Monsoon Chocolate - Semuliki Forest Uganda 74% Dark Chocolate - July 31, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Monsoon Chocolate
Semuliki Forest Uganda 74% Dark Chocolate
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Monsoon Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Organic Semuliki Forest Uganda 74% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Monsoon Chocolate (Tucson, AZ). 

The company offers a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates and confections. This Semuliki Forest (western Uganda) bar is a collaboration with Uganda-based Latitude Trade Company* and is part of Monsoon's (single) Origin Series.

Aroma notes for this creamy smooth dark bar included very faint fermentation (mineral salts, slightly tangy (very faint) berry/fruit pickle vinegar), faint dark chocolate, and a faint flicker of pleasing green floral (green tea).

The flavor notes mirrored the aroma notes above, except the taste had a sustained, enjoyable deep(er) chocolate-y flavor (chocolate ganache)--with very faint fleeting earth, and diffuse fruit and warm sugar-spice notes.

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "There is no gluten or animal products to this bar; however, it is processed in a facility that also processes wheat, dairy, nuts, and soy."

*The Semuliki Forest area in western Uganda is close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The lowland tropical rain forest climate is relatively rare for eastern Africa; and it is well suited for growing cacao.

Even more fortunate, nearby, Latitude Trade Company, an Ugandan registered social enterprise, owned and managed by Jeff Steinberg, is working directly with 100s of local small farmholders in several communities in the district of Bundibugyo (in foothills of the Rwenzori mountains) in western Uganda. 

Latitude buys "wet" (freshly harvested) cacao beans from farmers. The cacao then passes through a high-grade fermentation facility that ultimately produces high-quality cacao for chocolate makers around the globe--including Monsoon Chocolate and others in the U.S. featured this week.

White Label - Uganda Semuliki Forest 72% (bar) - July 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

White Label 
Uganda Semuliki Forest 72% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate, Santa Cruz, CA 

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

Today's White Label Uganda Semuliki Forest 72% dark chocolate (bar) was made in Santa Cruz, CA. 

This micro-batch bar was crafted using Forastero variety cacao (Upper Amazon and Amelonado) grown on small farms in (Bundibugyo) Uganda near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Aroma notes for this chocolate included fermentation (sweat), very faint stone fruit (apricot/nectarine), berry, and green floral (matcha green tea, vanilla), and chocolate (ganache).

This 72% cacao bar had smooth texture and flavor, that included true chocolate (ganache/mousse) diffuse and well-balanced subtle fruit acidity (berry, stone fruit) light, mellow bitterness, and barely detectable earth and roasted notes.

The sweetness level was about right for my taste. Good choice using a very slightly higher cacao percent (72% cacao vs. 70% cacao), as this chocolate seemed on the naturally sweet side. (Any more sugar, and cacao flavor nuances start to get lost.) 

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Goji berries, deep cocoa, vanilla," 

Cacao harvest took place during the 2017/2018 growing season; and producer Latitude Trade Co. worked with local farmers on fermentation.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging that I could find.)

White Label Chocolate - Uganda Semuliki Forest 100% (bar) - July 29, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

White Label 
Uganda Semuliki Forest 100% (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate, Santa Cruz, CA 

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

Today's White Label Uganda Semuliki Forest 100% dark chocolate (bar) was made in Santa Cruz, CA. 

This micro-batch bar was crafted using Forastero variety cacao grown on small farms in (Bundibugyo) Uganda.*

Aroma notes for this ultra-dark bar included: dark fruit (plum, purple/red grape) and true chocolate (deep, dark cocoa). 

This 100% cacao chocolate had a creamy smooth melt and texture.

Overall this bar had densely dark, relatively bitter and intense chocolate flavor. 100% (unsweetened) Forastero variety cacao beans can feel a bit intimidating (a bit like walking through a thick forest at night, with no light or sugar plum fairies in sight), and this bar was not for those with a sweet tooth. 

But, the taste also had some subtle complexity to it--most notably similar dark fruit notes (purple/red grape and dried plum) that were in the aroma, as well as a very faint, very fleeting (and not unpleasant) light savory greens note (cooked wood sorrel with salted butter).

Maker's tasting notes: "Goji berries, grape, deep cocoa"

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging that I could find.)

*The Forastero (Upper Amazon and Amelonado) cacao used to craft this chocolate was grown in Uganda by many farmers (smallholder farms of 1-3 acres), and harvested in the 2017/2018 season. The producer was Latitude Trade Co., a fermentation facility and organization that works directly with farmers. White Label is committed to transparent sharing of information and "beyond fair trade cacao."

White Label - Salted Brown Butter Milk 58% (bar) - July 28, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

White Label 
Salted Brown Butter Milk 58% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate, Santa Cruz, CA 

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

Today's White Label Salted Brown Butter Milk 58% dark chocolate (bar) was made in Santa Cruz, CA.* The company is committed to transparent sharing of information and "beyond fair trade cacao." 

This micro-batch bar--and Good Food Awards Winner--was crafted using Forastero variety cacao, grown on small farms in the Semuliki Forest, close to Bundibugyo, in Western Uganda near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: light caramel, milk chocolate, and very faint buttered and salted sauteed green vegetables (celery, green beans).

The texture was unique and almost sinfully addictive. The bar had a luxurious creamy melt and thick velvety (authentic butter) mouthfeel. It was so rich, it was like gnawing softly on a sweet stick of firm, room temperature butter that just happened to have chocolate in it too. 

Flavor notes included balanced, ultra-creamy milk chocolate with sparkles of salt. Brown sugar and browned butter resulted in rich flavor depth; although some of the cacao nuances may have been muffled a bit by the butter. There was also a brief, fleeting, very faint green  (light, almost floral, pleasing green tea) note in the finish.

This 58% cacao chocolate was, happily, not overly sweet (thank you!); and yet there was enough sugar, salt and fat(s) to trigger addiction-level cravings. Warning: You may find yourself eating more than you planned. (You'd think after 15 years of chocolate, I would be immune to this; but this is not the case.)

The maker's dedication to transparency could be seen in the detailed notes and cacao source facts provided (on the back of the package). The Forastero (Upper Amazon and Amelonado) Uganda cacao that was the basis for today's chocolate was grown by farmers on smallholder farms of 1-3 acres; and this cacao was harvested in 2019/2020, during the September to February growing season. The producer was Latitude Trade Co. 

Maker's tasting notes/description of this bar: "Caramel, cream, milk chocolate, salt." 

Ingredients: Cacao beans, brown sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic milk powders, browned butter, sea salt.

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging that I could find.) 

*Note: the White Label kitchen/small-batch factory and shop on Front Street in Santa Cruz, CA, closed earlier in 2022. Sadly, their old building (and other small businesses in the same block) looked like they were being torn down, as part of a very large mixed housing and commercial project.

As of spring 2022, White Label chocolate was being made in Watsonville, CA, and the chocolate makers are hoping to find/open a new retail location in Santa Cruz.

Moka Origins - Uganda Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao Semuliki Forest (bar) - July 27, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Moka Origins
Uganda Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao Semuliki Forest (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 2.4 oz. (68 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sigona's Market, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Uganda Theme Week.

Today's Uganda Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao Semuliki Forest (bar) was created by Moka Origins (Honesdale, PA). The company offers small-batch, single origin chocolates and coffees, as well as drinking chocolates.

The (Forastero variety) cacao that Moka Origins used to make this Uganda bar was from Latitude Trade Company (a fermentation facility in Uganda). Latitude pays cocoa farmers 10% above market price for freshly harvested ("wet") cacao (beans with cacao fruit pulp). An estimated 50% of these 1,002 smallholder farmers are women.

Aroma notes for this bar included: subtle red fruit (diffuse red berry, red apple), smooth, creamy dark chocolate, and very faint warm spice.

This Organic dark chocolate had a smooth texture with a velvety melt and mouthfeel.

Flavors were similar to the aroma (i.e. faint red fruit and true chocolate). As is usually the case, the chocolate tasted even more chocolate-y (ultra-dark chocolate pudding/mousse) than the aroma. The taste also revealed a pleasant, faint (but bright), sweet green (floral green tea, kiwi) note. 

Minutes after the last bite, I tasted a very faint, slightly fruity/jammy finish (red berry and red apple--with a whisper of cherry, fresh nectarine and apricot--the kind of fruit plate that would be equally at home paired with a sip of high-end champagne or a graham cracker). 

This bar will please dark chocolate lovers who love a nice smooth, flavorful chocolate with sophisticated texture, flavor depth, and complexity (that may include a genteel fresh fruit finish). Nothing too wild or too cluttered; but like an elegant black dress in your closet, it's certainly not boring either.

Maker's description: "Rich dark chocolate with tasting notes of red berry and chocolate ganache"

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Gluten Free, Vegan, Soy Free. Made in a facility that handles tree nuts."

Beyond Good - Uganda Single Origin Chocolate Toasted Hazelnut 73% Cocoa (bar) - July 26, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Beyond Good  

Uganda Single Origin Chocolate Toasted Hazelnut 73% Cocoa (bar)

Good +++ 

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/3 bar

Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

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

Today's Beyond Good Uganda Single Origin Chocolate Toasted Hazelnut 73% Cocoa (bar) was produced in Italy and distributed by Madecasse LLC (Brooklyn, NY). It was the third of three different Beyond Good Uganda cacao bars featured this week. And it may have been my favorite.

All three bars were made with "Beyond Good direct trade certified cocoa." The company has a long history of working directly with cocoa farmers in Madagascar (where they have a factory that employs local people); and they've been ramping up their commitment in Uganda, with possible plans for a second small factory there as well.*

Toasted Hazelnut 73% Cocoa (bar)

This fragrant bar had aroma notes that included bold, smooth dark chocolate with balanced subtle earth notes and ground hazelnut (gianduja). 

Likely inspired by the great, classic Italian/European marriage of hazelnuts + chocolate (gianduia/gianduja confections, hazelnut chocolate spreads), today's chocolate and hazelnut blend resulted in a bar that was somehow greater than its individual ingredients. 

The hazelnuts benefited from the single origin Uganda cacao chocolate (that was more flavorful than the average, smooth Italian dark chocolate) and the high quality hazelnut pieces added a mellow, well-rounded nutty flavor to the chocolate. Sparkles of sea salt and lovely light, authentic vanilla added the perfect finishing touches.

This bar hit a sweet spot for me. It was a beautifully orchestrated blend of high-quality, classic flavors. It wasn't too sweet (thank you!) so I could really enjoy the complex, layered chocolatey and nutty flavor and textures: creamy (chocolate and hazelnut paste) and crunchy (hazelnut bits and salt crystals). 

Maker's tasting notes/description: "Rich and chocolatey with crunchy hazelnuts"

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, hazelnut nibs, cocoa butter, hazelnut paste, sea salt, vanilla extract.

Allergen-related information: (Contained tree nuts - hazelnuts.) "May contain traces of milk (and) tree nuts." ("gluten free, soy free, vegan")

*Producing the chocolate we enjoy involves many steps and typically spans a long, geographically-distributed supply chain. 

Chocolate made entirely (from bean-to-bar) in the same country where the cacao is grown is still rare; but being able to perform more chocolate manufacturing steps (or adding more value) "in-country" (e.g., fermentation, drying, roasting, making cocoa nibs, manufacturing) helps to create more income for those who live in the country of cacao origin. 

Historically, cocoa farmers and field workers have received a very small percent of the amount charged to the end customer for a high-end chocolate bar. It's always great to see chocolate makers working directly with farmers to help them earn more for high-quality cacao. After all, when today's cocoa farmers retire, their children may not want to follow in their footsteps if they're barely able to make a living. 

  

Beyond Good - Uganda Orange Zest 73% Cocoa (bar) - July 25, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Beyond Good  

Organic Uganda Single Origin Orange Zest 73% Cocoa (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar

Calories: 140 calories in 1/3 bar

Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

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

Today's Organic Beyond Good Uganda Orange Zest 73% Cocoa (bar) was produced in Italy and distributed by Madecasse LLC (Brooklyn, NY). It was one of a series of three Uganda 73% cocoa dark bars tasted this week, made with "Beyond Good direct trade certified cocoa."

Aroma notes for this citrus-forward chocolate included: orange oil/essence, dark chocolate and subtle vanilla.

A smooth, slightly soft, dark bittersweet (73% cacao) dark chocolate base was peppered with tiny bits of softly chewy and lightly sweetened, authentic bittersweet orange peel. 

It was difficult to detect the flavor nuances of the Uganda cacao with this much citrus (orange peel and oil); but this "chocolatey" chocolate bar offered a pleasing triad of flavors (dark chocolate, orange and vanilla). And it was refreshing to taste this judiciously sweetened version of this flavor trio. Vanilla added a slightly earthy, floral warmth one associates with desserts and baked goods.

Beyond Good tasting notes/description: "Rich and chocolatey with bursts of citrus"

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic candied orange peel (organic cane sugar, organic glucose syrup, organic orange peel), organic cocoa butter, organic orange oil, organic vanilla extract.

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk (and) tree nuts." (Certified Organic, gluten free, soy free, vegan; Non-GMO Verified)