Fresco - Madagascar 70% Recipe 290 Medium Roast, Medium Conche (bar) - Oct. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Madagascar 70% Recipe 290 Medium Roast, Medium Conche (bar)

Good  ++ -  Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: (Part of a $57 chocolate tasting for 5 different bars)

Purchased from: Fresco Artisan Chocolate/Chocolopolis tasting, online order

Welcome to Day #2 in a series of five different single origin bars obtained as part of a New Origin Fresco Chocolate Tasting. (Thank you to Rob and Amy at Fresco Chocolate and Lauren Adler at Chocolopolis.com for the great remote tasting experience.)

Today's new Madagascar 70% (Batch 21-454) Medium Roast, Medium Conche* (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA) . The beans used to make this bar were from the (Bertil) Akesson plantation in the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar--a region known for its flavorful cacao.

Aroma notes (in order of appearance) for this chocolate included faint green, floral, green stalks, a faint, flickering bitter dark chocolate note, bread and butter, cooked rice, diffuse faint fruit (peach, persimmon, lemon), brown sugar, and barely there tart green (oxalis). The texture and mouthfeel were very satisfying and buttery smooth.

Flavor notes included rich, sweet dark chocolate (dark chocolate torte), and, most significantly, a blooming of bright, tart fruit: a blend of sweet, round, white wine grape juice and golden raisin mixed with pink grapefruit and red berry. (Other fruit notes present in later re-tastings: cherry, orange, mango and ripe, sweet pineapple.) All these fruit notes presented a jump up from (contrast with) the relatively subdued aroma notes. 

Bright red berry and citrus notes are often associated with chocolate made with Madagascar cacao; but today's Fresco bar presented a festive yet sophisticated variation on this theme.

I enjoyed tasting this newly unveiled, rich, flavorful and well-executed dark chocolate bar from a company that recently celebrated receipt of their 50th International award for their chocolate.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial cacao grinding process. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." The maker notes: "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."  (Thank you to Rob at Fresco for allowing us to experience this in your chocolate line-up, geared to edify even the most seasoned of chocolate palettes.) 

Fresco Chocolate - Chuao Venezuela 72% dark chocolate (bar) - Oct. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Chuao Venezuela 72% Blended Roast, Subtle Conche dark chocolate (bar)

Good  ++ -  Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: (Part of a $57 chocolate tasting for 5 different bars)

Purchased from: Fresco Artisan Chocolate/Chocolopolis tasting, online order

Welcome to Day #1 in a series of five different single origin bars obtained from a New Origin Fresco Chocolate Tasting. (Thank you to Rob and Amy at Fresco Chocolate and Lauren Adler at Chocolopolis.com for the great remote tasting experience.)

Today's new Chuao Venezuela 72% (Batch 21-437) Blended Roast, Subtle Conche* (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA) . The cacao used was from the Empresa Campesina de Chuao (workers co-op) in the remote and storied village of Chuao in northern Venezuela. 

Subtle aroma notes (in order of appearance) for this chocolate included faint fruit, green (oxalis (sour grass, wood sorrel), succulent), warm spice, brown sugar and molasses. The texture and mouthfeel were satisfying and smooth.

The choice of blending more than one roast profile ("blended roast") seemed to expand the dynamic range/depth in the taste and gave it a bit more punch along with a barely there hint of roasted coffee and nut. Flavor notes included rich, sweet dark chocolate (dark chocolate pudding, chocolate torte), bread, cream, faint fruit and nut, and a sustained course of true dark chocolate (deep, dark chocolate torte). This dark chocolate had a balanced tart, sweet fruit acidity (red berry, cherry) that lingered into a chocolate-y finish. 

This was a rich, flavorful and well-executed dark chocolate from a company that recently celebrated receipt of their 50th International award for their chocolate.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial cacao grinding process. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." The maker notes: "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."  (Yes, and thank you for allowing us to experience this in your chocolate line-up geared to educate even the most seasoned of chocolate palettes.)

Fresco Chocolate - Ghana 68% Recipe 261 - Dark Roast, Medium Conche - Oct. 1, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Ghana 68% Recipe 261 - Dark Roast, Medium Conche dark chocolate (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Ghana Week.

Today'a Ghana 68% (Recipe 261) Dark Roast, Medium Conche (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA).

Fresco lets us discover why roasting, conche and other choices in chocolate-making really matter, by crafting single origin bars with different roast and conche* profiles. 

Why is Fresco different? Chocolate makers almost always document choices they make with each origin and batch of cacao beans, creating recipes in the process. Fresco goes one step further and shares their recipe numbers on their labels, and will offer two or three similar bars, but with slightly different recipes.

Bottom line, Fresco's bars (and their backstories) are designed to be compared relative to each other. And there's no better way to learn what you really like than from side-by-side tastings.

Today, I'm tasting and comparing a second Fresco Ghana 68% dark bar--this one with a darker roast and slightly longer conche time. 

Both yesterday's and today's bar had a subtle aroma. Yesterday's 68% bar had a faint chocolate, faint fruit (lingonberry and persimmon (yesterday)) and fleeting very faint spice notes. And the melt and mouthfeel for all three Fresco Ghana bars this week were very pleasing with a smooth and relatively buttery texture.

Today's (dark roast) chocolate's balanced, faintly bitter aroma (not present in yesterday's light roast sibling) seemed to dissipate slightly over time; and it seemed overall slightly nuttier (roasted nuts and a faint, fleeting raspberry note; although it seemed less sweet (bright/jammy) than yesterday's bar with the lighter roast and subtle conche.*

Flavor notes for this single-ingredient bar included (in order of appearance): rich, sweet dark chocolate (hot cocoa), bread and butter, and sustained of true chocolate (fudge, dark chocolate torte and frosting). This dark chocolate had a mild fruit acidity (sweet, tart red berry (red raspberry) that lingered a bit into a chocolate-y, clean mineral finish. 

Not everyone will prefer the same Fresco Ghana 68% cacao bar over the other. Both were well executed. And I feel sure that precise care was taken to optimize each recipe and each resulting bar. As is the case for most chocolates, try re-tasting (both bars) a few minutes and/or hours later, and you may also experience a subtle shift in which bar (or aspects of each bar) you like.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial grinding process. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." And the maker explains: "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."  

**Note: I could have placed the two Fresco Ghana 68% bar too close together. If so, there's a small possibility I got the two mixed up with regard to red fruit and nut notes. (Disclosure: I also had a dental health issue that could have influenced the ability to distinguish taste this week.) And, some chocolate flavor shape-shifting likely took place over the course of a day or two--something that has been known to happen either after chocolate has been opened/exposed to air, or over time (as the chocolate or my palette changes, e.g. if I eat or drink something. 

Fresco Chocolate - Ghana 68% Recipe 260 - Light Roast, Subtle Conche dark chocolate (bar) - Sept. 30, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Ghana 68% Recipe 260 - Light Roast, Subtle Conche dark chocolate (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Ghana Week.

Today'a Ghana 68% (Recipe 260) Light Roast, Subtle Conche (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA).

Fresco offers single origin bars with different roast (light to dark) and conche* (subtle to long) profiles that can be tasted side-by-side. There's no better way to learn what you really like, and to better understand what choices support your preferences.

This approach makes it easier for customers to create chocolate flights and tastings--for a group of friends, or just for one. (These bars are created using recipe numbers, that are also included on the labeling.)

The subtle aroma notes for today's 68% Ghana (light roast) bar included (in order of appearance) dark chocolate with subtle tangy, sweet acidic green and fruit (dried persimmon), very faint vegetable (potato bread), faint brown sugar and very faint warm spiced fruit (peaches and pears heated with cinnamon and other spices).

The texture was smooth and relatively buttery.

Flavor notes for this single-ingredient bar included: rich, "warm," sweet dark chocolate, bread and butter, and a sustained current of true chocolate (fudge, dark chocolate torte and frosting). This dark chocolate had a mild fruit acidity (sweet, tart red berry (lingonberry** jam with a hint of sweet persimmon) that lingered/sparkled a bit into the finish. The chocolate was very low in bitterness.

This bar had a relatively subtle aroma, but was filled with bright, full, sweet and true chocolate notes. The light roast and subtle conche likely helped to preserve or highlight some of these bright, light, sweet flavors.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial grinding of cacao. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." And "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors." 

**Lingonberries, also known as mountain cranberries and cowberries, are popular in Scandinavia and have a sweet, tart, red berry flavor. Lingonberry jam is generally just a bit mellower (naturally a bit sweeter and less acidic) than our cranberry jam/sauce.

Fresco Chocolate - Ghana 100% dark chocolate (bar) - Sept. 29, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Ghana 100% light roast, subtle conche dark chocolate (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 127.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $13.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ghana Week.

Today'a Ghana 100% (Recipe 235) Light Roast, Subtle Conche (bar) was made by Fresco Artisan Chocolate (Lynden, WA).

The company's single origin, bean-to-bar chocolate bars demonstrate precisely why and how choices made in chocolate making process matter. You can taste what different roasting and conching* choices/profiles taste like in finished form.

It's easy to assemble "flights" of Fresco bars (e.g. with the same cacao origin(s) but different roast and conche choices), and taste them side-by-side to compare the differences between light or dark roast, and subtle vs. long conching. (Today's bar is the first of three Fresco Ghana bars featured this week.)

The aroma notes for this 100% bar included (in order of appearance) dark chocolate with subtle tangy, sweet acidic green and fruit (dried persimmon), yeast bread and dark chocolate with a faint bitterness.

The melt and mouthfeel were buttery smooth.

Flavor notes for this single-ingredient bar were lovely, and included: beer (porter, stout), bread and butter, and rich, buttery (there's that word again), luscious fudge-y, dark chocolate with relatively mild acidity and relatively low bitterness** for an ultra-dark bar.

While I didn't have a comparable Fresco 100% Ghana bar with another roasting choice, I did really like this "light roast" choice with this particular cacao. A heavier roast might have resulted in the loss of some more delicate notes.

The taste of this wonderful 100% cacao bar was very satisfying; so make sure to savor it slowly.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial grinding of cacao. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." As with roasting (and most other steps in chocolate making), conching requires great attention to detail. And "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."

**Bitterness is a result of several factors including the variety of cacao used (even the soil where the cacao was grown at times), fermentation, and roasting. Over-roasting cacao can lead to a bitter taste-- especially if more volatile fruity, nutty, green and floral notes that might have helped keep the flavor more balanced are "burned" off in the roasting process.

LetterPress Chocolate - Amaranth Crunch - Ashanti Ghana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 28, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

LetterPress Chocolate LLC
Amaranth Crunch - Ashanti Ghana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Amaranth Crunch 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)--made with Ashanti Ghana 70% Dark Chocolate, Puffed Amaranth + Sea Salt--was crafted by LetterPress Chocolate LLC (Los Angeles, CA).

The aroma notes for this bar were subtle and sweet including (in order of appearance) faint fruit (berry jam), dark chocolate cereal, very faint fleeting oxalis (tart lemony greens, sour grass, wood sorrel), dark chocolate again with faint, fleeting brown sugar/molasses.

Flavor notes included: sweet, dark chocolate, light cereal grain with a roasted, balanced bitterness, and brownie--especially in the second half of tasting.

Maker's tasting notes: toasty chocolatey crunch

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic puffed amaranth, sea salt.

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that also processes nuts and dairy. Pareve. 

LetterPress Chocolate - Ashanti Ghana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 27, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

LetterPress Chocolate LLC
Ashanti Ghana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's Ashanti Ghana 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by LetterPress Chocolate LLC (Los Angeles, CA).

The company describes the Ghana cacao origin and sourcing process as follows: "Ashanti is a (cacao) growing region of Ghana that has been plagued with slave labor and poor prices for farmers. Thanks to the organization at COCOBOD (government-controlled cocoa board) in Ghana, we have secured cacao which we paid 2x the commodity price to help farmers make a living wage."

This bar had a pleasing aroma with notes that included (in order of appearance) freshly baked bread with honey, chocolate with warm spice (root beer, cinnamon), back to fresh bread again. A few minutes later I also picked up very faint, fleeting notes of green (oxalis), sweet red fruit (cranberry sauce) and ripe blackberry soda/jam, and chocolate cake.

This well-executed bar had a smooth melt and texture.

The taste of this 70% dark bar quickly and quietly bloomed into an imaginary pan of freshly baked brownies in my mouth. A true "brownie" bar. And it had a bright, almost fruity sweetness and acidity and very little bitterness. 

Maker's tasting notes: "brownie crust, graham cracker" 

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that also processes nuts and dairy. Kosher (Parve).