<p>Remember the ‘Hickory smoked bacon chocolate’ from the <span class="caps">PNG</span> last year? Well, it is still here in the new crop. It is still the first thing I think of upon my first smell of the freshly winnowed roasted nib.</p>
<p>For those that do not know, it is the traditional practice to fire dry the cocoa beans in Papua New Guinea, and when that is done, the beans pick up a hint (or sometimes more than a hint) of smoke or peat flavor. A lot of people in the chocolate industry find this to be a flaw (I just received a note as a matter of fact offering to some other <span class="caps">PNG</span> beans that don’t have that ‘unmentionable’ flaw – I told them send samples, but I <span class="caps">LIKE</span> that ‘flaw’). I think if you smoke dry a bad bean to cover poor quality, that is one thing, but smoke for the sake of smoke is not in my opinion a flaw. There are smoked meats, and cheeses and what comes to mind for me – Scotch. This reminds me nothing so much as a good peated Scotch, and would make a great chocolate to pair with anything aggressive like that.</p>
<p>Now, there is more to this than just smoke. There is a nice balance of piquant acidity and base notes. It is piquant like a good Mexican tomatillo sauce. Nothing really jumps out at you (well, the smoke does), but there is a good base of chocolate flavor layered with a little dried leather, the peat and just enough acidity to bring it all together. In comparison to last year’s crop, I find this lot a little more gentle and mellow. A touch less acid, a touch more chocolate base. This bean is fully fermented, so you don’t have to worry about under fermented acidity. It roasts a lot like the Ghana Forastero – pretty hot and moderately long. Maybe 325 F for 20 minutes. I am not sure everyone will appreciate the smokiness of this bean as a single origin chocolate, but it will blend in really well for another layer if you want to do a blend. I like it as a single origin, but like drinking Scotch, you don’t drink pints. A couple pieces (or a tumbler) and that is that. But you go away content.</p>2009-12-05T08:09:46-08:00papua-new-guinea-0911373462Whole Beans2009-12-05T08:09:46-08:00Papua New Guinea '092009-12-05T08:15:27-08:00Cocoa Beans
Remember the 'Hickory smoked bacon chocolate' from the PNG last year? Well, it is still here in the new crop. It is still the first thing I think of upon my first smell of the freshly winnowed roasted nib.
For those that do not know, it is the traditional practice to fire dry the cocoa beans in Papua New Guinea, and when that is done, the beans pick up a hint (or sometimes more than a hint) of smoke or peat flavor. A lot of people in the chocolate industry find this to be a flaw (I just received a note as a matter of fact offering to some other PNG beans that don't have that 'unmentionable' flaw - I told them send samples, but I LIKE that 'flaw'). I think if you smoke dry a bad bean to cover poor quality, that is one thing, but smoke for the sake of smoke is not in my opinion a flaw. There are smoked meats, and cheeses and what comes to mind for me - Scotch. This reminds me nothing so much as a good peated Scotch, and would make a great chocolate to pair with anything aggressive like that.
Now, there is more to this than just smoke. There is a nice balance of piquant acidity and base notes. It is piquant like a good Mexican tomatillo sauce. Nothing really jumps out at you (well, the smoke does), but there is a good base of chocolate flavor layered with a little dried leather, the peat and just enough acidity to bring it all together. In comparison to last year's crop, I find this lot a little more gentle and mellow. A touch less acid, a touch more chocolate base. This bean is fully fermented, so you don't have to worry about under fermented acidity. It roasts a lot like the Ghana Forastero - pretty hot and moderately long. Maybe 325 F for 20 minutes. I am not sure everyone will appreciate the smokiness of this bean as a single origin chocolate, but it will blend in really well for another layer if you want to do a blend. I like it as a single origin, but like drinking Scotch, you don't drink pints. A couple pieces (or a tumbler) and that is that. But you go away content.
2006-10-28T11:06:36-07:00manual49929075652deny11 lbWhole Bean18.9511373462truetrue1 lb / Whole Bean2009-05-01T19:55:22-07:002006-10-28T11:06:36-07:00manual36329075662deny01 lb Nibs (12-14 oz net)28.9511373462truetrue1 lb / Nibs (12-14 oz net)2009-05-01T19:55:37-07:002006-10-28T11:06:36-07:00231640321113734622008-05-14T14:20:59-07:00http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0001/0103/products/png_3.jpg?1268276450