Goodnow Farms Chocolate - 77% Dark Chocolate Las Palomas Coffee (bar) - Sept. 26, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Goodnow Farms Chocolate
77% Dark Chocolate with Las Palomas Coffee Guatemala (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $17.00 for 1 bar (when bought in a 3-bar Coffee bundle)
Purchased from: Goodnow Farms Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Special Reserve 77% Dark Chocolate with Las Palomas Coffee Guatemala (bar) was from Goodnow Farms Chocolate (Sudbury, MA) in collaboration with George Howell Coffee.

Aroma notes included: appealing dark chocolate; fruit; and subtle spice and coffee.

Texture: rich, smooth, relatively creamy texture.

Flavor notes included: a compelling blend of true chocolate with fruit (ripe, sweet berry, faint tropical fruits (mango, cacao, other)); slight, diffuse warm spice and coffee.

I really enjoyed the nuanced, sophisticated complexity in this bar. I kept returning to take another bite, to appreciate what I was tasting, and in case I had missed something in the attractive unfolding of notes.

I loved the fruity notes in this well-executed chocolate and coffee blend; the care taken to make a true single origin bar--with a short list of high-quality ingredients; and the balance and harmony between chocolate and coffee.

Maker's description: "...This collaboration bar with George Howell Coffee is a testament to the joys of single origin flavor. The many fruit flavors of their Las Palomas coffee from Huehuetenango, Guatemala combine with our fruity cacao from Coban, Guatemala..."

Ingredients: Single Origin Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Single Origin Cocoa Butter, Single Origin Coffee

Allergen-related information: "May contain trace amounts of peanuts and tree nuts." ("Soy Free, Vegan, Gluten Free")

 

Goodnow Farms Chocolate - Dark Chocolate El Carmen with Coffee Crunch 69% (bar) - Sept. 25, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Goodnow Farms Chocolate
Dark Chocolate El Carmen with Coffee Crunch 69% Cacao (bar)
Good +++ 
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $17.00 for 1 bar (when bought in a 3-bar Coffee bundle)
Purchased from: Goodnow Farms Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Maker's Choice Dark Chocolate El Carmen with Coffee Crunch Nicaragua 69% Cacao (bar) was from Goodnow Farms Chocolate (Sudbury, MA). Both cacao and coffee beans used to make this single origin bar hailed from Nicaragua.

Aroma notes included: very inviting dark chocolate and coffee.

Texture: smooth, fudge-y, creamy dark chocolate with finely ground bits of (very slightly gritty, crunchy) coffee.

Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate (dark chocolate fudge, true chocolate-y) infused with just the right amount of coffee (not too much, not too little) so that the chocolate was still the primary focus. The cacao and the coffee were neither too acidic nor too bitter. 

I appreciated the thoughtful execution and moderate sweetness level. (There was enough sugar to please those who don't care for black coffee, but not enough to muffle flavors that ultra-dark fans appreciate.)

Maker's description: "...premium single origin Nicaraguan cacao with finely ground single origin coffee from Nicaragua's El Recreo Estate for this crunchy celebration of Nicaraguan flavor."

Ingredients: Single Origin Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Single Origin Cocoa Butter, Single Origin Coffee

Allergen-related information: "May contain trace amounts of peanuts and tree nuts." ("Soy Free, Vegan, Gluten Free")

Cacao Space - Colombia Arauca 75% (bar) - Sept. 24, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Space
Colombia Arauca 75% (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170.5 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar  
Purchased from: Cacao Space, online order, local pick-up 

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week--that includes chocolates with coffee flavor inclusions, and (in today's case) a bar with coffee notes.

Today's Colombia Arauca 75% (bar) was from Cacao Space (Los Altos, CA). The maker is focusing on handcrafted, stone ground, refined sugar free, and plant-based chocolates.

I really enjoyed the pleasing and satisfying aroma and flavor notes in this two-ingredient dark chocolate. Notes included: smooth dark chocolate (that was naturally sweet, fragrant, and very balanced/low acidity and bitterness); warm spice (gingerbread); and very faint coffee latte. 

The organic coconut sugar likely contributed to the faint warm spice and latte notes.

Texture: smooth, even texture and melt.

Ingredients: cacao nibs, organic coconut sugar.

Allergen-related information: (None listed on wrapper.) 

Coco Chocolatier - Cold Brew Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 23, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Coco Chocolatier
Cold Brew Coffee Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Phoenix Shop, Big Sur, California

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Coffee Week(s).

Today's Cold Brew Coffee (61% cocoa) Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Coco Chocolatier/Coco EU (Belfast and Edinburgh). The outer wrapper was, quite literally, a work of art.*

Aroma: relatively sweet dark chocolate, roasted coffee and appealing, mysterious and hard to pin-down notes that might have been: fleeting herb, spice and savory notes (mild green pepper; roasted olive tapenade on freshly toasted bread); mild earth/clay; and slightly smoky vanilla.

The cacao origin for this bar was Colombia. 

Texture: relatively smooth, even texture and melt.

Flavor notes: well-balanced dark chocolate and coffee; not too acidic; not too bitter; naturally sweet, but not too sweet; and a polite lingering coffee finish. 

I loved the intriguing aroma and felt grateful for the relatively mellow, smooth, almost coffee flavor--likely due to the cold brew method, and added cocoa butter.

While I don't drink coffee anymore, I've featured a Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week almost every year on Chocolate Banquet. I loved drinking coffee; and the toughest part about giving it up was the lovely, seductive aromas. I'm looking forward to being intoxicated by coffee scents this week.

Ingredients: Cocoa Mass, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Coffee (<1%), Emulsifier: Non-GMO Soya Lecithin, Natural Coffee Flavour, Natural Vanilla Flavour. (Cocoa Solids: 61% Minimum)

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Peanuts, Nuts, Milk and Gluten."

*Chocolate can be blended with thousands of flavors; it's very versatile. It also can be enjoyed with--and found swaddled in--many art styles. Packaging/labels for craft chocolate, beer, and wine have been great sources of fresh and inspired designs and entertaining surprises over time. I would have saved all of the thousands of the physical wrappers I've seen, but that would've required renting a large storage facility.

 

Spinnaker Chocolate - 58% Colombia Oat Milk (bar) - Sept. 22, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker
58% Colombia Oat Milk (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spinnaker Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 58% Colombia Oat Milk (bar) was from Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes included: chocolate, faint oatmeal raisin cookie, warm spice (cinnamon) and milk/cream.

Texture: smooth, slightly soft break, with almost fully incorporated oat flour texture. There was a slight thick creaminess, and very little graininess (thank you!).

Flavor notes included: chocolate (slightly muted, semi-sweet ganache); faint diffuse fruit (sweet red grape, raisin); faint warm spice; the best dark chocolate oat milkshake ever; and faint oat-ness in a clean, short finish.

I appreciated this well-executed, elegant take on oat milk chocolate--that started with great single origin cacao. Even though the full magic of these cacao beans from Colombia were muffled a bit by the oat flour, some of the lovely complex aroma and flavor shone through. 

To those looking for the best oat milk chocolate available--or putting together a flight of oat milk chocolates--I would definitely place today's bar high on the short list.

Maker's tasting notes: "The amazing Tumaco Colombia beans in a vegan, oat milk bar. Creamy, delicious, and milk-less..."

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Oat Flour, Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts 

Spinnaker Chocolate - 85% Colombia (bar) - Sept. 21, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Spinnaker Chocolate
85% Colombia (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Spinnaker Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week.

Today's 85% Colombia (bar) was from Spinnaker Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes included: creamy dark chocolate/milk chocolate with chocolate-y; diffuse stone fruit and berry notes; and very faint clean, green, borderline floral.

Texture: smooth, even texture and thick, luxe melt.

Flavor notes included: fudge-y dark chocolate (bittersweet torte/ultra-dark ganache), diffuse dark fruit, and bitter caramel; and a light, fleeting nuttiness and fruit in the long finish. 

I enjoyed this chocolate ride! The balanced, broad variety of interesting complex cacao notes. Sweet tooth fans may not appreciate the slight bitter quality that arrives in the taste (after the promise of sweet milk, caramel and fruit in the aroma); but I love a well-executed flavor fest that honors all the wonderful aspects of cacao.

Maker's tasting notes: "Even with 85% cacao, the Colombia beans are mild, delicious, and wonderfully fudgey..."

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that uses milk powder and nuts.

Fjak - Colombia Tumaco Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) - Sept. 20, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak
Colombia Tumaco Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.11 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 168 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Bienvenidos a (welcome to) Day #8 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week. And, like other bars featured this week, cacao has traveled across at least three continents, from cacao tree to farmer to chocolate maker to consumer.

Today's Colombia Tumaco Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (bar) was from Fjak Chocolate (Hardangerfjord, Eidfjord, Norway). The company offers a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates, some with skillfully integrated, local (Nordic) flavor inclusions. Today's Colombia bar was part of their Cocoa Explorers Limited Edition Origins series.

Aroma and flavor notes in this three-ingredient chocolate included: dark chocolate (dark ganache, torte), herb (very faint savory herb and barely salted/pickled green pepper/peppercorn), spice (very faint (barely detectable) anise, black licorice) and diffuse fruit (apple). 

All these subtle notes were balanced, complementary and tasty. I enjoyed the subtle complexity; and I appreciated the short list of ingredients. The sweetness level was pleasant, and not too much (thank you!).

Maker's tasting notes: Ganache, Almond, Apple

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter* (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: Vegan, dairy and gluten free