Red Plate Foods - Dark Chocolate Granola - Sept. 18, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Red Plate Foods
Dark Chocolate Granola
Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup (28 g.) / 11 oz (311 g.) in total package
Calories: 110 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA 

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Breakfast Surprise Theme Week. 

Today's Dark Chocolate Granola was made by Red Plate Foods (Bend, OR). 

The company creates foods free of common allergens (gluten, dairy, peanut, tree nuts, soy, egg), and vegan offerings.

This granola had a satisfying, authentic chocolate and oaty aroma, taste and chew with a mild crunch in the texture, punctuated by bites of creamy dark chocolate chips. 

This breakfast (or anytime) cereal and snack was not overly sugared (thank you!). It was sweetened with a judicious amount of molasses, maple syrup and monk fruit. And a faint hint of vanilla added a bit of baked goods warmth often associated with chocolate cake or cookies.

Ingredients: "gluten-free oats, applesauce, Non-GMO canola oil, cane sugar (vegan), organic cocoa, chocolate chips (cane sugar (vegan), cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, vanilla), molasses, pure maple syrup, sea salt, monk fruit.

Allergen-related information: "Gluten free." "Manufactured in a facility free of gluten/wheat, dairy, egg, soy, tree nut, peanuts, fish, shellfish, sesame, celery and mustard."

TCHO - Organic Toasted Cornflake 47% cacao milk chocolate (bar) - Sept. 17, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

TCHO
Organic Toasted Cornflake 47% cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate Breakfast Surprise Week, featuring chocolates from the Chocolate Banquet vault*--some with breakfast-themed flavor inclusions, and some that are wild card breakfast picks.

Today's Organic Toasted Cornflake milk chocolate (bar) was from TCHO Ventures, Inc. (Berkeley, CA).

The aroma notes in today's bar (in order of appearance) included a fleeting, slightly sharp chocolate note (when the inner foil wrapper was first opened) that quickly softened to include sugar, milk, cereal and very faint oxalis (bright green, citrus) and barely there sweet fruit notes.

This blend of creamy, almost fudgey, dark milk chocolate and crunchy corn flake pieces created a nicely-balanced textural experience.

The flavor notes included true chocolate (brownie), milk and cereal, very subtle tart-sweet (oxalis, faint sweet lemonade with berry jam) as well as fleeting floral and warm spice (vanilla), bittersweet chocolate, very light toasted corn, and a slight, highly muffled, balanced earth note.

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic whole milk, organic and fair trade certified cocoa butter, organic cornflakes (organic corn meal and/or organic yellow corn flour, organic cane sugar, organic honey, sea salt), non-fat milk, soy lecithin, vanilla

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk.) "May contain traces of tree nuts. Cornflakes used in this product may contain traces of peanuts."

*The Chocolate Banquet vault consists of a small storage area with a wine refrigerator (turned up to the "warmest" setting) and insulated storage containers.

Note: I sample daily chocolates in the morning. Technically every morning I have a chocolate breakfast. But, some chocolates are more compatible with the idea of a typical American breakfast than others.

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade - Trincheras (Venezuela) 95% (bar) - Sept. 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade 

Trincheras (Venezuela) 95% (bar)

Good ++ 

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar

Calories: 154.2 calories (per label) in 1 bar

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: The Village Market, SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Trincheras (Venezuela) 95% (bar) was from Rozsavolgyi Csokolade (Budapest, Hungary).* 

Trincheras is a cacao growing region in the Carabobo State in (northwest) Venezuela that borders on the Caribbean Sea.

The rich and appealing aroma of this bar included notes of chocolate, molasses, fruit-floral (very, very faint muffled red berry, rose geranium, vanilla and other exotic florals I couldn't quite catch) and very faint freshly baked bread.

The flavor was surprisingly mild for a 95% ultra-dark bar, with a very little bitterness, and barely detectable floral and earth notes. 

Ingredients: Trincheras cocoa beans, organic cocoa butter, organic cane sugar; cacao content minimum 95%.

Allergen-related information: 

*Rozsavolgyi Csokolade produces a variety of beautifully designed and packaged bars, confections and drinking chocolates. 

Chocolate shops in the U.S. may carry their line (usually bars/tablets); and online orders may be an option, depending on your location. Happily, I found this bar in a specialty market that carries several bean-to-bar chocolate makers' bars in San Francisco.

D. Barbero - Fondente Origine Unica Venezuela 72% Cacao (bar) - Sept. 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

D. Barbero 
Fondente Origine Unica Venezuela Cacao 72% (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 226.4 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mollie Stone's, Sausalito, CA

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

Today's D. Barbero Fondente Origine Unica (Dark Chocolate Single Origin) Venezuela Cacao 72% (bar), made in Italy, was from Barbero Davide S.r.l. (Asti, Italy). The company is known for its torrone nougat and chocolate. 

This bar had a "true chocolate" (chocolate cake, brownie) aroma with light fruit (bright, red berry jam) notes. The melt and texture were smooth and even.

Flavor notes mirrored the aroma and included true chocolate (chocolate cake, brownie), sweet red berry (faint strawberry) and cocoa (hot chocolate with vanilla) that lightly lingered into the finish as part of an overall, well-balanced, bittersweet (dark chocolate chip) taste. 

There were no strong bitter or off notes; and this smoothness of flavor--coupled with a natural sweetness (enhanced by sugar and a touch of vanilla)--will appeal to a broad audience.

Ingredients: "Venezuela cocoa paste, sugar, cocoa butter, natural vanilla flavor."

Allergen-related information: "Gluten free" (made without gluten ingredients)

Domori - Trinitario 70% Sur Del Lago Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 14, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Domori 

Trinitario 70% Sur Del Lago Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++ Good +++ 

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

Calories: 282.75 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $9.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Trinitario 70% Sur Del Lago Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Domori (None, Italy).

Subtle aroma notes (in order of appearance) included very faint green herb (oxalis) and latex/rubber in the first 30 seconds. These notes dissipated after the chocolate was removed from the inner wrapper and allowed to sit for a few minutes. Then molasses, green, true chocolate, and later, very faint fruit jam aroma notes appeared.

This well-tempered bar broke with a snap, and had a smooth, even texture.

The overall flavor was bold but mellow. (This apparent contradiction is possible with Trinitario, a variety of cacao that can embody aspects of bolder Forastero and milder, fruitier Criollo varieties.) 

Do let this bar melt in your mouth and chew each piece very slowly or you'll miss the subtle flavors blossoming on your tongue. Flavor notes (in order of appearance) included green, and true chocolate and molasses notes; but then these shape-shifted to include lovely buttery nut, strawberry + raspberry jam flavors, and faint, fleeting angel food cake, faint ginger molasses cookie, and faint floral (vanilla cream cheese) notes over a period of 10-20 seconds.

This was a well balanced and executed bar with a gradual unfolding of tiny flavors (think of a male peacock spreading out its tail) for those patient enough to wait.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk and soy." No gluten ingredients

Domori - 90% Fondente Dark Chocolate Criollo (bar) - Sept. 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Domori 

90% Fondente Dark Chocolate Criollo (bar)

Good + - Good ++

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

Calories: 301.5 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $8.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 90% Fondente Dark Chocolate Criollo (bar) was from Domori (None, Italy).

The aroma of this bar softened a bit after the inner, sealed wrapper was opened. Aroma notes (in order of appearance) included: unsweetened dark chocolate, roasted peanut butter with a hint of fruit jam, green (forest vegetation, green stalks, seed, roasted artichoke), dried fruit (prune, banana peel), faint maple syrup, s'more (fire-roasted marshmallow, graham cracker and chocolate treat)...and much later, a trace of molasses.

The first bite yielded a very satisfying, smooth, even, thick nut butter melt and texture.

The ultra-dark 90% chocolate had just a flicker of sweetness and a light balanced bitter-sour taste throughout. (Not quite pink grapefruit level, but a muffled notch below that on the same scale.) Flavor included relatively bold (for Criollo variety cacao beans) nutty, roasted and cocoa notes that lingered into the finish. 

What a difference a day (and 10%) makes. Today's Domori 90% Criollo bar was quite a switch from its sweeter, fruitier 80% Criollo bar sibling (enjoyed and reviewed yesterday, 9/12/2021). These differences were a testament to the variables and choices that exist when making each batch of chocolate. While there were some similar notes between the two chocolates, this 90% bar will appeal more to ultra-dark fans who appreciate bolder and roasted flavors.

Tasting notes: "Exciting notes of dried fruit with extraordinary persistence. Excellent balance."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk and soy." No gluten ingredients

Domori - 80% Fondente Dark Chocolate Criollo (bar) - Sept. 12, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Domori

80% Fondente Dark Chocolate Criollo (bar)

Good +++

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

Calories: 288.5 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $8.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 80% Fondente Dark Chocolate Criollo (bar) was made by Domori (None, Italy). 

Criollo cacao is known for its mild, round flavor, with little or no bitterness or astringency (tannins). The Criollo cacao used to make this bar was grown in Venezuela. 

Christopher Colombus first visited Venezuela in 1498 on his third voyage to the New World. But, it was an Italian navigator the following year who gave the country its present-day name. In 1499, Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci (part of the Alonso de Ojeda-led Spanish expedition), is said to have dubbed the land Veneziola (little Venice) after seeing houses on stilts by the shores of Lake Maracaibo (near the Caribbean coast) that reminded Vespucci of Venice, Italy.

More than 500 years later, Italian bean-to-bar maker Domori shares a wonderful heritage variety of Venezuelan cacao with us in the form of beautiful, two-ingredient,* dark chocolate.

The aroma notes (in order of appearance) included: true chocolate (brownie), bold green (fruit, stalks, floral), fruit (dried plum (prune), dried apricot), light warm spice cake, vanilla, molasses, light cherry, Thompson grapes, and very faint plant latex.

The flavor had a lovely, complex chocolate cake flavor with warm stone fruit compote, very faint spice, chocolate pudding and chocolate milk, and an ice cream sundae (cherry and fig chocolate ice cream with nuts) notes that lingered softly into the finish.

This well-balanced and well-executed 80% Criollo bar lacked the bitter, tannic (acidic), sour and/or heavy roasted notes that can cause some people to shy away from bolder, high-cacao percentage chocolates. Though more subtle, this 80% bar had plenty of flavor, while offering the smoothness and natural sweetness of a 65% to 70% cacao bar.

Tasting notes: "...offers notes of dried figs, dates and raisins...the result is a unique bar, with excellent sweetness and roundness."

*Ingredients: Criollo cocoa mass and cane sugar. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of soy, milk, and nuts." No gluten ingredients.