Y is for Yacon Beer

Wow, can you believe that I’ve finally come to the end of this round of Eating the Chocolate Alphabet; it’s been MORE than a year since my “A is for Absinthe” entry! Sadly, I didn’t find a “Z” alcohol chocolate, so this is the last post of the series. Don’t feel cheated that I left out letters in this round – I’ve written about 33 different bars this series – that’s 7 more than the alphabet!

Also, (though maybe I shouldn’t really be surprised), almost 3 years ago I wrote about this unique “Y” letter ingredient as part of my inclusion series. Here’s the link to that post.

The South American Andes meets the Scottish Highlands in this Austrian Zotter bar called: YaconBier and Whisky

As always, I love the wrapper sleeve illustration by artist Andreas H. Gratze. The picture makes me think of a flamenco guitarist, though this musician is probably playing a charango if it is representing Peru and Bolivia in honor of the origin of the yacon root/tuber.

As mentioned, I’ve been waiting to taste this bar for quite some time + the “best by” date elapsed about a year ago, so forgive the chalky white blemishes on the outside of the bar showing the wavy pattern of the 70% noble (dark) chocolate couverture of this “hand scooped” bar. There is no one to blame but myself.

This outer coating was a little crumbly when cut with a knife, but that just made it easier to isolate and taste the chocolate on its own. To me, it was a little smoky (like a mezcal), but I’m guessing it is really the peaty notes from the Scottish Single Malt Whisky.

The ganache looks like a toasted white chocolate and has a slightly crystallized honey or soft/granulated caramel mouthfeel/texture. Based on the inner wrapper, the yacon beer used for this bar was brewed in the volcanic region of Austria by Milli’s Bio-Oasis. If you visit Milli’s website and scroll down, you will see a photo of a yacon root, which looks a lot like a yam or sweet potato.

Typically yacon is used as a natural, alternative sweetener with a low glycemic index; but, in the case of this chocolate bar, raw cane sugar is the first ingredient, so it’s fairly sweet. Honestly, if I didn’t know there was alcohol, I would not have been able to tell. I imagine that a fresh bar would be vibrant! If you’ve tried either the beer or the chocolate, please let me know your thoughts!

Zotter is based in Austria, but they also have a US presence in Florida! For those in Europe, check out: https://www.zotter.at/en/ and for those in the US, visit: https://www.zotterusa.com/

Yes, I have a theme for “Round 5” of Eating the Chocolate Alphabet; however, I’ll be taking a break during the hot summer months since SoCal weather and shipping chocolate don’t mix. For the next round, I plan to feature California-based chocolates A through Z. Bonbons, chocolate shops, confections and bean-to-bar are all fair game, so if there’s a particular place you think I should write about, leave me a note in the comments section. Bonus points if it’s a “double word score” like Andy’s Apothecary!

Salud & Slàinte on this Thirsty Thursday!

L is for Laphroaig

Imagine the intensity of 100% cacao, a chocolate without ANY sugar! Next, imagine the intensity a Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky, which is known to be smoky and peaty. Now, what if you combined those two very polarizing flavors?! These Mademoiselle Miel smoked honey bon-bons with scotch will blow your mind! 🤯

Thanks to Susan Brown (aka Madamoiselle Miel) for sending me a couple of sets of these bonbons for this Alphabet project. My apologies for not tasting them sooner, but I can assure you they were still SO VIBRANTLY flavored!

I enjoyed learning that Susan, who is both a beekeeper and an award winning chocolatier, collects honey from rooftop hives throughout the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota). If you’d like to learn more about Susan and Mademoiselle Miel, here is the link to a Well Tempered podcast episode.

Let me be honest, I’m not a big fan of unsweetened chocolate…it’s a little overwhelming for my palate. Scotch whisky, especially one that is smoky/peaty, won’t be at the top of my wish list either. BUT WOW, combining those two ingredients together is a revelation.

These bonbons are like tiny jewels unto themselves. Just look at how the edible, copper colored lustre dust shimmers in the sunlight.

Popping one of these morsels in your mouth is a multi-layered experience. The thin, bitter outer shell easily gives way to the semi-liquid center. The honey is smoked over sweet hickory wood and then paired with the Laphroaig. Not sure if the mouthfeel is supposed to be slightly grainy/crystallized; maybe it’s because I waited a little too long or perhaps that’s just what happens when alcohol interacts with honey. The comparatively sweet center disappears quickly and the smoky/leathery taste coats your palate. The flavors linger and there is a short-lived astringency/drying of the mouth once the chocolate is gone.

With 3 more bonbons left, now I’m curious to pair them with a dram of Laphroaig. Wish me luck! 😲

According to a Laphroaig timeline, their whisky was “officially” born in 1815 when they decided that it was more cost effective to distill alcohol than raise cattle. Check out their website to learn more about their products.

If there is a whisky or chocolate lover in your life, might I remind you that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! ❤️

Visit https://www.mademoisellemiel.com/ to get some. Let me know your thoughts if you do!

Slàinte or Cheers on this Thirsty Thursday!