Puna Chocolate Company - Cashew and Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 22, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Puna Chocolate Company
Cashew and Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) 
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from Puna Chocolate, online order

Aloha, welcome to Day #22 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s). 

Today's Cashew and Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Puna Chocolate Company (Kailua-Kona, HI). The family-owned company uses Hawaiian chocolate and coffee to craft their bars and beverages.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (brownie with balanced, very faint earth, bread/salted cracker, green and oxalis); and gentle sweet nut (cashew).

Texture: hearty dark chocolate and softly crunchy cashew pieces

Flavor notes included: rich chocolate-y flavor (dark brownie) and salted cashew nut pieces. 

What I liked about this bar: 1.) the choice of this particular Hawaiian cacao/dark chocolate; 2.) the delicious, rich (slightly addicting) blend of dark chocolate and salted cashews; and 3.) the fact that this bar was not overly sweet.

Ingredients: Hawaiian Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Roasted Cashews, Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: Contains cashews. "Manufactured in a Facility That Also Processes Milk, Peanuts, Tree Nuts"  

Puna Chocolate Company - Honey Wine Berry 70% Dark Chocolate Bar - Jan. 21, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Puna Chocolate Company
Honey Wine Berry 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from Puna Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #21 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s). 

Today's Honey Wine Berry 70% Dark Chocolate Bar was created by Puna Chocolate Company (Kailua-Kona, HI). The company uses Hawaiian chocolate and coffee to craft their bars and beverages.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate; and sweet berry jam (red raspberry, strawberry and light goji berry).

Texture: well-tempered dark chocolate broke with a snap; red raspberry pieces (including tiny crunchy seeds) added texture as well as bright fruit flavor. There was a slight fruit/wine astringency in the finish.

Flavor notes included: relatively bold, but smooth, dark chocolate; fruity (red wine grape); tart sweet red raspberry fruit jam; and brief flickers of red grape juice and red floral (hibiscus tea with honey). I did not detect any residual alcohol from the wine. 

What I liked about this bar: the blend of satisfying, authentic and harmonious Hawaiian chocolate, fruit and wine flavors; bold but balanced, tart sweet berry and dark earthy fudge brownie flavors.

Maker's Tasting Notes/Description: "...berries are soaked and marinated in the legendary Volcano Winery's fine wine and then dried and pressed into rich Puna-grown Chocolate..." (Hawaii Wine and Chocolate.)..."Together at last!"

Ingredients: Hawaiian Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Raspberries, Honey, "Red Wine. Wine Alcohol and Sulfates...Removed by Evaporation."

Allergen-related information:  Manufactured in a Facility That Also Processes Milk, Peanuts, Tree Nuts

Puna Chocolate Company - Horchata 50% Rich Milk Chocolate Bar - Jan. 20, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Puna Chocolate Company
Horchata 50% Rich Milk Chocolate Bar 
Good + - Good ++  
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) / 1.06 oz. (30 g.) total bar
Calories: 80 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from Puna Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #20 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s). 

Today's Horchata 50% Rich Milk Chocolate Bar was from Puna Chocolate Company (Kailua-Kona, HI). The family-owned company uses Hawaiian chocolate and coffee to craft their bars and beverages.

The packaging of this bar was adorned with a Hawaiian-Latin fusion style tiki head (statue) wearing a dark, embroidered, sombrero, tilted at a rakish angle--a doff of the hat to horchata's interesting heritage.*

Aroma notes included: sweet chocolate, sweet warm spices (cinnamon, vanilla), and sweet rice cereal.

Texture: crunchy crisp rice added texture to the smooth, rich creamy milk chocolate.

Flavor notes included: sweet (and as promised rich) milk chocolate, enhanced with sweet, warm spices (vanilla, cinnamon).

I'm a dark chocolate fan; and this was too sweet for me. Other Puna Chocolate bars I've sampled this week have had really delightful chocolate brownie notes. (I could not taste the cacao in this bar.) However, this 50% bar will likely appeal to those who enjoy sweeter chocolates. 

Ingredients: Whole Hawaiian Cacao Beans, Milk, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Rice, Ceylon Cinnamon, Vanilla 

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Manufactured in a Facility That Also Processes Peanuts, Tree Nuts" 

*Horchata is a popular, rice-based, spiced (vanilla, cinnamon) sweet beverage, typically made with soaked white rice and water (rice "milk")--found in Mexican restaurants or Hispanic markets here in California where I live. 

But, horchata's history and evolution go far beyond this. 

Wild rice plants were domesticated independently in Asia (China) and Africa (e.g. Oryza glaberrima). The first inhabitants of the Americas also cultivated wild rice.

Horchata's European origins likely trace back to North Africa with a "nut" (e.g. chufa) or rice-milk based beverage more than 1,000 years ago. 

The Moors brought it to Spain. The Spanish later brought Horchata to Mexico and Latin America. And while Spanish galleon ships from Mexico passed near Hawaii on their way to/from the Philippines in as early as the 1500s, Horchata appeared on Hawaiian menus much later (likely via Mexico, the Philippines and California.

No surprise, there are Asian versions of horchata and possible fore-runners to horchata as well. Similar rice-based beverages have been enjoyed in Asia (hing-jin-te in Taiwan, khao mak-style drinks in Thailand, and xingrencha and laozao in China). 

And, bringing things full circle, there are horchata boba milk tea flavor(s) (sometimes with ube root or almond milk) now popular in SE Asia and California.

Puna Chocolate Company - Rose Cardamom Pistachio (bar) - Jan. 19, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Puna Chocolate Company
Rose Cardamom Pistachio 70% Dark Chocolate Bar 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from Puna Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #19 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s). 

Today's Rose Cardamom Pistachio 70% Dark Chocolate Bar was from Puna Chocolate Company (Kailua-Kona, HI). The family-owned company uses Hawaiian chocolate and coffee to craft their bars and beverages.

Aroma notes included: nut (pistachio), floral (red rose), faint strawberry jam cookie, and subtle chocolate (chocolate torte). 

The well-tempered dark chocolate broke with a snap and had a smooth dark texture. The green pistachio bits and magenta rose petals on the back side created a very pretty field of (chocolate) dreams; and the nut bits added light crunchy texture.  

Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate (chocolate torte, brownie) and light warm spice (cardamom), followed by light pistachio nut. The rose petal flavor was fleeting and very subtle.

Ingredients: Whole Hawaiian Cacao Beans, Cane Sugar, Pistachio, Rose Petals, Ground Cardamom 

Allergen-related information: Contains Pistachios. Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk, peanuts, tree nuts

Puna Chocolate Company - Seasonal Peppermint Paradise Dark (bar) - Jan. 18, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Puna Chocolate Company
(Seasonal) Peppermint Paradise 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.95 for 1 bar + shipping
Purchased from Puna Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #18 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s). 

Today's Seasonal Peppermint Paradise Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Puna Chocolate Company (Kailua-Kona, HI), a family-owned, tree-to-bar company on the Big Island.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (dark chocolate-y brownie) and balanced, authentic peppermint (oil).

Smooth texture and melt interlaced with small flecks of crushed peppermint candy cane(s) on one side.

Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate (rich fudge brownie, very faint, balanced earth) and peppermint.

What I liked about this bar: 1.) single origin Hawaii cacao and chocolate story; 2.) choice of a rich, dark 70% chocolate for this bar that was smoother (less acidic) than expected, and had dark brownie-like flavor; 3.) peppermint that added authentic tasting sweet mint uplift, but didn't overwhelm the chocolate; and 4.) illustration of the nene (Hawaiian goose) on the outer packaging.

Ingredients: Hawaiian cacao beans, organic cane sugar, peppermint

Allergen-related information: Manufactured in a facility that also processes milk, peanuts, tree nuts

Hawiian Wildflower Honey Dessert #4 - Mango, Pineapple, Salted Mac Nuts & Pretzel Chocolate - Jan. 17, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Hawaiian Wildflower Honey Dessert #4
Mango, Pineapple, Mac Nuts, pretzel chocolate & Hawaii honey

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker
"Breaks" Gluten Free Pretzel + Sea Salt Bark 
Good ++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories (275 calories with other ingredients in this dessert)
Cost: $ N/A - many sources
Purchased from: N/A - many sources

Aloha and welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s). 

This entry represents the fourth in a series of 2 oz. chocolate desserts using Hawaiian Wildflower Honey and other Hawaii-related ingredients. The goal: fit big island flavors into a tiny, layered dessert.

Today's small dessert was made with five Hawaii-inspired items: 1.) fresh mango slices, 2.) fresh pineapple pieces; 3.) salted macadamia nuts; 4.) Scharffen Berger "Breaks" Gluten Free Pretzel + Sea Salt Bark (43% cocoa oat milk chocolate); and 5.) Hawaiian Wildflower Honey from Chico Honey* (Chico, CA). 

Results: All together, the flavors for today's blend were a little too big for each other. They each wanted their own spotlight. However, eaten sequentially (as items on a snack plate), they were a nice tribute to Hawaii vacation memories. Below is more on the chocolate.

 Scharffen Berger -"Breaks" Gluten Free Pretzel + Sea Salt Bark

These Gluten Free Pretzel + Sea Salt Bark 43% Cocoa oat milk dark chocolate pieces were manufactured by Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker (Ashland, OR).

Aroma notes included: chocolate, faint oat and honey graham cracker.

Texture: well-tempered, crunchy thin pieces of chocolate were studded with crunchy salted pretzel bits.

Flavor notes included: sweet, relatively mellow, dark chocolate; brown/coconut sugar; salty pretzel bits; oat cracker/cookie and faint oat straw.

What's the tie to Hawaii? These mildly addictive, gluten-free, pretzel chocolate bark pieces reminded me of a visit to a pretzel "shack" during a Hawaii vacation years ago. And they provided crunchy texture and salt--that helped balance the sweetness in the fruits, oat milk chocolate and honey.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Oat Powder (Oat Flour), Coconut Sugar, Pretzels (Cassava Flour, Potato Starch, Palm Oil, Tapioca Starch, Faba Bean Protein, Starch Syrup [Corn, Brown Rice, and/or Tapioca], Salt, Milled Flax, Sunflower Lecithin), Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla Bean. 

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut. Processed in a Facility that Processes Tree Nuts and Dairy.

*Chico Honey sources honey from their own hives in California, Hawaii and Montana.   

Hawaiian Wildflower Honey Dessert #3 - Papaya, Banana, Mac Nuts, Blood Orange Dark Chocolate - Jan. 16, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Hawaiian Wildflower Honey Dessert #3
Papaya, Banana, Salted Mac Nuts + Ghirardelli Blood Orange Chocolate dessert
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total dessert 
Calories: 250 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ N/A - many sources
Purchased from: N/A - many sources

Aloha and welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s). 

This is the third in a series of small chocolate desserts using Hawaiian wildflower honey and other Hawaii-themed ingredients. The goal of this series: construct and enjoy a series* of tiny blend of beautiful, layered island/tropical flavors in January.

Today's small dessert contained Hawaii papaya, banana, salted macadamia nuts--and 1 square of Blood Orange Dark Chocolate from Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (San Leandro, CA). 

This fruit and chocolate tropical treat was topped with salted macadamia nuts and drizzled with delicious Hawaiian Wildflower Honey from Chico Honey (Chico, CA).** 

The pure tropical fruit, wildflower honey and nut flavors were unadulterated, authentic and refreshing. The sea salted macadamia nut pieces added some additional texture and the salt helped balance the sweetness.

In what was certainly an unfair comparison, the Blood Orange Dark Chocolate was fairly uniform, dense (dark roast, Forastero-like variety cacao), almost flat in flavor, when tasted with fresh and flavorful whole fruit and honey, and nuts. 

There was little bright fruit/flavor, and no green or other complex aroma or flavor notes--beyond what one would expect from a reasonably priced, bulk dark chocolate bar with natural flavors and a bit of vanilla. Not bad, and interesting to try. But, it suffered when compared to the single origin Hawaii chocolates tasted so far this month.

Ingredients: Blood Orange Dark Chocolate: Cane sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, milk fat, rice syrup, blood orange bits, orange peel, natural flavor, coconut oil, soy lecithin, citric acid, vanilla extract, annatto (color), beet juice (color).

Allergen-related information: Contains soy. May contain milk and tree nuts.

* This week's 6-day Hawaiian Honey series was designed to perk up cold and gray winter days, and falls in the middle of a Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s) -- a "week" that grew until it devoured the month of January. Chocolate virtual travel has a way of doing that, especially if that v-travel is to Hawaii.

**The company sources honey from their own hives in California, Hawaii and Montana.