Pacari - Cuzco Pink Salt bar - Dec. 13, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pacari
Cuzco Pink Salt and Nibs bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 260 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - sample from Pacari Chocolate

One of the most delightful things about salt is that there are so many different kinds. Salt can be infused with many different minerals, colors and flavors depending on its origin and who is packaging it for sale.

Today's 4-ingredient* Cuzco Pink Salt and Nibs bar from Pacari Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador) was part of the company's Andean Flavors Collection of bars. The blend of organic Arriba cacao beans (and cacao nibs) yielded a chocolate bar with hot cocoa, light fruit and floral notes.

The pink salt (from the Cuzco area of Peru) and the unsweetened cacao nibs gave the bar a satisfying bite -- a slight, soft crunchy texture with micro-bursts of salt and nibs. The pale pink salt came from warm water seeps (generally fed into salt collection ponds) located high above sea level. I'm guessing that the Incas used this salt; and maybe some of them even mixed this salt with cacao paste or drink.

The Dreaded Wine Analogy
I would classify the cacao flavors in this chocolate as closer to a white wine vs. a red wine -- if that analogy works at all. Whites can have a slightly more delicate, nuanced flavor arc, with lighter floral notes possible. Following this comparison, this Pacari bar would be a complex, interesting fine white wine that I'd be happy to serve at my table. If you're a fan of bolder red wines with high acidity, red fruit notes or a tannic bite, then other high-end, bean-to-bar dark bars in the new American maker style might be more to your liking.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

*I'm a fan of bars that are made with 5 ingredients or less. 

Akesson's Bali 45% fleur de sel bar - Dec. 12, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Akesson's (AO GmbH)
Bali, Sukrama Farms 45% Milk Chocolate with Fleur de Sel and Organic Coconut Blossom Sugar
Very Good
Weight: .69 oz. (20 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) total bar
Calories: 104 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today's Akesson's (AO GmbH, Zug, Switzerland) sea salt bar was assembled from several interesting ingredients. The 45% milk chocolate was made with cacao beans from a single plantation, Sukrama Farms, in Bali. The addition of a bit of fleur de sel (salt) gave the bar a pleasing, rounded caramel taste. However, I'm guessing, what really amped up the caramel flavor in a wonderful way was the addition of organic, coconut blossom sugar.

I've enjoyed several chocolates with coconut palm/blossom sugar over the past several years, and this sweetener does yield a rich, interesting flavor -- where these flavors complement the inherent flavors in cacao beans being used.*

Akesson's founder, Bertil Akesson, owns land or has forged relationships with growers on plantations in Madagascar, Brazil, Bali and elsewhere. (He also sells peppercorns.)

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

*On the other hand, "pure" cane sugar is a popular choice, where the undiluted flavor arc of certain cacao beans is the desired focus. For three-ingredient bars (cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar), especially, every ingredient must be of a high quality and play well with the others to yield optimal, clear as a bell, results. Disclaimer: I love playing with the "browner" richer, natural sweeteners when cooking. A touch of molasses, organic coconut sugar, natural brown sugars, can improve sweet or savory dishes.

L'Amourette - Sea Salt bar - Dec. 11, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

L'Amourette Chocolatier
Sea Salt - Chocolat Noir aux Fleurs de Sel bar
Good ++
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 110 calories (estimate) for 1/5 bar
Cost: $5.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Farmers Market, Palo Alto, CA


Today's Chocolat Noir (dark 72% cacao) sea salt bar from L'Amourette (San Francisco, CA) joined this week's line-up of better than average chocolate bars with salt.

The dark chocolate was made with Carenero Superior cacao beans from Venezuela. The packaging described this cacao as having "intrinsic black currant flavor." I wouldn't disagree with this observation, but any currant flavor was very subtle in the smooth tasting, finished chocolate.

The chocolate was coated with just the right sprinkle and sparkle of tiny flecks and grains of sea salt (from the shores of Normandy) on the back side. The bar was easy to break into pieces to share with others if so desired.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week. 

Black Mountain Chocolate - 70% Sea Salt bar - Dec. 10, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Black Mountain Chocolate
Dark Chocolate - Sea Salt Bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.125 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.25 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (+ any shipping costs)
Purchased from: Black Mountain Chocolate (online order)

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week, and I had the opportunity to talk to bean-to-bar chocolate-maker, Brent Peters of Black Mountain Chocolate (Swannanoa (near Asheville), North Carolina) about the company's Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt bar.

The Black Mountain 70% dark bar base, was made with organic cacao from the Dominican Republic -- selected for its bright acidity.

I found it to be flavorful and well-balanced with bright/acidic fruit notes and just the right touch of smoothness and bitterness that I appreciate in a well-crafted, fine-flavored cacao.

There was a faint constellation of tiny Celtic sea salt "stars" on the back of the bar, almost lost in the blackness of chocolate night. And, indeed, the taste of salt was as faint as the sparkle of a far-away galaxy -- just enough to give a very slight balanced shift of flavor, but barely detectable otherwise. This bar was a great example of very judicious use of sea salt. (Other makers use more salt, but would be wise to avoid an overly heavy or uneven sprinkle, as it can overpower the chocolate.)

I asked Brent Peters if he, or founder Dave Mason, had thoughts about an optimal amount of salt to use with chocolate. He indicated that their goal has been (with salt) to provide a partner (for chocolate), and not a focus. The use of fine-ground salt (from a local, Asheville, NC, based salt provider), adds balance without being a competitive flavor.

More about Black Mountain and Chocolate Making

Future goals include opening Black Mountain Chocolate factory to the public (for tours), in the next year or two -- a move that would be a milestone in the journey from "hobby that got out of control that meant a lot to us" to growing the business and helping educate customers about who is producing their food, and how it's produced.

Brent was recently interviewed by local (NC Wine and Food) radio host, Bob Bowles. I'm including a link to this interview as I believe anyone wanting to know more about bean-to-bar chocolate-making might find this interesting.

http://www.buzzsprout.com/17473/128396-ncwf-black-mtn-chocolate_brent-peters_08nov2013-mp3

Lonohana Estate - Nene bar with sea salt - Dec. 9, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC
The Nene Milk with sea salt bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 173 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

Most great chocolate bars contain five ingredients or less. Today's bar was no exception. The Nene Milk with sea salt bar from Lonohana Estate Chocolate (Honolulu, HI) ingredient list read as follows: 1.) Lonohana Estate grown cacao; 2.) cocoa butter; 3.) organic whole milk powder; 4.) Maui cane sugar; and 5.) Alaea sea salt.

This Nene milk chocolate bar possessed wonderful caramel notes, without being overly sweet, and just the right, light touch of sea salt.

Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC, is the product of two families' efforts to both grow their own cacao fruit/trees in Hawaii and to make their own chocolate from the cacao beans. They planted their first tree back in 2009, and have started selling small production runs of bars (through a club system) within the last year.

Classified as a tree-to-bar company, this maker has more control over the complete process (raising the probability of making a great chocolate bar). However, the many steps involved, from propagating cacao seedlings to tempering and molding finished chocolate bars, also present more complex challenges (and opportunities for things to go wrong). For these reasons, the maker(s) at Lonohana are to be congratulated.* (Thank you Seneca, and Sunita.)

*Note: If the greatest alchemy is to turn fear into strength, the second greatest feat may be to turn cacao beans into great chocolate. There are more than 20 steps involved. The process rivals wine-making and any other complex craft food-making that I've encountered.

Dick Taylor - Fleur de Sel bar - Dec. 8, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Dick Taylor
Fleur de Sel bar
Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week, and the chocolate of the day was a dark chocolate single origin bar with salt, hand-crafted* by bean-to-bar maker Dick Taylor in Humboldt County (Arcata, CA).

This 74% Dominican Republic bar had well-balanced earthy and acid/ripe fruit notes, and just the right, even sprinkling of fleur de sel (sea salt) on the back side of the bar.

With a three ingredient bar like this (organic, fairly traded cacao, organic cane sugar and fleur de sel), there's no where to hide if you want a great bar. Each of these three ingredients needs to be of the highest quality and has to play well with others. There are no texturing or flavor agents to cover up off-tastes or an uneven flavor profile.

Thankfully, the makers and serial craftsmen at Dick Taylor (Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor are also boatbuilders and designers/printers, musicians, and I'm sure I'm leaving a few things out here) take each step of their craft(s) seriously. And, I haven't tasted a bad bar yet.

*Note: When I last checked the Dick Taylor website (Dec. 2013), most of their bars were "Sold Out," so stock up when they're available.

Lake Champlain - Salted Caramel bar

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lake Champlain Chocolates
Salted Caramel bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .8125 oz. (23 g.) / 3.25 oz. (92 g.) total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/4 bar (2 squares)
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Farmers Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today's organic Salted Caramel bar broke apart into eight domed squares with a sturdy snap. Pockets of fresh-tasting*, soft, salted caramel filling were securely contained inside each 55% cocoa dark chocolate square. And each square was marked with a stag, a suggestion of waves (lake), and 5 stars, all part of the Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington, VT) logo and origin story.

The company has expanded the percentage of fair trade and organic chocolate over time. This bar contained organic and fair trade chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla.

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week, and the beginning of Chocolate and Salt Week. Many of the best chocolate caramel bars now include a pinch of sea salt. More about this topic over the next several days.

*Note: Freshness and proper storage (at proper temperature) significantly affects both chocolate and caramel. Over time, and/or if stored improperly, a silky caramel can become stiff, lifeless and even chalky. And chocolate can become brittle, bloomed, or lose flavor notes. It's easier to prevent problems like this in the cooler months like December, but things can still go wrong in transit. So, a bit thank you to chocolatier and distributor/retailer for ensuring a fresh product.