Chocolate of the week: Ghana

Ghana is a West African nation located on the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ghana shares a border with the Ivory Coast in the west, Togo in the east, and Burkina Faso in the north.

Cacao is Ghana’s main cash crop to export. It is the world’s second largest exporter of cocoa beans. The number one exporter is their neighbor, Ivory Coast.

Ghana grows one of the world’s most flavorful cocoa beans. Some well-known brands of chocolate source their cacao exclusively from Ghana; Omanhene and Divine Chocolate, for example.

Passport Ghana - The Taste Experience

The Trader’s Joe’s chocolate from Ghana is a dark 70%. It has soft but rich chocolatey notes. It is very fruity with lots of pleasant blueberry and raspberry flavors throughout. There are also overtones of honey and vanilla.

It’s slightly acidic at the end, which blends into the fruitiness, so it’s more of a positive thing than a negative.

Overall, this chocolate is delicate, light and airy. Although the chocolatey notes are not as complex as last week’s Venezuelan, the layers of bright berries offer a nice flavor complexity.

I have never been let down by Ghanaian chocolate, and this experience has been no different. The only problem I’m having now is which bar – Venezuelan from last week’s review or this one from Ghana – will win my heart for first place?

Up to now, I’ve tasted Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Venezuelan, and Ghanaian from the TJ’s Passport collection. All are good.

This is tough, but I’m sticking with the Venezuelan 70% as my favorite thus far. Ghana is so close that I better end this review before I change my mind!

Next up: Dominican Republic.

Relax with Chocolate and Wine

The CUO Chocolate and Wine Tasting Guide will show you how to pair chocolate and wine for amazing experiences of your own or with friends!

This chocolate from Ghana would likely pair well with a dry, fruity, red wine. 

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Bryn Kirk

Course Facilitator at Chocolate University Online

Bryn worked for nearly 10 years in a research and product development for Ambrosia Chocolate Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Now she develops all of the CUO lessons and coaches the members of the Primal Chocolate Club.

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