Tag Archive: dark chocolate

Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Cherries

Chocolate and cherry have a long history together. Case in point, chocolate-covered cherry cordials. At least one brand, Cella’s, started making chocolate cherries in 1864 (although large scale production didn’t start until around 1929).

The bar I’m reviewing today is made by Endangered Species brand and is NOT a cherry cordial.  It does, however, have that same great taste combination. This is a 72% dark chocolate with bits of dried cherries.

Read more

Maca Dark Chocolate by Simple Truth Organic

This chocolate bar is a 71% dark chocolate with maca added. The brand is Simple Truth Organic, and it’s found in Kroger stores and manufactured in Switzerland.

After tasting a number of milk chocolates for the Milk Chocolate Lover’s series, I’m happy to be back to the dark chocolate reviews. This chocolate welcomes me back wonderfully.

Read more

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – Tanzania 73%

Chocolate of the week: Tanzania

Tanzania is a country in Eastern Africa bordered by Uganda and Kenya to the north. Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are to the west, while Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique lie to the south.

Germans brought cacao to Tanzania in the 1880s, and although there is a long history of growing cacao, the yield is fairly small. It’s about half the amount grown in the West African countries of Ivory Coast and Ghana. But Tanzanian cocoa production is growing.

Read more

Wine and Chocolate 101: Pairing Advice

Chocolate is a treat that many people desire and love to indulge in. It goes with many things, including wine, but needs to be paired accordingly for the best flavours to really come from the combination.

If you’re a wine and chocolate lover but you’ve never really experimented with both together, this expert guide will give you the best pairing advice for both wine and chocolate so you can gain a better tasting experience.

Read more

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – São Tomé 70%

Chocolate of the week: São Tomé

The island nation of São Tomé & Príncipe is located in the Gulf of Guinea off the western coast of Central Africa. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa.

The main language is Portuguese, having been settled by Portugal throughout the 1600s. The rich volcanic soil is ideal for sugar, coffee, and cacao. São Tomé became independent 1975.

The Portuguese brought cacao from Brazil to Principe and Sao Tomé in the early 1800s.

Read more

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – Papua New Guinea 70%

Chocolate of the week: Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea.

Chocolates made from the local cocoa beans are somewhat hard to find because the volume of cacao grown and exported from PNG is pretty low compared to other cacao growing nations.

Read more

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – Dominican Republic 70%

Chocolate of the week: Dominican Republic

Today’s chocolate bar is a 70% dark chocolate from the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic shares the tropical island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

Read more

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – Ghana 70%

Chocolate of the week: Ghana

Ghana is a West African nation located on the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ghana shares a border with the Ivory Coast in the west, Togo in the east, and Burkina Faso in the north.

Cacao is Ghana’s main cash crop to export. It is the world’s second largest exporter of cocoa beans. The number one exporter is their neighbor, Ivory Coast.

Read more

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – Venezuela 70%

Chocolate of the week: Venezuela

Venezuela sits along the northern coast of South America. Colombia borders on the west, Guyana on the east, Brazil on the south. The islands of Trinidad and Tobago are off the northeast border.

Like many cacao growing countries, Venezuela has regional climates that produce cacao of different flavor profiles.

Read more

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – Ecuador 66%

Chocolate of the week: Ecuador

Ecuador (situated in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia, Peru, and the Pacific Ocean) is known for its very special regional cocoa beans called Arriba.

These cocoa beans have a finer flavor and aroma than “bulk” cocoa beans grown in other countries.

Read more