Description
TASTING NOTES
A six-day fermentation period heightens the complex flavour profile of this Mexican cocoa, bringing out notes of plum, berry, and toffee. A smooth melt brings out subtle nutty notes and a long finish.
This bar is a fantastic example of the difference fermentation can make to a bar’s finished flavour. Why not try for yourself and compare it to the 5-day fermentation?
ABOUT THE MAKER
Before he turned his talents to crafting chocolate, Mark Schimmel was a talented pastry chef. He trained in three-star Michelin kitchens before eventually becoming head pastry chef in a two-star Michelin restaurant in The Netherlands. It was during this time that Mark developed a real passion for chocolate. He loved working with it as an ingredient and wanted to learn more. Eager to discover the role of origin, and to understand how even the smallest change to a recipe could dramatically alter the flavour of a finished chocolate, Mark established Krak Chocolade in 2013. Now, he specialises in chef’s couverture, supplying chocolate to some of the best chefs in Europe. He only makes a limited number of bars, which is why we’re delighted to be able to share his gorgeous chocolate with our customers.
THE BEANS
Finca La Rioja – ‘Finca’ is Spanish for estate – employs four farmers, with each farmer’s family also living on the farm. The farm is 9.25 hectares, 7.5 of which is the Finca La Rioja plantation itself. The cacao grows among flowers, avocados, bananas, guavas, bees, squirrels, and woodpeckers. The woodpeckers like to hammer the pods, which reduces the farm’s yield, but the farmers will not allow any animal to be harmed in the cocoa’s production.
Originally, José María Pascacio Muñoz, the head cocoa farmer at Finca La Rioja, struggled with good fermentation. He sent some beans to Mark, who told him they were very good but the acidity levels could be better. With great help from María Salvadora Jimenez of Daarnhouwer, José began to research fermentation and change his farm’s methods. Slowly, they began producing beans that had fruity flavours and delicate honey and caramel notes. José sent a sample of the cocoa beans to Maria, who in return was dazzled by their flavour: “What are you doing with the beans?!”. This positive feedback from Maria encouraged them to keep their new method of fermentation, allowing them to sell for higher prices and reach more chocolate makers around the world.
Lynette A. –
I love what Krak does and many of his bars. I found this a bit too astringent for my taste. I have found that many bars from Soconusco are not to my liking. I know it or important in the history of chocolate and apparently the favorite of the royal courts of Spain. The bars I have tried from several makers are too astringent for my taste. However, this is a really good bar for a tasting to show the complex flavors of chocolate. I used it in a recent tasting. Some loved it. Some did not but it was educational.