FLA V O R S
RIDING the
NEW
WChocolate
WAV E
The bean-to-bar movement means more–and
more interesting–flavor profiles for chocolate.
By Robert Wemischner
Plugrá European-Style Butter and
The Food Channel
fruity, lemony, tart and pleasantly acidic all
describe these bean-to-bar creations.
CHOCOLATE is not just chocolate
anymore. Artisanal producers are
increasingly choosing specific growing
regions from which to source their cacao
beans. They are passionately taking this
food of the gods to ever more celestial
heights, making chocolate in small batches.
Bali, Indonesia), or subtle notes of bergamot
orange, cinnamon and clove flavors (Dos
Rios, from the Dominican Republic).
At the same time, pastry chefs are discovering
the incredible diversity of flavor profiles that
chocolate beyond the generic types can bring
to a wide range of sweet applications. Smoky,
COMPLEX FLAVOR PROFILES
Ask Art Pollard, founder of 10-year-old
Amano Artisan Chocolate, Orem, Utah,
to describe his chocolate, and he will
use words such as “floral,” “plum-like,”
“slightly acidic” and “citrus-like.” He further
describes the bars in his line of single-
origin chocolates as exhibiting nuttiness
(Jembrana, made from beans sourced in
When speaking about the two milk
chocolates currently in the line, he
identifies an underlying caramel with
creamy richness of flavor, or a hint of
licorice and honey. Yet others in the dark-
chocolate category evoke the flavors
of green banana, blackberry, molasses,
coffee and almonds.
