Ever had a $9 bar of chocolate? Rich, dark, not too sweet, no nuts or other distractions, such a sigh of luxurious satisfaction is the sensation of premium chocolate to an appreciative mouth. We had the chance to sample three varieties of the award-winning Amano Artisan Chocolate; Ocumare, Madagascar and Jembrana.
The Amano Artisan Chocolate company is one of the only American chocolate companies to gain international respect from European purists. Featuring only the finest cacao beans hand-picked from around the world and using antique machinery and proven methods, Amano has won numerous awards for its pure taste. 70% cocoa content makes for a bittersweet flavour totally uninhibited by any additives other than cane sugar and vanilla beans. The exquisite attention to detail demonstrated by the high quality of the chocolate continues with the beautiful packaging. Each lacquered black box features an image of a painting commissioned by Amano for each specific variety of chocolate.
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"The beans from Ocumare create a chocolate that is rich and chocolately but is also complex in flavor with hints of red fruit such as plum..." "The soil and climate produce beans that are particularly fruity and our Madagascar bar is a fine example of this. This chocolate is perhaps a bit untraditional with its strong fruity flavors that include hints of citrus and berry and shows the wide range of flavors possible in cocoa." "Jembrana is the world's first chocolate made 100% from beans from Bali, Indonesia."- Art Pollard, Amano Chocolates |
| AMANO WEBSITE |
The Ocumare bar tasted a bit of really dark red wine and over-ripe fruits. Finding it a bit too rich to enjoy just for eating's sake, we cut half of the Ocumare bar up into chunks and mixed it into some Chocolate Cheesecake Swirl Brownies. After baking, we sprinkled a few more chunks on top to partially melt, and found it to be the perfect contrast to the rich, sweet dessert. A most decadent treat!
The bar from Madagascar was a pleasant surprise, tasting much lighter than the Ocumare. Sort of like a nice herbal tea, maybe lindon, lemon and chamomile mixed with light chocolate. It is not surprising to learn that this one has become a favourite of gourmet pastry chefs, who find it nicely reflects the flavours of raspberry and citrus.
The Jembrana version from Indonesia was our favourite, having an exotic yet not too rich flavour. Not cloying, yet definite in its dark chocolate taste.
We got these gourmet treats online directly from the Amano Artisan Chocolate company in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, USA. As soon as we find out who distributes them in The Bahamas, we'll post it here.
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