Saturday, September 12, 2009

Newman's Own Organics Super Dark Chocolate 70% cocoa

I was surprised to like this bar as much as I do. I associate "organic" chocolate with other bars I've tasted with that label, and they were not great. This bar has a crisp snap when broken, a pleasant aroma when sniffed, and a tangy, rich choclate flavor, and a smooth finish. All the elements of a great tasting experience. 8.5

newmansownorganics.com

Monday, September 7, 2009

Chocolate stores in San Francisco

As I was walking about downtown San Francisco, I stopped by Teuscher's to see what they had that was new (picked up a 55% cocoa bar that I'll be trying out later), and decided to walk up the hill for a visit to Richart. I was disappointed to see a sign on their door explaining that they had closed in June.

I reviewed a couple of the Richart bars, the Sao Tome and the Cote D'Ivorie. They were pricey, but always excellent. They also were shaped in large squares, very unusual for chocolate bars. Sadly, San Francisco has one less chocolate boutique at which to shop.

If you're feeling mopey as a result of this (a bit stale) news, then head over to Noe Valley for a visit to a born-in-San Francisco chocolate store experience. On another wander about town, I noticed the Chocolate Covered store. It was closed when I took this blurry phone snap, but I came back later for a visit. The window in front of the store is packed with tin boxes of all shapes and sizes that are imprinted with the names of San Francisco streets and all kinds of other pictures.

Inside the store is an excellent variety of chocolates from all over. I picked up the Chocolove Tanzania Chocolatour bar there, and a couple others. The owner of the store explained that his wife owns a clothing boutique on the street that used to be located in this spot, but they swapped stores as his collection of decorated candy boxes expanded.

You can find another review of Chocolate Covered here, and they rate four and half stars on Yelp (at this writing). Their address is:

Chocolate Covered
4069 24th Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 641-8123

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Scharffen Berger Asante 65% cacao

I had not posted the reviews for an open tasting that I had done back in May -- so this one is a little late. The Asante bar is one of Scharffen Berger's Single Origin chocolates, similar to the Tome-Acu 68% cacao bar that was tasted earlier.

Steve: Some citrus taste from first bite through to full melt. Very clean finish with some remaining tartness in the aftertaste. 7

Matthew: Smooth! Intense. Solid. 8

www.scharffenberger.com

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Valrhona Le Noir Amer 71% Cacao

This is the last of the three open tastings.

Matthew: Intense. 8
Steve: Clean, citrus flavors. Nice finish. 8
Hallie: Tastes like chocolate with an undertone of dirt. 7

www.valrhona.com

Be sure to compare this bar to the Valrhona Le Noir 56% Cacao and the Valrhona Le Noir Extra Amer 85% Cacao.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Chocolove Chocolatour Tanzania 76% Cocoa

This is the second of three open tasting with the Sales Productivity Chocolate Club.

Steve: Astringent. Some fruit flavors. Smooth finish. 7

Matthew: Creamy, light. 7

www.chocolove.com

Chocolove bars usually have a love poem on the inside wrapper, but this special bar is part of the "Chocolatour" series, and includes a travelogue. Here's the entry for this bar:

Greetings from Tanzania

Flying into Dar es Salam, I sat with my nose pressed to the window, glancing away only briefly to check our position on the map. Below was Lake Victoria, shimmering in the sun like a million diamonds. The Serengeti plain conjured images of classic safari with endless miles of animals stretching to Mount Kilamanjaro. We swung wide over the Indian Ocean to make our approach, the island of Zanzibar loomed verdant and lush on the horizon. My heart raced with excitement as my eyes were filled with the crystal turquoise waters, white sand beaches and towering palm trees. Thoughts of snorkeling and surfing by day then exploring and dining in historical Stone Town on Zanzibar at night streamed through my head. It was easy to forget what I came here for.

Tomorrow, I'll travel inland to the Morogoro region to visit cocoa fields. The southern highlands are the agricultural heartland of Tanzania. I look forward to exploring the crops along the Uluguru Mountains in the shadow of ancient forests over 25 million years old.

Galler Heritage Noir 70

In August I once again hosted the Sales Productivity team's Chocolate Club tastings. This is the first of three "open tastings" that week.

Steve: Rich chocolate -- nutty. Some bitterness. Some coffee notes. 7

Divya: Smooth, slightly bitter (but good for 70% cocoa). 8

Matthew: Smooth, creamy, "light". 7

www.galler.com