Askinosie Chocolate - 77% Davao Philippines Dark Chocolate Bar - Jan. 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day 

Askinosie Chocolate
77% Davao Philippines Dark Chocolate Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Askinosie Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Philippines Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

The first single origin (Philippine) chocolate bar I remember tasting was back in 2009. It was a Davao (Philippines) milk chocolate bar from Askinosie Chocolate (Springfield, MO). So, it was only fitting that we hoisted our chocolate wrappers in praise of Askinosie Chocolate today as we sampled another, darker, Davao bar from this same company, started by Shawn Askinosie in 2005.

The star was the Davao Philippines 77% Dark Chocolate Bar made with cacao grown in Davao (on Mindanao island) in the southern Philippines--where most cacao trees used to make chocolate are under cultivation. The banana was just along for the ride.*

This bar had a dark bittersweet aroma with faint hints of earth and acidity, a lovely creamy melt and texture. The flavor was earthy with a bit of acidity, but it was balanced and relatively uniform (no spiky or off flavors). Reasons to like this Davao origin chocolate included its deep, dense cacao flavor, and the fact that it wasn't too sweet (thank you).

The maker's notes included the following: "This earthy chocolate is Certified Kosher D.E., vegan and gluten free."

Ingredients: Davao, Philippines cocoa beans (76% cocoa liquor), organic cane sugar (23%), cocoa butter (1%)--pressed in the Askinosie factory from Davao cocoa beans.

Note: I ordered this bar from the Askinosie Chocolate website. When I double-checked yesterday (Jan. 15, 2021) this bar was listed as sold out.

*If one lives in the Philippines, there are several varieties of banana to choose from. Here in the U.S., most stores carry the Cavendish variety of banana. That's what I used today to make an a la carte banana flambe. Ole. The pairing of dark chocolate with flaming fruit via a wee bit of alcohol, was enjoyed only after the chocolate was carefully tasted and studiously reviewed. We try to be serious professionals here.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - Milk Chocolate with Turon 44% with Banana (bar) - Jan. 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
Milk Chocolate with Turon 44% with Banana (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 220 ?? calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.25 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Turon 44% (bar) was from Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates/Chocolate Factory, based in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.

This milk chocolate Turon* bar was flavored with "banana chips, crispy caramel and sesame seeds."

The initial aroma that arose from the freshly opened copper foil packaging was one of milk chocolate enhanced by a pleasant savory smell--with a very faint and fleeting cheese/fermented note that dissipated quickly, after the bar had been opened for a minute or so.

The milk chocolate was sweeter than the authentic, dried banana pieces with the occasional flourish of caramelized brown sugar. Sesame seeds added a bit of texture and seedy/slightly nutty flavor. Even though I've never had banana lumpia, I feel this bar conveyed the essence of what I know about this dessert.

After tasting and reading ingredients lists on all Theo and Philo Chocolate bars this past week, it confirms my experience that chocolates with authentic, unadulterated, high-quality ingredients really do taste better. The lack of "natural flavors," preservatives, emulsifiers or lab-created extracts almost always goes hand-in-hand with a fuller, more enjoyable tasting experience.

Ingredients: sugar, cacao beans, milk powder, cocoa butter, dried bananas, butter, sesame seeds

*I thought today's "Turon" might be related to popular nougat confections from Southern Europe. Turron (Spain) or Torrone (Italy)--typically made with honey, sugar, egg whites and nuts (often almonds). Both are sweet dishes/confections. 

However, this unique Filipino Turon bar was likely inspired by banana lumpia (lumpiang saging) a dessert one might find in the Philippines--made with thinly sliced, local bananas and brown sugar, and wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, and then fried. 

Thank you Theo and Philo for enabling a virtual culinary trip to the Phillipines this week.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - 65% Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Salt (bar) - Jan. 14, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
65% Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Salt (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 65% Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Salt (bar) was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines). 

The company produces (Filipino origin) artisan chocolate bars, many with Filipino-inspired flavor inclusions. Look carefully at the imagery on today's attractively packaged bar and you'll see (among the lush green foliage) regal Philippine eagles--one of the largest eagle species in the world.

This bar gave off a subtle dark chocolate, fruit (mango, light aromatic citrus) aroma with a faint savory note. The base dark chocolate had smooth, even flavor and texture, interspersed with chewy fruit pieces (authentic, tangy-sweet mango, with a light lime note). 

The judicious touch of sea salt complemented both chocolate and mango flavors and balanced the sweetness very nicely. 

Ingredients: Cacao beans, sugar, dried green mangoes, cocoa butter, sea salt

 

Theo and Philo Chocolate - 65% Dark Chocolate with Calamansi - Jan. 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
65% Dark Chocolate with Calamansi bar
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 65% Dark Chocolate with Calamansi (bar) was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines). The company produces (Filipino origin) artisan chocolate bars, many with Filipino-inspired flavor inclusions.

The aroma of this bar was lightly perfumed with authentic, bittersweet citrus notes. The flavor was similar--sweet 65% dark chocolate with balanced flavor bursts from slightly chewy bits of tart-sweet Calamansi* citrus rind that lingered a bit into the finish.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, sugar, calamansi rind, cocoa butter

*The Calamansi orange (Citrofortunella microcarpa)--also known as calamondin, Philippine lemon and Philippine lime)--is a semi-tropical, citrus hybrid (think tangerine + kumquat) from the Philippines, SE Asia and China. Fully ripened it is orange in color; although in the Philippines it is also harvested when still green. The skin of this small citrus fruit is thin,  fragrant and quite edible. Calamansi can be used to make orange marmalade, citrus drinks (similar to lemonade), and is used in savory sauces and meat/fish dishes as well.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - Milk Chocolate with Pili Nuts and Pinipig (bar) - Jan. 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
Milk Chocolate with Pili Nuts and Pinipig (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.59 oz. (estimate) (45 g. on label*) in 1 bar
Calories: 240 calories (per label for 40 g.) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.25 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Pili Nuts and Pinipig (bar) was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines).

This milk chocolate bar contained a generous helping of pili nut and pinipig** bits, and had a pleasant aroma of a high-end dark milk chocolate candy bar.

initial aroma had a pleasant high end milk chocolate and nut candy bar

slightly chunky smooth and crunchy textures

Ingredients: Sugar, cacao beans, milk powder, cocoa butter, glazed pili nut (pili nuts, sugar, oil), pinipig.

*This bar was labeled as a 45 g. bar. However, the kj and kcal energy information was slightly different, i.e. 1/2 bar serving (120 calories) was labeled as 20 grams (and not 22.5 g.). 

** What is pinipig? Immature grains of glutinous rice that are pounded flat and then toasted. These faintly green flakes were similar to toasted/crisped rice that we see as a flavor inclusion in the U.S., but these seemed to have a bit more flavor depth. (The authentic rice and nut flavors and textures varied just enough to make the flavor experience interesting.) Pinipig is used as a dessert topping and/or component, and is used in beverages and in other dishes, in the Philippines and other parts of SE Asia.

Theo and Philo Chocolate - Dark Chocolate with Black Sesame and Nuts bar - Jan. 11, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory
Dark Chocolate with Black Sesame and Nuts bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate with Black Sesame and Nuts bar was from Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines).

The relatively soft, sweet dark 65% cacao chocolate provided a great foil for the crunchy fiesta of black sesame seed praline, cashew and glazed pili* nut bits embedded throughout the bar. This satisfying blend yielded layered roasted nut and seed and true smooth chocolate flavors, with a very faint malt note in the finish.

Ingredients: "Cacao beans, sugar, glazed pili nuts (pili, sugar, oil), cashew, cocoa butter, black sesame"

*Today's bar was made using a blend of ingredients from the Philippines; although many of these ingredients likely originated from different parts of the world centuries ago. Cacao originated in Central and South America and was spread primarily by the Spanish (and other Europeans) to overseas colonies with similar tropical climates.

Pili nuts (Canarium ovatum) grow on trees that are native to Northern Australia and nearby islands (Papua New Guinea and "maritime" Southeast Asia). They've also been cultivated in the Philippines for some time. Technically a seed, these nuts can also be found in many Pacific island nations. Their shape is somewhere between an almond and a sheathed pine cone seed that is more pointed at one end. 

Pili nuts are surrounded by a tough shell, probably similar to Macadamia nuts. (Many years ago, I remember seeing tourists driving their car over Mac nuts in Hawaii to crack them--an incident that helped explain their inherent toughness, and high cost.)

Black sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum) are native to Asia and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Like cacao seeds (aka cacao "beans"), sesame seeds grow in a fruit pod. 

Cashews (cashew apples) are native to NE Brazil and can be found growing in Central and South America--as well as other tropical climates, including the Philippines. (Nigeria, Vietnam and India are currently the largest producers of cashews.)

Every day I feel fortunate to be able to savor the results of all this botanical migration, in the form of single origin chocolates and/or chocolates with creative flavor inclusions. Chocolate is almost a "universal" food. It's one of those foods (like lemon, breads, certain herbs, nuts) that can successfully be part of sweet or savory offerings, or both at the same time.

 

Theo and Philo - 70% Dark Chocolate bar - Jan. 10, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates 
70% Dark Chocolate bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate bar was from Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolate Factory (Manila, Philippines). The company offers single origin bars as well as chocolate with flavor inclusions inspired by Filipino cuisine.

This 70% bar had a smooth melt and a consistent, true chocolate with light mellow, red fruit (cherry, mild red berry) and faint caramel aroma and flavor notes. The chocolate, made with beans grown in the Davao region (on Mindanao further south from where Manila headquarters are) had low acidity and bitterness and a light, friendly finish. It was sweet, but not overly so.

The maker's description of this bar follows:

"Straight-to-the-point and brutally honest, our 70% Dark Chocolate is a proud no-nonsense heavy-hitter. Just like that dapper lolo you can rely on to dish only the bittersweet truth with suave; this classic bar uses high-quality cacao for rich depth that features notes of cherries and earthiness. This smooth and forever stylish bar smothers you with an addictive sweetness born from the finest of Davao's* cacao beans."

Ingredients: Cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter

*The Davao region, known for its cacao, is located in the southern part of Mindanao island,  located in the southern Philippines--north of the Equator by 6-8 degrees (latitude). Manila, the Philippines capital city, where Theo and Philo HQ is located is further north on the Island of Luzon (closer to 16.5 degrees North (latitude)--still within the band where it's possible