Chapter Twenty-Nine: La India Mexican Style Sweet Chocolate

We are rounding out our hot chocolate series this week with a bar sold by a company Gaby is connected to. Don't worry! We are still consuming chocolate bars often; if you missed our first post about hot chocolate, we suggest reading it to understand our tasting methods, ingredients, and tools. You can find Chapter 26 here.

Our selection this week is from La India Packing Company, a spice and herb packer and distributor located in South Texas. It is owned and operated by Gaby's stepmother, whose grandparents opened for business in 1924. A specialty of La India is their Mexican Style Sweet Chocolate, and we have been eager to try it. It was one of the first products sold by La India, when the original owner would grind the cacao by hand. The recipe for this chocolate has been unchanged since then. We're not sure of the cacao content, but there was already sugar in the bar and a few spices that were not mentioned on the package. 

Tasting No. :27

La India Mexican Style Sweet Chocolate

Left: Guittard Base Cocoa Right: La India Mexican Style Sweet Chocolate

Guittard Base Cocoa

La India Mexican Style Sweet Chocolate

Initial Impressions:
This chocolate had an instant complexity which we both loved. There was an explosion of flavor present from the first sip. It's almost difficult to compare to the base chocolate because they differ so much. The Guittard has mega chocolate flavor. The Mexican Style chocolate is almost like a spiced and sweetened milk because the chocolate flavor is much more mild. This is most likely due from the addition of spices and sugar to the Mexican chocolate. The sweetness level was excellent and we came across  a lot of cinnamon and vanilla in this chocolate. The color of this chocolate prepared and in solid form was much lighter than the base. There were visible sugar crystals in the bar. We concluded that this chocolate was reminiscent of Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Near the end of our first mug, we added some vanilla bean paste (we used Neilsen-Massey) and it was not a great addition; it made the chocolate too sweet and didn't add any extra complexity.

Texture:

In comparison to the base cocoa which was thick and smooth, the La India was thinner and was more textured with bits from the cinnamon (already in the bar) and the grinding process of the chocolate. This made the chocolate bitey and enjoyable to drink as it seemed remarkably rustic and true to form in Latin American drinking chocolates. Read our posts on Taza's Cacao Puro and the Dominican Republic Raw Cacao for more information on this. 

For a bit of fun, we made ourselves a second cup and mixed the two to try to highlight what we liked from each chocolate: the chocolatey flavor of the Guittard and the complex spiciness of the La India. It was delicious! The intensity of the Guittard's chocolate flavor was amplified by the complex flavor profile of La India.  We highly recommend trying this mixture.

Overall:

We thoroughly enjoyed this cup of cocoa, the chocolate was not as highlighted as we would have liked but the spiciness and delicious combination of flavors left us sated and happy.  We definitely recommend giving it a try if you can find it in a store near you.

Rating: 7.5/10 

*Notes:

This bar was gifted to us but is available for purchase at select HEBs and Walmart in Texas as well as online orders.
Price: $4.25

Next week, we'll start ringing in the holiday season with a new series for the month of December.  Curious what it will be?  Check back for the big reveal!

For now savor: "Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world's perfect food." - Michael Levine

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Taza Cacao Puro

We are taking a break from our normal chocolate bar tasting (Don't worry! We are still consuming chocolate bars often) and tasting hot chocolate for the month of November. If you missed our first post about hot chocolate, we suggest reading it to understand our tasting methods, ingredients, and tools. You can find Chapter 26 here.


This week, we are trying Taza's 70% dark Cacao Puro, a Mexican style chocolate bar. Mexican style hot chocolate is distinct in that it is coarser in texture and creates a foamier drink, and is typically already sweetened.  It also has ingredients such as cinnamon or chilies added.  Mexican chocolate is also used in savory dishes, such as Mexican mole sauce, even though it is sweetened.


We've had mixed reactions to Taza's offerings in the past, but we love what this brand represents by being certified organic, direct trade, non-GMO, as well as being vegan, kosher, gluten, dairy, and soy free.  This bar can be eaten as a chocolate bar or melted down into hot chocolate.

Tasting No. :26

Taza Cacao Puro 70%

Left: Guittard Base Cocoa Right: Taza Cacao Puro

Guittard Base Cocoa

Taza Cacao Puro

Initial Impressions:
The Cacao Puro was coarse due to it being stone ground; the sugar crystals and cacao nibs were easily visible.  Our base cocoa is a uniform texture.  The color was a rich, dark brown when in bar form.  Initially, it was overpoweringly sweet, we almost couldn't taste the chocolate because it was so sugary.  However, we made this hot chocolate with the same proportions that we have used for previous hot chocolate tastings when this bar already comes sweetened.  In retrospect, it may have been wise to follow Taza's suggested proportions which called for the entire chocolate disk (we used only about 1/2 of it) in less milk and no added sugar.  Once prepared, the Cacao Puro was very light in color while the Guittard was a dark reddish brown.

Texture:

In comparison to the base cocoa which was thick and smooth, the Cacao Puro was thinner and silkier in texture and had a bit of bite from the stone ground chocolate, which we really enjoyed.

For a bit of fun, we made ourselves a second cup and added whipped cream made with:

Whipping cream (hand whipped!)

Vanilla bean paste (we used Neilsen-Massey)

This addition helped take away some of the cloying sweetness of the chocolate and we actually enjoyed it a lot more.

Overall:

We both concluded that as prepared, this was more of a liquid dessert to have on its own. We agreed that the quality is palpable in the cup even though we most likely prepared it improperly.  We would still like the bar to have less sugar because at 70% cacao, the Cacao Puro was still quite sweet.  

Because we added sugar when it was already sweetened, we did not taste the Cacao Puro in true form (other than nibbling the solids), so chose not to rate it.  We may revisit this hot chocolate in the future with the correct proportions, but unfortunately did not have enough on hand to redo the tasting.

No Rating

*Notes:

We purchased this cacao as a part of the Chocolate Mexicano Oaxacan Sampler which came with four Mexican chocolate flavors.  We can't wait to try the other flavors! Taza Cacao Puro is also available as a single flavor purchase. 

Purchased at: Melissa Guerra: Latin Kitchen Market
Price: $9.95

Next week, we'll be trying a Mexican sweet chocolate bar from a company connected with Gaby.  Join us!

For now savor: "A loud snap made them all jump.  Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. 'Here,' he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. 'Eat it. It'll help.' " - J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban


Remember, fairly traded chocolate is a responsible way to support farmers by ensuring that the chocolate that you consume has been bought for a fair price.  By choosing to purchase fair trade chocolate, you can honor the cocoa tree growers and support their way of life which in turn leads to better chocolate.

Chapter Ten: The Return of Taza

We decided to try another Taza bar this week to rate some of their other offerings.  Because of the company’s commitment to sustainability and fair trade practices, we felt compelled to give their products another chance.  This week, we picked up their Cacao Nib Crunch.  It is an 80%, organic stone ground chocolate bar.  You can read our first post about Taza's Sea Salt & Almond bar here.

Tasting No.: 8

Taza Organic 80% Cacao Nib Crunch

Initial Impressions:

The bar is much more red than our base bar, surprising because it has a higher cacao content.  There are visible nibs throughout the bar, although they seem to only be sprinkled.  The stone ground process leaves the end product with a lot visible texture and crystallization.  This bar has an earthy smell similar to soil after rain and reminiscent of cocoa powder for baking.  This is far earthier than the base bar’s scent profile.  The snap of this bar is firm and satisfying.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – extremely nutty

Middle – sweet, coffee, acid

After – smoky vanilla

Texture:

The only way to describe this bar is hearty and substantial.  The grittiness and nibs were something we really enjoyed and a totally different tasting experience from the base bar. 

Overall:

The deep earthy smell of this bar evokes a feeling of being in nature.  To us, it is an homage to the roots of chocolate; going back to the source, how chocolate was first eaten.  The base bar is much sweeter and smoother, while this bar’s sweetness builds with every bite.  We thoroughly enjoyed this bar and were pleased that this tasting changed our opinion of this brand's chocolate.

Rating: 8.5/10

*Notes:

Purchased at Central Market

Price range under $5

We imagine this bar pairing well with a steaming cup of black tea.

Next week we’ll be trying another bar from Trader Joe's - be sure to check back!

For now savor: “Chocolate knows no boundaries; speaks all languages; comes in all sizes; is woven through many cultures and disciplines...it impacts mood, health, and economics, and it is a part of our lives from early childhood through the elderly years.” – Herman A. Berliner, Chocolate: Food of the Gods

Remember, fairly traded chocolate is a responsible way to support farmers by ensuring that the chocolate that you consume has been bought for a fair price.  By choosing to purchase fair trade chocolate, you can honor the cocoa tree growers and support their way of life which in turn leads to better chocolate.

Chapter Seven: Stone Ground Chocolate

This week’s bar is one of the bars that Gaby received as a gift.  It is stone ground, minimally processed and hails from Massachusetts in the U.S.  Furthermore, it is organic, direct trade, kosher, non GMO, and gluten, dairy, soy free and vegan.  It is 80% cacao with sea salt and almond.  This is a common combination, and we’re curious to see how this is presented with this bar.

Tasting No.: 5
Taza Sea Salt & Almond, 80% Dark Stone Ground Chocolate

Initial Impressions:

The color of this is darker, and browner, not as red as base bar.  This has a gritty look to it almost like Mexican hot chocolate, some chunks of almond are visible. The snap is soft, just a tad firmer than base bar.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – Cloyingly sweet

Middle – Fruity, overwhelmingly salty

After – Salty, fruity almost banana finish

Texture:

The texture of this bar is overwhelmingly gritty.  This is probably due to the fact that it stone ground and has sea salt and almonds.  The second ingredient listed is cane sugar, which could also contribute to the feel of this bar.  It is reminiscent of getting sand in your mouth while at the beach, with residual granules needing a beverage to wash them away.

Overall:

Because of the certifications of this bar and it being our first stone ground tasting, we had high expectations for the flavor.  The quality of this bar is not in question, however we were underwhelmed with the experience.  We hoped that the stone ground process would highlight the chocolate’s flavor, but in actuality we barely tasted the chocolate itself and could not detect any almond flavor.  If you’ve enjoyed a stone ground bar, please comment below with a recommendation!

Even though we did not enjoy this particular bar, we do respect and want to support this company because of their direct trade practices and so we will be purchasing more bars from this company for future tastings.

Rating: 1/10

*Notes:

Purchased at Central Market

Price range under $10

Next week we decided to try another sea salt and chocolate bar, this one by Ghirardelli.  See you then!

For now savor: “Oh, divine chocolate!  They grind thee kneeling, beat thee with hands praying, and drink thee with eyes to heaven.” – Marco Antonio Orellana

Remember, fairly traded chocolate is a responsible way to support farmers by ensuring that the chocolate that you consume has been bought for a fair price.  By choosing to purchase fair trade chocolate, you can honor the cocoa tree growers and support their way of life which in turn leads to better chocolate.