Good Food Awards for Chocolate 2016

The Good Food Awards published their winners for 2015. The following unflavored bars won awards in the chocolate category:

Brasstown Ecuador 75%
Dick Taylor Bolivia Alto Beni 70%
Escazú Piura Blanco, Peru 70%
Fruition Bolivian Wild Harvest 74%
Just Good Madagascar 70%
Lonohana Estate Kanahiku 70%
Ritual Mid-Mountain Blend
Ritual Belize 75%
Rogue Jamaica
Rogue Tranquilidad

Northwest Chocolate Festival Awards

The awards were announced tonight for the 2015 Northwest Chocolate Festival. There were three judged categories (Single Origin, Milk Chocolate and Inclusions) and three non-judged awards.

In the judged Single Origin category, the winners were:

• 1st: Fruition Hispaniola 68% (Dominican Republic)
• 2nd: Dick Taylor Bolivia Alto Beni 70%
• 3rd: Amano Guayas 70% (Ecuador)

In the judged Milk Chocolate category, the winner was:

• Sirene Guatemala

In the judged Inclusions (flavored chocolate) category, the winners were:

• 1st: Fruition Bourbon Aged Dark Milk 61%
• 2nd: Amano Red Raspberry
• 3rd: Fruition Brown Butter Milk 43%

They also gave out non-judged awards:

• Lifetime Achievement: Bill Fredericks, the Chocolate Man
• Mott Green Sustainability: Emily Stone of Maya Mountain Cacao, Cacao Verapaz, and Uncommon Cocoa Group
• Founder's Choice: Dick Taylor Bolivia Alto Beni 70%

You can still buy tickets for this weekend online ($30 for full day) or at the door ($20 for afternoon starting at 12:30 p.m.) at Pier 66 (the Bell Harbor Center) in Seattle.

Northwest Chocolate Festival Awards

The awards were announced Friday night for the 2014 Northwest Chocolate Festival. There were three judged categories (Single Origin, Milk Chocolate and Inclusions) and three non-judged awards.

In the judged Single Origin category, the winners were:

• BEST OVERALL: Marou Lam Dong 74% (Vietnam)
• BEST OVERALL: Marou Treasure Island 3/4 Cacao (Vietnam)
• GOLD: French Broad Nicaragua 68%
• SILVER: Dandelion Butuo, Liberia 70%
• BRONZE: Lillie Belle Farms Perfect Illusion 65% (Peru)

In the judged Milk Chocolate category, the winner was:

• GOLD: Fruition Marañón 68%

In the judged Inclusions (flavored chocolate) category, the winners were:

• GOLD: Madre Coconut Milk and Carmelized Ginger 55%
• SILVER: Manoa Breakfast Bar 60%
• BRONZE: Chocolate Naive Tahini and Sesame

They also gave out non-judged awards:

• Lifetime Achievement: Chloe Doutre-Roussel of Chloe Chocolat
• Mott Green Sustainability: Gillian Goddard of Sun Eaters Organics
• Innovation in Flavor: Chocolate Naive for their Dark Chocolate with Forest Honey

You can still buy tickets at the door for this weekend ($30 for a day pass) at Pier 66 (the Bell Harbor Center) in Seattle.

Good Food Awards for Chocolate 2014

The Good Food Awards published their winners for 2014. The following unflavored bars won awards in the chocolate category:

Askinosie San Jose Del Tambo (Ecuador 70%)
Blue Bandana 70% Madagascar
Dick Taylor Belize Toledo 72%
Fruition Dominican 70%
Guittard 100%
Patric Signature 70%
Rogue Balao (Ecuador 75%)
Rogue Hispaniola (Dominican Republic 70%)
Rogue Silvestre (Bolivia 75%)
Videri Ecuador Camino Verde 90%

The links above go directly to our associated detailed chocolate bar review.

Review: Fruition 100% Dark

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Fruition bar 100% Dark region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 100% added fat (none) sweetener (none) emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth, relief, tiny bubbles aroma roast, fruit, earth, sweet snap hard taste roast, sour, earth, fruit, bitter melt more smooth length short finish bitter, somewhat sour

U.S. chocolate maker Bryan Graham created Fruition in 2011 to craft bean to bar chocolate and confections. Beginning with Costa Rica cacao, Fruition now makes bars with cacao from Peru.

100% Dark was made only from cacao beans from Peru, and no other ingredients. The unscored 60 gram bar had a repeated relief of the Fruition pattern, along with an off-center "F". It came sealed in cellophane inside a paper envelope.

The bar reviewed here was from batch 083 and had a best before date of March 2014.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bitter Chocolate color (PANTONE 19-1317). The bar looked impressive, with only very small bubbles in the relief and a slight unevenness in the sheen.

The aroma contained a strong roast scent, along with some fruit, earthiness, and sweetness.

100% Dark tasted initially of that roast, but then sourness took over and dominated the taste. Other flavors of earth and fruitiness were present. I also tasted some bitterness.

The melt was better than average and more smooth. The length was short, with the chocolate flavor lasting 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The final aftertaste was bitter and somewhat sour.

Many qualities of this chocolate were better than its overall rating. The overwhelming sour flavor pulled down the result to good rather than great.

You can purchase Fruition 100% Dark online for $10.99 from Chocolopolis.