (cinnamon).

Texture: relatively smooth, chocolate base with crunchy cacao nib shards and tiny bits of chilis.

Flavor notes included: balanced cacao, chili, and cinnamon flavor blend with very faint roasted red clay/earth and a whisper of wood smoke. 

I appreciated the stoneground-like texture and the feeling of the place or origin when I ate this chocolate. (Do savor slowly to fully enjoy this and other single origin dark chocolates.) I could taste the fresh cacao nibs, chilis, spices and raw sugar that had been mindfully ground together--a process that maintained more of their authentic flavors. The cacao nibs added more cacao flavor depth to this 70% cacao bar.

This chocolate wasn't too sweet (thank you), too bitter, or too smoke-y. There was some roasted chili heat (more in some bites than others); but it wasn't enough to stop me from enjoying more of it. For me, a dark chocolate lover who loves origin stories, this landed in the Goldilocks zone. It was just right.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Organic raw cane sugar, cayenne pepper, cinnamon & cacao nibs.

Allergen-related information: (None found on packaging.)

Sted Foods - The Bobber Bar 50% Dark Milk Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs - July 8, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Sted Foods
The Bobber Bar 50% Dark Milk Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs 
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) in 1 small bar
Calories: 78 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar
Cost: (1 of three small bars in a $10 three-pack) 
Purchased from: Sted Foods, online order

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

No matter what water-related pastime you may enjoy (appreciating bodies of water or shells and water wildlife in nature, surfing, boating or fishing), I'm now convinced there is a chocolate related to that activity.*

Today's Sted Foods Organic "The Bobber Bar" 50% Dark Milk Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN) might appeal to fishermen (and woman); but this bar will float the boat of a much larger audience.

The bean-to-bar chocolate maker describes themselves as "Making Pretty Good Chocolate, West of the Fjord," a likely nod to Scandanavian coastal ancestry.

I loved Sted's creamy and crunchy take on a dark milk chocolate with cacao nibs and a "pinch" of sea salt. (I readily admit this blend is a personal favorite combination of mine). This one was balanced, and delicious.

Ingredients: "organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic whole milk powder, organic cocoa nibs, himalayan pink salt"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Made in a facility that uses sesame seeds, pecans, almonds, coconut, cashews, hazelnuts, and milk"

*I am drowning in the large number of water-related chocolates this week. Small piles of chocolate have flooded my tasting area. The challenge: consume or share them with others before the summer heat waves arrive. 

Wild West Chocolate - Bear Claws - Mint & Cacao Nib (clusters) - June 6, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Wild West Chocolate
Bear Claws - Mint & Cacao Nib (clusters)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.35 oz. (38.25 g.) / 2.7 oz. (76.5 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 3 pieces (servings)
Cost: $6.75 for 1 package
Purchased from: Wild West Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Wild West Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week.

Today's individually-wrapped Mint & Cacao Nib Bear Claws (clusters) were distributed by Wild West Chocolate, LLC (Missoula, MT).

Aroma and flavor notes included: balanced, aromatic mint; dark chocolate; and faint vanilla.

Texture: smooth (almost velvety) base chocolate was studded with a generous helping of crunchy cacao bean nibs. For those not familiar with cacao beans, these tiny roasted cacao bean shards (nibs) may be puzzling. They are what chocolate is made from. And they add bits of authentic cacao flavor to dark chocolate.

The "festive crunch of the cacao nibs and the cool peppermint flavor" were designed for the holidays, but this dark chocolate + mint offering could be enjoyed any time of year. 

I liked: that the mint in these bear claws was balanced (not too overwhelming); the substitution of sugar with a mixed fruit powder blend (that added subtle and balanced flavor complexity); and the use of Organic, Regenerative Organic Certified and Fair Trade ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Fruit Blend [Powdered Date++, Powdered Mulberry+, Powdered Peach+, Powdered Mango+], Organic Cocoa Liquor++, Organic Cocoa Butter++, Vanilla Extract+), Cacao Nibs+, Natural Creme de Menthe Extract. (+ Organic; ++ Regenerative Organic Certified; Cocoa Liquor and Cocoa Butter: Fair Trade Certified 77% of Product.)

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, milk, wheat and soy."

Xocolatl - "Ripple Effect" Applewood Smoked Nibs & Raspberry 60% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Xocolatl
"Ripple Effect" Applewood Smoked Nibs & Raspberry 60% Dark Chocolate (bar) 
Good ++
Weight: 2.6 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 360 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl, online order

Welcome to Day #22 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week(s). 

Today's "Ripple Effect" Applewood Smoked Nibs & Raspberry 60% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Xocolatl LLC (Atlanta, GA). The company collaborated with at least two local companies for these flavor inclusions, e.g. orange-infused olive olive from Streppaggio, and smoked nibs from Pine Street Market, an artisan meat market with a smoker.).

Aroma notes included an intriguing blend of dark chocolate, fresh raspberry; very faint smoked dill salt/salted dill potato chips and light citrus.

Texture: creamy smooth dark chocolate with a little smattering of softly crunchy cacao nibs + authentic raspberry bits (with seeds).

I liked the overall complexity, vibrant and authentic red raspberry notes, and the smooth, creamy-velvety texture and melt. The 60% cacao (Peru) dark chocolate was relatively dark (but smooth).

Maker's tasting notes: "a sweet and smoky dark chocolate bar (with) hints of fruit"

Ingredients: "Cacao, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Raspberry*, Olive Oil (* organic)"

Allergen-related information: Made on equipment that processes soy, wheat, peanuts & tree nuts (almond, hazelnut, pecan).

Chocolat Bonnat - Grue de Cacao 65% de Cacao Chocolat Noir - Oct. 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Bonnat Chocolatier 
Les Recettes de Jean Sulpice - Grue de Cacao 65% de Cacao (tablette)
(The Recipes of Jean Sulpice - Cacao Nibs 65% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar))
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 294 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $22.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: WorldWide Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Les Recettes de Jean Sulpice - Grue de Cacao 65% de Cacao (tablette/bar) was made in France by Bonnat Chocolatier (Voiron, Isere, France). The bar was part of a series of Bonnat bars inspired by an encounter between Bonnat chocolatier Stephane Bonnat and Michelin starred chef Jean Sulpice.

Bonnat bars are thicker and more generously sized (100 grams) than most bars--yielding a heartier tasting experience. 

Today's cacao nib studded dark chocolate was well-balanced, very chocolate-y, and reminded me of the experience of eating a rich, thick, fudge brownie with nuts. There were no nuts in this bar, just beautiful cacao basics: smooth 65% dark chocolate and crunchy, nutty cacao nibs. (The cacao was sourced from South America.)

The maker's description (translated roughly into English) read: This delicate dark chocolate is sprinkled with roasted cacao nibs...with a hint of natural acidity (that balances the) sweetness of the South American cacao(s).

Ingredients: Cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa nibs.

Allergen-related ingredients: (None listed on label that I could see.)

Masphi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Cacao Nibs 70% Cacao - Sept. 28, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Cacao Nibs 70% Cacao
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

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

Today's Chocolate Bar with Cacao Nibs 70% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma." 

Aroma and flavor notes for this 70% cacao chocolate included: rich, dark, smooth (chocolate-y) chocolate and complex and balanced cacao nibs with sweet, clean and green botanical (faint fruit and floral); slight earth, wood and nut; and subtle brown sugar notes.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a festive field of light, crunchy cacao nibs (pieces of toasted cacao beans). Clean finish.

I liked everything about this bar. I loved this blend of pleasing and balanced dark chocolate: from the aroma to the gently roasted cacao nibs that were unusually light and almost crispy and had well-rounded, mellow, wood/nut notes. 

Relatively low in bitterness and acidity, but not in flavor, this dark chocolate was full of gentle complexity. I kept leaning in to re-taste the chocolate and nibs until, sadly, it was completely gone.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, cacao nibs"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)

The Chocolate Therapist - Rx Extreme Therapy 72% Natural Dark Chocolate & Organic Cacao Nibs (bar) - Aug. 26, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Chocolate Therapist
Rx Extreme Therapy 72% Natural Dark Chocolate & Organic Cacao Nibs (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: (part of a 3-bar package for $12 + shipping)
Purchased from: The Chocolate Therapist, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Beer & Hops Week--featuring chocolates with beer, beer yeast, hops as well as chocolates (like today's bar*) that are related to beer and chocolate pairings.

Many chocolate makers will include suggested chocolate + beers/ales and spirits pairings on their packaging. Others go a bit further... 

Today's Rx Extreme Therapy 72% Natural Dark Chocolate & Organic Cacao Nibs (bar) was from Julie Nygard of The Chocolate Therapist (Littleton, CO). Julie has created chocolate collections for beer pairings and made presentations on this subject. For more, see her video: How to Pair Chocolate and Beer. 

Aroma and flavor notes included: Bittersweet dark chocolate, smooth, roasted cocoa; faint and diffuse dark red fruit (dark cherry); very faint malt; and vanilla. The cacao nibs added their own slightly nutty, nibby roasted, mellow and balanced cacao with very faint and balanced savory (olive).

Texture: Smooth, almost velvety, dark chocolate punctuated with crunchy cacao nibs (pieces of cacao bean). 

The cacao nibs felt light and crunchy and freshly roasted. They had complex and mellow flavor; and had a texture that was not too hard. They weren't bitter/funky (no off notes). The nibs on their own, and as part of the overall chocolate + nib blend, were both "just right"--in the Goldilocks zone.

I sampled this bittersweet dark bar with Sierra Nevada Hop Splash, and the two harmonized surprisingly well.

Ingredients: "Bittersweet Dark Chocolate (Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Cocoa Nibs."

Allergen-related information: "Produced on Equipment That Also Processes Milk Products, Tree Nuts, Peanuts and Soy and May Contain Traces of These Products."

The Organic House - Chocolate Easter Egg - Vegan Cookies & Cream - May 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Chocolate Easter Egg - Vegan Cookies & Cream
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total Egg
Calories: 300 calories in 1/2 Egg

Cost: $13.50 (approximately) for 1 Egg (Paid $26.99 for 2 Eggs)
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Bees and Trees Week -- including several chocolates with honey, maple and other tree-related flavors (besides cacao).

Today's Chocolate Easter Egg - Vegan Cookies & Cream was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada). 

The company offers a variety of gluten free and dairy free chocolates--including some sweetened with Canadian maple sugar. This Easter egg was a version of the company's Cookies & Cream maple oat milk chocolate (Philippines cacao) bar -- with maple flavored white/oat milk chocolate and cacao nibs. 

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate, maple sugar, green, sweet nut and grain and faint floral cacao (nibs).

Texture: smooth (dark and white chocolate melded together, with crunchy (authentic cacao) nibs.

I wasn't sure I could detect a "cookie" flavor; but it became more evident when I tasted the chocolate from start to finish. Today's egg was sweet and satisfying. The nibs helped sell the cookie crunch. And the subtle cashew and oat/oat milk ingredients also helped round out a faint, "cookie-like" taste.

I liked the flavor and texture blend: use of organic and gluten-free ingredients, the rich, sweet (less processed) maple and coconut sugars that added some pleasing, subtle, flavor warmth (think very faint brown sugar, caramel) and depth.

Ingredients: "Organic cacao butter, Organic cacao beans, Ontario maple sugar, Organic cashews, Organic coconut flower nectar, Gf organic oats."

Allergen-related information: "Contains Cashews, Oats. May contain: Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pistachios."

Castronovo Chocolate - Colombia Arhuacos 66% Ancestral Cacao Dark Milk Chocolate with Cacao Nibs (bar)

Chocolate of the Day

Castronovo Chocolate 
Colombia Arhuacos 66% Ancestral Cacao Dark Milk Chocolate with Cacao Nibs (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Castronovo, online order

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

Today's Colombia Arhuacos 66% Ancestral Cacao* Dark Milk Chocolate with Cacao Nibs (bar) was from Castronovo Chocolate (Stuart, FL).

Aroma and flavor notes included: pleasing, authentic milk chocolate (malted chocolate milkshake); light caramel; and faint nut cookie.

Texture: creamy (milk chocolate) and crunchy (nibs). A few of the nibs had a hard crunch; but the overall flavor was one of subtly complex, relatively light, cacao.

Naturally sweet attributes (and lack of bitterness) gave this ancestral cacao-based chocolate a sweet nature.

I enjoyed the gently complex flavors in this special chocolate. 

Maker's tasting notes: "...subtle flavors of white wine, pecan, honey, and a malty rich chocolate creaminess with a crunch of roasted cacao nibs."

Ingredients: "cocoa beans*, cane sugar*, whole milk*, cocoa butter*, cocoa nibs* (* = organic ingredients)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a nut-free facility that uses milk and wheat."

*Many cacao farmers have long ties to the land where they are harvesting cacao. This is especially true in countries closer to the Amazon Basin in South America, where indigenous peoples have had a relationship with cacao for thousands of years. 

The maker included advice (printed on the packaging of this bar) from a Colombian spiritual leader of the Arhuacos, of Katansama, Colombia. "...listen to the elements: the wind, water, and the ancestral cacao from our forest"...."protect Mother Earth" and "be mindful of how you change nature."

 

NearyNogs Chocolate - "Salt Water Days" - Irish sea salt, cacao nibs & gold dust 60% Ecuador (bar) - Sept. 3, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

NearyNogs Chocolate
"Salt Water Days" - Irish sea salt, cacao nibs & gold dust 60% Ecuador (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 166 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and The Sea Theme Week.

Today's "Salt Water Days" - Irish sea salt, cacao nibs & gold dust 60% Ecuador (bar) (Batch 2604) was from NearyNogs Chocolate (Mourne Coast, Ireland). 

This small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker is "nestled between the Mourne Mountains and the Irish Sea." And today's bar is their "ode to sunny beach days." (include parts of their description) the golden sheen off the water. 

The cacao used for this 60% dark chocolate was made using cacao from Hacienda Limon in Ecuador.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (ganache), very faint tart-sweet fruit (citrus, berry, dried fig), and faint roasted and caramel notes found in mocha lattes.

There were two different flavor zones in this bar: 1.) the base dark chocolate (ultra-dark, bittersweet chocolate-y tart made with non-alkalized cocoa powder); very faint diffuse fruit (citrus, berry); roasted marshmallow/toffee; and a very slightly earthy, bittersweet tang; and 2.) the bites that also included the crunchy cocoa nibs and sea salt. The latter bites tasted mellower, nuttier, and a bit more well balanced to me. 

Note: salt tends to cut bitterness a little. I liked the bites with salt and nibs a bit better. It was nice to have a wee bit of contrast though. I'm a huge fan of well-executed complexity and layered flavors. 

Someone asked me: Did the gold have a flavor? Not that I could taste. Pure gold is considered an inert substance, and doesn't spark taste sensations per se; but it can (and did today) create pretty visual effects. And appearance is part of the whole tasting experience.

Having walked on the coastal trail near Dublin, the subtle glow of the gold sheen on this bar did indeed bring back happy memories of late afternoon light on the Irish sea when I was there. Thank you to NearyNogs for the temporal transportation today and for being who they are (solar-powered chocolate factory, soulful family stories, thoughtfulness, and nature-inspired, beautiful, compostable packaging).

Maker's Tasting Notes: Caramel, Butter, Toffee, Salt

Ingredients: "60% cacao beans, unrefined cane sugar, Irish sea salt, edible gold dust. (cocoa solids 60% minimum)."

Allergen-related information: None listed on packaging.

*Edible gold has no taste; and it is "inert" so it doesn't react with anything?? and passes through the digestive system.

Fossa Chocolate - 54% Dark Milk Lychee Rose (bar) - April 6, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
54% Dark Milk Lychee Rose (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 275 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Thailand Theme Week--focused on cacao/chocolates from Thailand and chocolates containing Thai-grown and Thai-inspired flavor inclusions.

Today's 54% Dark Milk Lychee Rose (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate (Singapore).

The company's description of this bar read: "Creamy and fruity rose infused Tanzania 54% Dark Milk Chocolate topped with chewy dehydrated lychee from Chiang Rai, Thailand, and crunchy cacao nibs."

Aroma notes included: fruit (floral, sweet, lychee), and cocoa/cacao.

Texture: creamy smooth chocolate base and clusters of small, slightly crunchy, cacao nibs.

Flavor notes included: a base of mild dark chocolate (made even creamier and more subtle by added cocoa butter); cacao nibs; delicious pieces of sweet, refreshing, authentic lychee fruit; and floral (rose).

I loved the authentic and balanced flavors and gentle complexity. This was a sweet chocolate bar, but the sugar didn't overwhelm the natural fruit and floral notes. (Thank you.)

Maker's tasting notes: "Delicate rose infused milk chocolate with the sweet aroma of lychee"

Ingredients: Cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, lychee, rose absolute 

Allergen-related information: "Contains dairy. Produced in a facility that processes nuts."

Farmhouse Chocolates - 70% Dark Chocolate with Cacao Nibs and Alaska Pure Sea Salt (bar) - Feb. 17, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Farmhouse Chocolates
70% Dark Chocolate with Cacao Nibs and Alaska Pure Sea Salt (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 serving (8 squares) of bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Etsy, online order

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

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate with Cacao Nibs and Alaska Pure Sea Salt (bar) was from Farmhouse Chocolates (Bristol, VT).

Aroma notes for this bar included: smooth, flavorful dark chocolate with very faint (barely detectable) balanced earth (peat, cacao nibs ); floral (incense); and diffuse red fruit (berry, red apple).

This bar broke with a satisfying (well-tempered) snap, and had a blended texture: smooth dark chocolate + soft crunchy (nibs).

Flavor notes included: true chocolate (cacao nibs, smooth dark chocolate), and light sparkles of sea salt.

What I liked: 1.) the sweetness level, i.e. it was not too sweet; 2.) quality (house-roasted) cacao nibs; 3.) balanced chocolate complexity with a dose of tiny, squareish, flake-patterned (Alaska) sea salt crystals.

Ingredients: "70% Chocolate (Fair Trade Organic Chocolate Liquor, Fair Trade Organic Cane Sugar, Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Organic Vanilla Extract), Sustainably Grown, House-Roasted Cacao Nibs, Alaska Pure Sea Salt."

Allergen-related information: "Made in a Kitchen That Also Processes Milk (and) Tree Nuts."
 

Meridian Cacao - Peru White Piura Cacao Beans - Jan. 31, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Meridian Cacao
Peru - White Piura Raw Cacao Beans 
Good +++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2.2 lbs. (1 KG) in total package
Calories: 78 calories (estimate) in .5 oz. serving*
Cost: $15.00 for 1 large package of cacao beans
Purchased from: Meridian Cacao, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Cacao Nibs Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's Peru White Piura Raw Cacao Beans were from Meridian Cacao (Portland, OR). 

Meridian Cacao offers directly sourced, single origin cacao beans (from several countries), cacao nibs, cocoa butter, and other craft chocolate-making essentials. CEO, Gino Dalla Gasparina, was born and raised in Portland, and founded the company when he was just 24 years old. 

White Piura beans are rare (making up only a tiny percent of overall cacao harvests worldwide). They are often cited for red fruit flavors, medium acidity--and being low in astringency and bitterness. You might read mentions of panela, malt and wine, but these notes may also be influenced by fermentation choices and other local conditions.

Also, today I am tasting raw cacao beans (seeds), with the thin skins still on the dried seeds. Unroasted cacao tastes different than roasted cacao. I tried a few beans with and without the thin papery skin (that can be removed by hand with a little pressure and rolling between fingers). The beans had a more uniform, deep dark color with the skins off and it was easy to break them into cacao nib-sized pieces.

Aroma notes for these raw cacao beans were delicious, and included: fresh cacao; red apple; smooth, fine red wine; and caramelized grapes with a splash of red wine vinegar.

Texture: satisfying; nut-like crunch; even texture

Flavor notes included: rich, smooth cacao flavor with light. balanced red fruit and red wine/red grape. This was a cacao with a light nut/seed character, very low bitterness and no detectable astringency. Rubbing the skins off the bean before eating it did remove a tiny bit of flavor, but not much.

I really enjoyed these high-quality, minimally processed cacao beans, with original flavors intact, just right out of the bag. I can't help but think these would make a great chocolate bar, confection or dessert.

Ingredients: Raw cacao beans

Allergen-related information: (none listed on package)

*Estimates of calorie counts (kcals) for raw cacao beans range from 130-180. I am using 155 calories per ounce here to estimate calories. The fat content (cacao butter) will vary with different growing locations (climate, latitude) as well as cacao variety and other variables. E.g., cacao grown at the cooler, outer edges of the cacao growing zone (more than 20 degrees from the Equator) may contain more fat.

jcoco - 72% Peruvian Dark with Cacao Nibs (bar) - Jan. 30, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Seattle Chocolate Company
jcoco - 72% Peruvian Dark with Cacao Nibs 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total package of 3 bars
Calories: 155 (estimate) calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package of 3 smaller bars
Purchased from: Seattle Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Cacao Nibs, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's jcoco 72% Peruvian Dark with Cacao Nibs (bar) was from Seattle Chocolate Company, Inc. (Seattle, WA) and was one of three identical, individually-wrapped bars contained in a larger package. The packaging was attractively pink, and having these smaller bars made it easier to share this chocolate with others.

The Rupa-Rupa cacao used to make this bar was from a tropical, high mountains/"high jungle" area in Peru. (The Rupa-Rupa district is located in the (Upper) Amazon River basin, east of the Andes mountains.)

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: sweet dark chocolate, and very faint fruit (sweet lime), very fleeting hot cereal (cream of rice), and roasted nut notes.

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap. The texture was creamy smooth (base chocolate) and very crunchy (roasted cacao nibs including some very hard, well-roasted pieces).

Flavor notes included: almost earthy (not quite charcoal-roasted) sweet dark chocolate with heavily roasted, very crunchy cacao nibs; fleeting, very faint sweet tropical fruit (lime, pineapple); faint roasted nut; and a very faint aromatic, almost perfume-y, floral note in the nibs before the roasted nut" flavor kicked in. The roast for the cacao used to make this chocolate was listed as "medium"; however the nibs had such a hard crunch that it tasted like they were roasted for a longer time. 

This was an interesting chocolate, made with ingredients from a remote, mountainous area of tropical Peru. It was flavorful and smooth (and very crunchy) all at the same time. I enjoyed experiencing the complexity in this chocolate.

The finish was light, lingering and clean. 

Ingredients: 72% cacao dark chocolate (cracked cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin), roasted cacao nibs.

Allergen-related information: This product is manufactured in a plant that processes milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg and wheat products.

*Maker's notes: "fermentation: 6 days; drying 6 days; roast: medium"

Gnosis Chocolate - "Eighty Nibs" Limited Edition 80% Dark Raw Chocolate w/ Raw Cacao Nibs (bar) - Jan. 28, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Gnosis Chocolate
"Eighty Nibs" 80% Dark Raw Chocolate w/ Raw Cacao Nibs (Madagascar) (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 139 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Cacao Nibs Theme Week. 

Today's "Eighty Nibs" Limited Edition 80% Dark Raw Chocolate with Raw Cacao Nibs (Madagascar) bar was from Gnosis Chocolate (NYC, NY). The company worked with Francois Pralus (chocolaterie in France) to obtain the only raw cacao nibs available from Madagascar.

Aroma notes included: dark smooth chocolate with very faint dried fruit, light brown sugar, and fleeting smooth aromatic tobacco and sweet green.

Texture: a pleasing blend of creamy and crunchy 

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (chocolate-y, ultra dark fudge brownie) that was relatively mellow (low in acidity and bitterness) for an 80% dark chocolate + cacao nibs--with some of the same nuanced notes as the aroma notes mentioned above. 

Raw chocolate can taste more mellow (less roasted) and less processed--because it is. Some more volatile notes (e.g. easily lost with heat) and some nutrients may be better preserved using raw cacao. 

That said, raw chocolate is the exception in chocolate sales. Some prefer roasting and roasted flavors. Roasting and processing times can vary tremendously in chocolate making; and a maker's choices will depend on a number of factors, including the cacao source, variety, fermentation results, flavors (present and potential/possible), etc. 

What I liked about this bar: 1.) smooth, ultra-dark rich flavor; 2.) thoughtfully made raw chocolate; and 3.) well-balanced blend of cacao flavors and textures.

Ingredients: "80% raw chocolate* (raw cacao beans*, coconut sugar*), raw cacao nibs, Love. *organic"

Allergen-related information: (None found on label.)

Lonohana Estate Chocolate - 67% Dark with Nibs and Sea Salt (bar) - Jan. 26, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Lonohana Estate Chocolate
67% Dark with Nibs & Sea Salt (bar)
Very Good 
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: Part of a $45.00 USD Island Flavors bundle (four different bars)
Purchased from: Lonohana website, online order

Aloha; and welcome to Day #26 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s).

Today's 67% Dark with Nibs & Sea Salt (bar) was made by Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC (Honolulu, HI). 

Aroma notes included: rich, dark and seductive single origin chocolate (ultra dark chocolate brownie cookie and sweet green botanical aspects (cane syrup, green fig, rainforest with a waterfall, sweet green nut)), and very faint fleeting mocha.

Texture: This was a very well-executed blend of opposites: smooth and crunchy, sweet and salty, and smooth yet divinely intense.

The cacao nibs on the back side were uniform, and relatively small in size ensuring a pleasurable and delicious crunchy chocolate experience (with zero "off" flavors or funky nibs). The salt was also perfectly deployed, allowing for small, very gentle waves of sea salt. (It brought back memories of an ocean swim in Hawaii.)

The base chocolate had a smooth, uniform melt and texture, with a fleeting, very mild, very well balanced cacao bean/nib flavor (very delicate cacao bitter/nutty astringency) in the finish. 

Flavor notes included: delicious, well-executed, full cacao (nibs and chocolate) tasting experience in one bar, with some green, botanical notes (mentioned in aroma notes, above). High-quality, perfectly balanced flavors, in harmonious gentle flux.

Lonohana maker's description:

"From the fertile soils of the Big Island, the cacao for this bar grows a full three degrees further south towards the equator than our estate on Oahu. The soil and weather differences between the two islands give each their own unique characteristics. We sprinkle Alaea sea salt from Moloka'i and gently roasted chopped cacao nibs on the back of our 67% dark chocolate. It is a crunchy, salty, creamy and perfectly instense chocolate bar."

What I loved about this bar: 1.) rich dark chocolate and cocoa nib flavors and maker's roast (gently roasted nibs) and other choices; 2.) well executed crunchy nib size, taste and texture; 3.) perfect amount of sea salt that harmonized perfectly with the chocolate and make this bar slightly addicting; and 4.) the overwhelming joy and "transportation" (to an island rainforest/cacao plantation) that only a few of the very best (single origin) chocolates provide.

Ingredients: "Big Island cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, Moloka'i Alaea sea salt (and) roasted cocoa nibs"

Allergen-related information: "Soy and gluten free. Made in a peanut-free environment by Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC...") 

Gnosis Chocolate - Raw Trail Mix "Immunity" - Dec. 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Gnosis Chocolate 
"Immunity" Raw Trail Mix
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz.  (56.6 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 2 oz. serving
Cost: $15.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate (online order)

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

Today's Immunity Raw Trail Mix was made by Gnosis Chocolate (Astoria, NY).

Aroma notes for this gluten free, vegan and raw offering included: aromatic dried fruits (persimmon, currant, golden berry/golden raisin), and subtle nut, seed and dark chocolate.

This trail mix was made with generous squares of raw, dark chocolate that had a smooth chocolate-y flavor and a very faint (fruit) astringency. 

The dried fruits offered a range of chewy, tart-sweet flavors. (I enjoyed the seasonal persimmon, cranberries, and the South American golden berries.) The pecans, pumpkin seeds and nibs rounded out the blend and added some softly crunchy texture.

This grain-free trail mix was balanced, flavorful and not too sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: pecans*, raw chocolate* (raw cacao beans*, coconut sugar*), cranberries*, pumpkin seeds*, black currants*, persimmons*, goldenberries*, raw cacao nibs.* (* = organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nut(s) (pecans), coconut (sugar)

  

Fruition Chocolate Works - Coquito Spiced White with Candied Nibs 39% (bar) - Oct. 17, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fruition Chocolate Works
Coquito Spiced White with Candied Nibs 39% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 164 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Pumpkins, and Warm Fall Spices Theme Week.

Today's Coquito Spiced White with Candied Nibs 39% (bar) was made by Fruition Chocolate Works (Shokan, New York). 

"Coquito" means little coconut in Spanish. It's also the name of a Puerto Rican cocktail made with coconut milk/cream.

Inspired by this cocktail, the makers at Fruition set about to create this "...Spiced white chocolate featuring candied cocoa nibs for fun contrast and texture." This chocolate was designed to be "warm and cozy to make you feel at home for the holidays."

Aroma notes included: sweet rum spiced cookie and/or cake; faint cocoa; vanilla.

Texture: One side of this creamy white chocolate bar was almost completely paved with crunchy cacao nibs. The end result was, as the maker intended, an enjoyable textural and flavor contrast between the creamy, spiced white chocolate and the smooth, barely sweetened crunchy cocoa nibs.

Flavor notes included: cocoa nibs, white chocolate, warm spices. Not only were the cocoa nibs candied, they were rum soaked nibs. And there was a nice warm echo of rum and vanilla in the finish.

Loved the complexity and contrast, and that the sweetness was very nicely balanced; i.e. despite its almost cookie dough-sweet white chocolate base, the cacao nibs ensured it wasn't too sweet. (Thank you!)

Ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Non-Fat Milk Powder, Coconut, Cane Sugar*, Coconut Flour, Cocoa Nibs, Black Rum, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Spiced Rum, Vanilla Bean, Salt. (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk and Tree Nuts (Coconut). May Contain Traces of Peanuts, Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Sesame.

Fortunato Chocolate - Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 84% Squares - July 11, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fortunato Chocolate
Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 84% Squares
Good ++
Weight: 2.05 oz. (58 g.) / 8 oz. (226 g.) in total package
Calories: 360 calories in 2 servings (squares)
Cost: $10.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Fortunato Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Peru Week.

Today's Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 84% Squares were from Fortunato Chocolate (Issaquah, WA). The company became known for their 68% dark chocolate offerings, and later added higher percentage cacao offerings, including today's squares with additional (100%) cacao nibs.

These generously sized squares were made with "Organically Grown Pure Nacional* Cacao."

Subtly complex aroma notes included: dark chocolate, faint savory (salt/brine), very faint diffuse fruit and fermenting fruit, and very faint green, floral and spice.

Each dark chocolate square had a smooth, creamy, almost light/whipped texture. The added Fortunato cacao nibs increased the overall/average cacao percentage and were incorporated into the base chocolate.

The attractively complex and well-balanced flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes listed above, with more chocolate (chocolate-y, dark chocolate torte/ganache) and a judicious hint of sea salt.  

Ingredients: 68% Fortunato dark chocolate (organically grown cacao and cocoa butter 68%, cane sugar 32%), Fortunato cacao nibs (organically grown cacao nibs), sea salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: May contain traces of hazelnut and almonds." (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

*Nacional cacao beans were rediscovered in the Peruvian Andes around 2011. (This cacao fell victim to disease in the early 1900s.) The sought-after cacao variety typically has mild and complex flavors, creamy texture and low levels of bitterness.