20°N & 20°S

Halloween Chocolate 2010

 

 

What is cool and scary looking for Halloween this year? I have decided to highlight some awesome winners for this season. And not the corny stuff either. Some stuff that I like, that I think is cool.

 

Life size and realistic chocolate skulls anyone? Pictured above. There is little information about these except that they make them using Belgian chocolate. You can get them in blends to look more realistic. And they cost about $120 bucks. I hope they come in the cool case that is pictured on their website. They better for $120 bones.

Source: Chocolateskulls.com

 

 

How about some angels and demons? Chocolate icons from Alma Chocolate in Oregon. The Charming Devil or the Anatomical Heart might be right for Halloween. Or an Our Lady Gualalupe for Dia De Los Muertos. Or perhaps a Celtic Cross to fend off any other nasties?

 

 

Source: Alma Chocolate

Skeleton/Heart image via: Oregon Live

 

 

 

 

Speaking of Icons, Alma isn't the only game in town running that offer. Bond Street Chocolate in New York, also has a selection of deities to worship in chocolate form. And the offer high cocoa percentage (72%) skulls.

 

We all know Jesus wasn't really a white man, so a chocolate Jesus just might be in order. Just don't let it get too close to your prayer candles.

Source: Bond Street Chocolate

 

 

 

Let's get morbid shall we?  Chocolate artist Stephen Shanabrook with Body Parts, wounds, and incision wounds box set lovingly called "Morgue." How about a chocolate sculpture called "The Remnants of a Suicide Bomber?" Maybe some Choir boy's being water boarded? It's Halloween after all. Just because we turn the scary into cartoon-ish images, doesn't mean there isn't some real creepy stuff out there. If you are going to do gross, go big or go home!

Wonder what kind of chocolate he uses?

 

Source: Eat Me Daily

 

 

 

For something less offensive and more tasty, how about some skull and ghost truffles? Vianne Chocolat Nibs-n-skulls truffle and L.A. Burdick's Ghost truffles. Keeping in with the spirit of Halloween without getting too gross about it. Cute and tasty.

 

Source: Vianne Chocolat

Source: L.A. Burdick's

 

 

And since Halloween seems to be the time to pull out the hot spices or peppers in chocolate, why not go with this slick Mutha Fuckin' bar of chocolate right here? Mast Brothers Dark Chocolate + Serrano Peppers.

Brooklyn-based, American Craft Chocolate producers, and now friends of mine, Rick and Michael Mast. Dope packaging, spicy chocolate, Dominican Republic beans. You can't go wrong.

This bar is in my own personal collection right now just waiting to be reviewed. Soon, my spicy friend. Soon you will be eaten and destroyed.

Source: Mast Brothers

Montezuma's ~ Ecuador 71%

 

 

 

 

Via their website:

Ecuador is a small but perfectly formed part of South America's Andean highland. This chocolate comes from the now rare Rios Arriba bean recognised as one of the finest varieties of cocoa in the world due to the intense concentration of flavour. 
 
The highest cocoa content has a soft and subtle flavour with just a touch of earthiness you may expect from such an aromatic and flowery variety. This chocolate just melts away and leaves you craving for the very last crumb in the carton!

 

 

 

 

 

Montezuma's Ecuador 71%

 

Type: Bittersweet

Bean Varietal: Arriba Nacional

Ingrdients: Cocoa solids (71%), Sugar (29%), Vanilla (Less than 1%)

Sample Size: 100g or 3.5oz

 

Appearance: Smooth, simple non-monogrammed molding, a bit nicked and matted from plastic wrapping, still shiny on most of the bar, deep dark brown color.

Score: 89

Snap: Deep, robust snap, firm and loud snap with clean break lines.

Score: 93

Aroma: Roasted cocoa nose, nutty, soft, lightly sweet, slightly tangy aroma, coffee notes, cinnamon, and lavender.

Score: 94

Taste: Roasted cocoa, earthy, spicy, cereal grains, slight hints of leather, very low-acidity, but a lightly tangy after taste. Mild bitterness but it's subdued by the dryness of the texture, soft and subtly wood flavors, a small hint of berries and lavender on the finish.

Score: 94

Texture: Hard then opens up smooth and creamy, medium-fast melt time, dry and leaves the palate dry.

Score: 91

 

Another fairly complicated chocolate. But I am happy this time with the Arriba Nacional Beans. I haven't really been too keen on them as their flavors are interesting yet way too delicate at times. And the drying effect these beans seem to have on the palate isn't my favorite. But Montezuma's seems to have really dragged out some raw flavors on these cocoa beans. Their packaging suggests subtle hints of earthiness. That's true in a way when trying to sort out all the different elements in this bar that make it earthy. But to me, I found it to be fairly robust for an Arriba Nacional bar.

They pulled out earthy, rustic flavors with the roasted cocoa, and the lavender is not too perfume-y or flowery it doesn't over take the palate. I am really impressed with the spiciness, and the cereal grains on the flavor. There is an interesting bitterness that surrounds the entire palate but the dryness of the chocolate sort of eliminates the impact of how bitter the chocolate is.

Still the dryness of Nacional beans leaves little to be desired in my opinion. There is dry, and then there is palate killing dryness. I am not a fan of that quality. But overall I am happy with the flavors that were able to come through on this bar.

 

 

Final Score: 92.2

score
B+

Montezuma's ~ Peru 70%

 

 

 

 

Peru is the new hot origin for single origin chocolate bars these days. Peruvian beans are being sought after by all the high end chocolate makers from around the world.

Earlier this summer, Art Pollard of Amano Chocolates, Stephane Bonnat of Bonnat Chocolatier, Alan McClure of Patric Chocolates, and Colin Gasko of Rogue Chocolatier all took a trek to Peru to source beans and discover the region. Now their origin bars are coming out. 

Although cacao has been growing in the region for centuries, this bandwagon for new origin regions or newly discovered cacao varieties is certainly exciting for the chocophiles.

 

Via Rueters:

"It's truly the year of Peru," said Stephane Bonnat, the director of commercial relations for Bonnat chocolates of France and the descendant of a long line of chocolatiers."

UNDISCOVERED VARIETIES

The genetic diversity of Peruvian cocoa has protected crops from pests and disease that have hindered production in neighboring Ecuador and Brazil, according to a 2006 Annals of Botany report.

Numerous varieties also entice those in constant search for exotic new flavor profiles.

"There are types of cocoa plants in Peru whose flavor is not yet known. I feel like Christopher Columbus discovering a new world," said Valentine Tibere, an ambassador from the Salon du Chocolat, a Paris-based trade group.

 

So with that new varieties, new tastes, new flavor profiles to discover and Montezuma's has a pure organic version.

Via Montezuma's website:

Peru has everything you would expect from an ancient and sophisticated South american civilisation; fortunately for us, this includes some of the world's finest cocoa. The organic cocoa we use is a blend of Trinitario and Criolla beans, best described as Ariba quality: that means the best of the very best! Our cocoa from Peru comes from a cooperative made up of many tiny plantations in the San martin and Huanuco region to the east of the Andes in the tropical lowlands. That description just wants you to dive in and experience the mystery of Peru. 
 
This chocolate contrasts interestingly to our 73% cocoa Dominican Republic chocolate, in that it has a distinctively fruity flavour with a hint of tropical fowers. We don't even add vanilla to this chocolate because of the naturally fruity overtones. This is a mild and natural rich chocolate which is simply brilliant!

And of course comes Montezuma's stamps of various approvals.

 

 

 

 

Montezuma's Peru 70%

 

Type: Bittersweet

Bean Varietal: Blend, Criollo and Trinitario

Ingredients: Cocoa solids (70%), Sugar.

Sample Size: 100g or 3.5oz

 

Appearance: Simple lined moldings, shiny and smooth with a few minor nicks and matted marks on the surface, deep brown color.

Score: 90

Snap: Deep robust snap, frim crisp snap sound, clean break lines with a few crumbles.

Score: 93

Aroma: Delicate, lightly sweet nose, light roasted cocoa, mild hints of spice, creamy and nutty, a little floral.

Score: 94

Taste: Slow opening, sweet and lightly flowery, big cedar wood and tangerine characters up front, inky and lightly bitter, spicy, nice bold fruit characters, some lingering bitterness and floral notes on the finish. Also a little spiciness like black pepper on the finish. Very slight though.

Score: 96

Texture: A little hard at first, smooth, and creamy once it opens up on the palate. Medium-long melt time.

Score: 92

This chocolate took it's sweet time to open up. It was a little hard in texture but did eventually open up a creamy and smooth texture.

It's sweet chocolate with lingering bitterness and flowers on the finish, but opens up with sugar and light flowery taste. There is a big, beautiful cedar wood taste as soon as the chocolate opens up on the palate. A little spiciness to go along with big wood and tangerine flavors.

Interesting that they compare this to their Dominican Republic bar. Both are extremely woody in character. Though they are right, the Peru is distinctly more fruity and floral with no vanilla added to it. Also the cedar wood on the Peru is distinctly bigger. With the Dominican Republic bar I wanted to melt it down and drink it. It had savory wood characters that I wanted to add spices and chillies to. With this bar I wanted to savor it tiny bit by tiny bit. It's sweet, floral, fruity, with bright cedar woods.

You will need to take your time with this chocolate. You will get the wood characters right away, but you will need to savor a few squares before you fully understand all the nuances on the chocolate. It's pretty complex chocolate. Despite having only a few descriptors in the review for taste and aroma, I am still thinking about this chocolate.

 

Final Score: 93

 

    score
     A-

Montezuma's ~ Very Dark Chocolate 73%, Dominican Republic

 

 

 

73% dark chocolate using beans from the Dominican Republic. As in previous reviews of Montezuma's, they use all organic ingredients, and do well to highlight all the proper stamps for their products.

 

 

Traces of nuts.

Genetically Modified Free.

Additive and Coloring Free.

Soy Free.

British Made.

Preservative Free.

Vegetarian.

Organic.

Vegan.

Gluten Free

May contain traces of milk.

 

I always laugh at the conundrum of the Vegan stamp, but the possibility of milk stamp at the end. This is also fair trade chocolate.

 

Click to emlarge images.

 

 

 

 

Very Dark Chocolate 73%

 

Type: Bittersweet

Bean Varietal: Trinitario

Ingredients: Organic cocoa solids (73%), Organic sugar (26%), Organic Vanilla (less than 1%).

Sample Size: 100g or 3.5oz

 

Appearance: Smooth and simple non-monogrammed molding. A few matted spots from the plastic wrap, a tiny bit ashy, but still very shiny and smooth. Thick bar, simple lined pattern for the molding. It's also very dark brown in color.

Score: 89

Snap: Very firm snap, loud hard snap sound, clean break lines.

Score: 97

Aroma: Big roasted cocoa aromas, smoky, rich roasted coffee notes, nutty almonds, coconut, lightly floral.

Score: 94

Taste: Bitter right up front, a little inky, slow to open up, roasted cocoa, rich wood flavors especially new wood flavors and cedar wood, very subdued berry flavors hidden underneath the big wood flavors, lingering nutty flavors on the finish. Long flavor experience. Due to the medium-long melt time it took it's time to open up giving more than enough time to think about this chocolate and it's flavor profiles.

Score: 94

Texture: Smooth and creamy, but medium-long melt time.

Score: 95

 

This is fairly straight forward chocolate. It takes it's time to open up allowing you to get the full impact of it's flavors. There is nothing exactly exotic about the flavors, but the wood and nuttiness of this chocolate is fantastic. It's wonderfully rich, very bitter right up front but it doesn't discourage any of the other rich flavors to come through. There is an inky, berry flavor in this chocolate but it's very slight and hidden underneath all the nutty flavors and wood. Still fun to try and find it.

I almost want to melt it down for hot chocolate because of the rich woody and nutty flavors on it. Add some sugar, vanilla, and steamed milk, and maybe some cayenne or a smoky chili pepper to it.

The matted appearance from the plastic drags this score down a bit, but I need to say that I love this kind of protection for the chocolate. It keeps the aromas and flavors sealed for a longer shelf life. Most people don't know that chocolate can last for a very long period of time. The purists will tell you to consume in a few weeks after it was molded to a few months for optimum flavor profile. They are absolutely right, but chocolate can keep for a while.

 

Final Score: 93.8

 

    score
     A-

 

William Curley Caramel Mou's

 

 

You might recall a while back when I posted about a package that William Curley sent to me from London. As part of that package came caramels. Lovely, divine, chocolate covered awesomeness.

 

 

 

These were different caramels to try, Caramel Mou. The first time I had a William Curley caramel, I nearly died trying the filled sea salt caramel bar. It was so unbelievably good. These new caramels recently added to their collection, are chewier and not like the former filled bars.

 

Assam Caramel Mou

 

Sweet, sugary caramel infused with very nice hints of floral Assam tea notes. Big tropical passion fruit flavors as well with the floral notes. Buttery richness comes along and finishes in the palate. This is delicate, and flavorful caramel. Very sweet and sugary, but not unwelcomed. Simply gorgeous.

 

 

 

Sea Salt Caramel Mou

 

 

Rich, buttery caramel, sweet and salty, more of a chocolate presence and linging taste of chocolate. Buttery flavors linger on the finish like the Assam Mou. This one is more balanced with the salt, but still fairly sugary. I love that the chocolate interaction is more noticable on this one. This caramel tasted much more classic.

 

 

It's funny how I never really cared that much for caramels before. Not that I didn't like them, but they usually aren't the first things I go for in a sweet shop. But I really love the differences in these two. I love the floral, tropical fruit notes and rich sweetness of the Assam Mou. I equally enjoyed the classic richness and buttery, salty balance of the Sea Salt Mou.