Menakao Truly Madagascar

This is wath I was waiting for now for about two years, a truly Madagascar chocolate bar, and thanks to the help from a "Gourmandine"friend I received a very special one, thanks.

Wath I can tell you more about Menakao. While the Menakao brand was launched in 2011, Cinagra is a producer of fine quality chocolates since 2006. The factory is located on the outskirts of Antananarivo, approximately 15 kilometres from the capital centre. About 20 full-time employees work at the factory, where production facilities meet HACCP standards. 

A dark chocolate sweetened with measure, just enough to release the deep cocoa flavour and clear notes of red fruits and citrus. An intense, elegant and bright chocolate with a long, rich and subtle acidic finish.

Sugar helps to open and reveal the aromas. Here, the absence of sugar creates a bar with deep cocoa notes, bold and contained. As the cocoalic or (ground cocoa beans) melts the aromas are released, robust - like a punch - over a subtle bright background characteristic of the fruity Madagascan beans. Perfect after a meal.

It is a bean to bar chocolate produced in Madagascar. Mena means red in Malagasy. Red like the color of the cacao, the color of the land, the color of the sambirano river, where the cacao is coming from. It is a superior washed cacao, made in the low and high sambirano valley. It comes from an "encadrement paysannal". Which means the planters follow the directives to produce the best beans. The small amount produced allow a 5 to 6 days drying period.

An original yet elegant milk chocolate, whose buttery and vanilla notes are reminiscent of the indulgence of fudge, which delicately transition to a light atmosphere. All this is conveyed by the fruity and citrus aromas which are characteristic of the Madagascan cocoa beans.

The employees are paid more that the minimum wage. They have free transportation to go and come back from work, free meals for lunch, free social security for them and their family, but not least they work in excellent conditions and something probably close to luxury in Madagascar, they have hot showers. I know for us this is so basic but in Madagascar it's luxury.

The brightness of the pepper combined with the citrus and lemongrass notes of the combava dance together with the red fruit notes of the chocolate to create an indulgent and refreshing moment, with a juicy feel... The combined acidity of the Madagascan beans and the combava delightfully prolong the freshness until the last moment.

In addition all ingredients are coming from Madagascar. Including packaging.

Menako is launching a line of 7 bars, including some with fine spices from Madagascar.

The bright and red fruit notes of the chocolate dance in turn with the earthy and woody notes of the black pepper, the floral and fresh notes of the pink pepper and the unique aromatic palette of the wild Madagascan pepper: woody, earthy, floral and citrusy. An intense, refreshing and luxurious moment, 100% Madagascan.



The bars are really nice. The packaging is also really nice. Chloe Doutre Roussel (remember El Ceibo and a close friend) helped with the creation of this line. She was the consultant for the packaging and for the recipes. What I really like is the fact you can re-use the boxe. Also the chocolate is really, really very nice.

A chocolate that shakes you, with deep cocoa flavours and a clear acidic finish. For an intense experience.

The crunchy cocoa nibs give a rustic and robust touch which delightfully dance with the freshness of the citrus and red fruit notes of the chocolate. The pinch of salt perfects the experience, bringing a juicy feel, enhancing the brightness conveyed by the subtle acidity and the fruits.

You can learn more about the products on www.menakao.com 

The website is really amateur at the moment, but will shortly improve.

http://www.chocolatereviews.co.uk/menakao-madagascar-72/

Also some impressions of  Kerstin who love chocolate 

http://www.kerstinschocolates.com/blog/?p=1759#comments