Intrigue Chocolate - Basil Truffle Bar - Oct. 28, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.
Basil Truffle Bar  
Good ++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70.7 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 388 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 truffle bar + shipping
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Mint Family Theme Week. The extensive mint family* includes not only peppermint and spearmint, but also rosemary, basil, sage, oregano, thyme, lavender, lemon balm and others. 

Today's Basil Truffle Bar was from Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). The company offers a variety of chocolates (bars and confections) with interesting flavor inclusions.

Aroma and flavor notes for today's basil-infused chocolate included: dark chocolate (chocolate torte, ganache), subtle and savory basil, and very faint vanilla cookie.

This truffle bar had a smooth, creamy, buttery, truffle-like texture.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (rich, creamy dark chocolate truffle ganache) and subtle basil (a plant my brain associates more with savory dishes (pasta dishes and pizzas), and that lacks the (sometimes overly) sweet toothpaste-like sparkle that mint confections/candy can have). 

This cocoa-hued truffle bar was about the size of a small stick of butter; it was dusted in cocoa powder and had authentic soft/creamy truffle texture and flavor. 

The price ($14 USD) may seem high, but this small but mighty bar was the equivalent of 4-5 large, high-quality truffles; and if you eat the whole bar you may feel quite full.

This bar can easily be sliced into (thin or thick) chocolate truffle slices (with a knife or a butter or cheese slicer) and shared with others as a dessert by itself, or as part of a chocolate tasting, flight or pairing (with wine, spirits or cheese). It contains real cream and refrigeration and timely consumption is encouraged.

Note: I enjoy trying chocolates that are on the savory side, and Intrigue Chocolate also makes a Parmesan (cheese) truffle that would make for an interesting pairing with this basil Truffle bar. (A tomato truffle if you can find or make one might make an interesting trio.) 

I appreciated the authentic basil flavor in today's chocolate, and it wasn't overly sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, soy lecithin), Cream (milk), flavors (basil) 

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, soy. 

*The mint family (Lamiaceae) contains approximately 7,000 species across more than 230 genera.

Definite Chocolate - Dominican Republic, Villa Altagracia 50% Dark Milk Chocolate - Oct. 28, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Definite Chocolate
Dominican Republic, Villa Altagracia, 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: .424 oz. (12 g.) in 1 small bar
Calories: 57 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $1.50 for 1 small bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Dominican Republic and Haiti Theme Weeks.

Today's Dominican Republic, Villa Altagracia, 50% Dark Milk Chocolate small bar was from Definite Chocolate, S.R.L. (Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic).

This dark milk chocolate had an aroma with dairy and earthy chocolate notes. The melt was smooth. Any other notes beyond a few subtle nutty and dark milk chocolate candy flavor were masked by the sugar.

Tasting notes listed for this Villa Altagracia small bar read as follows: "...notes of almond, cashew butter and caramel."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, cacao butter, cane sugar, milk powder.

Definite Chocolate - Dominican Republic Oko Caribe 80% Dark Chocolate - Oct. 27, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Definite Chocolate
Dominican Republic Oko Caribe 80% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: .424 oz. (12 g.) in 1 small bar
Calories: 57 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $1.50 for 1 small bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Dominican Republic (D.R.) and Haiti Theme Weeks.

Today's small bar was from Definite Chocolate, S.R.L. (Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic).

This chocolate had a smooth melt and texture, and an aroma with chocolate, spice, faint green (floral), and light loamy notes. The flavor notes included: brown sugar, dark roasted cacao, and faint, fleeting nutty and acidic fruit (citrus). 

This was surprisingly "sweet" for an ultra-dark chocolate, in part due to the Trinitario--flavorful but ("less dense/dark") cacao variety (than, say Forastero cacao)--and Oko Caribe's great cacao fermentation/processing skills in the D.R.

Tasting notes provided for this bar read as follows: "...notes of jasmine, chamomile and lemon."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, cane sugar

Definite Chocolate - Dominican Republic Oko Caribe 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 26, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Definite Chocolate
Dominican Republic Oko Caribe 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: .424 oz. (12 g.) in 1 small bar
Calories: 60 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $1.50 for 1 small bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Dominican Republic and Haiti Theme Weeks.

Today's Dominican Republic Oko Caribe 70% Dark Chocolate was from Definite Chocolate, S.R.L. (Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic).

This small bar had rich flavor. It had an aroma with molasses, spice and roasted coffee. The flavor notes included: brown sugar, roasted coffee and cacao, malt, and faint, fleeting nutty, earth and fruit acidity (citrus) notes.

Tasting notes provided for this small bar read as follows: "...notes of plum, orange zest and hazelnut."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, cane sugar

Chapon Chocolatier - Madagascar Millot (small bar) - Oct. 29, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chapon Chocolatier
Madagascar Millot
Good +++
Weight: .176 oz. (5 g.) in 1 small piece/bar/ 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total collection of 36 bars
Calories: 27.7 calories in 1 small piece/bar
Cost: $45.00 for 1 set of 36 small bars
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Madagascar Millot* chocolate was from Chapon Chocolatier (Chelles, France).

Bravo Chapon. This was a beautifully packaged collection of single origin chocolates. An array of tiny individually-wrapped bars were displayed like a deck of exquisitely small collectible chocolate playing cards, or an exotic, miniature chocolate tarot deck.

Each bar's label was a work of art—a miniature version of a full-sized Chapon origin bar. This collection would make a dream-come-true gift for art and chocolate lovers.

A menu inside conveyed which flavors might be expected from each bar in the collection

Today's Madagascar Millot chocolate had a tasty, outsized aroma and flavor. The first whiff transmitted an exotic sweet scent of molasses, maca, maple syrup and coconut palm sugar notes all blended seamlessly together and inhabiting a rich, complex dark chocolate.

The relatively bright and bold chocolate flavor blossomed into a rich citrus/red fruit/plum bouquet.

This was a very nice, satisfying petite Madagascar Millot* bar.

*Millot Plantation(s) in Ambanja, Madagascar, was established in 1904 and produces cacao, spices and essential oils. Millot is a leading producer of organic cacao in Madagascar as well. (According to online sources, French chocolate maker Valrhona has had a partnership with Millot Plantation for 20 years.)

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The Chocolate Cartel - 73% Dark Chocolate (small bar) - Aug. 7, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Chocolate Cartel
73% Dark Chocolate (small bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: .8 oz. (22.64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Shop in Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, NM

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and New Mexico Theme Week.

Today's 73% Dark Chocolate small bar was from The Chocolate Cartel, handmade in Albuquerque, NM.

This bar* had a nice sheen/shine, and a dark chocolate aroma with faint roasted coffee/acidic notes. The flavor was bold and dark with earth and nut notes. (It was not as acidic as expected based on aroma, which was fine.)

The melt was even and texture was relatively smooth. And the chocolate had a lingering finish with chocolate, roasted, and nut notes, and a very slight astringency one could feel in the throat.

*Ingredients: "Cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, lecithin" (contains soy)