Health Warrior - Pumpkin Seeds with Honey and Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar - Nov. 20, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Health Warrior
Pumpkin Seeds with Honey and Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar
Good
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) for 1 bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.19 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Pumpkin Seeds with Honey and Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar was from Health Warrior (Richmond, VA).

Made with a relatively short list of ingredients,* this bar had a chewy, satisfying, soft seedy texture and a balanced sweetness (wildflower honey) and chocolate flavor.

Pumpkin seeds are a relatively neutral flavor and offer protein, magnesium, zinc, "healthy" monounsaturated fat, and other nutrients. It was also relatively low in sodium (60 mg.) and total carbs (11 grams including 2 grams of fiber), and contained 8 grams of protein.

This Organic, Certified Gluten Free and Non-GMO Project Verified bar also had a faint, fermented tropical goji berry fruit flavor note that I couldn't figure out. (There were no fruit ingredients. The cocoa extract perhaps?)

*Ingredients: Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Wildflower Honey, Organic Dutch Process Cocoa Powder, Organic Milled Quinoa, Cocoa Extract, Organic Vanilla Extract, Organic Coconut Oil, Sea Salt.

Casa de Chocolates - Organic Cacao Beans, Belize - Nov. 19, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Casa de Chocolates
Organic Cacao Beans - Belize
Good +++
Weight: .12 oz. (3.5 g.) / 12 oz. (339 g.) (estimate) in total package
Calories: 11 calories (estimate) in 3 beans
Cost: $10.00 (estimate) for 1 package/box
Purchased from: Casa de Chocolates, Berkeley, CA

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

Today's Organic Cacao Beans from Belize were purchased some time ago, at Casa de Chocolates (Berkeley, CA).

A carefully sealed pouch of cacao seeds (beans) has been waiting inside its box, that has been stored inside the Chocolate Vault;* and it was eagerly unwrapped, at last, for today's sampling.

Chocolate is made from the seeds (beans) of the Theobroma cacao fruit that grows on trees in Equatorial regions. Eating cacao seeds (beans) offers an essential pre-chocolate cacao tasting experience.

Each batch of seeds (beans) has a slightly different flavor profile that will influence the flavor of the chocolate made from these beans.

In today's case, these Organic Cacao Seeds from Belize were smooth, mellow and balanced, with a faint hint of fermentation (that diminished after opening), light fruit, a fleeting floral note, earth, wood and nut aroma and and flavor notes. These seeds were quite good, and could be included in many dishes, beverages and desserts if so desired.

To eat a whole cacao seed, open (or break) and remove the thin, papery brown outer husk and eat the cacao seeds (or seed pieces (nibs) after husk removal)—without any sweetener. This is a fine way to enjoy the essence of pure cacao for many dark chocolate lovers.

*This reference is to the Chocolate Banquet Chocolate Vault, a cool, dark place out of the sun, kept at a constant temperature. In this case, a wine refrigerator turned up to 65 degrees F. (18.3 degrees C.) was used.

Chocolate Naive - Jaguar Tree Cacao in Heirloom Chocolate and Cacao (bar) - Nov. 18, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolate Naive
Jaguar Tree Cacao - in Heirloom Chocolate and Pimenton
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Nibs Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week.

Cacao beans are actually seeds (semillas), which makes the transition from a Chocolate and Cacao Nibs (pieces of cacao seeds) Theme Week to a Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week easy.

We begin this week with today's Jaguar Tree Cacao in Heirloom Chocolate and Pimenton (paprika) bar from Chocolate Naive (Lithuania).

Chocolates featured on this site are made from cacao beans/seeds or cacao nibs, from the Theobroma cacao tree. However, there are other plant relatives in the Theobroma genus* that can be used to make chocolate.

The increasingly rare, wild Jaguar tree cacao (Theobroma bicolor) is known by many names (e.g., Pataxte, Mocambo, White Chocolate tree). Jaguar cacao fruit is rounder, more melon-like than a Theobroma cacao fruit pod; and the seeds are white.

The base chocolate for today's palette-shaped bar was sweet and slightly savory (smoked paprika, sea salt), and was topped with five large, white beans.

The bar had a rich flavor and smooth, almost creamy sweet texture. (At 240 calories for 1/2 bar, there must have been a fair amount of cacao butter content as well.)

The whole Jaguar Tree cacao beans were delightful. These ivory colored beans had a lovely smooth, soft crunch; and the beans/seeds broke into little white nib pieces. Jaguar beans lack some of the plant alkaloids (such as the small amount of caffeine present in conventional chocolate), resulting in less bitterness than is sometimes found in its conventional dark chocolate.

Note: This flavors in this bar were very interesting, well balanced and developed, but may not be for everyone. Tasting notes included: raw almond, firm avocado, fermented milk, toast, followed by a faint spiciness (paprika) and savory (sea salt). A folded paper insert included with this bar is full of interesting information (and tasting commentary).

*Members of the Theobroma genus include Theobroma cacao, Theobroma cupuacu, Theobroma bicolor, and more than a dozen other members that are all part of the Malvaceae (mallow) family. This same family also includes cotton, okra, hibiscus and rose mallow.

Cocoa Parlor - Crushed Velvet 41 - Cacao Nibs (bar) - Nov. 17, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cocoa Parlor
Crushed Velvet 41 - Cacao Nibs (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) of bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Crushed Velvet 41 (bar) was produced by Cocoa Parlor (Laguna Niguel, CA), a company focused on providing premium organic chocolate.

This bar had a subtle dark milk* chocolate aroma and sweet, smooth milk* chocolate flavor; and it was studded with small bits of crunchy cocoa bean (nibs).

The company ethically sources cacao from the Dominican Republic.

This chocolate bar was certified organic; vegan; gluten free; and soy free.

*There was no milk in this plant-based (rice) "milk" chocolate bar. Ingredients: Organic, unrefined raw cane sugar, Premium organic cacao butter, Organic rice powder, Organic cacao mass, Organic cacao nibs. 

Eclipse Chocolate - Flourless Brownie, Sea Salt Nib bar; Erthe - Raw Cacao Energy Truffle

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Eclipse Chocolate
Flourless Brownie topped with Cacao Nibs
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $4.00 for 1 brownie
Purchased from: Eclipse Chocolate, San Diego, CA


Eclipse Chocolate
Sea Salt Nib (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Warwick's, La Jolla, CA

Erthe Foods
Energy Truffle - Raw Cacao
Good +++
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown 
Cost: $3.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Erthe Foods, Little Italy Mercado Farmers' Market, San Diego, CA

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

Hello San Diego, California! A recent visit to this fair city yielded several chocolate items with cacao nibs, including the trio of chocolates featured in today's post.

Eclipse Chocolate
Eclipse Chocolate, located in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego, is a cafe/bar/bistro, event and tasting space and chocolate factory—all in one.

Inside, a display case revealed an attractive flourless brownie topped with a generous dollop of cacao nibs. This baked brownie was delicious and packed with chocolate flavor and topped with delicious, nutty nibs.

Also sampled on this trip: a small-sized Eclipse Chocolate Cocoa Nib Sea Salt bar. The chocolate, embedded with candied nibs, was smooth, well-balanced and well-executed and had a faint floral note from lavender-infused sea salt.

Erthe Organic Cafe - Raw Cacao Energy Truffle
Last but not least, was a quick run through the (Saturday) Little Italy Mercado Farmers' Market, where we found a Raw Cacao Energy Truffle from Erthe Foods (San Diego)—a local cafe specializing in organic and plant-based offerings, including beverages, bars and energy truffles.

The company's Raw Cacao Energy Truffle was generously-sized and covered in relatively mellow, nutty, raw cacao nibs. The truffle had a satisfying soft (almost brownie-like) texture and authentic chocolate flavor without being too sweet (thank you!).

Fu Wan Chocolate - Taiwan No. 5 - 62% Nibs Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 15, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Fu Wan Chocolate
Taiwan No. 5 - 62% Nibs Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .795 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 133.6 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 - $14.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Taiwan No. 5 - 62% Nibs Chocolate (bar) was made by Fu Wan Chocolate (Pingtung, Taiwan).

Fu Wan makes tree-to-bar chocolate, working with farmers in Pingtung in southern Taiwan, where the climate is likely the most suitable for growing cacao.

This bar had a rapid melt and almost fluffy, whipped creamy texture. The balanced, even chocolate flavor had relatively light, bright sweet fruit notes (ripe tangelo, mild plum) with no off notes. Nibs added a bit of soft crunchy texture.

Obolo Chocolate - 70% Cacao with Nibs (bar) - Nov. 14, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Obolo Chocolate
70% Cacao con (with) Nibs (bar)
Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 132 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's 70% Cacao con (with) Nibs (bar) was made in Chile by Obolo* Chocolate (Santiago, Chile). Obolo is one of the first (if not the first) small-batch, bean-to-bar, locally-based, chocolate makers  based in Chile, certainly in recent times.**

Chile is known more for fine wine grapes than cacao. However, cacao-growing neighbors like Peru and Bolivia to the north (where cacao grows best, within 20 degrees of the Equator), are relatively closeby, and Obolo has already made chocolate with other cacao (origins) and flavor inclusions. It's delightful to have a Chilean-based maker join the growing list of artisan chocolate makers.

This dark bar had chocolate flavor with fruit (dried banana, grape, fresh red plum) and faint green notes. The texture was smooth and uniform and cacao nibs added a bit of soft crunchy cacao texture.

*Obolo means a small gift or contribution.
** Most large chocolate companies selling products in Chile are from Europe or elsewhere.