Trader Joe's - Peru bar - May 12, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Peru 60% Dark Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .318 oz. (9 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) total bar (part of a larger package of 8 bars)
Calories: 46 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $N/A - part of previous tasting
Purchased from: Trader Joe's (by someone else)

How many ingredients can be combined together without the overall flavor getting muddied up (the artist's equivalent of mixing every paint color together and getting a "palette grey")? Well, the answer is it depends on the ingredients, and how well balanced they are. For example, a good sauce or soup might contain the essence of many things.

Today's miniature dessert was composed of a small vanilla scoop of ice cream, with a dollop of dark chocolate fig and orange sauce, topped with crunchy green pistachio nuts.

The chocolate was a piece of a Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) Peru 60% Dark Chocolate bar, melted with fig and orange. The resulting chocolate and fig sundae was a blend of sweet, smoky, floral, citrus, fruity -- light, bright and dark -- flavors. I savored every tiny bite.

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week. 

Hedonist - Dipped Figs - May 11, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates
Dipped Figs
Good++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) total package
Calories: 160 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $10.00 (plus shipping)
Purchased from: Hedonist Chocolates (online order)

A very happy Mother's Day to all. I was very happy to celebrate this occasion with these Dipped Figs from Hedonist Artisan Chocolates (Rochester, NY).

Made with figs from Bella Viva Orchards in California that were swaddled in bittersweet dark (72% cacao) chocolate, each bite delivered a symphony of rich flavors - dried fig, floral, caramel, coffee and vanilla notes, and dark chocolate of course.

This rustic dark chocolate fig beauty, and others like it this week, are why I plan and look forward to at least one Chocolate and Fig Theme Week each year.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week. Already sorry I only have one day left. 

Dick Taylor - Black Fig 72% Madagascar bar - May 10, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate
Black Fig 72% Madagascar bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

Previously, in 2012, I featured a black fig bar from this same craft chocolate maker, Dick Taylor (Arcata, CA); however, that 70% dark bar was made with cacao beans from Ecuador (vs. Madagascar).

Since I've set out to eat a different chocolate each day, what follows is my justification for counting today's Black Fig bar as a "different" chocolate. With small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate-makers, like Dick Taylor, one year's batch of chocolate from one origin can't really be compared with another single origin bar the following year -- anymore than you could compare a 2012 California Chardonnay to a 2013 New Zealand Pinot Blanc. Too many factors vary from year to year (weather, fermentation conditions, to name a few); and different grapes, or in this case cacao beans, grown in different soils/countries yield different flavor profiles.

I liked the previous Black Fig Ecuador 70% bar. So, it was with interest that I took my first nibble of today's Dick Taylor (batch # 13270) Black Fig 72% Madagascar bar. Sadly, the Black Fig 70% Ecuador bar was long gone, so a side-by-side comparison was impossible. However, I rated the two Dick Taylor Black Fig bars similarly -- the first was a Good + - Very Good and this one I gave a similar rating of Good ++ - Very Good.

The elegant lattice pattern stamped, three-ingredient bar (organic cacao, organic cane sugar and organic Black Mission figs) had a rich, dark fruit flavor with balanced acidity. Rather than bright red fruit notes found in some Madagascar bars, this one had a ripe dark, (earthier) dried fruit note from the fig. The flavorful bar, with a surprisingly buttery mouthfeel, was great by itself, or with a handful of fresh raspberries to brighten up and/or complement the dried fig.

rawmio - hazelnut and fig raw chocolate - May 9, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Windy City Organics, LLC
rawmio
Organic Gourmet Hazelnut and Fig Raw Chocolate Bark
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total package
Calories: 268 calories in 1 package
Cost: $6.95 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Abe's Market (online order)

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

Raw chocolate bars lack some of the stronger roasted and acidic flavor notes that some dark chocolates have, but they often make up for that in terms of smoothness. Flavor additions (added ingredients) can also boost the flavor profile as in today's bar (bark).

This vegan rawmio Hazelnut and Fig Raw Chocolate Bark from Windy City Organics, LLC (Northbrook, IL) had subtle dark flavor. And organic, sprouted hazelnut pieces and a peppering of crunchy cacao nibs added contrast and texture to the stoneground chocolate. The few sliced bits of organic black mission fig I detected added a hint of acidic, dried fruit, and a little extra pizazz.

Rescue Chocolate - Mission Feral Fig bar - May 8, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Rescue Chocolate
Mission Feral Fig bar
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Abe's Market, online order

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week.

I can think of at least three reasons to feature this bar: 1.) 100% of the net proceeds of this Mission Feral Fig bar from Rescue Chocolate (made by Tumbador Chocolate in Brooklyn, NY) go to animal rescue groups; 2.) this Mission Feral Fig bar features a cute tabby cat in the label; and last, but not least, this was a good tasting chocolate bar.

The Mission Feral Fig bar contained dried MIssion figs, dried cranberries, and almonds in a base of 66% organic dark chocolate. A pinch of spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and allspice rounded out this flavorful, rich tasting bar.

jcoco - black fig pistachio bars - May 7, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

jcoco
black fig pistachio in dark chocolate bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1 oz. bar
Cost: $8.00 for package of 3 bars
Purchased from: The Olive Press, Sonoma, CA

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

jcoco* (affiliated with Seattle Chocolate Company, Seattle, WA) produces what they call couture chocolate.

A purple covering enveloped three smaller black fig pistachio dark bars that were wrapped in copper foil and outer wrappers adorned with black and white fashion photographs.

The question is, did the chocolate deliver? Happily, the answer was yes. Non-GMO, vegan and gluten-free, this set of 3 dark chocolate black fig pistachio bars had an unexpectedly buttery taste and mouth feel, and a generous helping of crunchy, green roasted pistachio nuts (from California).

jcoco is also interested in giving back. "With each bar, we provide a serving of fresh food to someone in need."

*jcoco owner, and creator of this line of bars, is Seattle Chocolates CEO Jean Thompson.

Hedonist - Ginger Cluster and fig - May 6, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates
Ginger
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) (estimate) in total box
Calories: 132 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $ N/A - sample box
Purchased from: Hedonist Chocolates, Rochester, NY

Today was the first day of Chocolate and Fig* Theme Week. Over the next several days, I'll be featuring chocolates with fig in them, and fig items paired with different chocolates.

The main course today consisted of two bittersweet (72% cacao) dark glossy domes stuffed with generous portions of organic, crystallized ginger from Hedonist Artisan Chocolates (Rochester, NY).

These Ginger chocolates were part of a Hedonist box of Fruit and Nut Clusters. (I featured other gems from this flavorful collection earlier this year.)

The flavors in these chocolates were wonderfully intense with a touch of exotic spiciness. They were great a la carte; with sliced oranges, figs and berries; and with a small dish of vanilla ice cream. If you like ginger, you can't go wrong with this one. The crystallized ginger was just the right texture -- firm and moist.

*Note: The "fig" component was provided by two types of fig jam (one with Dalmation figs and orange) on gluten-free toast points, as part of a fruit and nut plate that I put together to accompany these chocolates.