Chocolarder - 100% Pure Dark Amazon Rainforest choc. - July 16, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolarder
100% Pure Dark Amazon Rainforest choc.
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 194 calories (estimated) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 100% Pure Dark Amazon Rainforest Peru (bar) was made by Chocolarder Craft Chocolate Makers (Falmouth, Cornwall, UK).

Attractive aroma notes for this single ingredient (cocoa beans) bar included: dark chocolate, soft fruit (very subtle stone fruit (peach), berry and banana), and very light floral and nut.

This 100% Peru chocolate had a thick, creamy, stiff nut butter-like texture, a very faint astringency (dryness), and a relatively bold (at least unsweetened) dark chocolate flavor with soft sour (citrus/pink grapefruit) and fleeting nut notes.

100% cacao chocolates scare many people, even dark chocolate fans. They can be bitter, sour--and challenging for our brains to process. There is a temporary sense of surprise--the "Where's the expected hit of sugar/sweetness?" moment. 

The best 100%ers have a wonderfully complex aroma (this Chocolarder bar did); and the uncloaked-by-sugar bitterness and/or sourness doesn't eclipse subtle/complex flavor and finish notes. (They didn't.) Part of its success was the lovely Peru cacao beans the chocolate maker acquired, and the rest was great execution.*

Maker's tasting notes: "A slow build to intense roasted Brazil nut with accents of grapefruit and plantain"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans

Allergen-related information: "Made in a factory that also handles tree nuts"

*Truly great cacao can make a truly great chocolate. However, in the many steps that follow after harvesting the cacao, there are many opportunities for things to go wrong (a mistake in fermentation or drying, over-roasted or unevenly roasted cacao, too much or too little of many things...). And, there is no set recipe over time; the steps and settings are slightly different with different varieties or batches of cacao beans.

Fortunato Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds - July 15, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fortunato Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds 
Good ++
Weight: 2.04 oz. (58 g.) / 8 oz. (226 g.) in total package
Calories: 340 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Fortunato Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds were from Fortunato Chocolate (Issaquah, WA).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, faint spice, roasted nut (almond) and very faint clean mineral.

Dark smooth chocolate was interspersed with crunchy roasted almonds.

Flavor notes included: dark, flavorful and smooth dark chocolate lightly covering authentic, crunchy whole roasted almonds. 

I enjoyed the relatively soft dark chocolate and roasted nut complexity--and not too much sugar (thank you!).

Ingredients: "68% Fortunato dark chocolate (organically grown cacao and cocoa butter 68%, organic cane sugar 32%), dry roasted almonds and sea salt."

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Tree Nuts. May contain traces of milk (including lactose), hazelnut."

Fortunato Chocolate - Milk Chocolate Peanut Clusters - July 14, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fortunato Chocolate
Milk Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Good ++
Weight: 4 oz. (113 g.) / 8 oz. (226 g.) in total package
Calories: 650 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Fortunato Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Milk Chocolate Peanut Clusters were from Fortunato Chocolate (Issaquah, WA).

Aroma notes included: milk chocolate, roasted peanuts, and peanut brittle.

Texture: creamy milk chocolate chock full of crunchy roasted peanuts.

Flavor notes included: sweet, creamy milk chocolate and salted, roasted peanuts. These clusters were creamy, crunchy, and had enough sugar and salt to land in the tasty, addictive snack zone. (Caution: do not start eating these if you're overly hungry. It's easy to mow through multiple servings.)

The higher sugar 36+% (and milk 27%) content made it difficult to detect cacao flavor nuances. However, the salt helped balance the sweetness a bit.

Ingredients: Roasted Peanuts, 36% Fortunato Milk Chocolate (Organically grown cacao and cocoa butter 36.2%, whole/skim milk and cream 27.02%, cane sugar 36.69%, soy lecithin 0.07%, vanilla 0.02%), sea salt.

Allergen-related information: Contains peanuts, milk, soy. May contain traces of almonds and hazelnuts.

Patricia's Chocolate - Fortunato No. 4 - 68% Peruvian Grand Cru Dark Chocolate - July 13, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Patricia's Chocolate 
Fortunato No. 4 - 68% Peruvian Grand Cru Dark Chocolate
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .56 oz. (16 g.) in a 2-piece tasting sample package
Calories: 87 calories (estimate) in a 2-piece package
Cost: $3.80 (estimate) for a 2-piece package 
Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Fortunato No. 4 - 68% Peruvian Grand Cru Dark Chocolate was from Patricia's Chocolate (Grand Haven, MI).

Aroma notes for this Pure Nacional* cacao-based chocolate included: smooth dark chocolate, light fruit and floral, and very faint tart sweet green herb (oxalis) and light, aromatic tea.

The 68% dark chocolate had a very smooth, creamy melt and texture.

Attractively complex flavor notes included: smooth, sophisticated dark chocolate, diffuse fruit (sweet, refreshing red berry), and very faint caramel and refreshing (light, floral) sweet green tea.

Ingredients: (None listed on small package.)

Allergen-related information: (None listed on small package.)

*As chocolate lovers become more familiar with the variety of cacao(s) grown, (like grape varieties in wine) there has been more discussion about aroma and flavor associated with different varieties. The main three varieties often mentioned are Forastero, Trinitario and Criollo. But, it's more complicated than that.

The relatively rare and precious Fortunato Nacional (Pure Porcelana) heritage cacao beans used in today's chocolates were from Peru. This Nacional cacao was thought to have disappeared (due to disease and habitat changes), but in 2011 it was "rediscovered" in a Maranon River Canyon in Peru. (Fortunato is the name of the farmer on whose land these trees grow.)

Porcelana cacao (white beans/seeds when cut open) originated in South America and is associated with Criollo cacao/cultivars. Piura Porcelana can be found in northern Peru and is often associated with Nacional cacao. Confused yet? Nacional heritage cacao (associated with Ecuador and Peru) shares some properties Criollo variety heritage cacao. Both have soft, layered complex flavors that can include mild floral, fruit and nut.

Bottom line: Criollo and Porcelana cacaos are highly prized, but can be more delicate and prone to diseases. Only a small percentage of chocolates sold are made with fine Criollo/Porcelana cacaos. The majority of chocolate sold worldwide is made with the bolder Forestero and/or Trinitario cacao varieties as well as hybrids and cultivars of all the varieties listed above.

Patricia's Chocolate - Fortunato No. 4 - 47% Peruvian Grand Cru Dark Milk Chocolate - July 12, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Patricia's Chocolate 
Fortunato No. 4 - 47% Peruvian Grand Cru Dark Milk Chocolate
Good ++
Weight: .56 oz. (16 g.) in a 2-piece tasting sample package
Calories: 87 calories (estimate) in a 2-piece package
Cost: $3.80 (estimate) for a 2-piece package 
Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Fortunato* No. 4 - 47% Peruvian Grand Cru Dark Milk Chocolate was from Patricia's Chocolate (Grand Haven, MI).

Aroma and flavor notes for these Peruvian Pure Nacional (Porcelana) cacao based chocolates included: milk chocolate and caramel. There was a very faint sweet warm spice and sweet herb (licorice) notes in the late finish.

The texture was creamy and relatively light.

While the relatively high sugar content in this 47% dark milk chocolate (and the presence of milk) may have suppressed some subtle (fruit, floral, nutty) Nacional cacao flavors, these small ingot-shaped chocolates were still quite good.

Ingredients: (Not listed on small package)

Allergen-related information: (Not listed on small package)

*The name "Fortunato" comes from the name of the farmer who owns the land on which the prized cacao trees grow.

Fortunato Chocolate - Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 84% Squares - July 11, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fortunato Chocolate
Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 84% Squares
Good ++
Weight: 2.05 oz. (58 g.) / 8 oz. (226 g.) in total package
Calories: 360 calories in 2 servings (squares)
Cost: $10.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Fortunato Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Peru Week.

Today's Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt Dark Chocolate 84% Squares were from Fortunato Chocolate (Issaquah, WA). The company became known for their 68% dark chocolate offerings, and later added higher percentage cacao offerings, including today's squares with additional (100%) cacao nibs.

These generously sized squares were made with "Organically Grown Pure Nacional* Cacao."

Subtly complex aroma notes included: dark chocolate, faint savory (salt/brine), very faint diffuse fruit and fermenting fruit, and very faint green, floral and spice.

Each dark chocolate square had a smooth, creamy, almost light/whipped texture. The added Fortunato cacao nibs increased the overall/average cacao percentage and were incorporated into the base chocolate.

The attractively complex and well-balanced flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes listed above, with more chocolate (chocolate-y, dark chocolate torte/ganache) and a judicious hint of sea salt.  

Ingredients: 68% Fortunato dark chocolate (organically grown cacao and cocoa butter 68%, cane sugar 32%), Fortunato cacao nibs (organically grown cacao nibs), sea salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: May contain traces of hazelnut and almonds." (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

*Nacional cacao beans were rediscovered in the Peruvian Andes around 2011. (This cacao fell victim to disease in the early 1900s.) The sought-after cacao variety typically has mild and complex flavors, creamy texture and low levels of bitterness.

Ranger Chocolate - Oregon Sea Salt Chocolate Bar - July 10, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Ranger Chocolate Company
Oregon Sea Salt Chocolate Bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 349 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Oregon Sea Salt Chocolate Bar (Batch 34) was from Ranger Chocolate Company (Portland, OR).

The bean-to-bar makers described this collaboration bar (and series of bars with salt) as follows: "Our sea salt adventure explores salt harvested from the Pacific Ocean. In Oregon, we teamed up with our neighbors at Jacobsen Salt Co.

"We paired their Pure Flake Finishing Salt with our beloved Salitral cacao beans from Peru. Sea salt is turned into the chocolate to add texture and retain its true flavor."

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (chocolate-y, dark chocolate torte), diffuse red fruit (red grape, berry), and savory (barely detectable, salty, fermented fruit and red wine)).

This attractively complex dark chocolate and Oregon salt blend had a smooth, thick creamy texture (at 68 degrees F./20 degrees C.) and melt, smooth, very slightly fruity (berry, red grape) dark chocolate (smooth, rich drinking chocolate) flavor with tiny upticks of sea salt (and, interestingly, black pepper in some bites).

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic sugar, cacao butter, sea salt

Allergen-related information: (None listed on label. Check inside.)