Ion S.A. - Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds (bar) - Nov. 21, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Ion S.A.
Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds (bar)
Good +
Weight: 9 squares / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 9 squares of bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Real Produce International Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds (bar) was made by Ion S.A. (Piraeus, Greece). 

Aroma notes for this milk chocolate bar included: sweet milk chocolate, nut, and very faint mineral (light clay).

Texture: smooth milk chocolate and crunchy pieces of almond. Flavor notes included: very sweet milk chocolate, and subtle flickers of nut.

This 31% milk chocolate bar was too sweet for me, but others with a sweet tooth may enjoy this chocolate. It was great to try two Ion chocolate bars from Greece this week.

Ingredients: Sugar, milk powder, almonds (17%), cocoa butter, cocoa mass, whey powder, lactose, emulsifier: soya lecithin, flavour: vanillin. Cocoa solids: 31% min. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of other nuts and wheat proteins."

Ion S.A. - Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts - Nov. 20, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Ion S.A.
Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts (bar)
Good +
Weight: 9 squares / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 9 small squares of bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Real Produce International Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts (bar) was made by Ion S.A. (Piraeus, Greece).

Aroma notes for this milk chocolate bar included: sweet milk chocolate, nut, faint mineral (light clay), and very faint mint/menthol.

Texture: smooth milk chocolate with an extended (white chocolate) melt and crunchy large pieces of hazelnut.

Flavor notes included: sweet milk chocolate, very faint mineral (light clay), and hazelnut. 

The healthy dose of authentic hazelnuts were a highlight for me.

The milk chocolate was quite sweet (sugar was the number 1 ingredient); but it wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be. In part because the number two and three ingredients (milk, cocoa butter)-- as well as the nuts--helped balance the sugar. 

Ingredients: Sugar, milk powder, cocoa butter, hazelnuts (17%), cocoa mass, whey powder, lactose, emulsifier: soya lecithin, flavour: vanillin. Cocoa solids: 29.5% min. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of other nuts and wheat proteins."

Reel Chocolate - Handmade Fantasy Chocolate 70% with nuts, fruits (bar) - Nov. 19, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Reel Chocolate
Handmade Fantasy Chocolate
70% Belgian Dark Chocolate, Nuts, Freeze Dried Fruits (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4.06 oz. (115 g.) in total bar
Calories: 151.6 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift from a friend 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!)

Welcome to Day #2 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week, featuring bars and blends of chocolate and nuts from around the world--including countries such as Greece, Slovenia and Serbia. Thank you to to traveling friend Toni, and local international markets.

Today's "Handmade Fantasy Chocolate" Wild Cabernet 70% dark chocolate with nuts and freeze-dried fruits (bar) from Reel Chocolate was made in Serbia.

This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap (at 65 degrees F. (18.3 C) room temperature); and the aroma notes included: smooth dark chocolate (dark fudge), and subtle, authentic nut and fruit(s). 

Flavors: smooth, rich dark chocolate, fruit (red/dark berries (blueberry), currants, faint dark dried cherry), and faint vanilla spice and nut. Very thin threads intermingled with fruits topping this bar added a very faint chili flavor.

Note: While I could smell nuts in the aroma, and the chocolate had a fruit + nut flavor, I couldn't detect what nuts might be present when I tasted the chocolate. I paired this with a handful of organic, California almonds. 

Suggested beverage (red wine) pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

Ingredients: liofilizovana nisnja; borovnica (blueberry), chili u vlaknima (chili in fibers/thin strands); cacao mass; sugar; cocoa powder (S.A. red, contains fat); emulsifier (soy lecithin); vanilla aroma. Contains at least 72% suvih kako-delova; at least 33% suvih namasnih kakao-delova. (Note: This is my attempted English translation of the ingredients list in Serbian. I apologize for any errors and omissions. The original ingredients list item names remain where translations were not available.)

Allergen-related information: Contains soy (lecithin).

Blejski Otok - Milk Chocolate with Tarragon and Walnuts (bar) - Nov. 18, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Blejski Otok
Milk Chocolate with Tarragon and Walnut (bar) 
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) in total bar
Calories: 169.8 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: N/A - Gift from a friend 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!)

Welcome to Day #1 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week. 

Today's Blejski Otok Milk Chocolate with Tarragon and Walnuts (bar) from Slovenia was manufactured by Cokoladni Atelje Dobnik (Gruze, Slovenija). 

Aroma notes for this small bar included: milk chocolate, savory caramel, butter cream, savory-sweet herb, nuts, and very faint, mellow wood.

Flavor notes included: sweet milk chocolate, herb (tarragon), faint vanilla caramel and finely ground walnut bits. These different elements were well balanced and created interesting and complementary flavor complexity. 

This milk chocolate was a bit too sweet for me, but otherwise it was quite enjoyable. And it was great to try a chocolate from Slovenia. Many thanks again to my traveling friend, Toni, who brought this back during her recent travels there.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar 45.5%, cocoa mass 26%, milk powder 21.5%, emulsifier (soy lecithin), natural vanilla aroma), walnuts, tarragon.

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk/lactose, nuts (walnut), and soy.) 

Luisa Abram - 81% Rio Cassipore (bar) - Nov. 17, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Luisa Abram
Rio Cassipore 81% (bar)
Good + - Good ++  
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 255 calories in 1 small bar (1/2 package)
Cost: $11.00 for 1 package of 2 small bars
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week. This week has included five bars made entirely in Brazil, with cacao grown in Brazil.

Today's Luisa Abram Rio Cassipore (Cassipore River) 81% chocolate was made by the Abram family (Familia Abram Banks Ltda., Sao Paolo, Brazil).

Like yesterday's 70% version of this Rio Cassipore wild cacao chocolate from the same maker, today's 81% sibling came packaged with two individually wrapped smaller bars, which I really liked. This choice allows chocolate lovers to better share chocolate with others and/or to save some for later while keeping aroma and flavor notes intact.

Both Luisa Abram Cassipore River 70% and 81% cacao offerings had a similar (just-opened) aroma of bold dark chocolate with tart peaty, subtle green, and dark chocolate (roasted cacao nibs) notes.

Interestingly the texture was slightly less creamy, but felt smoother and lacked the bit of astringency of yesterday's 70% version.

Both bars were low in bitterness. And, as with yesterday's 70% bar, after about 20 minutes, the aroma (and flavor) in this 81%er mellowed. The dark chocolate notes softened (more subtle nut and faint baked brownie was revealed). And the green and woodsy, acidic (peat) notes dissipated, making this a relatively friendly, approachable 80%+ dark chocolate. 

Ingredients: "Wild cocoa mass, organic cane sugar and Amazonian cocoa butter."

Allergen-related information: Gluten free. "Made in a facility that handles milk and nuts."  

Luisa Abram - Rio Cassipore 70% (bar) - Nov. 16, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Luisa Abram
Rio Cassipore 70% (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 221 calories in 1 small bar (1/2 package)
Cost: $11.00 for 1 package of 2 small bars
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week. Happily, this extended week includes bars made with cacao grown in Brazil, and at least three bars made entirely in Brazil.

Today's Luisa Abram Rio Cassipore (Cassipore River) 70% (bar) was made by the Abram family (Familia Abram Banks Ltda., Sao Paolo, Brazil).

The initial (just-opened) aroma of this wild cacao bar held the promise of a relatively bold dark chocolate with hearty (faintly peaty), subtle green and dark chocolate (freshly ground cacao nibs) notes. 

After about 20 minutes, the aroma mellowed so that the dark chocolate notes moved in the direction of baked brownies; and the green and woodsy peat notes quieted as well.

Texture: The melt seemed relatively rapid--transforming to a lush, creamy texture. And there was a faint astringency at the end.

The flavor, once it settled down, was tamer (a bit blander) than the initial (just-opened) aroma. The bitterness level was quite low. After about 20-30 seconds there was a brief, fun chocolate echo/uptick in the finish.

Ingredients: "Wild cocoa mass, organic cane sugar and Amazonian cocoa butter."

Allergen-related information: Gluten free. "Made in a facility that handles milk and nuts."

La Feverie - 100% Fazenda Camboa, Brazil (2020 Harvest) (bar) - Nov. 15, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

La Feverie
Fazenda Camboa 100% Brazil (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week.

Today's 100% Fazenda Camboa Brazil bar was from La Feverie (Bourdeaux, France)

Aroma: faint fermented cacao (this note dissipated after the chocolate had been opened for an hour), dark chocolate, fruit, and (later) tannic acid, woodsy notes.

Flavor notes included: bitter, green (tea), and true chocolate (roasted cacao nibs), faint fruit--and, later, woody nut/bark/peat (tannic acids). 

This somewhat acidic, bitter and astringent ultra-dark bar was bold, but also well balanced and interesting, with a sustained finish and a slight throat tickle at the end. 

Maker's tasting notes: "An intense chocolate, slightly tart, with notes of walnuts/hazelnuts followed by a sensation of mint freshness. Presence of fatty and fleshy tannins on a silky finish."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans

Allergen-related information: (None listed on label that I could see.)