Friday, May 12, 2017

Dark Matters has moved to Dark Matters Chocolate Reviews

Thank you to everyone who has read my craft chocolate reviews, and interview blog posts!  My blog name has now changed a bit, and is in a new location:

http://darkmatterschocolatereviews.com/

On the my new site you can locate reviews and interviews so much easier!

Thank you for continuing to follow me on this craft chocolate journey!

Victoria Cooksey

https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

Friday, April 7, 2017

Chocolate Tree Whisky Nibs Dark Chocolate Bar Review

I've been wanting to try Chocolate Tree's Whisky Nibs 69% dark chocolate bar since last year, and I'm happy to report I've not been disappointed.  

Chocolate Tree is a bean to bar maker located in Scotland.  To quote from their website "Our mission is to create fine flavour chocolate whilst protecting biodiversity and rewarding farmers with a true premium for their crops of heritage cacao varieties. We purchase cacao from farms in Peru, Colombia, Venezuela and Madagascar". 

For this bar they take cacao nibs from South America, and then soak them in premium single malt whisky from Islay.  What I love about this bar is that the true whisky flavor is present.  Bars I've had using liquor by other makers often use the liquor in a sweet filling of sorts, but this comes through as if you had a glass of whisky in your hands.  Well done!  

 Pic of Chocolate Tree's Whisky Nibs chocolate bar taken here in Port Townsend, WA


This bar arrived as part of a chocolate perk package "Three good things" I ordered from Chocolate Tree's Indiegogo campaign.  This perk also included some of the best chocolate bonbons I've had in a long time (only 4 pieces left, I will miss them!), and a single-origin hot chocolate made with cacao from Peru.  Very tasty.  (I also order the "liquid chocolate" perk, so soon I will have even more of their drinking chocolates to try).

Chocolate Tree's Whisky Nibs (International Chocolate Awards British silver winner 2016):

Color:  Medium brown.

Nose:  Peat, oak, smoke.

Texture:  Smooth chocolate with a nice crunch from the nibs.

The Whisky Nib bar is actually 2 individually wrapped bars in 1 package.

Taste:  Peat, charred oak, smoke, cigar, toasted bread.  Very complex.

Finish:  Long finish.

As of today (4-7-17) Chocolate Tree has 10 days left on their Indiegogo campaign to build a new chocolate factory at: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/chocolate-tree-s-new-chocolate-factory-food#/  This campaign is a great way to try their chocolate that really isn't available in the US yet. 

Hope to see Chocolate Tree at the next NW Chocolate Festival in Seattle, WA! 

Chocolate Tree:

Victoria Cooksey:
Check out all my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos at:

Friday, March 31, 2017

Map Chocolate Meteor Shower Chocolate Bar Review

Map Chocolate's Meteor Shower bar is one of my new favorite inclusion bars!  This dark/milk bar is made from 65% Honduras chocolate with toasted black sesame, Maldon salt, and black lava salt.


Map Chocolate Meteor Shower Picture Taken at Fort Worden, Port Townsend, WA

Color:  Medium/dark brown.

Nose:  Sesame, nutty, salt, chocolate pudding.

Map Chocolate Meteor Shower Chocolate Bar

Texture:  Smooth chocolate meets some crunch of the sesame seeds, and salt.

Taste:  Sesame, salt, smoke.  I love that the chocolate itself still shines through even though sesame can be powerful.  I feel like a sweetness comes from, or is enhanced up by, the salt, and not just the sugar in the bar.  

Finish:  Very long, complex.

In fact, everyone I've shared this bar with lists "complex" as a description.  For the guys out there, my husband describes this bar as "incredibly enjoyable", as well. 

Let us just say this bar is now on my list of nominees for the category "best inclusion bar" for my next Dark Matters chocolate awards at the end of this year.  

What are your favorite chocolate bar inclusions? 

Check out Map Chocolate Co:

Victoria Cooksey:
Watch my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos:

Friday, March 24, 2017

Interview with Lauren Heineck of WKND Chocolate, and Well Tempered Podcast with Victoria Cooksey

I'm excited to be sharing another interview with all of you chocoholics out there. This time I interview Lauren Heineck who makes bean to bar chocolates called WKND Chocolate out of Denver, Colorado. She also produces a podcast celebrating women in chocolate titled Well Tempered which may be found on both her website, and now on iTunes. Lauren also promotes strong community ties with those in all aspects of the chocolate industry from farmers, chocolate makers, suppliers, and chocolate reviewers (like yours truly), and more. Needless to say, she is one busy, and creative lady!

 Lauren Heineck of WKND Chocolate. Photo Credit: http://www.jennisummerstudios.com/

Victoria Cooksey:  What was your first experience in trying craft chocolate?   How did it change your views on chocolate?

Lauren Heineck:  It's perhaps difficult to lump them into the craft chocolate scene as I know it now, but Michel Cluizel was the first single origin chocolate tasting experience I'd ever had. It was 2010 and I was living in Spain at the time; MC was the most high-end chocolate sold at local retailers, followed by Cacao Sampaka and Blanxart, two national brands. I was enthralled by the idea that chocolate could taste like green bananas...the 'Maralumi (1er Cru de Plantation) 64%' was my gateway bar. Shortly thereafter I followed closely the progress of Dandelion Chocolate and procured an internship of sorts in the spring of 2012 that was unfortunately shorter lived due to my husband's visa situation. The cacao bug was well embedded by that time however, and what followed were chocolate reviews (http://www.sobremesainspain.com/2013/05/Marou-chocolate-vietnam.html), trips to factories, and now -- starting a boutique chocolate company alongside community/industry endeavors.

My views on chocolate didn't change that drastically at the time (I still purchased chocolate croissants without consideration or asking 'where is the chocolate from/made?'), because it was difficult - and I believe still is for everyday consumers - to comprehend the true nature of the ingredient, the people that make up the supply and production chain, without checking out library books, or instinctively knowing who to trust. It's unfortunate that few consumers learn about the dark side of chocolate until very late, if at all, therefore, I admire my colleagues making this a mission to not only train and surprise the palates of their clientele, but create do-better ambassadors and shoppers. 

V.C.:  How did you become interested in making craft chocolate?

L.H:  I've always used my hands; I played national & collegiate level water polo, which is a blend of European handball, basketball, and wrestling in a 25M pool. I didn't recognize the terminology of maker being applied to myself until recently as I had reserved that term for cobblers, calligraphers, etc.

I foresee a life in the cacao/chocolate industry, whether that is eventually at origin, managing my own business to its full capacity, writing, or empowering communities for more sustainable futures. I felt learning to make from the bean was indispensable for understanding other factors of chocolate and its myriad biological elements and human components, essentially learning to walk before you can run. 

V.C.:  What inspires the flavor combinations you use in your chocolate?  

L.H:  The pithy answer would be everything - it could be as profound as the color of the Rivera Maya Caribbean Sea, or as trivial as a diner blackberry cobbler I see on Netflix, however the bulk of my experimentation of flavors harks back to my adoration for the natural world, and obsession with travel and local wet markets. I'm still finding my voice as a chocolate maker, but I do identify as a insatiable chef. Mangosteens from a Bangkok street vendor, baklava in Istanbul, chimichurri from Buenos Aires; I want my creations to be as peripatetic as I am.  


 WKND Chocolate Packaging. Photo Credit: Lauren Heineck

V.C.:  What challenges have you found with making your own chocolate?

L.H.:  What a question! If you haven't encountered challenges whilst making chocolate you're doing something wrong. I want to use these very early stages to improve, pioneer, improve again, while growing a loyal community of people that believe in WKND. The big questions weighing on me right now are mainly: 1) do I want to scale? -- even if that means going from hyperlocal sales to neighboring state wholesale accounts and 2) if I do grow, how will I manage - on a very tight budget - the transition to include necessary machinery, especially when the industry is undergoing such high turnover of machines improving upon themselves year after year. 

V.C.:  How did your podcast, Well Tempered, come about?  What would you like to achieve through making your podcast? 

L.H.:  The response to this is manyfold. Having worked in startups there is a common force behind many companies basing their business models (or MVP) around fixing a contemporary problem, innovating upon the status quo, or simply creating something that hasn't existed before. I noticed quickly upon entering the chocolate industry that the brands receiving the most attention and media coverage were equipped with males at their helm; few females were seen or heard. I wanted to highlight and celebrate women in the industry, from the soil to point-of-sale, who pour their entire being into loving, honoring, and propagating chocolate enjoyment (and sustainability through this cacao). My desire for the podcast is to aid the industry to push forward and become less unattainable to the public or future makers, to inspire other women, for instance, to get back into their family's business at origin because they witness the growth of specialty chocolate, or find more confidence in starting or updating their own craft company (any food or retail product), as well as introduce consumers to makers, job opportunities, and overall life advice...since cacao/chocolate is so deeply connected to us, and we to it. 

V.C.:  What do you think are the most important things consumers should know/understand about the bean to bar craft chocolate movement? 

L.H.:  I feel it's extremely difficult to express to consumers how lengthy the processes of cacao harvesting, fermentation, and chocolate making are -- but they will never care about that if first and foremost they don't learn to really appreciate it and require higher standards of the products containing or made entirely of chocolate. We are battling a long standing tradition of accessibility and non-transparency. Even before Uber and Postmates there were on-demand chocolate cake, ice cream, candy -- any place, any time of the day, in the frozen foods aisle, or at 24-hour gas stations, we had/have chocolate when and where we wanted it. Moving it from a shelf-commodity and craving, to a place of esteem and reverence is imperative for the growth and recognition of the industry, as well as creating a dialogue for change. Like many macro problems facing the world, it also requires collaboration from the big industrial players to eradicate practices that created this dichotomy of price and ethos in the first place. 

V.C.:  When selecting a chocolate bar to try what influences your purchase?

L.H.:  I like giving newbies a shot -- because I am in their shoes. I also like to reward companies choosing accountability over marketing jargon -- ditch the artisan, handcrafted approach, I'd pick "Estate X" and traceable "Cooperative Y" any day. Distinctiveness goes a long way, and even something oddball I may find endearing. I also pay attention to how easily the packaging can be recycled or reused. 

WKND Chocolate Tumeric of a Goat Thing Bar. Photo Credit: Victoria Cooksey

V.C.:  Through your journey of making chocolate, eating craft chocolate, and interviewing those involved with chocolate on your podcast, what have you discovered about yourself?  

L.H.:  I feel very grateful that there is so much to learn, and that the impacts of becoming well versed in cacao/chocolate can have a positive effect on others. There is a saying, 'we have two ears and one mouth, we should be listening twice as much as we speak.' I'm discovering how vital this is to creating a meaningful life, and the community you surround yourself with.

V.C.:  Through the interviews you have conducted what direction do you see the bean to bar movement heading.  What future would you like to see for craft chocolate? 

L.H.:  Having had the fortune to speak on this subject with many fascinating people, I'd say that the industry is facing a current opportunity and predicament. It could burst forward or plateau - it's up to us, cultural timing, and impactful marketing/education/consciousness to reach more people. This isn't to say that it won't progress financially, that new makers won't evolve and veterans confirm their products and position in more territories, but that we'll miss the boat for consumers to latch on to chocolate's importance and potential past being just a chocolate bar, and rather a driver for change and possibility. I would like to see craft chocolate further creating & ensuring livelihoods and ecosystems; I believe chocolate makers and chocolatiers are not going anywhere, but we have no guarantee as far as the environment, the farmers (average age is climbing, not lowering), or the strains of cacao. There are great programs in place working to create and preserve this infrastructure, but the future demands more. 

V.C.:  Which chocolate bars/makers are in your current chocolate stash?

L.H.:  What stash? They don't last long. Finding Pump Street in Colorado is always a pleasant treat (although I'm curious to know how environmentally friendly or not those envelopes are), I have huge respect for the sourcing proximity and story from Marou's Treasure Island bar, and also adore Fruition's Hudson Valley Dark Milk...dangerously easy to devour. Soon, I will try Friis-Holm chocolate, thanks to a Well Tempered group member bringing it back from Chocoa - and I just have to say that without even tasting his chocolate, it thrills me to discover makers who really go outside the box. From my gal pals, Map Chocolate & Batch Craft inspire me, and usher me through some of the hard parts of being a maker.

Thank you so much Lauren for this interview!

Find out more about Lauren Heineck:

Check out your friend in all things chocolate, Victoria Cooksey:
Watch my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos here:  

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Dormouse Chocolates 55% Columbia Arauca Milk Chocolate Bar Review

Dormouse chocolates is a bean to bar chocolate maker located in Manchester in the U.K.  I recently ordered this bar from their online store.  It's listed as made from a mix of criollo, and trinitario beans, batch 076, and with a conch time of 48 hours.  (The higher the quality the beans, the less conching time is needed, and it let's the real flavors shine through too).

 Pic of Dormouse Chocolates taken in Port Townsend, WA

Color:  Light/medium brown with a touch or red.

Nose:  Condensed milk.


Texture:  Good snap, smooth.

Taste:  Brown butter, light caramel, dried black currants, and sea salt.

Finish:  Medium finish, rich, not to sweet.

I actually just placed an order for their 6 month subscription, so I can't wait to see which bar shows up first.  Congrats to Dormouse Chocolates for being my first chocolate subscription!

Dormouse Chocolates: 
http://dormousechocolates.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/Dormousechocs
https://www.instagram.com/dormousechocs/?hl=en

Victoria Cooskey:
https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/VictoriaCRandom
Watch my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Fruition Marañón Canyon 68% Dark Milk Chocolate Bar Review

Fruition Chocolate is a craft chocolate maker located in the Catskill Mountains of New York. This dark milk bar has won several awards, and is made from Nacional beans from Maranon Canyon in Peru. The particular bar in this review is from batch #2. 

 Pic of Fruition's Maranon Canyon bar was taken in Port Townsend, WA

Color;  Medium brown with a touch of red.

Nose:  Cinnamon, fudge, cream, floral.


Texture:  Very smooth, medium bodied, creamy.

Taste:  Buttery, cinnamon, malt.

Finish:  Medium finish with malt, and cinnamon notes lingering.

Fruition Chocolate:
https://www.instagram.com/fruitionchocolate/?hl=en
https://www.tastefruition.com/
https://twitter.com/TasteFruition

Victoria Cooksey:
https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/victoriacookseysrandomdish/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Watch my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Interview with Estelle Tracy of 37 Chocolates with Victoria Cooksey

Estelle Tracy of 37 Chocolates

I'm very excited to bring you this interview with Estelle Tracy of 37 Chocolates.  Estelle is a food writer, a chocolate educator, and so much more.  She is a wonderful supporter of small craft chocolate makers, a valuable resource of chocolate information delivered in an approachable way, and always has encouraging words for people in all aspects of the craft chocolate world. 

In 2015 Estelle decided to try 37 US-made craft chocolate bars by her 37th birthday, and the rest is chocolate history.  

Victoria Cooksey:  What is your very first memory of eating chocolate?

Estelle Tracy:  Like most French kids in the 1980's, I grew up eating Kinder eggs and collecting the toys inside. I also liked Milka milk chocolate, which my family would eat watching TV on Saturday nights. My dad would finish the bar and we'd find the empty wrapper on the coffee table the next morning.

V.C.:  After completing your 37 US chocolates by your 37th birthday challenge what were the top 3 unexpected things you learned as part of that adventure? 

E.T.:  I knew I did not know much about chocolate but I did not expect there would be so much to learn. For instance, I did not realize most mass-produced chocolate relied on  West African cacao and that child slavery is a common practice on those plantations. I also realized the words "chocolatier" and "chocolate-maker" cannot be used interchangeably: while a chocolatier uses chocolate as an ingredient, a chocolate-maker makes chocolate from cacao beans. But most importantly, I discovered Map Chocolate, a chocolate-maker who made it easy to spend $10 on a chocolate bar. 

V.C.:  How has the chocolate industry changed since you began tasting craft chocolate? 

E.T.:  The most exciting part of the past 2 years has been to witness the growth of several small batch makers. Since I discovered them in 2015, LetterPress Chocolate has moved to a bigger production facility. Philadelphia-based Chocolate Alchemist has found  its first stockists all around the area. Map Chocolate is running a crowfunding campaign to purchase new equipment to meet demand for her bars. It's a great time for craft chocolate in the US. 


V.C.:  As you’ve discovered more about the chocolate makers themselves what similarities, or differences have you noticed between them?  

E.T.:  A big difference to me is in the texture. Some chocolates are smooth and melt quickly in the mouth, while others like Taza are super gritty. Other bars are smooth but take forever to melt. Some have a nice rounded flavor throughout the tasting while others deliver a burst of intense flavor with a mellow finish. There's little indication about texture on wrappers which means you have to eat many bars to discover what you like.

V.C.:  How does European chocolates differ from US made ones?  

E.T.:  I can't speak for all European chocolate but the chocolate I eat in France has a very smooth, silky texture. You'll find most people don't like chocolate with a gritty texture because it tends to remind them of the cheap chocolate you'd find at the bottom of the shelves at the grocery store. 

V.C.:  What makers, or styles of chocolate bars would you recommend consumers start with who are wanting to take the first step into trying craft chocolate? 

E.T.:  It really depends on what the person currently enjoys. To someone who likes a milk chocolate, I suggest Patric's dark milk bar or Map Chocolate's Nightswimming. If you swear by a bold dark chocolate, give Acalli Chocolate's bars a try. If you like the idea of dark chocolate better than its taste, try a bar made of Madagascar beans like the one made by Omnom or Twenty-Four Blackbirds and let me know what you think!


V.C.:  Any tips on what to look for on the labeling of a bar?  Any information on labels you would like to see more, or less of? 

E.T.:  I like that more and more makers disclose the origin of the cacao they use in their bars. I have grown suspicious of a maker simply listing "cacao" as the main ingredient on a bar because it's important for me to know where it came from. 

I hope makers will stop listing all the steps required to make chocolate (roast-crack-winnow-grind-conche-temper-mold) from the bean because it provides the consumer no information about the resulting taste or the texture of chocolate. When a car maker wants to sell you a car, it does not tell you how it's made, it tells you how it feels to drive. The same should apply to chocolate. I want makers to tell me on wrappers what eating this chocolate will feel like. And please don't list tasting notes that are too hard to detect! In my experience, it makes tasters feel like failures when they don't taste those notes. To them, it's like a validation they are not worthy of craft chocolate, so they will be less likely to buy it again. 

V.C.:  What sparked the transition from trying bars to leading chocolate tasting?

E.T.:  Last summer, my town's library asked me if I'd be interested in hosting a workshop and I said yes. I've hosted two workshops to date and I love seeing people's reaction when they touch a cacao pod and see an actual cacao bean. This fall, I was also offered to train Philter Coffee's staff about their craft chocolate offering. We sat around the table, tasted a lot of chocolate, then talked about it, and I realized then how much I had missed the social aspect of chocolate. 

V.C.:  After leading a tasting what changes do you see in the attendees opinions on chocolate?  

E.T.:  People usually tell me they have a new appreciation of chocolate because they learned so much about it. Most attendees already like dark chocolate and will use my resource sheets to try new bars. I like that I encourage people to make more adventurous chocolate choices. 

V.C.:  How does chocolate fit into your plans for 2017? 

E.T.:  I want to continue tasting, learning, and educating about chocolate. I am a freelance writer and it's a treat when I get to write whole articles about my favorite food. After subscribing to ChocoRush's craft chocolate subscription box (www.chocorush.co) for over a year, I started contributing to their blog in January. 

Locally, I'd love to start organizing chocolate tasting with friends, like Megan Giller (www.chocolatenoise.com) does as part of her chocolate underground salons. 

V.C.:  What chocolate bars do you currently have in your chocolate stash?

E.T.:  Several Marou bars, a Michel Cluizel sampler pack, three Guatemalan bars by Dulcinea Craft Chocolate, and a Palette de Bine bar... Among many others!I

Thank you Estelle!

To learn more about Estelle Tracy check out:
https://37chocolates.com/
https://www.instagram.com/37chocolates/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/estelletracy/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/37chocolates
Watch Estelle's 37 Chocolates review videos here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSQ4-aOepH_jMMj0AFpPRwg

Victoria Cooksey:
https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/victoriacookseysrandomdish/
https://twitter.com/VictoriaCRandom
https://www.minds.com/VictoriaCooksey
Watch my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

It you are reading this before March 9, 2017 be sure to check out Map Chocolate's Indiegogo campaign:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/map-chocolate-inspired-bean-to-bar-crafted
https://www.instagram.com/mapchocolate/?hl=en

Friday, February 24, 2017

Map Chocolate Co Nightswimming Dark/Milk, and I Dream of Fiji Dark Chocolate Bar Reviews

Map Chocolate Co is a craft chocolate, bean to bar maker located in the Willamette Valley area of Oregon. Map also happens to be one of my favorite chocolate makers! Yes, I am a Mapoholic!!

 Map Chocolate's I Dream of Fiji 78% Dark Chocolate Bar

Color:  Dark brown.
Nose:  White honey, soft nose, lavender.
Texture:  Thicker bar, medium-bodied, smooth.
Taste:  Floral, white honey, purple plum, coffee, spice.
Finish:  Medium

Even though this Fiji bar is 78%, it is very easy to eat, and I highly recommend it as a great introduction for those wanting to try a higher percentage bar.  No bitterness.  No worries. 

Map Chocolate's Nightswimming 60% Belize Dark/Milk Chocolate Bar

I love dark/milk bars.  This one has some unique flavors too!

Color:  Light/medium brown with a touch of red.
Nose:  Chocolate covered caramel bonbon, coffee.
Texture:  Very smooth.
Taste:  Condensed milk (but not the sweetness), hint of acidity, brown sugar, tomato, BBQ, coriander.
Finish:  Hint of clementine in a medium finish.

Map Chocolate has become so popular that their chocolate grinders are not longer enough!  Map has an Indiegogo campaign going on until March 9, 2017 to be able to get a new chocolate grinder (with some fantastic chocolate contribution perks!).  Be sure to checkout their campaign (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/map-chocolate-inspired-bean-to-bar-crafted#/), and visit their website for some amazing chocolate bars, drinking chocolates, cocoa powders, and granola.  Yum!

Victoria Cooksey Reviews Map Chocolate's Nightswimming & I Dream of Fiji Bars

Map Chocolate Co Indiegogo Campaign running until March 9, 2017: 
Map Chocolate Co:

Victoria Cooksey: 
Watch my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos at:


Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Askinosie Chocolate 1,098 Line Dirty White Chocolate Vintage Cocoa Gravel Review

This is a wild white chocolate bar!  I purchased #517 out of 1,098 bars available for Askinosie Chocolate's dirty White chocolate Vintage Cocoa Gravel Bar.  

Askinosie Chocolate is a craft chocolate, bean to bar maker located in Springfield, Mo.  Their Dirty White bar is another example that white chocolate is way more then it used to be.

The pouch this bar comes in is made by Trappist Monks (the order was founded in 1098, so 1,098 bars), the cocoa butter is from the Philippines, and is from the first pressing (which gives it the "dirty" white), the cocoa nibs are aged for two years, and covered in chocolate (the nibs, and chocolate are from Tanzania).  Talk about complex!

 #517 of 1,098 Dirty White Chocolate Vintage Cocoa Gravel by Askinosie Chocolate

Color:  A latte like color from first pressed cocoa butter, and then chocolate covered cocoa nibs on the flip side.

 Pic of Dirty White Chocolate Bar

Nose:  Milk chocolate, delicate, mild nose.

Texture:  Smooth meets the crunch of the chocolate covered cocoa nibs.

Vintage Cocoa Gravel 

Taste:  Minimal sweetness, rice, green tea, floral, brie cheese, cream, cereal.  When I took a bite of just the cocoa nib "gravel" the nibs had a touch of saltiness. 

Finish:  Short/Medium.

Given that this was a limited edition bar I hope you got one, or know someone who did, and likes to share!  Let me know what you think if you have tried one. 

Askinosie Chocolate:

Victoria Cooksey:
Check out my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos at:

Friday, February 17, 2017

Beau Cacao 73% 2014 Asajaya Malaysia Dark Chocolate Bar Review

Beau Cacao is a handcrafted chocolate maker in London, England that has recently launched their bars.  Founded by both Bo San Cheung, and Thomas Delcour, Beau Cacao makes bean to bars from Malaysian cacao beans.  Their focus is on making fine chocolate bars with a direct link from growers to consumers, working with small-scale growers, and maintaining transparency of the product.

I ordered this 2014 harvest 73% Asajaya Malaysia dark chocolate bar (200 of 4,500 bars) from the Beau Cacao website (http://www.beaucacao.com/) They are able to ship to several countries, and the shipping from the UK to the USA was pretty reasonable

Beans from Malaysia, chocolate maker in London, and pictured below here in Port Townsend, WA.  I love how chocolate gets around!

Color:  Medium brown, very shiny.


Nose:  Subtle forest, Celtic sea salt, brown butter, and sugar cookie dough.


Texture:  One of the best temper snaps of all the chocolate bars I've tried over the past two years. Very smooth mouth feel.


Taste:  Dark caramel brittle, bark more then oak, minerality, mocha, and hazelnut.

Finish:  Hint of bay nut, and some tannins in a medium-long finish.

There is a lot going on in this bar.  Very interesting!  The packaging is gorgeous, the mold is lovely, the shine, and texture is spot on, and there is a nice assortment of nose/tastes.  Well done! 

Have you had any bars by Beau Cacao yet?  What did you think?

Beau Cacao:

Victoria Cooksey:
Watch my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos here:

Saturday, February 11, 2017

TCHO Extra Dark 81% Dark Chocolate Bar Review

These days bars from 80 - 100% continue to grow in popularity, however, some can be a bit intense. TCHO Extra Dark 81% bar makes it easier to give into the dark side.  This bar is a blend of four different cacao origins (Ghana, Peru, Ecuador, and Madagascar), and is great place to start if you're ready to move beyond 70% bars.

TCHO bars are priced around $4 making them an affordable jumping off point for those who want to start indulging in craft chocolate.

Color:   Medium/Dark brown.

Nose:  Cream, creme de cassis, and subtle anise.


Pic of TCHO in Port Townsend, WA

Texture:  Smooth, medium-bodied, creamy.


Tastes:  Dark cocoa, stout beer elements, black coffee, hint of acidity.

Finish:  Medium/long finish, cocoa powder.

What is your favorite dark chocolate bar?

TCHO:
http://www.tcho.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tchochocolate/?hl=en

Victoria Cooksey:
https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en
Watch all my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

Friday, February 3, 2017

Interview with Josef Zotter of Zotter Chocolate with Victoria Cooksey

I'm very please to bring you this interview with Josef Zotter of Zotter Chocolate.

A special thank you to Barbara Dolleschal of Zotter Chocolates US LLC for facilitating this interview, providing some of the information for the interview, and for the translation work! 

Note:  My questions had to be translated, and then the answers were translated back, so please keep that in mind when reading this post.

Zotter Chocolates is a bean to bar, organic, fair trade chocolate manufacture located in Austria. I purchased Zotter Chocolate for the very first time at The Chocolate Project in Victoria, B.C. in September of 2016, and then I re-stocked my supply at the NW Chocolate Festival in Seattle, WA last November 2016 where I was also lucky enough to meet Barbara Dolleschal of Zotter Chocolates US LLC, and thus the idea for an interview was born!  

Querformat: Schoko-Theater
Josef Zotter, Zotter Chocolate
Photo Credit: (c) Zotter Chocolate

Victoria Cooksey:  How did you first become interested in bean to bar chocolate making?

Josef Zotter: Well… it was following a goal very consequent. To be able to create and influence the whole process. Through that we have many possibilities to purchase cocoa in the best cocoa gardens in this world, of course everything in organic and Fair-Trade quality.
I can interfere and change small things in the process every day. When it is good, everything stays the same, if not… then I make something different. Through that the chocolate gets its complete personal note.

V.C.:  There are so many interesting chocolate combinations/flavors of Zotter bars.  Where do the inspirations for these flavors come from?

Josef Zotter: Someone who is working with chocolate knows… that cocoa contains the biggest aroma conglomerate of all fats containing seeds…can imagine how many aroma components can be combined with cocoa… I don’t do anything different but to strengthen the flavors in the cocoa. Look, cocoa has many nut aromas, or citrus aromas or spicy aromas … because of that chocolate works also with Chili and so on.

V.C.:  What does “hand-scooped” mean?

Info. provided by Barbara Dolleschal: When Josef Zotter started to create chocolate, he looked for a word to describe his vision of chocolate production: It was a mixture of inventive flair and manual labor covered by layers and chocolate coatings. Zotter was the first chocolatier to introduce the term "hand-scooped" in order to make a distinction between his and conventionally poured chocolates. Scooping is also an appropriate term for his production of unique items and the creative combination of ingredients to produce new varieties over and over again.

V.C.:  Part of the fun of shopping for Zotter bars comes from looking at all the artwork on each wrapper.  How did Zotter end up collaborating with Andreas H. Gratze to create wrapper designs for the chocolate bars?
Zotter Chocolate Bars at the NW Chocolate Festival, Seattle, WA 2016

Info. provided by Barbara Dolleschal:  It began with “Krampus“ and “St. Nicholas“ Chocolates in an early stage. (Krampus and St. Nicholas is a traditional holiday in Austria December 5th and 6th- more information about the background can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus) Gratze was shocked when he saw the unadventurous package designs from the hired agency. So he presented a spontaneous draft. "For Rascals" and "For Good Ones" were made by simplicity and humor. With this packaging the breakthrough succeeded, the chocolates were sold out in no time.

Josef Zotter: We met when we both were in the Army. Andy is 4.92 and I am 6.23 tall – also very contrarily... he always talks about art, and I always talk about chocolate. He says the picture on the packaging is important, I say the content is crucial. Probably we are both right 50%.

Zotter Chocolate at the NW Chocolate Festival

V.C.:  Many of your bars list exact conching times.  Besides rounding out flavors, and toning down acidity, and astringency, how else does conching improve chocolate? What flavor differences have you noticed between short to long conching times.   Is it possible to over conch?

Josef Zotter:  Yes, surely conching is one of the most crucial processes in the production chain. It is not decisive how long we conch, but also how intensive. We prefer short conching times because I want to have the chocolate still to be a little bit earthy and racy, also with character. Most of the industrial made chocolate is been conched too long. Mostly because of the reason that everyone likes it a little bit.

What I have to say is – the better the quality of the cocoa beans, the shorter conching times are needed. If the cocoa beans are faulty, you need to use a longer conching process to get rid of the false flavors.

Also important during the conching is the emulsifying process, where it is important to have the correct temperature control, so that the chocolate as a tender melt on the palate... I think we get that right pretty well.
Zotter Chocolate Tasting Samples at NW Chocolate Festival

V.C. What does Zotter look for when sourcing cacao beans to use?

Josef Zotter:  At the very first at the people we are working with. If the chemistry is right, we can accomplish a lot together with the farmers. There are a lot of requirements to make good cocoa, starting with the right harvesting, then the pots have to be opened quick otherwise it comes to faulty fermentation. Then they have to measure the level of sugar and depending on that they will specify the fermentation time.

Also very important is to let the fermented beans dry very slowly in the sun and not fast in drying plant. Correct storing is also important and especially in the tropical regions where the cocoa grows, this can be very challenging.

So, a very important part of quality chocolate happens at the farmer in his cocoa garden. Cocoa production has many similarities with wine production.

V.C. How has chocolate making, and sourcing of beans, changed since starting Zotter Chocolate?

Josef Zotter: Well, hand-scooped chocolate was not there before I invented it. We are doing this since more than 20 Years now and have collected a lot of knowledge in the meantime. Of course, during the Years we changed things in the production itself, like changing the roasting process. At the moment we are working on a specific Craft Act Line which should going to be more puristic. For that we are currently investing in new machines, also machines which are made for us especially to make us able to accomplish what we want to do. For example for roasting the nibs: we will be able to get better to the point because of a more consistent size.

Also the fact, that you see that there is chocolate on the market with insects, worms, fish, bacon or blood ... I think this happened because of us. Those extravagant varieties are something we started to do at a very early stage of being in business. Hemp for example.

V.C.:  Any suggestions for what consumers should look for on chocolate bar packaging/labels when purchasing quality chocolate bars?

Josef Zotter: Look at their Website, if they work bean to bar exclusively and not just a little bit. If all ingredients are traded fair and in the end good chocolate has to be made entirely organic... because acting with the magic ingredients of the food industry is easy and cheap. Yes, and also to look at the people which stands behind a brand to show the character and authenticity.

V.C.:  Should chocoholics take a different approach when tasting a flavored, filled bar versus a solid chocolate bar?

Josef Zotter:  No usually not. Always of equal importance – let chocolate melt on the tongue... only then you can taste the aromas... if you chew ... then only at the very beginning for a very short time... but it is important to keep a piece on your tongue, close your eyes and take time... then you will realize how intense good chocolate can be and how less you can or must eat of it.
Please drink only water, no wine, port or liquor to be able to taste everything right. Wine and everything else after a chocolate tasting.

Querformat: Im Kakao
 Josef Zotter, Zotter Chocolate
Photo Credit: (c) Zotter Chocolate

V.C.:  Where does Zotter see the future of bean to bar chocolate making heading over the next 5 to 10 years?

Josef Zotter: I have accomplished so much already and I do not dare to ask wishes when it comes to chocolate. I live my life again each and every day and I am very grateful for that what already have happened... what comes is good, what comes not.. is also good. We have to stop wanting to grow constantly.

Well, when we are in Years at the same spot as we are today, it is perfect... though we won’t stay where we are... just imagine 1000 Years from now. That’s way more important to me, that more people care about environmental questions... or how we can accomplish to live on a planet without wars...?

V.C.:  What are your top three favorite Zotter chocolate pairings with cheese, beer, wine, or other items?

Josef Zotter: Only drink water if you do a chocolate tasting.
When it comes to combinations of chocolate with different other flavors, there are no boundaries for me. However it shall make sense. Chocolate with garlic for example or Sea Salt on it is something I never will make. By the way, a pinch of Salt is in all of our chocolates.

Thank you so much Josef Zotter, and Barbara Dolleschal for making this interview happen!

Zotter Chocolate:
https://www.zotterusa.com/
https://www.instagram.com/zotterchocolates/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/zotterUSA
https://www.facebook.com/zotterchocolateUSA/?hc_ref=SEARCH

Victoria Cooksey: 
https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en
Check out my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ
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