Vosges - Grateful Dead Raw Honey Smoked Almond (bar) - Feb. 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Vosges
Grateful Dead Raw Honey Smoked Almond (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vosges, part of a larger online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Honey Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

Today's Grateful Dead Raw Honey Smoked Almond (bar) was created by master chocolatier, Katrina Markoff, and team, at Vosges IP LLC (Chicago, IL). This bar was inspired by music and memories; or in the words of Katrina, "Crafted with Grateful Dead."

Aroma notes included: chocolate, diffuse fruit (jelly), faint honey, nuts, and almond butter.

And this bar had a satisfying creamy + crunchy melt and mouthfeel.

I could make out that the crunchy bits were almonds and possibly "buttery toffee" bits mentioned on the packaging. But the flavors were fairly homogenized, and more mild than I expected.

This was a "mellow" chocolate. The cocoa used to make this chocolate was treated with alkali (a process that reduces acidity and stronger flavors). 

In the past I've really enjoyed smoked almonds with chocolate; but the savory kick I was looking forward to was fairly muted. The hickory smoked almond bits in this chocolate added a very subtle smoked and salt taste, and helped balanced the sweetness. There was also a very faint, sweet brown rice note (likely brown rice syrup) that also may have quieted other flavors a bit. 

Ingredients: "Chocolate processed with alkali, honey, raw, cocoa butter, hickory smoked almonds (almonds, vegetable oil canola, safflower, and/or sunflower oil), salt, corn maltodextrin, torula yeast, sunflower oil, sugar, onion powder, autolyzed yeast, cane molasses, natural smoke flavor (caramel color), sugar, unsalted butter (pasteurized cream, natural flavors), water, brown rice syrup, sea salt, sugar burnt syrup, organic soy lecithin"

Allergen-related information: "Contains: almonds, milk, soy. Processed on equipment that also processes milk, soy, wheat, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts."

Honeymoon Chocolates - 77% Semuliki Forest Dark Chocolate with honey - Feb. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Honeymoon Chocolates
77% Semuliki Forest Single Origin Dark Chocolate with honey (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 77% Semuliki Forest Single Origin Dark Chocolate (bar)--made with Ugandan cacao, Peruvian cacao butter and raw honey--was from Honeymoon Chocolates (Saint Louis, MO).

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate (slightly earthy, mild peaty/tannic acid, fermented cacao nibs), and very faint green fruit (banana).

Flavor notes included: chocolate (deep, ultra-dark chocolate, balanced but complex earth, olive fruit); and under these deep jungle notes was a light floral honey sweetness (not as pronounced in sweetness as cane sugar typically is) that managed to cast a few soft rays of honey goodness.

This bar will satisfy ultra-dark chocolate fans and those who like their chocolate less sweet. I enjoyed it. It was relatively high in dark fruit (dried plum)/tannic acidity, and had a balanced bitterness to it. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Chocolate mousse, melon, white peach, and plum"

Ingredients: Organic cacao (Uganda), raw honey, organic cacao butter (Peru)

Allergen-related information: "Free of refined sugar, soy, dairy, and gluten"

Shekoh Confections - Teddy Bear Honey Marshmallow chocolate - Feb. 6, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Teddy Bear Honey Marshmallow chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .6 oz. (16.9 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece/bear
Calories: 88 calories (estimate) for 1 bear
Cost: $4.50 for 1 bear 
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Teddy Bear Honey Marshmallow chocolate was created by Chef and chief chocolatier, Shekoh Moossavi, at Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

This cute Teddy had appealing dark chocolate aroma and flavor notes. A thin, well crafted and flavorful chocolate shell contained a soft, light spongy honey marshmallow interior. 

It was an elegant, endearing chocolate novelty bear. Enjoyable by itself, I can also see this as a sweet addition to a birthday or dessert plate as well.

No information on ingredients or allergen-related information accompanied this "to go" item purchased in the Shekoh Confections retail shop. (Weight information and calorie amounts are only my estimates.)

  

Shekoh Confections - Lavender Honey chocolate - Feb. 5, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Lavender Honey chocolate
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 122 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $8.90 for 2 pieces (part of a 5-piece box)
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Lavender Honey chocolates were from Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, floral (authentic lavender buds) and very faint tart (lemon) green herb (oxalis).

A perfectly thin, softly crunchy, flavorful dark shell gave way to a creamy, velvety chocolate ganache (filling) with light caramel notes. The honey flavor was very subtle. 

If you like lavender and floral flavors, you'll enjoy this filled chocolate. 

No information on ingredients or allergen-related information for this "to go" item purchased in the Shekoh Confections retail shop. 

 

Shekoh Confections - Hot Chocolate with Honey Marshmallows - Feb. 4, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Hot Chocolate with Honey Marshmallows
Good +++
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $8.50 for 1 cup
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Hot Chocolate with Honey Marshmallows from Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA) was not your usual hot chocolate.

Ooh la la, this hot chocolate beverage was luxuriously thick, creamy and velvety. I found myself eating/drinking this with a spoon.

It tasted like there might be a healthy dose of real cream in this drinking chocolate. I experienced the same pleasure as eating chocolate ice cream. (Hot ice cream?) I also enjoyed the rich chocolate flavor.

Was it sweet with the honey marshmallow? Yes, it was. If given the choice, I'd probably have opted for a little less sugar; but this very special hot chocolate delivered a great tasting (and memorable textural) experience.

No information on ingredients or allergen-related information for this "to go" item purchased in the Shekoh Confections retail shop. I am assuming this hot chocolate contained dairy (milk/cream).

Bee Grateful Farm - Chocolate Honey Caramels - Feb. 3, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Bee Grateful Farm
Chocolate Honey Caramels
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .77 oz. (22 g.) / 4 oz. (125 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $9.69 for 1 package
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Chocolate Honey Caramels were handcrafted at Bee Grateful Farm (Steamboat Springs, CO).*

Aroma notes included sweet cream and caramel, and mild sweet chocolate.

These velvety and chewy ebony-colored caramels had a sweet chocolate-y, and buttery flavor with underlying honeyed caramel notes.

Gluten free, these balanced sweets had complex, authentic milk (cream) and honey taste. Yes, they were quite sweet, but they were more "honey" sweet than "white sugar" sweet. 

The package claimed these 100% honey-sweetened treats wouldn't stick to my teeth like sugary caramels would, and that was true.

Maker's notes: "...golden sweetness honey meets the rich creaminess of organic grass-fed cream and butter..."

Ingredients: Wildflower and alfalfa honey, organic cream, chocolate extract, organic butter, organic cocoa powder, Utah salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: milk"; gluten free

*Bee Grateful Co. is based in Phippsburg, CO.

Hogarth - Manuka Honey & Cacao Nibs 66% Cacao - Feb. 2, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Hogarth Chocolate Makers 

Manuka Honey and Cacao Nibs 66% Cacao (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 194.1 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Manuka Honey and Cacao Nibs 66% Cacao (bar) was created by Hogarth Chocolate Makers (Nelson, New Zealand). 

The company offers a variety of chocolate bars (single origin and with flavor inclusions) made with fairly traded and organic ingredients. 

Today's bar--made with Peruvian cacao--was a collaboration with "You're a Honey"-- a New Zealand supplier whose bees have created prized Manuka honey from manuka* tree flower nectar.

Aroma notes for this bar included: honey butter, dark chocolate, and faint green maple. The relatively thick bar had a hearty smooth texture punctuated by softly crunchy cacao nibs.

The flavor was remarkable for its undulating honey and flower pollen notes, and smooth, but flavorable, dark chocolate that had subtle red/berry fruit notes. Cacao nib pieces balanced the richly sweet honey tones and added extra unsweetened, pure cacao flavor depth (with mellow wood, nut/seed and earth notes). 

Normally, 66% dark chocolates taste too sweet for me; but I loved the layers of authentic floral honey flavor in this bar. 

Maker's tasting notes: "...a chocolate with full honey flavour and a little fruit, balancing out the sweetness with bitter, crunchy cacao nibs."

Ingredients: Cocoa solids 66% (Organic, fairtrade cocoa beans; organic, fairtrade cocoa butter); organic, fairtrade sugar; Manuka honey (5%).

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and nuts." "Gluten free; Soy free"

*Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) is a flowering plant/tree in the myrtle family, native to New Zealand and southeast Australia. It's also known as manuka myrtle and New Zealand tea tree. Manuka flowers in Nelson (NZ) are said to have a high pollen content and the flavor imparted (into what is often a thicker honey) was appealing and unique.

The most poetic description of manuka honey I found was a frequently quoted passage said to come from the Honey Traveler website: "aromatic with damp earth and heather notes and a cool menthol (or eucalyptus) taste and rich flavour of mineral, barley sugar and herbs."