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November 20, 2006
Goldkenn, Cacao Origins Venezuela
Goldkenn may not be the best known of Swiss chocolate brands, but it does seem to have cornered the duty free market. While chocolate connoisseurs and perhaps even other chocolate producers will shrug at this interesting, but seemingly useless tidbit of information, let us consider the broader implications of this fact. What begins as an impulse purchase on a business trip or a vacation, may actually be many people's first introduction to the world of real dark chocolate, the moment when one breaks away from old conceptions of "chocolate" based on years of Hershey's kisses, Cadbury's eggs, and Mars bars. If this is the case, then Goldkenn sits right on the frontlines of the dark chocolate revolution, an un-sung chocolate missionary in the battle for the hearts and taste buds of the people.
Fortunately, Goldkenn happens to produce some pretty decent chocolate. Two of the company's country origin bars have been a hit, at least in this humble author's opinion. Trindad and Sto. Domingo managed to delight with complex, but very accessible, flavors. Venezuela, a 72% bar made presumably from Venezuelan criollo beans (although the packaging does not mention it), is also an accessible bar, especially for those still pondering the merits of high cacao chocolate. The chocolate is sweet and buttery with no hints of the more complicated aromas found in many premium dark chocolates -- however, this formula is also the major downfall of this bar. An edge on the sweetness levels works well for trinitario and even more so for forastero chocolate bars, where a pinch of well placed sugar can mask the flaws of a lower quality beans and simultaneously bring out the more positive aromas in the beans. In a criollo chocolate (assuming we are dealing with a criollo chocolate), too much sugar is disastrous -- the depth and personality of criollo is lost, leaving behind a still good, but somewhat plain chocolate bar. Goldkenn Venezuela reminds me of Frey Venezuela, another sweet and sumptuous chocolate bar that lends itself to copious amounts of consumption, without ever revealing the true character of its cacao beans.
Cocao Beans:
Last updated on November 20, 2006 9:48 PM
Comments
Hi Jim. You letter i received. Thanks! Photos is GREAT!!!!
Posted by: at March 20, 2007 3:23 PM
