MIA - Ghana Gold - Cashew Milk Chocolate 55% (bar) - Mar. 29, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

MIA
Ghana Gold - Creamy Cashew Milk Chocolate 55% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's MIA Ghana Gold - Creamy Cashew Milk Chocolate 55% Cocoa (bar) was a product of Ghana and distributed by Kuanza Ltd. (London, UK).

MIA produces chocolates (bars) made using cacao grown in Africa; and, more significantly, produces finished chocolate in two African countries (Madagascar and Ghana). Only a small percent of chocolate bars are made from bean to bar in Africa.

This chocolate was part of the company's "Ghana Gold" series of bars (announced in 2022) made with single origin Ghana cacao.*

This bar had creamy, smooth very finely ground nut butter texture. And aroma and flavor notes for this included: cocoa (ganache), sweet green (honeydew melon), faint floral, and nut cookie.

The cashew milk helped moderate the sweetness of this 55% cacao chocolate; and the finish was relatively mild.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cashews (12%), cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), salt. Minimum cocoa solids: 55%.

Allergen-related information: (Contained cashews.) "May contain traces of tree nuts, peanuts and milk."

*MIA is a brand of Kuanza Ltd. MIA co-founders, Brett Beach and Sarah Lescrauwaet, lived in Africa for seven years. While Africa produces the bulk (approximately 70%) of the world's cacao, only 1% of finished chocolate is produced in Africa. 

Brett and Sarah saw an opportunity to make finished chocolate "in country" where the farmers and producer communities can benefit from proceeds that normally flow out of Africa and into manufacturing centers in other nations.

MIA Ghana Gold Ginger Cashew Milk Chocolate 55% Cocoa (bar) - Mar. 28, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

MIA
Ghana Gold - Ginger Cashew Milk Chocolate 55% Cocoa (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Ghana Theme Week.

Today's MIA Ghana Gold - Ginger Cashew Milk Chocolate 55% Cocoa (bar) was a product of Ghana and distributed by Kuanza Ltd. (London, UK), and part of the company's "Ghana Gold" series of bars (announced in 2022) made with single origin Ghana cacao.*

MIA produces chocolates (bars) made using cacao grown in Africa; and, more significantly, produces finished chocolate in two African countries (Madagascar and Ghana). Only a small percent of chocolate bars are made from bean to bar in Africa.

Aroma notes for this bar included: chocolate sweet green, graham cracker and faint ginger spice and floral spice (similar to vanilla).

This smooth, creamy 55% cashew milk chocolate had pleasing cocoa, "milk" chocolate, mild nut and ginger flavor, and very faint, fleeting earth notes. (The ginger was in the form of added flavoring/"aroma" rather than pieces of candied ginger.)

This smooth "comfort food" chocolate was made using cacao from Ghana. The ginger warmth and milky cocoa flavor made it a great choice for a cold weather treat.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cane sugar, cashews (12%), cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), ginger aroma (<1%), salt. Minimum cocoa solids: 55%.

Allergen-related information: (Contains cashews.) May contain traces of tree nuts, peanuts and milk.

*MIA is a brand of Kuanza Ltd. MIA co-founders, Brett Beach and Sarah Lescrauwaet, lived in Africa for seven years. While Africa produces the bulk (approximately 70%) of the world's cacao, only 1% of finished chocolate is produced in Africa. 

Most of the time cacao beans are shipped to other countries. Brett and Sarah saw an opportunity to make finished chocolate "in country" where the farmers and producer communities can reap more of the financial benefits--proceeds that normally flow out of Africa and into manufacturing centers in other nations.

Hummingbird Chocolate Maker - Candied Ginger Dark Chocolate 70% (bar) - Mar. 27, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Hummingbird Chocolate Maker
Candied Ginger Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA 

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

Today's Candied Ginger Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar) was from Hummingbird Chocolate Maker (Almonte, Ontario, Canada).

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate (rich cocoa, ganache with light fermentation, light fruit acidity), and spice.

Both ingredients in this blend--the smooth dark chocolate and authentic, and the very slightly chewy, candied ginger--were of high quality. 

This bar was blessed with a generous helping of sugared ginger chunks and chips. The ginger flavor was balanced, not too hot and spicy, and didn't overwhelm the nuances of the dark chocolate (shades of Trinitario cacao variety (fruit) and very faint earth. No small feat with two potential flavor powerhouses.

The flavors were well executed and lingered pleasantly in the finish. This was an enjoyable, flavorful, well-crafted 70% (single origin)* chocolate bar, from a small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker self-described as "Industrious, Not Industrial." 

Maker's tasting notes: "Like a warm hug from a sassy friend, candied ginger adds a sweet and spicy zing to our single origin dark chocolate." 

Ingredients: Cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, candied ginger (ginger, cane sugar).

Allergen-related information: May contain: milk, nuts, peanuts.

Monsoon Chocolate - Ginger Covered in Dark Chocolate - Mar. 26, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Monsoon Chocolate
Ginger Covered in Dark Chocolate 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 6.18 oz. (175 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 2 oz. serving
Cost: $10.00 for 1 package (plus shipping)
Purchased from: Monsoon Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Ginger Covered in Dark Chocolate pieces were from Monsoon Chocolate (Tucson, AZ)--a chocolate maker and confectioner that "sources cacao from around the globe and draws  inspiration for flavor inclusions from local ingredients."

Aroma notes for these round, pebble-shaped pieces included: dark chocolate (rich cocoa, faint diffuse fruit and fermented cacao, dark chocolate ganache/mousse) and spicy ginger.

Monsoon's generously-sized, round confections were like eating high-quality versions of giant spicy, ginger jellybeans--coated with a thin layer of 69% cacao dark chocolate and an outer-most dusting of (Ecuador) cocoa powder. The sweet ginger firm jelly-like centers packed an authentic, ginger root heat. Kapow. My eyes were almost watering; but I still wanted more.

Ginger lovers will rejoice. The only downside: all that ginger made it more difficult to taste flavor nuances in the chocolate. But, these were still fun to eat.

Ingredients: Organic crystallized ginger, dark chocolate (cocoa beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cocoa butter), organic natural cocoa powder

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that handles tree nuts, wheat, milk, eggs and peanuts. May not be suitable for people with allergies to these foods.

 

Hu Chocolate - Gingerbread Dark Chocolate Organic 70% Cacao (bar) - Mar. 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Hu Chocolate
Gingerbread Dark Chocolate Organic 70% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Gingerbread Dark Chocolate Organic 70% Cacao (bar) was from Hu Products LLC (Austin, TX).

Aroma: dark chocolate and toasted (well-done) pieces of buttery gingerbread with warm spices (ginger, star anise, cinnamon, clove, brown sugar and molasses). 

This relatively thick, well-tempered 70% dark chocolate broke with a snap and had a slow, even melt with a very slight dryness and stone-ground granularity. It was rich in appealing flavors. The spice blend recalled gingerbread people, ginger-molasses cookies, and, best of all, hot gingerbread right out of the oven. 

Given the lingering cold and stormy weather in California this year, a week of ginger and chocolate winter warmer chocolate bars like today's has been most welcome.

I enjoyed this bar with dark chocolate-dipped gluten free ginger cookies and hot ginger tea (freshly sliced ginger root and honey).

The only bad news: this chocolate may be sold out by the time you read this post. This Holiday Edition ginger and spices chocolate was purchased in December 2022. One can hope that both the holiday Hu Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread Dark Chocolate bars will be available again later in 2023.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic cinnamon, organic ginger, organic clove. (The organic cacao and cocoa butter were also Certified Fairtrade ingredients.)

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

Srsly Chocolate - Candied Ginger 70% dark (bar) - Mar. 24, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Srsly Chocolate
Candied Ginger 70% dark (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar ( plus shipping)
Purchased from: Srsly Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Candied Ginger 70% dark (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Srsly Chocolate (Austin, TX).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (fudge, faint, balanced, slightly acidic earth (peat)); faint green floral, and faint spice. The mild peat note disappeared after leaving this bar open for an hour. And a very faint floral smoke (barely there aromatic vanilla tobacco) took its place.

This well-tempered dark bar had a slight sheen and was made with "low and slow" roasted ("like Texas BBQ"), stone-ground cacao--in a city known for its barbequed (bar-b-qued) meats.

Flavor notes included: hearty, well-balanced dark chocolate with upticks of candied ginger. Ultra-dark chocolate fans will likely appreciate being able to taste the relatively bold dark chocolate base. (It was chocolate forward, rather than candied ginger forward.) 

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, candied ginger (ginger, sugar)

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that also processes milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts and wheat

The Xocolate Bar - Candied Ginger (bar) - Mar. 23, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

The Xocolate Bar
Candied Ginger (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Phoenix (shop) under Nepenthe, Big Sur, CA 

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

Today's Candied Ginger (bar) was from The Xocolate Bar (Berkeley, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes included: warm, spicy ginger and dark chocolate.

Thick, smooth and rich 70% cacao dark chocolate surrounded chewy bits of ginger.

Dark chocolate and ginger--both bold flavors--were balanced (not boring) in this bar. And both dark chocolate and ginger were allowed to shine. There was enough harmonious flux (nuances, complexity) to keep the taste interesting and appealing.

The Xocolate Bar tasting notes: "...spicy and sweet with a ginger zing"

Ingredients: Organic, fair trade (70%) dark chocolate (organic cacao, organic sugar, sunflower lecithin), ginger, sugar

Allergen-related information: (Vegan)