Tabal Bolivia – Bolivian Single Source Cacao Bar
January 22, 2018
Today’s chocolate comes from a company located in my old stomping grounds where I grew up – Wauwatosa, WI. I lived on 73rd and Center and spent countless hours riding my bike around town. North Avenue was the longest, busiest street, and it had everything. There was Tosa Variety, the penny candy store, A&P grocery (and then a Kohl’s Food Store). I bought all my hamsters at Wisconsin Garden and Pet. I remember eating the most delicious bakery at Hartter’s with my Dad on Sunday morning.
Amedei Tuscany Madagascar 70%
January 15, 2018
My third and final review of a chocolate purchased from the World of Chocolate Museum and Café in Orlando, Florida is a single origin “Cru” from Amedei Tuscany. The bar is a 70% dark chocolate made from beans grown in Madagascar.
Domori Chocolate – 90% Dark Criollo
January 8, 2018
Last week I reviewed a milk chocolate, Zotter’s Labooko Nicaragua 50%, that I purchased from the World of Chocolate Café and Museum in Orlando, Florida. I also purchased today’s selection from there. I’m going from the extreme milk chocolate experience to the extreme dark chocolate experience – today’s review is a 90% dark from Domori.
As opposite as these two bars seem, there is something they have in common. They are both rated as “made from a top rated chocolate manufacturer” according to author and taste tester G. Bernardini.
Labooko Nicaragua 50% Milk Chocolate
December 28, 2017
Zotter Chocolate, www.zotterusa.com, might be on to something...
In 2012, the Labooko Nicaragua 50% Milk Chocolate bar was rated the “best milk chocolate in the world”! Professional taste tester and author, Georg Bernardini, tasted over 2,700 chocolates doing research for his book “Der Schokoladentester” (“The Chocolate Tester”) and declared this to be so. It took him two years to complete the book.
In addition to pronouncing Labooko Nicaragua the best milk chocolate, he also rated Zotter chocolate company as one of the best chocolate makers in the world.
World of Chocolate Museum & Café – Orlando
December 20, 2017
The day we left Orlando from my very productive and fun business trip, we said goodbye to Disney World and headed out for one last adventure – a visit to the World of Chocolate Museum & Café.
Years ago, while working for a large chocolate manufacturer, I visited a chocolate company that had a great collection of old chocolate packaging and advertising. There were hundreds of antique tins, boxes, molds, and posters of chocolate and cocoa production from the early days through modern times. That’s what came to mind when I first heard that there was a chocolate museum in Orlando.
Karamell-Küche – Dark Chocolate Caramel
December 12, 2017
Karamell-Küche, the “Caramel Kitchen”, in the Germany Pavilion at Disney World’s Epcot, is full of caramel candies and desserts. These treats are freshly made on-site from the famous Werther’s brand recipes.
Sitting in the shop, looking lonely, and calling my name is a Dark Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt. This caramel is as big as the palm of my hand and two fingers thick! It looks like it could be a small cake but it’s a solid block of caramel coated in dark chocolate.
Ample Hills Creamery – Dark Chocolate
December 6, 2017
We’re walking along Disney’s BoardWalk and Alan whispers in my ear, “Do you want to taste the best ice cream in the world?” I really want to answer with a sarcastic, “Duh...” but I don’t. Instead I just nod a lot and start to drool. Conditioned response to the words “ice cream”!
The Ganachery: Cinnamon Truffle
November 30, 2017
As I walk along the streets of Disney Springs, Florida on a very warm day, I am a bit overwhelmed with the abundant variety of shops and restaurants. I’m not a big fan of shopping while on vacation, but I don’t mind wandering around if I have some time to kill. And I’m always on the look out for quaint chocolates shops!
This time I’m rewarded as I stroll along to find The Ganachery. Perfectly decorated truffles are lined up behind glass in an air conditioned store. I’m interested in buying a box of assorted dark chocolate truffles but I worry about carrying them around in the Florida heat. I decide to get one truffle and eat it on the spot.
The Chocolate Studio at Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival
November 24, 2017
I recently took a business trip to Walt Disney World in Florida. Yes, that’s correct, it was business – chocolate eating business! My S.M.A.R.T goal: I will eat at least one chocolate item per day in as many Disney parks or Orlando attractions as I can fit into my four day trip, take notes and write a blog post for each item before Christmas!
So hang on, this will be a fun ride you’ll enjoy as much as I do. Over the next couple weeks, I’ll review what I found and tasted while at Disney World and at Orlando’s World of Chocolate Museum and Café.
Dark Chocolate Bee-Berry Honey Caramel
November 15, 2017
The Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate company (named for the founders’ three children) makes small batch artisan chocolate bars as well as other confections. In 1981, Dan Abel opened the first Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company store in St. Louis, Missouri. I found this bar in a specialty store in my neck of the woods, southeastern Wisconsin.