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Post by aguynamedrobert on Dec 30, 2006 15:13:47 GMT -5
Hello everyone, Not sure if someone has asked this question before but I was very curious.... Out of the all the cacao beans you have made into chocolate or of all the single origin chocolates you have tasted....What is your favorite origin? Mine are Ecuador and Madagascar Just wanted to see what was most popular, Robert www.chocolateguild.com
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Post by Sebastian on Dec 30, 2006 20:55:15 GMT -5
Sambriano valley, Madagascar. Hands down (for plain eating, that is).
Venezuela still has some very interesting products, but there no where near what they used to be...
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Post by aguynamedrobert on Dec 31, 2006 18:25:27 GMT -5
I like your style Sebastian....Mine is the same... LOL I got a 2.2 pound block from Guittard that I just munch on! Second to that is Arriba cacao from Ecuador... Robert www.chocolateguild.com
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Post by Alchemist on Jan 2, 2007 7:48:55 GMT -5
That is a tough one. I can come up with favorite crops of particular years. The Madagascar has to top the list though. It treads being a little fruity, but it is still great.
The Carenero crop from 2003 was probably my hands down favorite common beans, but I never tasted a commercial chocolate I liked from it - just my own. And as Sabastian pointed out, has lost something lately
Rereading your question, hands down best bean I have made into chocolate was the Cuyaqua from Venezuela last year.
That all said I am really enjoying the Dominican Republic beans from the Conacado Coop. The prep is quite rough, but like the '03 Carenero, it really seems to give it some character. I have yet to have a commercial Equador I really like and even the beans I carry are bright for my taste, albeit a good bean.
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Jan 2, 2007 22:15:16 GMT -5
Alchemist John, am I remembering correctly when you said you had beans from PNG? What do you think of their flavour? I have tried some Vanuatu-bean chocolate and it has one of the strongest chocolate flavours I've experienced in a while.
It seems that I really need to find some Madagascar as well.
Robert - you mentioned Guittard as one producer which uses that origin - are there others worth trying (I'm not sure what will be easier to source here in AUstralia)
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Post by Alchemist on Jan 3, 2007 13:51:35 GMT -5
Alchemist John, am I remembering correctly when you said you had beans from PNG? What do you think of their flavour? I have tried some Vanuatu-bean chocolate and it has one of the strongest chocolate flavours I've experienced in a while. It seems that I really need to find some Madagascar as well. Robert - you mentioned Guittard as one producer which uses that origin - are there others worth trying (I'm not sure what will be easier to source here in AUstralia) Indeed I do shop.chocolatealchemy.com/products/papua-new-guinea-06I like the flavor quite a bit - very chocolatey. A little bit on the astringent side if made into a very dark chocolate, but is lessened greatly by a slightly long roast time. Also, this crop was fire dried, so there is a subtle hint of smoke in the flavor. Many chocolate makers consider this a fault. If it was gross contamination, I might agree, but I love the smokey hint in this bean. Like a good peated scotch. Dagoba has a Single origin Madagascar - same crop I carry actually.
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Post by aguynamedrobert on Jan 3, 2007 14:53:24 GMT -5
There are a few companies that carry Madagascar chocolate bars.... Valrhona - Ampamakia Domori - Sambirano I have personally tried Valrhona's bar and enjoyed it yet not as much as Guittards...and I just got a few recommendations for Domori's bar... Have a good one! Robert www.chocolateguild.com
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Post by seneca on Jan 9, 2007 21:04:40 GMT -5
Don't forget these the Cluizel Mangaro Noir 65%...pretty tasty for reference.
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