Delicasey Selection (Part 2)
A while back I reviewed a few from Delicasey’s selection of Sydney-made chocolates.
Of course, (bwah hah hah!) I was keeping something back: at the time we didn’t just come away with those previous three, oh no, I came away with more than that. In fact I came away with enough chocolate that the only way to get it safely back home in an aircraft was to go and buy another cabin bag to keep it protected. A few dollars worth of chocolate… Two hundred dollars worth of luggage to carry it home in. Such are the lengths we must go to for you, the readers!
With the passing of a little time, and having just broken these out of The Chocolate Stash, I have reached a simple conclusion: This Casey dude is a genius with flavour. Read on to see why.
Chilli Bark
The label says this is “layers of dark chocolate with fresh chillies and cinnamon”.
Now I have a confession: I’m not very partial to chocolate with chilli in. Yes I know, it’s supposed to be how the Mayans, or Aztecs, or some lot would slurp down their watery gooey chocolatey drink thingy: zinged up with chillies. Most of the chilli chocolate I’ve tasted seems to be trying too hard. The chilli is there to give heat instead of subtly enhancing the flavour, and this detracts.
I therefore approached Caseys Chilli Bark with some trepidation.
Oh how wrong could I be!
This is brilliant. Masterful. Wonderful. Just insanely delicious.
The chocolate starts with a big, rich chocolate aroma, which develops in the mouth to a rich soft dark, slightly earthy chocolate flavour. Then from stage left, the dancing girls come in: the cinnamon arrives and builds. But, where you might ask, is the evil villain? The chilli? Surely there must be some, the label says so. And eventually, he pops his head out, twirls his evil moustache, grins his evil grin, and gives a gentle kick in the chops. Yep, Mr Chilli is there but he delays his appearance, and when he appears he’s subtle: a sheep in wolfs clothing. He gives the chocolate and the cinnamon their chance to sing and make merry – and by check, they do.
If I seem to be waxing lyrical as well as mixing my metaphors: I am! This is exciting, brilliant stuff. A fantastic mix of flavours, well executed, and simply divine. A chilli chocolate I could eat all day. Fantastic!
Guinea Figs
I’ve reviewed chocolate figs before, so I was curious to see how these compare.
The Willabrand Figlettes that I refer to above enrobed, using the same kind of process used for making scorched almonds, chocolate sultanas, and so on. That is, they are tumbled with chocolate in warm air and then glazed. This gives a nice even, shiny coating which presents just like many other chocolate coated fruits or nuts.
Delicaseys Guinea Figs, on the other hand, are dipped or drizzled with chocolate. The figs are even smaller, too. Each coated fig makes a single mouthful of yumminess; the fig is delicate in flavour and still very soft, slightly chewy, and just… well.. delicious.
Tasmanian Mountain Berry
The Tasmanian Pepperberry actually has a wider reach than just Tasmania, also being found through parts of New South Wales and Victoria.
From this chocolate, it’s hard to pick an actual flavour – because whilst peppery, it has been combined into a sweet, slightly sticky caramel. The eating turns into a moving feast of flavours – from the chocolate, the caramel, and something else… a flavour which lingers on… slightly peppery, slightly fruity. The flavour makes me think “green”, I’ve no idea why. Long after the chocolate is gone, the flavour is subtle and lingering. An excellent argument for eating your chocolate S..L..O..W..L..Y..
This is one to go for if looking for something a little unusual. This does not mean it is challenging, just a little out of the ordinary. One of those to pick up when you get together with friends and want to give them something they are not likely to have come across before.
Information
- Contains dark chocolate.
- Filed under australia, chilli, cinnamon, delicaseys, fig, pepperberry.
So now I have to go to Australia to try that chilli bark chocolate! Any chance of you featuring some of our South African artisan chocolate, so I’ve got a hope of finding it?! Or do you need a South African reviewer in situ…? I’m interested!
Wow! Really so glad you liked it.
Those first two sound like something I would ADORE… I wish I could get them.