Soma Chocolate
On Friday, we visited Soma Chocolate to eat our weight in chocolate!!
I had drooled over Soma's Instagram photos before we left for Toronto, so I was fully prepared to love everything they make. Soma did not disappoint; their truffles, toffee, and gelato are all delicious.
Tastings are held at the Distillery District location, one of Soma's two shops (the other is downtown). The Distillery was an unexpectedly cool collection of artsy shops and restaurants. We opened the door to Soma's industrial-chic shop and were immediately met with the luscious smell of chocolate.
Our tasting guide Samantha had already laid out small plastic boxes filled with samples. We began with the old fashioned bar, which is a sweet, crunchy throwback to early chocolate.
See the deep grooves and crackly texture in the picture below? That's because this bar was made on old fashioned equipment, which produces a larger, less smooth bar. The texture reminded me of chopped, crumbled peanuts. It was quite sweet with visible sugar crystals.
The old fashioned bar. (Photo credit: Soma Chocolate)
Next we sampled chocolate from Madagascar, Ecuador, and Jamaica. As we ate, Amanda explained how each sample had a unique undertone of either tangy yogurt, red fruit, or sweet peach. Each bar was dark, yet distinct.
These distinctions stem from the plant's place of origin. Cacao beans, like wine grapes, have a specific "terroir" - a unique taste drawn from the soil, minerals, and climate of its growing region.
As we ate, Samantha pointed to the growing regions on a small globe, and described the "bean to bar" process. Cacao beans are farmed, dried, roasted, ground, and mixed with sugar, milk powder, and other toppings. Her lesson was a good reminder of the long, detailed, labor intense journey chocolate takes to become the stuff we know and love.
A map of Toronto is printed on the bars. Will it keep you from getting lost? No. Will it make a tasty snack if you're hopelessly lost? Yes.
At the end of the tasting, Samantha handed us two small, perfectly shaped truffles. The Balsamic Truffle had a smooth, deep, fruity aftertaste. Unlike the vinegar we use in salad dressings, this balsamic didn't taste acidic at all. The Thai Stick Truffle was completely different, but equally delicious. A sprinkle of chili and a curl of toasted coconut graced the top; inside, the truffle was split into white coconut milk and dark chocolate ganache. It was warm and aromatic with a zip of ginger, lime, and lemongrass. Everyone agreed this was the best truffle of the two.
The Balsamic Truffle is subtly sweet and sour. The Thai Stick truffle is aromatic, warm, and creamy. Both are very well crafted.
The tasting ended, and we got up to peruse the store for more. Soma's walls were stocked with so many wonderful treats, it was hard to choose. Brenna found a bar topped with sumac and dried cherries, and my mom selected lemon toffee coated in milk chocolate and pistachios. I found something slightly different. Before visiting Soma, I learned the owners had recently traveled to Thailand. Inspired by the fresh fruit at Thai markets, they made a bar that has - get this - no chocolate. Well, there is a bit of cacao oil, but the bar is essentially mango, dried chili, and salt. I ripped into a bar, and decided it tastes like fancy fruit leather.
The Ruby Red has cherries, cranberries, barberries, and Sumac. The Mango Chili has mangos, lime, Thai chili, Aleppo pepper and salt. Yum!
Of course, I couldn’t leave without some actual chocolate, so my mom surprised me with a bar of Porcelana. Porcelana is like the Porsche of chocolate; it's a cacao variety that's prized for its bright white fruit, light colored beans, and well-balanced taste. It’s famously hard to procure, which makes it even more covetable. I also grabbed some toffee cookies (to sneak into movie theaters) and my mom found chocolate in the shape of a birch branch. The filling is like a fancy PB&J, where a ribbon of sour cherry jelly runs through crunchy hazelnut butter. We're planning to slice up the branch at Thanksgiving dinner alongside pumpkin pie. I'll let you know how it tastes!
This chocolate mould was carved from a birch branch found in the forests of Ontario, Canada. Beaver approved.
Soma has won multiple awards for their chocolate and I can see why. They craft the highest quality cacao into beautiful truffles and creative flavor combos. A lot of thought goes into each product. Their creations are whimsical yet sophisticated, unique and addictive. In short, they're special. Honestly, it's some of the best chocolate I've ever had. If you're ever in Toronto, give it a try!