Cacao: Chocolate Covered Ginger

While the chocolate covered dried apricots and candied orange peel from Cacao were delightful, there were more treats from their collection to examine. More chocolate covered treats, including this drip-dry ginger covered in dark chocolate.

The pieces are quite variable in size and shape, as well as in scope of chocolate coverage. This is indicative of the handmade approach taken at the shop, and means that each piece offers a slightly different flavor balance. While the ginger comprises a good portion of nearly every piece, there was no ginger evident in the aroma, rather, mint and coffee were distinct.

Despite the lack of ginger aroma, the ginger is quite spicy, and a bit sweet. The spiciness lingers nicely alongside the pleasing texture of the ginger itself, as it is neither chewy nor dry, and the texture is nicely matched to the smooth chocolate – this allows for mess-free nibbling or each piece. The chocolate itself, while generally sparse, features ordinary coffee and caramel flavors, but this mild flavor is complimentary to the assertive ginger. Though these pieces were a bit low on chocolate in my opinion, the ginger was well-treated and the chocolate was of reasonable quality.

Do you like ginger and chocolate together?

Cacao: Chocolate Covered Orange Peel

What a relief we all felt yesterday. A good product from my neighborhood chocolatier. Encouraged by Cacao’s work with the dark chocolate covered dried apricots, I moved along to their dark chocolate orange peel.

The pieces have a berry aroma, with no hint of citrus.

Interestingly, there was no berry flavor in the chocolate; instead, there were typical coffee and caramel flavors complemented by a slow, smooth melt. The orange peel was just a bit tart, just a bit sweet, and had a perfect texture that was neither hard nor gooey, allowing it to blend seamlessly with the chocolate. These pieces were probably the best item I found at Cacao, and are some of the best chocolate covered orange peel I’ve tasted.

And available just down the street. Score.

Do you like candied citrus peels? Which is your favorite?

Cacao: Chocolate Covered Dried Apricots

After nearly tragic experiences with the milk chocolate medallions and white chocolate medallions from DC-based Cacao, I was growing anxious. Was there not a good chocolate creation to be had from this little gem in Cleveland Park? I moved along to the fruit-based creations in search of a better product, and examined the dark chocolate covered dried apricots first.

These little treats offered a very faint apricot aroma, with the berry and chocolate aromas from the chocolate being far more apparent.

Coffee is the most apparent flavor in the chocolate, with berry and cream notes accenting it; these flavors are complimented by a soft texture and slow melt. The dried apricot underneath that chocolate is juicy, tart, and flavorful, with only a hint of sweetness, blending nicely with the fairly mild dark chocolate. My only complaint is that the chocolate layer is quite thin, and I’d personally prefer a higher chocolate to apricot ratio. That aside, the chocolate and fruit are both wonderful, and I’ll be making the treck down Connecticut Avenue every now and then to pick up a bag of these.

You should, too.

Do you prefer more fruit or more chocolate when you eat chocolate-covered fruits?

Cacao: White Chocolate Medalions

Even though the milk chocolate medallions from Cacao were disappointing, I went ahead and evaluated the white chocolate medallions from Cacao as well. I tried to be hopeful about these, but groaned a bit when I saw that walnuts sat aside the pistachios and raisins.

We all know how I feel about walnuts. Fortunately, these walnuts were nicely toasted and crunchy, which added some nice texture contrast to the once again soggy pistachio and soft raisin.

The raisin was again juicy and flavorful, but was a bit too sweet against the white chocolate, which itself was disappointing with its gritty texture. The overall flavor was one of slightly rancid nuts and artificial cream. Not what I want out of chocolate, even if it is just a short walk from my place.

Have you ever had gritty white chocolate?

Cacao: Milk Chocolate Medalions

I spent almost all of last week away from DC; sadly, neither of my destinations – Charleston, SC and Jacksonville, FL – afforded me any opportunities to explore new chocolatiers. Happily, I had stocked up on some treats from a DC-area chocolatier: Cacao, which has a branch less than I mile from where I live, which means that goodies like these milk chocolate medallions don’t have time to melt on the trip home.

Each medallion has an almond, a pistachio, and a raisin seated atop a thin layer of milk chocolate, which gives off a faint cream aroma, as well as a bit of caramel.

The chocolate is a bit dry for a milk chocolate, but carries a distinct cream flavor. The raisin, though not chopped or well-distributed per design, is plump and flavorful. The nuts, on the other hand, are soft and almost soggy, with an inferior roast. The plump raisin simply can’t compensate for the poorly-handled almond and pistachio, and I doubt I will purchase these medallions again.

Have you ever had chocolate with soggy nuts? (stop laughing, it’s a real question)

Madecasse: 44% Cacao Milk Chocolate

The sea salt and nib bar by Madecassee was sufficiently intriguing to lead me to research their offerings a bit more. Earlier this year, several stellar reviews of their 44% cacao milk chocolate bar cropped up, with Lee in particular discussing his favorable impressions. I had no choice but to get a bar myself.

No choice. None. I had to do my own assessment.

This bar is made in Africa, not just made with cacao harvested there, and offers a smoky aroma with caramel notes and a hint of cream.

The melt is slow, and while a bit dry at first, turns creamy later on. A strong banana flavor is present throughout, and a bit of vanilla and smokiness permeate the flavor throughout, with a tiny hint of citrus coming forth at the end. Though the smokiness is a bit odd for a milk chocolate, it’s certainly complexly flavored. A more uniformly creamy melt would make the bar more enjoyable, as the dryness at the beginning is distracting.

Have you ever had a chocolate that is dry at first but smooth later?

Madecasse: Sea Salt and Nibs Bar

While I didn’t really discuss it earlier this week, Divine and Green & Black’s are alike not only because they are based in the U.K., but also because they are committed to sourcing cacao in a manner that supports the farmers and those most closely associated with the farming process, with each producing several fair trade bars. Such considerations are important to many chocolate consumers and producers alike; one such producer is Madecasse. They are passionate about supporting sustainable cacao production and working closely with cacao farmers; they specifically work closely with the Ezaka Cooperative in Madagascar. Not content to merely produce plain single-origin bar, the folks at Madecasse put together an intriguing bar that had several additional highlights: a 63% cacao sea salt and nib bar.

The bar has a pleasing cherry aroma with a hint of spice, and the nibs are finely ground, relatively soft, and easy to chew. The addition of the salt, while not notable in the bar’s flavor, is key to cutting through the bitterness of the nibs and making them more enjoyable.

The chocolate itself has a smooth melt with a late-emerging cherry flavor that compliments the nibs nicely. The slow melt nicely compliments the finely ground nibs, such that one is not left with a mouthful of large nibs as the chocolate dissipates, a flaw in many nib bars. Overall, the combination of salt and nibs in a dark chocolate bar makes for a subdued presentation of intense cacao nibs, and is a brilliant approach by Madecasse.

Have you ever had chocolate with cacao nibs and salt?