Cacao Prieto - Orchid bar - Nov. 9, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cacao Prieto
Orchid bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cacao Prieto, online order

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Dominican Republic Theme Week.

Floral flavors and notes in chocolate are often the first to be lost, or overpowered by acidic or bittersweet notes in dark chocolate.

So, it was a pleasure to be able to unfurl this attractively-wrapped Orchid bar from Cacao Prieto (Brooklyn, NY) to taste a few squares of smooth, 72% single origin (Dominican Republic), organic dark chocolate infused with authentic-tasting orchid oil.

Vanilla comes from an orchid, so this is not such a far-fetched flavor blend as it first sounds. And it was fun to try. I do recommend finishing a bar like this fairly quickly though, as some of the most subtle floral notes do tend to dissipate over a short period once a package or bar is opened.

ChocolateBet: November 6, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Artisan du Chocolat
Orchid and Orange Blossom (bar)
Very Good
Weight: .95 oz. (27 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 140 calories (estimate in 3/5 bar
Cost: $6.00 total bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

I'm enamored with floral flavors, so it was no surprise that I loved today's Orchid and Orange Blossom dark chocolate bar from Artisan du Chocolat (London).  This limited edition bar was originally created for the Chelsea Flower Show Gala in 2010; and thankfully it is still available.

Surprisingly, this bar made from a dark (72% cocoa) blend of "bitter" Venezuelan and "slightly acidic" Mexican cacao beans, did not overpower the floral notes from infused natural orchid and orange blossom extracts. The makers import their distillates of exotic flowers from Grasse, in the south of France -- a region known for its scented flowers that are also used in French perfumes.

My only regret: not having Artisan du Chocolat's Carnation and Orange bar  to taste alongside this one today. Look forward to featuring it in the future.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and All Things Orange Theme Week.