Daily Movement

Dagoba Organic Xocolatl Hot Chocolate

• Preparation: 8 ounces 2% milk, 3 tablespoons powder, heated to 140 degrees, residual heat to 160 degrees.
• Sweetness: 2
• Spiciness: 5
• Ingredients: organic evaporated cane juice, organic cacao powder, organic unsweetened chocolate, chiles, cinnamon
• Tasting notes:

  The spiciness surprised me! I would prefer more sweetness and less spiciness. This just goes to show that spiciness and sweetness are personal preferences.

Green & Blacks, Organic Maya Gold

• Preparation: 9 ounces 2% milk, 4 teaspoons powder, heated to 140 degrees, residual heat to 170 degrees.
• Sweetness: 2.5
• Spiciness: 1
• Ingredients: Organic raw cane sugar, Organic fat reduced cocoa powder (31%), Organic chocolate powder (15%), Organic cocoa liquor, Organic cocoa butter, organic powdered orange peel (0.7%), natural orange flavoring (0.7%), organic ground cinnamon (0.1%), organic ground nutmeg (0.1%), organic black pepper (0.09%)
• Tasting notes:

  It is more of essence of spices and flavors rather than a strong mix of spices. The lack of sweetness makes it a more savory drink. I would prefer more sweetness, and would have to do a side by side taste with the Winter Sippers, but I think the sweetness is even slightly less.

I rate the hot chocolate based on two factors: sweetness and spice on a scale of 1-5, 3 being the preferred value for me. E.g. a sweetness of 5 is more sweet than i would like it, sweetness of 1 is more bitter, and 3 is just right.

Of course, both sweetness and spice are individual preferences, but I think the relative comparisons are accurate. If you try one particular chocolate and are looking for something spicier or less sweet, you’ll know how the other chocolate drinks compare.

Coupa Cafe spiced hot chocolate — actually Spicy Maya produced by Chuao

• Preparation: it varies.
• sweetness: 4
• spice: 3
• tasting notes:

  over a number of different days, i’ve had the sweetness be slightly sweeter than desired (4) to very sweet (5) — think those carnation instant chocolate packets where you just add hot water. However even on the bad days, the spiciness rescues the chocolate for me.

The Spice Hunter’s Winter Sippers Spiced Cioccolata

• Preparation: 6 oz cold 2% milk, 3 tablespoons powder, heated to 140 degrees, reaching 160 degrees with residual heat, i.e. milk was not scalded in this experiment.
• sweetness: 3
• spice: 2
• ingredients: sugar, cocoa processed with potassium carbonate, chocolate, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, red pepper
• tasting notes:

  sweetness is right on for me. it degree of sweetness makes it more of a savory drink than as a dessert.

Starbuck’s Chantico

• sweetness: 5
• spice: 0
• tasting notes:

  if i can remember back when, Chantico was only served in at most 6 ounce cups and it was so thick that you could only stand 6 ounces at a time. In its form back then, it was basically a 390 calorie melted candy bar. This drink had potential with tuning, but unfortunately it didn’t evolve enough to survive. I ordered the drink once, maybe twice at most and then moved on from that experience. Origins of word Chantico, and a home made recipe for Chantico if you want to re-experience one.