Goodnow Farms Peru Ucayali Dark Chocolate Bar
Tasting Notes: Rich Dark Chocolate, Peaches
It’s nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite bar among the multi-awarded Goodnow Farms lineup. Each bar is an exquisite masterpiece expression of the fine flavor bean it showcases. That said, this very balanced and complex Peru Ucayali 70% Dark Chocolate Bar is a gold SOFI award winner and has collected a sizable pile of awards from many of the other judging groups as well. It’s a winner in my chocolate book! It’s very chocolatey with gorgeous notes of fresh, ripe peaches. Stunningly beautiful
All of the Goodnow bars are velvety, delicious perfection as they melt in your mouth.
My advice: identify the tasting notes that light up the dopamine reward pathway in your brain just by reading them, and then click “Add to Cart.”
- Gold - Acadmery of Chocolate 2023
- Gold - Sofi Awards 2021
- Silver - Chocolate Alliance Awards 2021
- Silver - Academy of Chocolate 2021
- World Bronze - International Chocolate Awards 2020-2021
- Americas Bronze - International Chocolate Awards 2020-2021
Now a little about the region, the beans, the farmers and their process…
The Ucayal River in Peru is considered the main headstream of the Amazon River and its banks are home to hundreds of small farms that provide the beans for this bar. Here you can see Monica Rogan of Goodnow at one such farm:
Located on Peru’s east coast, the Ucayali region was infamous for producing coca, but local farmers are now committed to growing fine flavor cacao as an alternative. This is due, in part, to the increased price that craft chocolate companies like Goodnow Farms are willing to pay for premium cacao. Also, the Peruvian government is working hard to eradicate coca crops in order to reduce crime.
Just look at this lovely cacao pod and fruit from the Ucayali region:
The farmers in this area typically travel by boat with their wet cacao (“baba”), to a new fermentation and drying facility built by Ucayali River Cacao, a company that pays handsomely for their fine flavor beans. Here is a photo of the small boats the farmers use to transport their wet cacao beans from their farms to the fermentary:
The facility is located deep in the jungle, but the environment is carefully controlled to enable precise fermentation and thorough drying, as these processes are crucial for beautiful flavor development.
Now meet the Goodnow Chocolate Makers:
Tom and Monica Rogan, the excellent team behind Goodnow Farms Chocolate, have developed friendships with the cacao farmers whose fine flavor beans they meticulously source. This dynamic duo follows the beans, traveling directly to origin to secure outstanding, flavor-packed cacao. Here they are traveling along the Ucayali River in search of the perfect beans:
They’ve learned so much about post harvest practices and often request that their farmer partners ferment and dry the beans according to their custom specifications.
Tom and Monica pay significantly more than Fair Trade prices to ensure that farmers earn fair wages and engage in sustainable practices.
Another reason why Goodnow Farms Chocolate is utterly superb is the fresh-pressed single origin cocoa butter that Tom and Monica incorporate into their bars. Many chocolate makers do not press their own cocoa butter, but these dedicated makers go above and beyond the standard to provide an authentic single origin experience, with cacao beans and butter hailing from the same terroir. This labor of love results in a rich, lusciously flavorful chocolate.
Every bar is lovingly made and wrapped by hand at the Rogans’ 225 year-old farm on Goodnow Road (named after one of the town’s first settlers) in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
- Net Weight: 55 g./ 1.94 oz.
- Country of Origin: USA
Store this product in a cool, dry and scent-free space that is between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Any unused portion may be rewrapped in the original packaging and placed in an airtight food storage bag.
The Perfect Pairing!
I am happy to suggest oodles of excellent pairing suggestions, but my favorite pairing of all time is wonderful customers, like you, with exquisite chocolate that’s sure to please.
This combination never gets old. Thank you for entrusting your unique and precious palate to me. I promise to treat it with the utmost care and ensure that your journey into the world of fine chocolate brings you all pleasure and no pressure.
Barometer Chocolate knows no other way.