Compartes Chocolatier - Espresso Martini - Dark Chocolate Espresso Martini 67% Cacao (bar) - May 29, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
Espresso Martini - Dark Chocolate Espresso Martini 67% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.35 oz. (38 g.) / 2.7 oz. (76 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Espresso Martini - Dark Chocolate Espresso Martini 67% Cacao (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA).

Aroma notes included: slightly roasted coffee and dark chocolate; vanilla; faint spirits/alcohol (vodka); and faint marshmallow/whipped cream.

Texture: smooth with an even melt and mouthfeel (no coffee or cacao grit).

I enjoyed the satisfying dark chocolate and light espresso blend. It was a sweet chocolate version of an espresso-mocha martini. The vodka flavor was very subtle, but it was enough to "sell" the martini concept.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Soy Lecithin as An Emulsifier, Vanilla), Coffee, Vodka

Allergen-related information: "Made in a Facility That Handles Dairy, Peanuts, Wheat, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts." "Vegan, Gluten Free"

Hammond's - Espesso Martini Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 7, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hammond's Candies 
Espresso Martini Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.125 oz. (32 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Ace Hardware, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's Espresso Martini - Espresso Flavored Dark Chocolate Infused with Coffee Caramel (bar) was from Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO).

Aroma notes for this filled bar included: very sweet chocolate, and caramel, vanilla and coffee latte flavorings.

Texture: Smooth dark chocolate filled with a coffee-flavored, flowing caramel (with crunchy ground coffee bits and possibly vanilla bean specks) filling.

Flavors: smooth, uniformly flavored dark chocolate--that encased and blended with a dark-caramel hued, thick syrup-like caramel-coffee and vanilla filling. There were more sweeteners (sugars, corn syrup) and added flavorings (see ingredients list) than expected in this bar.

I enjoyed the idea behind and blend of flavors in this bar, even if it was too sweet for me. (This was like a high-end candy bar.) 

Note: there was no alcohol in this chocolate + espresso martini inspired chocolate.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor, filling (corn syrup, cream [heavy cream, milk, contains less than 0.5% of: mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 80, carageenan], sugar, butter [cream, natural flavor], mocha espresso coffee paste [coffee, canola oil, sugar, soy lecithin], ground roasted coffee beans, vanilla paste [sugar, water, vanilla extract, vanilla bean specks, gum tragacanth], sea salt, cappuccino tiramisu extract [natural flavor, sugar, caramel color], natural flavor).

Allergen-related information: Contains Soy and Milk. May Contain Wheat, Peanuts, and Tree Nuts.

Millcreek Cacao Roasters - Espresso 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 6, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Millcreek Cacao Roasters 
Espresso - 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Espresso - 70% Dark Chocolate Arriba Nacional Hacienda Limon Farm, Ecuador (bar) was from Millcreek Cacao Roasters (Salt Lake City, UT).

The family-owned company began their journey as "Farm to Bar Chocolate Makers" in 2011. They've focused on direct sourced heirloom cacao(s) from equatorial regions (Ecuador, Nicaragua) and "meticulous processing" of beans in their factory in Salt Lake City to create fine flavored chocolates.

The certified heirloom cacao used in today's Espresso bar was Arriba Nacional cacao from Hacienda Limon Farm in the Guayas Province of Ecuador--a region that contains views of the Pacific Ocean as well as lush forests in the interior.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate base, with a very faint (barely detectable) astringency and very tiny,  crunchy bits of espresso (finely ground coffee beans). The coffee was pleasant, not too harsh.

Aroma and flavor notes were balanced, with subtle complexity, and included: smooth, chocolate-y, dark chocolate; a very faint (agreeable) green botanical mix that included: a barely detectable, fleeting salted potato chip note at the very beginning (when bar was first unwrapped) that then shaded into delicate, authentic lush green forest; and last, but not least, smooth coffee notes. 

There were also very faint/diffuse red fruit (cherry, berry) and very faint roasted (almost nutty) notes--that could have come from the coffee or the cacao. It wasn't clear. I enjoyed them all the same.

This was a very pleasing bar. It was relatively low in acidity and had an agreeable, hearty quality to it. I loved the shy-er, almost-hidden aroma and flavor notes from start-to-finish; it was like following a rabbit through a forest.

Ingredients: "Cacao, Pure Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Roasted Coffee Beans"

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

Ethereal Chocolate - Espresso Yourself Organic Coffee 66% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 3, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Ethereal Chocolate
Espresso Yourself Organic Coffee 66% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .848 oz. (24 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 148 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Ethereal Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week. 

Today's Espresso Yourself Organic Coffee 66% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Ethereal Chocolate/Confections (Woodstock, IL).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and roasted coffee, with very faint/diffuse fruit, nut, and very faint green (almost but not quite floral/vanilla) and cookies.

Texture: Smooth, very slightly grainy dark chocolate was accented by a generous helping of crunchy cacao nibs.

Flavor notes included: dark, sweet chocolate and genuine coffee, with medium acidity, and authentic unsweetened cacao nibs. The cacao nibs and coffee balanced the sweetness (sugar).

I liked the aroma; and appreciated that the coffee was present (especially in the aroma), but that I could taste the chocolate (first), and then the coffee. It was well executed from this standpoint. 

In chocolate and coffee blends, these two flavorful beans (seeds) can overpower each other if not balanced. Sometimes I like tasting the coffee first, and sometimes the chocolate. A great maker can anticipate what works best, depending on the types/varieties of cacao and coffee.

Ingredients: Chocolate* (Cocoa Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*), Coffee Beans, Cocoa Nibs*. (* Organic Ingredient)

Allergen-related information: "Made on shared equipment with peanuts & tree nuts."

Kasama Chocolate - 65% Kape Espresso (bar) - Oct. 1, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
65% Kape Espresso (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 65% Kape Espresso (bar) from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada) was made with Kape Philippine Coffee Beans. 

The Tagalog (Filipino) word Kasama (togetherness, friendship, camaraderie, collaboration) aptly describes Kasama and its four founders. The company makes bean-to-bar chocolate and truffles using cacao from the Philippines and flavor inclusions from both the Philippines and the Pacific Northwest.

Aroma notes included: strong coffee (espresso), chocolate, faint dried fruit (date sugar), and even fainter green (botanical) syrup.

Texture: smooth, uniform, with very slight graininess/astringency.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate with bold, balanced, dark roast espresso coffee. The dark chocolate was more apparent in the taste than in the aroma; but the espresso still ruled the roost.

I appreciated tasting this single origin bean-to-bar chocolate, where both cacao beans and coffee beans came from the Philippines.* The sweetness (provided by unrefined cane sugar) tasted natural and balanced the bold espresso flavor.

Maker's notes: "...synthesis of cacao & coffee beans yields notes of dates, roasted chestnuts, & Muscovado sugar."

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Kape Philippine Coffee Beans (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

*Maker's coffee origin description: The roasted coffee beans came from "Iona & Paolo at Kape Coffee. This semi-washed coffee is grown in the highlands of Bansalan, by award-winning coffee grower, Ate Marivic, part of a farmer owned co-operative in Davao del Sur."

The Conscious Bar - 75% Cacao Espresso Crunch (bar) - May 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

The Conscious Bar
75% Cacao - Espresso Crunch (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $81.90 for 7-bar variety pack
Purchased from: The Conscious Bar, online order

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

Today's 75% Cacao Espresso Crunch (bar) was distributed by The Conscious Bar LLC (Miami, FL).

Aroma notes included: strong, roasted coffee and dark chocolate.

Texture and flavor notes included: crunchy espresso roast coffee bits; faint/mild, fleeting, green pepper; and smooth dark chocolate. The relatively fibrous, roasted espresso bean texture and flavor lingered into the finish.

I liked the short list of organic ingredients. In today's bar the strong coffee (espresso) dominated the texture and flavor profile--making it difficult to pick up the nuances of the (fully incorporated) dates and dark chocolate. Although I did enjoy the espresso-in-chocolate taste more than the initial (strong) aroma. This would be an interesting bar for espresso, mocha and/or coffee fans to try. 

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Coffee Beans, Organic Dates, Organic Cacao Butter

Allergen-related information: "Made In A Facility That Handles Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, And Tree Nuts."

Jcoco - 61% Orange Blossom Espresso in Peruvian dark chocolate - Mar. 28, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Jcoco
61% Orange Blossom Espresso in Peruvian dark chocolate 
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar
Cost: $3.49 (estimate) for 1 small bar
Purchased from: jcoco/Seattle Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of a Chocolate and Floral Series, including bars and confections with floral/flower-related ingredients.

Today's jcoco 61% Orange Blossom Espresso in Peruvian dark chocolate (bar) was made in Seattle, WA. (The jcoco brand is part of Seattle Chocolate Company, Seattle, WA.)

Aroma notes included: chocolate, orange blossom and ground coffee.

Texture: smooth chocolate with a very slight coffee grit.

Flavor notes included: relatively sweet, smooth dark chocolate (ganache); floral (orange blossom), warm spice, and coffee. 

This small bar was colorfully wrapped and is also available in a 3-bar pack.

Ingredients: 61% cacao dark chocolate (cracked cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin), coconut oil, decaffeinated espresso, orange oil, black tea powder, cloves, sea salt."

Allergen-related information: "Contains coconut. This product is manufactured in a plant that processes milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg and wheat products." (Vegan, Gluten free, Kosher dairy)

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.) 

 

Srsly Chocolate - Oaxacan Espresso 70% Dark (bar) - Apr. 28, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Srsly Chocolate
Oaxacan Espresso 70% dark (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 (plus any shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Srsly Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Oaxacan Coffee Espresso 70% dark (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Srsly Chocolate (Austin, TX).

Aroma notes for this (Dom. Rep. cacao) chocolate included: chocolate, chili pepper, faint mole spice, and even fainter coffee.

The dark chocolate had a slightly granular astringency (that could also have been part of an authentic stoneground texture choice) and a slightly fruity (acidic red berry) flavor that meshed well with the faint roasted coffee and pepper flavors.

An uptick in rich, almost smoky (BBQ) spicy chili heat began its ascent about mid-way through each mouthful, tickling the throat on the way down.

This four-ingredient, wild bunch bar conjured up a flavorful southwest experience. And the bold, layered complexity of the cacao, chipotle (smoked and dried jalapeno) chili peppers, and coffee made it a good wake-up chocolate.

Maker's tasting notes: "Smoke and fruit dominate the beginning. A warm, complex coffee and chocolate middle note that gives way to a spicy finish..."

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, coffee, chipotle pepper

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also processes milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts and wheat."

Casa de Chocolates - Organic Peruvian Espresso (bar) - Dec. 7, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Casa de Chocolates

Organic Peruvian Espresso (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) in total bar

Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar

Cost: $4.25 for 1 bar 

Purchased from: Napa Farms Market at SFO (airport)

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

Today's Organic Peruvian Espresso (bar) was from Casa de Chocolates (Berkeley, CA). The company specializes in high-quality, small batch chocolates--many of them with a Meso-American flavor or twist/connection.

Aroma notes for this small bar included: sweet, almost floral, dark chocolate and coffee.

The texture was creamy, almost velvety, smooth dark chocolate with crunchy bits of finely ground espresso coffee beans.

This bar had a smooth, creamy dark chocolate flavor with bright sweetness and satisfying espresso coffee flavor accent notes, and a very faint touch of vanilla spice.

Ingredients: "Cacao, sugar, cocoa butter, crushed organic Peruvian espresso beans, vanilla, sunflower lecithin..."

Allergen-related information: "Dairy and gluten free"

Note: This entry was posted late due to international travel.

Hogarth Chocolate Makers - Espresso Italian Roast Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 20, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Hogarth Chocolate Makers

Espresso Italian Roast Dark Chocolate 68% Cacao (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 83.174 calories in 1/5 bar (1 serving) 

Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #19 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Espresso Italian Roast Dark Chocolate 68% Cacao (bar) was from Hogarth Chocolate Makers (Nelson, New Zealand).

Aroma notes for this bar included: true chocolate (dark chocolate fudge), coffee, diffuse faint red fruit, roasted nutty-seed and wood notes (maple sap, very faint green), and very faint warm spice.

The attractively patterned Hogarth bar was relatively thick (in terms of size/depth), and had a smooth texture with a relatively thick, slow melt.

This complex blend of dark, sweet roasted coffee and chocolate--with flavor notes that mirrored the aroma notes mentioned above--was the product of Pomeroy's Coffee dark roasted Italian style blend + 68% cacao Dominican Republic OKO Caribe cacao. 

This 68% dark chocolate was relatively sweet but also had complex, dark and satisfying well-balanced flavor.

Ingredients: Cocoa solids 68% (organic cocoa beans, organic fairtrade cocoa butter), organic sugar, coffee beans.

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

Shekoh Confections - Espresso - July 3, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Espresso
Good++
Weight: .48 oz. (13.6 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 74 calories (estimate) in 1 piece 
Cost: $4.45 ($22.25 for a 5-piece box)
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Espresso filled chocolate was created by Chef Shekoh Moossavi at Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes for this thimble-shaped, domed confection included coffee latte, light caramel and smooth dark chocolate notes. The dark chocolate had very faint tart green notes (oxalis, wood sorrel) and true chocolate/mocha notes.

Today's filled chocolate had well-executed, relatively subtle, well-balanced, layered flavors. This creamy, sweet dark espresso chocolate will likely appeal to dark and milk chocolate lovers.

Maker's description: Espresso beans infused with Valrhona dark chocolate ganache.

Ingredients: (Not listed on small box)

Allergen-related information: (Not listed on small box)

 

Rowe of Venice - Espresso organic gourmet snack - Feb. 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Rowe of Venice

Espresso organic gourmet snack

Good - Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28.1 g.) / 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) in total package

Calories: 160 calories in 2/3 package

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: FarmFresh to You CSA box delivery service, add-on order item

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and EFGHI Theme Week, where flavor ingredients and concepts beginning with the letters E, F, G, H and I are featured.

Cocoa and coffee are a time-honored pairing, and today's snack contained the unadulterated essence of both of these flavors. Finely ground Espresso coffee and raw cocoa powder offered some extra bean goodness and oomph without being overpowering.

Today's Espresso organic gourmet snack pieces were from Rowe of Venice (Los Angeles, CA). The company offers a line of refrigerated, raw, superfood snack offerings and flourless SOL bread mini loafs.

The small package of snack pieces were gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, and made from raw ingredients.

These petite snack squares had aroma and flavor notes of ground espresso, authentic coconut, nuttiness (almonds) and dark cocoa. The shredded coconut and ground raw almonds contributed a slightly soft, chewy crunchiness. 

Pre-packaged snacks often have a slightly addictive level of sugar and salt. Happily, these snacks contained low levels of both. The sweetness (raw agave nectar) level was just right for my taste, which is to say not too sweet. The Himalayan pink salt was barely detectable. 

Like many enjoyable nutrient-dense foods, one or two squares was enough. The almonds provided protein, slowing cravings that have led to snack gobbling  (more rapid consumption).

Ingredients: "Love, organic raw almonds, organic espresso, organic raw blue agave nectar, organic raw cacao powder, unsweetened shredded coconut, organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, Himalayan pink salt, Gratitude."

Dick Taylor - 58% Dark Milk Chocolate; 68% Espresso Dark (bars) - Mar. 18, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Dick Taylor
58% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Dick Taylor
Espresso - 68% Dark Chocolate bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 152 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Dark Milk Chocolate Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's highlight was re-tasting a 58% Dark Milk Chocolate Madagascar (Sambirano) bar from Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA).

This was an outstanding dark milk chocolate bar with creamy texture and great flavor. The aroma and flavor had molasses, dried bright fruit, chocolate and caramel pot de creme notes. (The maker's tasting notes read as follows: prunes, almond butter and caramel.)

One good Dick Taylor bar deserves another.... The Madagascar dark milk bar (above) was paired with a 68% Dark Chocolate Espresso bar (with coffee from Sightglass Coffee (San Francisco, CA)). Loved that the authentic dark roasted coffee flavor was fully incorporated into the dark chocolate that was made from a blend of cacao beans (from Belize, Madagascar and Guatemala). And that there was no coffee grit to chew through, leaving one to enjoy smooth but complex flavor harmony.

Fine and Raw Chocolate - Espresso (bar) and Hazelnut Butter (bar) - July 29, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Fine and Raw Chocolate
Espresso 70% cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 171 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $25.00 for 5 bar set
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order


Fine and Raw Chocolate
Hazelnut Butter 49% cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 159 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $25.00 for 5 bar set
Purchased from: Fine and Raw Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Espresso 70% cacao and Hazelnut Butter 49% cacao bars, from Fine and Raw Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY), were both great bars to sample after getting up in the middle of the night to catch a plane to New Mexico where cowboys and cowgirls still exist. Some caffeine and theobromine will help to stay awake and to drive across this beautiful state.*

If cowboy coffee is made with a pot on hot coals, then perhaps cowgirl espresso is a bit more refined...something like today's Espresso bar. Coffee has been part of ranch and cattle drive culture for some time. (Yesterday we talked about mesquite coffee, which also has a long tradition in the Southwest U.S.)

These two bars were part of the company's Brooklyn Bonnie collection, and were adorned with drawings of girls from the wild west, many of them endowed with a cowgirl spirit.

Both were sweetened with coconut sugar and were made with 50% raw and 50% roasted cacao and had pleasing espresso and hazelnut aromas, respectively. Both bars had a creamy melt and had balanced (and complementary) flavors. (Eating them together was like enjoying a hazelnut latte.)

The Espresso bar contained small chewy bits of coffee. And the Hazelnut Butter bar had tiny bits of ground nuts, but were otherwise quite smooth.

Both had a pleasing finish as well.

Skinny Dipped Almonds - Dark Chocolate Espresso - Oct. 7, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Skinny Dipped Almonds
Dark Chocolate Espresso
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $4.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Target Stores, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Espresso Dark Chocolate Skinny Dipped Almonds were distributed by Wild Things Snacks, Inc. (Seattle, WA).

This offering was part of a family of Skinny Dipped Almonds—a re-imagined line-up of chocolate-coated nuts. A graphic on the back of the package showing a cross-section of these almonds (compared with traditional chocolate covered almonds) helps illustrate what Skinny Dipped means (less sugar, more almond).

These lightly roasted almonds, seasoned with a very light touch of maple sugar and sea salt, were covered with a thin (skinny) layer of dark chocolate and a very subtle sprinkle of espresso. They had a pleasant, relatively mild, natural aroma, flavor and crunchy texture.

Mars - Crunchy Espresso M&Ms - May 19, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mars

Crunchy Espresso MandMs

Good

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 8 oz. (226.8 g.) in total package

Calories: 140 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $4.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

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

Just when we thought we'd sampled every flavor in the pantheon of MandM's chocolate candies, along came today's Crunchy Espresso MandMs from Mars (Hackettstown, NJ).

As the name implied the fillings, inside the candy-coated exterior shells, were lighter, crispier and crunchier than those of classic MandM chocolate candies with a solid milk chocolate core.

The coffee flavor was very mild. These candies included artificial flavors and colorings and may contain gluten (barley malt extract).

Neo Cocoa - Mocha Cinnamon truffles - Dec. 29, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Neo Cocoa 

Mocha Cinnamon truffles

Good + - Good ++

Weight: .8 oz. (23 g.) / 2.4 oz. (69 g.) in total box of 6 pcs.

Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces

Cost: $12.00 for 1 box of 6 pieces

Purchased from: La Cocina retail space, San Francisco Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Holiday Spices and Maple Theme Week.

Today's Mocha Cinnamon truffles were from Neo Cocoa (Belmont, CA) and were part of holiday snack duo on the go.

These Neo Cocoa rectangular truffles were lightly dusted with dark cocoa powder, had a roasted coffee (espresso) and cinnamon (cassia) aroma, a creamy, velvety texture, and a rich 72% dark chocolate flavor.

I paired these silky chocolate pieces with a snack "opposite:" a Larabar Nut and Seed Maple and Cinnamon Crunchy Bar.* Both were great with fresh fruit.

The company specializes in the heart of truffles, meaning the lovely silky smooth chocolate "insides" of some chocolates covered with a harder chocolate shell or couverture.

Neo Cocoa founder Christine Doerr was trained as a chef and worked as a graphic designer, but she was eventually drawn to chocolate. With the help of La Cocina (a kitchen incubator in San Francisco) she launched her own company, offering soft, shell-less truffles (the "hearts of truffles") in a variety of delicious flavors.

*This Larabar Maple and Cinnamon Crunchy Bar did not contain any chocolate.

Indulgence Chocolatiers - Porter 58% bar + Jelina Chocolatier - Maple Milk Chocolate bar - Dec. 22, 2017

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Indulgence Chocolatiers, LLC
Porter 58% Cacao Dark Chocolate with Espresso, Malt and Roasted Barley bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .14 oz. (4 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99.22 g.) in total bar
Calories: 23.5 calories in 1 square of bar
Cost: N/A - gift (thank you Kaitlin!)
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Holiday Spices and Maple Theme Week. Today, we're blessed with two holiday bars.

The first bar, a Porter 58% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar with Espresso, Malt and Roasted Barley bar from Indulgence Chocolatiers, LLC (Milwaukee, WI), was a surprise gift—acquired on a vacation trip and generously shared with Chocolate Banquet.

What an intriguing, complex dark aroma this bittersweet chocolate bar had. Espresso powder added some rich depth as did roasted barley and malted milk powder.

I spent an indulgently long time just enjoying whiffs of this chocolate, that also had faint hints of umami, tobacco, leather and spice. And the taste I had did not disappoint.

Jelina Chocolatier
(Galerie au Chocolat)
Maple Crunch (Sucre d'erable) Milk Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 270 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Today's second bar was a Maple Crunch Milk Chocolate bar from Jelina Chocolatier (Montreal, QC, Canada).

Holiday childhood memories included real stalks of sugar cane* and maple sugar candy. The sugar cane yielded less sugar than you might expect, but kept children busy as gnawing rodents on Christmas morning.

On the other hand, the maple-leaf shaped pieces of maple sugar candy (imported from exotic Canada or Vermont) were dazzlingly sweet in their final, processed form. They yielded such a super-charged maple sweetness that it was almost impossible to eat more than 1 or 2 pieces at one sitting.

However, the sensation of the slightly crystalline maple crunch and velvety maple melt still lingers. It was also present in today's Maple Crunch Milk Chocolate bar.

This bar appears as a second chocolate today because I've already had a similar maple milk chocolate bar from Galerie au Chocolat. (I discovered Galerie au Chocolat operates with the name Jelina Chocolatier in the U.S.) Thank goodness for Google spreadsheets and search.

*It's harder to get a sugar rush if you have to chew and suck the sugary plant liquid in its raw, diluted form from a large, hard stalk of actual sugar cane. 

Black Mountain Chocolate - Espresso Bar - June 13, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Black Mountain Chocolate
Espresso Bar
Good+++
Weight: .75 oz. (21 g.) / 2.29 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 127 calories (estimate per label) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $5.00 (estimate) for 1 bar (part of a larger order)
Purchased from: Black Mountain Chocolate, phone order

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

Today's 70% Cacao Espresso Bar came from Black Mountain Chocolate (Winston-Salem, NC), a family owned business that has been offering bean-to-bar chocolate since 2007.

The company began operations near Asheville, NC. Later their "Visible Factory + Kitchen" moved to their present day location in Winston-Salem, NC.

This 70% cacao dark chocolate bar was "dusted with finely ground espresso beans" from Dynamite Roasting Company (Black Mountain, NC). In fairness to Brent Peters and team at Black Mountain, by the time I ate this bar (today) it was past its expiration date. However, it was still very good.

The chocolate had rich, smooth dark chocolate aroma and flavor with dried fruit (raisins) and freshly ground coffee notes. The dusting of finely ground coffee gave it additional dark depth, without smothering the fruit notes that still shone through.