I like the folks at TCHO. They are some beer loving peeps who like taste experiences from all different aspects. Although I wish they had a beer and chocolate pairing guide on their website like they do for wine and cheese. Just saying.
They were kind enough to send me a lovely shipment of chocolate to sample. In that shipment came these lovely little noshes. Chocolate Drenched Mango Pieces dipped in 60% Peruvian chocolate.
Today I won't dig too far into TCHO's history. Normally I like to include a history about a new company I am writing about. I would like to save that for the next reviews I have coming up. Some of their origin chocolate is up for review.
After having a not-so-great Valentine's Day, I cracked open the large tin of the chocolate covered mango pieces from TCHO. They're just what I needed. I am also thrilled to note that 17 pieces are only 90 calories. This is fabulous news for those of us who are keeping an eye on the waistline but still want a sweet spot.
Via TCHO about their Chocolate Drenched line.
"...our Chocolate Drenched Treats have leapfrogged our bars — and for very good reason: they are just compulsively delicious, if we say so ourselves. We can’t stop eating them, and we have a whole chocolate factory full of amazing stuff to choose from."
They are very addicting. Foodie crack right here y'all.
These little unassuming nuggets are very surprising. As soon as you open the tin and open the plastic covering you are flooded with deep rich chocolate aromas. It filled my whole living room. Dry roasted cocoa, a little tart and astringent on the nose at first, but then deep roasted nutty aromas.
A little sharp at first from the tangy mango and bitter chocolate, but then it smooths out. The mango bits are soft and flavorful. They hold up well to the rich and bold chocolate. The chocolate is deep, fruity, and complex. Fruity by the sweet and soft mango and by the chocolate they called "Fruity" from Peru, which does have strong fruit forward characters about it.
These are nice and surprising because you wouldn't expect something that rich or good on a product like this. You would think 60%, a semisweet, would be too sweet but the chocolate is very bold, deep and rich. Almost on the line for being too much for the chocolate but strikes just the right balance instead. And again those mango bits hang on and don't allow themselves to be overtaken by the rich chocolate. Usually it's cheaper chocolates and chewier, dried up pieces of mango or fruit. Not here. These are awesome. I could pick on these all day. Good Peruvian chocolate and soft mango pieces and not that high in calories. And I kind of want to leave the tin open like a fruity, chocolate-y, reed diffuser for my apartment.
Product information:
Chocolate Drenched Mango
Ingredients: Dark chocolate (cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), dried mango, sugar, corn syrup, tapioca dextrin, confectioner's glaze
Nutrition: Serving Size: 17 pieces (20g), Calories 90, Calories from Fat: 45, Amount Per Serving (% DV*): Total Fat 5g (8%),Sat. Fat 3g (15%), Trans.Fat 0g (0%), Cholesterol 0mg (0%), Sodium 0mg (0%), Total carb. 12g (4%) Dietary Fiber 2g (8%), Sugars 9g, Protein 1g, Vitamin A (6%), Vitamin C (15%), Calcium (0%), Iron (2%) *Percent Daily Values (% DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Indeed, very addictive. TCHO's approach to chocolate is smart. They focus on flavor profile rather than % of cocoa. Who can tell the difference between a 60 and 65% after all. Like you said "You would think 60%, a semisweet, would be too sweet but the chocolate is very bold, deep and rich". That's the whole point of trying Tcho chocolate.
Posted by: I love TCHO chocolates | 02/17/2011 at 04:13 AM