Emerald City Foods - Hot Salted Sriracha Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Feb. 1, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Huy Fong Foods, Inc.
(Owned and distributed by Emerald City Foods)
Hot Salted Sriracha Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 149 calories in 1 oz. of bar (1 serving)
Cost: $5.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Unique Chocolates Week.

Today's Hot Salted Sriracha Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was owned and distributed by Emerald City Foods (Seattle, WA).

Aroma and flavor notes for this sriracha and sea salt bar included dark chocolate (deep cocoa), faint umami, salt, and subtle spicy heat; vanilla; and very faint, balanced sauce-y vinegar/sriracha sauce.

The bar broke with a well-tempered snap, and the texture was smooth and relatively creamy.

Surprisingly, these flavors harmonized fairly well together. (Although I usually prefer darker chocolates, I I enjoyed the 55% cacao version of this bar (from the same company, tasted a few months ago) a little better than today's 70% version. (The sriracha and salt was easier to taste in the 55% version.) But, I enjoyed tasting both.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Liquor, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract), Himalayan Sea Salt, Sriracha Seasoning: Maltrin, Sugar, Salt, Garlic, Tocopherols, Paprika Oil (for color), Sriracha Powder (Sriracha Sauce, Sodium Alginate, Carrageenan, Cellulose Gum, Silicon Dioxide, Sunflower Lecithin), Capsicum Oleoresin, Yeast Extract, Vinegar, Citric Acid"

Allergen-related information: "Contains Soy, Sulfites...This product is manufactured at a plant that processes milk, soy, tree nuts and peanuts."

OWYN - Dark Chocolate Non-Dairy Protein Shake - April 25, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

OWYN
Dark Chocolate Non-Dairy Protein Shake 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 11 oz. (330 mL) in 1 container
Calories: 170 calories in 1 container
Cost: $9.99 for 4 pack (4 containers)
Purchased from: Safeway, Fremont, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Protein Shake was distributed by Only What You Need, Inc. (Fairfield, New Jersey). 

This single serving beverage contained a generous helping of plant protein (20 grams of protein per single serving/container.

Aroma notes included: cocoa, chocolate milk, and hard to identify sweet-savory (nut and green vegetable) notes.

Texture: smooth beverage, with a very slightly thickened texture (with a barely there creamy/silky, gel-like mouthfeel). All the ingredients were well incorporated; there was no trace of any protein "grit."

Flavor notes included: cocoa, chocolate milk; faint vanilla and caramel; and very faint (barely detectable) vegetable (green pea, greens), with a slight lingering sweetness.

The sweetness level felt right. (This protein shake drink was sweet right into the finish, but not overly so.) Monk fruit extract helped create sweetness (and minimize any bitterness).

Ingredients: Water, OWYN(TM) Protein Blend (Pea Protein, Organic Pumpkin Seed Protein, Organic Flax Oil), Soluble Fiber, Organic Cane Sugar, Sunflower Oil, Cocoa Powder, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, Guar Gum, Greens Blend (Broccoli, Spinach, Kale), Monk Fruit Extract.

Allergen-related information: ("...Independently tested for detection of the top 8 allergens every lot, every time.") For more information, visit the company website: liveowyn.com)

Quinn - Chocolate'y Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets - April 24, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Quinn Foods LLC
Chocolate'y Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 6.5 oz. (184 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $4.29 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate'y Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets were distributed by Quinn Foods LLC (Boulder, CO). Kristy at Quinn Foods (named for her son) set out to create "cleaner" versions of childhood snacks.

These filled nuggets were part of an umami snack plate (that also included tamari-roasted soy beans, black sesame crackers and nori (seaweed)). 

Peanuts, peanut flour and peanut butter seem like a natural fit with umami foods and flavors. (At least one study showed that peanut powder was found to "elicit an umami taste and umami-enhancing effect."*)

Aroma notes for these crunchy snacks included: faint pretzel and faint tamari-peanut rice cracker, and very faint, fleeting almost meat-like savory/umami.

Texture: There was an appealing contrast between the well-executed, lovely, crunchy texture of the pillow-shaped pretzel shell and the smooth, creamy filling. 

Flavor notes: The peanut-infused pretzel and chocolate-y filling were hearty and satisfying, and all three flavors (pretzel, peanut and chocolate (cocoa) complemented each other. 

These were pretzel nuggets first and foremost. While peanuts showed up in the aroma (peanut butter was the #1 ingredient listed), the overall flavor was more like muted umami pretzel and less like fresh-roasted peanut-y. 

Also, these nuggets were not overly sweet or salty. They were closer to savory bar snacks and less like some sweetened peanut butters and chocolate peanut butter cups. (Thank you, from someone who likes savory chocolate flavor inclusions.)

Ingredients: Peanut butter (dry roasted peanuts, sugar, salt), whole grain sorghum flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, organic palm oil (sustainably sourced), expeller pressed high oleic sunflower oil, organic powdered sugar (organic cane sugar, organic tapioca starch), organic cane sugar, salt, organic cocoa powder, pea protein, peanut flour, vanilla extract, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, mixed tocopherols (to retain freshness).

Allergy-related information: Contains peanuts. 

Allergen-related information: Contains Peanuts. 

Hebel & Co. - Double Chocolate Organic Sesame Tahini Halva - April 23, 2024

Chocolate of The Day 

Hebel & Co. 
Double Chocolate - Organic Sesame Tahini Halva
Good ++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (32 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total container/tub
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ (Missing information) for 1 container
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Umami* Theme Week. Today 

Today's Organic Double Chocolate Organic Sesame Tahini Halva was from Hebel & Co. (North Hollywood, CA).

Sesame tahini-based halva (derived from the Arabic word halwa (sweet confection)) is a traditional Middle Eastern confection made from ground sesame seeds and honey. Dairy free kosher versions are particularly popular this week when Passover is being celebrated.

Aroma notes for today's relatively modern chocolate and vanilla** version included: sweet, nougat like aroma and appearance; faint sweet sesame seed confection; and subtle chocolate and vanilla.

A slab of halva can look rather humble in appearance. However, the texture and flavors can be divine. The thick slice I tasted had a uniform, softly chewy (micro) crunchy, almost nutty, flaked texture that within 3-4 seconds dissolved into smooth, creamy deliciousness.

Flavor notes included: rich, creamy and sweet, high-end sesame nougat-like flavor infused with chocolate (cocoa) and vanilla. Not too stiff or sticky. Just right.

The sweetness level also felt just right for a confection. It wasn't made with honey; but the tapioca syrup and cane sugar sweeteners didn't obscure more subtle sesame and vanilla flavors.

Ingredients: Organic Sesame Seeds, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Chocolate (Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Vanilla Beans), Organic Cocoa Powder, Certified Sustainably Sourced Organic Palm Oil, Organic Quillaja Extract, Organic Vanilla Extract, Citric Acid.

Allergen-related information: (Contains sesame.) "Made in a Facility That Processes Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Wheat, Soy, Milk."

* Umami flavors are associated with savory foods with high levels of glutamic acid/glutamate. These amino acids and protein building blocks exist not only in meats and mushrooms, but also in a variety of other foods, including: sea and land vegetables/plants, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, walnuts), cashews and several seeds (sesame, hemp, pumpkin, chesnut, chia). (Sesame seeds contain a whopping 4000 mg. of glutamic acid in a 100 gram (3.53 oz. portion.)

**Halva-style confections (aka halvah, halawa) made with varying ingredients have been enjoyed in countries like Iran/Persia, Greece, Turkey and Egypt long before new world flavors like chocolate and vanilla were added. (A sunflower seed version can be found in Russia.) That said, the more recent additions of chocolate and vanilla seemed a perfect, natural and complementary fit with this historic sweet.

Deux Cranes LLC - Dark Chocolate With Miso Almonds (bar) - April 21, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Deux Cranes LLC
Dark Chocolate With Miso Almonds (bar) 
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190.6 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

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

Today's Dark Chocolate with Miso Almonds (bar) was from Deux Cranes LLC (Los Gatos, CA).

Company tagline read: "Handcrafted Chocolates Rooted in Japan, Inspired by France"

Miso is a traditional Japanese, umami-rich paste made from fermented soybeans and rice malt (sometimes barley)--that's used in soups, sauces and spreads. 

Deux Cranes description: "The almonds in this bar are roasted with white miso paste, emphasizing the roasted flavor of the 70% dark chocolate and almonds in this savory, umami-filled bar." 

Aroma notes included: dark roast (cacao, almonds, coffee), dark chocolate, and umami (miso).

Texture: smooth, almost creamy. (The almond and miso flavors and textures were almost fully incorporated.)

Flavor notes included: dark roast cacao/chocolate with savory and slightly sweet notes, including miso and almonds. The darker roast flavor made this chocolate seem slightly darker than 70%. But, it was also sweet enough to feel balanced. The miso contributed an authentic, slightly tangy, savory soy flavor.

Thank you to Deux Cranes for creating this blend. I like trying new and different flavor combinations, so I appreciated tasting this bar. Chocolate is a tremendously versatile medium -- it can be paired successfully with sweet, bitter, sour, salty, or savory/umami flavor inclusions. Some fermented items, like today's miso, are trickier than others. Including the almonds to the mix helped to mellow and meld the roast-y and bold flavors.

(Deux Cranes) Flavor Notes: "Roasted, Rich Cocoa, Umami"

Ingredients: "Dark Chocolate (cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin (emulsifier), natural vanilla extract), Almonds (glucose syrup, sugar, water, miso (rice, filtered water, soy beans, sea salt, alcohol))"

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Almonds, Soy" "May contain traces of soy, nuts, milk, fish, and gluten. Produced and packaged in the same facility as soy, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, sesame, and milk products."

 

Chocolate Naive - Dry-Aged Beef Steak Chocolate (bar) - April 20, 2024

Chocolate of The Day

Chocolate Naive
Dry-Aged Beef Steak Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

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

I love umami flavors--often described as savory, meaty and/or hearty. What better flavor inclusion then to bring to the chocolate + umami party than beef steak?

Once again, Domantas Uzpalis at Chocolate Naive is keeping us on our toes and inviting us to think outside the box when it comes to creative (and successful) flavor pairings with chocolate. 

Today's Dry-Aged Beef Steak Chocolate (bar) was crafted by Chocolate Naive (Produced by: Mulate UAB, Vilnius, Lithuania). This 62% dark milk chocolate with beef and lingonberries could be a complete meal in a bar. I wondered: would this be the perfect, highest of high-end, chocolate protein bar?

Aroma notes for this bar included: very unique and subtle sweet (fruity) + savory/umami (with very faint black pepper) dark milk chocolate.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy dark milk chocolate. 

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate with a hidden umami quality; clean, bright, semi-tart berry (fruit) and almost undetectable black pepper (no texture/grit, just a slightly aromatic, faint ghost flavor); and an occasional, very fleeting, faint taste of steak (beef) and butter in a few bites. 

I really enjoyed tasting this creatively-conceived, well-executed, and very balanced chocolate. I'm curious what a less-sweet version of this bar (with even more umami) would have tasted like. But, this formulation is probably already a stretch for most people. I often opt for/prefer umami over sweet in chocolates; and I am not most people.

Ingredients: "specialty cacao*, cane sugar*, pure cacao butter*, dried grass-fed beef steak*, butter*, grass-fed milk powder*, lingonberries*, sea salt*, black pepper*." (* = "wild or all-natural farming")

Allergen-related information: Contains milk. "May contain traces of peanuts, tree nuts. Cacao min. 62%."

Venice Organics - Brain Boost - Lion's Mane & Cordyceps 70% Chocolate Bar - April 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Venice Organics
Brain Boost - Lion's Mane & Cordyceps 70% Chocolate Bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.99 for 1 bar 
Purchased from: FarmFresh To You (online order)

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

Today's "Brain Boost" - Lion's Mane & Cordyceps 70% Chocolate Bar was manufactured in California for Venice Organics (Los Angeles, CA). 

Aroma and flavor notes included: hearty dark chocolate (single origin Dominican Republic cacao) with subtle, rich and balanced earth; sweet green (botanicals and coconut sugar). I really enjoyed this bar. It had a lot of bold, very well-balanced flavor.

The umami flavor(s) from the edible mushrooms were very subtle. (I'm not sure I could have identified the two mushrooms in this chocolate in a blind taste test.) Rather, evidence of these umami-rich fungi showed up as a subtle, hearty savory and very complementary background flavor that I found very appealing.

I also loved the choice of high-quality, organic ingredients in this gluten-free, vegan chocolate; as well as the lack of emulsifiers/lecithins and refined sugar.

Maker's tasting notes: "...This 70% organic chocolate is rich and creamy with an earthy, bright finish."

Ingredients: "*Chocolate (*Cocoa, *Coconut Sugar, *Cocoa Butter), *Lion's Mane, *Cordyceps (* = Organic)"

Allergen-related information: "Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts. Box made with recycled material and lead-free ink."

Jeremiah's Pick - Chocatal BBQ Spice Rub with Coffee & Cacao - April 18, 2024

Chocolate of The Day

Jeremiah's Pick 
Chocatal BBQ Spice Rub with Coffee & Cacao
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 0.2 oz. (5.6 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total container
Calories: 11 calories in 1 serving (0.2 oz.)
Cost: $8.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's Chocatal BBQ Spice Rub with Coffee and Cacao (nibs) was from Jeremiah's Pick Coffee Co. (San Francisco, CA). 

This Bay Area based specialty coffee roaster offers a variety of coffees, and a line of spice rubs.

Their Chocatal spice blend included Arabica coffee and cocoa nibs. It would make a nice spice rub for grilled meats; but I incorporated this warm, reddish-hued spiced rub (powder) into a chicken tamale and vegetables and it worked very nicely. I see no reason why you couldn't infuse a little of this into savory brownies or drinking chocolate. (But, then again, I like savory and umami chocolates.)

Aroma and flavor notes included: a rich savory blend of many spices, including: paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt and other spices. The coffee and cacao ingredients were very subtle, and added a bit of pleasing flavor depth/complexity.

I liked the short list of high-quality ingredients, the well-executed and balanced punch of flavor (without being too hot/spicy), and the lack of preservatives. 

Ingredients: "salt, chili powder, chocatal(tm) (coffee and cocoa nibs), spices, hydolyzed soy protein, maltodextrin, dehydrated onion and garlic, oleoresin or paprika, no more than 2% silicon dioxide added as an anticaking agent." 

Allergen-related information: None listed.

J. Street Chocolate - Caramelized Koji Mylk 55% (bar) - April 17, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

J. Street Chocolate 
Caramelized Koji Mylk 55% (bar)

Good ++ 

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.)/ 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.4 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 (web site price today) for 1 bar
Purchased from: J. Street Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Caramelized Koji Mylk 55% (bar) was made by J. Street Chocolate (San Francisco, CA). J. Street founder and chocolate maker (Julia Street) explores chocolate "through the world of fermentation, upcycled food, and single origin bars." 

Fermentation enhances umami and other flavors. (Almost all chocolates are made with fermented and roasted cacao.) Pairing chocolate with other fermented foods--and umami flavors including vegetables, meats, sauces, as well as mushrooms and fungi* is very interesting to me; so please forgive the longer, nerdier, review for this bar.

Today's inclusion was koji, a prized fungus that can be cultivated on rice (mold inoculated grain) and used to ferment sugars and alter proteins. The result: flavor development. Koji is used in fermented products ( miso, sake, soy sauce, meju, shochu, mirin, and other foods and beverages). There was koji in yesterday's featured J. Street Chocolate 72% Shoyu Chocolate bar.) And, like chocolate, koji can go sweet or savory.

Aroma notes for this mylk chocolate bar included: chocolate (chocolate-y/dark milk chocolate ganache, lemony green herb (oxalis), caramel, faint and diffuse fruit(s), very faint aromatic rice, and very light savory.

Texture: uniform, relatively smooth texture and melt. There was a very faint graininess/astringency that developed a few seconds in. But by the end it had a clean, less astringent, almost fresh finish -- almost like the koji cleared and I got a clearer taste of fruit in the cacao. There were some fun microscopic interactions going on in this gentle and tasty game of hide-and-seek.

Flavor notes included: dark milk/mylk chocolate with some very faint tropical fruit (Botan) rice candy notes. After the first bite, there was an interesting (in a good way), very subtle taste shift that happened that was hard to explain. 

There was a whisp of menthol-like coolness (without any strong mint or menthol flavor) that felt like a mellowing/settling in the flavor in the first bite. The slightly lemon-green (oxalis) citrusy note fell off a bit, but a pleasant tangy-ness remained. 

Subsequent bites also had slight shape-shifting quality, including recurring, very light flickers of fruit (cacao fruit, fleeting red berry) and caramel in subsequent bites. 

The sweetness level of this 55% mylk chocolate seemed right; i.e., it was not too sweet. (Thank you!) The flavors were nicely balanced, and subtly complex. 

Like the other J. Street Chocolate bars sampled this week, this Koji 55% bar was thoughtfully conceived, well-executed and fun to try. I really appreciated Julia Street's willingness to explore savory chocolate options, choice of fermented flavor inclusions (expertly matched with specific cacao varieties/origins), and her process.**

Ingredients: "cacao beans from Tanzania*, cocoa butter*, cane sugar*, caramelized rice koji (Koda Hills white rice*, aspergillus oryzae)"  * organic

Allergen-related information: (No allergen information printed on packaging; check with J. Street if you have questions.)

*Umami foods are higher in glutamate, a contributor to the savory "fifth" flavor. It's not the same as salty; umami foods have more "meaty" depth--even if there's no meat. (E.g., miso soups, or tomato sauces with parmesan cheese and mushrooms, etc.)

** The following is Street's description of how she made this bar and some tasting notes: 

"...I dry and caramelize the koji rice slowly to bring out the sugars and the Maillard effect. Then I grind it before adding it to the chocolate as the "milk". It lends a caramel sweetness (and I can use less sugar than most bars!) and makes for a really balanced bar."

"Just as important for this bar are the cocoa beans from Kok(o)a Kamili in Tanzania. This origin's fruitiness is a perfect match for the koji's nutty properties I bring out."

"In this bar I taste notes of strawberry, caramel, biscoff cookie, and rye..."

J. Street Chocolate - Olive The Thyme 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - April 15, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

J. Street Chocolate 
Olive The Thyme 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.)/ 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.4 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 (web site price today) for 1 bar
Purchased from: J. Street Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week--and time to feature a few chocolate bars from J. Street Chocolate (San Francisco, CA). 

J. Street founder and bean-to-bar chocolate maker (Julia Street) explores chocolate "through the world of fermentation, upcycled food, and single origin bars." 

Today's bar includes one of my favorite fermented and umami foods: olives. There aren't many chocolates with olives (although there are some good ones made with olive oil). So, I was delighted to find this bar -- made less than 35 miles from where I live.

Olives are fermented. And the process of fermentation often enhances umami and other flavors (think miso soup, kimchi, marmite, parmesan cheese, etc.). Almost all chocolates are made with fermented and roasted cacao. I'm fond of umami flavor inclusions in (and pairings with) chocolate.

Aroma notes for today's "Olive The Thyme" 70% dark chocolate (Batch # OTT11) included: dark chocolate, faint lemon-green herb (oxalis) and very faint salt/savory. The olives were harvested in/from Healdsburg (California)--and cured--by the maker.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with crunchy textural accents from roasted almond bits. (The almonds were roasted just right.)

Flavor notes included: bright, slightly acidic but balanced fruity dark chocolate, and slightly savory (olive) and very faint almond (mostly in the texture, a wee bit in the taste). The toasted almond bits helped balance the fruit/acidity. The olive and the thyme were both very subtle. Soft, complex ripples of flavor--slightly more present in some bites than others--made this a mellow, well-executed, chocolate umami treasure.

A doff of the hat to the maker for her choices, including the complementary cacao origin/variety and  highlighting fermented and umami flavors and ingredients (olives + chocolate + almonds + thyme in this case). I like chocolate and umami flavors (apart and together); and I've also foraged and made olives before. I could imagine and appreciate the process that went into the creation of this bar; and that was fun.

Maker's description/tasting notes: "Bright fruity chocolate paired with locally cured black olives, toasted almonds, and lemon thyme...The fruitiness of the Tanzanian beans pairs...with the bright citrus-y butter-y olives..."

Ingredients: "cacao beans from Kokoa Kamili in Tanzania*, cane sugar*, almonds*, locally cured black olives, cocoa butter*, lemon thyme (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: (Contained almonds.) (No other allergen information was listed on the packaging.)

Gnosis Chocolate 80% Dark Turkey + Cardamom Tea Cookies - April 13, 2024

 Chocolate of The Day

Gnosis Chocolate
80% Dark Chocolate Turkey
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) (estimate) entire piece  
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. of turkey
Cost: $10.00 for 1 piece/turkey
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Baked Goods with Chocolate Series, and the first day of Chocolate and Umami Week. In the past, umami and savory chocolates have included ingredients like mushrooms, meats, cheeses and other high-glutamate items.

Today's 80% Dark Chocolate Turkey from Gnosis Chocolate (Astoria, NY) was more metaphorical...it was a chocolate homage to a turkey (meat in likeness only). 

The turkey was the main course. Side dishes for this meal included a mushroom soup and a savory salad; and for dessert a gluten-free baked cardamom tea cookie.* 

Aroma and flavor notes for today's 80% turkey included dark chocolate (true chocolate; very faint, smooth/balanced earth and faint, fleeting sweet-tart/lemon green (oxalis), and a diffuse natural sweetness (warm spice, coconut/brown sugar, cookie). 

I liked that this bar was made with only two ingredients: raw cacao and coconut sugar. The coconut sugar added a tiny, pleasing bit of warmth and flavor depth.

The use of raw cacao (lower temperatures in the processing) meant more of the natural flavors were preserved, and other chocolate flavors weren't as "developed;" i.e., it didn't have a fiery, roasted, ultra-dark personality--which some dark chocolate fans will appreciate. 

Each batch of cacao is treated a bit differently by chocolate makers; fermentation, roasting and conching times may vary. However, if you're starting out with great cacao with great flavors, there's a case to be made against over-heating or over-processing.

Ingredients: Raw Cacao, Coconut Sugar.

*Today's baked good: Gluten Free Vegan Cardamom Tea Cookie from New Bread, a Gluten-Free Lifestyle Company, LLC, based in Alameda. CA. 

Angies - Boom Chicka Pop - Dark Chocolate Drizzled Kettle Corn - Nov. 5, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Angie's Artisan Treats, Inc.
Boom Chicka Pop - Dark Chocolate Flavored Drizzled Sea Salt Kettle Corn 
Good +
Weight: 1.09 oz. (31 g.) / 5.5 oz. (156 g.) in total package 
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, online order (add-in to larger order)

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week, featuring chocolates with high umami flavor inclusions and chocolate pairings with umami foods.

Today's Dark Chocolate Flavored Drizzled Sea Salt Kettle Corn was distributed by Angie's Artisan Treats, LLC* (Osseo, MN). 

Aroma notes for this snack mix included: sweet/lightly candied popcorn and faint chocolate.

This kettle corn had a soft crunch and was, as advertised, drizzled with just the right amount of smooth (alkalized) dark chocolate (not too much, not too little). And the overall sweetness was not overwhelming (thank you!). You could still taste the lightly salted popcorn underneath.

Today's Kettle Corn was paired with two high umami snacks: 1.) homemade umami almonds (slow roasted with Worcestershire sauce) and 2.) homemade Parmesan cheese crackers. A satisfying sweet and salty (and umami) snack balance was achieved. 

Ingredients: Cane sugar, popcorn, sunflower oil, palm kernel and palm oil, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), whey powder, sea salt, soy lecithin, natural flavor.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy." "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts and tree nuts."

*Angie's Artisan Treats (maker of popcorn and kettle corn snack products) was acquired by Conagra Brands in 2017. (Conagra brands include: Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, Hunt's, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher's.)

Qantu - Reves de Cachemire Goat Milk (bar) - Nov. 4, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Qantu

Reves de Cachemire (Goat Milk) 55% (bar)

Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 143 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Reves de Cachemire (Goat Milk) 55% (bar) was from Qantu Cacao et Chocolat Inc. (Montreal, QC, Canada).

Aroma notes for this 55% goat milk chocolate bar included: dark milk chocolate, caramel,  very faint fruit (pear), and barely detectable goat.

The texture was dense and creamy with a very slight graininess--in a cool, 65 degree F. (18 degrees C.) room.

The flavor had a lightness to it. Notes included: subtle, dark milk chocolate; caramel; very faint and fleeting goat; and mild, diffuse fruit.

This gently complex chocolate was even and smooth, but not dull. The goat notes were very subtle. Some may not notice a very mild gaminess. Others will. The caramel sweetness level was just right--comforting, almost fruit-floral in spirit) but not cloying. The fats in the milk and cocoa butter helped buffer any sharpness or over-sweetness. 

Umami pairing

Qantu's goat milk bar contained a low amount of glutamate (umami indicator); but it inspired a robust, high umami lunch that included a salad with Humboldt Blue goat milk blue cheese (high on the umami scale) and spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, mushrooms and parmesan cheese (pushing the umami scale score even higher). This meal was enjoyed after I sampled today's lovely, dreamy goat milk chocolate. This umami lunch pairing was satisfying and delicious.

I'm glad I ate today's delicate cashmere dream goat milk chocolate first. By eating chocolate for breakfast...or before lunch, I'm better able to still taste cacao nuances. Heavier, spicy foods can overwhelm the taste buds temporarily.

Maker's tasting notes: "Eye: silky light brown; Nose: mild goat milk caramel; Mouth: slightly fruity, reminiscent of pear; Finish: floral as c(h)amomile."

Ingredients: Bagua cocoa beans, cane sugar, goat milk powder, cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk (goat milk). "May contain traces of nuts."

Zotter - Peanut Crunch (bar) - Oct. 31, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Zotter
Peanut Crunch (bar) 

Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Happy Halloween to all who celebrate. And, welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's Zotter Peanut Crunch (bar)--made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL)--was a big step up from chocolate and peanut Halloween candy bars that I grew up with. 

This filled bar had an authentic peanut aroma--the nutty, slightly bittersweet smell of roasted whole peanuts in their shells.

A velvety layer of 70% dark chocolate covering surrounded a milky, nougat-like peanut filling with softly crunchy peanut pieces. This bar was sweet, but not candy bar sweet. A subtle dose of sea salt and dark chocolate helped to balance the sugar.

Moon over umami 

Yes, peanuts (like many nuts and legumes that contain glutamate*) are considered to be an umami food. But, why stop there? I enjoyed today's Austrian peanut and dark chocolate bar--along with three scary, umami mushroom jerky goblins dipped in a tiny black cauldron of dark, nutty chocolate. 

Clouds skated across the moon on this cool, spooky Halloween night. You want your mommy? No, I said "Oh, yum it's umami!"

Zotter's description: "Dark chocolate filled with peanut praline and whole peanuts."

Ingredients: Organic peanuts; organic, fair trade cane sugar; organic, fair trade cocoa mass; organic, fair trade cocoa butter; organic peanut oil; dry sweet whey; organic, fair trade dark brown cane sugar; dry whole milk; dry skim milk; organic soy lecithin; salt; organic vanilla powder; organic, fair trade cinnamon; organic chilli (sic) "bird's eye." 

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

*Glutamate (glutamic acid) is an amino acid found in many foods (e.g., meats, cheeses, seafood, vegetables and nuts). Umami foods generally have higher glutamate levels, and the glutatmate may be interacting with nucleotides such as inosinate and guanylate and forming combinations with sodium and/or potassium.

Qantu Cacao et Chocolat - Noyer Noir Black Walnut 70% (bar) - Oct. 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Qantu Cacao et Chocolat Inc.
Noyer Noir, Black Walnut (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 227 calories in 4/5 bar
Cost: $21.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Black walnuts may be one of the most "umami"* of nuts. And most of us rarely taste true black walnuts. Instead, at least where I live in California, we are usually snacking on the milder English walnuts (aka Persian walnuts).

Today's Noyer Noir, Black Walnut dark chocolate (bar) was created from bean-to-bar by Qantu Cacao et Chocolat Inc. (Montreal, QC, Canada). This 70% bar was a triple tribute to three trees: cacao, black walnut and maple. 

Some describe black walnuts as bold and earthy and even bitter or tannic. But, they're more complex, and more nuanced than that. (I did not detect much earth or bitterness in this black walnut chocolate; although it may have made the base chocolate seem less sweet, which was fine with me.)

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: black walnut, maple, faint and diffuse fruit, and very faint fleeting kalamata olive, forest and floral. 

About 5 seconds into the first bite, there was a bloom of bright fruit-floral flavor. Not too sweet though (thank you). Plenty of complex but elegant (umami) flavor. 

In addition to the fruit (subtle ripe dark berry), there was a trace of almost sweet, tree terpene (gentle pine) in the finish along with unique, not quite floral (orchid, very faint tuberose or lilac) notes. 

It was a very well-executed bar. It seemed to possess just the right amounts of everything. Whatever the cacao source/variety, it was certainly a fine match for the black walnuts--that had a slightly bolder and more complex flavor profile. And the maple seemed like the perfect sweetener.

Not all chocolates evoke thoughts of beverage pairings. However, something in this chocolate made me wonder what a wine pairing would taste like. While I didn't have the opportunity to investigate (I'd also finished the chocolate by that time.) But it might be fun to hunt for matches with this chocolate in the future.

Maker's description: "Eye: caramelized black walnut pieces; Nose: floral like lilac; Mouth: like a good Chardonnay; Finish: fruity with a touch of pine tree"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, black walnut, maple syrup, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: Contains nuts (black walnuts). "May contain traces of milk."

*Umami foods (tomatoes, parmesan cheese, mushrooms, meats, etc.) generally contain fairly high levels of glutamate. In the nut and seed category, almond and walnuts are relatively high in glutamate content.

Dream Pops - Chocolate Lion Pops - Oct. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dream Pops LLC

Chocolate Lion (frozen pops)

Good ++ 

Weight: 1.42 fl. oz. (42 mL) / 5.68 fl. oz. (168 mL) in total package of 4 pops

Calories: 80 calories in 1 pop

Cost: $ (N/A - bought by a friend; thank you Don!)

Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate, Mushroom and Umami* Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Lion Dream Pops were from Dream Pops LLC (Los Angeles, CA), a company offering a line of frozen, non-dairy, plant-based frozen desserts. These coconut milk-based chocolate frozen pops contained Lion's Mane mushroom powder.

These pops reminded me of the frozen fudge Popsicle (Fudgesicle Fudge Pops) and similar chocolate pops I enjoyed as a child. Both had a smooth, frozen creamy texture, and frozen hot cocoa flavor. 

If I didn't know these dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free chocolate pops contained mushroom, I might have missed this fact. The mushroom powder had a very faint, mild flavor--barely detectable toward the "finish," as ingredients warmed and melted in the mouth.* The coconut milk also had a very faint flavor. 

Props to Dream Pops for creating these tasty, relatively low sugar (coconut sugar) frozen pops, with a short list of ingredients, and no artificial ingredients, gums or emulsifiers listed.

Ingredients: Coconut milk, organic coconut sugar, cacao powder, lion's mane mushroom powder, chocolate extract, vanilla extract.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Coconut."

*Lion's mane mushrooms have mild sweet earthy flavor, that some liken to seafood (lobster or crab). Most people I know suggest eating it cooked. (In its uncooked form, this almost fluffy-looking ivory-colored fungus looks a little like a lion's mane.)

Crow and Moss - Vanilla Smoke Chocolate 69% (bar) - Mar. 2, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Crow and Moss

Vanilla Smoke Chocolate 69% (bar)

Good +++

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

Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.25 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Spices Theme Weeks.

Today's Vanilla Smoke Chocolate 69% small batch (bar) was from Crow and Moss (Petoskey, MI).

This dark chocolate bar had a prominent vanilla aroma, and true to it's name, it had a balanced, subtle smokey fragrance and faint green floral notes.*

This well-tempered, bean-to-bar chocolate had smooth texture, an thick buttery melt, and a complex flavor bouquet that included dark chocolate, green, floral (white flowers), spice and faint, very slightly astringent tropical fruit and green notes (persimmon and green mango meet jasmine and orchid). 

Re-tasting this bar yielded even more subtley complex green notes (green tea, green-lemon herb (sorrel) and very faint and fleeting vegetable (Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) + baked potato). 

The faint (or perhaps implied) fruit note was difficult to nail down. Can a flavor come to life and refuse to be captured and fully analyzed? I was happy to chase this white (vanilla) rabbit through the hickory forest. 

I applaud the skills that went into melding the hickory-smoked cacao and vanilla bean together. Both these flavors stood proud and tall on their own; and the lovely nuances of each were highlighted and celebrated. There was also a barely detectable quantity of salt in this bar, that seemed just right.

Together, this pied piper of a partnership seemed to take flight. A sense of motion--an elegant flavor flux--created a highly satisfying ride, and kept me coming back for just one more piece. Nicely balanced, not too sweet. Highly complementary chocolate and vanilla flavors sparked a winter fire, while invisible grains of salt nodded in grounded approval, and floral notes looked at cherry trees blooming and whispered that spring is here.*

Maker's tasting notes: "We've taken whole vanilla beans and paired them with a hint of hickory smoked cacao and salt to create a fruity, floral twist with a nostalgic campfire finish."

Ingredients: "Cacao blend, organic cane sugar, vanilla beans, salt, hickory smoke."

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that also handles nuts and dairy"

*I like floral, balanced umami and subtlely smokey and savory flavors in single origin chocolate. It's hard to find these flavors, and even harder to discover all these skillfully blended in one bar. Hats off that Cross and Moss makers for even attempting this bar when there are some critics who view umami, smokey (and, surprisingly, even floral) notes as possible "flaws" in cacao processing. Apologies: Happiness over this bar did lead to some wordy poetic celebration.

Fossa Chocolate - 70% Dark Shrimp and Bonito (bar) - Sept. 18, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
70% Dark Shrimp and Bonito (bar)
Good 
Weight: .44 oz. (12.5 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 66 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar 
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Shrimp and Bonito and (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate (Singapore).

Billed as offering an "umami of the sea" experience, this bar delivered. When you opened this bar, you could see authentic marine life--tiny little dried shrimps nestled amongst the sesame seeds. 

But, the sight of these tiny crustaceans were not the surprise. (I have enjoyed chocolates with smoked salmon as well as dried anchovies and many other umami (savory) flavor inclusions before.) Nor was it the slightly fishy aroma that emanated from the bar--that became much fainter after taking a bite of the chocolate.

Surprise! This bar contained 6 of the 8 major food allergens,* including gluten (wheat flour), although it was not present in visible amount(s). I've been dodging wheat/gluten all my adult life. I like it; it doesn't like me. So, I limited my tasting to a smaller piece of this 70% dark bar, and shared it with others.

The dark chocolate was bold enough that it covered up what might have been a "fishy" flavor. The dried shrimps and bonito fish flecks contributed a bit of chewy texture and a hint of saltiness and no scary fishiness. If blindfolded, it's unlikely I would have been able to identify the specific type of seafood (shrimp, bonito) flavor inclusions.

The bar was not too sweet or too salty (thank you). It was a skillful, balanced, implementation of these unusual flavors. Definitely worth trying if you can get over the fear factor. (Tiny dried shrimps are almost adorable when you become accustomed to them.)

*Ingredients: cacao, cane sugar, dried shrimp, seaweed, sesame, soy sauce, lactose, salt, egg, spices, yeast extract, wheat flour.

*Note: "Contains seafood, sesame, egg, dairy, gluten and soy."

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - Wild Onion Roasted Almond Truffle - July 11, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Company
Wild Onion Roasted Almond Truffle
Good ++
Weight: .49 oz. (13.8 g.) (estimate) in 1 truffle
Calories: 74 calories (estimate) in 1 truffle
Cost: $2.50 for 1 truffle
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, online order

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

Today's Wild Onion Roasted Almond Truffle was created by chocolate-maker Nancy Nadel of The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA). 

Nadel makes her chocolate bars and bonbons from scratch using cacao beans from Jamaica (Bachelors Hall). And flavor inclusions in her bean-to-bar, small batch chocolates are often locally (San Francisco Bay Area) sourced, from a farmers market or garden.

This dark chocolate truffle was filled with a creamy smooth dark chocolate ganache that contained a tiny sprig of wild onion and piece of roasted almond--inside and outside--embedded in the filling and as a topping. This garnish created a lovely appearance as well.

Balance is important in all food preparation, perhaps especially so for food items that combine sweet and savory. While salt is the most frequently used way to create a savory-sweet chocolate, there are other ways to incorporate an umami flavor or two, such as using herbs and spices people associate with savory dishes (e.g. rosemary, tarragon or black pepper). A dash of sea salt often balances out lots of sugar or or caramel and appeals to our food cravings. But no heavy dose of salt was required or desired today. Just a whisper would do just fine.

Today's wild onion truffle was not too sweet (thank you!). And because of the lack of extra sugar one could really taste the layers of sweet, rich and savory authentic flavors. 

Gallette Chocolates - Bahia (Brazil) Forastero 70% Chocolate bar - June 14, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Gallette Chocolates
Bahia Forastero 70% Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.52 oz. (43 g.) / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1 serving (9 squares) of bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

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

Today's Bahia Forastero 70% Chocolate bar was from Gallette Chocolates LTDA (Sao Paolo, Brazil). 

Bahia is a state in northeastern Brazil (bigger than California, but smaller than Texas), is currently the largest producer/exporter of cacao in Brazil (a country about 86.6% the size of the U.S.).

Brazil, the world's sixth largest cacao producer once occupied the number two spot. However, a fungal disease decimated cacao trees and caused a decades-long steep decline in Brazil's cacao market from starting around 1989. The Forastero variety/strains of cacao, known to be more robust and disease-resistant (than more delicate heritage varieties), have played a large part in the country's rebounding cacao industry in recent years.

Today's Forastero 70% dark bar had an aroma with deep cocoa (dark drinking chocolate), light umami* and very faint, almost tart, processed green/green fuel notes. The melt was smooth with a very slight astringency/roughness in the texture--that was not really objectionable and almost vanished after the first bite or two. 

In fact the overall flavor of this chocolate seemed to improve as the tasting progressed. 

Iniitally all I tasted was deep and dark with a slightly roasted cocoa flavor and a mellow, almost marshmallow sweet overtone I associate with Forastero cacao-based chocolate. It had a nicely balanced bitterness to it.

After four tastings over as many hours I was tasting a bit of fruit (cherry notes) and a hint of nuts (walnut). Always re-taste chocolate over the course of the day if you can hold back that long. Flavors do evolve.

Forastero flights of fancy

You flavor fanciers may have enjoyed wine, beer and whiskey tasting flights, no? Well, this works with fine flavored chocolates as well.

This Gallette 70% chocolate made me want to pair this bar with other makers' Forastero-based 70% (or thereabouts) chocolate bars. Side-by-side tastings make it easier to detect subtle flavor nuances. Forastero cacao beans are known for their bold and "dense" flavor. So, rather than compare a Forastero-based chocolate with, e.g., a delicate complex rose of a Criollo heritage bar where the two might obliterate or depreciate each other, a flight of Forastero bars might be more edifying.

Umami

*Umami, or slightly savory, flavor(s) in chocolate are thought to be undesirable, a flaw if you will, by some chocolate tasters. I've always appreciated these flavor notes myself when they are well-behaved. Certain flavors arrive as unwanted dinner guests at some dinner tables. As long as they're relatively well-behaved and not too loud (and keep one foot on the floor at all times), I consider umami aroma/flavor notes to be interesting company. Otherwise we'd all be forced to eat the same dark chocolate pudding day after day. And wouldn't that be dull? 

BTW, I see on the Gallette website a box of small wedge-shaped chocolate confections that look like a cheese box filled with "cheese" wedges...If I can ever find this Gallette offering in the U.S., I will include these in my next Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.