Cacao Laboratory - Fire - 100% Ceremonial Grade Cacao, turmeric & black pepper (bar) - July 24, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Cacao Laboratory
Fire - Ceremonial Grade 100% Cacao with turmeric and black pepper (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.176 oz. (33 g.) / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Fire & Passion Theme Week.

Today's Fire - 100% Cacao, turmeric and black pepper (bar) was manufactured by Cacao Lab Inc. (Kingston, NY).

The cacao used to make this bar was sourced from Manabi, Ecuador.

Aroma notes included: bold, slightly bitter dark chocolate; wood (cedar); pepper; and spices (turmeric)

Texture: relatively smooth, with no objectionable spice (turmeric or black pepper) "grit".

Flavor notes included: ultra-dark chocolate with woody, earthy and spiced (black pepper, turmeric) bitterness that--while it might be initially off-putting to some--I found oddly appealing. 

The bitterness receded for me with each small nibble, until all I was tasting was a satisfying blend of dark chocolate, turmeric and black pepper at the end. 

I really enjoyed the opportunity to slow down and savor a small quantity of high-quality chocolate with very concentrated flavors in just two small squares. I did not miss the lack of sugar; but, I suspect many people will.* So, be advised; but try a small bite anyway. 

If you love authentic, highly concentrated flavors; you'll love this experience.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Earth, aromatic spice"

Ingredients: Theobroma cacao*, turmeric*, black pepper* (*=organic)

Allergen-related information: (None found on packaging)

*If you've never tried 100% cacao chocolate, your brain may be surprised, i.e. it may be wired to expect sugar when you take a bite of chocolate. The good news, there is no "more-ish" urges to keep eating the whole bar; and it becomes clear those urges are driven by added sugar(s).

Karu - Jungle Dark 85% Cacao Villa Sofia, Cordoba, Colombia (bar) - June 20, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Karu Chocolates

Jungle Dark - 85% Cacao Villa Sofia, Cordoba, Colombia (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 70 calories in 1/4 bar 
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar 
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Earth, Mountains, Forests & Gardens Theme Week. 

Today's Karu Chocolates Jungle Dark 85% Cacao Via Sofia, Cordoba, Colombia (bar) was made in Bogota, Colombia, and distributed (in the U.S.) by Tropicalia LLC. 

Aroma and flavor notes for this hearty, ultra-dark bar included: dark chocolate (deep, chocolate-y), peppers, and dried fruit (cacao pulp, mango, dark berry).

Texture: thick, rich and creamy melt and mouthfeel

I loved the deep and balanced aroma and flavor notes, and that this bar wasn't too sweet (thank you) or too bitter for an 85%er. 

Last, but not least, this bar was made--with a short list of (just two) ingredients--"in country" (in the same country where the cacao was grown).

Ingredients: Cacao, unrefined cane sugar

Allergen-related information: "Produced in facilities processing milk and nuts"

L'Amourette Chocolatier - 100% Trinitario Cacao Colombia (bar) - May 11, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

L'Amourette Chocolatier 
100% Trinitario Cacao Colombia (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 194 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $17.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week.

Today's Limited Edition 100% Trinitario Cacao Colombia (bar) was made by L'Amourette Chocolat LLC (San Francisco, CA). 

The cacao used to craft this bar was grown in the Huila department in southwest Colombia.

Aroma notes for this 100%er included: dark chocolate, concentrated cacao fruit (syrup), and sweet green botanical (maple, coconut, anethole (fennel), other plant and tree sugars).*

Texture: Smooth, relatively creamy with a bit of (fruit) astringency.

Flavor notes: Rich, balanced, ultra-dark chocolate with complex notes from start to finish. Ultra-dark brownie and bitters; cacao fruit; Sweet green botanical and nut (Brazil nut)...and graham cracker in the long finish. (Note: there were no nut ingredients in this bar.)

I enjoyed the relatively creamy texture, cacao fruit and "nut" notes; the rich, balanced and complex flavors; and the long lingering finish. 

And I appreciated the maker's care in highlighting and balancing all these lovely flavors in this single origin bar--using just one ingredient. (Just Colombian cacao. That's it.) As with other 100% cacao bars without added sugar, a small piece or two can be very satisfying.

Ingredients: Colombia Cacao Beans

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a Facility That Also Processes Nuts."

*There is a bouquet of sweet, green botanical notes that I sometimes taste with certain dark chocolate bars. In the past I've made comparisons to green walnuts in sweet syrup, maple syrup, some coconut sugars, anethole (fennel, anise sugars), and even certain cacao fruit syrups. If you've experienced what I'm describing, I hope you also enjoy these sweet green notes. 

Anethole is a compound (C10H120) associated with fennel, anise and star anise, used to flavor sweet licorice and is also used in foods as an aroma and flavor enhancer.

 

Hogarth Chocolate Makers - 100% Hacienda Victoria, Ecuador (bar) - Dec. 22, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Hogarth Chocolate Makers
100% Hacienda Victoria - Ecuador (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.)/ 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 211 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 100% Hacienda Victoria, Ecuador (bar) was made by Hogarth Chocolate Makers (Nelson, New Zealand), and enjoyed in a wonderful coffee house.

Hacienda Victoria (named for the founder's wife, Victoria) is located in the central coastal area of Ecuador. This single estate farm is located inland from the Rio Guayas (Guayas River) in an ideal location for growing cacao.*

The texture for this bar was fairly thick and creamy, and there was a faint, well-managed astringency. 

Aroma and flavor notes for this 100% cacao bar included: appealing deep ultra-dark chocolate; faint roasted coffee and wood; complex but well-balanced lush forest and earth notes; faint and fleeting freshly baked bread; and dried, slightly tart/sweet-sour fruit (faint pomegranate, blackberry and dried plum when first unwrapped and cacao fruit pulp with tart citrus later). 

There were some bold but balanced bitter and sour (think beer) notes in this single ingredient bar. This 100%, unsweetened chocolate may not be for the faint of heart. But, I enjoyed it. (I recommend trying the Hogarth 85% Hacienda Victoria Ecuador bar if you love exploring dark cacao flavors, but need a little sugar.) 

Maker's comments: "...We have used our Hacienda Victoria Arriba Cacao from Ecuador so you can expect a smooth but strong cocoa hit, with a hint of citrus."

Ingredients: "Directly Traded Ecuador Cocoa Beans (100%)."

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Milk and Nuts."

*Cacao trees are native to South America, and grow up to 20 degrees North and 20 degrees South of the Equator.

The Equator runs east-west through Northern Ecuador. ("Ecuador" translates to Equator in English.) And the country's privileged geographical position has made its long history as a cacao-growing country possible. 

Hacienda Victoria owners are dedicated to growing and preserving Arriba Nacional cacao, part of a lineage of prized heritage cacao varieties in South America.

Chocolarder - 100% Pure Dark Amazon Rainforest choc. - July 16, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolarder
100% Pure Dark Amazon Rainforest choc.
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 194 calories (estimated) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 100% Pure Dark Amazon Rainforest Peru (bar) was made by Chocolarder Craft Chocolate Makers (Falmouth, Cornwall, UK).

Attractive aroma notes for this single ingredient (cocoa beans) bar included: dark chocolate, soft fruit (very subtle stone fruit (peach), berry and banana), and very light floral and nut.

This 100% Peru chocolate had a thick, creamy, stiff nut butter-like texture, a very faint astringency (dryness), and a relatively bold (at least unsweetened) dark chocolate flavor with soft sour (citrus/pink grapefruit) and fleeting nut notes.

100% cacao chocolates scare many people, even dark chocolate fans. They can be bitter, sour--and challenging for our brains to process. There is a temporary sense of surprise--the "Where's the expected hit of sugar/sweetness?" moment. 

The best 100%ers have a wonderfully complex aroma (this Chocolarder bar did); and the uncloaked-by-sugar bitterness and/or sourness doesn't eclipse subtle/complex flavor and finish notes. (They didn't.) Part of its success was the lovely Peru cacao beans the chocolate maker acquired, and the rest was great execution.*

Maker's tasting notes: "A slow build to intense roasted Brazil nut with accents of grapefruit and plantain"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans

Allergen-related information: "Made in a factory that also handles tree nuts"

*Truly great cacao can make a truly great chocolate. However, in the many steps that follow after harvesting the cacao, there are many opportunities for things to go wrong (a mistake in fermentation or drying, over-roasted or unevenly roasted cacao, too much or too little of many things...). And, there is no set recipe over time; the steps and settings are slightly different with different varieties or batches of cacao beans.

Vosges - Black Raspberry with Fermented Black Tea 93% (bar) - Feb. 1, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Vosges
Black Raspberry with Fermented Black Tea 93% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vosges, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Tea Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Honey Theme Week.

Today's Black Raspberry with Fermented Black Tea, Raw Honey and Whole Cacao 93% Cacao (bar) was from Vosges IP, LLC (Chicago, IL). 

Vosges offers a range of attractively designed chocolates (bars and confections). This bar was part of the company's "LAB collection" made with no refined sugars and using the "entire cacao pod."

Aroma notes for this bar included: ultra-dark chocolate (deep, dense forest, earth) and very faint fruit (berries).

I enjoyed the texture--a blend of fine-grained crunchy and creamy cocoa elements (including "cacao berry fiber and flour" and cacao fruit puree. 

Flavor notes included: chocolate (deep cacao flavors -- de-fanged Forastero*), faint flickers of bright fruit (raspberry, very faint mango), and very faint, fruity black tea. During a relatively long finish, there were dark chocolate and berry cereal notes.

For a 93% cacao dark chocolate, this was well balanced, and a bit sweeter than expected. Use of raw honey and cacao "fruit, fiber and seed" added sweetness and enjoyable flavor complexity.

Ingredients: Unsweetened chocolate processed with alkali, cocoa butter, raw honey, cacao berry (cacao berry fiber, cacao berry flour), cacao berry flour, blueberry, black raspberry, ceylon black tea, cacao fruit puree. 

Allergen-related information: "Processed on equipment that also processes milk, soy, wheat, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts."

*The unsweetened chocolate used to make this bar was treated with alkali, a process that smooths out the rough edges and makes the chocolate/cocoa taste less acidic/bitter. The very deep, dense cacao flavor reminded me of Forastero variety cacao beans. The addition of black raspberries and blueberries (dark berries) as well as cacao pulp and black tea, added a friendly amount of balanced fruit and tannic acidity.

 

Lumineux Chocolate - Ghana 80% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Feb. 3, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Lumineux Chocolate

Ghana 80% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $40 for 5 bars ($8 for 1 bar)
Purchased from: Good Food Awards Marketplace, online order

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

Today's Ghana 80% Dark Chocolate (Batch #258) bar was made by Lumineux Chocolate (Greenville, SC). The company "offers small batch, European-style chocolate," frequently showcasing African cacao.

Aroma notes included dark chocolate (brownie) with a natural/implied vanilla-like sweetness, and very faint sweet-tart green (oxalis, sorrel) and spice notes.

The texture was, uniform, smooth, thick and substantial (almost fudgey) that matched the flavor notes of pure, dark fudge brownie. This satisfying bar had deep, dense and rich chocolate flavor and relatively light acidity. 

Just a few bites of this 80% cacao "brownie" bar silenced a chocolate craving. It was a sophisticated and approachable ultra-dark bar with no funky/earthy notes. It was not ultra-bitter; and it was not too sweet (thank you).

Maker's tasting notes: "Brownie batter, molasses, vanilla"

Ingredients: Cocoa nibs, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed that I could find on packaging.)

 

Tosier - Maya Mountain, Belize 90% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 8, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Tosier Chocolatemaker
Maya Mountain Belize 90% Rich Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 148.8 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Central America Theme Week, featuring chocolates made from cacao grown in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

The Toledo District in southern Belize is to chocolate what Napa is to wine in California. That was my take-away after visiting Southern Belize years ago. (This visit included a Jeep ride to visit Maya Mountain Cacao,* a small co-op working directly with Mayan cacao farmers.)

Today's Maya Mountain Belize 90% Rich Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Tosier Chocolatemaker (Suffolk, U.K.). The cacao (2019 Harvest, Batch 23219) used to craft this micro-batch bar was carefully gathered from farmers.

The complex but relatively subtle aroma notes for this bar included (in order of appearance): molasses, and concentrated fruit (berries, figs). After being open for a few minutes this mellowed and evolved into faint, fleeting vegetable (green squash, baked potato), then back to dark chocolate with faint spice and fruit compote (plum and peach), and faint tart-green (oxalis), followed by faint flicker of green tea.

Flavor notes included rich dark chocolate (fudge) with subtle loamy earth and very faint (barely there) mushroom. There was a slight astringent, dry graininess or chalkiness to the texture. This textural attribute softened into a smoother, more buttery mouthfeel toward the end. 

If I'd eaten the whole bar I might have discovered this perceived dryness was either a fleeting quality, more present in one part of the bar, or it may have shape-shifted away altogether. But, I only sampled two, adjacent, rectangular pieces...

...One hour later, I re-sampled this relatively smooth (low in bitterness, acidity) 90% ultra-dark bar--from the other end of the bar. And while still present, this dry mouthfeel was less noticeable. And, it morphed into a smoother finish more quickly. I'm a fan of re-tasting chocolate if possible. Truth can be fluid when it comes to flavors and taste and one's palette, even after very short periods of time.

Maker's tasting notes: "Redcurrant and stone fruit with a long buttery finish." ("Light roast, 60 hours grinding in stone melanger with refiner.")

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, ethically sourced cocoa butter

*Maya Mountain Cacao (MMC), majority-owned by Uncommon Cacao, is located in the Toledo District, inland from the Caribbean coast. When I visited there it had been in operation for a few years and was already producing fine cacao that had caught the attention of many specialty chocolate makers producing single origin dark chocolate. 

MMC were (and still are) working/trading directly with indigenous Maya farmers and helping to incent and support production of high-quality beans. Most of the approximately 350 farmers are small land-holders. This cacao was "intercropped with hard wood, fruit trees, banana, coconut and mango."

The hilly Maya Mountain area surrounding this organization (and its centralized fermentery) is an undulation of interesting shapes and multi-story building-sized mounds, covered by vegetation. 

From the air, looking down on the area, it's easy to imagine old dwellings/cities/temples built by ancient Maya and related, Central American civilizations that might lie beneath the jungle. In fact, this is partly true. I spoke to someone who remembered growing up in the area and remembers playing among historic ruins. "It was just something we took for granted. It was no big deal," he told me.

 

Simon Coll Xocolaters - 99% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 14, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Simon Coll Xocolaters

99% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Calories: 180 Calories: in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar

Purchased at Nugget Markets, Tiburon, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of 100% Cacao and Nibs Theme Week.

Today's 99% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Simon Coll Xocolaters (Barcelona, Spain). Yes, I realize 99% cacao is not 100%, but stick with me here. 

Aroma notes for this bar, in order of appearance: nut (peanut), sweet green (matcha green tea), light chocolate cookie, sweet and savory Japanese rice cracker and very faint malt, dark chocolate.

The texture had an even, pleasing creamy melt and mouthfeel.

And then we have the flavor. This 99% bar conjured up the singular notion of a dark, muscular jaguar, softly padding through a faintly earthy tropical forest with notes of fresh rain, red clay, and black soil. This was a tamed jaguar. Nothing scary happened (quite the contrary); but it was experienced with ultra-dark respect and a little trepidation at first, nonetheless.

The deep, dark roasted notes were well balanced, with a carefully managed bitterness and loamy earth. The even, lingering finish had balanced, roasted charcoal (with barely there steamed, sweet green leaf bundles with rice) notes. The jaguar was tracking traces of an ancient fire-breathing dragon and an invisible sugar pixie (1%). 

Made in Spain, this bar contained elements (and inspired analogies) from multiple continents. The flavor profile might be a bit roasty for some, but it will be a fun 100%-like ride for others --and enjoyed by those wanting an escape from sugar land. I enjoyed this bar.

Ingredients: "Chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar. (Cocoa solids 99% minimum.) "

Cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar.

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, nut and soya traces."

Ghirardelli - 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 10, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Premium Baking 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4 oz. (113.5 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories (per label) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $ missing information for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information 

Welcome to Day #2 of 100% Cacao and Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Premium Baking 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate (bar) was from Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (San Leandro, CA). 

This bar had an aroma with deep chocolate and sweet green (green tea, green floral and fleeting green floral, homemade marshmallow, green nut/seed and jaguar cacao) notes. 

The flavor was similar to the aroma, but with much more pronounced deep, roasted dark chocolate (lightly singed fudge nut brownie) notes with a dense creamy (finely ground, thick 100% nut (fire roasted almond and peanut butter) texture and mouthfeel. 

The green notes made a subtle return in the light, lingering finish as did a fleeting faint brownie note.

In a word, this bar with well-managed bitterness and acidity was substantial. 

For those who enjoy ultra-dark chocolate, this chocolate is suitable for eating as well as baking (cakes, brownies, and traditional chocolate desserts). It also could be used to make a high-end, paleo fondue with nuts and fruits, an outer coating for dark truffles, or a melted drizzle over vanilla ice cream or sweeter desserts where you're looking for a bit of lively contrast.

Ingredients: "Unsweetened chocolate."

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, soy, and tree nuts."

Lindt - 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Lindt
85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good 
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 3 squares (1 serving) of bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Dark Chocolate Week.

Today's 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by from Lindt and Sprungli (USA), Inc. (Stratham, NH).* Today's chocolate was part of the Lindt "Excellence" line of bars.

This almost ebony-colored ultra-dark bar had a surprisingly light and sweet (vanilla and marshmallow hot cocoa) aroma for an 85% cacao bar. 

The chocolate broke with a well-tempered snap and had a smooth texture and mouthfeel.

The flavor was surprisingly smooth as well, with relatively pleasing, roasted, dark cacao notes and a touch of vanilla. The finish was long with bittersweet roasted cacao flavor and faint flickers of balanced acidity.

For this price (at Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, that offers lower prices), this chocolate was certainly a good value. One hopes that cocoa farmers are being paid a fair price. No origin was mentioned on the packaging. If I had to guess I'd say it was a dark blend that included West African, Forastero variety, cacao.

Lindt tasting notes/description of this bar read as follows: "Excellence 85% cocoa is distinguished by a deep brown color, a powerful aroma of cocoa and full bodied chocolate." "Full-bodied cocoa flavor."

Ingredients: *Chocolate, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, demerara sugar, Bourbon vanilla beans. Dark chocolate contains cocoa solids: 85% min."

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, soy and tree nuts."

*The company's roots in Switzerland date back to 1845.

Cacao Crudo - Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) - July 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Crudo

Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) 

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) for 1 bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco, CA 

Welcome to Day #4 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Raw Organic Criollo 80% Dark chocolate (bar) was made by Cacao Crudo S.r.l. (Roma, Italia/Rome, Italy).

The aroma and flavor notes for this Taveletta di Cioccolato Fondente Biologico (dark chocolate organic bar) were a mix of intoxicating, naturally sweet (green molasses* if that's possible) and very clear and clean green floral (white flowers: jasmine, magnolia, orchid) and very faint, green fruit notes that lightly lingered into the finish.

This was not your typical ultra-dark (80% or above) bar. It was low in acidity, bitterness and strong fruit. (In a blind tasting I might have guessed this was a 70%-73% cacao chocolate.) 

Speaking of fruit, far from being walloped with prune, pomegranate, orange peel and/or tart red berries--which are delightful in their own right, this chocolate caressed the palette with faint green fruit notes that lay at the opposite (mild) end of the tasting spectrum. Think very faint green kiwi shading into light cucumber blended with mild green table grapes.

Will everyone love this bar? Not necessarily, if you favor bolder, heavier, roasted flavors. But, please do try this bar if you have the opportunity. (It's currently available in specialty stores or online.)

The unique green floral aroma and flavor notes for this bar were made possible by using Criollo cacao that was unroasted--a processing choice that preserves more delicate floral and flavor notes that can be lost during conventional roasting and higher temperature grinding/conching.

The Criollo variety of cacao is prized for its more delicate flavors, which can include soft, complex fruit and cream notes.

Floral chocolate lovers rejoice. You may find yourself virtually transported to a celebration of green, floral chocolate flavors inside an orchid conservatory, or in a tropical jungle filled with green vines and wildflowers.

Ingredients: Organic Criollo cacao powder, organic Criollo cacao butter, organic coconut blossom nectar, organic coconut pulp, organic vanilla.

Allergen-related information: "Gluten Free...May contain traces of hazelnuts and pistachios." 

*The coconut blossom nectar (used as a sweetener instead of cane sugar) also contributed to a gentler (lower on the glycemic index), slightly aromatic sugar experience. Various descriptions of faint flavor notes this sweetener imparts include: brown sugar, caramel--and less frequently: barely there musky (floral), and/or very faint smoke. 

It does not taste like coconut meat or milk, even though the blossoms are clustered at the top of coconut palm trees. Floral sap is collected in small buckets and then made into coconut sugar.

Libeert - Organic Chocolate Extra Dark 85% (bar) - July 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Libeert s.a.
Organic Chocolate Extra Dark 85% (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving (3 squares of) bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week, featuring 60% - 90% cacao chocolates made with a blend or cacao origins, and/or unspecified origins.

Today's Organic Chocolate Extra Dark 85% (bar) was made by Libeert s.a. (Comines, Belgium). The company produces a variety of chocolate bars (and confections), including certified organic and fair trade bars, such as this ultra-dark bar.

Aroma notes for this bold, balanced bar included deep, dense forest, dark chocolate, subtle concentrated/dried fruit (plum-prune), and very faint, clean, clay-like aromatic floral (vanilla, rose, jasmine) perfume (very light baby powder) notes.

This relatively high-cacao percent chocolate was, it almost goes without saying, not sweet (thank you). It had an even, sustained dark, roasted, earthy, fudge brownie note, and a well-managed, slightly bitter dark finish with no off-notes.

The bar had smooth texture with relatively low astringency and acid along with a mellow bitterness for an ultra-dark 85% cacao chocolate (origin unspecified). It was a great value for the price. (If I had to guess the cacao variety of this Belgian, organic bittersweet chocolate, I'd say Forastero from West Africa.) 

Pairing suggestions

If ultra-dark bars were little black dresses, I'd say this one deserves to be in daily rotation. You might even use it for baking and dress it up with some brightly colored fruits (homemade ultra dark chocolate cups filled with sliced fruits (yellow nectarine/peach) and a drizzle of raspberry liqueur/juice/jam perhaps). Or fill these dark cups with coffee ice cream and top with whiskey-soaked (or just lightly toasted) cacao nibs and almond slices.

Ingredients: Organic chocolate liquor, organic cane sugar, organic low fat cocoa powder, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla powder. Cocoa solids 85% minimum. ("Sustainable cocoa...Traded in compliance with Fairtrade standards.")

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk, soy, almonds, hazelnuts, pecan nuts and pistachios." 

Amedei - Toscano Black Dark Chocolate Extra 90% (bar) - July 11, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Amedei srl
Toscano Black, Dark Chocolate Extra, 90% (bar)
Good +
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Buona giornata (good day) and welcome to Day #2 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week, featuring chocolates ranging from 60% to 90% cacao, made with cacao beans from either a blend of origins, and/or from an undeclared origin. 

Today's Toscano Black Dark Chocolate Extra 90% (bar) was made by Amedei srl (in Pontedera (Pisa), Italy). The company offers a variety of bars, drops, pralines and spreads.

The aroma notes for this bar included: slight green herb (lemon balm, sour grass, oxalis/oxalic acid), and fruit (faint sweet berry and lemon), and mild hot chocolate.

The texture was uniform, with a slight astringency.

The flavor reflected some of the same aroma notes mentioned above and the bar was relatively approachable for a 90% cocoa chocolate. 

This chocolate had a mild, bittersweet chocolate flavor with medium acidity, and very faint, fleeting malt/cereal box and coffee notes.

Maker's tasting notes: "Toscano Black, the "Manifesto" dark chocolates from Amedei. These chocolates are made from a blend of Trinitario and Criollo (cacao). With different percentages of cocoa, they evoke the unique nuances of masterfully blended beans in an encounter with classic chocolate featuring a crisp cracking sound and a clean palette. Toscano Black 90% is characterized by a delicate fragrance of white flowers and is an inviting blend with the scent of hot chocolate. A discovery to taste: despite the high cocoa percentage, it is a very creamy chocolate that leaves a very clean palate at the end."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cane sugar. Cocoa minimum 90%.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of hazelnut, almond, pistachio, walnut, milk. No artificial colors or flavoring. Gluten free."

Simon Coll - 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 10, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Simon Coll Xocolaters

(Chocolates Simon Coll S.A.)

85% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1.495 oz. (42.5 g.) / 2.99 oz. (85 g.) in total bar

Calories: 255 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Nugget Markets, Tiburon, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week. This week features 60% to 90% cacao dark chocolate bars--made with blends of cacao beans, or with no origin specified.

Today's 85% Dark Chocolate bar was made in Spain by Chocolates Simon Coll S.A. (Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, Barcelona, Spain). The company's chocolate-making roots stretch back several generations to 1840. (The company also acquired the historic Spanish Chocolate Amatller brand in 1972.)

The aroma and flavor notes in today's ultra-dark, gluten-free chocolate bar included: green; fresh ripe banana and light molasses/brown sugar spice (banana licuado); nut (walnut); and a balanced, slightly green, bittersweet dark chocolate (earthy fudge brownie).

This chocolate was relatively smooth/uniform in texture and flavor, yet managed to have satisfying complexity.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, fat reduced cocoa powder, emulsifier (soya lecithin) and flavouring (vanilla). Cocoa solids 85%.

Allergen-related information: "Contains soy. May contain traces of milk, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds." 

Raaka Chocolate - 100% Cacao Unroasted Dark Chocolate Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) - April 30, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate

100% Cacao Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar)

Good +

Weight: .9 oz. (25.4 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50.9 g.) in total bar

Calories: 124 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Raaka Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 100% Cacao Unroasted Dark Chocolate Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

Today's bar contained just two ingredients: un-roasted, organic cacao beans from Kokoa Kamili,* Tanzania, and organic cocoa butter. No added sugar. 

Unroasted (or very lightly roasted) cacao can be a great choice for ultra high-percentage chocolate bars (85-100%) bars.

This bar had a relatively bright aroma (with an anticipation of tasting light fruit, sweet hazelnut, light spice).

It had a very smooth, slightly slow/waxy melt and texture (I was eating this bar on a cool, spring morning. I did not get the same "waxy" slow melt later in the afternoon; so this could have been temperature related.)

The flavors were subtle. The dark chocolate flavor had balanced flavor notes: buckwheat pancake, very faint green and dried fruit (prune, fig). There was a slight, fleeting astringency in the finish. And the bitterness level was quite low for a 100% cacao bar--making it a friendlier 100% bar. A faint dark chocolate and mild green note lingered in the finish.

The maker's description: "bright, not bitter." ..."Forget everything you know about 100% bars. This pure cacao bar is creamy and bright, not bitter, with a subtle, tingling fruit sweetness."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cacao butter

Allergen-related information: Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free; Non-GMO Project Verified. USDA Organic; Transparent Trade.

*Kokoa Kamili, in the Kilombero Valley in southwest Tanzania, is a social enterprise that buys freshly harvested cacao from farmers and focuses on fermenting and drying beans in a centralized facility, to help ensure high-quality cacao for chocolate makers.

Friis Holm - La Dalia 100% (Nicaragua bar) - Apr. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Friis-Holm Chokolade
La Dalia 100% (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $20.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's La Dalia 100% (bar) was from Friis-Holm Chokolade (Hvalso, Denmark).

La Dalia is a largely rural area (that includes a town) in Nicaragua (near Matagalpa and Jinotega). The sub-tropical forests and volcanic soils in this hilly region are well-suited for growing cacao trees. 

Nicaragua is one of several cacao cradle/origin countries in Central America. Cacao has been cultivated and appreciated here for centuries. Happily, a handful of dedicated farmers and fermenteries have connected with skilled artisan chocolate makers around the world in recent decades--resulting in some great chocolates.

This aroma of this bar had light, pleasant notes of concentrated/dried fruits, raw sugars, nuts, dark chocolate and very faint, freshly mowed sweet, green grass.

The creamy, rapid melt and velvety smooth texture were enjoyable and luxurious.

Over time, the brain learns to be prepared for the surprising disconnect between the sweet aroma and the bitter taste of unsweetened, 100% cacao chocolates. Added cocoa butter* can help cushion the blow.

The flavor of this unsweetened, 100% cacao bar was like landing on a large, silk cushion--which is to say, it wasn't as bitter as expected. The deep, roasted cacao bitter flavor in this two-ingredient bar did surface but it was steady and balanced; there was no scary spikiness to it. 

*Ingredients: Cacao beans, cocoa butter.

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - 80% Bachelors Hall Farm (Jamaica) bar - March 6, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

The Oakland Chocolate Company
80% Cacao Bachelors Hall Farm, St. Thomas, Jamaica bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Company, Oakland, CA

Welcome to Day #9 (last day) of Chocolate and Jamaica Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and JKLM Theme Week, in which I feature chocolate items with flavor additions and/or origins that begin with the letters of the alphabet. This week those letters are: J, K, L and/or M.

Today's 80% Cacao Bachelors Hall (Jamaica) bar was made by Nancy Nadel owner and chief chocolate maker at The Oakland Chocolate Company (Oakland, CA). 

Nadel makes single origin bars and confections, all from Jamaican grown cacao--from a single parish (Saint Thomas) and estate/farm (Bachelors Hall Estate).

The aroma of today's 80% cacao Jamaica bar had a true chocolate (fudge brownie) aroma, with very faint and balanced umami, fermented cacao, and pleasing earth notes. 

The flavor notes were very similar with a hint of cream, and red fruit (mild, ripe cherry), fleeting coffee and spice. (Note: there was no cream or dairy in this bar.) It had balanced, relatively low bitterness for an ultra-dark chocolate.

Almost all the Jamaica bars featured in the past week, from different chocolate makers, used cacao from the same farm (Bachelors Hall Estate). So any differences in aroma and/or flavor were more likely to be due to a maker's choices, such as different cacao bean inspection (micro-sorting), roast profiles or conch times, or even aging or packaging.

Today's bar was a great example of all the tasting notes possible with this Jamaican cacao origin. Luscious true chocolate brownie flavor--with a little earth, fruit, spice, fermented cacao, umami and cream, but not too much (or too little) of any one element.

Ingredients: cocoa mass, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, sea salt

*Jamaica is located at approximately 18 degrees North latitude -- well within the cacao growing belt (0 to 20 degrees north and/or south of the Equator). 

Most chocolate makers today are using Jamaican-grown cacao beans from the country's largest cacao farm in St. Thomas Parish, in Surrey County, in Eastern Jamaica -- Bachelor's Hall Estate, east of Kingston. Although where you find coffee farms in Jamaica, you may also see a few cacao trees as well. The two crops have similar growing requirements. 

Pump Street Chocolate - Jamaica 90% Bachelor's Hall Estate (bar) - March 3, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Pump Street Chocolate

Jamaica 90% Bachelor's Hall Estate Limited Edition (bar)

Good ++

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

Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $10.00 (plus shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Limited Edition Jamaica Bachelor's Hall Estate 90% Limited Edition (bar) was from Pump Street Chocolate (Suffolk, England). The company produces a range of baked goods, and artisan chocolates. 

This ultra-dark, 90% cacao chocolate had an aroma with notes of dark chocolate, fruit (red apple), faint umami, and very faint fermented fruit. It had a slow, dense melt and a thick, smooth texture.

The flavor embodied rich, uniformly roasted cacao (think unsweetened fudge brownies), with faint, balanced charcoal roasted cacao, very faint, fleeting roasted nut (peanut butter*) and very faint roasted/baked banana notes. 

For such a high cacao percentage (90% cacao and only 10% sugar) bar the acidity and bitterness levels were relatively low, making it a bit more approachable for sensitive palettes. 

Pump Street Chocolate's tasting notes for this single estate (farm) Jamaican chocolate bar (Batch No. 02506, 2018 Crop) read as follows: "A rich, deep, high cocoa percentage bar which expresses the unique banana and rum character of the Bachelor's Hall Estate terroir." 

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar and organic cocoa butter 

*Please note there were no peanut butter or nut ingredients listed for this bar. Although trace amounts of potential allergens can occur if chocolates are created in a place where shared spaces are used, tasting notes for chocolate, wine, beer, coffee, and many other foods and beverages often describe perceived flavor or aroma notes. 

If one drills down to the molecular level, similar substances can be created, e.g., in fermentation/oxidation or roasting processes, that may evoke (remind us of) other food or beverage items, even though no direct connection exists. 

Cacao Crudo - Dark Organic Cacao Paste, Unroasted Criollo Cacao, 100% (bar) - Nov. 20, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Crudo S.r.l.
Dark Organic Chocolate Fondente 100% Peru (bar)
(Cioccolato Fondente Bio Criollo Non Tostato 100% Peru)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information 
Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's "Organic Cacao Paste" 100% Peru bar was crafted by Cacao Crudo S.r.l. (Roma (Rome), Italy), using cacao beans grown in Peru.

The chocolate was made using high-quality, un-roasted Criollo cacao (beans). Cacao beans are generally roasted. Roasting can develop certain flavors, but can also lead to a loss of other--often more delicate or volatile--flavors (e.g. green and floral notes). 

Today's 100% Criollo cacao with bright, clean green and faint floral sweetness is a great example of what "stays in" when cacao is not roasted. This bar (and others in the Cacao Crudo line-up) exemplify what raw chocolate can be. 

This unsweetened chocolate had an aroma that evoked fresh, alive, vibrant green (plants, green coconut) with faint floral and herbal notes. It had a creamy melt and smooth texture with the occasional crunchy cacao nib particle.

The flavors included bright green cacao nibs, green coconut with light herbal/spice notes; a medium acidity (faint sour-sweet) in the second half; and a relatively low bitterness for a 100% cacao chocolate--making it potentially a potentially interesting choice for a good swathe of ultra-dark chocolate lovers who might be health conscious as well. (I plan to add pieces of this bar, if there are any leftover, to my homemade nut, seed and fruit trail mix.)

I would recommend doing a side-by-side tasting with Cacao Crudo's 90% cacao bar and today's 100% bar (or as part of a tasting flight of 100% bars). Truthfully, I prefer the company's 90% version a hair more. 

That little bit of added coconut sugar (concentrated coconut flower sap) opened up another flavor facet. Either way, so nice to be sampling chocolates with flavors un-bowed by too much roasting or sugar was fantastic. (Big thank you for that.)

Ingredients: Organic, unroasted cacao beans ("Criollo beans paste")