Rhyme and Reason - Midnight Raspberry 70% Chanthaburi Thailand (bar) - Dec. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Rhyme and Reason Chocolate Co.
Midnight Raspberry 70% Chanthaburi Thailand Dark with a Pop of Raspberry (bar)

Good ++ 

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Thailand Theme Week. 

Today's Midnight Raspberry 70% Chanthaburi* Thailand with a Pop of Raspberry (bar) was from Rhyme and Reason Chocolate Co. (Greensboro, NC).

I'm enjoying a virtual vacation in Thailand this week, via chocolate. Christmas isn't necessarily a traditional religious holiday in Thailand; but there have been plenty of Christmas holiday lights and decorated trees in Bangkok--and at least one Thai Santa (with children dressed as elves).**

Aroma notes included: smooth, slightly roast-y, dark chocolate; tart sweet red fruit (red raspberries, black raspberry, pomegranate molasses); faint, authentic brown sugar; and almost undetectable spice (diffuse warm spice, black licorice).

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap, and had a smooth, thick and creamy melt (in a cool room).

Flavor notes: relatively smooth, slightly-roasty, dark chocolate and satisfying red raspberry, flavors that lingered into a pleasant finish.

I enjoyed the classic (almost always works) blend of (Thai) dark chocolate + authentic, concentrated (freeze-dried) raspberry fruit; being able to fully enjoy the raspberry flavor without the berry seeds (thank you!); and the fact that this dark chocolate bar wasn't too sweet (thank you again). I also liked the maker's choice of a less processed sugar that gave the chocolate a faint brown sugar warmth.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Freeze Dried Raspberries, Cocoa Butter"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility which also handles milk, peanuts, and tree nuts"

*Chanthaburi is a city and province located in Eastern Thailand, near the border with Cambodia. The climate is tropical with large amounts of rainfall in the wet season.

**Thank you YouTube. Where a chocolate-centric tourist like me can experience places, sights and insights in Thailand, and in so many other places worldwide. 

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Covered Bananas - Oct. 2, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Covered Bananas (package)
Good ++ 
Weight: 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories (estimate) in 1 package
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

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

Today's Chocolate Covered Bananas were 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."

The "seda" (translation: silk) bananas*--that were covered in Ecuadorean chocolate in today's offering--were an heirloom variety preserved by small producers.

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: dark chocolate; aromatic, softly sweet, banana and subtle brown sugar (panela).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate; the dehydrated banana pieces (slices) were just right with an authentic texture that seemed to preserve the best of the banana. (The fruit was just right: not too mushy, not too tough; i.e., it did not have a hard chew.)

I enjoyed the sweet, mellow flavor and texture of the banana, and the fact that it tasted slightly less acidic than Cavendish bananas we find in stores here in the U.S.

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

Ingredients: "Dehydrated banana, cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter"

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

*Bananas originated in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. They arrived in the Americas centuries ago. Commercial banana growers in the Americas were impacted by disease(s); and some cultivars like the popular Gros Michel cultivar survived in smaller pockets after suffering from fungal disease(s), and being declared "commercially extinct" in 1965. Following that period, the more disease-resistant (at that time) cultivar, the Cavendish, became the banana we know and love today in the U.S. But, concerns about fungal diseases continue--with bananas and cacao.

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Brunei Cherry 65% Cacao - Sept. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Brunei Cherry 65% Cacao
Good + - 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 #6 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bar with Brunei Cherry 65% 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."

This bar contained Brunei cherries (Garcinia forbesii in this bar). These grow on tropical evergreen trees in South America. They have a cherry-like flavor and frequently go through a light fermentation process.*

Aroma and flavor notes for this 65% cacao chocolate included: rich, slightly fermented fruit (cherry, light cherry wine) and dark, smooth (chocolate-y) chocolate.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a festive field of softly chewy, tiny rosy-colored bits of brunei cherries on the back side of this bar.

I enjoyed the blend of smooth, relatively sweet 65% dark chocolate and the authentic bits of tart cherry-like fruit that livened the entire bar.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and powerful ingredients; as well as the company's focus on regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, brunei cherry"

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

*Brunei cherries are related to mangosteen fruits originally from Southeast Asia--that are now cultivated in Central America; although there are members of the Garcinia genus that are native to the Americas.)

Wildwood Chocolate - Berry Berry 70% Cacao (bar) - June 8, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Wildwood Chocolate
Berry Berry 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Healing Arts Center and Spa at Cavallo Point, Sausalito, CA

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week(s). 

Today's Berry Berry 70% Cacao (bar) was from Wildwood Chocolate (Portland, OR). Note: This bar's lovely appearance and the company's name (inspired by a local trail in the Portland area) caused me to have a positive bias--as I love color, nature and trails.

Aroma notes for this visually stunning dark chocolate bar included: big, bright red berry (authentic red raspberry and strawberry), and dark chocolate.

Texture: A very generous layer of lofty (almost airy) light, dried fruit (strawberries, raspberries) sat atop a smooth/creamy dark chocolate base.

Flavor notes included: tart-sweet strawberries and raspberries that complemented bold (slightly earthy/loamy) and relatively smooth dark chocolate. And a very faint touch of vanilla harmonized well with the berries and chocolate.

I enjoyed this very attractive*, well-executed, flavorful 70% cacao bar. The berries were not sweetened--allowing the true fruit flavors to shine. Thank you to Wildwood for not over-sugaring this fruit-flavored chocolate.

Ingredients: Bittersweet Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), Dried Strawberries, Dried Raspberries.

Allergen-related information: Contains Soy. May contain traces of the following if not listed above due to shared equipment: milk, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat or eggs.

*The Wildwood image of a fern (plant) was embossed on the dark chocolate side; and the red berries provided 100% coverage (and eye candy) on the other side.

Zotter Chocolate - Blueberry + Hazelnut (bar) - June 2, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter Chocolate
Blueberry + Hazelnut (bar) 
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total package of 2 bars
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zotter, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week. Cherries, berries and citrus are heavily represented this week. It's always nice to find a bar with blueberries.

Today's Blueberry + Hazelnut - Blueberry candy bar and hazelnut praline with hazelnut pieces (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Zotter offers an abundant variety of creatively executed and packaged bars -- both filled ("hand-scooped") and single origin ("Labooko" line) chocolate bars.*

Aroma notes for this filled milk chocolate bar included: chocolate; blueberry; and very faint berry cereal milk and vanilla.

Texture: Creamy milk chocolate with a softer milk chocolate filling/center that contained crunchy hazelnut pieces.

Flavor notes included: sweet, slightly tangy blueberry-infused, rich and creamy milk chocolate, and subtle nut (hazelnut). 

The authentic flavors in this high-end, sweet candy bar (including the organic brown sugar) helped make this candy bar more interesting and mildly addicting. I would say that it was too sweet, but I had no trouble eating more than I'd planned. As in other candy bars, nuts helped balance out the sweetness. 

Ingredients: Cane Sugar**, Cocoa Butter** (24%), Hazelnuts** (21%), Cocoa Mass**, Dry Skim Milk, Dried Blueberries* (14%), Dry Whole Milk, Soy Lecithin*, Lemon Powder* (Lemon Juice Concentrate*, Corn Starch*, Sugar*), Dark Brown Cane Sugar**, Salt, Vanilla Bean Powder*, Cardamom*, Star Anise*. 

(* = Organic; ** = Organic and Fair Traded) Fair Trade Content: 87%

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. "Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame." 

*Zotter is one of the only chocolate makers offering dark chocolate single origin bars "sweetened" with just milk, and with NO sugars. (No artificial or other sweeteners.) Not sure why more makers haven't done this. Hats off to the maker for this decision.

Mama Ganache - Spicy Orange 70% Cocoa Chocolate (bar) - May 31, 2024 + Candied Watermelon - May 31, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

1.) Mama Ganache 
Spicy Orange 70% Cocoa Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 95 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: N/A - gift from a friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Eric!)

2.) Homemade by Megan
Candied Watermelon strips
Good ++
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) (estimate) for 1 serving
Calories: 83 calories (estimate) in 1 serving
Cost: N/A - gift from family (Thank you Megan!)
Purchased from: N/A - homemade by Megan

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week. Today's Spicy Orange 70% Cocoa Chocolate (bar) was from Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates (San Luis Obispo, CA). I enjoyed this chocolate with a side of homemade candied watermelon rind strips. (Thank you Megan!)

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate and citrus (orange oil, fruit).

Texture: smooth, buttercream-like chocolate with an appealing, creamy melt.

This bar had a bittersweet, smooth dark chocolate flavor, suffused with just the right amount of authentic orange (oil), followed by a spicy (cayenne pepper) uptick that bloomed mid-way through the tasting experience; and the "heat" gradually subsided 10-12 seconds after it peaked.

The sugar/sweetness level was about right; the 70% dark chocolate was very slightly bitter (bittersweet), and that balanced out the sweetness. A small amount of vanilla added a bit of baked goods warmth to the orange and chocolate flavors.

The pale pink candied watermelon rind strips I paired this chocolate with were fruity and chewy with a smooth, refreshing, bright, naturally sweet melon flavor. And they were a perfect complement to today's spicy orange dark chocolate. 

Ingredients: Organic bittersweet chocolate (Organic chocolate liquor*, organic sugar*, organic cocoa butter*, organic cocoa powder*, and organic vanilla*), organic orange oil and organic cayenne. (* = Fair Trade)

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that also processes peanuts, nuts, wheat and dairy"

Hawaiian Wildflower Honey Chocolate Dessert Series - #1 - 80% Dark, Coconut, Sweet Lemon, Mangosteen - Jan. 14, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Hawaiian Wildflower Honey Chocolate Dessert #1
80% Dark Chocolate, Sweet Lemon, Mangosteen
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total small dessert
Calories: 245 calories (estimate) for 1 dessert
Cost: N/A - many sources
Purchased from: N/A - multiple sources

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week--into which I'm inserting a series of small (homemade) chocolate desserts floating in Hawaiian Wildflower Honey.*

Today's Hawaii Honey dessert #1: An 80% dark chocolate square with toasted coconut was set in a small pool of Hawaii Honey flavored with sweet lemon (Citrus limetta) rind and mangosteen** fruit (freeze-dried powder).

The Hawaii honey and sweet lemon rind were particularly bright and wonderful flavors, and both complemented the 80% dark chocolate very nicely. The coconut flakes were very subtle, as was the mangosteen powder. (Bits of fresh mangosteen would have been more flavorful, but they're hard to find where I live.)

*In past years I created a series of small, "shot glass" chocolate desserts. Each of them was designed to have memorable, layered flavors and to fit into a (1.5 - 2 oz.) shot glass. 

This week's series highlights small desserts with big flavors, made with Hawaiian Wildflower Honey from Chico Honey (Chico, CA). The company sources honey from their hives in California, Hawaii and Montana. Chocolate and flavor inclusions were layered atop a tiny pool of this delicious Hawaiian honey.

**Mangosteen has been called the "Queen of Fruits." First cultivated in Southeast Asia, this purple hued small fruit with an ivory-colored center tastes like a blend of fruits: lychee, strawberry, peach, mango. Like cacao fruit pulp, it can evoke memories of other tropical fruits while still maintaining its own essence.

Kad Kokoa - Salted Tamarind (bar) - Nov. 14, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Kad Kokoa 
Salted Tamarind (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.45 oz. (41.25 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 255 calories in 3/4 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Salted Tamarind (bar) was from Kad Kokoa (Bangkok, Thailand).

Aroma notes for this bar included: smooth dark chocolate; faint tart-sweet fruit; iced tea with lemon/citrus; and very faint light green, almost floral (sweet vanilla tobacco).

Texture: Smooth dark chocolate, interspersed with small chewy salted tamarind fruit bits, and the occasional tiny fragment of chili pepper (seed, membrane).

Flavor notes included: smooth, almost delicate bittersweet chocolate (faint, light green floral/sweet botanical notes); tart-sweet chewy sweet-sour fruit with very faint salt, and chili. The dried chili contributed a strong spicy kick toward the end (especially in the bites of chocolate that contained multiple bits of chili-spiced, tamarind fruit).

I liked the incorporation of authentic Thai flavors in this chocolate and how the chocolate and the tamarind bits interacted with each other. 

Warning: The dried chili flakes in this bar packed some serious chili heat. This will warm your palette and tickle your throat on the way down.

Ingredients: "Cocoa Nibs, Organic Sugar, Salt, Cocoa Butter, Dried Tamarind, Dried Chili Flakes"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles nuts, dairy, and gluten."

Fortunato Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Dates with Sea Salt - Aug. 2, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fortunato Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Dates with Sea Salt 
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.02 oz. (29 g.) / 8 oz. (226 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving (2 dates)
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Fortunato Chocoalate, online order

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

Today's Dark Chocolate Dates with Sea Salt were from Fortunato Chocolate (Issaquah, WA).

The company is a family-owned business that specializes in rare Fortunato* Pure Nacional cacao from Peru. 

Aroma notes for these dark chocolate dates included: nuanced, dark chocolate with very faint cacao fermentation, fruit, and spice. 

A relatively thin layer of subtly flavorful 68% dark chocolate surrounded large, plump, almost fluffy,  medjool date fruit. Extra points on the fruit inside the chocolate today. For a moment, I thought this exceptional fruit (date) might eclipse the high-end Fortunato dark chocolate. Fortunately the chocolate flavor experienced during the first bite returned in the finish.

I did not taste any sea salt. (The salt grains may have settled to the bottom of the package.) But I'm sure a few judicious sparkles of salt would have been a good fit, helping to balance the sweetness just a bit.

Ingredients: "68% Fortunato Dark Chocolate (organically grown cacao and cocoa butter 68%, cane sugar 32%), medjool dates, sea salt."

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of hazelnut and almonds."

*These rare Fortunato Nacional cacao beans contain a relatively high percentage (40%) of "white" cacao beans (If you cut open the seeds (aka beans), they look white inside.) 

Fortunato is the name of the farmer in Peru who is growing these trees. The company "discovered" these beans in 2008. 

Nacional is a type of "heritage" cacao that is subtle but certainly not dull. The 68% Fortunato dark chocolate was relatively sweet. More important, it lacked the bitterness and stronger, acidic or earth flavors one might find in other cacaos.

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

Chocolate of the Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chocolate(s) of the Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

These attractive chocolates had skillfully executed blends texture and taste. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Sigona's Farmers Market - Pineapple Macadamia Milk Chocolate (bar) - Mar. 3, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Sigona's Farmers Market
Pineapple Macadamia Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Farmers Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Pineapple Macadamia Milk Chocolate (bar) was a collaboration between Sigona's Farmers Market (Stanford Shopping Center, in Palo Alto, CA) and local chocolatier, Javier Confectionery (Burlingame, CA).

Aroma notes for this bar included: fresh, sweet, fruity chocolate with tropical fruit (sweet pineapple) notes.

My favorite aspect of this bar was the chewy, authentic (dried) pineapple pieces (from Sigona's) that were swimming in smooth, thick, creamy milk chocolate--that had light, sweet, caramel overtones. 

This pineapple (that Sigona's market sourced from a family farm in Costa Rica), even though it was dried, somehow still tasted very fresh. It was not overly sweet and it maintained its natural tropical, pineapple fruit flavor, texture and mouthfeel. 

Crunchy, roasted macadamia nuts* rounded out this trio and helped to balance the sweetness. A hint of vanilla added a trace of warm baked goods aroma.

Overall, this was a well executed collaboration, and a great use of ripe, flavorful dried fruit. 

Cacao seeds* (what most people call cacao beans) used to make chocolate offer very rich and versatile flavor (sometimes a little bitter and seedy). The inner core of cacao seeds also picks up flavor from a surrounding layer of cacao fruit pulp.** 

The cacao fruit pulp sugars fuel the fermentation and cacao flavor development process. This ivory-colored cacao fruit pulp dissolves and drains away during the fermentation process, leaving the cacao seeds (aka cacao "beans") behind. 

In today's case, the added pineapple evoked some of that native tropical fruit flavor I associate with making chocolate from the whole cacao fruit, close to the Equator. And the mac nuts and vanilla also reminded me of tropical vacations visiting cacao farms. These warm memories were appreciated, in the middle of a cold winter, looking outside at snow in the hills.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (cane sugar, cocoa butter, full cream milk, cocoa beans, vanilla beans), dried pineapple, macadamia nuts.

Allergen-related information: (Contains dairy/milk.) "Made in a facility that also makes products containing milk, soy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts and wheat."

* Yes, cacao beans are really seeds. And macadamia nuts can be considered seeds as well.

** Cacao fruit pulp has a flavor that can be difficult to pin down. Generally it is sweet and a little tart. Depending on the cacao variety (there are many), the fruit tastes like citrus, melon, and/or even a little like mixed tropical fruits, including pineapple or mango.

Liofilizovana Visnja - Sour Cherry in Dark Chocolate - Jan. 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Liofilizovana Visnja
Sour Cherry in Dark Chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total package
Calories: 161.4 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!) 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend who purchased in Europe

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherries Series.

Today's Lio Sour Cherry (dragees) in Dark Chocolate were produced by ART IVAL d.o.o. (Republic of Serbia).

The company describes these chocolate coated, freeze-dried sour cherries as being "packed with sweet and sour power." 

First, the aroma...These confections (before putting it into my mouth) had a relatively subtle chocolate (dark chocolate cookie, hot cocoa with faint vanilla) aroma.

Things got much more interesting upon taking the first bite. There were bursts of contrasting textures (smooth + an unexpected crunchiness) and flavors (smooth, sweet chocolate and tart-sweet and sour cherry). 

I experienced more of a hard crunch in some pieces than others when I bit into them. When I held a piece in my mouth (for 20+ seconds), the crunchy freeze-dried fruit mellowed into a more tender texture.

These sour cherry chocolates were authentic-tasting, nicely balanced and enjoyable to eat. (And yes, I did enjoy the "sweet and sour power.")

Ingredients: "dark chocolate min. 87% (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavouring. Cocoa solids: 56% min.), freeze-dried sour cherry min. 10%." 

Allergen-related complexity: "The product may contain traces of milk and nuts. No(t) recommended for children under the age of 3, due to the size of dragees."

* What are dragees? Generally, they are sweet, bite-sized confections (with nuts or fruits at the center) covered by a (sometimes crunchy candy, sometimes softer chocolate) shell.

The French word dragee may have come from Latin or Greek. The Greek word tragema referred to a dried fruit or sweetmeat (confection, sweet food).

Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Cherries (65% Belize dark chocolate) - Jan. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate 
Chocolate Coated Cherries - 65% Belize dark chocolate
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total container
Calories: 260 calories in 1 (2 oz./57 g.) serving 
Cost: $16.00 for 1 container
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Belize Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cherry Week.

Today's Chocolate Coated Cherries from Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA) were a delicious intersection of these two themes.

It's a cold, rainy winter outside; but it's bright and fruity inside. Last week's New Year's lineup featured the almost magical fruit flavors/notes in six different single origin Belize dark chocolate bars. This week: a Chocolate and Cherry Series, will be followed by a Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla week. Winter seems less drab and gray with bright fruits, warm spices and chocolate.

Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Cherries

Aroma notes for these high-end chocolate coated cherries included rich dark cocoa, warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom) and very faint fruit and sweet cream/yogurt. 

Every mouthful was full of flavor. When I bit into a piece, there was a gentle crackling through the successive layers of thinly-deposited 65% Belize dark chocolate, into a chewy dried cherry fruit center. This chocolate had mild tart-sweet fruit notes. 

The tasting experience was both a reveal and a delightful ambush: that started with smooth and flavorful, layered dark chocolate followed by strong bursts of tart-sweet, organic cherry. 

Notes: Possibly addictive. I recommend not biting into these pieces right away. You'll get more of the chocolate experience that way. The authentic, concentrated cherry flavor tends to dominate once you bite into the center.

Maker's notes/description: "Organic dried tart cherries deliciously coated in layer upon layer of our award-winning 65% Belize dark chocolate. " 

Ingredients: Organic cherries, organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa powder, organic cocoa powder, organic sunflower oil (cherries).

Allergen-related information: (None visible on label. Check with Dick-Taylor if you have questions about these confections.) Note: the allergen-related language printed on the packaging of the last Dick-Taylor bar I sampled read: "Made in a facility that also processes milk, tree nuts, wheat and peanuts." 

Mirzam - White Chocolate Alphonso Mangoes (bar) + Cacao Nib "Caviar" - Sept. 24, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Mirzam Chocolate Makers
White Chocolate with Organic Indian Alphonso Mangoes (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 158 calories in 2 servings (30 g.) of bar
Cost: $11.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's White Chocolate Alphonso Mangoes (bar) was from Mirzam Chocolate Makers* (Dubai, United Arab Emirates). Mirzam is the name of a star that Arab traders used for navigation centuries ago. This mango bar was part of the Emarati company's Monsoon Collection. (January to March are the wetter months in Dubai.)

Most white chocolates are very sweet, and bland. Happily this was not the case with today's offering. The surprisingly complex aroma notes for this golden-colored bar included: very subtle sweet root vegetable (parsnip, yam), faint sweet pumpkin, and bright tropical fruit ice cream fruit (mango).

The texture? It had a relatively slow, even melt and a thick, creamy mouthfeel (at a room temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 degrees Celsius).

Flavor notes mirrored the fruit and sweet vegetable aroma notes mentioned above. This white chocolate was unique and flavorful and not too sweet. (Thank you!) 

The cocoa butter and milk mellowed the brightness of the bright mango fruit a bit; however,  instead of muting flavors, the overall blend was uniquely flavorful and satisfying. 

I associated the taste and texture with good, homemade cream soups made with a short list of fresh, high-end ingredients. (We're moving into pumpkin and squash soup mode here in late September, so this bar seemed a good fit given we are slouching toward soup season.) 

It's not every white chocolate bar I'd be comparing to a fine soup. This special mango bar is in the top 10% of all white chocolates I've sampled, and it deserves a place in a white chocolate tasting flight.

Cacao Nib "Caviar"
But, wait. You thought I didn't "count" white chocolate on Chocolate Banquet? You are correct. 

I paired today's white chocolate with a small dollop of cacao nib "caviar"--cacao nibs marinated in Meyer Lemon juice, fruits, sea salt and gin. (Note: any alcohol from the gin component had evaporated by the end of the marinating process. Only the faint botanical flavors were left.) 

This salty, fruity side dish was a fun (and surprisingly complementary) pairing with today's bar. But then, again, this Mirzam 4-ingredient bar wasn't your every day white chocolate.  

Ingredients: "Cocoa butter, unrefined cane sugar, skim milk powder, Alphonso mango."

Allergen-related information: Contains milk.

*Mirzam Chocolate is affiliated with Kakow Manufacturing Co. LLC.

Zotter - Mango Tango (bar) - Sept. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter

Mango Tango (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar 

Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.49 for 1 bar (plus seasonal warm weather shipping charge)

Purchased from: Zotter, online order

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

Today's Mango Tango bar was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Zotter offers a seemingly endless variety of very thinly layered, "hand-scooped" chocolate covered bars (as well as a line of pure chocolate/bean-to-bar offerings). I have the impression the team (Josef Zotter and family, and almost 200 employees worldwide) are having fun.*

The creative bar flavors are matched with colorful, iconic illustrations by artist/designer, Andreas H. Gratze, on the packaging.

Aroma notes for today's Mango Tango filled bar included: dark chocolate, sweet mango candy/confection and freshly squeezed citrus (sweet lime, lemon).

Precisely executed thin layers were/are key to the overall taste. A well-tempered, very thin layer of 70% dark chocolate (shell) broke with a light crunch (at room temperature); and that contrasted with two layers of softer fruit filling that contained a tiny shred or two of citrus (lemon) peel.

The dark, slightly earthy flavored chocolate shell added flavor depth to (and balanced) the lighter and brighter, tart-sweet, authentic-tasting mango and lemon layers. This Mango Tango bar was rich and sweet enough to be a high-end confection, packaged in bar form.

Ingredients: Organic, fair trade cane sugar; organic, fair trade cocoa mass; organic, fair trade cocoa butter; organic glucose syrup; milk; organic mango puree; organic dried mangos; organic lemon juice; dry whole milk; dry skim milk yoghurt; dry skim milk; organic lemon juice concentrate; organic, fair trade cashews; dry sweet whey; organic soy lecithin; organic, fair trade dark brown cane sugar; organic lemon powder [organic lemon juice concentrate, organic corn starch, organic sugar]; organic turmeric; salt; organic vanilla bean powder; organic cinnamon.

Organic [90% organic]; Fair Traded, Fair Trade [content in total: 75%]

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, cashews, soy. Manufactured on equipment that processes other tree nuts, peanuts, eggs and sesame.

*Filled bar flavors include: traditionally inspired "classic" bars such as hazelnut and pistachio praline layered bars or coffee bars; creative fruit blends (Tangerine, Matcha and Coconut and today's Mango Tango); slightly boozy flavors (Whisky, Port Wine and Fig); various winter holiday bars (with and without spirits); and just plain fun layered flavors like Cola and Popcorn.

Theo and Philo - Chocolate Mango - Sept. 22, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates

Chocolate Mango

Good ++ 

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.18 oz. (90 g.) in total package

Calories: 132 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $13.00 for 1 package

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's attractively packaged Chocolate Mango offering was made by Theo and Philo (Manila, Philippines).

Aroma notes for these pieces included: milk chocolate integrated with fresh, naturally sweet mango* and other fruit accents (red apple, lemon).

Chewy sweet mango strips were surrounded by a thin layer of chocolate. The generously-sized pieces of authentic, bright and sunny, tart-sweet, dried mango were the stars of the show. However, the chocolate added rich, smooth texture and taste to this fruity confection. 

Yes, this was sweet. (I enjoyed eating two pieces. Two was enough to satisfy.) The ingredients were high-quality, and the flavors were appealing, complementary and well executed--saving this chocolate and mango blend from tasting like pure sugar.

Ingredients: Dried yellow mangoes (mangoes, sugar), milk chocolate (sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa mass).

Allergen-related information: Contains milk ingredients. May contain traces of nuts.

*I don't know if the fruit in today's offering was a strain of Carabao mango--also known as the Philippine mango or Manila mango--or not. These yellow mangos from/grown in the Philippines are internationally known for their sweet flavor and relatively tender texture.

Carabao relatives include some mangos in Mexico, that resulted from Spanish Manila galleon (ship) trade between Mexico (Acapulco) and the Philippines (Manila) centuries ago. This same trade route enabled cacao to arrive in the Philippines in the 1600s. So the foundation for today's mango and chocolate blend was created almost 400 years ago.

Nassau Candy - "Inventive" Milk Chocolate Bar with Popping Candy + Fresh Mango - Sept. 21, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Nassau Candy 
"Inventive" Milk Chocolate Bar with Popping Candy

Good +
Weight .875 oz. (24.5 g.) / 1.75 oz. (49 g.) in total bar

Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 bar

Purchased from: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's "Inventive" Milk Chocolate Bar with Popping Candy was from Amuse Mints, a division of Nassau Candy (Hicksville, NY).

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included sweet milk chocolate (cocoa, fudge, ganache). Smooth chocolate was punctuated with snaps and amusing crackles from embedded popping candy. 

I paired this sparkling chocolate bar with slices of delicious fresh, sweet Keitt Mango. 

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate: (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, whole milk powder, soy lecithin [emulsifier], vanilla extract); Pop Candy: (sugar, lactose [milk], dried corn syrup, process (sic) with carbon dioxide for popping effect). 

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

Spinnaker Chocolate - 70% Madagascar (bar) - Sept. 18, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker Chocolate
70% Madagascar (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spinnaker Chocolate, online order 

"Tonga soa" (welcome) to Day #6 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's 70% Madagascar (bar) was made by Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes for this bar included: chocolate (ganache); sweet, subtle, honey-ed floral; and diffuse light fruit (dried melon, jackfruit, mild tangerine, dried cacao fruit/pulp). In a re-tasting (several hours later), I experienced peach-mango fruit aroma notes.

This well-tempered chocolate had a smooth, relatively slow melt (at room temperature), allowing a rainbow of bright fruit flavors to unfold.

Flavor notes included rich cocoa, followed by a rapid blooming of a bouquet of tart-sweet fruits (sour cherry, jackfruit (pineapple, mango), sweet citrus, tart-sweet red and dark berry, other), that leveled off after about 10 seconds and lingered into the finish. 

After about a minute (long after swallowing this chocolate) there were two fleeting, barely-there chocolate (very faint, balanced earth and warm spice) notes--revealed after the fruit flavors had receded. (Later in the day, after the bar had been opened for several hours, the fruit "punch" had mellowed just a little.)

This well-executed, 70% Madagascar dark chocolate bar offered a bright and fruit-forward rocket ride with no off notes. This would be fun to add to a chocolate tasting flight to illustrate naturally occurring fruit notes in a two-ingredient chocolate bar.

Maker's tasting notes: "Madagascar beans are famous for being full of bright, cherry notes. This bar packs a fruity punch."

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic cane sugar

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts."

Endangered Species - Luscious Blueberries + Dark Chocolate 72% (bar) - June 11, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Endangered Species
Luscious Blueberries + Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

Welcome to Day #18 of Chocolate and Fruit(s) Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Tea Theme Week, that includes chocolate + tea pairings.

Today's Luscious Blueberries + Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa (bar) was from Endangered Species Chocolate, LLC (Indianapolis, IN). 

Aroma notes for this bar included dark chocolate; authentic, smoky floral vanilla bean; and dark berry jam cake.

The 72% cocoa dark chocolate had a thick, creamy texture with a satisfying, relatively slow, even melt. The chocolate flavor was deep, dense and mellow (almost nutty). 

The sweetness level was balanced by dark, rich chocolate and (more subtle) dark berry/blueberry flavors. 

I paired this bar with a black tea flavored with fresh, strained blueberry juice and a lemon slice.

Ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate (chocolate liquor, cane sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), cane sugar, dried blueberries, sunflower oil. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Soy." "Produced on equipment that also processes products containing milk, peanuts and tree nuts."