Chimes Herbal Chews - Calmer Cacao - Aug. 10, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Chimes Herbal Chews
Adaptogenic Chews - Calmer Cacao Ashwagandha Reishi + Dark Cacao, Ginger
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .282 oz. (8 g.) / 2.5 oz. (72 g.) in total package
Calories: 30 calories in 2 chews
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

This "Surprise" week includes chocolates with unique ingredients, insights about food, farmers and/or culture, and/or found in interesting places. 

Today's Calmer Cacao Ashwagandha Reishi + Dark Cacao, Ginger Chimes Herbal Chews were a product of Indonesia, and manufactured for Roxy Trading, Inc. (Pomona, CA).

The creators indicated on the packaging that they were influenced by "Ayurvedic wisdom."    

Subtle aroma notes for these small, chewy, individually-wrapped bites included: rich, spiced cafe mocha; chai tea blend (ginger, very faint, fleeting black pepper); and very faint herbal-mushroom (reishi) hot chocolate.

Spicy ginger bloomed when I took a bite, and tickled the back of my throat on the way down. I liked the surprisingly strong ginger. (The heat subsided fairly quickly.) The cocoa was subtle and helped balance the spiciness.

I also was pleasantly surprised by the information provided about the approximate amount of theobromine: 4 mcg of theobromine (from cacao) in each chew. (Each chew also contained 80 mg. of KSM-66 Ashwagandha, and 120 mg. of Reishi mushroom/extract.) Not everyone will care about these details; but I appreciate them.

Ingredients: Cane sugar, tapioca starch, ginger, cacao powder, reishi, ashwagandha root.

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that processes peanuts." "Gluten Free" "Vegan"

Breyers - CarbSmart Vanilla Bars - Aug. 9, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Breyers 
CarbSmart Vanilla Bars 
Good +
Weight: 3.96 fl. oz. (56 g.) / 18 fl. oz. (532 mL) in total box of 6 bars
Calories: 140 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 box of 6 bars
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

Today's CarbSmart Vanilla Frozen Dairy Dessert (bars) were from Breyers* (Englewood Cliffs, NJ). The company's frozen "CarbSmart (tm)" line has relatively low net carbs (5 grams) and added fiber.

As with most frozen treats, the aroma for this frozen treat was very faint: a barely detectable whiff of chocolate. 

The bar's thin dark chocolate shell broke with a slight crackle and had an even, creamy melt. It was made with dutched (alkalized) cocoa--resulting in a smooth, uniform chocolate that was lower in acidity and bitterness.

The frozen dairy center had a light ice cream texture and a pleasant, sweet vanilla flavor. It was sweet, but not overly so.

I appreciated the smooth chocolate and vanilla textures and flavors. I didn't care for the long ingredient list with additives and sucralose (artificial) sweetener. But, for others who need to limit sugars and carbs, this might be a good-tasting, relatively low carbohydrate option.

Ingredients: Milk, coconut oil, water, maltitol syrup, sugar, polydextrose, less than 2% of: soybean oil, dutched cocoa (processed with alkali), sodium caseinate, whey, glycerin, calcium carbonate, cream, soluble corn fiber, natural flavor, vegetable gums (guar, carob bean), salt, soy lecithin, sucralose, mono and diglycerides, acesulfame potassium.

Allergen-related information: Contains dairy, soy. "Contains a bioengineered food ingredient." 

*Breyers ice cream was started by William A. Breyer in Philadelphia, PA, in 1866. In 1993, Unilever (Englewood Cliffs, NJ) bought Breyers Ice Cream from Kraft.

 

Sesame Plus - Dark Chocolate Sesame Plus (bar) - Aug. 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Sesame Plus Inc.
Sesame Plus Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

Today's Crunchy with Dark Chocolate Sesame Plus bar(s) were made in Greece and imported into the U.S. by Sesame Plus Inc. (Burlingame, CA). 

Aroma notes for these gluten free bars included: subtle sesame seed candy, (faint roasted, sweet, nutty, seedy, malty) and faint chocolate (cocoa).

The package contained two thin corrugated bars ("slices") that had a delicate crunch. After I opened the package, I was surprised to see that the small amount of dark chocolate (about 10% of total content) was not coating the reverse side, but rather was thoroughly incorporated into these sesame seed bars--all but invisible except for a slight golden brown hue (and a very faint chocolate flavor) compared with the plain and honey Sesame Plus bars the company offers.

These thin bars ("slices") tasted light and crunchy. They were also very lightly sweetened with glucose syrup and honey (thank you!)--especially when compared with other, heavily-sweetened, thicker (teeth-grabbing) sesame candies I've tasted in the past.

Ingredients: Sesame seeds, glucose syrup, sugar, 10% dark chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin - as emulsifier), honey.

Allergen-related information: "Contains soya. May Contain peanut and other tree nuts." "Non-GMO, Dairy Free, Gluten Free"

Mission Chocolate - Dark Batata 58% Dark Mylk Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Mission Chocolate 
Dark Batata 58% Dark Mylk Chocolate (bar) 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 164 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week. 

Today's Dark Batata 58% Dark Mylk Chocolate (bar) from Mission Chocolate (Sao Paolo, Brazil) was created by chocolate maker Arcelia Gallardo.

The word batata (in several South American countries, including Brazil) means sweet potato. Aroma notes for this dark "mylk" chocolate batata bar included: chocolate (rich, creamy cocoa; very faint fermented cacao; and slightly bitter/earthy-sweet vegetable (sweet potato).

This surprisingly unique alternative "mylk" chocolate had a smooth texture with a creamy, uniform melt. (The batata, a native of Latin America, serves as a substitute for dairy milk.)

Balanced flavor notes included dark chocolate (relatively intense but smooth cocoa) flavored with slightly earthy-sweet vegetable (cooked sweet potato, with skin), and very faint warm spice.

Ingredients: "Organic cacao, organic sugar, cocoa butter, sweet potato."

Allergen-related information: "May contain wheat, oats, milk, almonds, hazelnuts, cashew nut, Brazil nut, nuts, macadamia, pecan, pistaches, pinoli, and natural latex. May contain traces of gluten."

Fu Wan Chocolate - Taiwan #9 Ping Tung Double Ferment Rough Ground Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 6, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fu Wan Chocolate
Taiwan #9 Double Ferment Rough Ground Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good++
Weight: .795 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 143 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate Surprise Week, including chocolates with unique ingredients, surprising back stories and some that are just plain fun.

Today's Taiwan #9 Ping Tung Double Ferment Rough Ground Chocolate (bar) was made by Fu Wan Chocolate using (2019 Harvest) cacao from the Ping Tung area. Fu Wan Chocolate makes "tree to bar" chocolate and is based in Donggang Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan (Republic of China).

Fermentation of freshly harvested "wet" cacao is a very important step in making chocolate and helps develop flavor(s). A "double ferment" initiates a second fermentation and creates additional flavors.

Aroma notes for this 70% dark chocolate included: dark chocolate; carbonated beverage (beer with fermented fruit (mango, watermelon, stone fruit (peach, nectarine), cacaco fruit pulp); and strawberry-apple balsamic vinegar)).

The "rough ground" chocolate was a bit granular, not quite gritty, in texture. It was also rich in chocolate and fruit flavor.

Flavor notes for this aromatic chocolate included: chocolate and fruit (stone fruit (nectarine, dried peach, tart-sweet cherry), tart-sweet mango, cacao fruit, tart-sweet watermelon, and banana.). The authentic fruit and acidity (yeast used) created an almost fizzy sweet and sour chocolate, with a relatively long fruity finish.

It had more of an intense fruity sweetness than a cane sugar sweetness.

Both the Fu Wan beer yeast 70% bar featured yesterday (8/5/2023) and today's Fu Wan double ferment 70% bar were very interesting bars to taste, and would be interesting to include in a side-by-side tasting with other Ping Tung cacao chocolates--where the same cacao was fermented with different yeasts under different conditions and durations. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Strawberry, Apple, Balsamico, Champagne, Nuts"

Ingredients: Cacao Bean, Sugar, Cacao Butter

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts and peanuts." 

 

Fu Wan Chocolate - Beer Yeast #1 "Armstrong" Ale Style Rough Ground Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 5, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fu Wan Chocolate
Beer Yeast #1 "Armstrong" Ale Style Rough Ground Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .62 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.24 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 107 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $16.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate Surprise Week, including chocolates with unique ingredients, surprising back stories, and some that are just plain fun.

Today's Beer Yeast #1 "Armstrong" Ale Style Rough Ground Chocolate (bar) was made from "tree to bar"  by Fu Wan Chocolate in Donggang Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan (Republic of China).

Aroma notes for this 70% dark chocolate included sweet fermenting fruit (tart-sweet red berry, sweet citrus, cacao fruit/pulp) and chocolate.

The texture and mouthfeel was slightly rough with a rapid (light cocoa butter) melt and mild fruit astringency.

Flavor notes included: chocolate (mild cocoa, cocoa butter); subtle, almost fizzy sweet fruit soda/fruit beer note that tailed off--leaving lightly roasted, slightly woody and nutty cocoa nib, and buckwheat pancake/grain/malt notes in the finish.

This was a surprisingly aromatic and light, almost effervescent, 70% dark chocolate. It was fun and well-executed. The flavorful beer yeast bar was also relatively low in bitterness; and was not too sweet (thank you!).

It was also very interesting to taste the effects of yeast* (perhaps added during in the initial fermentation process, or as part of a second/double ferment). 

Note: Fu Wan Chocolate is crafting tree-to-bar chocolate "in country", allowing the chocolate maker(s) to be more directly involved with the fermentation process that quickly follows cacao harvesting. 

Most chocolate makers are remote from where cacao is grown, harvested, fermented* and dried. They can work/communicate closely with co-ops, fermenteries and those performing these first chocolate-making steps; but the options for tinkering/experimenting might be more limited.

Maker's tasting notes: "Tangerine, Fig, Beer, Almond

Ingredients: Ping Tung Cacao Liquor, Sugar, Cacao Butter, Beer Yeast

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts and peanuts." (Contains yeast)

*Yeast(s) play a valuable and complex role during the days-long process of fermentation of freshly harvested "wet cacao." 

Yeasts (some natural, some lab-based) help convert the freshly harvested cacao beans and residual "wet" fruit pulp from sugar to ethanol (and CO2) in a process where flavor compounds are also developed. 

How cacao is fermented and what yeasts were involved will affect aroma and flavor notes present in the subsequent finished chocolate.

Zotter - "My name is Bunny, Easter Bunny" - 72% Peru Chuncho + 75% Guatemala dark chocolate bars - Aug. 4, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Zotter Chocolates US LLC
"My Name is Bunny, Easter Bunny"
(Set of 2 different dark chocolate bars)

1.) 72% Peru Chuncho
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .615 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.23 oz. (35 g.) in 1 bar

2.) 75% Guatemala 
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .615 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.23 oz. (35 g.) in 1 bar

Calories: 205 calories in 1/2 of each bar (1/2 package)
Cost: $8.49 (estimate) for 1 set of 2 bars
Purchased from: Zotter US, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week, including chocolates with some exotic or surprising element(s), and/or chocolates that were/are just plain fun.

Today's 72% Peru Chuncho and 75% Guatemala dark chocolate bars were made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers/Cape Coral, FL).

These two dark chocolates were packaged together as a set of 2 bars, providing an opportunity for a side-by-side tasting experience. Both were part of the company's "Labooko" line of pure chocolate bars. (The company also produces a variety of interesting hand-scooped, filled bars and other unique and delightfully surprising confections.) 

Zotter packaging design and illustrations are colorful and fun. Today's James Bond-like, bow-tie clad bunny (leaning on a bar and holding a martini-like cocktail) was no exception.

Below are my tasting notes, followed by Zotter's tasting notes for their two bars.

72% Peru Chuncho (bar)

Aroma notes included: smooth, sweet dark chocolate (chocolate cookie, ganache); faint cracker or savory snack; and faint diffuse fruit (sweet tropical fruit (mango) and sweet, almost floral (vanilla, rose), red berry jam on freshly baked bread).

The texture was smooth and creamy; and flavor notes included: smooth chocolate-y (dark chocolate torte, frosting/fudge), diffuse fruit (tropical (mango), sweet, slightly tart red berry, cherry plum, and watermelon), and barely detectable, spice, clean mineral, floral and salted cracker notes. 

This 72% dark Peru bar with gentle, nuanced complexity had balanced, bright fruit acidity, and was low in bitterness--consistent with Peru Chuncho cacao's reputation.*

Zotter fragrance notes: "fruity and floral, tropical fruit mix, caramelized nuts, salty pretzels"

Zotter taste notes: "sweet and mild, lightly salted crackers, nutty notes, cream, exotic fruit (echoes of mango, banana and watermelon), nutty cracker finish"

75% Guatemala (bar)

Aroma notes for this 75% bar included: bold dark chocolate; tart-sweet, dried fruit (peach, plum, berry, banana); very light bitter/acidic earth (peat); and very faint leather.

Flavor notes for this creamy 75% dark chocolate included: bold, yet balanced and smooth, cacao notes; deep chocolate (Forastero/Trinitario cacao); diffuse dried fruit (berries, banana, stone fruits); fleeting nut (peanut); fleeting warm spice; very faint, fleeting, balanced earth; and very faint, fleeting savory. 

The cacao itself, judiciously added cocoa butter by the maker, and sophisticated techniques (like fine-mist roasting) yielded creamy texture; balanced, sophisticated layered flavors that were bold but without the "rough edges" that might be more/too intense for some.

Zotter fragrance notes: "intense fruity notes of berries, cherries, banana and peach"

Zotter taste notes: "mild notes of lightly salted lye (sic) roll, sweet spice mix, intense mix of fruit: notes of exotic fruit, berries, cherries, peach, watermelon, mild peppery, fruity finish"

Thank you to Zotter for all that they continue to offer. Today's 3-ingredient, single origin dark chocolate bars (made with organic and fair trade cacao) were well-balanced and smooth, yet had surprisingly subtle complexity. This set would be an enjoyable after meal dessert; well-suited for a high-end chocolate tasting; and appropriate for a sophisticated, James Bond-like, bunny.

---------------

*Peruvian cacao notes:

Many varieties of cacao can be found growing in different cacao-growing regions of Peru, including Criollo, Trinitario, Forastero and Nacional.

Chuncho cacao is prized by chocolate makers for its aroma and flavor characteristics. Bar & Cocoa (an online specialty/high-end chocolate retailer in the U.S.) offers this description:

"Chuncho cacao encompasses around a dozen related cultivars of the Upper Amazon Forastero group, now considered to be native to the Quillabamba Valley of central Peru. They're believed to have been domesticated by the Matchiguenga people, whose members were ancestral inhabitants of the Valley."