Zoe's Chocolate Company

I hate giving bad reviews. Normally I would simply skip saying anything, but I kept trying to give this company a chance, mostly because the chocolate looks so good. The packages are gorgeous, even though they are merely cellophane with a natural-looking, tan paper label tied in raffia or brown string. It's the chocolate designs that are spectacular. Most of their bars have goodies decorating top, but even the ones without toppings have a lovely look about them. The espresso flavor, for example, has speckled white chocolate swirled throughout the dark chocolate, making a pretty marble pattern. Looking into the company, I discovered that Zoe's Chocolate Company aims to use locally sourced, natural ingredients, another plus. Unfortunately, I've just had very bad luck with the bars I have tried.

Zoe's chocolate bars.

The first one I tried, I can't even review. All I can say is that in all my years of chocolate sampling, I have never experienced nuts so rancid they made me spit out the product. I contacted the company, explaining that I review chocolate and had recently purchased one of their bars that ended up with rancid almonds. They seemed to think it was the fault of the market where I purchased them, even though I have been buying from this place for years without any issues. Zoe's Chocolate Company did apologize, but nothing came of it. On to the next bar.

I thought the pretzel bar would be a safe option. With no nuts, there's less chance anything would be stale. Autoxidization of lipids in oils in the nuts, usually when exposed to air or heat, can make them more susceptible to going bad. This can be a problem with anything wrapped in cellophane, which is not as sturdy and protective as other forms of packaging. The ingredients of the pretzel bar were fresh, fortunately, but, yikes, what an unbalanced bar.

One of the best chocolate and pretzel combinations ever comes from Long Grove. They make a dark chocolate covered pretzel rod that's drizzled with milk chocolate. It is phenomenal.

Long Grove Chocolate Pretzel Rods.

The Zoe's chocolate pretzel bar looks appealing. I had some minor concern, because I could see that the pretzels are chopped up and mixed into the chocolate. I tend to like contrast in my chocolate bars with each element distinguishable but also in harmony with the others. This just isn't the case with the pretzel bar. The salt flavor is so overwhelming, you can't even really taste the chocolate. I think blending the pretzel pieces into the chocolate is a mistake, because the salt gets dispersed. When the pretzels are left on top or simply covered, the salt acts as an accent. It provides a short burst of flavor and quickly recedes to the background to let the chocolate flavor emerge. With Zoe's, all you really taste is the salt. Yuck. Also, the crunch of the pretzel pieces is lackluster and soft. Though I didn't have to spit this one out or throw it away, I'm not at all motivated to eat it. I wish I would have ordered some Long Grove pretzel rods online instead.

Despite my complaints, I can tell that the chocolate itself in this bar is nice. When I was able to find and bite off a teeny, tiny little piece that wasn't assaulted with salty pretzel bits, I could actually taste the chocolate, which has a nice, deep cocoa flavor.

I had to give the company a third chance. Three's a charm, right?

Zoe's Lottie Dottie Bar.

Apparently not. Well, the chocolate candy pieces on top were good. 

Sorry, even the Lottie Dottie Bar was a disappointment. It's hard to describe exactly how it tastes off, but this milk chocolate has an odd, bitter taste. It also has a strange chalky texture and does't melt well. It's another one I can't bring myself to finish eating. I will pick off the candies on top, so at least those don't go to waste. 

Sigh, I wish I had more good things to say about this company, but the bars I sampled were among the worst I have tried. To be fair, I haven't tried their truffles, which look amazing. It's possible that I simply had bad luck, and other flavors of the bars are better. I can't be sure, but I hope so. I'm not willing to risk spending more to find out. 

Chocolate Cartel

Chocolate Cartel.

I was very excited to try Chocolate Cartel chocolate bars. In fact, I accidentally mindlessly but happily plowed my way through two bars before I realized I probably should have taken some more complete notes on the flavors. Of course, I had to go out and buy another bar, just to verify that I remembered the taste of the chocolate correctly. OK, I guess I didn't have to, but it was the perfect excuse to buy more chocolate.

The first thing I noticed about these bars is that they are pretty with the toppings visible through the cellophane wrappers. The packaging is simple. There's no need for excessive showiness on the surface when the chocolate is good. The other obvious distinguishing feature is that the bars are thin, which gives them an elegant appearance. What really sets these bars apart from others is the taste.

There was something intriguing about all the bars. They are a step above most, so much so that I felt compelled to contact the company, something I rarely do. Obviously the chocolate made an impression on me. Below are a few questions Tim, co-owner, business partner and brother of certified master chocolatier and chef de cuisine at Chocolate Cartel, Scott J. Van Rixel, was kind enough to answer, but first a little bit about the company and my reviews:

Some of you may remember a company called Xocoatl. Chocolate Cartel is actually the same company, just relocated and expanded. They are now in Albuquerque instead of Taos.

From their website: Xocoatl Chocolate, now the Chocolate Cartel began in Taos, New Mexico in 2001 by Certified Master Chocolatier and Chef de Cuisine Scott J. Van Rixel. Immediately his chocolate creations drew wild buzz from locals and visitors giving brother Tim, the opportunity to join the chocolate team soon after. Since then the Chocolate Cartel's popularity has grown beyond New Mexico and throughout the U.S. The Van Rixel brothers remain devoted to handcrafting superb chocolates using only the best, fairly traded chocolate and natural ingredients. Scott's knowledge of ingredients, knack for flavor profiles and overall science of foods has led their creations to rival the finest chocolatiers from around the globe. 

The first bar I sampled was the Hiwa Kai Black Lava Salt bar. Hiwa Kai Black Lava salt is from Hawaii. It's Pacific sea salt with added activated charcoal that gives the salt a black hue and a silky complexion.

Hiwa Kai Black Lava Salt.

If anyone wants to know how to pair salt and chocolate, this bar will demonstrate how to do so perfectly. With the first bite, the chocolate flavor is prominent, though a light taste of chicory and cinnamon lingered in the background. As you bite into the black salt that looks rather pretty on the bar, there's a beautiful crunch followed by a short but sweet burst of salt that doesn't overwhelm the chocolate; it enhances it. That's exactly how it should be! With the interesting flavors and the unique texture, the chocolate becomes even more intriguing and addicting. Since the chocolate itself is fragrant, spicy and even a little bit fruity but still full of cocoa, a dash of salt mingles well with the complex flavors. I tasted a hint of bitterness, but it was not at all unpleasant or acrid. This a lovely, well-balanced bar I could eat on a daily basis and never get bored.

Bee pollen looks cute on dark chocolate, and it's good for you too. 

The next bar I devoured was the Honey and Bee Pollen bar. Small balls of bee pollen decorate the top of the bar nicely, and while the honey flavor dominated, the pollen added to and enhanced both the texture and flavor. Specifically, it brought out the floral and earthy notes of the chocolate and added a very subtle and soft, slightly crunchy texture. Right off the bat I noticed a strong honey flavor embedded deep in the chocolate with potent vanilla notes playing second string. This is probably one of the more intriguing chocolates bars I have experienced, and while the Mawi Kai Salt bar is still calling to me, this is one I would buy again. I think it would also make a pretty gift for your favorite chocolate connoisseur.

Merlot salt is a deep purple color with a rich flavor.

The third bar I sampled was the Merlot Salt Bar, another perfectly balanced salt and chocolate combination with a salt that's slightly less potent and more crystal like than the Mawi Kai salt. It melts more quickly in your mouth. The addition of the Merlot salt on top brings out the fruit and floral notes in the chocolate. There's a more pronounced dark cherry flavor that stands out in the rich dark chocolate. The salt hits just enough to wake up your palate and then backs off to allow the chocolate flavor to shine, and there is just a hint of the Merlot wine flavor left teasing your taste buds as the chocolate melts in your mouth.

A few questions answered by the co-owner of Chocolate Cartel, Tim Van Rixel:

1. How is it running a company as brothers? Do you have specific roles in the company, or do you both share all the responsibilities? 
Tim runs day to  day operations now. Scott is in more of a consulting role.

2. How did you get interested in chocolate?

Scott always had a culinary passion.  Chocolate allowed for artistic creativity as well as still knocking peoples socks off!  Plus, it has better hours than running a restaurant!

3. How and why did you end up choosing the El Ray Venezuelan chocolate as the base for your chocolates?

We sampled a lot.  It’s clear the best cacao on the planet comes from Venezuela.  We like that rich dark flavor. It has a harder texture with Less sugar and less cacao butter, which is contrary to European style (specifically Belgian) chocolates.  

4. What are your best selling bars?

Our topped bars, especially the toffee & salt topped.  73% Dark bars with red chile and our 90% dark bar both sell well too.

5. Why did you decide to use bee pollen in your chocolate?

It has a unique flavor and an interesting look. 

6. Do you see adding other flavors of chocolates bars to your line?

Probably not. A few different organic bars would be next if we do anything.

7. With so many bars on the market, how do yours stand out?

Taste.  But hopefully we can bring our packaging a little more up to par in the next year or two.   Sadly, people often buy with their eyes.  And we know our packaging doesn't compare to ALL the other stuff.

A very big thank you to Tim who took the time to answer my questions. I am looking forward to trying more flavors, because this is one chocolate line that really stood out among the rest.