Sea Salt Caramels + Coconut Seaweed - Mar. 19, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Chocolate Momotombo
Caramelo y Sal de Mar
(Sea Salt Caramel) chocolate
Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) in 5 pieces / 3.18 oz. (90 g.) in total box of 15 pieces
Calories: 129 calories (estimate) in 5 pieces
Cost: $8.00 (estimate) for one 15-piece (90 g.) box
Purchased from: Chocolate Momotombo, Managua, Nicaragua

Today I started my journey home from Nicaragua. I'll take with me memories of mountains and water: mountain lakes, huge inland lakes, lakes inside volcanoes and waterfalls.

It was also easy to imagine the water that, during wet season, helped to nourish plants (like cacao trees) before running off to join rivers moving toward the sea.

So, I'm focusing on flavors from the sea today, lightly salted. After all, without water we wouldn't have sea salt, sea salt caramel and chocolate, or coconut roasted seaweed (see below).

I'll also remember the many good chocolate and food items from the Momotombo Chocolate Factory in Managua, Nicaragua, so let's start there.

Dulce de Leche Caramel and Sea Salt + Chocolate

The primary chocolate of the day was a sea salt caramel-filled chocolate from Chocolate Momotombo (Managua, Nicaragua). Each bean or seed-shaped, rich dark milk chocolate, contained a small, slightly chewy nugget of dulce de leche caramel with sea salt.

Dulce de leche is a popular style of cooked milk and sugar caramel/confection commonly found in Latin American countries.

These Momotombo caramel chocolates are very satisfying just by themselves, or with vanilla ice cream. Or, if you like more adventurous pairings, see below.

Coconut Oil Roasted, Seaweed + Chocolate


If you're not a mad food scientist, please stop reading here...

Now, how about some slightly sweet, small sheets of coconut oil roasted seaweed? Anyone? I like salt and umami* flavors with chocolate. And you can't get much more "umami" than seaweed (besides bacon, cheese or mushrooms perhaps).

In the U.S. might people enjoy thin sheets of dark green seaweed around sushi. This Coconut Oil Roasted Seaweed, with a hint of sea salt, from Seaweed Love (a product of Korea)—distributed by Hong Hae USA Inc. (Hayward, CA)—was also very lightly sweetened with coconut sugar.

The small sealed package of seaweed was light (in weight and calories) and perfect to bring along for a longer chocolate field trip to conduct experimental pairings with leftover chocolates. (This seaweed is also a great snack by itself, or cut up and sprinkled over rice and vegetables.)

So, I found myself at an airport, with no vegetable choices for miles around, and with 19 hours to kill. I enjoyed this seaweed snack, with and without different Nicaraguan and leftover chocolates. Coconut oil and sea salt helped tie the best combinations together. Some chocolates worked better than others. Ginger and/or wasabi chocolates might work too. I expect I'll do more experimenting with this seaweed roasted in coconut oil in the future.

*Umami is a flavor or taste associated with savory (high glutamate) foods. While many umami foods may also be salty, umami is considered a fifth sense, one of five that our taste buds can detect: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami).

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Chocolate Momotombo - Aphrodisiac Chocolates - Mar. 18-19, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Chocolate Momotombo
Afrodisiaco (Aphrodisiac) Chocolates - Good ++
Weight: 1.52 oz. (43 g.) (estimate) for 4 pieces
Calories: 228 calories (estimate) for 4 pieces
Cost: $3.75 (estimate) for part of two different packages
Purchased from:  Chocolate Momotombo, Managua, Nicaragua

Welcome to Nicaragua Week, and a continuation of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. (See second post that will follow this one.)

What do you do if you're looking forward to a 19-hour layover at an airport?

You can read a novel or book from cover-to-cover, and/or you can buy chocolates to eat. I did both.

I enjoyed Momotombo Chocolate purchases made during a recent factory visit in Nicaragua,*—where I tasted (and bought) some flavorful and tasty "Aphrodisiac" chocolates. Nut (almond) and maiz added a roasted, crunchy texture and flavor, that was paired with rich cardamom spice notes. Even one piece was quite satisfying.

Don't worry, there were no unexpected side effects from this chocolate; so don't let the name fool you.

These chocolates were made in the same, oval, bean-shaped form. Note: These chocolates may or may not be available outside Nicaragua,

*Momotombo also has two stores in the Nicaragua (Sandino) airport in Managua.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Wildway - Java Chip Grain Free Hot Cereal - Mar. 18, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Wildway, LLC
Grain Free Instant Hot Cereal
Good
Weight: unknown (1 sample packet)
Calories: 250 calories (estimate) for 1 serving
Cost: N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - sample

Today I continued to transition from a Nicaragua special edition (chocolate field trip) week to a Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

This sample packet of Wildway, LLC (San Antonio, TX) Java Chip instant hotel cereal was certified gluten free (made in a dedicated facility) and paleo friendly—good for those who want a breakfast cereal without the carbs or added sugar. This packet was also a perfect travel size for this week's Nicaragua trip.

In addition to walnuts, ground flaxseed, cashews and pecans, dates, cocoa nibs and espresso, this hot cereal (which I also enjoyed cold) contained coconut flour and vanilla bean. Add hot water (or cold coconut milk), and stir.

Enjoying Small Batch Bars in Nicaragua

This past week's chocolate field trip through Nicaragua was filled with visits to cacao farms, chocolate tastings, and discussions with chocolatemakers.

We were also traveling with two North American chocolatemakers on our Nicaragua trip. We enjoyed the fruits of their labor -- in bar form.

The first bar was a Sura Dominican Republic 68% dark bar, (bio and equitable) crafted by Christine Sura (Montreal). Alas, these great bars are only made a few times a year, but keep an eye out for her small batch bars.

The other two bars we enjoyed tasting were Lonohona (Hawaii) bars, made by Seneca Klassen -- who also farms single estate cacao.*

The Lonohana Pina Colada bar with two kinds of fat, cacao butter and coconut oil, and was extra creamy. We also enjoyed a second delicious Lonohana bar with cacao nibs.

To buy Lonohana bars like this, you may need to be a member of the company's Lonohana Chocolate Club (similar to a CSA). Or, visit the website to see what's available (or the factory if you're in Oahu).

*Vertical integration like this is relatively unusual, and involves a lot of work. Hats off to Seneca and team.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Coconut Beach - Dark Chocolate Coconut Chips - Mar. 17, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Coconut Beach Food and Beverage LLC
Dark Chocolate Coated Coconut Chips
Good +
Weight: 1.26 oz. (36 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 180 calories in 1 package
Cost: $0.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today marked the fourth day of Nicaraguan chocolate field trip-related entries. However, this chocolate had more to do with Nicaraguan scenery than chocolate from Nicaragua.

Specifically, our travel group was staying next to a Nicaraguan beach, and today's Coconut Beach Dark Chocolate Coated Coconut Chips seemed like a good fit.

The Isle of Ometepe was formed by two large volcanoes. It lies in the middle of a lake in Nicaragua that's so large that you forget you're not by the ocean. You can hear the waves wash against a large sandy beach day and night; see shorebirds and seabirds skittering about near the surf-line; and you can't see anything but water on the horizon. Oh, and did I mention there were coconut palms and cacao trees not that far away?

Coconut Beach is a distributor based in San Diego, CA; and the company's crunchy coconut chips (a product of Thailand) covered with dark chocolate were satisfying, gluten free, and relatively low in fat and sodium.

Today was also the first day of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Nicaragua Cacao Pulp + Seeds - Mar. 17, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Nicaraguan Farms
Cacao pulp (fruit) + seeds (beans)
Very Good
Weight: N/A
Calories: N/A
Cost: N/A
Purchased from: N/A - included in farm tours


No Nicaraguan chocolate field trip would be complete without a quick mention of the edible cacao fruit (pulp) fresh from the pod, that surrounds the seeds (beans) that are used to make chocolate.

The pulpy white fruit is a delicious tropical fruit. And this past week in Nicaragua, our group tasted fresh cacao from four different farms.

To eat the pulp, first you have to cut the thick, outer "shell" with a machete (or on a hard rock If you'd prefer). Then you scoop up the insides, and basically suck the white-ish fruit pulp off the seed/bean, which may not appeal to everyone.

But, the flavor is unique and refreshing. It can be zesty and citrus-like, or it can taste like tart-sweet and/or floral bananas, raspberries, or mangos. More than once, I've been reminded of watermelon Jolly Rancher candies.

While eating the cacao fruit isn't the same as eating finished chocolate, I couldn't resist giving a shout out to Henry Haslem's Farm, Cacao Bisiesto, and other Nicaraguan farms (or fincas) outside of Matagalpa, in the Nicaraguan highlands.

*Note: Fresh, frozen cacao fruit/pulp can also be ordered online.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

El Castillo del Cacao - Chocolate with Roasted Cacao Nibs bar - Mar. 16, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

El Castillo del Cacao
Chocolate with Roasted Cacao Nibs bar
(Chocolate con Trozos de Cacao)
Good +
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 105 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $37 (Cordobas), or approx. $1.35 (USD) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Hotel San Jose, Matagalpa, Nicaragua

This Chocolate with Roasted Cacao Nibs bar from El Castillo del Cacao (Matagalpa, Nicaragua) was the second Nicaraguan chocolate of the day, part of a chocolate field trip in Central America.

This small but substantial, 100% organic dark bar tasted relatively smooth and interesting, although the texture was somewhat rustic (in the traditional manner, where cacao is slightly more coarse).

Cacao nibs added extra crunch. The cacao beans used were local—grown and/or obtained within a few hours from El Castillo del Cacao.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Chocolate Momotombo - Naranja y Cafe Chocolates - Mar. 16, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Chocolate Momotombo
1.) Naranja Chocolate
2.) Cafe Chocolate
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: .424 oz. (12 g.) for 2 pieces (out of 3-piece box)
Calories: 64 calories (estimate) in two pieces
Cost: N/A - gift from hotel (where I was staying)
Purchased from: N/A - gift for guests at Hotel Los Robles, Managua, Nicaragua

Today was a continuation of a special Nicaraguan chocolate field trip.* This Central American country has a rich history of cacao-cultivation and consumption, dating back thousands of years.

Chocolate Momotombo is located in the capital city of Nicaragua (Managua). Our group stayed a few blocks from the Momotombo Chocolate Factory (at Hotel Los Robles) -- where last night we enjoyed a Pre-Colombian feast prepared by Momotombo founder and head chocolatemaker, Carlos Mann (see previous post).

Happily, the Hotel Los Robles supplied guests with a small, 3-piece gift box of Momotombo chocolates. So, I unwrapped and sampled the Naranja (Orange)** and Cafe (Coffee) flavors today as my first chocolates of the day. (That's right, there will be more chocolate today. See next post for the second Nicaraguan chocolate, eaten later in the day.)

There's nothing like Momotombo's slightly earthy, full-bodied dark chocolate flavor. The orange and coffee flavor additions were natural-tasting and well balanced in these individually-wrapped, cocoa bean-shaped chocolates.

*This trip was organized by The Chocolate Garage (Palo Alto, CA). Just as this retail operation offers a carefully curated collection of high-quality, "happy chocolate," the trip offered an expert view into the cacao in Nicaragua, with visits to local cacao farms and a fermentary, as well as meetings with chocolatemakers, and more.

** I featured the Momotombo Orange chocolate a few years ago, but am mentioning it again with the company's Coffee chocolate. The two flavors complemented each other nicely.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.