Peter Beier - D80GHA Ghana Dark 80% (bar) - Sept. 12, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Peter Beier 
D80GHA - Ghana Dark 80% (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 1.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.12 (49,50 DKK) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Peter Beier (shop), Copenhagen, Denmark

Welcome to Day #4 of Scandinavian Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's D80GHA Ghana Dark 80% (bar) was from Peter Beier Chokolade A/S (Helsinger, Danmark). 

The cacao bean variety(ies) used to make this ultra-dark chocolate were: "West African Amelonado/Criollo/Trinitario"

Aroma notes included: mellow dark chocolate with very faint green, cookie, and butter notes.

The texture was very creamy, almost silken, and smooth.

Flavor notes included: bitter, sweet roasted chocolate and faint butter. This pronounced bitter note in today's chocolate will not be for everyone; but it was interesting to try.

Maker's Taste Profile (notes): "Intense roasted cocoa, coconut, dusty and a bitter aftertaste."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (soya lecithin), natural vanilla aroma. 82.6% cacao solids.

Allergen-related information: (Can contain traces of milk or nuts.)

Peter Beier - D66BRA - Brazil Dark 66% - Sept. 11, 2023

​Chocolate of the Day

Peter Beier Chokolade
D66BRA - Brazil Dark 66% (pieces)
Good - Good +
Weight: .795 - .88 oz. (22.5 - 25 g.) / (1.59-1.76 oz.) (45-50 g.) in 1 container
Calories: 138.4 calories in 1/2 container
Cost: $7.05 USD (49,00 DKK) for 1 container
Purchased from: Peter Beier (store), Copenhagen, Denmark

Welcome to Day #3 of Scandinavian Chocolate Theme Week, and to 17 rewarding years of eating a different chocolate each and every day.

Today’s D66BRA - Brazil 66% Dark Chocolate--uniquely packaged, in the form of pastille-sized, small cacao pod-shaped pieces in a metal tin--was from Peter Beier Danmark (Helsinger, Danmark).*

Aroma notes for this single origin Brazil dark chocolate included: slightly bitter/sour dark cocoa (light loamy earth, yogurt, roasted cocoa, faint wood), and faint vanilla.

The texture was smooth, almost silky, and buttery.

Flavor notes included: deep dark cocoa with balanced bitter notes (porter, stout), and sour (milk/yogurt), faint roasted wood, and very faint and diffuse fruit (citrus, tart berry, dried banana, dried sweet and sour cacao pulp).

The cacao variety used to make this 66% dark chocolate was: “Amelonado/Bahia Superior.” While many steps go into creating chocolate flavor(s), Amelonado and Forastero varieties of cacao also tend to have bolder, denser/stronger flavors. 

Company’s Taste Profile notes read as follows: “Intense bitter, cocoa, fruity, unripe banana, a smokey hint.”

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: Soya lecithin, natural vanilla.

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of milk or nuts.

*It sounded like the tin may be taken back into a Peter Beier shop for a refill.

Peter Beier - D71.6PCSB - PB Special Blend (bar) - Sept. 10, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Peter Beier 
D71.6PBSB - Peter Beier Special Blend - Dark 71.6% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 283 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.12 USD (49,50 DKK) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Peter Beier (shop), Copenhagen, Denmark

Welcome to Day #9 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week, and Day #1 of Scandinavian Chocolate Week.

Today's D71.6PBSB - Dark 71.6% PB Special Blend was from Peter Beier Danmark (Helsinger, Danmark).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (ganache), faint salted butter, very faint dried fruit (fig cookie, barely detectable rye bread with butter and honey, banana, and sweet (green) tea.

The texture was buttery (almost silky) smooth.

Flavor notes included: chocolate-y (very smooth, buttery dark chocolate) with subtle variations on the aroma notes (listed above): gentle dried fruit, honey, and fig, that lingered into a very pleasant finish.

This thoughtfully executed dark blend (made with Hispaniola/Criollo cacao) had an attractive, subtle complexity with an enjoyable dark chocolate aroma and flavor profile; and it was relatively low in bitterness.

Maker's Taste Profile (notes): "Cocoa, honey, green tea and a butter flowery aftertaste."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (soya lecithin). 71.9% cacao solids.

Allergen-related information: (Can contain traces of milk or nuts.)

Summerbird Chokolade - Amber Organic Chocolate Miniature (Assortment) - Sept. 8, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Summerbird Chokolade
Amber Organic Chocolate Miniature (Assortment)
1.) Mint Noir - Amber Noir Chocolate, Mint, Caramel - Good - Good +
2.) Liquorice - Amber Classic Chocolate + Liquorice - Good +
3.) Fleur D' Orange Praline - Amber Classic Chocolate - Good +
4.) Vanilla - Amber Blond Chocolate, Vanilla, Caramel - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (45 g.) box of 8 small filled chocolates (4 flavors x 2)
Calories: 246 calories for 1 box of 8 pieces
Cost: $ N/A - free gift with hotel stay

Today's Summerbird Chokolade (Denmark) Organic mixed chocolates were from Denmark. Note: This petite assortment was the second chocolate item of two featured today. (See the previous post for the first item: a Smooth 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) from Endangered Species Chocolate, LLC (Indianapolis, IN).

Aroma notes varied according to the flavor, and included sweet chocolate with faint caramel notes, and notes that corresponded to each of the flavor additions: mint, liquorice, orange and vanilla/caramel, respectively.

The outer couverature chocolate layers were smooth in texture, and the inner ganache (fillings) had sweet soft caramel and/or ganache layers inside.

Flavor notes included: sweet light chocolate (slightly caramelized white chocolate) and darker sweet chocolate, plus four different flavor additions: 1.) mint extract or natural flavor, 2.) sweet liquorice, 3.) pleasant, sweet and slightly floral orange, and 4.) sweet caramel and vanilla. 

These pretty little "amber"* chocolate confections tasted like caramel-infused, milky white chocolates. Sugar was the number one ingredient (and they also contained other processed sugars/syrups). They were low in cocoa solids; but real cocoa butter was a plus. (There were no added vegetable oils.)

These confections were too sweet for me; but they may appeal to those with a sweet tooth. Given the relatively high sugar levels, the small pieces were just the right size for tasting.

Ingredients: "*sugar, *cocoa butter (23%), *invert sugar syrup, *milk powder (14%), *cocoa mass (8%), *hazelnuts, *glucose syrup, *butter, water, emulsifier (*soy lecithin), *liquorice powder, *vanilla, *lemon juice, Maldon Seasalt, *blood orange oil, Laeso Salt, *orange blossom water, *peppermint oil"

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, hazelnut, soy. (Glucose source not identified.)

*Amber chocolate is a light caramel-hued, Nordic chocolate with a milky texture and sweet, faint fruit flavor that is "not dark, milk or white chocolate."

Endangered Species - Smooth 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 9, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Endangered Species
Smooth 72% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 255 calories in 1/2 bar (170 in 1/3 bar)
Cost: N/A - gift from family (Thank you Megan!) 
Purchased from: N/A - received as a gift from family

Welcome to Day #8 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week--a week that ends with primarily U.S. made chocolates and transitions into the first day of a Chocolate and Scandinavia Theme Week. 

(Note: See the next post for a write-up on today's second chocolate, an assortment of Summerbird Chokolade Amber Chocolates from Denmark.)

Today's "Smooth" 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Endangered Species Chocolate, LLC (Indianapolis, IN). 

The company has been supporting wildlife preservation work for many years. And 10% of annual net profits are donated to organizations supporting habitats for wildlife. Each Endangered Species flavor/bar includes information on an endangered species, e.g. today's wrapper included information on the plight of the chimpanzee.

Aroma notes for this dark chocolate included: smooth, sweet, roasted dark chocolate and light, warm spice (vanilla).

This well-tempered dark chocolate broke with a snap in a cool room and the texture was smooth, thick and relatively creamy.

Flavor notes included: smooth, bold, dense dark (Forastero-like cacao variety*) roasted cacao (bold drinking chocolate with faint, warm vanilla); well managed, slight bitterness; and very faint green herb (oxalis).

Maker's description: "Dark, silky and deliciously bold, this chocolate is packed full of pure cocoa flavor, free of all artificial sweeteners or additives..."

Ingredients: "Bittersweet Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla)."

Allergen-related information: "Contains Soy. Produced on Equipment That Also Processes Products Containing Milk, Peanuts and Tree Nuts."

*Forastero is the most common variety of cacao grown worldwide, and this type is associated with relatively bold, robust flavor that can be moderately bitter, acidic, deep and "dense" in flavor, depending on where its grown and how it is processed. 

Becca's Petites - Chocolat Noir Bouchees (Snack Mix) - Sept. 8, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Becca's Petites
Chocolate Noir Bouchees (Snack Mix)
Good ++
Weight: 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total package
Calories: 460 calories in 1 package
Cost: $7.75 USD for 1 package 
Purchased from: Napa Farms Market, SFO Airport, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week. 

Today's Becca's Petites "Chocolate Noir Bouchees" Snack Mix was manufactured by Gourmecca Kitchen LLC (Marin, CA). 

Note: This is the second of two dark chocolate items featured today. (See previous post for information on Equal Exchange's Organic 92% Cacao Total Eclipse Transcendently dark bar.)

The crunchy texture of these (gluten free, dairy free and vegan) small, granola-like, snack pieces--or bouchees ("mouthfuls")--was interspersed with upticks in creamy dark chocolate and slightly softer, rich nut bits.

This rich, almost crispy-crunchy mix had authentic, chocolate and very light coconut and nut flavors. It was satisfying, and slightly addictive--while only mildly triggering the "more-ish" sugar/salt snack threshold. (It was sweetened with coconut and apple juice; and very lightly seasoned with sea salt.)

Ingredients: Almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate (cane sugar, cacao beans*, cocoa butter*, sunflower lecithin, vanilla), almond butter, coconut chips, apple puree, apple juice concentrate, coconut nectar, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, sea salt. ("No GMOs.") (* Fair Trade)

"Allergen Warning: Almond, Walnut, Coconut. Made in a facility that handles milk chocolate."

Equal Exchange - Organic Dark Chocolate 92% Cacao Total Eclipse (bar) - Sept. 8, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Equal Exchange
Organic Dark Chocolate 92% Cacao Total Eclipse (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 253.3 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA 

Welcome to Day #7 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week. 

Note: The second of two dark chocolate items (Becca's Petites Chocolat Noir Bouchees) featured today can be found in a separate/next entry.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate 92% Cacao Total Eclipse (bar) was produced in Switzerland for Equal Exchange Co-op (W. Bridgewater, MA).

This bar was described as "Transcendently dark." Chocolates with greater than 90% cacao tend to go beyond the limits of what most people have experienced. Some will enjoy the journey, and others may miss the sugar. But, there's more to the story...and it extends to how the cacao was transported from distant lands covered with temperate rainforests into a high-percentage dark chocolate, and how it reached us at all.

The organic cacao(s) used to make this ultra-dark chocolate were "grown by small farmer co-ops" in Togo*, Dominican Republic and Peru.

Aroma notes for this dark chocolate included: rich cocoa (drinking chocolate) and subtle vanilla bean.

The texture was smooth, thick and buttery (cocoa buttery).

Flavor notes included: bold, barely sweetened, smooth, ultra-dark chocolate with a balanced bitterness; subtle vanilla bean; and very faint, fleeting sweet red berry (raspberry jam). 

For those wanting less sugar and more unsweetened cacao flavor(s), this 92% dark chocolate blend is worth trying. You're also supporting many small cacao, sugar and vanilla farmer co-ops around the globe. (The organic cane sugar is from Paraguay, and the organic vanilla was from Madagascar.)

Ingredients: *Organic Chocolate Liquor, *Organic Cocoa Butter, *Organic Raw Cane Sugar, "Organic Ground Vanilla Beans." ("* Fairly Traded Ingredient By Weight 100% From Fair Trade Co-operatives.")

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Milk, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Almonds & Coconut."

*Equal Exchange has been serving as an "alternative trader" and supporting small farmer agricultural co-ops (coffee, cacao, other) for decades. 

SCOOPS PROCAB (Kpalime, Togo) was founded in 2013, and has been an Equal Exchange partner since 2018. Along with help from Gebana Togo, SCOOPS PROCAB were the "first producers in Togo to grow and export organic cacao;" and through this process the small farmer co-op members have gained access to more markets and greater economic resources.