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.
