Madre Chocolate: Hibiscus

While I’m still in Hawaii (yep, be jealous), one of the bars that Madre Chocolate sent me reminds me of home. Of DC. But why?

Because this Hibiscus bar is made from beans from the Upala region in Costa Rica, the source for the beans that nearby Potomac Chocolate uses for their bars.

The packaging for this 70% cocoa bar discusses not only the bean origin, but hibiscus as well, noting that it is traditionally used in a Mexican drink called “Jamaica.”

The bar, unsurprisingly, has a floral aroma, and while the other Madre Bars I reviewed had creamy melts, the melt for this bar seamed to be more buttery and a bit slower.

The flavor is tangy, with a blend of floral and citrus; the chocolate also offers a hint of cherry such that the overall effect is fruity. I found it to be a bit sour, and thought that it could use a tad more sugar, but it’s not excessively sour, nor at all bitter. The overall effect is a nice blend of floral flavor with a complexly-flavored chocolate.

Have you ever eaten anything with hibiscus?