Raphio Chocolate - 102% Ecuador bar - Nov. 9, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Raphio Chocolate

102% Ecuador bar

Good+

Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.5 g.) / 2.2 oz. (63 g.) in total bar

Calories: 194 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

How dark can chocolate get? 100% cacao? Apparently not.

Today's 102%* Ecuador bar was from Raphio Chocolate (Fresno, CA). Raphio's chief chocolate maker, Elisia Otavi, was inspired by her family to make healthy chocolate ("not candy"), from scratch using only "organic and natural ingredients." The company's name, Raphio, is a distillation of Raphael and Rio, the names of her two sons. 

The 102% number may sound intense; however, this ultra dark bar was relatively smooth in aroma, texture and flavor, with malt, dark chocolate, nut and berry fruit aroma and flavor notes. It was a friendlier, more approachable 100% cacao chocolate than most other 100%ers.

"Macadamia nuts, malt, berry" were the flavor notes that the maker listed on the bar's packaging. This is one of those instances where what I was tasting matched up 100% with the maker's tasting notes.

*Is it possible to have a 102% cacao chocolate? Perhaps the sprinkle of cacao nibs on the back of this bar comprised that additional 2%.

Alter Eco - Deepest Dark Super Blackout 90% Cocoa bar - Nov. 8, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Alter Eco
Deepest Dark Super Blackout 90% Cocoa bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

This ultra dark bar from Alter Eco (Europe and San Francisco, CA) had the kind of bold aroma that often promises deep chocolate and a relatively high degree of fruit acidity. That said, there was a very fleeting floral note that managed to peek through.

The texture was smooth, and the first bite was surprisingly sweet*, with true chocolate, nutty and acidic fruit flavor notes. However, this quickly simmered down to a more intense but balanced, bitter, acidic fruit sustained note toward, and into, the finish.

Alter Eco, a certified B Corporation, has specialized in a line of chocolate bars made with fair trade cacao (as well as coffee and quinoa) from the Americas (Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and other locations), and has also been involved with reforestation projects (PUR in Peru).

Today's Super Blackout bar is the even more intense and daring sibling of the company's 85% Blackout bar. This certified organic and gluten free (and Non GMO Verified) bar was made in Switzerland with cacao from Fortaleza Coop in Ecuador—and was distributed in the U.S. by Alter Eco in San Francisco, CA.

*This chocolate was surprisingly sweet for a 90% bar with only 3 grams of sugar for 1 (1/2 bar) serving.

Cacao Sampaka - Chocolate Negro/Dark Chocolate 100% Cacao Ecuador bar - Nov. 7, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cacao Sampaka S.L.
Chocolate Negro 100% Cacao Ecuador bar
Good
Weight: 1.32 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 212.3 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's ebony-colored Chocolate Negro/Dark Chocolate 100% Cacao Ecuador bar was created by Cacao Sampaka (Barcelona, Spain).

The beautifully-designed* bar (with two interlocking, raised swirls on the bar itself) had an even dark aroma with fleeting, light nutty, floral fruit and spiced hazelnut hot chocolate notes—all the while conveying what lay ahead would be a fairly robust, dark, slightly bitter flavor.

The two-ingredient (cocoa mass, cocoa butter), ultra-dark, bar had an even, unadulterated, balanced bitter flavor with a hint of fruit acidity. The acidity lingered a bit in the finish, which was relatively clean with no off notes.

*The outer packaging was decorated with a collage of colorful ceramic tile pieces, evoking a wall or floor one might see when strolling through Barcelona in Spain.

Chocolita - Dark and Sweet 80% bar - Nov. 6, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolita
Dark and Sweet 80% bar
Good
Weight: .625 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 80 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Bienvenidos a (welcome to) Day #1 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Dark and Sweet 80% raw dark chocolate bar was handcrafted by Sarah Ann Lesslie and the team at Chocolita (Sedona, AZ).

The maker indicates that the stoneground cacao used to make this bar (Arriba Nacional Ecuadorian Fina de Aroma Cacao) is associated with floral and fruity flavor notes, with hints of nutty and malty flavor. The high percentage of cacao (80%) used in this bar allowed some of the above flavors to come through; however, the overall flavor was fairly mild (as is often the case with unroasted/raw cacao).

This Organic, paleo, gluten free and vegan bar was made with fair trade ingredients. The bar was sweetened with coconut sugar and seasoned with a touch of vanilla and sea salt.

And now a second Chocolita bar; however, this one is an alternative take on white chocolate.


Chocolita
Pine Pollen and Lemon (raw white chocolate) bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 70 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

This lemon infused "white chocolate" bar was also from Chocolita (Sedona, AZ). This brown sugar-colored bar had a very subtle and harmonious pine accent—and the flavor combination was a refreshing change of pace.

The bar had a slow, relatively smooth melt and, unlike most white chocolate sold, it did not immediately result in a sugar buzz (thank you). It was sweetened with coconut sugar; and it was (and felt) lower on the glycemic index than conventional white chocolate bars made with refined white sugar.

Ingredients: cacao butter, coconut sugar, lucuma, vanilla, lemon essential oil, sea salt, pine pollen

Michel Cluizel - Plantation Riachuelo (Brazil) 51% Milk Chocolate bar - Nov. 5, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Michel Cluizel

Plantation Riachuelo (Bresil) Chocolat Lait 51% bar

Good +++ - Very Good

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.46 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 214 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.25 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Single Origin Milk Chocolate Theme Week.

This 51% Milk Chocolate bar from Michel Cluizel (made in Mesnils Sur Iton, France) was a scrumptious, French, dark milk bar, made with cacao grown on Riachuelo Plantation in Brazil. 

Was it creamy and smooth? Oui. Flavorful? Oui. The maker's tasting notes read as follows: 

"A creamy, tender texture, with sweet notes of milk, cream and caramel, mingling with notes of red fruits and cocoa, with a spicy and fresh lingering flavor." 

All true. A hint of Bourbon vanilla bean and spice (a very subtle hint of something like warm ginger) created an uplifting feel and finish to this tasty bar. There seemed to be a faint hint of salt (the entire bar contained 80 g. of sodium*); although no salt was listed in the ingredients.*

Ingredients: "whole milk powder, cocoa from plantation 'Riachuelo' (Brazil), cocoa butter, sugar, Bourbon vanilla pod."

*Most, higher cacao percentage, dark chocolate bars (without added salt) are low in sodium (0-5 mg. in a 1 oz. bar). Milk chocolate bars are higher (25-40 mg. in a 1 oz. bar). Milk naturally contains sodium, and the sodium content is concentrated when milk is dried into a powder to add to chocolate. We like our snacks sweet and salty, which may help explain cravings for milk chocolate.

Dick Taylor - 58% Madagascar Milk Sambirano bar - Nov. 4, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dick Taylor
58% Milk Madagascar Sambirano bar
Good+++-Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.20 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Dick Taylor (online order)

Welcome to Day #7 of Single Origin Milk Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's 58% Milk Madagascar Sambirano bar was made by Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA), a bean-to-bar maker who produces bars in small batches in Northern California.

One of the first things we noticed after opening up the packaging and foil inner wrapping: the bar had a reddish appearance (a color associated many single origin* Madagascar bars); and pleasing aroma; smooth melt and texture.

As hoped for, the relatively high cocoa content (58%) allowed for a more enjoyable flavor ride. A smooth melt and texture was followed by bright, balanced, almost tangy dried fruit, and lightly caramelized milk* flavor notes.

The maker's Tasting Notes read as follows: "Prunes, Almond Butter, Caramel."

Dick Taylor package design and artwork is always noteworthy. The illustration on this bar told the origin story of the cacao (treasure map style, with depictions of Madagascar), and of the milk. The packaging was graced with a single cow, and a beautiful scene depicting the Northern California Coast with grazing milk cows who could have produced the milk for today's dark milk chocolate.

*The cacao for this single origin milk bar came from a Single Estate, Akesson Plantation, located in the Sambirano Valley in Madagascar. The milk came from Humboldt Creamery in Northern California.

Chocolate Always - 36% Cacao Organic Milk Chocolate Bar - Nov. 3, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Always
36% Cacao Organic Milk Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Single Origin Milk Chocolate Theme Week. Most of this week's bar have been dark milk chocolate. Today we'll try something on the lighter side.

Today's 36% Cacao Organic Milk Chocolate Bar was a product of Peru, made for Chocolate Always (Weston, FL).

How low can you go (percentage wise) and still have a bar with fine chocolate flavor?

This well tempered bar was, as expected, very sweet, with caramel/toffee notes in the aroma and taste. While a bit too candy-sweet for my taste, it was still a cut above many other 36% chocolate items.

Also, any chocolate made in the country of origin (Peru in this case), is still worth noting, as it's not the norm; and it's a plus in that, one hopes, more income stays in producing countries (also not the norm).