If you follow me on twitter, you have been seeing my incessant chatter about my trip to Hawaii this summer. I’m finally here, and am happy to report, for those of you back in the oppressive humidity and incessant traffic and smog on the east coast, that it is beautiful here.
Aren’t I just the best?
Besides the perfect weather and incredible scenery, I was excited for this trip because of the numerous chocolatiers that call Hawaii home. To add to that excitement, I was fortunate to receive some sample bars from Oahu-based bean-to-bar Madre Chocolate to evaluate. I started, appropriately, with the Hawaiian Dark Chocolate bar, which was a 70% cocoa bar.
As the only state in the United States that grows cocoa, Hawaii offers chocolatiers the unique opportunity to use beans sourced near their own operations; the beans for this particular bar are from the Hamaka coast of the Big Island. The intricate design of the bar evokes even more thoughts of Hawaii, and is a creative approach to molding this most unique chocolate.
The aroma of this bar was fruity, and the melt was smooth and just a bit creamy, though not notably so.
The taste is refreshingly cool and minty at first, with a hint of banana throughout and a bit of coffee and smokiness at the end. Though offering a wide variety of flavors to create a complex bar, it is not bitter, and this bar would be a good introduction to bittersweet chocolate for those who prefer sweeter approaches to chocolate.
It’s also a great introduction to Hawaii. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go enjoy the temperatures in the low 80s and the nonstop sunshine.
Have you had chocolate from Hawaii before?
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