Fossa Chocolate - Gardenia Flower Green Tea (bar) - June 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
Gardenia Flower Green Tea (bar) 
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 273 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $13.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

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

Today's Gardenia Flower Green Tea (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate (Singapore). It was the part of the company's impressive Tea Collection.

Fossa makers chose a "...floral and mild Peruvian cacao from Puerta Pulache, Piura..." for this refreshing gardenia green tea bar. In a multi-step process...

Aroma notes for this bar included: subtle dark milk chocolate and come hither floral and green tea notes. The carefully nested process of flavor development in this bar was impressive: 

"Green teas from the "Fuding Da Bai cultivar were infused with Gardenia flowers from Qianwei country in Sichuan using a traditional floral infusion method -- fresh flowers are layered over tea leaves in a laborious process that is repeated seven times to achieve complex yet delicate floral candy sweetness."

 And of course the tea was then integrated into the Peruvian cacao which had its own, albeit mild, naturally floral cacao notes.

Texture: creamy and smooth with a quiet whisper of green tea astringency.

Flavor notes included: smooth, creamy and addictive dark milk chocolate infused with authentic and beautiful floral (gardenia) green tea notes. Just a faint whisper of green tea astringency.

I really enjoyed the upbeat gardenia tea blend; the choice of complementary cacao; the creamy texture and the subtle and harmonious complexity. And, like all the bars Fossa's Tea Collection that I've tried, I appreciated the thoughtful sourcing of ingredients and skillful balance and execution of the finished product. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Candy-like florals with lingering umami and a creamy mouthfeel"

Ingredients: "Organic cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, tea leaves"

Allergen-related information: "Contains dairy. Produced in a facility that processes nuts."

The Organic House - Lavender & Maple 70% Cacao (bar) - June 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Lavender & Maple 70% dark chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 198 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Lavender & Maple 70% dark chocolate (bar) was made by The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada). The company produces a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates--including many with flavor inclusions and/or maple sugar from Ontario, Canada.

The Bon Bulak cacao (from Kablon Farms) used to make this bar was from the Philippines.

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate; maple; and clean, faintly fragrant lavender.

Texture: broke with a well-tempered snap first thing in the morning (65 degrees F.), and was smooth and creamy when warmed to 70 degrees (F.). All flavor inclusions were completely incorporated into the 70% dark chocolate. There was no maple sugar or floral grit, or any off-putting or astringent components.

Flavor notes included: an elegant blend of dark chocolate with a wonderful, balanced flux of lavender floral, maple and refreshing sweet fruit (purple/red grape).

I really liked the complementary flux of high-quality flavors including the culinary lavender and the subtle petit verdot grape note. I appreciated the short list of quality and organic ingredients; and I enjoyed the maker's tagline: "Let your taste buds travel."

Maker's tasting notes: "Porcini, sage, lilac, petit verdot" (Petit verdot is a purple wine grape.)

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, Ontario maple sugar, Organic maple sugar, Culinary lavender

Allergen-related information: "May contain: Cashews, Hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios"

Spring & Mulberry - Lavender Rose Date-Sweetend Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar) - June 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Spring & Mulberry 
Lavender Rose Date-Sweetened Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar) 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.75 for 1 bar (part of a larger order)
Purchased from: Spring & Mulberry, online order

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

Today's Lavender Rose Date-Sweetened Chocolate 72% Cacao (bar) was made and distributed by Spring & Mulberry (Raleigh, NC). 

The company produces a variety of date-sweetened chocolates. (All but one of the bars I've tasted so far have also had flavor inclusions in addition to the dates--that some also consider a flavor inclusion.

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate, sweet green botanical (+ pollen/honey), dried fruit (date), and very faint lavender that increased significantly when I broke off another piece of this bar (with many more lavender buds).

Texture: relatively smooth chocolate texture with a very slight granularity (fruit astringency).

Flavor notes included: rich but smooth dark chocolate, rich date sweetness, and light/fleeting floral (mostly lavender, but that is to be expected as lavender is very aromatic). 

I appreciated the floral (lavender and light bee pollen) flavors; the rich sweet (but not overly sweet) taste of the dates; the visual appeal of the red rose petals; and the short list of quality and organic ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Dates*, Cacao Butter*, Bee Pollen, Rose Petals, Lavender (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a Facility That Also Handles Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Milk, Soy, and Wheat. Bee Pollen May Cause an Allergic Reaction. Not Recommended for Children Under One."

Fossa Chocolate - Honey Orchid Dancong Oolong 52% dark milk chocolate (bar) - June 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
Honey Orchid Dancong Oolong 52% dark milk chocolate (bar) 
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 273 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Tanzania Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Floral Theme Week. 

Happy Summer Solstice. I couldn't imagine a better bar to celebrate this spring-to-summer transition. 

Today's Honey Orchid Dancong Oolong 52% dark milk chocolate (bar) was made by Fossa Chocolate (Singapore). This collaboration with Pekoe & Imp (Singapore company specializing in single origin teas) was part of the Fossa's "Tea Chocolate" series.

Aroma notes for this tea-infused bar included: dark milk chocolate with subtle honey, orchid, faint stone fruit (peach, nectarine), and ripe guava. (It was a perfect sensory match with the bar's name.)

Texture: luxurious and creamy mouthfeel and melt

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate with blooming honey, floral, cream, oolong tea and fruit (peach, guava) notes.

I loved the aroma, creamy texture and complex, elegant, botanically authentic flavors that unfolded like a beautifully painted fan. This thoughtfully sourced and well-executed chocolate was fit for royalty.

Tasting Notes: "Floral fragrance layered with notes of guava and cream"

Ingredients: "Organic cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, tea leaves"

Allergen-related information: "Contains dairy. Produced in a facility that processes nuts."

Dick Taylor - 65% Dark Tanzania Kilombero (bar) - June 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Dick Taylor Chocolate
65% Dark Tanzania Kilombero (bar)
Good ++  
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Citrus Week, featuring a series of chocolates with citrus flavor inclusions.

Today's 65% Dark Tanzania Kilombero (bar) was made by Dick Taylor Chocolate (Eureka, CA)--founded by serial creatives and skilled chocolate makers Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor.

The cacao used to make this bar was from the Kilombero Valley in southern Tanzania.

When tasting chocolate, the smell and taste of a bar are usually very similar--only with richer, deeper chocolate flavor after you pop a piece of chocolate in your mouth. However, today's Tanzania bar was different.

The initial aroma notes for this bar included: bold (for a 65%er) dark chocolate (very slightly earthy, acrid/flat--vs. bright and fruity) when first  opened. 

However, the texture was very approachable and appealingly creamy. (Good sign.)

And the chocolate opened up with a bright burst of complex mixed red berry (raspberry, tart cherry) and citrus fruitiness. Considering the initial aroma and the flavors I was expecting, the authentic tart-sweet fruit blend (summoned by just three ingredients), had a Jolly Rancher candy* level brightness. (I associated some of this fruit brightness with Trinitario cacao varieties.)

Maker's tasting notes/description: "Cherry / Coffee / Lemon" 

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

Allergen-related information: Processed on Equipment with milk, tree nuts, wheat and peanuts.  

*I have tasted cacao fruit pulp that surrounds (and is fermented with) the cacao seeds (beans) in Belize, Hawaii, Costa Rica and elsewhere. Depending on many factors (including cacao variety and terroir) the pulp may taste like mango, lychee, melon, citrus (orange, tangerine, lemon) and other fruits with berry notes. In Belize I tasted pulp that tasted to me just like watermelon Jolly Rancher candy.

The Jolly Rancher Candy Company started producing tart sweet fruit-flavored candies in 1949. They became part of the Hershey Company in 1996. Watermelon was one of my favorite flavors as a child.

Kassho Craft Chocolate - 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) - June 18, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kessho Craft Chocolate
70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kessho, online order 

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

Today's 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) from Kessho, LLC was handcrafted in Austin, TX.

Cacao origin: Trinitario (variety) cacao beans from Kokoa Kamili, Kilombero Valley, in southern Tanzania.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and subtle diffuse fruit: berries, gentle citrus. 

Texture: smooth and creamy with an appealing, rich melt.

Flavor notes included: well-balanced dark bitter and bright sweet (tart-sweet fruity berries (bright, ripe strawberry, raspberry and other darker red berry).

I liked the balanced complexity, the authentically sweet and fruity (berry-forward) aroma and flavors, and the creamy texture.

Maker's tasting notes: "Berry, raspberry, citrus"

Ingredients: "Whole cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter"

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

Fossa Chocolate - 100% Cacao Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) - June 17, 2025

 Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
Tanzania 100% Cacao Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

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

Today's Tanzania 100% Cacao Kokoa Kamili Tanzania (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate (Singapore). 

The company specializes in high-end, well-executed, bean-to-bar, chocolate bars (and confections for those in Singapore)--made with single origin cacao beans. Many bars feature Asian-inspired flavor inclusions (including lovely Oolong teas, traditional desserts as well as savory dishes). They also offer some single origin bars (like today's bar) with "just" cacao.

This unsweetened chocolate was made using cacao grown in the Kilombero Valley, a large "wetland area" in southern Tanzania with rich soils that benefit agriculture and grazing.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and fragrant, balanced fruit (citrus, ripe berry, wine grape).

Texture: smooth, buttery, almost silky; more creamy than most 100%ers.

Flavor notes included: balanced bitter and tart unsweetened, ultra-dark with hidden fruit, forest and nut treasures. 

Note: do savor this chocolate slowly and you'll get wonderful, small upticks in fruit flavor. (The muted, sweet Concord (purple) grape was a favorite. It gently peeked out and then receded over a 10-second period, about 2/3 the way through tasting a piece of this bar.)

This was a very enjoyable 100% bar with delicate sophisticated fruit aroma and flavor notes. For those dark chocolate fans not familiar with zero sugar cacao experiences: smell first, then take a small bite. Recover from your first impression: your brain was expecting sugar, and now has to adjust to what initially seems a bit dense, flat and bitter. But, then wait...With this Fossa single-origin Tanzania, single ingredient (just cacao) bar you'll be rewarded. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Lemon zest, Biscuit, Nuts"

Ingredients: "Organic cacao" 

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a facility that processes nuts & dairy." (Vegan, Gluten free, Sugar free)