Category: dark chocolate

50 States Collaboration – Nebraska / Sweet Minou

Last week I was awaiting a delivery from Sweet Minou, Nebraska’s only bean-to-bar chocolate company; so, when a box sporting several Cultiva Coffee Roasting labels arrived, I was a little confused. However, after discovering this informative article from 2015, all the puzzle pieces have fallen into place and things make much more sense to me now! Turns out that when the Cultiva owners opened a new location (called Cultiva Labs), they carved out some space for bean-to-bar chocolate production!

A big thank you to Rebecca Ankenbrand, Sweet Minou’s chocolate maker, for generously sending me an assortment of chocolate bars (and a couple of other goodies you’ll hear about later) for “research purposes” after I contacted her about this “50 states” collaboration project!

Rebecca mentioned to me that Sweet Minou recently rebranded their logo + packaging, so I feel privileged to be among the first to see this round of the artwork and screen printed thick paper wrappers. As you’ll see below, each bar’s sleeve + the informational sticker keeping the fold closed has a different color that seems to tie into a flavor component of the bar. Additionally, the company logo (a cat’s face) is printed in a similar or complementing color. When I first saw the Sweet Minou logo, I assumed that the name was chosen to honor a beloved pet. Maybe my guess wasn’t too far off, since “minou” is the French word for “kitty” and the company name was inspired by Rebecca’s years in France where she taught English and enjoyed tasting many gourmet chocolates.

First up is Bolivia Alto Beni (70% dark chocolate)

This small bar (0.8 ounces) is made from only three ingredients: organic cacao, sugar and cocoa butter. Just removing the 5-rectangle bar from the wax-lined silver foil inner wrapper released a lovely malty and roasted/coffee aroma. While the “top” surface was marred by some air bubbles, chocolate dust and a little scuffing, the vertical and horizontal lines from the mold were crisp and well defined.

Breaking off a tasting morsel, there was a sharp snap and an earthy aroma where the rectangle had been separated from the rest of the bar. During the slow, even melt I tasted light citrus/fruity notes, while “chomping” brought out more vibrant and tangy red fruit notes. Bolivia is my current favorite country of origin and this bar was a fine example, though less earthy in flavor than others I’ve tried.

Next is the Signature Blend + Walnut (70% dark chocolate)

The foil wrapper was bulging out from the paper sleeve, barely able to contain the plentiful inclusions.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the #chocolatetopography comprised of different sized walnut pieces dotted with glistening chunks of amber-colored caramelized sugar that crunched like toffee.

Thankfully most of the inclusions remained intact when turning over the bar to discover that a different mold was used for this larger (1.35 ounce) bar. Despite slight cosmetic imperfections (some ghosting and air bubbles), the “top” surface was mostly glossy and shiny.

Though it was a little difficult to isolate the chocolate from the featured inclusion ingredients, the signature blend was smooth, creamy, not-too-sweet and seemed to have a tang that reminded me of tart cranberries. Don’t judge me too harshly, but there is only a bite or two left of this bar…really, I don’t know what happened! 😉 It was one of those cases where you take a bite, try to pinpoint what you were tasting and then need to repeat the process multiple times since the flavor was a little elusive.

Last of the bars is the Signature Blend + Pistachio (70% dark chocolate)

The colorful purple rose petals and contrasting distinctive green and brown pistachios were sprinkled over the center of the bar. Taking a closer look, the chocolate seemed to change color at the edges of the inclusion ingredients, I suspect this was the oil leeching from the nuts rather than dissolving/deliquescing salt.

Regardless, it was easier to isolate the creamy, smooth chocolate and this time the signature blend was still fruity, but less tangy than the previous bar. To me, the salty nuts added more than the papery rose petals; though when the petals were tasted alone, they were flavorful and aromatic.

But wait…there’s more!!

As an unexpected treat, I also received Mango & Vanilla Bean Cups decorated with a dash of ground turmeric and a few large salt crystals.

My only complaint is that I was unable to remove the dense cup out of the brown paper liner unless I cut the chocolate in half first. The flavorful, creamy, smooth, tropical mango purée flecked with tiny vanilla bean seeds contrasted with the medium-thick chocolate shell (which I assume was made from the same 70% cacao signature blend as the inclusion bars).

Last, but not least, some dark chocolate dipped Chili Mango slices which won Best Dessert Curry at the Lincoln, Nebraska Asian Community & Cultural Center Curry Clash fundraiser event.

The baggie arrived with 4 pieces, but one of them disappeared before the photo session! 😉 There is just the right amount of chocolate to enhance the moist and chewy dried fruit – salty, sweet, savory & lightly spicy. This finger food snack has it all…no wonder it was an award winner!

While Sweet Minou is just starting out, in the two years that Rebecca has been in business, it’s clear that she has a passion for experimenting with different flavor combinations and different bean-to-bar origins. What a thrill to learn that she will be traveling to Haiti later this week for cacao sourcing! I’m grateful that I was able to try so many of her creations & look forward to staying in touch to discover what is next on the horizon!

To learn more and order goodies for yourself, please go to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sweet.minou.chocolate/

Remember to follow the Time to Eat Chocolate blog to hear about the next stop in the “50 States” project!

NOTE: If you know of any other bean-to-bar makers in Nebraska, please leave a comment or send an email…we like to keep our resource lists as up-to-date as possible!

R is for Rose Petals

About a decade ago, I attended a tasting at Valerie Confections, where I sampled her petits fours and chocolate covered toffee. While on a recent trip to Downtown LA’s Grand Central Market, I spotted something new in the display case at her coffee shop and bakery, so how could I resist continuing with the flower theme to feature this “Nature is Slow” dark chocolate bar with rose petals from Edible Gardens LA?

The gold foil-wrapped bar peeks out seductively from the simple white cardboard sleeve printed with sleek black lettering. My only complaint is that, due to a snug/tight fit, the bar would not slip out easily, though this probably helped keep the inclusions intact on the bar itself.

Unwrapping the slender bar from the now dimpled foil, there was the unmistakable aroma of bittersweet chocolate mixed with a rose scent. Immediately visible was the “back” of the very dark brown bar, punctuated with purplish-pink dried rose petals that were in stark contrast to the thickly encrusted candied rose petals. It’s too bad that egg whites were used to help adhere the pure cane sugar to the rose petals, otherwise this could have been a vegan bar.

There was a semi-crisp snap to the bar, sending sugar crystals and chocolate dust everywhere.

Melting a morsel on my tongue, the base (made with Valhrona’s 61% bittersweet chocolate) was very smooth and floral in taste. While salt typically enhances flavors, the fleur de sel was distracting to me here.

Another surprise was the textural difference between the two types of fragrant and flavorful petals: the dried ones were papery and chewy, while the candied ones were brittle and crunchy.

For comparison purposes, I’d love to try her Rose Petal Petits Fours since alternating layers of rose petal passion fruit ganache with vanilla bean cake sounds intriguing! Imagine a “bouquet” of a dozen edible roses!

With 3 locations in the Los Angeles area to choose from, you’re sure to find something to satisfy your sweet tooth. Please visit their website for details: http://www.valerieconfections.com/

50 States Collaboration – Minnesota / K’ul Chocolate

When you think about an energy bar or afternoon pick-me-up snack, does the term “bean-to-bar” come to mind? Probably not…but Peter Kelsey, the man behind K’ul Chocolate, might just change your mind about that! K’ul (pronounced “cool”) is the Mayan word for energy, so I thought it would be fun to try the four bars from their Superfood Bar Introductory pack which are each made with 70% bean-to-bar dark chocolate.

First up is “Power” (peanuts & currants + 8 grams of protein in each bar)

This bar is K’ul’s modern twist on the North American slang term for trail mix, aka “GORP” (good ol’ raisins and peanuts). Instead of raisins, they use currants and their peanuts are covered with a protein “shell” made from algavia (a whole algae protein powder). Don’t worry, there isn’t a seaweed or briny smell; the aroma reminded me of freshly roasted nuts like you might find from a street vendor or at a carnival.

The intricate five-sided spiral knotwork company logo is hardly intact on any of the 6 small squares since the featured ingredients are just bursting out from both the front and back of the chunky bar. [As a side note, I’d love to know if this pattern has a name since my research led me down a never-ending rabbit hole of complex Mayan and Celtic inspired crafts.]

I’m pretty sure that these bars are meant to be “chomped” rather than melted. How else would I be able to fully enjoy the crunchy, lightly salted coated peanuts and the chewy, sweet, dried currants?! It was difficult to isolate the chocolate by itself, but it was creamy, smooth and tasted a bit like banana. Not sure if this was “cross-contamination” with one of their other bars (see below) or an inherent flavor note of the chocolate used.

Next is “Electrobar” (which will help to restore your electrolyte balance)

Again, the featured ingredients (dried bananas & toasted unsweetened coconut flakes) are clearly visible on both the front and back of the thick bar, such that one of the squares does not have a recognizable logo!

I liked the generous chunks of chewy bananas & the texture of the coconut strips. Large crystals of Cyprus sea salt are unevenly dispersed on the back of the bar, making some morsels saltier than others (especially if you put the salt side down on your tongue).

The overall flavor is very tropical, though the chocolate itself seems secondary to all the other ingredients.

Next is “Stamina” (to recover from oxidative stress)

Flavored with cranberries, tart cherries, freeze dried pomegranate arils, freeze dried raspberries and maca root powder. All the not-too-sweet fruits worked well together, though it seemed that raspberry and pomegranate were dominant, perhaps because of the longer-lasting seeds.

Last, but not least, “Endurance” (caffeine courtesy of guarana powder)

The crunchy, toasted pumpkin seeds are again coated with the algae protein powder giving them a slightly yellowish appearance while the chewy dried cranberries retained their distinctive jewel red color. This bar is designed to provide “consistent energy to push through the miles.”

I tasted a third of each bar first thing in the morning, before having breakfast…I have to say that I did feel a bit of a “buzz” from the “Endurance” bar within minutes of eating 2 squares.

Love that there is minimal packaging to these single servings. The bars are wrapped with a snug and form-fitting printed plastic “film” with a notched opening at one edge. Each bar is so unique in terms of the flavor combinations and the intended use of the chocolate bar. From the company website: “Chocolate is not candy. Chocolate is food.” So if you are passionate about maintaining a healthy lifestyle while enjoying the pleasure of chocolate, these seem like the best of both worlds!

This Introductory 4-pack is currently $11.99 (including shipping) – limit one per customer.

To learn more about K’ul’s philosophy behind nature’s original superfood and to discover their entire product line, check out: https://kul-chocolate.com/

Remember to follow the Time to Eat Chocolate blog to hear about the next stop in the “50 States” project!

Other chocolate makers in Minnesota:

Meadowlands Chocolate

Terroir Chocolate

Two Ravens Chocolate

NOTE: If you know of any other bean-to-bar makers in Minnesota that aren’t mentioned above, please leave a comment or send an email so that we can keep this list as up-to-date as possible!

Q is for Queen of the Meadow

If you were following along last year, you’ll remember that “Q” was a problematic letter for me. This time, I had more inclusion options potentially available: quandong (from Australia), quinoa, quince and even quinine. However, once I heard about this seasonal Limited Edition Queen of the Meadow bar from Vintage Plantations, I knew I had to find it. Lucky for me, it was available at Chocolate Covered San Francisco!

The aromatic herb “Queen of the Meadow” is also known by other names like “Meadow Sweet” or “Mead Wort” (the latter is descriptive since the spice is commonly used to flavor Scandinavian fermented honey beverages aka mead). I’m not sure if the “Queen” title comes from the fact that it tends to dominate low-lying damp meadows or that supposedly Queen Elizabeth I preferred this herb above all others when it came to scenting her chambers (it’s known as a “strewing” herb, meaning that it would be strewn on the floor to give rooms a pleasant floral aroma).

The packaging art by Brooklyn-based painter Charlotta Janssen looks very much like a botanical illustration showing how the creamy white flowers grow in nature as well as details of the buds, petals and branched cymes (clusters). It’s fun to compare those drawing to the tiny dried flowers that were sprinkled on the back of the bar.

Removing the “chocolate dust” coated bar from the sealed foil inner pouch, I could immediately smell a botanical aroma that reminded me of an herbal tea. While it’s a shame that the bar wasn’t intact, it made it so much easier to show the “back” and “front” details simultaneously.

There was a brittle snap to the thick bar and the chocolate itself seemed a little dry and chalky at the break point.

On the slow and even melt, the gritty texture & mouthfeel was what you would expect from stone ground cacao. Whether melting or “chomping,” there was a subtle nutty flavor since Queen of the Meadow is known to impart a taste like almonds. Overall, the chocolate was not too sweet and at times the flavor reminded me of passion fruit or marshmallows. These flowers are only available in Sweden for two months each year, so I’m very glad that Vintage Plantations has utilized them so uniquely. I hope their Swedish collaboration line continues to expand…can’t wait to see and taste what they will make next!

To learn more about Vintage Plantations, be sure to check out: https://www.vintageplantations.com/

50 States Collaboration – Illinois / Ethereal Confections

This chocolate adventure has been an eye-opening experience in so many ways! Over the past year, it’s been my privilege to taste an eclectic variety of chocolates, expand my knowledge of ingredients/processes/places and “meet” people connected to the chocolate industry/community. One of the things that I most enjoy is seeing how brands change and evolve over time. Such is the case with Ethereal.

Ethereal Confections opened in 2011 by co-owners, Mary Ervin (formerly a graphic designer) and Sara Miller (formerly an interior designer) who met through Mary’s brother, Michael Ervin. When I tried one of their bars last year, the packaging left me wondering if they were still using other people’s chocolate. However, after recently receiving some sample bars from Michael Ervin (who is married to Sara), it’s now very clear that the focus of these two very creative and talented women is producing craft chocolate from the bean. By the way, they have been bean-to-bar since 2013 when they moved from a tiny shop to their current location in the Historic Woodstock Square area of Illinois, ~60 miles north of Chicago.

**While I received the following three bars free of charge, I did not receive any compensation for reviewing their products. The opinions are my own.**

Instead of a cardboard outer sleeve, the bars are now wrapped with thick, textured paper adorned with artwork that remind me of watercolor prints. On the front is a white rectangular informational sticker which peels away easily, such that I will probably re-purpose the colorful wrappers once the chocolate is gone. The folds are kept closed with a thin strip of double sided tape which makes it easy to open and re-close the packaging (another improvement from last year!) The single origin bar weighs in at 2.25 ounces, while the “chubbier” inclusion bars are 2.5 ounces each.

Single Origin – Haiti (70%)

Removing this three-ingredient bar from the light blue foil inner wrapper, I was surprised to see yet another change from last year: an intricate mold with the company logo prominently featured in the center, despite some chocolate dust and air bubbles marring the overall finish.

There was a roasted aroma and a sharp snap, which revealed more air bubbles at the “breaking point.” Rather than a completely smooth texture, the mouthfeel reminded me of melting grainy brown sugar.

Initially, I experienced a sweet, dried fruit flavor (like raisins) which then transitioned to an earthy and lightly astringent finish with a long-lasting, back-of-the-throat, tart taste.

66% Dark Chocolate with Caramelized Almonds, Cocoa Nibs & Sea Salt

The light blue inner foil wrapper could hardly contain this bar’s generous amount of inclusions! Nearly every surface of the back of the bar was covered with crunchy roasted nibs, caramelized almond chunks and enhanced with a sprinkling of sea salt.

Gently turning the bar over to segment into tasting morsels, a few of the inclusions came loose, but the majority remained intact. Again, there were some air bubbles marring the “top” surface, though there were far fewer air bubbles in the chocolate itself.

While it was difficult to isolate the creamy chocolate from the rest of the ingredients, the overall flavor was citrusy, leading me to wonder if Dominican Republic cacao (or a blend) was used.

66% Dark Chocolate with Caramelized Pecans, Smoked Sea Salt & Scorpion Pepper

In 2012, New Mexico State University identified “Scorpion Chili” as the hottest pepper in the world with a heat of 1.2 million Scoville heat units (it’s now considered the second hottest behind the “Carolina Reaper” which, according to some sources, has 2.2 million SHUs!) For comparison purposes: ghost chili is rated at 1 million SHUs, habaneros has between 100,000-350,000 SHUs & jalapeños have a mere 2,500-10,000 SHUs!

I’ve been both curious and apprehensive about trying this bar since I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy foods. Well, let me tell you, this bar is NOT for the faint of heart since the scorpion bourbon spice blend packs a punch! Popping a few errant “crumbs” of chocolate from the dark green foil into my mouth and (wow!) my lips + tongue were already starting to get numb from the building heat! Being daring, I followed that by “chomping” on a small chunk – now the back of my throat and even ears were feeling the burn. I decided to melt a piece on my tongue to try to isolate the chocolate by itself, I was unsuccessful; but at least the sweet, sugar-coated pecans seemed to tone down the intensity just a tiny a bit.

Next time I’m fighting a cold, this will be my remedy! Thankfully the immediate burst of heat slowly faded to a warm (yet long lasting) tingle at the tip of my tongue and back of my throat. A little goes a long way & I can see adding bits of this bar to a plain vanilla ice cream or a sipping hot chocolate for a kick. I’ve been known to test out chocolate on unsuspecting friends; this time I’ll be sure to give an upfront warning :-0

While researching Ethereal a little more today, I was intrigued to discover that 5-10% of their business over the past few years has come from a growing popular niche market: craft breweries. Here is a link to a 2016 article with more details.

Additionally, it seems that their cafe has something to appeal to everyone. Want tea or coffee beverages? – They’ve got that. How about drinking chocolate? – Yep, that’s covered too! There is even an extensive list of craft cocktails!?! What really had me salivating while reading their menu was the extensive list of chocolate pairings and tasting “flights” that they can provide. Imagine the seemingly endless possibilities sampling from among their more than 20 truffles + wine, beer, cider, whiskey or other spirits. If I lived even remotely close, they might as well forward my mail there, because it would be my 2nd home (or I’d beg them to adopt me as part of the family!) 😉

To check out Ethereal’s extensive product line for yourself, go to: http://www.etherealconfections.com/

Remember to follow the Time to Eat Chocolate blog to hear about the next stop in the “50 States” project!

Other chocolate makers in Illinois:

Noir d’Ebene Chocolat et Patisserie

NOTE: If you know of any other bean-to-bar makers in Illinois that aren’t mentioned above, please leave a comment or send an email so that we can keep this list as up-to-date as possible!

 

50 States Collaboration – Delaware / Double Spiral Chocolate

Back in November 2016, I attended the NW Chocolate Festival in Seattle, WA. While waiting for one of the Saturday educational workshops to begin, I casually chatted with another attendee who just happened to bring samples of chocolate he had recently made and was eager to get feedback from fellow chocophiles. Fast forward 5 months later…imagine my surprise as I was doing online research on the first and only bean-to-bar maker within the state of Delaware, to recognize the face of that same man looking back at me from the “About Us” page on Double Spiral Chocolate’s website! A big thank you to Stuart and Mhairi Craig (co-owners of Double Spiral Chocolate) for sending me samples of three of their bars after returning from one of their origin trips!

At first glance, the light brown outer packaging appeared very plain to me and I assumed that it was just paper made from post-consumer recycled materials. However, in keeping with Double Spiral’s goal to make a global impact not only with their chocolate making process, but also with other aspects of their business as well, the wrapper is actually tree free, carbon neutral, unbleached, biodegradable and compostable paper made from bagasse which is the fibrous matter that is left over after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juices. Almost all of the text is printed in black ink, with some spot color (blue on the back for the batch number and orange on the front when there was a 3rd ingredient used for flavoring). Though it doesn’t say so, I’m sure that they are using vegetable based-ink for the printing.

Removing the glossy one ounce bars (which they believe is an ideal daily serving of chocolate) from the wax-lined silver foil wrappers, the first thing I saw was the custom double spiral logo facing me. The back of the outer sleeve wrapper explains the reason why this symbol was used.

The first two bars that I tasted were made with just two ingredients: cacao beans and unrefined cane sugar (also called rapadura, panela or jaggery, among many other names). Since Double Spiral strives to use as few ingredients as possible and ones that are minimally processed, they sweeten their chocolate with raw sugar that is made by evaporating water from sugarcane juice (in contrast, white sugar has a centrifuge step that strips away the naturally brown color and the nutrient rich molasses).

First up: Tanzania 75% (Kokoa Kamili)

This bar exhibited the most amount of “scuffing” as well as some chocolate “dust,” though it was the only one that appeared to be free from any surface air bubbles.

Try as I might, I was unable to do justice when photographing the bars side-by-side. You’ll just have to take my word that this bar was slightly more reddish brown in color when compared with the other two bars. Upon opening the wrapper, I encountered a fruity aroma and a semi-crisp snap when segmenting pieces from the small bar. The not-too-sweet fruity flavor was muted while melting a piece in my mouth + the mouthfeel during the melt seemed a little dry and grainy. However, when chomping on a tasting morsel, there was an immediate vibrant tart/tangy, almost juicy, raspberry flavor explosion that hit my tongue and a lingering finish at the back of the throat.

Next up: Haiti 75% (Pisa)

The appearance of this bar was marred by some “ghosting” and tiny air bubbles. Simply unwrapping the bar produced an earthy aroma. There was a crisp, dry snap and a nutty scent at the “break point.” Surprisingly, the nutty (almost chalky) flavor hits at the back of the throat rather than the tongue or palate. I struggled to put a name to the specific nut until reading the tasting notes: brazil nut. This was my “ah ha” moment!

Last, but not least: Haiti 75% (Pisa) with Freeze Dried Ginger

The two Haiti bars are nearly identical in color when compared side-by-side. The unflavored Haiti is shown at the top and the ginger Haiti is at the bottom of this photo.

Again, the bar’s finish was also affected by some “ghosting,” “scuffing” as well as some tiny air bubbles. Straight out of the packaging there was a muted ginger aroma, which became much more prominent once the bar was broken into pieces. For me, the ginger flavor hit the roof of my mouth/palate first and then there was the spicy “zing” lightly burning the back of my throat.

Maybe it’s me, but it almost looks like this bar is more “close-textured” (to borrow from baking terminology) since I didn’t notice any air bubbles within the tasting morsel like the other two.

Of the three that I tasted, the ginger was my favorite, with the Tanzania coming in as a close second! If you’ve had the chance to taste these bars too, please let me know your thoughts!

To read more about Double Spiral’s chocolate making philosophy and process or to order bars for yourself, please visit their website: http://doublespiralchocolate.com/

Remember to follow the Time to Eat Chocolate blog to hear about the next stop in the “50 States” project!

NOTE: If you know of any other bean-to-bar makers in Delaware, please leave a comment or send an email…we like to keep our resource lists as up-to-date as possible!

O is for Orchid

Until yesterday when I started researching things a little further, I thought orchid was a fairly exotic flavor. I’ve since discovered that vanilla is a type of orchid, so now my “bubble” has been burst a little :'(

Regardless, today I’m featuring this Orchid and Orange Blossom 72% dark chocolate limited edition fusion bar from UK’s Artisan du Chocolat since flowers embody Spring! This flavor combination was especially created for the Chelsea Flower Show Gala in 2010 & has been popular ever since.

Even the bar code has a floral theme!

Unwrapping the 15 rectangle bar from the clear plastic pouch, I could immediately smell the aroma that I associate with orange blossom water. The bar had an overall matte finish that was marred slightly by some chocolate dust and air bubbles.

After taking several close-up photos, I noticed that some of the recessed rectangular panels had a plain, textured finish while others appeared to have a series of ever smaller concentric rectangles, almost like a maze configuration, though the pattern was not consistent from rectangle to rectangle. Hopefully the below photos have captured the phenomenon…

Each time I’ve tried to segment a row of three rectangles into equally sized tasting morsels, the middle rectangle breaks off more easily and not at the dividing “score line” between the rectangles, such that it is impossible to get equally sized pieces (this has happened three times so far, leading me to think that this isn’t an isolated aberration).

From the packaging, the base chocolate (a blend of bitter Venezuelan Criollo and slightly acidic Mexican Trinitario cocoa beans) is flavored with distillates of exotic flowers from the town of Grasse in the Alpine region of France. Artisan du Chocolat is not entirely bean-to-bar since it sounds like they receive ground cacao that is then conched and refined in-house at their atelier in Kent. Though neither the packaging nor the website says so, I’m assuming that steam distillation was used to create the natural orchid and orange blossom extracts. Based on what I’ve read of the process, as plant tissue breaks down in water that is heated to the boiling point, steam pulls out the released essential oils + water vapor, which are then condensed and cooled into an extract.

Melting a piece in my mouth, I tasted bitter, green (unripe) flavors and a peppery, tongue prickling sensation. The mouthfeel was smooth during the slow and even melt, but then I was left with a mouth puckering finish. Surprisingly, these flavors are less intense when the bar is chomped. Since I happened to have orange blossom water in my kitchen pantry from the last time I made baklava, I tasted some on its own for comparison purposes. This liquid was more perfumy and floral, but without any of the other sensations, causing me to wonder if the orchid extract or the chocolate itself contributed to the astringent aftertaste. Sounds like I’ll have to taste orchid on its own sometime for “scientific research” 😉

Visit the Artisan du Chocolat website to discover their extensive product line for yourself: http://www.artisanduchocolat.com/

N is for Nori

There almost wasn’t an “N” post this week! :0 I knew exactly what I wanted, but was having trouble sourcing it. After successfully maintaining my own personal deadline schedule of posting one article per week for 39 weeks, would I now have to resort to recycling a review from a year ago?! Had I just followed my instincts and visited my hometown health food store earlier, I might have saved myself a week’s worth of angst, but then I would have missed my various phone conversations with Cole Meeker, founder and one of the owners of the The Great and Wonderful Sea of Change Trading Company. (Is it just me, or does the company name make you think of “The Wizard of Oz”?)

Until today, I didn’t do any research on the Northern California company, so I was excited to find this 5 minute video featuring Cole and his wife Anastasia explaining their passion for making food products with sea vegetation. I certainly didn’t know that there were 400+ kinds of edible seaweed in the ocean and that only about 3 of them were commonly eaten.

Introducing today’s bar…Wild Nori Crunch made with 70% unroasted, stone ground Ecuadorian cacao

Holding the outer packaging at an angle, you can better see and appreciate the spot UV anglerfish, with a sun or all-seeing eye coming out of its head as a lure. Opening the back flap, you’ll see a thank you message to those that were instrumental in getting this project funded in 2015 through an Indiegogo campaign.

Removing the slender rectangular bar from the heat sealed gold foil wrapper, you’ll see that the mold is comprised of 9 slightly textured, matte finish “batons” that are minimally marred by some air bubbles + chocolate dust at the top and bottom corners of the bar.

Taking a closer look at the bar, you can easily see dark flecks of the wild-harvested seaweed near the surface, though flipping the bar over shows just how the well dispersed they really are.

Breaking off one of the rectangles produced a brittle, crumbly snap that released an earthy and mineral-rich aroma.

Taking a bite, I’m reminded of the Middle Eastern sesame paste or nut-butter based snack halva in terms of the gritty crunch that is associated with stone ground cacao.

This is definitely a bar to be “chomped” rather than melted, unless you like having tiny mineralized flakes of seaweed stuck to your tongue and teeth afterwards! 😉

As an experiment, I used a knife to segment another piece from the bar just to hear the rasping “scritch” of the metal blade making contact with the chocolate and dried seaweed mixture. It certainly created a bit of a mess, but it was fascinating to see the delicate and translucent nori chunks apart from the chocolate itself.

I know what you’re thinking…seaweed and chocolate?! If you’ll recall, I wasn’t a big fan of the flavor back in April 2016. However, after a year of eating poke bowls garnished with furikake and enjoying a miso bar last week, I think my palate was better prepared for the flavor profile.

Lightly sweet from the coconut sugar and maple syrup, satisfyingly crunchy and lightly savory/vegetal in flavor, I encourage you to set aside your preconceptions and taste this for yourself. After reading about seaweed today, I’m really intrigued to try their Wild Dulse bar next…now to find it! 😉

In the words of fellow Instagrammer honeycreeperchocolate: “Wow, nori…you are certainly on an adventure!” – Yep, and loving every moment of it!

To learn more about Cole and Sea of Change, check out the “About Us” page on their website. If you’re not lucky enough to find their products in your local health food store, you can order online through their sea vegetable store: https://www.seaofchangetrading.com/sea-vegetable-store/

These are my personal thoughts and experiences. I did not receive pay or any compensation for reviewing this product.

50 States Collaboration – Georgia / Xocolatl

If I lived in Atlanta (where the airport code is “ATL”) and wanted a clever company name for my small-batch chocolates, I probably would have chosen the Aztec Nahuatl word for chocolate too: Xocolatl 🙂

Xocolatl was started in 2013 by husband-and-wife team Matt Weyandt and Elaine Read after living in the Costa Rican jungle for about a year where they learned the bean-to-bar process and then wanted to bring that talent back to their hometown.

Little did I realize when I ordered the 60% Dark Chocolate “Kissed Mermaids” bar through Honeycreeper that my choice would be a nod to another play on words: a kiss is generally expressed as an “X,” while a hug is denoted as an “O” and, as you’ll soon see, these symbols are featured on both the outer packaging as well as the mold design.

In addition to playful illustrations of city life, the thick blue textured outer paper has subtle silver foil stamping and embossing on both the front and back that you might miss unless you view the packaging from an angle.

Upon opening both the outer packaging and the wax lined inner foil wrapper, you’ll notice that the “top” (non-inclusion) side is facing you.

The mold is a series of decorative symmetrical squares at each corner, flanked by a pair of unadorned rectangles, which then draw your eye to the center of the bar. Here again is the prominent “XO” within a circle lined with small pennants, just like the logo on the front of the packaging.

The generous sprinkling of inclusions remains well adhered to the bar while turning it over. It wasn’t until after I took several photos that I noticed the vanilla-infused sea salt sparkling from the gaps between the clusters of cacao nibs.

There is a semi-soft snap to the thick bar and the smooth, creamy chocolate is punctuated by the nutty crunch of the nibs.

While there was a strong coconut-forward aroma upon opening the packaging, either melted or chomped, the coconut flavor is muted and complemented by the sea salt. I’m curious about the origin of the cacao since it doesn’t say on the packaging (perhaps because it varies depending on availability?) However, their website does say “Our small batch chocolate is made from cacao that is sustainably and ethically grown, harvested, fermented and sun-dried on small farms throughout the Americas and East Africa.”

Next time, I hope to try bars with humorous names like “Oh Nuts,” “Soul Rebel” or “Wide Eyed.” Additionally, I’m intrigued by the “Americana” bar since I’ve never thought to combine chocolate with apple pie flavors!

To discover Xocolatl for yourself, check out: http://www.xocolatlchocolate.com/

Remember to follow the Time to Eat Chocolate blog to hear about the next stop in the “50 States” project!

Other chocolate makers in Georgia:

Cacao Atlanta Georgia Company

Condor Chocolates

NOTE: If you know of any other bean-to-bar makers in Georgia that aren’t mentioned above, please leave a comment or send an email so that we can keep this list as up-to-date as possible!

M is for Miso

In case you haven’t heard…Mast Brothers recently shuttered their Arts District DTLA location less than a year after opening. Don’t judge me too harshly, but I’m glad that I was able to get several of their “Los Angeles Collection” bars before they disappeared.

If you’ve been following along on my Eating the Chocolate Alphabet adventure, you’ll know that I’ve been tasting some unique flavor combinations that one would never have expected to find with chocolate! Influenced by the tastes found in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles, is this Miso & Sesame bar.

The minimalist blue and cream packaging, artwork designed by Block Shop Textiles, calls to mind the noren (fabric curtains or dividers) you might find hanging outside or within a Japanese shop or restaurant.

Gently peeling back the rectangular informational sticker keeping the folds closed, reveals a reddish brown bar studded with black sesame seeds, with just the edges of the inner gold foil peeking out, almost like a hiyoku lining layer of a kimono.

Inhaling deeply, there is a smoky and earthy aroma. Turning the bar over, the 28-rectangle bar has a glossy, almost mirror-like shine. Segmenting tasting morsels produces a dull snap and I’m surprised by the creamy mouthfeel while melting a piece in my mouth (the additional cocoa butter must have helped). Closing my eyes, I can almost imagine gentle wisps of steam rising from a bowl of miso soup set before me; stirring the opaque dashi stock with chopsticks to uncover the seaweed, green onions and tofu that have settled to the bottom. This bar is savory and lightly salty, such that I would never have guessed that the base chocolate was made with Peruvian cacao beans (known to have natural citrus notes). The black sesame seeds provide an added texture and crunch element, though I’m wondering how it might have tasted with white sesame seeds instead.

Did you know that miso is a thick paste made traditionally from fermented soybeans as well as rice and barley? Though not specified on the packaging or website, I’m guessing that Mast utilized dehydrated white miso as it’s milder in flavor (due to being fermented for less time) and considered sweeter and lower in salt than yellow, red or black miso.

In the past, I haven’t been a fan of Mast Brothers’ chocolate bars; but this bar seems to capture the essence of flavor associated with Japanese cuisine. Have you tried miso with chocolate before? Let me know!

For more information on their variety of chocolate bars, check out: https://mastbrothers.com/