Crow & Moss - Brazilian Santos Coffee 67% Chocolate bar - June 13, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Crow and Moss
Brazilian Santos Coffee 67% Chocolate bar
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 185 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

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

Today's Brazilian Santos Coffee* 67% Chocolate bar was from Crow and Moss (Petoskey, MI).

This bar had a rich, roasted coffee aroma, with notes of roasted nut, chocolate and a very faint wisp of umami/savory/hickory smoke. There was a wonderful, naturally sweet aroma to the coffee that I've not found in cacao. (Sweetness in chocolate can be perceived via "fruit" flavor notes from cacao, but often comes from sugar or added sweetener.)

The Honduras-grown cacao Crow and Moss used to make this bar complemented the Brazilian coffee very well, offering a bit of tart, fruit or berry flavor, a faint green note, and a bit of the nut and roasted notes.

The texture was a blend of smooth and crunchy with each bite triggering a cascade of rich, lovely flavor(s). The grind was uniformly perfect (not too gritty, fresh-tasting--thank you!). This was a truly great bean-to-breakfast-bar.

And yes, 67% cocoa chocolate does have a fair amount of sugar, but the coffee helped reduce and balance the sweetness. The bitterness/bitter acidity level of this three-ingredient** coffee bar was relatively low allowing subtle flavors to be savored.

Coffee History, Parallels with Cacao
Brazil is currently the largest producer and exporter of coffee (more than 2.6 million metric tonnes per year in 2019). Coffee originated in Ethiopia, and made its way to Europe.

The Dutch and the French brought coffee to the Caribbean/Americas in the late 1600s and early 1700s and by the early 1700s, the first coffee plants were growing in Brazil. For cacao/chocolate fans, coffee's origin story will sound familiar. Sadly, slave labor was part of the spread of coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea and other crops to European colonies in the Caribbean/the Americas as well as to African, Asian and other island nations close to the Equator.

In 2020, (West) Africa is the largest producer/exporter of cacao--a crop that originated in Central and South America. And Brazil is the largest producer/exporter of coffee, a crop that had its start in (Northern) Africa.

*Santos Coffee from Brazil is said to be a descendant of Bourbon coffee (Coffea arabica) originally grown on the Isle of Bourbon (Reunion), east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Santos is also the name of a port city in Brazil, through which a high volume of coffee exports have moved.

**Ingredients: Honduran cacao beans, organic cane sugar, Brazilian Santos Coffee.

Harper Macaw - Winter's Cheer 70% Dark Chocolate, Candied Orange Peel, Dried Cranberry bar - June 12, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Harper Macaw
Winter's Cheer
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 375 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Harper Macaw, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Ginger and Citrus Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week.

Today's Winter's Cheer 70% Dark Chocolate, Candied Orange Peel, and Dried Cranberry bar was from Harper Macaw (Washington, D.C.). The bean-to-bar chocolate makers hope that customers will savor the rainforest-grown, fine flavored cacao they use; and they help support threatened land and reforestation efforts near their cacao sources in Brazil.

Flavorful Brazil-grown cacao in today's bar complemented bright, citrus, tangy and tart sweet fruit flavors,* in an offering originally designed for fall and winter--when a Winter's Cheer bar would light up a gray day. But, this chocolate would be enjoyable any time of year.

"Ingredients: cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, candied orange peel, and dried cranberry."

Atypic Artiste Chocolatier - 50% Milk Chocolate Lemon Myrtle (bar) - June 11, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Atypic Artiste Chocolatier

50% Milk Chocolate Lemon Myrtle (bar)

Good - Good +

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

Calories: 183 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $10.75 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Ginger and Citrus Theme Week. 

This 50% Milk Chocolate Lemon Myrtle bar was from Atypic Artiste Chocolatier (South Melbourne Market, Victoria, Australia).

It had a green herbal/citrus (lemon verbena-like/myrtle) aroma with very faint, fleeting roasted, light plant latex, coconut and dairy notes. The melt was very creamy; and the flavor was all milk chocolate sweetness, but there were a few glimmers or authentic lemon myrtle flavor that were quite nice, and complemented the chocolate very nicely as botanical inclusions go.

*Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) is a flowering plant native to Queensland, Australia, used in teas, liqueurs, and other beverages, breads, cookies and other confections. 

Divine Chocolate - Rich Dark Chocolate with Refreshing Lemon 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar) - June 10, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Divine Chocolate
Rich Dark Chocolate with Refreshing Lemon 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 serving (9 squares) of bar
Cost: $4.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Easy Market, Mountain View, CA

Rich Dark Chocolate with Turmeric and Ginger 85% Cocoa Sao Tome (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving (9 squares) of bar
Cost: $4.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Easy Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Ginger and Citrus Theme Week.

Today's pair of Organic Rich Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa (Sao Tome) bars with flavor inclusions were from Divine Chocolate.*

Divine's "Rich Dark Chocolate with Refreshing Lemon 85% Cocoa Sao Tome" (bar) had a dark chocolate and citrus aroma with notes of lemon and lime peel(s). This smooth chocolate had a faint bitter citrus flavor note and finish.

The Turmeric and Ginger bar was previously featured and was re-tasted today as a pairing with its lemon sibling. This Turmeric an Ginger chocolate had a lovely, authentic ginger spice (ginger cookie) aroma and tangy, spice flavor, giving the illusion of sweetness beyond its ultra-dark 85 percent but smooth chocolate base. Satisfying and flavorful without being too sweet.

*Divine Chocolate is a Fairtrade cocoa farmers co-operative in Ghana. Divine Chocolate USA is based in Washington, D.C.

Nuance Chocolate - Crystallized Orange 70% Dark (bar) - June 9, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nuance Chocolate Company
Flavored Series - Crystallized Orange 70% Dark (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar + any applicable shipping
Purchased from: Nuance Chocolate, Fort Collins, CO

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Ginger and Orange Theme Week.

Today's Crystallized Orange 70% Dark (bar) was made by Nuance Chocolate (Fort Collins, CO).

The company specializes in small batch, bean to bar chocolates (single origin bars, bars with inclusions and confections/truffles). Today's bar was part of the company's Flavored Series. The candied orange peel* was sourced from Provence, France, and "sprinkled onto a bar of forastero cacao from the Republic of Ghana..." The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "...with "deep and sustained classic chocolate flavors throughout...with subtle layers of cherries and honey."

The aroma of this bar had dark chocolate, sweet malt, citrus notes and a very faint hint of mint/menthol. (The mint was not evident in the taste.) The smooth dark chocolate complemented chewy bits of orange peel, which contributed a balanced but acidic, sweet tangy citrus flavor.

I enjoyed re-sampling this bar later with a glass of ginger tea.

*"Ingredients: cacao, cane sugar, candied orange peel (orange peel, glucose-fructose syrup, sucrose, dextrose and citric acid), cocoa butter."

Moka Origins - Lemon Ginger Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (Uganda) bar - June 8, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Moka Origins
Lemon Ginger Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (Uganda) bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 2.4 oz. (68 g.) in total bar
Calories; 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Moka Origins, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Ginger and Citrus Theme Week.

Today's Lemon Ginger Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (Uganda) bar was from Moka Origins (Honesdale, PA). Moka Origins works with cacao and coffee farmers in Africa and the Dominican Republic to source beans for their chocolate and coffee  offerings. 

This ginger-forward bar had robust natural-tasting sweet spicy flavor from a generous helping of candied ginger pieces/shreds on the back of the bar, and lemon citrus flavor notes. The base dark chocolate (made with Ugandan cacao) was smooth and flavorful and complemented the flavor inclusions. And the touch of lemon was just right. (I enjoy a touch of lemon peel in coffee and/or chocolate now and then.) 

If you adore ginger and dark chocolate, this would be a great bar to sample. Some may like their chocolate with slightly less ginger and lemon to better taste the nuances of the cacao. Others will find this bracing blend of quality flavors very satisfying. 

Mindo Chocolate Makers - 77% Chocolate with Tropical Fruits & Nuts (bar) - June 7 ,2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mindo Chocolate Makers
Pure 77% Chocolate with Tropical Fruits and Nuts (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 268 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mindo Chocolate Makers, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Ginger and Citrus Theme Week.

Today's Pure 77% Chocolate with Tropical Fruits and Nuts (bar) was made in Ecuador with cacao grown in Ecuador, and distributed by Mindo Chocolate Makers (Dexter, MI).*

The organic, shade-grown Nacional cacao used formed a uniformly smooth dark chocolate, allowing the fruit, nut and spice inclusion items to shine. High-quality pieces of bright, fresh-tasting fruits (pineapple, mango, dried orange peel) were incorporated into the bar. One could still taste the subtle flavor of the fresh macadamia nuts (thank you). And bits of candied ginger added a balanced sparkle to this blend.

The choice of a 77% smooth dark chocolate meant this bar was not overly sweet and that it lacked bold or bitter notes that would have overpowered the other flavors.

"Ingredients: Cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, macadamia, dried pineapple, dried mango, dried candied ginger, dried orange peel."

*Founders Jose Meza and Barbara Wilson of Mindo Chocolate Makers have facilities in both Mindo, Ecuador and in Michigan. (Mindo is a small town in a subtropical cloud forest area on the western slope of the Andes Mountains, about 2 hours from Quito, Ecuador.) 

The founders work with farmers in Ecuador to source fine flavor Nacional cacao. They have fermentation, drying and other facilities on-site in Ecuador, and this facility (as well as their Michigan location) can accommodate small groups for tasting and tours). And because of their presence in a cacao-growing region, they can offer jars of miel de cacao, cacao nibs, Ecuadorian vanilla beans and other interesting cacao-related products on their website.