Sabadi - Il Cioccolato di Pantelleria 83% (bar) - July 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Sabadi 
Il Cioccolato di Pantelleria 83% (tavoletta)
(The Chocolate of Pantelleria 83% (bar))
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 235.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

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

Today's Il Cioccolato di Pantelleria* 83% cacao (bar) was from Sabadi srl (Modica, Sicily, Italy).

This was a cold-processed organic chocolate with caper berries and "flower of salt." The cacao used to make this bar was from Ecuador; and the caper berries were from the island of Pantelleria--known for its high-quality caper berries.

Aroma and flavor notes included: rich, fudge-y, and smooth ultra-dark chocolate (chocolate-y, very faint earth and fruit), with delicate savory (caper berry) and satisfying salt notes.

Texture: smooth fudge-y texture. It had the freshness and initial feel of a rustic, stone-ground chocolate, but with a hearty, smooth melt and mouthfeel. An excellent blend of characteristics. (There was also no added cocoa butter, as is the style associated with Modica chocolates.)

I loved everything about this bar: the dark but smooth cacao flavor and fudge-y texture; the savory yet almost floral caper berries (unopened flower buds cured in salt) notes and the "flower" salt.

Full disclosure: I enjoy trying savory flavors; and I tend to like these better than your average chocolate lover. But, this had a special balance to it that I think most dark lovers will really appreciate. The tie-in with special places in Italy (Modica, Sicily--with its own unique chocolate making history--and the island of Pantelleria) made this chocolate all the more pleasing.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass^#+ -- origin: Ecuador -- variety: Nacional Fino de Aroma; cane sugar^#, Caperberries^ (min. 1.5%), flower of salt (min: 0.5%). Cocoa: 83% minimum. (^ = organic; # = presidio slow food; + = from fair trade producers.)

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk, and soy." Gluten Free, Vegan

*Pantelleria is a volcanic Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea (Sicilian Strait). It is relatively isolated and rugged. (It was used as a place of banishment by the Romans long ago.) But, it also has aspects of an island paradise (vacation destination). I visualize tasting all sorts of tasty savory dishes with capers with a side of sweet local wine.

  

Fossa Chocolate - 100% Cacao Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) - June 17, 2025

 Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
Tanzania 100% Cacao Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

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

Today's Tanzania 100% Cacao Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate (Singapore). 

The company specializes in high-end, well-executed, bean-to-bar, chocolate bars (and confections for those in Singapore)--made with single origin cacao beans. Many bars feature Asian-inspired flavor inclusions (including lovely Oolong teas, traditional desserts as well as savory dishes). They also offer some single origin bars (like today's bar) with "just" cacao.

This unsweetened chocolate was made using cacao grown in the Kilombero Valley, a large "wetland area" in southern Tanzania with rich soils that benefit agriculture and grazing.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and fragrant, balanced fruit (citrus, ripe berry, wine grape).

Texture: smooth, buttery, almost silky; more creamy than most 100%ers.

Flavor notes included: balanced bitter and tart unsweetened, ultra-dark with hidden fruit, forest and nut treasures. 

Note: do savor this chocolate slowly and you'll get wonderful, small upticks in fruit flavor. (The muted, sweet Concord (purple) grape was a favorite. It gently peeked out and then receded over a 10-second period, about 2/3 the way through tasting a piece of this bar.)

This was a very enjoyable 100% bar with delicate sophisticated fruit aroma and flavor notes. For those dark chocolate fans not familiar with zero sugar cacao experiences: smell first, then take a small bite. Recover from your first impression: your brain was expecting sugar, and now has to adjust to what initially seems a bit dense, flat and bitter. But, then wait...With this Fossa single-origin Tanzania, single ingredient (just cacao) bar you'll be rewarded. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Lemon zest, Biscuit, Nuts"

Ingredients: "Organic cacao" 

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a facility that processes nuts & dairy." (Vegan, Gluten free, Sugar free)

Godavari Chocolate Inc. - Bon-fiction "Order of the Dark Roast" 91% (bar) - Apr. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Godavari Chocolate Inc.
Bon-fiction "Order of the Dark Roast" 91% dark chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .485 oz. (13.75 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 85 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Market, Palo Alto, CA  

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and India Week.

Today's Bon-fiction "Order of the Dark Roast" 91% dark chocolate (bar) was made from tree-to-bar in India, and imported and distributed by Godavari Chocolate Inc. (Folsom, CA).

The cacao used to make this bar was "hand-picked from farms in the Godavari region of Southern India."

Aroma notes for this single origin 91% bar included: faint dark roast cacao/dark chocolate and subtle and relatively pleasing umami and roasted notes (faint oven-roasted/barbecued earthy greens).   

Flavor notes for this India-grown and made chocolate included: rich, roasted ultra-dark chocolate, with a subtle sweetness, followed by some balanced tart and bitter notes which peaked and then rapidly receded and lingered at a much lower level into a relatively long and pleasant ultra-dark finish.

The texture was smooth and relatively buttery/creamy with a very tiny bit of (surprisingly little) astringency in the finish.

I enjoyed this more than the 99% "Eclipse of the Senses" dark bar (that I tasted yesterday) from the same maker. Just a little sugar (and possibly a different batch/roast profile) made this 91%er a more balanced bar. I like trying dark roasts, as long as I can still enjoy some balanced complexity in the cacao.

Today's 91% "Order of the Dark Roast" bar was fun to try. This chocolate may still be too bold and bitter for some. But, just like wine, and many other things in life, not everyone will agree on what's "best" or even taste chocolate in the same way.* 

As for me, I enjoyed several small bites, consecutively, each more inviting than the last. (That first bite was a bit like jumping into cool/cold water--a little brisk.) I liked that I could taste some additional and pleasing chocolate-y (cocoa) and then very faint spiced hot chocolate notes in the finish after 3-4 bites. 

Savor small pieces...slowly. I also advise exposing this chocolate to open air for 10-15 minutes, after you open the sealed inner package, and before eating. (Yes, that's right; it's like certain very bold red wines. It may need to "breathe" a little first.)

Ingredients: "Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar."

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes: Milk, Peanuts, Almond, Cashew, Walnut, Coconut, Hazelnut, Pistachio."  

*Some of us who have genes allowing us to enjoy more bitter foods, may enjoy items those with more delicate palettes may find off-putting.

Willie's Gold - Pure Gold Sur Del Lago Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar) - Mar. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Willie's Gold 
Pure Gold Sur Del Lago Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .705 oz. (20 g.) / 1.41 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Worldwide Chocolate, online order 

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

Today's Willie's Gold Pure Gold Sur Del Lago Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar) was from chocolate maker Willie's Cacao Ltd. (Devon, UK). 

The cacao used to make this bar was grown in Sur Del Lago (south of Lake Maracaibo) in Venezuela. Maracaibo is a famed lake where the skies are charged with tropical lightning.* Bananas, peanuts, cocoa and other crops are grown in this area.

Aroma and flavor notes for this smooth (silky, buttery) textured chocolate bar included: deep, luscious dark chocolate (fudge brownie with nuts (almonds, walnut)) -- without the sugar. (Note: there were no nut ingredients.)

Ultra-dark chocolate lovers will appreciate this two-ingredient bar that captures the essence of cacao very nicely. As with all other 100%ers, milk chocolate/candy lovers may miss the bright sweetness that comes with sugar-sweetened chocolate.** 

I enjoyed this bar with friends in the Golden State of California, at a Golden State Warriors basketball game in San Francisco, with views of the Golden Gate bridge. It was indeed a 100% gold-filled day. Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all who celebrate this day. We saw rainbows today, but no leprechauns (cancelled due to weather) jumping into pots of gold.

Ingredients: Cocoa Solids, Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed/visible on this package.)

*The Catatumbo lightning over Lake Maracaibo is part of a rare atmospheric phenomenon -- a reaction driven by the interaction between warm air from the Caribbean and cooler air descending from the Andes mountains. The word "catatumbo" comes from the local Bari language and roughly translates to "house of thunder." 

**Note: I am someone (part of roughly 25% of the population in the U.S./Europe) who not only tolerates, but really enjoys more bitter flavors (cacao, hops, arugula, coffee, etc.). And while this may be largely genetically determined, I am thankful my genes allow me to savor the nuanced flavors in these lovely items. Yes, there are some plant items that are too bitter even for me, but thankfully cacao seeds (aka cacao beans) are not on this list. 

Cuna de Piedra - 85% Mexican Cacao (Soconusco, Chiapas) (bar) - Mar. 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra
85% Mexican Cacao (Soconusco, Chiapas) (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 2/3 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

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

Today's 85% Mexican Cacao (Soconusco, Chiapas) bar was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, N.L, Mexico).

The cacao used to make this chocolate was from the 28-member RAYEN co-operative in Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico. Harvest information: "Dry Season, Harvest 2022"

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate with spice, diffuse fruit and floral including red fruit (red berry, candied watermelon, kiwi, citrus), and very faint, fleeting lemon cookie and cream.* The very subtle floral notes reminded me of wild orchids, very faint jasmine, honey, and other tropical flowers.

This ultra-dark 85% bar had substantial and balanced, natural fruit sweet-tartness (relatively bright, candied fruits)--the opposite of the heavier "brown" dried fruits often found in darker, denser chocolates. It was also one of the most subtle and complex 85%ers I've tasted. Taking that one step further, it was one of the more interesting and unique chocolates I've ever tasted. 

And I do mean that in a very good way. The very nuanced flavors in this chocolate (created from just two ingredients) were complex and special.

The bars from southern Mexico this week have provided a form of virtual travel. You won't find these on store shelves, as most of these are micro-batch, limited edition bars. Thank you to all the growers and makers who made these amazing chocolates possible.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar.

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

*Some heritage and Criollo cacaos are known for their more delicate fruit and cream notes. There were no dairy ingredients in this bar.

Firetree - 100% Cacao Single-Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island (bar) - Jan. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree
100% Cocoa Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 209.3 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 100% Cocoa Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, United Kingdom). 

This creamy, relatively smooth, ultra-dark chocolate -- made with just one ingredient -- had aroma and flavor notes that included: rich cocoa; smooth mineral; very faint toast and (red) fruit jam sandwich cooked over a campfire; and barely detectable, naturally sweet green (almost mild nut) botanical notes.

Texture: Relatively thick, creamy/cocoa buttery melt and mouthfeel, with a satisfying, extended finish.

This was a polished, well-executed 100% cacao, ultra-dark bar without ultra-rough edges. The bitterness was well balanced and almost enjoyable. I found the lack of sugar to be refreshing. 

Terroir influences flavors (with wine grapes, cacao, coffee and other crops). Firetree's "rich volcanic cocoa" tagline reminded me of the mineral-rich dark sand and soil of other cacao-growing islands (like the Big Island of Hawaii).

Not everyone shares my appreciation for single ingredient (unsweetened) chocolates, much less a whole side-by-side tasting flight of different 100%ers. However, if you're so inclined, today's 100% Vanuatu bar belongs in such a tasting.

Ingredients: 100% Cocoa mass

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts and milk.

 

Anarchy Chocolate - 100% Dark Chocolate (bar) - April 9, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Anarchy Chocolate
100% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.55 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Anarchy Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Thailand Theme Week.

Today's 100% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Anarchy Chocolate (at Anarchy (Cocoa) Farm in Trat, Thailand). 

The family-owned, small-batch chocolate maker sells a variety of Thai cacao-based offerings (chocolate bars, cacao nibs, cacao husk tea).

Aroma notes for today's 100% cacao chocolate included: ultra-dark chocolate with rich, balanced earth tones (peat) and authentic, deep chocolate-y cacao; and very faint (almost undetectable), diffuse fruit, spice, and mild tart-green (lemony herb, oxalis).

Texture: appealing, creamy, smooth texture with a slight astringency in the finish (consistent with, and less than, most 100% chocolates).

Flavor notes included: bold, well-balanced 100% dark chocolate, with rich creamy smooth texture, medium acidity, and relatively low level of bitterness (for a 100%er). Subtle earth and other aroma notes (listed above) were also present in the background.

Ingredients: No information listed on packaging. (Likely just cacao and cocoa butter)

Allergen-related information: No information.

 

Hogarth - Ecuador Hacienda Victoria Single Estate 85% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 21, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Hogarth Chocolate Makers
Ecuador Hacienda Victoria Single Estate 85% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.)/ 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 205.8 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Ecuador Single Estate 85% (bar) was made by Hogarth Chocolate Makers (Nelson, New Zealand). This was one of two Hogarth Ecuador bars enjoyed this week. (See tomorrow's entry for the Hogarth 100% bar).

The Arriba Nacional (variety of cacao) beans used to make this chocolate were from Hacienda Victoria, a single estate farm established in 2011 in (Cerecita, Guayas) Ecuador, not far from the coast (Pacific Ocean).*

Aroma notes for this "intense dark chocolate" made with Arriba (Nacional) cacao included: slightly bitter dark chocolate (think dark porter/stout if you're a beer drinker); very faint green; molasses; coffee; wood (very faint cedar); barely there green/dried banana; faint, fleeting balanced earth (peat); and very faint sourdough bread...And that was just the aroma.

This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap in a cool room. It was relatively smooth and creamy, and I was waiting for some astringency, but it never really happened. 

This 85%er had all the flavor, but none of the flinch (at least for ultra-dark fans like me).

Flavor notes included: deep rich, well integrated, ultra-dark chocolate flavor(s), with much less sour and bitter aspects than expected. There was a bit of fruit (citrus, tropical, cacao fruit pulp) sweet-tartness, but it was balanced and subtle. For those who love bold, balanced taste, this was a great ultra-dark bar.

Maker's comments: "...you can expect a smooth but strong cocoa with a hint of citrus."

Ingredients: "Cocoa Solids 85% (Cocoa Beans, Cocoa Butter*^), Sugar* 15% (* = Organic; ^ = Fair Trade)

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 in South (and Central) America. 

The name "Ecuador" means Equator in Spanish. The Equator runs east-west through Northern Ecuador. The country's privileged geographical position has made its long history as a cacao-growing country possible. 

No surprise that chocolate makers seek out prized heritage/ancient varieties of cacao found in Ecuador (and neighboring countries adjacent to/part of the Amazon Basin). Arriba Nacional (and other criollo ("native") cacao varieties) are found in Ecuador. And Hacienda Victoria owners are dedicated to growing and preserving Arriba Nacional cacao.

Nibble Chocolate - 85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar) - July 23, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nibble Chocolate
85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar (4 servings)
Cost: $5.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's 85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar) was from Nibble Chocolate, LLC (San Diego, CA).

Nibble offers single origin and blended origin bars, and bars with flavor inclusions. Their square bars are scored into an 8x8 grid of 64 much smaller squares. The idea is to invite people to savor chocolate more slowly...to "nibble rather than gobble."

Aroma notes for this 85% Madagascar ultra-dark chocolate (crafted from Trinitario* variety cacao grown in Madagascar) included: bold dark chocolate; faint sweet tart green-lemon herb; very faint nut, spice, and freshly baked bread; and, last but not least, diffuse, tart/sour/acidic dried fruit notes. Madagascar cacao is known for having fruit notes (often citrus and tart berry).

The texture was smooth, almost creamy.

Given the relatively bold, acidic aroma, I was pleasantly surprised that the taste was more appealing/friendly than I imagined it might be.

Flavor notes included: rich, bold dark chocolate with moderate-to-high fruit acidity. The complex, sweet-tart to mildly sour fruit (dried stone fruit (plum), tart-sweet/sour citrus (pink grapefruit with berries) notes were frisky yet well-balanced. And the deep chocolate-y (extra dark fudge brownie, tart) taste was very appealing in the best possible way--very flavorful and not that sweet. 

Nibble Chocolate description: "Notes: plum, citrus, raspberry, and spices. Bold with underlying earthiness."

All these flavors from just two ingredients...

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic whole unrefined cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts.

*The Trinitario cacao is known for fruit notes--as is cacao from Madagascar in general. The theory is that Trinitario cacao is a product/cultivar of bolder Forastero cacao and milder and subtly fruity "heritage" cacao varieties like Criollo, and Nacional. Trinitario likely originated in the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago).

 

Valrhona - Araguani Pur Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar) - June 30, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Valrhona
Araguani Pur Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 211.7 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Araguani Pur Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar) was from Valrhona (Tain l'Hermitage, France).

Aroma notes for this ultra-dark bar included: an aromatic, attractive dark chocolate with a small bouquet of subtle fruits (including sweet berries), nut (almond butter) and barely detectable spice (aromatic, floral ground pepper, warm spices), sweet green, and very faint, freshly sawed wood.

The texture was thick and buttery smooth.

The strong 100% cacao chocolate had a balanced bitterness (porter, ale) throughout. It also had mellow faint wood and almond butter notes; faint acidic dried fruit notes, followed by a very faint refreshing, clean mineral water taste in the finish.

If you're not put off by bitter, deep flavors (or the 100% absence of added sugar), then this pure Venezuelan cacao would be a good ultra-dark bar to try, by itself or as part of a 100%er flight. The aroma was rich and pleasing, the texture was buttery smooth, and while it did stray into unsweetened baking chocolate territory*, the taste of this un-sugared chocolate wasn't too far off the rails. 

Note: what you eat (before or during this tasting) may also make a difference in what you're tasting with this bar more than others. Eating lightly toasted fresh bread with grated melted cheese; roasted savory almonds; baked, stuffed potatoes; or a cheese plate may create interesting pairings. (Think of foods you might pair with a bitter ale.)

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Chocolatey (chocolatee) woody (boisees), full-bodied (corsees)

Ingredients: Cocoa beans from Venezuela. "Milk (Made in a facility that uses milk)."

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that uses milk. This product may contain: gluten, nuts, soya.

*For chocolate lovers who, as children, opened a bar of baking chocolate found in a kitchen cupboard, and expected a sweet treat--and were shocked to find otherwise--you'll know what I mean here.

Nibble Chocolate - Dominican Republic 85% (bar) - May 29, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nibble Chocolate
Dominican Republic 85% Cocoa bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .575 oz. (16.25 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) ttl bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Dominican Republic Theme Week.

Today's Dominican Republic 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Single Origin Trinitario* (bar) was made by Nibble Chocolate, LLC (San Diego, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes for this well-tempered, ultra-dark 85% chocolate included: dark roast cocoa/espresso, diffuse red and dried fruit, faint spice (molasses, black licorice); faint, fleeting wood/nut; and faint earth (loam).

Instead of making a 70% cacao bar (with more sugar to sweeten the bold, roasted single origin Trinitario cacao), Nibble Chocolate maker(s) chose (to their credit) to make an 85% cacao ultra-dark chocolate, with well-managed (potentially frisky) fruit acidity and bitterness. 

If "nibbled" (savored slowly) as the maker suggests, tasting this bar will unfold like a journey through a deep, dark complex rainforest with occasional shafts of beautiful sunlight and opportunities to taste rare, hidden dark/dried fruits.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic whole unrefined cane sugar

Allergen-related information: "Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts."

*Trinitario (thought to originate in Trinidad, and to be a cross between Criollo and Forastero cacaos) is a variety of cacao that is bolder than delicate heritage (Criollo) variety/ies, and often has (slightly acidic) fruit and light spice and earth notes. However, it is generally less "dark" and dense than Forastero cacao varieties. 

There are many varieties (and hybrids) of cacao, but the three varieties mentioned here tend to be featured often. 

Auro Chocolate - Saloy Single Estate 100% Dark Chocolate (Philippines) - May 2, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Auro Chocolate
Saloy Single Estate Philippines 100% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Saloy Single Estate 100% Dark Chocolate bar was produced by Auro Chocolate (Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines). 

The company produces tree-to-bar chocolate from cacao grown in the Philippines. Today's bar was made with cacao sourced from farmers in the forests of Davao ?

One way to support cacao farmers (and great chocolate) is to buy single origin/estate chocolate, like today's bar-- where direct sourcing has taken place, and farmers are typically paid above commodity market prices. 

Aroma notes for this Philippine origin dark chocolate included: diffuse but dark, dried fruit, faint green fruit (fleeting honeydew melon and kiwi), earth, herbs, deep, dense cacao, and very slightly sweet, "clean" mineral water.

This ultra-dark chocolate had a slow, even melt and firm, buttery texture (in a cool room).

The flavor unsweetened, buttery (muted, balanced) cacao flavor with a mellow depth--a slight but balanced, buttery slightly bitter-sour (buttered bread and stout) taste, followed by a lightly lingering finish.

Maker's tasting notes: "Located between tropical mountain forests, Saloy (estate) has fresh spring water flowing through the lush farms, giving its chocolate very dynamic notes of herbs, bergamot (and) cherries." 

Ingredients: Cacao mass

Allergen-related information: "This product is manufactured in a facility that processes other products which may contain milk, soy, tree nuts and peanuts."

 

La Feverie - 100% Fazenda Camboa, Brazil (2020 Harvest) (bar) - Nov. 15, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

La Feverie
Fazenda Camboa 100% Brazil (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week.

Today's 100% Fazenda Camboa Brazil bar was from La Feverie (Bourdeaux, France)

Aroma: faint fermented cacao (this note dissipated after the chocolate had been opened for an hour), dark chocolate, fruit, and (later) tannic acid, woodsy notes.

Flavor notes included: bitter, green (tea), and true chocolate (roasted cacao nibs), faint fruit--and, later, woody nut/bark/peat (tannic acids). 

This somewhat acidic, bitter and astringent ultra-dark bar was bold, but also well balanced and interesting, with a sustained finish and a slight throat tickle at the end. 

Maker's tasting notes: "An intense chocolate, slightly tart, with notes of walnuts/hazelnuts followed by a sensation of mint freshness. Presence of fatty and fleshy tannins on a silky finish."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans

Allergen-related information: (None listed on label that I could see.)

Kaitxo - Madagascar Sambirano Valley 89% - Sept. 16, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Kaitxo
Txoko - Madagascar Sambirano Valley 89% Dark (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Txoko Madagascar Valle del Sambirano (Sambirano Valley) 89% dark chocolate (bar) was produced by Kaitxo (Balmaseda, Spain).

The company offers specialty coffees and chocolates. This bar was made from cacao grown in the Sambirano Valley area of the island nation of Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa.

Aroma notes for this bean-to-bar Madagascar chocolate included: dark chocolate (dark deep chocolate), and dark dried fruit (prune, raisin, fig, and faint apricot).

The chocolate had an even melt and texture.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (ultra-dark, almost unsweetened, chocolate brownie); slightly muted dried fruits (prune, raisin, faint apricot); faint earthy forest. A bit later: green (tea); very faint accent flavors of fine leather and tobacco; and very faint (partly imagined) warmed by-the-fire, tea with invisible spices.

Cacao varieties used to make this 3-ingredient chocolate included: Trinitario, Forastero and Criollo. Initially I tasted more Trinitario and Forastero varieties than I did Criollo. But, the very faint presence of bright but subtle stone fruit and some of the other lighter, top notes that surfaced later were akin to Criollo variety cacao.

The resulting chocolate flavors were well balanced and blended, and offered a surprising range of bolder chocolate and darker (almost roasted), relatively acidic fruit notes (think the caramelized edge of a well-done fruit cake that wasn't too sweet). 

The initial fruit acidity mellowed considerably after the sealed inner wrapper of this bar had been open for an hour or so to reveal more subtle notes. Do take your time with this bar and enjoy the skillful and subtle layering of flavors. 

One last observation: today's Madagascar bar (and yesterday's lower percentage sibling from the same maker) were judiciously sweetened with beet(root) sugar. This presented a very rare  opportunity to evaluate what beet sugar tasted like with fine chocolate. 

Most chocolate makers use (processed/refined) cane sugar "to avoid adding any flavor" to their chocolates. Less processed sugars (e.g. coconut palm sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple sugar and some beet sugars) retain more of their unique taste/properties, for better or worse.

 The subtle beetroot flavor used in this week's Kaitxo chocolate bars seemed to be a relatively good and interesting match with the single origin Sambirano Valley* cacao varieties. One more tiny overlay of barely detectable flavor in what was already the dance of the seven flavor veils. 

Maker's tasting notes: spices, red fruits and tobacco

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, (beetroot) sugar, cacao butter

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of peanuts, tree nuts, soy and milk.

*Surrounded by water, the large island nation of Madagascar has a warm, relatively moderate climate with rich volcanic soils in several areas. The northern part of the country (closer to the Equator) is well-suited for growing cacao. And the Sambirano Valley, located in northwest Madagascar not far from the coast, is known for its fine cacao.

 

Beyond Good - Madagascar Pure Dark Chocolate 92% Cocoa (bar) - Sept. 13, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Beyond Good
Madagascar Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 92% Cocoa (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.32 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week. It's with much delight that I return to single origin chocolates this week, including a few made "in country" (in Madagascar), where the cacao was grown.

Today's Beyond Good Organic Madagascar Pure Dark 92% Cocoa (bar) was distributed by Madecasse LLC (Brooklyn, NY). 

The cacao used to make this single origin bar was grown in Madagascar and made into chocolate in Madagascar, allowing more money to stay in the country of origin. This sounds simple, but Madecasse has worked hard over the years to optimize this model--one that is still an exception in the chocolate industry. Typically the supply chain involves more third parties (collectors, exporters, importers, etc.), and less money goes to farmers. 

Aroma notes for this ultra-dark bar included: subtle, rich, sweet root (cooked sweet beet and yam), dark chocolate mousse cake, faint diffuse fruit (light tropical, mango), faint fresh green forest and/or wood, and faint nut and seed.

Texturally, this chocolate had a smooth melt; and it had a very slight granular astringency.

Flavor notes for this wondrously complex, balanced, and slightly acidic dark chocolate included a range of muted dark, dried, and brighter background fruit notes. And it had a relatively low, balanced bitterness level (for a 92%er). 

When I say complex, I mean this chocolate qualifies for a virtual travel experience. A better description for this chocolate might be a tropical-forest-in-a-bar. It evoked green, botanical, dried fruit (mango, North American pawpaws, sapote, fig, very light tangerine), light spicy nut fruit and fig cake, sweet wood, light earth, warm spice, and fresh mineral water spring notes...

...And those are just the notes I was able to put a name to, after tasting and re-tasting small squares of this bar. Other flavor and fruit notes came and went so quickly that I couldn't identify them. All were interesting and well within the enjoyable zone. 

Created from only four ingredients, this dark chocolate seemed to capture so much of the terroir and origin flavors where it was made, in the large island nation of Madagascar, off the East Coast of Africa. 

Today's Beyond Good pure dark chocolate illustrated what made "in-country" chocolate can be: great chocolate to taste and explore, with a much simplified supply chain, where cacao farmers reap more of the proceeds.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic sunflower lecithin (emulsifier).

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and tree nuts." Gluten free, soy free, vegan. 

Taza Chocolate - Wicked Dark, 95% Dark with Toasted Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 10, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate

Wicked Dark - 95% Dark with Toasted Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Wicked Dark - 95% Dark with Toasted Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate was from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). 

The chocolate maker is known for stone-ground, bean-to-bar chocolate, and a commitment to fair and transparent trade. Today's bar was made with Certified Organic and "Taza Chocolate direct trade certified" cocoa. (Country of origin not specific on wrapper.)

The aroma for this three-ingredient bar included: fruity, authentic fresh coconut, dark chocolate (ultra-dark chocolate brownie, chocolate ganache), and subtle green (tree/maple syrup and green floral botanical) notes.

The texture was uniform and consistent with stone-ground chocolate (larger particle size), with a very slight chewiness--from the visible tiny shreds of embedded, toasted coconut.

The flavor was uniform, dark stone-ground (less processed) chocolate with bold, but smooth, flavor. It was not too bitter and had a well-balanced fruit acidity. This refreshingly un-sweet,* flavorful bar ended with a warm, deep cocoa finish. This "Wicked" bar was also pretty Wonderful, and much more approachable than it sounds--in case you want to share it friends fearful of very dark chocolates.

Maker's notes: "stoneground, bold flavor"

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic coconut, organic cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: "Contains coconut and traces of almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and pecans." Certified Organic and Gluten Free; dairy free; soy free; vegan; pareve (OU).

*2 grams of added sugar per (1/2 bar) serving 

White Label Chocolate - Uganda Semuliki Forest 100% (bar) - July 29, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

White Label 
Uganda Semuliki Forest 100% (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate, Santa Cruz, CA 

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

Today's White Label Uganda Semuliki Forest 100% dark chocolate (bar) was made in Santa Cruz, CA. 

This micro-batch bar was crafted using Forastero variety cacao grown on small farms in (Bundibugyo) Uganda.*

Aroma notes for this ultra-dark bar included: dark fruit (plum, purple/red grape) and true chocolate (deep, dark cocoa). 

This 100% cacao chocolate had a creamy smooth melt and texture.

Overall this bar had densely dark, relatively bitter and intense chocolate flavor. 100% (unsweetened) Forastero variety cacao beans can feel a bit intimidating (a bit like walking through a thick forest at night, with no light or sugar plum fairies in sight), and this bar was not for those with a sweet tooth. 

But, the taste also had some subtle complexity to it--most notably similar dark fruit notes (purple/red grape and dried plum) that were in the aroma, as well as a very faint, very fleeting (and not unpleasant) light savory greens note (cooked wood sorrel with salted butter).

Maker's tasting notes: "Goji berries, grape, deep cocoa"

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans

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

*The Forastero (Upper Amazon and Amelonado) cacao used to craft this chocolate was grown in Uganda by many farmers (smallholder farms of 1-3 acres), and harvested in the 2017/2018 season. The producer was Latitude Trade Co., a fermentation facility and organization that works directly with farmers. White Label is committed to transparent sharing of information and "beyond fair trade cacao."

NibMor - Organic Dark Chocolate Extreme with cacao nibs - May 12, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

NibMor
Organic Dark Chocolate Extreme with cacao nibs
Good +
Weight: .918 oz. (26 g.) / 3.55 oz. (101 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)
Cost: $4.99 (sale) for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Nuts and Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Extreme (80% cacao) with cacao nibs snack size pieces were manufactured for Nib Mor, Inc. (Kennebunk, ME).

These certified gluten free, organic, "snack size" (small rectangular bar-shaped) pieces were made with Rainforest Alliance Certified cacao.

These 80% cacao chocolates (tiny, rectangular "bars") had a dark chocolate aroma and flavor (dark chocolate cake, mousse), with a very, very faint mint note. Smooth texture was accented with crunchy cacao nibs (bits of cacao beans). 

Note: These smaller pieces were similar to a large NibMor 80% cacao bar, but these did not contain sea salt.

Ingredients: *Organic chocolate liquor, *organic cane sugar, *organic cacao butter, organic cacao nibs, organic soy lecithin (an emulsifier), organic vanilla.

*Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, "helping to protect the environment and farm families."

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

Choquiero Chocolate - Puro Sabor Dark Lover's Bar with Himalayan Salt 80% Cacao - Apr. 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Choquiero Chocolate

Puro Sabor Dark Lover's Bar with Himalayan Salt 80% Cacao

Good + - Good ++

Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Country Sun, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Puro Sabor Dark Lover's Bar with Himalayan Salt 80% Cacao (bar) was distributed by Choquiero Chocolate (Nevada City, CA). The company produces a line of chocolates/bars made with directly sourced, organic, fairly traded, unroasted cacao.

The cacao type/variety used to make today's chocolate: Ecuadorian wild arriba criollo. Criollo cacao is prized for its subtle, almost delicate flavors.

The aroma notes for this bar included dark chocolate, lemon herb (oxalis), faint molasses/brown sugar, and vanilla biscuit (shortbread cookie).

The well-tempered bar broke with a snap. The flavor notes mirrored the aroma notes (above)--slightly citrusy, chocolate with brown sugar, and vanilla coconut sandwich cookie.

The subtle touch of salt was a good fit and complemented the relatively mellow natural sweetness of the milder, less bitter, unroasted criollo cacao (and added coconut sugar and vanilla). It was certain less intense/bitter than most other 80% ultra-dark chocolate bars. The end result was a flavorful, balanced, gently complex blend of ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic cacao paste, organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, Himalayan salt, organic vanilla bean

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that processes tree nuts and seeds." ("Vegan, Paleo, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Non-GMO, Low Glycemic, Kosher, Ethically Sourced - Raw Cacao)

Zotter - Labooko Maya Cacao 100% dark chocolate (bar) - Feb. 14, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
Labooko Maya Cacao 100% dark chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.145 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.29 oz. (65 g.) in total package of 2 bars
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar 
Cost: $8.25 (estimate) for 1 package of 2 bars
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of 100% Cacao Theme Week, and Day #6 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week. (And Happy Valentines Day to all who celebrate.)

Today's Labooko Maya Cacao 100% dark chocolate (bar) was made in Austria (where Zotter is based) and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Cape Coral, FL). 

This ultra-dark chocolate was made with cacao from Central America (Belize, Guatemala) and "cocoa beans from Peru" according to the back label. These areas combined are at the heart of the cacao epicenter, where humans and animals first tasted and enjoyed cacao fruit and the beans (seeds) inside the fruit that grew on cacao trees thousands of years ago.

Aroma notes for this bar included: subtle dark chocolate, green citrus (oxalis, sorrel), diffuse fruit (cherry and apple compote with warm spice, and light tropical fruit (pineapple guava, cherimoya), and very faint, fleeting earthy root (potato).

This chocolate had a smooth, buttery texture. The pleasant aroma was followed by a much more intense flavor--that mellowed and became more approachable after about 20 seconds.

Initial bitterness evolved into acidity/sour (tannins, grapefruit/lemon) flavor, that mellowed into bold, roasted cacao (passing through a faintly earthy dark espresso roast coffee with cacao notes phase), followed by a very brief, faint red berries/fruit note, that then tailed off into a lingering ultra-dark, balanced bitter, chocolate finish. 

Once I recovered from the initial ride, I found I rather liked it. This 100%er was a great morning wake up chocolate. It felt like I'd experienced a satisfying sip of fragrant and full-bodied espresso. 

When I re-tasted this bar a minute or two later, I also picked up pleasing ultra dark chocolate torte and nutty, woody (cocoa bean) notes that rounded out/further mellowed this ultra-dark chocolate. Despite its initial intensity, I found this bar complex, interesting and oddly addictive.

Maker's tasting notes: "Fragrance notes: berries, cherries, mildly tropical accents. Taste notes: spicy-nutty. An initial acidity, with notes of red fruit, spice and nuts, with a sub-finish of tannins similar to black tea."

Ingredients: Organic, fair traded cocoa mass 

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