Author Archive: Bryn Kirk
Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier
October 19, 2018
I love it when Gail Ambrosius, owner and masterful chocolate creator of Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier, writes “In my opinion, good chocolate is its own food group”.
It’s like she knows me!
Theo Orange Dark Chocolate
October 11, 2018
I’ve tasted and reviewed a few Theo chocolates in the past. It’s been a while, though. Revisiting a familiar friend is nice once in a while.
Śliwka Nałęczowska – Chocolate-Covered Candied Plums
September 28, 2018
Over the Labor Day holiday, I had the unique opportunity to invite my co-workers visiting from Poland to my house for a casual gathering and cook-out. I was surprised and honored to receive a gift of chocolate - a Polish sweet treat called Śliwka Nałęczowska, or dried candied plum in chocolate. How did they know that chocolate would be the absolute perfect gift for me??
Alter Eco Super Blackout
September 20, 2018
Alter Eco offers a variety of chocolate snacks, chocolate bars, and chocolate truffles. According their website, www.alterecofoods.com, they work with their cacao partner, Acopagro Co-op in Peru to conserve the Amazon rain forest by replanting. They intend to boost biodiversity, improve the co-op’s food security with crop diversity, and provide a retirement plan for farmers by creating a sustainable forestry of mature trees.
Alter Eco is one of my top go-to chocolate bar crafters, especially the really dark bars like Blackout (85%) and Super Blackout (90%).
Dagoba Extra Dark – 84% Organic Dark Chocolate
September 7, 2018
In 2001, Dagoba’s founder Frederick Schilling began making organic chocolate in his home kitchen. According to the Dagoba website, www.dagobachocolate.com, Frederick’s goal was to “craft deeply satisfying chocolate in a socially responsible way.”
Today, I’m reviewing a Dagoba Extra Dark, 84%. By the looks (and taste) of things Frederick’s vision is still going strong.
Pascha Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao
August 31, 2018
I know I’ve reviewed Pascha chocolate before, but it’s soooo worth repeating. Pascha is one of my favorite bean-to-bar chocolate artisans for a variety of reasons.
One reason, and the it’s the reason I first bought Pascha, was the fact that my daughter can eat their chocolate bars because they are made in a peanut and nut free facility. In fact, they’re free of a lot of things, like the top 8 allergens including soy, dairy, egg, wheat and gluten.
D. Barbero Italian Chocolates Review – Part 2
August 27, 2018
Last week I broke into my variety pack of D. Barbero chocolate Mixed Napolitains and discovered a nice surprise – 70% Cuban chocolate! I wonder what’s in store for me today?
D. Barbero Italian Chocolates
August 21, 2018
Sometimes life hands you a nice surprise...
...Like when out of the blue, your mom gives you a gift of “some chocolate I bought at an Italian restaurant’s gift shop” and discover not only is it delicious but it’s 70% Cacao Cubano!
Extremely (and Supremely!) Dark Chocolate
August 2, 2018
I eat very little refined sugar and don’t consume artificial sweeteners. Not because I have to, but because I want to. For me, it’s the smart thing to do. I feel better physically and mentally. I live more days having that wonderful “sense of well-being” than I do without. And I still have a chocolate-filled life!
Last week I reviewed two stevia sweetened chocolates. I rarely eat chocolate with sucrose replacers like alcohol sugars or stevia. I much prefer eating chocolates that lower the sugar by increasing the cacao percentage.
Lily’s Salted Almond and Milk
July 26, 2018
A couple of years ago I reviewed the Lily’s 55% chocolate bar sweetened with stevia. Ever conscientious of lowering my sugar intake, and because it’s been a while, I grabbed another Lily bar when I was out shopping. This time it was the 40% milk chocolate salted almond sweetened with stevia. I also wanted to revisit that 55% dark, so I grabbed one of those too.