Pie Ranch - Gluten Free Walnut Brownie with Mango Ice Cream - Sept. 25, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Pie Ranch

Gluten Free Walnut Brownie

Good ++ 

Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) (estimate) / 4 oz. (113 g.) (estimate) in 1 brownie

Calories: Unknown

Cost: $4.50 for 1 brownie 

Purchased from: Pie Ranch, Pescadero, CA

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

Today's Gluten Free Walnut Brownie was from Pie Ranch (Pescadero, CA).* This working farm and ranch also operates a small farmstand (retail store) that sells a variety of farm-related produce, preserves, pies, ice cream and other items. (Shout out to friend Don for including a Pie Ranch stop as part of a Pacific Coast day trip.)

Aroma and flavor notes for this brownie included: true chocolate (fudge brownie, dark chocolate cake/torte) with very faint earth and nut (walnut) notes.

The brownie had a soft, dark fudgey texture, and a wafer thin crunchy surface layer. This was a nicely executed classic (dark) chocolate, gluten-free brownie with some bold chocolate flavor depth.

I paired this brownie with a side of Haagen-Dazs Mango Ice Cream that had soft, creamy sweet mango fruit notes and small bits of mango fruit. The fresh, bright, tart-sweet mango flavor of the fresh fruit got lost in the shuffle in the sweet creamy ice cream.

This brownie would have been great just by itself. However, for a fruit + brownie pairing, I think I'd prefer a few fresh mango slices; or better yet, go with fresh red fruit (cherries) or berries. Or, if you want to skip the fruit, enjoy a brownie with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream (a tried and true classic flavor pairing with brownies), and top with nuts if desired.

Ingredients: (No information; single serving sized brownie was wrapped in plastic at farmstand; but there was no label.)

Allergen-related information: Contained nuts (walnuts). Gluten free brownie, but there was no label with an ingredients or allergen list. (I forgot to ask if they could share this information.)

Mirzam - White Chocolate Alphonso Mangoes (bar) + Cacao Nib "Caviar" - Sept. 24, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Mirzam Chocolate Makers
White Chocolate with Organic Indian Alphonso Mangoes (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 158 calories in 2 servings (30 g.) of bar
Cost: $11.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's White Chocolate Alphonso Mangoes (bar) was from Mirzam Chocolate Makers* (Dubai, United Arab Emirates). Mirzam is the name of a star that Arab traders used for navigation centuries ago. This mango bar was part of the Emarati company's Monsoon Collection. (January to March are the wetter months in Dubai.)

Most white chocolates are very sweet, and bland. Happily this was not the case with today's offering. The surprisingly complex aroma notes for this golden-colored bar included: very subtle sweet root vegetable (parsnip, yam), faint sweet pumpkin, and bright tropical fruit ice cream fruit (mango).

The texture? It had a relatively slow, even melt and a thick, creamy mouthfeel (at a room temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 degrees Celsius).

Flavor notes mirrored the fruit and sweet vegetable aroma notes mentioned above. This white chocolate was unique and flavorful and not too sweet. (Thank you!) 

The cocoa butter and milk mellowed the brightness of the bright mango fruit a bit; however,  instead of muting flavors, the overall blend was uniquely flavorful and satisfying. 

I associated the taste and texture with good, homemade cream soups made with a short list of fresh, high-end ingredients. (We're moving into pumpkin and squash soup mode here in late September, so this bar seemed a good fit given we are slouching toward soup season.) 

It's not every white chocolate bar I'd be comparing to a fine soup. This special mango bar is in the top 10% of all white chocolates I've sampled, and it deserves a place in a white chocolate tasting flight.

Cacao Nib "Caviar"
But, wait. You thought I didn't "count" white chocolate on Chocolate Banquet? You are correct. 

I paired today's white chocolate with a small dollop of cacao nib "caviar"--cacao nibs marinated in Meyer Lemon juice, fruits, sea salt and gin. (Note: any alcohol from the gin component had evaporated by the end of the marinating process. Only the faint botanical flavors were left.) 

This salty, fruity side dish was a fun (and surprisingly complementary) pairing with today's bar. But then, again, this Mirzam 4-ingredient bar wasn't your every day white chocolate.  

Ingredients: "Cocoa butter, unrefined cane sugar, skim milk powder, Alphonso mango."

Allergen-related information: Contains milk.

*Mirzam Chocolate is affiliated with Kakow Manufacturing Co. LLC.

Zotter - Mango Tango (bar) - Sept. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter

Mango Tango (bar)

Good ++

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar 

Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.49 for 1 bar (plus seasonal warm weather shipping charge)

Purchased from: Zotter, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Mango Theme Week.

Today's Mango Tango bar was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Zotter offers a seemingly endless variety of very thinly layered, "hand-scooped" chocolate covered bars (as well as a line of pure chocolate/bean-to-bar offerings). I have the impression the team (Josef Zotter and family, and almost 200 employees worldwide) are having fun.*

The creative bar flavors are matched with colorful, iconic illustrations by artist/designer, Andreas H. Gratze, on the packaging.

Aroma notes for today's Mango Tango filled bar included: dark chocolate, sweet mango candy/confection and freshly squeezed citrus (sweet lime, lemon).

Precisely executed thin layers were/are key to the overall taste. A well-tempered, very thin layer of 70% dark chocolate (shell) broke with a light crunch (at room temperature); and that contrasted with two layers of softer fruit filling that contained a tiny shred or two of citrus (lemon) peel.

The dark, slightly earthy flavored chocolate shell added flavor depth to (and balanced) the lighter and brighter, tart-sweet, authentic-tasting mango and lemon layers. This Mango Tango bar was rich and sweet enough to be a high-end confection, packaged in bar form.

Ingredients: Organic, fair trade cane sugar; organic, fair trade cocoa mass; organic, fair trade cocoa butter; organic glucose syrup; milk; organic mango puree; organic dried mangos; organic lemon juice; dry whole milk; dry skim milk yoghurt; dry skim milk; organic lemon juice concentrate; organic, fair trade cashews; dry sweet whey; organic soy lecithin; organic, fair trade dark brown cane sugar; organic lemon powder [organic lemon juice concentrate, organic corn starch, organic sugar]; organic turmeric; salt; organic vanilla bean powder; organic cinnamon.

Organic [90% organic]; Fair Traded, Fair Trade [content in total: 75%]

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

*Filled bar flavors include: traditionally inspired "classic" bars such as hazelnut and pistachio praline layered bars or coffee bars; creative fruit blends (Tangerine, Matcha and Coconut and today's Mango Tango); slightly boozy flavors (Whisky, Port Wine and Fig); various winter holiday bars (with and without spirits); and just plain fun layered flavors like Cola and Popcorn.

Theo and Philo - Chocolate Mango - Sept. 22, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates

Chocolate Mango

Good ++ 

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.18 oz. (90 g.) in total package

Calories: 132 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $13.00 for 1 package

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's attractively packaged Chocolate Mango offering was made by Theo and Philo (Manila, Philippines).

Aroma notes for these pieces included: milk chocolate integrated with fresh, naturally sweet mango* and other fruit accents (red apple, lemon).

Chewy sweet mango strips were surrounded by a thin layer of chocolate. The generously-sized pieces of authentic, bright and sunny, tart-sweet, dried mango were the stars of the show. However, the chocolate added rich, smooth texture and taste to this fruity confection. 

Yes, this was sweet. (I enjoyed eating two pieces. Two was enough to satisfy.) The ingredients were high-quality, and the flavors were appealing, complementary and well executed--saving this chocolate and mango blend from tasting like pure sugar.

Ingredients: Dried yellow mangoes (mangoes, sugar), milk chocolate (sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa mass).

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

*I don't know if the fruit in today's offering was a strain of Carabao mango--also known as the Philippine mango or Manila mango--or not. These yellow mangos from/grown in the Philippines are internationally known for their sweet flavor and relatively tender texture.

Carabao relatives include some mangos in Mexico, that resulted from Spanish Manila galleon (ship) trade between Mexico (Acapulco) and the Philippines (Manila) centuries ago. This same trade route enabled cacao to arrive in the Philippines in the 1600s. So the foundation for today's mango and chocolate blend was created almost 400 years ago.

Nassau Candy - "Inventive" Milk Chocolate Bar with Popping Candy + Fresh Mango - Sept. 21, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Nassau Candy 
"Inventive" Milk Chocolate Bar with Popping Candy

Good +
Weight .875 oz. (24.5 g.) / 1.75 oz. (49 g.) in total bar

Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 bar

Purchased from: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Mango Theme Week.

Today's "Inventive" Milk Chocolate Bar with Popping Candy was from Amuse Mints, a division of Nassau Candy (Hicksville, NY).

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included sweet milk chocolate (cocoa, fudge, ganache). Smooth chocolate was punctuated with snaps and amusing crackles from embedded popping candy. 

I paired this sparkling chocolate bar with slices of delicious fresh, sweet Keitt Mango. 

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate: (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, whole milk powder, soy lecithin [emulsifier], vanilla extract); Pop Candy: (sugar, lactose [milk], dried corn syrup, process (sic) with carbon dioxide for popping effect). 

Allergen-related information: Contains: milk, soy. May contain: peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, eggs, sesame.

Spinnaker Chocolate - 70% Madagascar with Sea Salt (bar) - Sept. 20, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker Chocolate
70% Madagascar with Sea Salt (bar)
Good +-Good++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spinnaker Chocolate, online order 

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

Today's 70% Madagascar with Sea Salt (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes for this bar included: faint fruit (mango, tropical fruit, fruitcake), chocolate (dark chocolate ganache); sweet, subtle, honey-ed floral; and diffuse light fruit (dried melon, jackfruit, mild tangerine, dried cacao fruit/pulp). In a re-tasting (several hours later), I experienced peach-mango fruit aroma notes.

This well-tempered chocolate had a smooth, relatively slow melt (at room temperature), allowing bright fruit flavors to unfold. Tiny flakes of sea salt added a bit of texture, and an additional dimension of flavor.

Flavor notes included rich cocoa, followed by a rapid blooming of a bouquet of tart-sweet fruits (sour cherry, jackfruit (pineapple, mango), sweet citrus, tart-sweet red and dark berry, other), and sparkles of sea salt. Fruit flavors played the starring role, and these bright notes leveled off after about 10 seconds and lingered into the finish. 

After about a minute (after swallowing this chocolate) there were two fleeting, barely-there chocolate notes (very faint, balanced earth and warm spice)--revealed after the fruit flavors had receded. (After the bar had been opened for several hours, the tart-sweet fruit notes mellowed a little.)

This well-executed, 70% Madagascar dark chocolate bar--like the Spinnaker 70% Dark Madagascar and 58% Dark Milk Madagascar bars reviewed earlier this week--offered a bright and fruit-forward rocket ride with no off notes. 

The addition of sea salt was interesting. I love trying umami adds and salt(s) with chocolates, especially if there are nuts or nutty notes involved. And this was high-quality sea salt.

However, in today's case, adding salt felt like salting an exotic fruit salad or fruit juice. The delicate sea salt flakes helped balance the naturally tart-sweetness; but I also wanted to taste all the very unique and prominent Madagascar cacao fruit notes in this bar without other elements competing for my attention.

Maker's tasting notes: "The always delicious Madagascar beans paired with Jacobsen Salt Co.'s Pure Flake Finishing Salt. My oh my."

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic cane sugar, sea salt flakes

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts."

Spinnaker Chocolate - 58% Madagascar Dark Milk (bar) - Sept. 19, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker Chocolate
58% Madagascar Dark Milk (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spinnaker Chocolate, online order 

"Tonga soa" (welcome) to Day #7 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's 58% Madagascar Dark Milk (bar) was made by Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes for this bar included: butterscotch fruit pie; light and bright, fruity caramel; and buttered cocoa.

This chocolate had a smooth, relatively slow, creamy melt (at room temperature), allowing a bevy of bright buttery, fruity chocolate flavors to unfold.

Flavor notes included rich cocoa with a generous pat of butter, followed by a subtle blooming of tart-sweet fruits (red berry (strawberry), red currant, jackfruit (pineapple,mango, and faint sweet banana), sweet citrus (sweet, ripe tangerine), and then a warm uptick with more sweet berries--ripe red to ripe to sweet ripe blackberries--that gradually leveled off and lingered into the finish). The fruit notes were muted a bit by the milk, but were still detectable.

As with yesterday's 70% Madagascar bar (also from Spinnaker Chocolate), there were enjoyable fruit flavors. And, a few minutes later (after swallowing a few bites), there were two fleeting, barely-there chocolate notes (subtle warm spice and faint, balanced earth). And was with its 70% sibling, later in the day, after the bar had been opened for several hours, the bright tart-sweet fruit elements mellowed a little.

This 58% Dark Milk Madagascar release was a lovely rich and flavorful chocolate, offering a blend of creamy, buttery dairy with bright and fruits, and no off notes. This 58%er (along with yesterday's fruity 70% pleasure trip) would be nice adds to a chocolate tasting flight. Both bars illustrate just how much inherent flavor can be expressed with just a few ingredients.

Maker's tasting notes: "...elegant, malted caramel flavor malted milk and caramel flavor"

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic cane sugar, dried milk, cocoa butter. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk. Store in a cool, dry place." "Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts."