The Tea Room Maté & Cocoa Nibs
The last thing I brought back from the San Francisco Chocolate Salon was this 51 gram bar by The Tea Room. Out of their selection of various teas, I chose the Maté and Cacao Nib bar. Though perhaps not in tune with the simple look of much packaging today, I quite like the fonts and designs used here, even the shade of orange.
Inside is a 72% cacao bar, which could use a little of the box’s style as its mold is boring and ordinary. The chocolate is on the bitter side for its percentage, with marshmallow notes. The nibs are a smaller size than usual, more grain-sized. An interesting way of adding just a small touch of taste and texture.
It’s the tea flavor, though, that isn’t quite as I would wish. It’s neither very strong nor recognizable. Unless you’re putting a real effort of focus in, it can pass off as one of the chocolate’s flavor notes. That’s disappointing coming from a company named The Tea Room. Just to be sure, I shared some with a frequent maté-drinking friend, who agreed that there is little of its taste to be found.
Perhaps I chose the wrong bar, but it wasn’t the most impressive show: I would expect the tea to be given center stage. Tasting without expectations, though, it’s pleasant enough.
Information
- Buy it online from:
- Contains dark chocolate (72% cocoa solids).
- Filed under dark chocolate, mate, nibs, tea, the tea room, us.
Now, just when I thought I was totally in the know about chocolate, I come across something new – mate in chocolate. Now cocoa nibs and I are old friends. I make my own from the cacao beans I pick up by the handfuls at my local outdoor mercado here in Mexico and grind them in my molcahete (mortar and pestle).