DAR Chocolate - Hibiscus Art Bar - Hibiscus Dark Chocolate 72% cacao (bar) - Apr. 15, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

DAR Chocolate 
Hibiscus Art Bar - Hibiscus Dark Chocolate 72% cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 132 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Flowers Theme Week.

Today's DAR Chocolate Hibiscus Art Bar - Hibiscus Dark Chocolate 72% cacao (bar) was manufactured by DAR Chocolate LLC (Thornton, CO). 

The team at DAR honors artists in their packaging; and this Hibiscus bar was a collaboration with The Morgan Adams Foundation ("Funding Kids Cancer Research") that featured the art of Gifford Ewing. 

Hibiscus has become a more popular floral flavor inclusion over the last few decades. This tart-sweet flower adds an uplifting, citrus + red berry-like flavor to chocolate. (Originally from Africa, Spanish galleons (ships) brought hibiscus flowers to the Caribbean and Mexico in the 1500s.)* 

Aroma and flavor notes this this Hibiscus bar included: smooth dark chocolate, blueberry and faint floral (hibiscus).

I enjoyed the refreshing dark berry flavor that was part of this smooth dark chocolate, and appreciated the relatively short list of organic ingredients.

Ingredients: cacao liquor*, cane sugar*, cacao butter*, Hibiscus essence. (*organic)

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that processes milk, peanuts and tree nuts. 

*Hibiscus is related to cacao. Both are in the Malvaceae or mallow family--along with plants as varied as cotton, okra, durian and balsa.

Utopick Chocolate Makers - Saffron - 56% Cocoa Milk Chocolate with Saffron (bar) - Apr. 14, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Utopick Chocolate Makers
Saffron (Azafran) - 56% Cocoa Milk Chocolate with Saffron (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 242 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $16.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Oceana Market, Pacifica, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate & Flowers Theme Week.

Cacao and saffron are both versatile edible plants that can go sweet or savory. Love them both. Which is why I was excited about today's bar.

Today's "Saffron 56% Cocoa Milk Chocolate with Saffron" bar was from Utopick Chocolate s.l. (Valencia, Spain).

Aroma and flavor notes included: buttery, warm milk chocolate with clean spice (saffron floral) and light caramel.

Texture: uniformly creamy smooth with a slight caramel "chew" in the early melt (in a cool room), and a very faint astringency toward the finish.

I really enjoyed and appreciated the authentic saffron (saffron crocus stamens were visible on the back of the bar). The subtle, undulating saffron complexity was wonderful. And the fleeting, aromatic buttery saffron notes (that I recognized from eating saffron rice as a child) reinforced the buttery taste in the milk chocolate, enhancing buttery caramel flavor notes.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, pure cocoa butter, whole milk powder, saffron threads from Spain (0.5%).

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. May contain traces of nuts, gluten, egg, sesame, soya. 

Mayana Chocolate - Strawberry Rose - Strawberry Marshmallow, Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Rose (bar)

Chocolate of the Day

Mayana Chocolate
Strawberry Rose
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.49 (estimate)
Purchased from: World Market, San Jose, CA  

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Strawberry Rose - Strawberry Marshmallow, Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Crystallized Roses (bar) was from Mayana Chocolate (Spooner, WI).

Aroma and flavor notes for this high-end confection of a bar included: faint, tart-sweet, red berry (authentic strawberry), gelatin, caramel, faint vanilla and subtle dark chocolate. (I wasn't able to taste the rose.)

Texture: a generous layer of soft, cloud-like, marshmallow atop another generous layer of soft, slightly chewy caramel -- all covered with a layer of smooth dark chocolate

This bar was a fun blend of flavors, although this high-end, filled chocolate candy bar was a bit too sweet for me. Those who like marshmallow chocolates, or who have a sweet tooth will likely enjoy it. 

I appreciated the use of real strawberry (freeze-dried strawberry powder) rather than an artificial or "natural" flavor. That really made a difference; thank you.

Ingredients: Cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa liquor, soy lecithin, sugar, glucose, heavy cream, butter (cream, salt), vanilla bean, sea salt, marshmallow (sugar, glucose, gelatin, dextrose, vanilla bean), freeze-dried strawberry powder.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk and Soy. Made in a facility that processes milk, eggs, wheat, soy, gluten, tree nuts, and peanuts

Zotter - Hibiscus + Mint - Dark Chocolate 70% filled with peppermint cream and white chocolate-hibiscus ganache (filled bar) - April 12, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
Hibiscus + Mint - Dark Chocolate 70% filled with peppermint cream and white chocolate-hibiscus ganache (filled bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Flowers Theme Week.

Today's Hibiscus + Mint - Dark Chocolate 70% filled with peppermint cream and white chocolate-hibiscus ganache (filled bar) was from Zotter was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: aromatic mint (peppermint) coupled with a faint tart-sweet and bright flower (hibiscus) and citrus (sweet lemon).

Texture: thin dark dark coating surrounding a soft, two-layer ganache.

This mint + floral blend was quite unique. Hibiscus (a cacao relative) flowers lean toward citrus, and hibiscus and lemon added a bright tangy citrus element to the peppermint and dark chocolate. Peppermint tends to dominate most chocolates. This blend worked better than I thought it would.

I enjoy and look forward to Zotter's new flavors and latest flavor blends and appreciate their use of organic and fair trade ingredients.

Ingredients: Cane Sugar+*, Cocoa Mass+*, Cocoa Butter+*, Milk, Dry Whole Milk, Dry Skim Milk, Invert Sugar Syrup+, Glucose Syrup+, Almonds+, Dry Sweet Whey, Hibiscus+(1%), Lemon Juice Concentrate+, Dark Brown Cane Sugar+*, Emulsifier: Lecithin (Soy), Vanilla Bean Powder+*, Salt, Mint Oil+(0.01%), Cinnamon+*, Lemon Powder+ (Lemon Juice Concentrate+, Corn Starch+, Sugar+), Rose Petals+ (+ = Organic; * = Fair Traded, Fair Trade Content in Total: 69%

Allergen-related information: "Contains Milk, Almonds, Soy. Manufactured on Equipment That Processes Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Eggs, Gluten and Sesame."

 

Sted - Honey Lavender 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Apr. 11, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Sted Foods 
Honey Lavender 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 78 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $ N/A for 1 bar - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Wendy!)

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

Today's Sted Foods Organic Honey Lavender 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN).

Aroma and floral notes for this 50% dark milk chocolate included: sweet, creamy dark chocolate (chocolate-y with faint nut and even fainter fruit) infused with aromatic floral (lavender).

Texture: creamy smooth melt and mouthfeel.

If you enjoy lavender flowers and scent (guilty), and you're OK with dairy, do try this chocolate. The almost herbal, seductive lavender and dark chocolate are balanced very nicely with the milk, sugar and honey. This small bar was sweet and flavorful enough to be addicting, without being fully into candy territory.

I also appreciated the short list of organic and quality ingredients, the small bar size, and the compostable outer packaging.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Floral + Blissful + Summer Picnic"

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, Organic cane sugar, Organic cocoa butter, Organic whole milk powder, honey, Organic lavender essential oil

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. Made in a facility that uses peanuts, macadamia, almonds, pecans, and milk.

Dandelion Chocolate - Lemon Lavender & Yuzu Lychee - Apr. 10, 2026

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Dandelion Chocolate
Petrova Chocolates Garden Party Collection (assortment box)
1.) Lemon Lavender - Good ++
2.) Yuzu Lychee - Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.67 oz. (47.4 g.) / 6.7 oz. (193 g.) in total box of 16 chocolates
Calories: 270 calories (estimate) in 4 chocolates 
Cost: $79 (estimate) for 1 box
Purchased from: Dandelion Chocolate, SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Petrova Chocolates Garden Party Collection from Dandelion Chocolate (San Francisco, CA) was a collaboration with Betty Petrova, of Petrova Chocolates (Boston, MA). 

The collection featured 8 different flavors (2 pieces each), covered in 70% House Blend dark chocolate from Dandelion (cocoa beans, organic cane sugar). Below are the two* lovelies I selected today.

Lemon Lavender

Aroma notes: gentle sweet citrus (lemon) and lilting lavender floral 

Texture: firm dark chocolate silky soft and smooth centers 

Flavor notes: balanced, tangy lemon and gentle lavender 

I enjoyed the authentic lemon and lavender flavors and the overall balance with the chocolate. The lavender used was organic Bulgarian lavender. I also liked the subtle complexity and the fact this filled chocolate didn't seem overly sweet.

Yuzu Lychee

Aroma and flavor notes included: very subtle, jammy, tart sweet citrus (yuzu) and slightly floral, fruit (lychee). These two fruit flavors harmonized perfectly and the bright, floral notes in the lychee made the whole blend sing.

Texture: Thin firm, dark chocolate shell contained silky, soft ganache filling.

I enjoyed this chocolate a lot. And I appreciated the quality of the Dandelion chocolate and other ingredients in this spring collection.

*I was unable to try the Pistachio Rose; Blood Orange & Black Sesame; Concord Grape Tart flavors in this assortment as they contained wheat/praline/. (Thankfully that limitation saved me from eating too many.)

Allergen-related information: The overall assortment contained at least some pieces with wheat or sesame.

Fossa Chocolate -54% Dark Milk Full Bloom (bar) - Apr. 9, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
54% Dark Milk Full Bloom (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Dispensary, online order 

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate & Flowers Theme Week. 

Today's 54% Dark Milk Full Bloom (bar) was crafted by Fossa Chocolate (Singapore), in collaboration with Lim Joo Huat Enterprise (wholesale produce distributor).

The makers used "fruity Filipino cacao" to make this flower bar.

Aroma and flavor notes included: subtle, well-balanced, dark milk chocolate (warm fruit (very faint rum raisin)) and aromatic but gentle and authentic floral (geranium, violet, rose). 

Texture: This well-tempered dark milk chocolate broke with a snap, and had a wonderfully creamy, lush melt and mouthfeel. 

I enjoyed the sophisticated, warm floral and cacao immersion experience in this chocolate and the delicate and tender (real) flowers on the back of the bar. They were in perfect shape (without being heavily sugared/candied) -- a rare thing to find.

I admit I am biased. I love well-executed floral chocolates and tea chocolates with gentle floral notes. And Fossa Chocolate offers some of the best versions of tea and floral chocolates on the planet right now.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Creamy, floral chocolate with edible flowers"

Ingredients: Cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, edible flowers, geranium oil

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