A Chocolate Tasting

[Jeff Grossman]

Final collection of the day -- after riesling and short films -- is chocolate. The Man in the Red Suit brought a sample box of single-origin bars made by Askinosie:

Davao, Philippines White - The addition of goat milk powder broadens the flavor of this non-chocolate a bit, but it's still really an exercise in smooth textures and the taste of brown butter. Nothing special.

Davao, Philippines Dark Milk 62% w/fleur du sel - Here, the addition of goat milk powder serves to muddy the flavors and the salt does not bring it back. Fine for mindless munching.

No more fooling around.

San Jose del Tambo, Ecuador 70% w/cocoa nibs - glossy, good snap, very fine texture, earthy flavors mix with delicate citrus and vanilla, just a little roastiness in the chocolate itself, the nibs add a little sour and bitter (and crunch) but I'd be perfectly happy without them, an excellent bar

Mababu, Tanzania 72% - also good gloss and snap and texture; roasty and austere, dried fruit and driftwood, I don't seem to care for African chocolates (or African coffees) very much and this doesn't change my mind

Cortes, Honduras 70% - also well-made; very different from the San Jose del Tambo bar!, this one has very pronounced berry and coffee-cream notes, a lighter palate, if it were wine I would say 'lifted', second favorite

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by Jeff Grossman:... I don't seem to care for African chocolates (or African coffees) very much and this doesn't change my mind...

Terroir exists!

I have had the same opinion. And it was recently explained to me that African cacao is pretty much (if not all?) forastero, which does not have the same potential for subtlety and excellence as criollo or trinitario.

 

[MarkS]

Did the world run out of wine?

 

[Andrew Zachary]

Shawn Askinosie makes good but not great bean-to-bar chocolates - they are a bit coarse for my tastes these days. There are tons of other excellent b2b makers - one list I saw counted 350+ across the US.

If you want to taste some truly great bars, here are a few of my current favorites. As usual, YMMV.

Arete - made by a husband and wife team in Milpitas, CA. Very good bars indeed. Their Brasil is a particular favorite, but all are excellent.

Soma - from Toronto, quality is first rate. Hard to find, but worth the effort. Their "Little Big Man" bar is a blend from several different sources - superb.

Ranger - In Portland, OR. A relatively new bean-to-bar maker with very good chocolates. Their 80% is Chulucanas is excellent.

Fruition - From the Hudson River Valley. Excellent bars from Peru, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia and Costa Rica

 

[Jeff Grossman]

Thanks, Andrew!

That reminds me: somewhere around here I've got a photo of Askinosie's flavor wheel. And one of a not-all-there Japanese chocolate bar package. And a riesling flavor wheel, too.

Having flavor wheels makes one a connoisseur. (That's what it says on the wine one.)

 

[Jeff Grossman]

Askinosie flavor wheel:

 

[Jeff Grossman]

Tablette bar (how fast can you spot the problem?):

click to embiggen

 

[mark e]

originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Tablette bar (how fast can you spot the problem?):

click to embiggen

What is the ingredient called "wasanbon"?

 

[kirk wallace]

Wasanbon is the Japanese sugar.

I like the footnote that says a footnote should be inserted here.

 

[Keith Levenberg]

Well, at least one of the entries on the flavor wheel is "chocolate." THAT's a relief.

 

[MarkS]

No 'carob' on the wheel?!

 

[Jeff Grossman]

originally posted by kirk wallace:
I like the footnote that says a footnote should be inserted here.

Give that man a kewpie doll!