Milk Chocolate Bar from Gipson's Golden

Review of Hand-made Gourmet Chocolate from Sonoma County, California

Sep 2, 2009

Gipson's Golden sells raw honey, hand-made chocolate bars and honeycomb. Located in Sonoma County, California, its milk chocolate is delicious and attractive.

Gipson's Golden milk chocolate bars weigh two ounces (57g), and measure roughly 3.5" x 2 1/4" x 1/4". The Gipson's Golden website sells the bars for $1.50.

The outer wrapper is a glossy cardboard sleeve with a picture of hot air balloons floating over a plowed green landscape. The rear explains that the chocolate is hand-made in Sonoma County and that each bar helps to preserve honey bee populations (Gipson's Golden buys locally-produced honey as well as importing honeys from Australia and Brazil).

The chocolate bar itself is wrapped in medium-green foil which slides easily out of the outer wrapper. The foil is silver on the inside. Nutritional information is not listed, but the ingredients are: milk chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, milk and cocoa butter); soy lecithin; artificial vanilla flavor.

Chocolate Bar Test – The Five Senses

The chocolate bar is a medium light brown shade with an embossed design featuring grapes, a rabbit and the legend "handmade in Sonoma County." In one bar, there were some small holes in the chocolate, probably molding bubbles; another milk chocolate bar from Gipson's Golden lacked those same holes. There are no divisions for breaking the chocolate.

The chocolate is smooth to the touch, and slightly waxy. The aroma is quite delicious: rich and very sweet, with a strong cocoa scent and undertones of vanilla.

The chocolate bar breaks with a clean, satisfying snap. When tasted, the initial texture is slightly waxy, but that gives way within two to three seconds as the chocolate begins its melt. The first flavor releases rich, sweet cocoa followed by the velvety texture and creamy flavor of an excellent milk chocolate. The melt is slow and satisfying and one piece takes almost a minute to vanish.

Biting into the chocolate bar is satisfying, with a distinct snap. The bite releases more cocoa flavor for a slightly bitter initial taste. The after-taste is sweet and milky and, unlike cheaper chocolates which rely too much on sugar, does not leave an acidic feeling in the stomach.

About Gipson's Golden Chocolate Bars and Honey Products

Gipson's Golden, Inc. is located in Santa Rosa, California. The company sells raw honey and honey-related products like honeycomb and beeswax, in addition to a variety of hand-made chocolate bars, candy and popcorn. Its products are certified kosher and several of its honeys are certified organic.

John Gipson started Gipson's Golden as a hobby in 1987. The company describes itself as a small hive with a dedicated team. It is a leading producer of raw, kosher honey and the website provides information about bees, raw honey and recipes.

The copyright of the article Milk Chocolate Bar from Gipson's Golden in Baking & Desserts is owned by Linda Gentile. Permission to republish Milk Chocolate Bar from Gipson's Golden in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.