75% Lachua
by Blue Bandana
Impact
Another barsmith, another origin.
Blue Bandana in Vermont, the artisanal offspring of Lake Champlain Chocolates, ventures to Guatemala, a proud, historic but now underserved source re-emerging after decades of neglect.
There Blue Bandana partners with Q'eqchi' Maya, people of the Chilam Balam (literally “priest-jaguar” or “Spokesman of the Patron”) whose agency acts as protector (Villa Rojas 1945; Barrera Vasquez 1948; Bricker & Miram 2001).
Usually translated as a collection of mytho-historical texts, existing copies of this book contain a great deal of info pertaining to the ancient Maya Calendar & the shamans who maintained it. Contents include daily reminders for diviners, natal charts for each day, rituals associated with each day, the selection, training & initiation of Maya calendar priests, a Maya rosary prayer, a divination prayer, sacrifices at the sacred well of Chi Ch’en Iz’a, auto sacrifice, pilgrimage places, the Maya years & cycles, advice to a woman already seven months pregnant, & Maya family life in general.
Seems no page in the sacred life is left unturned.
The holy version of chocolate, a virtual sacrament in Maya cosmology, seems conspicuously absent in this bar though, missing as if that page from the text was torn out.
Blue Bandana in Vermont, the artisanal offspring of Lake Champlain Chocolates, ventures to Guatemala, a proud, historic but now underserved source re-emerging after decades of neglect.
There Blue Bandana partners with Q'eqchi' Maya, people of the Chilam Balam (literally “priest-jaguar” or “Spokesman of the Patron”) whose agency acts as protector (Villa Rojas 1945; Barrera Vasquez 1948; Bricker & Miram 2001).
Usually translated as a collection of mytho-historical texts, existing copies of this book contain a great deal of info pertaining to the ancient Maya Calendar & the shamans who maintained it. Contents include daily reminders for diviners, natal charts for each day, rituals associated with each day, the selection, training & initiation of Maya calendar priests, a Maya rosary prayer, a divination prayer, sacrifices at the sacred well of Chi Ch’en Iz’a, auto sacrifice, pilgrimage places, the Maya years & cycles, advice to a woman already seven months pregnant, & Maya family life in general.
Seems no page in the sacred life is left unturned.
The holy version of chocolate, a virtual sacrament in Maya cosmology, seems conspicuously absent in this bar though, missing as if that page from the text was torn out.
Appearance 2.9 / 5
| Color: | a first -- blanched purple |
| Surface: | basic with swirly-cues on the airside |
| Temper: | frosted |
| Snap: | high peak of the experience... as it all goes downhill from here |
Aroma 3.4 / 10
dirty socks, sweaty pig, burnt coffee & the nose bails from there to avert any more… yet more keeps coming -- gets really ghastly with petrol fumes
portentious
portentious
Mouthfeel 8.6 / 15
| Texture: | rubbery lumps |
| Melt: | choppy |
Flavor 26.9 / 50
petrol leads in, followed by a promising upright cocoa coupled with raisin, only to be engulfed in those putrid hammy tones in the Aroma as well as the gas which seemingly roasts a nut in real-time on the palate -> expectant char -> sour diesel (no, not the vape type, just the fuel variety) -> stringent vice-grip at the finish
Quality 7.2 / 20
Eric Lampman of Blue Bandana acknowledges that this origin bar represents a work-in-progress as locals on the ground in Guatemala hone their skills-of-the-trade to revive the country's once noble cacáo for the modern specialty markets. He & they must prepare for the long haul; the product has a ways to go.
Frankly, Blue Bandana released this prematurely. In their eagerness to announce the partnership between Central & North Americans, the team has skipped the finer details.
Inconsistent post-harvesting (both under & over fermentation) treated to an unkind blast roast. Surprising therefore that Blue Bandana pursues a purist approach in the formulation -- cacáo nuts & sugar only -- when it desperately begs by the latter stages of the processing for the full-monty makeup kit (add'l cocoa butter & vanilla). Apparently they really want to play in the pro league… with or without the prerequisites.
Potential lingers about nonetheless, especially that chocolate raisin impression, just in need of development & reconfiguration.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar
Reviewed November 24, 2014
Frankly, Blue Bandana released this prematurely. In their eagerness to announce the partnership between Central & North Americans, the team has skipped the finer details.
Inconsistent post-harvesting (both under & over fermentation) treated to an unkind blast roast. Surprising therefore that Blue Bandana pursues a purist approach in the formulation -- cacáo nuts & sugar only -- when it desperately begs by the latter stages of the processing for the full-monty makeup kit (add'l cocoa butter & vanilla). Apparently they really want to play in the pro league… with or without the prerequisites.
Potential lingers about nonetheless, especially that chocolate raisin impression, just in need of development & reconfiguration.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar
Reviewed November 24, 2014