Dandelion Venezuela 70% cacao

A strong, assertive chocolate. Fairly bitter, but that backs up the assertion. Overtones of vanilla can be noticed, and I agree with the "malty notes" mentioned on the label. There is a long aftertaste, trailing from the bitter edge. A good way to close out 2012! 8.0

I started off 2012 with a tasting of Dandelion Tanzania 70% cocoa. I also tasted their Dandelion Madagascar 70% cacao the prior November, at which time I mentioned that I had been told they were moving to San Francisco. Looks like the move was completed, as the address on the label is in The City. I'm looking forward to more bars from Dandelion.

Peets Semisweet 64% cacao

Very rich cocoa flavor. Faint cinnamon flavor can be grasped on close examination. Some bitterness, not too much. Just enough for a long lasting aftertaste. 7.3

I'd classify this as a mass-market bar.  It's well made, and has a cocoa bean stamped on every other piece. The label on the back mentions that the bar is "packed exclusively for Peet's Coffee & Tea," so I think we can assume that Peet's does not make the bar itself. There are no additional clues as to who manufactured the bar for Peet's.

$3.29 for 3 ounces

A Guilty Pleasure -- Berger Cookies

I traveled to Baltimore over Thanksgiving, and brought back some Berger Cookies.  Calling them a "cookie" is a slight misnomer. It's actually a thick layer of fudge layered on top of a thin cookie substrate.  I'm sure other bakeries make a cookie like this, but Berger's have been the go-to provider of this type of cookie for Baltimore.

I call it a "guilty pleasure" because the Nutrition Label for the cookie reveals that transfats are used in its making. It is my understanding that 1) transfats are not good for your health and 2) that food products can generally be made without transfats in all cases.  So let us avoid them, yes?

Well, yes in most cases.  I'll make an occasional exception for Berger Cookies. Okay, that's my allotment for the year!

www.bergercookies.com

Cotton Tree Chocolate Belize 70% cocoa

One of my colleague took a trip to Belize recently, and brought back dark chocolate. Yay!

This bar is fairly bitter, but not over-powering. I taste some earthy notes as well as a little nutmeg.  The aftertaste is fairly long due to the bitterness, but it is clean to the end. 8.2

www.cottontreechocolate.com

Amedei Cru Madagascar 70% cocoa

I have been waiting to try the Amedei Cru for Madagascar.  I was not disappointed. The bar is quite lively, with the usual burst of citrus I expect from other Madagascar bars, plus an interesting side flavor that I find difficult to identify. It has a red cherry aspect to it. The bitterness is very low, and the aftertaste is nicely balanced.  Not too bitter to overstay its welcome, but rich enough to remain memorable. 8.9

Francois Pralus Indonésie 75% cacao

Quite bitter, with few side flavors. Nuttiness (walnut?) is the most dominant note.  The aftertaste fades rapidly, despite the bitterness.  6.6

I like most Pralus bars, but this one did not get there for me.  The "best by" date for this bar is August 2013, so it is well within that.  However, the bar seemed to have some surface issues. The photo below shows the surface of the bar before I tasted it. The left arrow above the Pralus logo shows an area that should be smooth, but is instead rough and uneven.  The right arrow shows an area on the right side of the bar that looks like it has been marred and roughened before packaging in the foil that covered it. I doubt that the bar's taste is related to this unexpected condition of the bar, but it could be, so take that into account.

Delish Mid Knight Premium German Chocolate 70% cacao

Very nice bar for a very nice price.  Not exotic, but well made and flavorful. Some mild citrus notes, a little more hazelnut.  Very low bitterness, though not much aftertaste.  8.1

This bar is distributed by Walgreen's with a "Made in Germany" note on the box.  I'll add some additional label marketing in the Comments part of this post as I usually do.

Wavel Dark Chocolate 70% cocoa

Very rich cocoa flavors, some faint nutmeg as well. Not too bitter, but a long aftertaste. 6.9

This is the first Polish chocolate bar that I have tasted. Their website is below, but be prepared to run it through a translator!

www.wawel.com.pl

Marcolini Carré2 Chocolat Samburano Madagascar 78% cacao

I got into a discussion about over marketed chocolate in my review of the Jcoco "Noble Dark" bar. My latest report is about over promising and under-delivering. I visit Cocoa Bella on Friday, stopping by my go-to store for Fraçois Pralus and Pratric bars. I noticed a new bar in the truffle display, so I took a look.  The salesman came over and started telling me how they just got approved to carry this bar, the "best made chocolate" in the world, I was told.  I had never heard of this company, so I was intrigued.

They had several different bars, but they had sold out of the bar the salesman said was considered the "best in the world."  He also said it cost $18.  Perhaps I was lucky it was sold-out.  Instead I decided to try their Madagascar bar, an origin of which I've had considerable, positive experience. The price for this bar was $13 for an 80 gram bar.  That's just less than 3 ounces, or about $4.65 an ounce.  Not cheap!

Today I prepared for my review in my usual way, photographing the packaging, and I decided to open the black box and see whether the bar had any interesting design in the mold into which it was poured. The bar was wrapped in a plastic wrapper, and I was surprised given the "best in the world" hype that the surface of the bar was not well crafted. There were discolorations and pouring voids across the bar. I have pointed out a few of these on the photo I took of the bar, and you should be able to see the uneven surface coloration. I've looked at quite a few chocolate bars, and have seen perfect pours and surface color.  I would expect no less from a bar touted as "the best in the world."

So what about the taste? With my expectations lowered, the bar itself was indeed less wonderful than the best.  The bar is quite bitter, with few of the fruity side flavors that I expect from a Madagascar bar. The bitterness persists in the aftertaste, long after the chocolate flavors subside. 6.9

I will try other of Marcolini's single-origin bars to see if this was a poor sample.

www.marcolini.be

Maglio Extra Bitter 72% cocoa

Strong and bitter flavor on initial taste. This bar is true to its "Extra Bitter" moniker. It is bold and smooth. No note of chalkiness, and the aftertaste is persistent but clean. 8.0

Patric Madagascar 75% cacao

Fairly bitter, though there is some of the usual citrus flavor I expect from Madagascar chocolate. Some chalkiness, but it is not excessive. The chalkiness does persist in the aftertaste. 6.6

Jcoco Chocolates "Noble Dark" 72% cacao

Strong cocoa flavor, with a fair amount of bitterness. Not much else going on with this bar. 6.7

This bar is made by Seattle Chocolate company, which also made the Seattle Chocolates Truffle 65% Cacao that I reviewed last year. This looks like a "marketing bar," which I mean a bar more focused on the marketing than on the chocolate. There is a very bright, eye catching pink wrapper -- okay, I will take a look. There is clean, modern font, with no capitals. On the back is written, "We start with pure quality and fuss over each exquisite ingredient and detail to bring you the experience of American couture chocolate." Well, that is saying a lot without saying much. "Pure quality?" Quality what, I wonder. "American couture chocolate?" Now they are getting a bit too much of themselves.

Opening the wrapper and the inside text reports how the company will serve food to so done in need with each bar purchased. Then we see three smaller bars with attractive young people on the wrappers enjoying a fun activity. Putting aside the over-packaging (I admit that the individually wrapped bars could be convenient for sharing or eating a smaller amount than the whole bar), I now feel I have been over-marketed to.

If you are still longing for more marketing, their website is:

www.jcocochocolate.com

Trader Joe's Stone Ground 70% Cacao

One thing is clear.  I do not enjoy "stone ground" chocolate.  I rated two Taza stone ground chocolates in the 5 range.  This bar rates about the same.  The sugar crystals make for a rough texture.  The cocoa is simple (maybe even simplistic), with no side flavors or nuance.  The experience is chalky, though not overly bitter.  5.3

The two Taza bars, for comparison were:

Taza Chocolate Mexicano 70% cacao
Taza Chocolate Stone Ground Organic Chocolate 70% Dark

Fresco 211 Ghana 73%cocoa

Fresco 211 Ghana, Medium roast, medium conche.

Rich chocolate base, some nutty notes. Low bitterness, minimal aftertaste. Enjoyable, though not remarkable. 7.7

That completes my survey of the various Fresco bars, with various roast and conche processes.  My conclusions?  Looks like I like the medium and lower conche process better, and the dark roast better than the medium roast (none of the bars were made with "light" roast).  I generally really like Madagascar origin cocoa, but those rated lower with medium roast and long and medium conche.

The only other Jamaica origin bar I've tried was the Amedei I Cru Jamaica 70% cacao bar, which I rated fairly highly at 8.0.  The two Fresco Jamaican bars also were solid 8 tastes.  The highest rated Fresco bars were the two from the Dominican Republic, and I have more experience with cocoa from that country.  However, two were rated in the range of 6 (Mast Brothers Dominican Republic 81% cacao at 6.2 and Dagoba Conacado Dominican Republic 73% cacao at 6) and two were rated 8 or higher (Rogue Chocolatier Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) 70% cocoa at 8.3 and David Bacco Chocolatier Elvesia Dominican Republic 74% cocoa at 9.2)

Certainly manufacturing processes directly lead to one's taste experience with chocolate bars. I can see how the changes used in the Fresco series had effect with same-origin cocoa and how similar processes had differing results with different-origin cocoa.  So if you are thinking of making your own bars from cocoa beans, be ready to try different processes in order to find the best results.

Fresco 213 Domincan Republic 72% Cocoa

Fresco 213, Domincan Republic. Dark roast, no conche

The material from Fresco Chocolates describes a conche of "none" as "primitive, natural, pungent, not appropriate for all cocoa, exquisite for some.  For this bar, it resulted in "exquisite" and not at all "pungent."  It has very subtle flavors (possibly some cherry), low bitterness and a very pleasing aftertaste.

The "tasting instructions" on the bar says "Break off small pieces, smell aroma, do not chew, let melt on tongue." When I taste a chocolate, I always taste in this manner, but I also like to try a piece chewed, as this gives me a very different perspective. For this bar, though, the complexity and subtlety is lost when chewed. Follow the instructions!  9.3

Fresco 209 and Fresco 210 Jamaica 70% Cocoa

Fresco 209, Jamaica. Dark roast, subtle conche

Great burst of flavor on initial taste. The taste is reminiscent of walnut and sage.  The aftertaste is fairly strong and bitter, but the experience is not diminished.  Very interesting and complex bar.  8.5

Fresco 210, Jamaica. Dark roast, medium conch

The flavor burst is reduced with this bar. There is a more constant flavor level, from initial taste through after taste.  The sage is dialed up, the walnut dialed down. The aftertaste is less bitter and more complementary. 8.9
 
Bar 209's label indicated it was "created" on September 6, 2010, and Bar 210 was created on September 17, 2010.  Both bars have a "Best By" date of September 2012.  So I tasted these bars while they were still in "best" condition, but I doubt that they would be any less good in October.  I wonder how this date was chosen?  If a bar is kept in excellent preservation conditions, what would be the expected length that the bar can remain in "same as new" taste condition?

Fresco 215 and Fresco 216 Madagascar 74% Cocoa

215 Madagascar. Medium roast, medium conche

The citrus flavor is slightly more prominent. The bitterness is reduced, though still present. The clean aftertaste is maintained.  7.9

216 Madagascar. Medium roast, long conche

Citrus undertone, some bitterness. Clean aftertaste.  7.7

The difference between these two bars is very subtle. I like the medium conche better, as the flavor is more prominent, but I certainly like 216 bar too. 

Fresco Chocolate

Rounding out the bars I picked up during my visit to Cocova in July are two bars by Fresco Chocolate. What caught my eye about them was information on the bar about how they were made. Both bars are from Madagascar, and they were made in December of last year. The label also shows the type of roast and conche of the beans. Roasting was "medium" for both bars, but the coaching was "medium" for bar 215 and "long" for bar 216.  This will allow me to see what the different conching levels make to the taste of the bars.

What is "roasting" and "conching"? Visit the Fresco Chocolate website for a lot of great information on the chocolate making process: www.frescochocolate.com: Making Chocolate

After returning to San Francisco, I made a visit to my go-to store, Chocolate Covered, and found four more bars from Fresco. This will give me additional dimensions on which to compare and experience how these bars were made. I'm looking forward to it!

Chocolat Bonnat Madagascar 75% Cacao

Some citrus flavors underlie the taste, quite typical for a Madagascar origin chocolate. The bitterness is well balanced, with a mild aftertaste. Pleasant, though not exceptional. 7.7

This is another bar that I acquired during my visit to Cocova in D.C. There were several bars from this brand there, so I selected the Madagascar origin bar, a favorite of mine.

$11.50 / 100 Grams

www.bonnat-chocolatier.com (French)

I brought up the manufacturer's site in my Chrome browser, and it offered to translate it from French to English. Agreeing, the page came up with the text translated -- pretty well. It's a good option when a site does not have an English translation of its own.

Vestri I Classici Amargo 81% cocoa

Rich in cocoa, and a resulting bitter start, middle and end. The aftertaste is long and bitter. There is some cherry underneath this most prominent thrust. 7.0

In early July I visited Washington, DC for the Atlas Summit. During my stay I found a chocolate store that appeared to have some interesting products, Cocova. It is located near DuPont Circle, so I took Metro over and walked the few blocks to the store. It was hot! I was slightly concerned about the product I might buy, that it might succumb to the heat. Fortunately, my focus is on dark chocolate, which stands up pretty well to high temperatures.

The store was a nice relief for the heat. It is small, and located below ground level and well air-conditioned. There was good variety in the store, though not as extensive as my favorite stores in San Francisco.

The Vestri bar was by far the nicest packaged of the bars on display, but the price was high! $15.25 for 75 grams (2.6 ounces). I had not heard of this brand, but I had great experience with other Italian brands, so I thought it would be worth a try. My evaluation is that it is not worth the price.

www.vestri.it

Recchiuti Chocolate Art Piece

On one of my occasional (okay, regular) visits to the Recchiuti store in the Ferry Building, I noticed something different -- they called this a Chocolate Art Piece.  Which made me wonder, was the goal a delicious work of culinary art with a fresh aesthetic? Or was the visual impact the real focus, with the chocolate serving only as the convenient substrate?

You can judge the visual impact for yourself from the picture.  There were many available for purchase, all unique.  They reminded me of tie-dye clothing, but I imagine that they were made by spinning the chocolate and dripping the colored material on it.

As for the culinary part, my conclusion was that it was secondary.  The taste was okay, but not outstanding. I felt a little odd eating an artwork.  I would think that you would need to at some point, unless your plan is to frame it. Just don't hang it on a wall that gets sun!

David Bacco Chocolatier Elvesia Dominican Republic 74% cocoa

Nicely made bar with an interesting mold pattern. Low bitterness and smooth aftertaste. Fruity flavor baseline, cherry and orange. Wonderful. 9.2

bacco-chocolatier.com

The Grenada Chocolate Company 82% cocoa.

Quite bitter from start to finish. Nice earthy flavor base, with some cherry notes. While the aftertaste is bitter, it tails off nicely. 7.6

Slitti GranCacao 73% cacao

I tasted this bar with my niece Dianna and her husband, Will.  Will liked it quite a lot, while Dianna had a pretty strong negative reaction.  Will rated it 7 or 8 on a 10 scale, Dianna rated it 1 or 2.

I'm in between. The bar is rich in cocoa flavor, very strong, bitter flavor.  The flavor palette ranges to the earthy side.  Not my favorite mix.  6.6

www.slitti.it

Potomac Chocolate Upala 70% cocoa

Earthy taste, but with a cherry note that pops out initially.   Strong aftertaste that stays with you, but is not overpowering. Fairly bitter, but nicely balanced.  The bar appears well-made. 8.3

PotomacChocolate.com

I obtained this bar at one my my local chocolate stores, but I will be traveling to Virgina/Washington D.C. this weekend and it seemed like a good time to try this bar.  Woodbridge, where this bar is made, is in the greater Washington area, a bit to the south of it.  The label indicates that this is handcrafted there.  I'll add the label notes to the Comments section.

Coco-Luxe is now Stanza in the Haight

This weekend I noticed that the former Coco-Luxe cafe on Haight Street has been transformed into Stanza.  I reviewed their Roark chocolate earlier. The main change seems to be that they have added wine to their focus, with a menu that includes tastings with chocolate and wine pairings.

I tried a couple of their chocolate squares -- one they said was 75% cocoa, the other 65%, both unlabeled.  I asked where it was made, and the barista/sommelier/cocoa steward said that it was made by "some guy in  Oakland".  Okay, then!

The squares were okay, not I'm not going to review them here.  They were, however, ridiculously expensive. $1.50 for what looked to be less than 10 grams of chocolate.

El Ceibo Bolivia 75% cocoa

Starkly bitter, though there is some sweetness in a strong cherry note. Some of the nuttiness seen in the El Ceibo Heritage bar tasted earlier.  The bitterness lingers more strongly in the aftertaste.  7.0

El Ceibo Bolivia Heritage 75% cocoa

Very flavorful chocolate, earthy and nutty, but with raisin and cherry notes popping out. Fairly bitter in the aftertaste, but the interest of the early experience of this chocolate keeps that bitterness in line. 7.7

www.elceibo.com

Escazú Costa Rica 65% cacao

Sharply bitter with a long aftertaste.  Earthy flavors dominate, with nutmeg.  6.5

I previously  reviewed the Escazu Carenero Venezuela 81% cacao that I picked up on my trip to Raleigh, the home town for Escazú.  I was not able to buy the Costa Rica 65% bar at their store, but I was able to find it at one of my go-to chocolate stores here in the city, Chocolate Covered in Noe Valley.

I like this bar a little more than the Venezuela bar, but not a lot more.  There are no nibs in this bar, but the surface has the same flaws -- small mold errors.  I'm glad I had a chance to compare this to the 81%, but I have the same bottom line reaction to this bar.

Bittersweet Ghana 72% Cacao

There's a lot going on with this bar.  Cherry notes are most prominent, but some raisin and nutty aspects present themselves.  Fairly low bitterness, with a gentle aftertaste. The bar dissolves in the mouth in a way that seems different, becoming soft quickly, but then slowly disintegrating.

This a well made bar -- with a crisp snap, and a rich cocoa bouquet.  The package is clearly hand-wrapped, and done with care.  The mold used for the bar is novel, with flowers embossed and an interesting two-level surface.  8.3

www.bittersweetcafe.com

This bar was a gift from my friend Kyle, who attended a tasting where this bar was found.  Bittersweet Cafe has stores in the east bay, but apparently also has one here in the city.  I will have to try to find it!

François Pralus São Tomé & Principe 75% cacao

This bar has significant bitterness, and a strong nutty taste. The aftertaste is comparatively gentle, but has a chalky component. 7.9

François Pralus Equateur 75% cacao

Citrus flavor, with a rich, warm cocoa foundation. Some chalkiness in the aftertaste, but it does not interfere with the enjoyment. Some faint bitterness.  8.3

François Pralus Djakarta 75% cacao

Clean, bright taste, without any bitter component. Some citrus notes, and an almost buttery aftertaste. Incredibly pleasant experience.  9.5

This is the first in a series of Pralus bars that I will be tasting. I hope they are all as well put together as this one! If you would like to compare, search for Pralus on the blog search box -- I've tasted a few others and have given consistently high marks, with one exception which still rated a respectable grade. I bought these bars at the Cocoa Bella store in the San Francisco Centre.

I should also mention that this bar has an expiration date of March 8, 2012, but two months later than that, it is still holding up quite well.

Perugina Bittersweet 70% Cacao

Very bitter, strong cocoa taste.  Aftertaste is dominated by the bitter thrust, and dissolves into a chalky texture. 6.5

www.perugina.com