Shattell - 70% Dark Cacao Saposoa bar - Jan. 10, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Shattell Chocolate Organico

70% Dark Cacao Saposoa Single Origin Peruvian Chocolate bar

Good - Good +

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

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

Today's organic, 70% Dark Cacao Saposoa Single Origin bar was crafted from Criollo Cacao grown in Saposoa, Peru—an area of Northern Peru in the San Martin Region.

This bar (like other Shattell Peru bars featured this week) had a fairly complex aroma and flavor profile, with dark chocolate, subtle fruit (sweet red berry, citrus), light spice, nutty, and acetic acid (vinegar) notes. The chocolate had a relatively complex finish with some herb to it. The melt and texture was smooth and fairly rich and cacao butter-y.

Shattell - Bitter 70% Cacao San Rafael, Peru bar - Jan. 9, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Shattell Chocolate Organico
Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao San Rafael bar
Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 206 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)

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

Today's Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao San Rafael bar was from Shattell Chocolate Organico (Lima, Peru).

This made in-country (grown and made in Peru) organic bar had a sweet dark aroma with hints of faint spice, herb and earth—and an
acetic acid (light fruit vinegar) flavor note that also has been present with other Shattell single region Peru bars featured this week.

*San Rafael, from what I could tell from some brief research, is located near two other cacao growing regions (Cusco and Arequipa) in southeastern Peru. 

Shattell - Bitter 70% - Cacao Tingo Maria Peru bar - Jan. 8, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Shattell Chocolate Organico
Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Tingo Maria bar
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 206 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)

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

Today's Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Tingo Maria bar was from Shattell Chocolate Organico (Lima, Peru).

Made in Peru, from cacao grown in the Tingo Maria (Huanuco Region of central Peru), this organic bar was one of a series of Shattell 70% dark single region Peruvian bars, many of which are featured this week. Most have contained only three ingredients* with complex flavor profiles.

This bar had a pleasant aroma with light brown sugar, molasses and spice notes, and a smooth texture and melt. The flavor of the bar unfolded in a relatively smooth way and included very brief, balanced nut and earth notes. The finish was relatively smooth with a very, very faint acetic acid** and/or astringent note.

*Ingredients in Tingo Maria bar: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter

**Vinegar/acetic acid is a natural bi-product of the cacao fermentation process that takes place early on in the chocolate-making process, right after harvest. In most cases, this flavor is no longer present in bars. And, in fact, even with these Shattell bars, this note tends to dissipate after opening the sealed packaging.

Shattell Chocolate Organico - Bitter 70% Cacao Tarapoto Maras Pink Salt bar - Jan. 7, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Shattell Chocolate Organico
Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Tarapoto Maras Pink Salt bar
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 206 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)

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

Today's Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Tarapoto Maras Pink Salt bar was from Shattell Chocolate Organico, an "artisan chocolate factory in Lima, Peru."

This 70% cacao bar was made from Peruvian cacao grown in Tarapoto (San Martin Region), and it had brown sugar, green, dried fruit, deep smooth earth and a slight fruit vinegar/acetic acid aroma notes (that dissipated after the package was open for awhile).

A faint constellation of sea salt crystals were pressed into back of the dark bar; and the salt was nicely balanced and subtle.

*Maras pink salt is typically excavated near Cusco, in southern Peru.

Shattell Chocolate Organico - Bitter 70% Cacao Tumbes bar - Jan. 6, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Shattell Chocolate Organico
Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Tumbes bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 206 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Tumbes bar was from Shattell Chocolate Organico* (Lima, Peru). And like other Shattell bars featured this week, the cacao used to make the bar was grown in a specific region within Peru.

It's notable, if not obvious, that the chocolate was made "in-country" (i.e. in the same country where the cacao was grown ), as this is rarely the case for the chocolate we buy in the U.S. and Europe.

Tumbes, located on the coast in the NW of the country, is one of 10 cacao growing regions in Peru—a country with diverse micro-climates and elevations ranging from coastal areas just meters above sea level to highland, mountainous regions. This week bars are being featured from several of these regions.

This 70% organic, dark chocolate had a complex aroma and flavor—with notes of dried fruit, spice, nuts, and a faint trace of fruit acid/vinegar.** This Tumbes bar had a relatively pleasing taste during middle and end, with a very slight astringent after-texture.

*This week's Shattell Chocolate Organico bars were produced and distributed by Qulinaria Peru S.A.C.

**The faint, fleeting fruit vinegar note seemed to dissipate later in the day, after the sealed, inner packaging had been open for awhile and/or when the bar was eaten with/after other food.

Shattell Chocolate Organico - Bitter 70% Cacao Ayacucho bar - Jan. 5, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Shattell Chocolate Organico
Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Ayacucho bar
Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 206 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)

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

Today's Shattell Chocolate Organico Bitter 70% cacao - Cacao Ayacucho* bar was crafted from Peruvian Criollo cacao and made in Peru. It was produced and distributed by Qulinaria, Peru S.A.C. (Lima, Peru).

This organic, 2016 International Chocolate Awards Gold Winner chocolate bar had a slightly earthy aroma, with hints of dried figs and a smooth but somewhat granular melt and texture.

The flavor was consistent with the aroma, and the finish lingered a bit after the last bite.

*Ayacucho is one of 10 Peruvian regions that grow cacao. 

The city of Ayacucho is a relatively high-altitude (over 8,600 ft.) city in south-central Peru that lies on the fertile slopes of the Andes mountains. It is also the capital city of Huamanga Province, in the Ayacucho Region. The city is known for its colonial architecture and 33 churches, each said to signify a year in Christ's life. Small folk-art, clay churches (said to help ward away evil spirits) also adorn some buildings.

Pascha Chocolate - 46% Cacao Orange bar - Jan. 4, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pascha Organic Chocolate / Pascha Chocolate Co.

46% Cacao Orange bar

Good

Weight: .55 oz. (15 g.) / 1.1 oz. (30 g.) in total bar

Calories: 90 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: The Market (at Edgewood), Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's 46% Cacao Orange bar from Pascha Organic Chocolate (Toronto, Ontario) was made with organic rice milk and Peruvian cacao.

Co-founder, Simon Lester, had two daughters with food allergies, which helped inspired Lester and his wife to create Pascha Chocolate Co. bars.

Like other Pascha bars, this organic, vegan, plant-based bar was free of most common allergens (nuts, peanuts, wheat, gluten, milk, dairy, soy, eggs, sesame). The Orange bar tasted like a sweet milk chocolate bar with a hint of natural orange (oil).*

*Ingredients: organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic rice milk powder (rice syrup, rice starch, rice flour), organic chocolate liquor, sunflower lecithin, orange oil