{"id":45299,"date":"2025-04-03T11:00:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T18:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/?p=45299"},"modified":"2025-04-03T11:00:53","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T18:00:53","slug":"the-out-of-towners-spring-2025-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/outsidechocolate\/the-out-of-towners-spring-2025-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"The Out of Towners, Spring 2025 edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our Out of Towner articles<\/a> usually have a generic chocolate bar suitcase as the feature image but this time is different. We got some coffee candies as a gift that included this clear plastic miniature suitcase carrying case so I riffed on our image with chocolates in the case instead of a suitcase made out of chocolate.<\/p>\n

In this edition I review chocolate from North Carolina<\/a>, Brazil<\/a>, and Italy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Spring & Mulberry<\/h2>\n
\"Mixed
Mixed Berry bar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We got to try some pretty bars from Spring & Mulberry<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Raleigh, NC, courtesy of a non-chocolate-eating friend who received them as a retirement gift. She actually got quite a lot of chocolate parting gifts which reminded me of when Cacaopod and I moved to SF from Virginia and we were amazed that people would gift us with bottles of wine without asking if we were drinkers or not \u2014 that never happened in Virginia.<\/p>\n

The bottles piled up in our pantry. When a longtime friend came to visit and saw the stash, she remarked, \u201cWhat a waste!\u201d<\/p>\n

Just like us slowly working through our unplanned wine cellar, our retired friend\u2019s cache of unwanted chocolate is being shared and redistributed. Luckily chocolate bars are remarkably shelf stable so she can take her time \u2014 maybe not the decades it took us to get through our SF wine stash but they won\u2019t go bad before someone can enjoy them.<\/p>\n

\"Coffee
Coffee bar package<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The bars were contributed to my regular group of tasters. A unique feature of Spring & Mulberry bars is that they are sweetened with dates, not cane sugar or sugar substitutes \u2014 which made one of my irregular regular tasters happy because she avoids refined sugars. She could join in with the rest of the group tasting and opining.<\/p>\n

Mixed Berry<\/h3>\n

The first Spring & Mulberry bar we tasted was the pretty Mixed Berry. Dried strawberry slices, whole blueberries, and crumbled raspberries added vibrant spring colors to the 72% dark chocolate bar.<\/p>\n

The bar had a hard snap and a little texture. Strawberry was the dominant fruit flavor. The strawberries and raspberries added tartness but the dried raspberries were mostly seeds \u2014 which mimicked the texture of cacao nibs which we thought was fun. The dried blueberries added sweetness but overall the bar was not very sweet which our crowd liked.<\/p>\n

Spring & Mulberry uses single origin cacao from Ghana for their bars \u2014 which had a nicely balanced chocolate taste. They describe the texture as velvety and I think that\u2019s pretty accurate: It felt a little grainier than more conventional couvertures \u2014 which I think is maybe from the dates and maybe how they grind their cacao \u2014 and it coated my tongue as it melted. Velvety it is!<\/p>\n

\"Spring
Spring & Mulberry custom mold for their bars<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coffee<\/h3>\n

The second bar we sampled was Coffee. Like the Mixed Berry bar it had a high MOR<\/a> and no added sugar so it wasn\u2019t too sweet. In addition to the no added sugar recipe this bar was unusual for coffee chocolate \u2014 it was infused with decaf coffee!<\/p>\n

Most every coffee chocolate includes caffeine \u2014 it\u2019s a selling point \u2014 especially for the last chocolates in this article. There was no explanation on the wrapper or website as to why decaf, but it didn\u2019t matter taste-wise. The bar had a strong coffee chocolate flavor. Again it was slightly grainy but no one in the group found that unpleasant and nobody cared about the missing caffeine.<\/p>\n

Blood Orange<\/h3>\n

The 3rd Spring & Mulberry bar we tried was Blood Orange. It smelled chocolatey as soon as we opened it and had an immediate orange chocolate flavor \u2014 exactly what you want in an orange chocolate. It had a similar texture to the other 2 bars: High MOR, a little grainy, and it coated the tongue.<\/p>\n

The group liked this bar too, commenting again on how the chocolate is not too sweet but sweet enough. They did say that they would like it to be easier to break into tasting squares. With the high MOR it kinda shattered into an array of differently sized pieces. The custom mold is pretty \u2014 it\u2019s the company logo \u2014 but it\u2019s not designed for sharing.<\/p>\n

It was a minor point and overall the group would happily endure the mix of uneven pieces for another bar \u2014 but this was the end of the gift assortment. Spring & Mulberry has more flavors that look interesting \u2014 they even have a Mulberry & Fennel bar. You can buy their bars online and at shops around the country. Visit their site for locations.<\/p>\n

Baian\u00ed Chocolates<\/h2>\n
\"Baiani
Baiani tasting squares\u2019 Portuguese labels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cacaopod and I met the founders and owners of Baian\u00ed Chocolates<\/a>,<\/strong> S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil, at the Craft Chocolate Experience<\/a> last April, where they had their full size bars plus packs of tasting squares. I got a sampler pack so I could easily try a range of their flavors.<\/p>\n

The eight tasting squares in my pack were a good size \u20141-1\/2″ square x 1\/8″ thick \u2014 they were big enough that Cacaopod and I shared them.<\/p>\n

One of the unique features of Baian\u00ed Chocolates is that because they are located in Brazil they feature some uniquely Brazilian flavors. The wrappers were not printed for the international market so I needed to use Google Translate to see what most of the flavors were. For example my favorite flavor of the pack was Inclus\u00e3o Crocante de Maracuj\u00e1. I knew as soon as I tasted it what it was, but the Portuguese name for it? Not a clue.<\/p>\n

Especiarias Brasileras<\/h3>\n
\"Baiani
Baian\u00ed tasting squares\u2019 range of cacao \u2014 white and milk in the top row, 65% and 70% in the bottom row<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The pack included chocolates that ranged from white to 70% cacao. We tasted in that direction too starting with Especiarias Brasileras which was a white chocolate infused with Brazilian spices. The package didn\u2019t say which spices were used but I could smell spices as soon as I opened the package and it had visible specks of various sizes scattered through the square.<\/p>\n

The piece had a good snap for a white chocolate and the spices were a nice flavor combo with the buttery not too sweet chocolate. The spices also gave it a slight graininess. I couldn\u2019t identify the spices confidently \u2014 I thought I tasted licorice, nutmeg, and allspice. It reminded me a little of Tiny House\u2019s Sarsaparilla bar<\/a> that we also got at the Craft Chocolate Experience which makes sense since they are also Brazilian. We liked this flavor.<\/p>\n

Duplo Caramelo<\/h3>\n
\"Duplo
Duplo Caramelo square<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The other white piece in our pack, Duplo Caramelo, was a double caramel flavored white chocolate. It was a pretty tawny color and had a soft break. It was slightly grainy with an interesting nutty browned butter caramel flavor with unusual citrus notes. It was more of a milky white than a sugary white. I liked it.<\/p>\n

Ao Leite<\/h3>\n

The Ao Leite was a no-inclusion 57% milk chocolate which was slightly grainy and not as tasty as the 2 white selections. We thought it had an odd slightly floral taste and it just wasn\u2019t a satisfying milk chocolate.<\/p>\n

Inclus\u00e3o Crocante de Maracuj\u00e1<\/h3>\n

Lucky for me the next square we tried turned out to be my favorite and one to recommend. The Inclus\u00e3o Crocante de Maracuj\u00e1 translated as \u201cinclusion of crunchy passion fruit.\u201d Intriguing.<\/p>\n

\"Inclus\u00e3o
Inclus\u00e3o Crocante de Maracuj\u00e1 wrapper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The chocolate used was a 65% dark and the piece had a good snap. It smelled like passion fruit and tasted strongly of passion fruit \u2014delicious! It was a passion fruit bomb with the chocolate as the background.<\/p>\n

But crunchy? We didn\u2019t perceive any crunch \u2014 the bar had a smooth texture and no crunchy bits. I thought Google Translate made a mistake but I checked the description of the bar on their website and it said, \u201c…crunchy texture resulting from demerara sugar caramel mixed with the dehydrated pulp of passion fruit.\u201d<\/p>\n

I dunno, doesn\u2019t matter, crunchy or not we still recommend this one.<\/p>\n

Caipirinha<\/h3>\n
\"Caipirinha
Caipirinha square\u2019s backside<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A square that did have some texture was the 65% Caipirinha. Caipirinha is a famous Brazilian cocktail made with cacha\u00e7a (sugarcane liquor), sugar, and lime \u2014 and this piece put all of that into some understated chocolate so the inclusions could shine.<\/p>\n

The back of the square was covered with aromatic dried lime zest and sugar granules. The experience was very cocktail-y with a bite from the lime zest and a tingly sensation from the liquor. According to their website, they infuse the cacao nibs in cacha\u00e7a for 30 days before grinding and conching them. They also infuse the dehydrated lime zest with cacha\u00e7a. That level of infusion meant I could taste the distinctive spirit and the sweetened lime with the chocolate as an undertone. It\u2019s a fun flavor and I recommend it.<\/p>\n

Caf\u00e9<\/h3>\n

Caf\u00e9 is coffee, of course, and this coffee infused 65% cacao square was a collaboration with Moka Clube<\/a>, a coffee roaster in S\u00e3o Paulo. The bar had a crisp break and was slightly grainy but satisfyingly so \u2014 if that makes sense. It started very chocolatey then more coffee tasting as I rolled it around in my mouth and it melted.<\/p>\n

This was where the texture was welcomed. It seemed like I was releasing more of the coffee flavor by rolling it around. Probably TMI, but I wanted to note the experience. The coffee and cacao Baian\u00ed chose for this piece were an excellent flavor combo. Along with the pleasant texture it was addictive.<\/p>\n

Laranja<\/h3>\n
\"Laranja
Laranja square<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Going up in cacao strength the Laranja was a 70% piece. It translated as orange and sure enough it was an orange chocolate made with orange zest. It smelled and started out tasting chocolatey and as it melted it got more orangey. The tiny bits of zest gave it a sour tangy taste \u2014 like chocolate marmalade. I loved it, Cacaopod not so much. If you like marmalade and chocolate, you gotta try this one.<\/p>\n

Intenso<\/h3>\n

The last square in our pack was another 70% piece, Intenso, which was also labeled \u201cBold Roast Chocolate\u201d \u2014 sounds like coffee not chocolate. The square had a hard break and smooth texture. It was a more savory chocolate and slightly bitter but not unexpectedly so since Intenso = Intense. I\u2019d rank it a little more bitter than other 70% bars but it\u2019s nowhere near as bitter as an 80%.<\/p>\n

\"4
4 more Baiani tasting squares<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Baian\u00ed explains on their website that they are borrowing from coffee roasting techniques to roast cacao at different temps to create different flavors and aromas. They have 2 70% cacao options \u2014 a mild roast and this bold roast. They didn\u2019t include the mild in the tasting squares but I would like to compare the 2 roasts to see the differences. I wonder how roasting at different temps compares to roasting 2 different origins at the same temp or how it compares to different cacao percentages. It\u2019s an interesting concept.<\/p>\n

Locally you can buy Baian\u00ed Chocolates\u2019 bars at Chocolate Covered<\/a><\/strong>. Check their website for other locations across Brazil, the US, and Canada.<\/p>\n

Pocket Coffee<\/h2>\n

Pocket Coffee<\/a> by Italian chocolate conglomerate Ferrero<\/a><\/strong> was the gift chocolate \u2014 along with the little suitcase and some Kopiko candies \u2014 a friend brought back from S. Korea. Kopiko<\/a> is a Korean coffee hard candy featured in lots of K dramas which we both watch. She included the Ferrero coffee chocolates because she knows I love chocolate.<\/p>\n

\"Pocket
Pocket Coffee pieces<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The truffle-sized Pocket Coffee chocolates were individually wrapped and the back of the label said \u201cLiquid Center\u201d \u2014 helpful because it was literally a mini-shot of sweetened espresso inside a chocolate shell. It\u2019s not like a liquid caramel that still has some substance to it. It\u2019s kinda big to fit in your mouth all at once but if you can, go for it because if you\u2019re not careful when biting into it you could spill it. This is not a sharing chocolate.<\/p>\n

Other than that, what\u2019s not to like? It\u2019s coffee and chocolate! The label identified the coffee as Arabica and it tasted like it. The shell is made of a good bittersweet chocolate which had an unexpected sugary texture inside the otherwise smooth piece. Even with the hidden sugar coating it was not too sweet.<\/p>\n

Pocket Coffee is only made in the cooler months because its chocolate shell is no match for summer heat. If you can\u2019t get to Italy where it\u2019s ubiquitous from October through May, you can buy it online and at some imported food shops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This blog focuses on SFBA chocolate, but we review chocolate from other places too. We compile single worth-a-mention-chocolate reviews into articles for our recurring \u201cOut of Towners\u201d series<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":45304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58,946,13,169,1248],"tags":[1632,1511,394,1661,1660],"class_list":["post-45299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-chocolate","category-european-chocolate","category-outsidechocolate","category-reviews","category-south-american-chocolate","tag-baiani-chocolates","tag-dates","tag-ferrero","tag-pocket-coffee","tag-spring-mulberry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45299"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45299\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45743,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45299\/revisions\/45743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}