The Yes Bar Co. - Macadamia Chocolate with Cherries and Apricots (bar) - July 28, 2023

Chocolate of The Day

The Yes Bar Co.
Macadamia Chocolate with Cherries and Apricots (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.95 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Westpoint Harbor (shop), Redwood City, CA

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

Today's Macadamia Chocolate with Cherries and Apricots "snack bar for foodies" was from The Yes Bar Co. (Oakland, CA).

Aroma notes included: coconut, dried fruits (apricot, stone fruit, cherry, red berry) and very faint chocolate and warm spices (cinnamon, vanilla).

This chewy, fresh-tasting fruit and nut bar with chocolate chips had an appealing texture and flavor. 

Flavor notes included: coconut, nuts, tart sweet dried fruits (apricots, stone fruit, red fruit (cherry, berry), faint, fleeting warm spice (cinnamon), and soft bursts of chocolate flavor (chocolate chips). Macadamias have a very mild buttery flavor and are sometimes more difficult to detect in a blend like this; but I was aware of eating bits of nuts.

This vegan, gluten-free bar was full of appealing, authentic flavors and textures. The "chew" was just right--not too stiff, not too crumbly, and loaded with good things. And, best of all, it wasn't too sweet. (Thank you!)

Ingredients: Macadamia Nuts, Maple Syrup*, Cashews*, Almonds, Dark Chocolate* (Cocoa Liquor*,  Coconut Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*), Sunflower Seeds*, Pumpkin Seeds*, Coconut Butter*, Pecans, Coconut Nectar*, Dried Tart Cherries (Cherries, Sunflower Oil), Dried Apricots, Dried Cranberries (Cranberries, Apple Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Oil), Sesame Seed Butter, Ground Flax Seeds*, Cinnamon*, Sea Salt, Vanilla Extract* (Alcohol*, Vanilla Extractives*, Water). *Denotes Organic Ingredients

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Tree Nuts (Almond, Cashew, Pecan, Macadamia, Coconut), Sesame." "Made in a gluten-free facility that handles eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, sesame, and tree nuts."

Weinrich's - Wodka Lemon Vollmilch Schokolade (bar) - July 27, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Weinrich's 1895 Finest Chocolate
Wodka Lemon Vollmich Schokolade
(Milk Chocolate with Vodka Lemon Truffle Filling)
Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 219 calories (estimate) in 40 g. serving (2/5 of bar)
Cost: $2.89 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Crossroads Specialty Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruits Week, featuring chocolates (mostly bars) with a variety of fruit flavor inclusions. Many of the fruits mirror or complement fruit notes found in cacao fruit pulp.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Vodka-Lemon-Truffle-Filling (bar) from Ludwig Weinrich GmbH & Co. KG (Herford, Germany) was made in Germany.

Aroma notes included: chocolate, very faint alcohol (vodka), citrus (lemon) and a slight bitterness consistent with dark chocolate, lemon peel and vodka.

This 40% milk chocolate had a creamy, buttery texture and melt. The milk chocolate was infused with sweet citrus flavor (lemon chiffon pie with a nut crust). A 36% milk chocolate filling with hazelnut paste providing subtle, layered flavors.

I enjoyed this creamy, lemon milk chocolate confection--part dessert and part sweet cocktail. But, it may be too sweet and buttery for some dark chocolate fans. Any alcohol flavor (vodka) likely dissipated 

Ingredients: Milk chocolate: sugar, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, cocoa mass, butterfat (milk), whey powder (milk), hazelnut paste, emulsifier: soy lecithin; flavour: vanilla extract. Filling: sugar, milk chocolate [sugar, cocoa mass, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, whey powder (milk)], 12% Vodka 60% vol., butterfat (milk), glucose syrup, cocoa powder, lemonoil (sic), humectant: invertase. Cocoa: 30% minimum. Milk solids: 15%. 

Allergen-related information: (Contains milk, soy and tree nuts (hazelnuts)). "May contain traces of almonds, egg and wheat."

Fjak Sjokolade - 70% - Dark Reindeer Moss & Lingonberry (bar) - July 26, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Sjokolade 
70% Dark Reindeer Moss & Lingonberry (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .935 oz. (26.5 g.) / ~1.87 oz. (53 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Organic 70% Dark Reindeer Moss and Lingonberry bar was made with cacao from Akesson's Bejofo Estate, and handcrafted in Hardangerfjord, Norway, by Fjak Sjokolade.

Reindeer moss is a lichen (Cladonia) that grows in Scandinavia and other parts of the world, and is eaten by reindeer and other animals--and occasionally by people.*

Aroma notes for this single origin Madagascar chocolate included: dark chocolate (rich cocoa) and fruit (grape, raisin and dark berry). 

This dark chocolate had a uniform, creamy taste and texture. The flavor inclusions were well incorporated.

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes and included a rich, fruity dark cocoa with naturally sweet dark berry notes. Small, dark (visible) lingonberries offered concentrated, rich dark red/purple berry flavor that blended seamlessly with the 70% chocolate. The flavor inclusions were well incorporated.*

The constellations of tiny dried lichen bits were small enough that it was hard to detect any extra texture or flavor.

Maker's tasting notes: "Rich dark chocolate with notes of black cherry and tart wild berries"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*, lingonberry* and reindeer moss* (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: (Organic, vegan, gluten free)

*Lichens have at times been considered a "starvation" plant--consumed more during times of little available food. Native peoples in North America ate and use(d) this lichen as a medicinal plant. I'd not tried this lichen before, described as having a crunchy texture, before today. It was difficult to detect its flavor as it was a small quantity.

Fjak Sjokolade - Single Origin 60% Milk Madagascar (Akesson Bejofo Estate) - July 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Sjokolade 
Single Origin 60% Milk Madagascar - Akesson Bejofo Estate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .935 oz. (26.5 g.) / ~1.87 oz. (53 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 100% Organic Single Origin 60% Melk Madagaskar (Milk Madagascar) bar--made with cacao from Akesson's Bejofo Estate, was handcrafted in Scandinavia by Fjak Sjokolade (Hardangerfjord, Norway).

Aroma notes for this single origin 60% bar included: milk chocolate, fruit (raisin) and very faint vegetable (potato vegetable soup). Like most chocolates, any savory vegetable notes generally "disappear" or recede after a few minutes of opening. 

This dark milk chocolate had a uniform, creamy taste and texture, with a slight granular astringency.

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate, subtle cream caramel, and lovely fruit (fresh, ripe, sweet, white wine grape; white raisin and very faint sweet tangerine).

Maker's tasting notes: "Round creamy chocolate with hints of citrus and caramel"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans*, cane sugar*, milk powder* and cocoa butter* (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: Contains milk.

Nibble Chocolate - Mango 70% Madagascar Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 24, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nibble Chocolate
Mango 70% Madagascar Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar (4 servings)
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Mango 70% Madagascar Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Nibble Chocolate, LLC (San Diego, CA).

Aroma notes for this 70% cocoa chocolate included: dark chocolate (drinking chocolate/cocoa), fruit (mango) and vanilla.

The texture was smooth, and relatively thick and creamy (in a cool room).

Flavor notes included: rich, bold dark chocolate with balanced fruit acidity, and authentic fruit (tart sweet mango, very faint orange), vanilla and faint spice.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic whole unrefined cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, mango, organic vanilla.

Allergen-related information: Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts.

 

Nibble Chocolate - 85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar) - July 23, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Nibble Chocolate
85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar (4 servings)
Cost: $5.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's 85% Cocoa Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Madagascar Single Origin Trinitario (bar) was from Nibble Chocolate, LLC (San Diego, CA).

Nibble offers single origin and blended origin bars, and bars with flavor inclusions. Their square bars are scored into an 8x8 grid of 64 much smaller squares. The idea is to invite people to savor chocolate more slowly...to "nibble rather than gobble."

Aroma notes for this 85% Madagascar ultra-dark chocolate (crafted from Trinitario* variety cacao grown in Madagascar) included: bold dark chocolate; faint sweet tart green-lemon herb; very faint nut, spice, and freshly baked bread; and, last but not least, diffuse, tart/sour/acidic dried fruit notes. Madagascar cacao is known for having fruit notes (often citrus and tart berry).

The texture was smooth, almost creamy.

Given the relatively bold, acidic aroma, I was pleasantly surprised that the taste was more appealing/friendly than I imagined it might be.

Flavor notes included: rich, bold dark chocolate with moderate-to-high fruit acidity. The complex, sweet-tart to mildly sour fruit (dried stone fruit (plum), tart-sweet/sour citrus (pink grapefruit with berries) notes were frisky yet well-balanced. And the deep chocolate-y (extra dark fudge brownie, tart) taste was very appealing in the best possible way--very flavorful and not that sweet. 

Nibble Chocolate description: "Notes: plum, citrus, raspberry, and spices. Bold with underlying earthiness."

All these flavors from just two ingredients...

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic whole unrefined cane sugar.

Allergen-related information: Processed in shared equipment with products containing nuts.

*The Trinitario cacao is known for fruit notes--as is cacao from Madagascar in general. The theory is that Trinitario cacao is a product/cultivar of bolder Forastero cacao and milder and subtly fruity "heritage" cacao varieties like Criollo, and Nacional. Trinitario likely originated in the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago).

 

Madecasse - Beyond Good Madagascar Single Origin Chocolate - Salted Almond 63% Cocoa (bar) - July 22, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Madecasse - Beyond Good
Madagascar Single Origin Chocolate 
Salted Almond 63% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Beyond Good Madagascar Single Origin Chocolate 65% Cocoa (bar) was produced in Madagascar and distributed by Madecasse LLC (Brooklyn, NY).

Aroma notes included salted nut (almond), dark chocolate and faint salted potato chip--that disappeared after the bar was opened for a few minutes.

Texture: Smooth dark chocolate was interspersed with crunchy bits of almonds.

The base dark chocolate was well-balanced, and not too sweet (thank you). This 63% dark bar tasted darker--more like a 72% dark chocolate. 

This Madagascar cacao-based bar had flavor notes that included: chocolate-y (chocolate syrup to dark chocolate brownie), and balanced acidic fruit (bright-tart citrus (tangerine), and dark tart berry (blueberry)) notes.

It had a restrained, balanced bitterness; that is, it was not too bitter, but it was bolder than many other 63% dark chocolates. The salted almonds added complementary mellow, savory flavor.

Maker's tasting notes: "Uniquely delicious notes of red fruits and nuts"

Ingredients: "*Cocoa beans, *Cane Sugar, *Almond Nibs, *Cocoa Butter, *Sunflower Lecithin (Emulsifier), Sea Salt." *Organic Ingredient

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and other tree nuts."