Firetree Chocolate - Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar) - Jan. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day 

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 (mini) bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K). 

This bar had an aroma with bold dark, roasted chocolate and bright (dare I say fiery?) fruit notes. 

The flavor was similar to the aroma--a clearer and stronger version of the above with fruit notes included sweet lemon, barbequed tart berry/cherry, broiled pink/red sweet grapefruit, and roasted strawberry.* The chocolate had an unapologetic roasted, almost smokey flavor with a fleeting hint of balanced, ultra-dark earthiness. 

I loved this bar. What well-executed and bold fun. The black and hot lava-colored packaging perfectly suited the chocolate inside. 

This would make a good addition to an ultra-dark chocolate tasting flight...It reminded me of  good smokey, peaty Scotch whiskey, although if you paired these two dragons (this whiskey and this chocolate) together you might get a flavor fight, or you might get transcendence. One never knows. I wish I'd ordered the full size of this bar to conduct this experiment (and pairing it with different spirits). But alas this chocolate, fully enjoyed on its own merits, magically disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Maker's tasting notes read: "Cherry, Soft Lemon and White Grape aromas give an essence of lush fruit.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin).

*By the way, if you haven't tried "hot" fruits this winter (or ever before), I'd recommend doing so. Broiled grapefruit with a sprinkle of cinnamon can be quite good--as can roasted strawberries or grapes, and grilled or flambeed bananas. A nice, spiced hot fruit compote is warming on a cold day as well. 

Firetree Chocolate - Solomon Islands Makira Island 75% (bar) - Jan. 1, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Solomon Islands Makira Island 75% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 (mini) bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands, and Happy New Year!

Today's Single Estate Makira Island (Solomon Islands) 75% Cacao (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.).

The company's packaging depicts swirling, hot lava-like colors, captured on a stark, elegant black background, and color icons from this palette are used to depict flavor elements.

This bar had an aroma with chocolate with fruit acidity (citrus, red fruit) notes. The flavor was similar with more "detailed"acidic fruit flavors: pink/red grapefruit, tart berries (cranberries, blackberry), dried plum and a tasty, fleeting true, deep chocoatey note (baked brownies, chocolate confections). 

The true chocolate note became more accessible (as the initial fruit acidity mellowed a bit) in the latter half of the tasting curve; and this rich chocolate note lingered into the finish. There was also a very faint oxidized, fermented note blend in the second half, but it was not off-putting. I enjoyed the choice of 75% cacao (i.e. a bit more cacao and less sugar over a typical 70% chocolate*), that resulted a bit bolder flavor profile.

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Soft grapefruit and raisin tones married with rich caramel. To enjoy fully, take time to let the flavours develop on the palate."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin. (This bar was dairy free, made in a nut free factory, Kosher, Halal, (and) suitable for vegans.)

*Is 70% the ideal percentage (of cacao) for dark chocolate?

Before the craft chocolate wave in the U.S. took hold in the 1990s with cacao content percentages prominently displayed on labels, chocolate lovers were not looking as carefully at the percentage of cacao in their chocolate. The choices for "dark chocolate" were often blends of different cacaos to create products with very smooth (or flattened) flavor curves. Most commercial/bulk dark chocolates did not reach the 70% cacao content mark, meaning they were more than 30% sugar. Chocolate was sweeter and less flavorful--in a word, candy. 

As chocolate makers began offering more dark chocolates with unique flavors linked with smaller batch cacao origins, chocolate lovers started to learn more about cacao content. The new default/ideal percent of cacao in a dark chocolate bar was now thought be 70% cacao (with "only" 30% sugar). 

And, much like what happened with craft beer, coffee and other foods and beverages, things evolved in "dark" chocolate. Chocolatiers and consumers appreciated how different cacao varieties, and their countries of origin, created unique and appealing flavors. This made boosting percentages of cacao beyond that 70% mark more viable. Makers found that 70% cacao was no longer the upper limit for many consumers, especially if they could gain access to truly great cacao beans. 

Consumers started to have many more single origin, high-end, small-batch chocolate choices from a growing number of artisan chocolate makers--allowing us consumers to experience more individual cacao flavor nuances and complexities that had not been possible with high-volume and/or highly processed chocolate blends (made from commodity cacao from hundreds of small, subsistence farmers located around the globe). In the high-volume world, consistency required some trade-offs with flavor. No wonder higher percentage, 70% cacao chocolate required some marketing initially.

Happily, today, 70% is just a starting point for experimentation now and not a blind requirement. And there is not as much discussion/confusion about percentages. We've made the leap to the new dark frontiers. Skilled makers are creating the optimum chocolate bar(s), which may or may not be 70% cacao, based on what will create the best results for a given batch of cacao, and what their customers will buy. Some cacao beans might make a great 80% bar, and others a 69% bar. Some 70% chocolates will taste too sweet, others too dark. And that is a wonderful thing.

 

Firetree Chocolate - Solomon Islands Guadalcanal 69% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 31, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate
Solomon Islands Guadalcanal 69% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 kcals (calories) in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 mini bar 
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Guadalcanal 69% (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate (Peterborough, U.K.). The company produces "rich volcanic chocolate" (bars) made from cacao grown on Pacific islands.

The volcanic theme (carried over into Firetree's striking black and lava-like colors in their packaging) refers not only to the islands' geological origins, but also to the rich, volcanic soil where the cacao trees grow. 

Today's Single Estate 69% Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands) bar had a relatively subdued, but still rich aroma, with notes of dark chocolate (bold, medium acidity) and fruit (plum). 

The texture of this chocolate was smooth and even.

The flavor was true to the aroma with similar flavor notes: bold but well balanced, roasted cacao with medium-acidity (often identified as "citrus"), fruit with plum and red fruit (pomegranate, red apple) and very faint flickers of spice (cinnamon).

The maker's "taste notes" read as follows: "red fruit, citrus, plum" -- signified with red, yellow and purple color icons, respectively, on the packaging.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin. (Those with food sensitivities may be happy to read that this bar was dairy free and made in a nut-free factory.)

Firetree Chocolate - Guadacanal 100% (bar) - Dec. 30, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Guadalcanal 100% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 kcals (calories) in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Guadalcanal 100% (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.). 

The company name, firetree, was inspired by the volcanic nature (and rich, dark soils) of the Pacific Islands, and the cacao trees that grow there...with pods/fruits covered in bright, fiery colors.* This inspiration carried over to the attractive packaging for their line of bars--black with a contrasting field of bright, swirling hot lava-like colors. (Although the packaging for today's 100% cacao bar was all black.)

This 100% bar had balanced, true chocolate, faint fruit (light citrus, light berry-plum), faint seed/nut, and faint sweet aroma notes. 

Yes, but would the taste reflect the same sweetness perceived in the aroma? Or would it take a turn to the dark (unsweetened) side on the taste buds?

Amazing. The slight sweetness remained although it faded very gradually. This was a very polite and sophisticated 100% ultra-dark bar, with slightly muted flavors (nothing spiky) that lingered with a relatively light, balanced bitterness that extended into the finish. (If you're a chocolate lover who is wanting to cut out sugar, this would be a good chocolate to evaluate as part of a 100% bar (tasting) flight.)

I am not sure how the cocoa mass used to make this single-ingredient** bar was fermented or processed, but the resulting chocolate was very approachable.

This bar also had a creamy smooth, almost nut butter-like texture--putting this chocolate even higher on the "friendly" end of the scale for an ultra-dark bar. ("Ferocious" might be at the opposite end of this same scale. Although many wild beasts can be lovable as well.)

* The swirl of color(s) used on the packaging of other Firetree bars are functional as well as beautiful. They're designed to reflect the maker's tasting notes. E.g. a pattern of color with yellow might reflect "citrus" notes in the specific chocolate inside. But, I will include more about this as I feature more Firetree bars this week.

**Ingredients: Cacao mass (100% minimum cacao solids)

Jasper + Myrtle - Himalayan Rock Salt and Wakame Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - Dec. 29, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Jasper + Myrtle 
Himalayan Rock Salt and Wakame Dark Chocolate 70% (bar)

Good ++ 

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

Calories: 163 calories (per label, looks too low) in 1 bar (679.7 kj in 70 g. bar)

Cost: $9.75 + shipping for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Theme Week.

Today's Himalayan Rock Salt and Wakame Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) was from Jasper + Myrtle Premium Handmade Chocolate (based in Fyshwick, in Australian Capital Territory (ACT)--Australia's smallest territory and home to Australia's capital city Canberra and surrounding townships). 

ACT may be a small territory, but it's culturally rich and, if today's bar is any indication, it has some great chocolate.

Jasper and Myrtle was created by Li Peng Monroe. Li Peng and partner Peter make bean-to-bar chocolate using cacao beans from Peru, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Vietnam. It's no accident that several of the craft chocolate bars featured in this Chocolate and South Pacific Theme Week are being produced by Australian makers, who are geographically closer to these growing regions.

Today's well-rounded, flavorful and very slightly savory 70% Himalayan salt and wakame (seaweed) chocolate bar was crafted using stoneground cacao. Beans were sourced by the owners from Bouganville, Papua New Guinea.

This bar had faint, balanced fermented cacao and savory, nutty, earthy (woodsy) and clean green aroma and flavor notes. The texture was smooth yet robust with soft crunchy flecks. A judicious amount of Himalayan rock salt, and a smattering of wakame bits (that were faintly visible on the back side of the bar), added a delicious, delicate infusion of well-rounded, hearty savory flavor. 

I like savory chocolates, and this one was quite good. I'd also be curious to see what a 75% cacao version of this 70% bar (with a bit less sugar) might taste like. It may or may not taste better (I trust the maker's judgment here); but I'm often interested in seeing how much one can reduce sugar and still have something that works as sugar can obfuscate some flavors.

Ingredients: cocoa beans, cocoa butter, wakame, Himalayan rock salt, sugar.

Metiisto Chocolate - Patovaki 72% Dark (bar) - Dec. 28, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Metiisto Chocolate
Patovaki 72% Dark (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65? oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 204 calories (estimate per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 + shipping for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Theme Week.

Today's Patovaki 72% Dark (bar) was made with cacao grown, fermented and sun-dried by Kenny Patovaki on the small island of Paspaskato (Solomon Islands), and made into chocolate by Metiisto Artisan Chocolate (Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia).

Metiisto ("craftsman" in English) got its start in Sweden in 2011-2012, and the small operation relocated to Australia in 2018. (Chief chocolate maker, Trevor Smith, grew up in Alice Springs in Central Australia and his background included being a panel beater.*) The company is applying "old world" chocolate making techniques and "new world ideas" to craft chocolate. 

This chocolate had a relatively mild chocolate aroma with paper/malty cereal box (oxidized) and very faint fruit (citrus) and green notes. 

The bar broke with a well-tempered snap and had a smooth, almost creamy melt and mouthfeel.

The chocolate had a notable, but nicely harnessed tart fruit acidity (pink grapefruit) and relatively mellow true chocolate notes. The "oxidized" (paper/cereal box) note re-appeared very briefly in the finish.

The choice of a 72% cacao blend worked. There was still quite a bit of natural, tart-sweetness. Adding even 2 percent more sugar (i.e. choosing to make this a 70% version) might have resulted in a bar that was too sugary sweet.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter.

*A panel beater is someone who repairs cars. (Think about how you might go about fixing dents and dings in crumpled sheets of metal.)

 

Atypic Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate Solomon Islands (bar) - Dec. 27, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Atypic Chocolate

70% Dark Chocolate Solomon Islands (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories (estim. per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $10.00 + shipping for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Theme Week. 

Many of the bars this week, including today's 70% bar, were made from cacao grown in the Solomon Islands--a country that includes six larger islands (e.g. Guadalcanal) and hundreds of smaller islands. This island nation is part of a larger (cacao-growing) island chain that extends up (northwest) to Papua New Guinea and down (southeast) to Vanuatu. The history of cacao planting in the Solomon Islands stretches back to the late 1800s.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate Solomon Islands (bar) was from Atypic Chocolate/Atypic Artiste Chocolatier (made in South Melbourne Market, VIC, Australia). The company sources sustainably farmed cacao beans "from all over the South Pacific..." and carefully crafts single origin, island nation bars, each with its own flavor nuances.

This bar had an aroma with a green (orchid) floral note, followed by the faint possibility of a bitter dark chocolate, and then a warmer, roasted nutty/nut butter aroma note.

The flavor had a chocolatey flavor with nutty and then bright, sweet (sweet-tart apple jelly) notes. The flavor was more sweet than bitter; and the sweetness lingered into the finish.

Maker's notes read: "Our 70% dark chocolate is made with beans from the heart of the Solomon Islands, with notes of honey, malt and caramel."

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cacao butter, sunflower lecithin.