Akesson's - Brazil Fazenda Sempre Firme 75% Forastero Cocoa (bar) - June 6, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Akesson's

Brazil Fazenda Sempre Firme 75% Forastero Cocoa (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 172.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar (+ shipping)
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week. 

Today's Brazil Fazenda Sempre Firme 75% Forastero Cocoa bar (made in France) was from Akesson's (AO Global Sprl, Uccle, Belgium). 

Company founder Bertil Akesson not only specializes in single plantation chocolate, but also has direct cacao plantation experience in Brazil.*

Subtle aroma notes included: brown sugar, faint woodsy, very faint green (lemon balm/sour grass), and very faint warm spice.

Flavor notes: smooth (uniform) dark chocolate with naturally sweet (brown sugar), faint fleeting cream, wood and earth notes. 

Made with a variety of Forastero cacao, the resulting chocolate was less bold/bitter than many other Forastero chocolates. (The roast profile might have been adjusted as a result, leading to a "lighter" flavor.)

Maker's tasting notes: "The chocolate we developed from these beans is smooth, woody and earthy. It has also expressive notes that evoke autumn scents, tobacco and the local pitanga fruit."

Ingredients: Cocoa (min. 75%), cane sugar, pure cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts, almonds, soya, milk and gluten.

*In 2009, Akesson and a Brazilian partner purchased the historic Fazenda Sempre Firme in Bahia, Brazil. This plantation is located in the Mata Atlantica (the wild forest/rainforest area(s) in Eastern Brazil along the Atlantic coast). They are growing a Forastero variety of cacao called "parasinho."

Luisa Abram - Rio Jurua 81% - Chocolate Brazilian Amazon Wild Cocoa (bar) - June 5, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Luisa Abram 
Rio Jurua 81% - Chocolate de Cacau Selvagem da Amazonia Brasileira (barra)
(Jurua River 81% - Chocolate from the Brazilian Amazon wild cocoa (bar))
Good +++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 246 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week.

Today's Rio Jurua 81% Brazilian Amazon wild cocoa (bar) was made by Luisa Abram (San Paolo, Brazil). The company specializes in bean to bar chocolate made with wild cacao from the Amazon. 

The aroma of today's bar (similar to yesterday's Rio Jurua 70% version) was subtle and multi-dimensional. Aroma notes included shifting floral notes (faint rose and pineapple scented geranium blooms), naturally sweet, refreshing/fresh mineral water, other soft floral, fruit and sweet spice (mango, lychee, licorice), and very faint, fleeting roasted green vegetable/potato chip. These notes shifted gently with every re-tasting. 

To me this flowing quality accurately captured the flavors of fresh-picked and eaten cacao fruit (pulp) that surrounds the cacao seeds/beans--flavors with descriptions that vary a lot depending on origin and variety, and often include: citrus, floral, watermelon, pineapple, and many other fruits, while still maintaining its own uniqueness.

Do eat this chocolate slowly, so you can enjoy the scent and flavor treasures that are revealed with this origin. (The visual equivalent: edible flower + green tea balls that "bloom" when hot water is poured over them. Enjoy the experience.)

This 81% cacao bar had a mild complexity and natural sweetness (the opposite of bold, earthy, roasted, bitter chocolates). Flavor notes included very subtle, complex cacao with mild fruit-floral (rose scented geranium flowers), light pineapple cream pudding, light caramelized brown sugar, and very faint vegetable (potato chip). 

I love floral aromas and flavors, and these frequently disappear with heat, longer roasting times and processing in general. So, I'd like to convey much gratitude to the maker for preserving these beautiful Amazon headwater origin notes for us to smell and taste in both Rio Jurua (70% and 81%) bars this week.

The maker's tasting notes: "Flowers in the form of chocolate. Sweetness rises to pitanga and lychee. Reminds crystallised fruits. It ends with perfumed caramel."

Ingredients: Cacao mass, organic cane sugar and cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: Does not include gluten ingredients. Made in a facility that processes/May contain traces of milk, Brazil nuts and tree nuts.

Luisa Abram - Rio Jurua 70% Brazilian Amazon wild cocoa (bar) - June 4, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Luisa Abram 
Rio Jurua 70% - Chocolate de Cacau Selvagem da Amazonia Brasileira (barra)
(Jurua River 70% - Chocolate from the Brazilian Amazon wild cocoa (bar))
Good +++ 
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 213 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week.

Today's award-winning Rio Jurua 70% Brazilian Amazon wild cocoa (bar) was made by Luisa Abram (Sao Paulo, Brazil). The company specializes in bean to bar chocolate made with wild cacao from the Amazon. 

The cacao used to make today's bar came from far inland of the Atlantic coast, in western Brazil along the Rio (River) Jurua--a river (with origins in the mountains of eastern Peru) that runs north through the Brazilian states of Acra and Amazonas. 

The aroma of this wild cocoa chocolate was subtle yet complex with fruit (goji berry, Inca berry), tea (orange blossom, floral oolong tea), herb (lemon balm), faint spice (saffron), vegetable (roasted potato) notes.

The flavors in this fruity, floral smooth dark chocolate included orange blossom and floral, fruit and honey; and very faint, fleeting vegetable/potato chip and brown sugar notes in the finish. This single origin dark chocolate was relatively low in acidity and bitterness making it very approachable as well as flavorful.

The sweetness level itself was also complex. Natural floral and fruit notes (and the absence of bitterness) in the cacao and the organic sugar elevated the perceived sweetness to a pleasing level.

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Flowers in the form of chocolate. Sweetness rises to pitanga and lychee. Reminds (reminiscent of) crystallised fruits. It ends with perfumed caramel."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, organic cane sugar and cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: Does not include gluten ingredients. Made in a facility that processes/May contain traces of milk, Brazil nuts and tree nuts.

Luisa Abram - Dark Chocolate with Cupuacu (bar) - June 3, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Luisa Abram 
Chocolate Intenso Com Cupuacu (barra)
(Dark Chocolate with Cucuacu (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Intenso Com Cupuacu (bar) was from Luisa Abram (Sao Paulo, Brazil). The company specializes in bean to bar chocolate made with wild cacao from the Amazon. 

The aroma notes emanating from this bar included: candied cupuacu* (similar to a blend of guava, passion fruit, papaya) and bold dark chocolate.

This relatively robust but smooth dark chocolate was smooth, with the tiny squares of candied cupuacu adding chewy, dried fruit texture and pops of interesting fruit flavor that at times harmonized with the chocolate and at times provided a dynamic contrast, that I came to like more over the re-tasting experience.

Flavor notes: The fairly intense, earthy dark chocolate had medium acidity with a touch of fruit. The cupuacu pieces contributed pops of complex sweet and sour candied fruit flavor -- that also had fleeting boozy, fermented, woodsy evergreen/pine and apricot and pineapple notes.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, cupuacu candy, organic cane sugar and cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: Does not include gluten ingredients. Made in a facility that processes/May contain traces of milk, Brazil nuts and tree nuts.

*Cupuacu is a fruit (Theobroma grandiflorum) that shares some traits with cacao (Theobroma cacao). Both originated in South America and grow in Brazil and have pods that contain large seeds that are surrounded by pulpy light colored fruit. 

Cupuacu fruit is used in a variety of desserts.  The candied fruit is made from a white pulpy fruit inside of a pod...and is a member of the cacao family??

Gallette Chocolates - 85% Cacao Brasil - Mata Atlantica (Rainforest) (bar) - June 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Gallette Chocolates
85% Cacao Brasil - Mata Atlantica (Rainforest) (bar)
Good ++ = Good +++
Weight: 1.51 oz. (43 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1 serving (9 squares) of bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Brazil (Brasil) Theme Week. 

Today's 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate Mata Atlantica Rainforest Brasil (bar) was from Gallette Chocolates LTDA - EPP (Sao Paulo, Brazil).

Aroma notes included: dark, roasted cacao, faint leather, salt and earth; roasted nut butter.

The bar had a thick, creamy fudge texture and melt.

The chocolate flavor: rich, dark, roasted cacao with medium acidity, a fleeting hint of green, and not too sweet. (Thank you, I'm always looking for less sweet, ultra-dark bars to love.)

Ingredients: Cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of milk, soy, almond, Brazil nuts, cashew, macadamia nuts, coconut, walnuts, wheat and peanuts.
 

Gallette Chocolates - 65% Cacao Dark Chocolate Catongo Cacao Bahia Brazil - June 1, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Gallette Chocolates
65% Cacao Dark Chocolate Catongo Cacao Bahia Brazil (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.51 oz. (43 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving (9 squares) of bar
Cost: $8.35 for 1 bar (+ shipping)
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week. 

Today's 65% Cacao Dark Chocolate Catongo Cacao Bahia Brazil (bar) was from Gallette Chocolates LTDA - EPP (Sao Paulo, Brazil).

This chocolate had a subtle, sequentially complex chocolate aroma with faint earth, quickly moving to refreshing oolong tea, cocoa, tart-sweet, green herb (lemon balm, sour grass), and finally light wood notes.

The melt and texture were smooth and uniform.

Flavor notes for this relatively sweet 65% bar included chocolate cake, brownie, faint fruity oolong tea, and fleeting, very light earth.

The Catongo cacao (a light-colored mutation of Forastero cacao) used to create this bar was from the State of Bahia--the largest cocoa-producing state in Brazil.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar and cocoa butter. 

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of milk, soy, almond, Brazil nuts, cashew, macadamia nuts, coconut, walnuts, wheat and peanuts.
 

Mission Chocolate - Pao de Mel - Gingerbread Milk Chocolate (bar) - May 31, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Mission Chocolate
Pao de Mel - Gingerbread Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 330 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA 

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

Today's Pao de Mel - Gingerbread Milk Chocolate (bar) was made by Arcelia Gallardo of Mission Chocolate (Sao Paolo, Brazil). 

Aroma notes included warm milk chocolate, fleeting red clay, freshly baked bread/cake, and spices (five spice blend with star anise).

This milk chocolate bar had a creamy melt and texture.

The flavor was a blend of smooth, rich, sweet milk chocolate suffused with warm spices (five spice blend; cinnamon, ginger, star anise and possibly allspice).

Ingredients: Organic sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, cacao, spices, honey.

Allergen-related information: Does not contain gluten. Contains lactose/cow's milk. May contain traces of nuts, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, oats.