Francois Pralus - Bresil Forastero 75% (bar) - May 29, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Francois Pralus
Bresil (Brazil) Forastero 75% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 292.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.60 (estimate) (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com (online order)

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

Today's Bresil (Brazil) Forastero* 75% (bar) was made by Francois Pralus (Roanne, France).

The aroma notes for this dark chocolate included: cocoa, fruit (dried apple, dried persimmon), butter, faint, warm spice (cinnamon, 5-spice blend with a hint of tangerine peel), and faint herb/green (sweet lemon balm, light green grass).

The Brazil 75% chocolate had a creamy melt and texture (a luscious quality almost all Pralus chocolates seem to share). This trait may be due to longer conching/grinding times** (resulting in smaller particle size and full incorporation of cocoa solids and fats), and added cocoa butter.

The chocolate flavor was quite pleasant and subtle complexity, and relatively civilized for being made using just a Forastero cacao variety. (A longer conching time can also tame certain notes.**) 

The flavor notes included: chocolate (mocha brownie), with faint fruit (bright red apple and sweet, sun ripened blackberries) and a pleasant finish. 

The cacao was from a plantation located in Itacare along the Rio de Contas (De Contas River), in northeastern Brazil (Bahia). The river water flows from "Chapada Diamantina" (a national park, with a name that means "Diamond Plateau"). 

This water contains alluvial diamonds and "bathes the Forastero cacao trees and creates precious cacao pods." Cacao Badaro has over a century of history. Diego Badaro is a fifth generation cacao farmer who helped introduce organic/biodynamic, environment-friendly agricultural practices to the region.

Maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Single plantation chocolate. Powerful nose, well-balanced, coffee, cocoa and woody (boises) aromas."

Ingredients: "75% cocoa, sugar, pure cocoa butter, GMO-free soya lecithin"

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts or milk.

*Forastero (cacao variety) is associated with bold, hearty flavor(s), and is more disease-resistant, than say, the more delicate Criollo cacao variety. The robust Forastero leads in terms of cacao production worldwide.

** I have not visited Pralus chocolate makers. My comments here (about conching/grinding times) are speculations about processes, based on knowledge I've accumulated from past tours, tastings, interviews with makers and other research.

Domori - Brasile - Organic Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - May 28, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Domori

Brasile - Cioccolato Bio 70% (barra)

(Brazil - Organic Dark Chocolate 70% (bar))

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar

Calories: 270.5 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $6.90 (+ shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Bem  vinda (welcome) to Day #10 of VWXYZ Theme Week, featuring chocolates with origins and flavor inclusions that start with the letter(s) V, W, X, Y and Z; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week. 

Today's grown-up fruity and faintly nutty Brazil Organic Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) was made by Domori srl (None, Italy).

This well-tempered and well-executed dark chocolate had an aroma and flavor with rich concentrated, fermented fruit (prunes, figs, raisins, faint dried banana) with very faint traces of fermented fruit/sugar spirits (rum, port); cocktail herbs (sweet bayleaf, vanilla, juniper); cream; and true dark chocolate/cocoa flavored with a hint of naturally earthy Brazil nuts and almonds. 

The texture was relatively creamy and smooth; and the flavors, while relatively bold, but were nicely balanced, and harmonized to create a sophisticated complexity.

Thank you to Gianluca Franzoni and team at Domori for providing a delicious means of virtual travel. I could almost imagine myself in a temperate rainforest in Brazil.

X is for Xingu

The letter"X" is linked to a significant cacao origin story in Brazil. Domori was involved in the creation of this chocolate from "tree-to-bar," selecting cacao from 17 family-run farms along the Xingu River, (a SE tributary of the Amazon River)--that stretches over 1,000 miles in northern Brazil--traversing the States of Mato Grosso and Para. 

The word Xingu refers to the river as well as to approximately fifteen tribes of native/indigenous (Amerind) people living near the river. The native peoples of the Amazon basin have enjoyed wild fish, manioc and maize, palm fruits, cashews and cacao and many other foods for centuries, long before Columbus/Europeans made their way to the Americas in search of gold and other treasures.

Ingredients: Cacao min. 70 percent. Organic cocoa mass, organic cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: Gluten free. May contain traces of nuts, milk and soy.

Zotter - Yuzu Citrus from Japan (milk chocolate bar) - May 27, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
"Yuzu Citrus from Japan" (milk chocolate bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 360 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and V, W, X, Y and Z Theme Week, featuring chocolate items with origins and flavor inclusions starting with the letters V, W, X,* Y and/or Z.

Today's "Yuzu Citrus from Japan" (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Cape Coral, FL).

Imports of fresh Yuzu** fruit from Japan, China, Korea and/or other countries of origin, have not been allowed into the U.S., due to concerns about possible agricultural disease/pests. This restriction has relegated tasting this fruit to a rare, exotic experience for most. 

Happily, today's filled (fair trade) chocolate bar from Austria was a celebration of yuzu citrus fruit.

The uniform, bright, citrus-floral aroma and flavor of the sweetened, yuzu fruit layer was surrounded by a thin layer of 50% milk chocolate that had just enough flavor to provide a smooth, rich contrast to the fruit, but not so strong as to out-compete the lovely yuzu.

Very judicious amounts of vanilla and cinnamon were welcome background accents.

Ingredients: Organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic cocoa mass, organic yuzu juice, dry whole milk, organic glucose syrup, dry skim milk, dry sweet whey, organic dark brown cane sugar, organic vanilla bean powder, organic soy lecithin, salt, organic cinnamon.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy...Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, eggs and sesame."

*A tribute to the letter X. Sharp minds may have noticed the lack of chocolate items with origins or flavor inclusions that started with the letter "x." However, mentioning today's xanthic (yellowish) yuzu fruit, gives a xenomaniac like me an opportunity to tell you that the modern Chinese word for yuzu (a Japanese word thought by some to have been "borrowed" from ancient Chinese), is xiāngchéng.

**Yuzu (Citrus junos) is an aromatic (floral) citrus fruit grown in Southeast Asia, that likely originated in China many centuries ago. It is grown in Japan, China, Korea and, more recently, Australia and Europe. A yuzu fruit, about the size of a tangerine, and has been compared to lemon, a sweet-tart lime and even grapefruit (although nowhere near as strong/astringent as the latter in my experience). It has a pleasing, aromatic, tart-sweet flavor. You may have tasted it in marinades and sauces. (Ponzu sauce is often some combination of yuzu juice, soy/tamari sauce, sweet rice wine vinegar, and seaweed/fish flakes.)

One of my favorite descriptions of yuzu fruit appeared in the New Yorker (magazine) in a short Kitchen Notes article last year (Feb. 2020) by Helen Rosner titled "Nothing Compares to Yuzu."  In this piece, Rosner writes: 

"The knobbly-skinned Japanese fruits are among the most exquisite members of the citrus family: more floral than an orange and nearly as tart as a lime, with a scent that is dense and disarming, the Froot-Loops-y honey of a lemon blossom wrapped around an astringent armature of industrial floor cleaner (which is somehow exquisite), then magnified tenfold, then mailed to the moon."

Ethereal Confections - Whiskey and Nibs (bar) - May 26, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Ethereal Confections
Whiskey Infused Chocolate Bar topped with Whiskey Cocoa Nibs
Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 207 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic (now closed), Mill Valley, CA 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and VWXYZ Theme Week, featuring chocolate items with origins and flavor inclusions that begin with the letters V, W, X, Y and/or Z.

Today's Whiskey Infused Chocolate Bar topped with Whiskey Cocoa Nibs was made by Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL). The company offers a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates and hosts on-site classes and events in their space.

Whiskey and chocolate are a great match. The Whiskey in this 66% cacao dark chocolate provided a fragrant, boozy aroma, and rich, well-rounded, barrel-aged flavor. The spirits harmonized quite well with the chocolate. 

Whiskey-soaked cacao nibs added concentrated cocoa flavor with a flavor kick. (Whiskey-infused nibs are a wonderful garnish for, or inclusion in, sweet/dessert items as well as savory dishes (roasted meat rubs, vegetable marinades, salads).

Ingredients: Organic Chocolate (Whiskey Infused Organic Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter); Whiskey Infused Cocoa Nibs. 

Allergen-related information: "Made on shared equipment with peanuts and three nuts." Vegan.

Kind - Dark Chocolate Vanilla Cashew Clusters dipped - May 25, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Kind LLC 
Kind Clusters dipped - Dark Chocolate Vanilla Cashew
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 280 calories in 2 servings 
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and VWXYZ Theme Week, featuring chocolate items with origins and flavor inclusions that start with the letters V, W, X, Y and/or Z.

Today's Kind Clusters "dipped" Dark Chocolate Vanilla Cashew snack was from Kind LLC (New York City, NY). The company offers a growing line-up of bars, snacks, cereals and other offerings that include whole food ingredients: nuts, fruits, grains--and many items with dark chocolate.

These clusters offered great textural contrast, ranging from crunchy nuts (cashews and almonds) and quinoa, to a smooth dark chocolate base. (I admit, I have a soft spot for nuts and dark chocolate.) A touch of sea salt helped to balance out the sweetness (supplied by cane sugar and brown rice syrup).

And, once again this week, vanilla played a strong supporting role--adding uplifting, warm floral spice aroma and flavor that complemented nuts, dark chocolate and other ingredients.

Ingredients: Cashews, almonds, semi-sweet chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), cane sugar, quinoa, brown rice syrup, vanilla extract, natural flavor, sea salt, Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols for freshness). 

Allergen-related information: "Contains cashews, almonds and soy. May contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs and sesame seeds."

Hu Kitchen - Chocolate Covered Hunks, Cashew + Vanilla Bean - May 24, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Hu Products LLC
Chocolate Covered Hunks, Cashew + Vanilla Bean
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 4 oz. (113 oz.) in total package
Calories: 340 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $6.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and VWXYZ Theme Week, featuring chocolate items with origins or flavor inclusions that begin with the letters V, W, X, Y and/or Z.

Today's Cashew + Vanilla Bean Chocolate Covered Hunks were created by Hu Products LLC/ Hu Kitchen (Union Square, NYC, NY). 

Siblings, Jordan Brown and Jessica Karp, co-founded Hu Kitchen, a paleo-inspired restaurant in New York City. And together with Chairman and co-founder Jason Karp, the company expanded their line of chocolate bars, snacks, and other items.*

This yummy snack smelled sweet--thanks to the vanilla bean (and its implied warm, floral, spice promise of baked cakes and cookies, hot cocoa, etc.)--with notes of caramel cashew, chocolate and vanilla, and freshly baked cashew shortbread cookies. 

These chocolate covered nuts had a natural matte finish (no confectioners glaze). Don't let the short list of high-quality ingredients fool you though. This organic, vegan and paleo offering ticked every box on my "addictive chocolate snacks" checklist: authentic flavors, sweet (but not too sweet), salty (but not too salty), flavorful dark chocolate, roasted nuts, crunchy texture. So, don't be surprised if you suddenly find you've just eaten more than you thought.

Thank you Hu Kitchen for going the extra mile to make this high-end treat: 1.) the organic, house-ground 70% cacao-based, flavorful, velvety dark chocolate (that coated crunchy, nutty cashews) that had a trace of earthiness in the finish; 2.) the judicious amounts of vanilla bean and sea salt; 3.) the organic cashews; and the 4.) organic, unrefined coconut sugar which added a hint of warm, caramel flavor.

Ingredients: Organic cashews, organic cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, organic fair-trade cocoa butter, sea salt, organic vanilla bean. 

(Note: the company has said in the past that they purchase much of their cacao from the Dominican Republic and Bolivia. Cacao origin was not identified on the packaging for this offering.)

Allergen-related information: "Contains cashew and coconut. May contain almond and hazelnut. Allergen cleans are made prior to production, but beware that product is produced using equipment that also processes tree nuts, soy, peanuts, milk and wheat."

*In January 2021, snack food giant Mondelez International (that had taken a minority stake in the company in 2019) completed an acquisition of Hu Products.

Brookside Dark Chocolate Vineyard Inspired Merlot Grape, Black Currant (pieces) - May 23, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Brookside Chocolate
(Distributed by The Hershey Company)
Dark Chocolate Vineyard Inspired Merlot Grape and Black Currant Flavors 
Good 
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving (16 pieces)
Cost: missing information
Purchased from: missing information 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and VWXYZ Theme Week, featuring chocolate items that have origins and/or flavor inclusions that start with the letters V, W, X, Y and Z.

Today's Brookside Dark Chocolate Vineyard Inspired Merlot Grape and Black Currant Flavors (pieces) were distributed by The Hershey Company (Hershey, PA).

The grapes in today's wine grape and fruit flavored chocolates were part of a festive, sweet sangria-colored, fruit punch filling, with vineyard roots. (It was great to see wine grapes featured in something other than wine.*) The "velvety" fruit center had a soft gummy chew, and was enveloped in dark chocolate and confectioner's glaze.

The blend of merlot grape and other juice concentrates, plus a hint of vanilla in the dark chocolate, resulted in a tart-sweet brightness, natural fruit colors, and a sugary warmth.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate [sugar; chocolate; cocoa butter; milk fat; cocoa processed with alkali; lecithin (soy); milk; salt; natural vanilla flavor]; sugar; deionized apple juice concentrate; corn syrup; fruit juice concentrate [merlot grape juice concentrate; cranberry juice concentrate; black currant juice concentrate; lemon juice concentrate]; maltodextrin; natural flavor; pectin; malic acid; confectioner's glaze; canola oil; sodium citrate; baking soda; dextrose; citric acid; ascorbic acid.

Allergen-related information: "Gluten free; No artificial flavors; No artificial colors." "Manufactured on the same equipment that processes almonds."

*Wine table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice are almost as rare as cacao fruit/pulp and non-alcoholic cacao juice. However, these fruits can be delicious on their own if you ever have the chance to try them.