Puna Chocolate Company - Kona Coffee and Puna Nibs 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 25, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Puna Chocolate Company
Kona Coffee and Puna Nibs 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 1.23 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.95 total bar + shipping
Purchased from: Puna Chocolate, online order

Aloha! Welcome to Day #25 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s), and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cocoa Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Kona Coffee and Puna Nibs 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Puna Chocolate Company (Kailua-Kona, Big Island, HI). The company incorporates Hawaii-grown coffee and cacao into their bars and beverages. 

Aroma notes included: rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee. 

Texture: smooth chocolate and crunchy nibs texture. 

Flavor notes included: rich, hearty dark chocolate and cocoa nibs with medium (tropical fruit) acidity; and smooth Kona coffee; roasted almost nutty flavors (from nibs, and possibly coffee). 

Cacao and coffee make for a bold, often delicious partnership. 

Often the coffee is more acidic and overwhelms what are more muted cacao flavor notes. Today's chosen blend of relatively balanced bold and complex chocolate (with medium fruit acidity) and relatively smooth Kona coffee, was enjoyable, and teetered on the reverse effect, i.e. the bolder/more acidic cacao interacted with/seemed to dominate the smoother coffee.

What I liked about this bar: 1.) the thoughtful blend of Hawaii chocolate (and 100% Puna nibs) and Kona coffee; 2.) interesting, complex flavors present (that come with fresh, local and/or less processed ingredients; and 3.) the active balance achieved between two very flavor-full ingredients.

Ingredients: Hawaiian Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Hawaiian Cacao Nibs, Kona Coffee

Allergen-related information:  Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk, peanuts, tree nuts

Exquisito Chocolates - 73% Gettin' Nibby Wit It (bar) - May 24, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Exquisito Chocolates 

73% Gettin' Nibby Wit It (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 194 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Exquisito Chocolates, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and The Sea Theme Week, featuring chocolates with sea salt and/or other maritime-related items.

Today's 73% Gettin' Nibby Wit It (bar) was from Exquisito Chocolates (Little Havana, Miami, FL).

The dark bar was wrapped in festive maritime packaging--white paper outer wrapper with "cartoon" crabs with claws raised, in a flamenco-style, castanet-wielding dance pose. I've seen crabs doing this--maybe dancing, but usually when defending themselves against an octopus or other potential predators.) 

This bar had a very subtle dark chocolate aroma, but nice textural contrast between the smooth dark chocolate and the high-quality, crunchy, slightly nutty, cocoa nibs.

Like the last few Exquisito bars, this bar also paired with with sea salted items (roasted almonds, tamari, nori), and had a very faint "perfume" finish. 

Ingredients: Cacao beans, unrefined cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed on package; check website.)

Wholly Gluten Free - Fudge Brownies - May 9, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Wholly Gluten Free
Fudge Brownies
Good ++
Weight: 3.2 oz. (90 g.) / 8 oz. (225 g.) in total package of 5 brownies
Calories: 340 calories in 2 brownies (plus nut and cocoa nibs)
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from:  Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Nuts and Nibs Theme Week.

What goes well with nuts and cocoa nibs? Chocolate fudge, cake, brownies, ice cream, and many other desserts. With that thought in mind, I selected today's Wholly Gluten Free Fudge Brownies, distributed by Run-A-Ton Group, Inc. (Chester, NJ). 

I found these individually-wrapped Fudge Brownies (sold in a box of five) in the freezer section. I enjoyed two (de-frosted) brownies: one by itself, and the second with nuts and nibs. 

I thought that, especially after being frozen and de-frosted, this gluten-free brownie might have a heavier texture. But that was definitely not the case. The light (almost fluffy) rich chocolate cake-style brownies with chocolate chunks and a rich, moist chocolate fudge-cake texture and flavor tasted fresh baked.

The second brownie--paired with pecans and walnuts, cocoa nibs (from Nicaragua) and a dash of Saigon cinnamon--had a lot going on. (Note to those with nut allergies: this brownie did not contain any nuts, before I added some.) 

The added nuts, nibs and warm spice added crunchy texture and flavor(s), and helped balance the sugary sweetness. However, these additions also pulled the focus away from the light, soft fudge-y cake-like brownie underneath all these toppings. 

Ingredients: Organic cane sugar, water, sunflower oil, cocoa powder, gluten-free whole oat flour, brown rice flour, chocolate chunks (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, natural vanilla extract, salt), tapioca syrup, potato starch, tapioca starch, chia seeds, garbanzo beans, vanilla, aluminum-free baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, corn starch, baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), sea salt, guar gum, baking soda.

Allergen-related information: (Contained corn (corn starch).) "Free from wheat dairy, egg, soy, nuts (and) sesame." "Produced in a dedicated gluten free bakehouse."

Chocola - Trozos de Cacao Cubiertos de Chocolate Oscuro Fino - Aug. 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Chocola
Trozos de Cacao Cubiertos de Chocolate Oscuro Fino
(Pieces of Cacao (nibs) Covered in Fine Dark Chocolate)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 4.06 oz. (115 g.) in total package
Calories: 131 calories (per label) in 1 serving
Cost: $9.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of 100% Cacao and Nibs Theme Week, and the first day (Day #1) of Chocolate and Guatemala Theme Week.

Today's Trozos de Cacao Cubiertas de Chocolate Oscuro Fino (cacao nibs covered in fine dark chocolate) were made with Guatemalan cacao and distributed by Productos Chocola S.A. (Guatemala City, Guatemala, Central America (C.A.)).*

Aroma and flavor notes for these diminutive, dark chocolate-covered nib pieces included dark fruit/berries (ripe blackberry, plum), port (wine), light maple syrup, sweet green/floral sap and faint vanilla and oxalis (sweet-lemony green herbs like sorrel, sour grass). And--especially after biting into them--dark chocolate flavor (with fleeting earth, blackberry and light wood and nut (hazelnut) notes).

These dark granules were flavorful and addicting all by themselves--a high-end, satisfying and compact snack. 

They would also make a delicious pairing with vanilla ice cream, or with a cheese plate, handful of roasted nuts and a small glass of fine dessert wine/port or sherry. They'd probably pair well with certain whiskeys as well. 

Ingredients: Dark chocolate 50% (sugar, cocoa butter, cacao liquor, soy lecithin (emulsifier), natural vanilla), cacao nibs, gum arabic (glazing agent).

Allergen-related information: "Contains tree nuts, soy products and may contain traces of peanuts."

*Today's Chocola dark chocolate covered cacao nibs were imported into the U.S. The importer/import contact listed on my package was Global Support, LLC (San Francisco, CA). 

Ethereal Confections - Whiskey and Nibs (bar) - May 26, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Ethereal Confections
Whiskey Infused Chocolate Bar topped with Whiskey Cocoa Nibs
Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 207 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic (now closed), Mill Valley, CA 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and VWXYZ Theme Week, featuring chocolate items with origins and flavor inclusions that begin with the letters V, W, X, Y and/or Z.

Today's Whiskey Infused Chocolate Bar topped with Whiskey Cocoa Nibs was made by Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL). The company offers a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates and hosts on-site classes and events in their space.

Whiskey and chocolate are a great match. The Whiskey in this 66% cacao dark chocolate provided a fragrant, boozy aroma, and rich, well-rounded, barrel-aged flavor. The spirits harmonized quite well with the chocolate. 

Whiskey-soaked cacao nibs added concentrated cocoa flavor with a flavor kick. (Whiskey-infused nibs are a wonderful garnish for, or inclusion in, sweet/dessert items as well as savory dishes (roasted meat rubs, vegetable marinades, salads).

Ingredients: Organic Chocolate (Whiskey Infused Organic Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter); Whiskey Infused Cocoa Nibs. 

Allergen-related information: "Made on shared equipment with peanuts and three nuts." Vegan.

Belvie Chocolate - Dark Milk Chocolate 55% Coffee + Nibs (bar) - May 14, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Belvie Chocolate Maker
Socola Caphe Sua Da (bar)
Dark Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Coffee + Nibs (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 226 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.25 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

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

Today's Dark Milk Chocolate 55% Cacao Coffee (Socola Caphe) + Nibs (bar) was made in Vietnam by Belvie Chocolate Maker (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam). 

Belvie Chocolate offers a variety of chocolate bars made with (Trinitario) fine cacao(s), from different regions of Vietnam. Some of these bars, like today's, highlight local flavor inclusions like Vietnamese coffee.

Belvie Chocolate's description read as follows: "This chocolate made of the beans from Dong Nai province, a highly inland area underlaid by volcanic rock, supports cacao plantations on its low-lying slopes as well as its valey (sic). A little coffee added to show typical Vietnamese taste."

This single terroir, dark milk chocolate successfully evoked Vietnamese coffee: a robust, but sweet and creamy beverage make with condensed milk.

Aroma: The aroma notes: sugars (caramel, powdered sugar, marshmallow) and a very light sweet coffee/tea aroma.

Texture: The chocolate's texture was a blend of thick, smooth and creamy, with crunchy, mild cacao nibs (pieces) on the back of the bar.

Flavor: This sweet dark milk bar had uniform smooth, mild but rich dark, almost fruity, chocolate flavor with a hint of caramel.

Ingredients: "Cacao and cacao butter 55%, cane sugar 25%, milk powder 20%, coffee"

Allergen-related information: (none listed)

  

Atypic Chocolate - Heart of Pacific 88% Dark Chocolate with Nibs (bar) - Dec. 28, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Atypic Chocolate

Heart of Pacific 88% Dark Chocolate with Nibs (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 173 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Theme Week.

Today's "Heart of Pacific" 88% Dark Chocolate with Nibs bar was from Atypic Chocolate*(Melbourne, Victoria, Australia). This multi-origin bar was crafted in Australia using sustainably harvested cacao beans from islands in the South Pacific.

The aroma of this bar had caramel notes associated with a creamy, dark milk chocolate with milk and sugar. I had to double check the label. Was there milk in this ultra-dark milk bar? (No.)

Note: Sometimes aroma and flavor notes for a dark chocolate bar are very similar; and the taste is just an extension of the smell. However, beans with complex flavors and/or very dark chocolates can have surprising differences between aroma and flavor. Today's 88% bar fell in this latter category, with a more complex, layered experience.

Admission: I love a well-made chocolate with an interesting, complex flavor ride.

The texture alternated between smooth ultra-dark chocolate 88% base chocolate and hearty, crunchy cocoa nibs. There was sweetness (more than one might find in most 88% chocolate bars), but certainly not the sweet caramel "candy" kind. It was a very satisfying blend.

The flavor was bold with very balanced earthy, woodsy real cacao flavor, with a very slightly fermented cacao note. The acidity and bitterness levels were just right (not too high).

Ingredients: cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cacao butter, sunflower lecithin 

*The company's name, Atypic, comes from the French word meaning atypical. Many entrepreneurial, bean-to-bar makers have had to diverge from the far more popular way of selling chocolates--by buying and using someone else's chocolate, and re-melting it to make bars and confections. 

The "new wave" of craft/artisan chocolate makers have many more steps to follow if they're making their own chocolate from scratch, from the cacao bean. And most chocolate makers who take this "atypical" road less traveled, if they really care about high-quality, will likely find themselves traveling to cacao-growing countries, getting to know cacao farmers, learning about fermenteries, examining aspects of fair trade--to ensure they have access to the best beans, to make the best chocolate, from start to finish. 

I have tried to honor all chocolate makers on Chocolate Banquet. I believe anyone starting a small business deserves respect. And to tackle complex craft food and beverage items, however intellectually satisfying it may be, deserves an extra helping of respect, and our thanks.

TCHO - Organic, Fair Trade Roasted Cacao Nibs - Nov. 10, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

TCHO
Roasted Cacao Nibs
Good +
Weight: 1 TB (3 g.) / 7.84 oz. (222 g.) in total package
Calories: 20 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: TCHO.com (online order)

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

Today's Organic, Fair Trade Certified Roasted Cacao Nibs were from TCHO (Berkeley, CA).

Opening up a fresh package of roasted cacao nibs is an invitation to experience the essence and origin of true, deep, unsweetened chocolate flavor. Frequently nibs (unless raw) will have roasted, nutty or coffee notes. In this case, the nibs had nice roasted chocolate aroma and flavor with a faint, not unpleasant, green tea note.

TCHO tasting notes for these nibs read as follows: "Intense fudge-like flavor with notes of roasted almonds and malt."

These humble little cacao bean bits had uniform flavor and crunchy texture with no "off" notes. This tells me that the cacao beans were fermented, dried, sorted and roasted by a sequence of experienced hands.

While plain nibs will be too bitter for some sweet chocolate lovers, most will appreciate the opportunity to try cacao nibs at least once.

And, for those fortunate cooks and chocolate lovers who are creative, you will have a ball with these. They can be used in so many ways, in both sweet desserts (brownies, chocolate chip cookies, marinated in spirits of your choice and sprinkled over ice cream, etc.),  and beverages/smoothies, and also in savory dishes (spice rubs, marinades, with salads, smoked, etc.). Add nibs to coffee (during the brewing and filtering process), for a touch of roasted mocha flavor. Or infuse nibs into hot milk and strain them out before serving.

At 1 gram of Carbohydrate, 1.5 g. of (unsaturated) Fat, and 20 calories, a single (1 TB) serving of roasted cacao nibs offers a lot of satisfying flavor for very little "cost" for those watching what they eat. And, no sugar.

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Bisou Chocolate - "Nibs" Chuao 87% Dark Chocolate bar - May 9, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bisou Chocolate
"Nibs" Chuao 87% Dark Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 1 oz. (28 g.) total bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bisou Chocolate, online order

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

Today's "Nibs" Chuao 87% Dark Chocolate bar was made, from bean-to-bar, by Bisou Chocolate (Berkeley/Oakland, CA).

The company makes attractively-packaged, single origin bars (and truffles) and primarily sells their chocolates at local Bay Area Farmers Markets.

This chocolate was made with cacao grown in the Chuao region of Venezuela, known for its fine flavor beans*. This bar had a relatively friendly and complex flavor profile for ultra-dark 87% cacao chocolate. It did have some rustic elements as well—tiny revelations of cacao fermentation notes (think wine grapes turning into wine) in the smooth dark base and the embedded nibs—which gave the bar a soft crunchy texture.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, organic whole cane sugar, cocoa butter

*Cacao seeds (semillas de cacao) actually; but we call them cacao beans here as that is the term mostly commonly used in North America.

Stone Grindz Chocolate - Oh So Cookie Dough - March 8, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Stone Grindz Chocolate

Oh So Cookie Dough raw energy bars

Good

Weight: unknown

Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $5.95 for 1 container

Purchased from: Stone Grindz, online order

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

Today's container of Oh So Cookie Dough raw energy bars were made by Stone Grindz Chocolate (Scottsdale, AZ).

The company sells these bars (and other energy bars) through their secret store menu on their website.

These soft bars were pleasantly and naturally sweet; and they did, in fact, taste a little like cookie dough. Cacao nibs gave these energy bars a little crunchy texture and cocoa flavor.

Bisou Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Nibs, Matagalpa 87% bar - March 2, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Bisou Chocolate

Dark Chocolate Nibs Matagalpa 87% bar

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1 oz. (30 g.) (per label) in total bar

Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar

Cost: $ Not Applicable - gift 

Purchased from: Not applicable - gift from friend (Thank you Gary!)

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

Bisou Chocolate (Oakland, CA) is a San Francisco Bay Area-based company that creates hand-crafted, dark chocolate bars from sustainably sourced cacao grown in multiple origin countries. Thank you to Gary and Pat for this bar and the introduction to Bisou. Always delighted to discover new chocolates and chocolate makers, in our own backyard no less.

Today's Bisou Dark Chocolate Nibs Matagalpa (Nicaragua) 87% cacao bar* had a smooth, slightly creamy and crunchy texture and a dark, deep slightly earthy flavor.

This three-ingredient bar was made from: cocoa beans, organic whole cane sugar and organic cocoa butter. 

*Note: As of today, the 87% Nibs Matagalpa bar from Bisou Chocolate is sold out (on their website). However, one can hope that it (or a similar batch bar) might reappear in the future.

White Label Chocolate - Sea Salt and Roasted Nib 70% bar - March 1, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

White Label Chocolate

Sea Salt and Roasted Nib 70% bar 

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.32 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar

Calories: 198 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate, Santa Cruz, CA 

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

Today's White Label Chocolate Sea Salt and Roasted Nib 70% bar represented what has become a classic combination of flavors and textures in the craft chocolate industry.

A dark chocolate bar base (with a touch of sugar and sea salt) was studded with nibs—the crunchy essence of cacao. The cacao beans used to make this bar were from the Dominican Republic and the nibs came from Venezuela. 

The resulting savory-sweet dark bar had notes of true chocolate, yellow fruit (banana, golden raisins), and a fleeting trace of light floral and spice.*

The cocoa nibs made this a less sweet chocolate than one might expect for a 70% cacao bar. This may delight those who like darker bars and slightly vex those who like sugar, to provide the entire, conventional sweet and salty snack experience.

The sparkles of sea salt and crunchy nibs were balanced and fairly uniform (a hard thing to achieve when applying salt crystals and nibs by hand), and there were no off notes.

Thank you to the chocolate makers in Santa Cruz. They've created a series of thoughtful, single origin bars and a welcoming retail space with high-end drinking chocolates and other items.

*Tasting Notes printed on the packaging: Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Salt

Made in Nature - Figgy Pops Choco Crunch Energy Balls - June 29, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Made in Nature, LLC
Figgy Pops - Choco Crunch Supersnacks
Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4.2 oz. (119 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 2 pops
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Cacao Nibs, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Figgy Pops Choco Crunch Supersnacks* were distributed by Made in Nature, LLC (Boulder, CO). They're part of a growing number of "energy ball" offerings in the market in recent years.

Moist and crunchy don't often co-exist in the same food item. However, these organic, round Figgy Pops pulled it off. They were moist and fruity (dates, figs, tart cherries), with a hint of cocoa and coconut flavor. And they had a slight, satisfying crunch (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cacao nibs). They were lightly sweetened (apple juice) and seasoned (Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt).

*These Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified Unbaked Energy Balls also had one of the longer descriptive product names this week.

Valrhona - Noir Guanaja Nibs bar - Sept. 24, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Valrhona
Noir Guanaja Eclats de Cacao (Cocoa Nibs) bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.99 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 168 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $8.95 for one bar
Purchased from: Fog City News, San Francisco, CA

Bonjour, and welcome to the last day of Nibs Theme Week, and Day #1 of French Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Noir Guanaja* Eclats de Cacao (Dark Cocoa Nibs) bar was from Valrhona (Tain l'Hermitage, France). This 70 percent cacao bar was smooth in taste and texture, and had a faint, intriguing aroma with subtle hints of chocolate, smoke, fruit, earth. The melt and mouthfeel were luscious and delightful, and the nibs added contrasting texture.

Today I also had a great time celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Chocolate Banquet with a group of friends by having a "bring your own item to dip in solar chocolate fondue" party. Very fun! Thank you all for bringing such a perfect selection of items. Sliced plums and fruit fresh from a farmers market, homemade peanut butter cookies, bacon slices, gluten-free pretzels, banana slices, raspberries and strawberries, corn chips...all good.

Tomorrow I'll try some toasted squares of pumpkin bread with the leftover fondue; or I could just eat French-inspired truffles.

*Guanaja is an island off the (Caribbean) coast of Honduras.

Taza - Organic 55% Chocolate Covered Nibs - Sept. 23, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Organic 55 percent Dark Chocolate Covered Nibs
Good ++
Weight: .8 oz. (22.4 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total package
Calories: 128 calories in .8 oz. (22.4 g.)
Cost: $5.50 for 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Nibs Theme Week.

Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) was an early player in this century's new wave of American chocolate makers.

Not insignificantly, the founders also sought to build relationships directly with farmers and co-ops to bring organic chocolates to the market, including more "rustic" stone-ground chocolate (and drinking chocolate). The less processed style is more flavorful and granular, and was new for many people in the U.S. (except perhaps those who had spent time in Mexico and Central America).

Today's 55% dark chocolate covered nibs from Taza were a bit sweeter than their 67% dark chocolate covered nibs I remember tasting in 2012. They were still good, but I'd love to taste an even darker 70+ percent version.

The challenge with more added sugar (which reduces the percentage of cacao) is that it's harder to taste the subtle cacao flavors in the nib (pieces of cacao bean). Some may like the sweetness. (Today's nibs were far better than some overly sweet, commercial dark chocolate offerings.)

Thank you to SweetE Organic for providing a range of organic sweets and chocolates such as the Taza line (as well as expertly-curated gifts).

ChocXO - Organic Milk Chocolate 37% Cocoa Nibs bar - Sept. 21, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

ChocXO
Organic Milk Chocolate 37% Cocoa Nibs bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Organic Milk Chocolate 37% Cacao + Cocoa Nibs bar was from ChocXO (Irvine, CA*) was a milk chocolate version of yesterday's ChocXO Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao + Cocoa Nibs bar.

The dark bar had a great nutty flavor that (assuming the cacao in the two bars was the same) seemed to fade with the addition of milk powder in today's bar. However, this wasn't bad for milk chocolate. The nibs added from texture and cacao flavor and helped balance the sweetness.

*The company's Irvine Chocolate Factory works with a sister company in British Columbia (Canada) to encompass all the steps in bean-to-bar chocolate making. 

ChocXO - Organic Dark 70% bar with nibs - Sept. 20, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

ChocXO
Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao + Cocoa Nibs bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 122.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #7 of Nibs Theme Week.

This Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao + Cocoa Nibs bar was made "from the bean" by ChocXO (Irvine, CA).

The aroma was a complex blend of earthy, nutty, fruity, and floral, and something pleasant that I couldn't pin down. The bar was relatively thick, and had a smooth texture with some crunchiness from the embedded cocoa nibs.

The flavor was pleasant, even, and less acidic than I expected from the aroma (not a bad thing). It had a pleasing earthy nut butter flavor to it.

The finish was mild, with only one very tiny hint of ammonia from one nib. And here I must leap to the chocolate makers defense. This ChocXO bar did not suffer from this tiny offender, but other bars occasionally do.

Nibs - The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

When a chocolate maker, or chocolatier, includes nibs in a bar, the homogenized chocolate in the bar might be wonderful, but it is very difficult to isolate every possible nib that might be less than stellar. It's a bit like buying a gigantic sack of peanuts in the shell. There is bound to be one or two that you end up tossing aside. When peanuts are processed into peanut butter or when nibs are all ground up together and made into chocolate, it may be impossible to taste one "off" nut or nib. But, unprocessed or a la carte nuts or nibs are a different story.

I have a great deal of respect for chocolate makers that cultivate good relationships with farmers; they need to be able to trust they'll receive great beans from them. This usually helps diminish the time, but does not avoid the process of, having to spend hours inspecting trays of tiny nibs trying to hand pick out lower grade pieces.

Thank you all who are providing nibs in bars and confections. It's worth the risk!

Cocanu - Nibs, Pop Rocks bar - Sept. 19, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Cocanu Chocolate
Moonwalk - Dark chocolate, cacao nibs, Pop Rocks(R) bar
Good +++
Weight: .4 oz. (12.5 g.) / .8 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Meadow (Mississippi location), Portland, OR

Welcome to Day #6 of Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Moonwalk bar from Cocanu Chocolate (Portland, OR) was a dark chocolate bar with cacao nibs "dreaming of walking on the moon." A few days ago we had a gorgeous full, pumpkin-colored moonrise, that a friend and I observed from a hilltop in San Francisco, so this Moonwalk bar had special appeal.

Normally, nibs pep up a bar all by themselves. However, the Nacional nibs from Ecuador in this 65% dark bar received a subtle boost from some embedded Pop Rocks. The tiny edible bursts were not enough to break out of earth's orbit, but provided a bit of subtle concept fun.

The bar's dark chocolate base was crafted from Venezuelan Criollo cacao and had a complex, balanced and subtly sweet, almost smoky, earthy, fruity aroma and flavor. The chocolate had an even melt and relatively creamy texture. There was one tiny off note, perhaps from a nib.

The Pop Rocks yielded a few small sweet, crunchy bits, but may have lost some of these sizzle during the long flight to the moon.

The finish lingered in a pleasant way for about 20-30 seconds after the last bite. And now, thanks to this Moonwalk bar, I'm leaving for a chocolate-powered walk, here on Earth.

Ritual Chocolate - The Nibs Bar 75% cacao - Sept. 18, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Ritual Chocolate
"The Nibs Bar" 75% Cacao
Good
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 79 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Nibs Theme Week.

Today's dark chocolate bar was made with cacao beans from the Toledo district of Southern Belize. "The Nibs Bar" from Ritual Chocolate (Park City, UT) had a faintly sweet, earthy dark chocolate and coffee aroma, and a fairly strong coffee flavor with a hint of dried and/or citrus fruit.

This two-ingredient bar was made from cacao and organic cane sugar. I knew this, and yet I found myself re-checking the ingredients, to make sure the cacao nibs weren't coffee nibs. If you like coffee, you'll like this bar.

The bar's packaging (and bar) were very well designed. Every side and surface contributed to the company's story, from the mountain peak motif and the sparkly stars above*, to the cacao pod nestled in the middle of a diamond shape.

*The company crafts their chocolate in the mountains at 7,000 feet (2,133 meters). While it can be difficult to make chocolate in a hot climate, making chocolate in the snowy mountains (despite a temperature-controlled inside) must also require some re-calibrations for altitude, relative dryness, and weather. Fortunately, the team at Ritual has had practice. They moved to Park City, UT from Denver, CO.

Creo Chocolate - 73% Ecuador Nibs and Sea Salt bar - Sept. 16, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Creo Chocolate
73 percent Ecuador Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 131 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Creo Chocolate, Portland, OR

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week, and Day #3 of Nibs Theme Week.

Today's 73 percent Ecudaor Cacao with Nibs and Sea Salt bar from Creo Chocolate (Portland, OR) was made from Heirloom Arriba Nacional cacao, a fine-flavored cacao from Ecuador known for its floral flavor.

I purchased this bar earlier this year while on a trip to Portland; and I was able to visit some makers, like Creo, in person. With only a few days in the city of roses, I barely scratched the surface of the chocolate making scene there.

Creo, a word that translates into both "I believe" and "I create" is an apt name for a craft chocolate maker.

And these chocolate makers have created a 73 percent cacao dark bar containing a bouquet of aromas and flavors that I associate with Ecuador: slightly earthy, green, floral, sweet marshmallow, nutty, slightly woodsy, and a very small, pleasant, wine-y note in the last bite I had.

Nibs added tiny windows of unadulterated (unsweetened) cacao flavor, and crunchy texture to the smooth dark, well-tempered chocolate that had a nice, even melt. And for those that like a bit of salt, you'll get that some sparkles of that too.