Mi Luz - 71% Dark Chocolate
When I was a child, anxious thoughts sometimes kept me awake at night. When my mother noticed, she would take me to the kitchen for a glass of milk perfumed with orange blossom water.
La Chocolaterie du Village - Baie St-Paul - 73% Vietnam
La Chocolaterie du Village mentioned in the October 5 post does not only sell Ecuadorian chocolate. Anticipating a trip to Vietnam, my friend brought this small bar back. The design is very pretty; the uneven thickness squares are engraved with tropical flowers.
ChocoCumi - Tsachilas - 70%
ChocoCumi’s “Lugares de mi tierra” bars are often excellent from the first square. This one, however, requires time to appreciate and explore its flavors.
Pacari - Sea Pine Essence - 60% Cocoa
Maritime pine originates from the Mediterranean basin and is cultivated for its wood. It may also be found in Chile as an invasive species. Its essence is sometimes used in cough syrups. How Pacari decided to use it in a chocolate is a curiosity.
Pacari - Andean Guaviduca - 60% Cocoa
Guaviduca has a lovely name — but you’d be very good to know what it is. A search brings up scientific articles about an Amazonian essence, Latin name Piper carpunya (a pepper species), traditionally used by the Shuar people to treat inflammation, wounds and ulcers.