Amazonas - Whole Cocoa Beans - Feb. 5, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Amazonas Imports, Inc.
Whole Cocoa Beans
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 6.5 oz. (184 g.) in total package
Calories: 36 calories (per label) in 1/2 oz. serving
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: (small grocery store)

Welcome to Day #2 of 100% Cacao Theme Week. The purest form of 100% cacao is a cocoa bean--the essence of chocolate.

Today's Whole Cocoa Beans were from El Salvador and distributed by Amazonas Imports, Inc. (Sun Valley, CA).

This package was sold at a small grocery store, for making drinking chocolate. (The directions called for toasting, peeling, then grinding the beans with cinnamon and sugar; and then adding the ground cocoa mass to hot milk/water.)

Aroma and flavor notes for these whole cocoa beans included faint green, olive, wood and nut notes. These easy to snack on dried beans (cacao seeds) had a soft crunchy, slightly fibrous nut-like, texture. They were relatively mild--neither too bitter nor very acidic. 

I really enjoyed these unroasted cacao beans, and would eat them again. And I also plan to follow the recipe to make drinking chocolate (perhaps one batch with roasted bay nuts).*

Ingredients: "whole cocoa beans"

Allergen-related information: "The product is packed in a facility where nuts are stored."

*Bay tree nuts were roasted and eaten by indigenous peoples in California (where I live). Some people use ground bay nuts as a cacao-like substitute (or flavor) to make a hot chocolate-like beverage. 

Momotombo Chocolate - Dark Chocolate 100% Cacao (bar) - Feb. 4, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Momotombo Chocolate Factory
Dark Chocolate 100% Cacao (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .94 oz. (26.6 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 200 calories in 1/3 bar (8 squares)
Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of 100% Chocolate Theme Week. 

Today's Dark Chocolate 100% Cacao (bar) was from Momotombo Chocolate Factory (Managua, Nicaragua). 

In 2004, Momotombo Chocolate founder, Carlos Mann, began producing "fresh chocolate" with basic tools (pots, spoons, stove) in Nicaragua that could be easily produced by local women in their own kitchens. He helped train women to make chocolate, in their own kitchens, reclaiming, in some ways, a centuries old cacao tradition in Nicaragua.

The Momotombo Chocolate Factory today offers bonbons, bars, drinking chocolate, nibs and other chocolate treats made from fine cacao grown in Nicaragua. Today's 100% bar was made from a single ingredient: "cacao."

Aroma notes for this sophisticated 100% bar included: cacao, green, molasses, and dried fruit (date), and very faint spice (black licorice, sarsaparilla).

The well-tempered chocolate broke with a robust snap; and it had a smooth, thick buttery melt and buttery, fudgey texture.

The taste? The flavor was an incorporation of all the aroma notes (above), into a powerful dark river of deep, unsweetened chocolate. After a few bites, the subtle, clean finish grew to include a faint flicker of bright berry (fresh raspberry) accompanied by dark chocolate with faint licorice herb. 

This 100% bar had lovely, complex flavors with well-balanced bitterness--all from pure 100% cacao. No sugar. Nothing else added.

Ingredients: "Cacao"

Allergen-related information: (None were listed on bar's packaging/label.)

*Momotombo is the name of a volcanic mountain in Nicaragua. Volcanic soils impart minerals (soil nutrients) that can add ("terroir") flavor into cacao, coffee and other crops.

Lumineux Chocolate - Ghana 80% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Feb. 3, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Lumineux Chocolate

Ghana 80% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $40 for 5 bars ($8 for 1 bar)
Purchased from: Good Food Awards Marketplace, online order

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

Today's Ghana 80% Dark Chocolate (Batch #258) bar was made by Lumineux Chocolate (Greenville, SC). The company "offers small batch, European-style chocolate," frequently showcasing African cacao.

Aroma notes included dark chocolate (brownie) with a natural/implied vanilla-like sweetness, and very faint sweet-tart green (oxalis, sorrel) and spice notes.

The texture was, uniform, smooth, thick and substantial (almost fudgey) that matched the flavor notes of pure, dark fudge brownie. This satisfying bar had deep, dense and rich chocolate flavor and relatively light acidity. 

Just a few bites of this 80% cacao "brownie" bar silenced a chocolate craving. It was a sophisticated and approachable ultra-dark bar with no funky/earthy notes. It was not ultra-bitter; and it was not too sweet (thank you).

Maker's tasting notes: "Brownie batter, molasses, vanilla"

Ingredients: Cocoa nibs, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed that I could find on packaging.)

 

Dr. Bronner's - Salted Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) - Feb. 2, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's

Salted Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar

Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Salted Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) was made in Switzerland, and distributed by Dr. Bronner's (Vista, CA). Dr. Bronner's Magic All-One Chocolate line of 70% dark chocolate bars are made using organic, fair trade cocoa grown in Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Aroma notes for today's Salted Dark Chocolate included: true chocolate (brownie), faint green tart herb (oxalis, sorrel), spice, floral, fruit (cherry) and vanilla. This thick, hearty dark chocolate bar had smooth texture.

The dark chocolate flavor notes mirrored the aroma notes (above), with a deeper immersion into true, rich chocolate--interspersed with tiny sparkles of sea salt. 

This well-balanced, rich bar was sweetened with just the right amount of (coconut) sugar, for my taste; that is, it wasn't too sweet (thank you). Today's bar was full of well-executed, balanced, intense chocolate flavor--enough to pass for a darker, 75% cacao (vs. 70%) dark chocolate. 

Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic cocoa beans, Fair Trade Organic coconut sugar, Fair Trade Organic cocoa butter, sea salt, Fair Trade Organic Bourbon vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that also processes almonds, hazelnuts, milk, coconut and soy."

Dr. Bronner's - Smooth Coconut Praline Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) - Feb. 1, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's

Smooth Coconut Praline Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.93 oz. (83 g.) in total bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA

Happy Lunar New Year (year of the Tiger), and welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Ghana Theme Week. 

Today's Smooth Coconut Praline Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)--sweetened with coconut sugar--was made in Switzerland, and distributed by Dr. Bronner's (Vista, CA). 

Today's bar was a testament to international partnerships and mindful sourcing of organic and fairly traded ingredients, that included organic, fair trade cocoa from Ghana (Serendipalm project) and Ivory Coast (KANY co-op of women farmers); organic, fair trade vanilla from Madagascar; and organic, fair trade coconut sugar from Indonesia.

Closer to home, the aroma of this international dark chocolate evoked childhood memories of German chocolate cake: layers of rich, moist dark chocolate cake "glued" together with a thick frosting made of caramelized sugar, butter, shredded coconut and chopped nuts (pecans and almonds), and a hint of vanilla. The cake was delicious. 

This coconut praline filled dark chocolate bar captured the aroma and flavor magic of this childhood favorite. It was a sleek and sophisticated, adult embodiment of this dessert, with a fraction of the sugar, and with richer, dark chocolate flavor. Perfect! 

A final note: All the Bronner's bars I've tasted this week have been sweetened with coconut sugar. This golden-hued sugar tends to lend a very mild, pleasant caramel flavor to chocolate(s). Coconut sugar scores lower on the glycemic index*/scale than refined white sugar--an added plus. 

Coconut blossom sugar is harvested (carefully), often by hand, high up in coconut palm trees where coconut blossoms/flowers are located--using small buckets to gather sap. It's very similar to, and is sometimes referred to as the same thing as, palm sugar or jaggery. (The latter is a "brown sugar" that can be made from a blend of palm, cane or and/or date sugar.)

Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic cocoa beans, Fair Trade Organic coconut sugar, Fair Trade Organic coconut, Fair Trade Organic cocoa butter, Fair Trade Organic coconut milk powder, sea salt, Organic sunflower oil, Fair Trade Organic Bourbon vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that also processes almonds, hazelnuts, milk, coconut and soy."

*The glycemic index (GI) measures how rapidly blood glucose levels rise after different foods are ingested. The index also offers a ranking of foods as to which results in a faster/higher rise in glucose. More refined, processed high-carbohydrate foods typically result in more rapid rises in blood sugar.

Dr. Bronner's - Salted Almond Butter 70% Cocoa (bar) - Jan. 31, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's

Salted Almond Butter Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.93 oz. (83 g.) in total bar

Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Salted Almond Butter Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) sweetened with coconut sugar was made in Switzerland, and distributed by Dr. Bronner's (Vista, CA). 

Printed on each of the six segments were the words: "For, We, Are, All-One, Or None!, All-One!" A heart-felt sentiment--from the original Dr. Bronner's company founder, Emanual Bronner--that still appears on product packaging. Family members still run this business that was founded in 1948.

Yesterday's Dr. Bronner's 70% dark bar with almonds was similar to today's 70% dark bar with almond butter; but it featured roasted whole almonds in a solid, salted dark chocolate base vs. today's filled Salted Almond Butter bar (where the subtle dash of salt was in the Almond Butter filling). 

I enjoyed experiencing the similarities (in aroma and chocolate flavors), and the differences (the texture of the whole nuts and more separate layering of flavors that whole ingredients create, vs. a more uniformly blended ground nut and chocolate flavored filling).

The aroma notes of today's (and yesterday's) bar(s) included: pleasant dark chocolate, spice, green citrus herb, vanilla and faint nut. Both bars were made using organic and fairly traded West African cacao grown in Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Flavor notes for today's bar included rich, but smooth dark chocolate, with a light green citrus (oxalis) and faint floral spice (vanilla, marshmallow), and subtle, nutty notes and textures from ground almonds and hazelnuts.

Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic cocoa beans, Fair Trade Organic coconut sugar, organic almonds, Fair Trade Organic cocoa butter, sea salt, Organic hazelnuts, Fair Trade Organic Bourbon vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that also processes almonds, hazelnuts, milk, coconut and soy."

Dr. Bronner's - Salted Whole Almonds Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - Jan. 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dr. Bronner's

Salted Whole Almonds Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar

Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Salted Whole Almonds Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) was made in Switzerland, and distributed by Dr. Bronner's (Vista, CA). 

Dr. Bronner's is perhaps better known in the U.S. for their line of environmentally and socially conscious soaps. But, they've caught the "Cocoa Magic" bug, and have extended a passion for regenerative organic agriculture into chocolate.* 

The company is sourcing organic, fairly traded cocoa from Ghana and Ivory Coast and partnering with Swiss maker(s) to offer a line of 70% dark chocolate bars.

Aroma notes for this Organic and Fair Trade Certified bar included: true chocolate (brownie, chocolate cake), green citrus herb (oxalis, sorrel) and faint lightly earthy, faintly smokey, vanilla bean spice.

Flavor notes mirrored the aroma notes (above) with a deeper, richer immersion into the chocolate flavors that were accented with authentic vanilla and an occasional uptick of salt--that, along with the lightly roasted almonds, helped balance the sweetness provided by coconut sugar. 

The green citrus note (likely from oxalic acid) and a very faint fruit and/or citrus quality yielded a balanced chocolate acidity that lingered lightly in the finish.

Ingredients: Fair Trade Organic cocoa beans, Fair Trade Organic coconut sugar, organic almonds, Fair Trade Organic cocoa butter, sea salt, Fair Trade Organic Bourbon vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that also processes almonds, hazelnuts, milk, coconut and soy."

*I first discovered Dr. Bronner's bars in local stores in December 2020. Already being a fan of their soaps, I was delighted to try this new line of dark chocolates. A bright spot of good news in challenging times (recent passing of a parent and ongoing Covid-19 related limitations on travel, work and social get-togethers.) Thankfully there is still much to feel very grateful about.