Mackenzies Chocolate Motorcycle - May 20, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mackenzies Chocolates
Motorcycle
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4.64 oz. (131.3 g.) in 1 Motorcycle
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. piece
Cost: $5.95 for 1 motorcycle
Purchased from: Mackenzies Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Transportation Theme Week.

Happy Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month (May). And, National Ride (your motorcycle) to Work Day is just around the corner (June 17).

In honor of these days, it was time to unwrap the box with the pretty green bow from Mackenzies Chocolates (a family-run shop in Santa Cruz, CA) -- so I could take a bite of their dark chocolate motorcycle chocsimile (chocolate facsimile).

This medium-sized (5 x 2.5 inch) replica looked so beautifully detailed and authentic, I hesitated ruining it. But, all things chocolate come to an end, generally sooner rather than later. Like many molded confections, the chocolate base was good, but not super high-end, single origin chocolate. I did enjoy the (less sweet) dark chocolate a bit more than the the milk chocolate items.

Mackenzies Chocolate Horse - May 19, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Mackenzies Chocolates
Horse - Standing
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4.8 oz. (135.8 g.) total horse
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. serving
Cost: $7.50 total piece/horse
Purchased from: Mackenzies Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Transportation Theme Week.

While we travel by "iron horses" and other motorized vehicles these days -- and we're more likely to see horses at sporting events than in our neighborhood streets -- horses deserve a shout out for transporting humans for hundreds of years.

The Preakness, Chocolate Horses

Yesterday (Sat., May 18, '13) was the 138th running of the Preakness, the second of three horse races that comprise the Triple Crown in the U.S. Each race is held in a different city and has its own colors (and signature drink). This year's winning horse at the Preakness, held at Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore, MD, was a deep brown (I'd say 80% cacao colored) horse named Oxbow, ridden by a 50-year old jockey, and grandfather, (Gary Stevens), who came out of retirement to win this race. Inspiring.

Virgin Black-eyed Susan

Today's sweet, milk chocolate horse (purchased long before this race) was closer to the color of  "Orb" -- the favored horse in yesterday's race. While Orb fans were denied the opportunity to see their favorite become a Triple Crown race winner, they were among many who enjoyed sipping on Black-eyed Susans, the "official" drink of the Preakness Stakes (named for a flower). Black and yellow sunflowers also adorned a beautiful, big black and white "helper" horse assisting riders on the track. I couldn't find a photo of this horse, but I'd love to see a chocsimile (chocolate facsimile) of this horse. Which begs the question...

The Kentucky Derby (first race of the Triple Crown series) has chocolate pecan pie, bourbon balls and other chocolate desserts. Why there isn't a Black-eyed Susan chocolate truffle or dessert for the Preakness?

What? No Preakness Dessert?

If someone has heard of such a thing, please write and let me know, and I'll be happy to feature it next May (2014). Below is a recipe for a Black-eyed Susan (drink), in case anyone is interested in creating a chocolate dessert with these ingredients. Although, when I sat in the infield at the Preakness many years ago, the recipe for a Black-eyed Susan was considerably simpler: vodka and lemonade over ice.

Black-eyed Susan recipe
1.25 oz. Finlandia Vodka
0.25 oz. St. Germain Liqueur
2 oz. Lemon juice
3 oz. Lemongrass and Blackberry simple syrup
6 drops Angostura bitters
Garnish with one sage leaf

(Above recipe created by Gina Chersavini Dundee; from Preakness website)

Mackenzies Chocolates

Thank you for Mackenzies Chocolates (Santa Cruz, CA) for making 52 different molded chocolates under the category "Transportation." (Although, technically, this horse was under the company's "Animals" category -- that lists well over a hundred different chocolate items.)

Madelaine Chocolate Cars - May 18, 2013

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

The Madelaine Chocolate Company

1.) Mini Car
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) - 1 car
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1 car
Cost: $0.95 for 1 car
Purchased from: MacKenzies Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

2.) Super Racing Car
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) - 1 car
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 car
Cost: $1.25 for 1 car
Purchased from: MacKenzies Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Transportation Theme Week.

I live in California, and we love our cars here. It's no fun to be stuck on a freeway at rush hour in the big cities; but cars allow us to cover vast distances -- making chocolate research, a visit to the beach, and a hike in the mountains possible -- all in one day if you're an early riser.

In Silicon Valley, home to electric car companies and alternative vehicle research, it's fun to think of a future car that might be powered by plant matter (sugar cane bagasse?), if not cocoa bean hulls or chocolate.

Today, I'll settle for eating these sugary sweet milk chocolate cars from Madelaine Chocolate*, and will let them power my walk to the store.

Being the CCE (Chief Chocolate Eater) at Chocolate Banquet, I got a kick out of the Mini Car with "Chief" emblazoned across the doors and hood. And, who wouldn't like a chocolate Racing Car with racing stripes or flames? It's times like this when I could almost talk myself into ordering a license plate holder for the back of my (real) car that reads: "My Other Car is Made of Chocolate."

*Note: The Madelaine Chocolate Company (Rockaway Beach, NY) has been making chocolate cars and other chocsimiles (coins, poker chips, cigars, roses, holiday and birthday items) for many years. Despite damage from Hurricane Sandy, this family-run business is recovering and is back to producing chocolates.

Theo Sea Salt bar - May 17, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Theo Chocolate
Sea Salt Dark 70% Cacao bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 66.6 calories in 1/6 bar
Cost: $4.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA 94306

Regular visitors to this site (Chocolate Banquet) know my penchant for theme weeks. This week I've embarked on a Chocolate and Transportation Theme Week.

While excellent chocolates do have the power to transport one to another dimension (a different, and wonderful place), the "transportation" I'm focused on this week (with the exception of today's bar) is more literal -- taking the shape of chocolate bicycles, trucks, cars, surfboards and other "chocsimiles" (chocolate facsimiles of items).

"Bike to work days" have been celebrated in many U.S. cities this month (May); and in Washington, D.C. today (May 17, '13). However, in some cacao growing countries, bikes may be a primary mode of transport.

Today's Sea Salt Dark bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) was not in the shape of a bicycle, but proceeds do/did help World Bicycle Relief -- an organization that helps build and supply special bicycles to students, health care workers and entrepreneurs in rural Africa -- in at least a half dozen African countries (100,000 bicycles in the field, and 750 field mechanics trained, according to the bar's packaging).

This 70% dark Fair Trade, Organic (and non-GMO) chocolate bar was crafted from African cacao beans (Democratic Republic of Congo), and was rustic in flavor and texture. Tiny, gritty particles of salt infuse every other bite with a nano burst of saline sparkle.

I'd call this a "salt of the earth" bar -- with chocolate that had light dirt notes buried in the tasting arc. The term "Earthy" may be more appealing than "dirt." I really like beets and earthy-tasting foods; if you don't find yourself using terms like: loam, peat, or soil with tobacco notes, that's OK. Dirt is not meant to be a negative term here.

Marou - 78% Ben Tre bar - May 16, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Marou Chocolate
Ben Tre 78% bar
Good - Good+
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) in 1/4 bar / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 151 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Vietnam Theme Week.

I've really enjoyed the great Vietnam chocolates I've had this week -- and all the Vietnamese food I felt compelled to sample, in the name of research.

Today's 78% dark chocolate, single origin bar from the Ben Tre province of Vietnam -- made by Marou Chocolate (Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, Vietnam) -- was the last in a series of attractively package Marou bars I featured this week.

The dark, tart, fruit acidity in this bar may have overshadowed more subtle flavor notes. However, I can see using this bold flavor to liven up a rich, but relatively bland dessert item -- e.g. grated, over a vanilla pot de creme; raisin cinnamon toast and cream cheese; or a croissant with some homemade whipped cream and strawberries on the side). The options are many.

Marou - Ba Ria 76% bar - May 15, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Marou Chocolate
Ba Ria 76% bar
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 148 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $10.00 in 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Vietnam Theme Week.

Marou Chocolate (Vietnam) packaging and design is so good I could eat it -- or wear it.

I wondered: How expensive would it be to buy enough Marou bars (for their paper wrappers) to make a top or a dress to wear? A small fortune, no doubt. (See some of my imagined Marou red dresses, bottom right. More to come...)

In the meantime, I was completely satisfied with eating the lovely chocolate bar inside today's Ba Ria 76% bar wrapper. It had some bold fruit acidity with a slight earthy taste in the finish.

Marou tasting notes for this bar stated: "A bold and fruity chocolate made from Trinitario cacao (beans) sourced directly from family-owned farms in the province of Ba Ria."

Marou - Lam Dong 74% bar - May 14, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Marou Chocolate
Lam Dong 74% dark chocolate bar
Good ++
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) in 1/4 bar / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today's 74% dark chocolate bar from Marou Chocolate (Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, Vietnam) was made (in micro-batches) from cacao beans "cultivated (in the Lam Dong province) in the hilly woodland at the edge of the Vietnamese Central Highlands between Madagui and Bao Loc."

If you're like me, you have a somewhat vague idea of where this origin area is located in Vietnam. However, the beans and bar that hail from this region (described as rare) had clear and consistent citrus (acid) notes, and rich dark flavor.

So, while I haven't been to Vietnam (yet), I appreciated the opportunity to taste this bar (and the series of Marou single origin bars I've been tasting this past week*). Thank you to bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Marou Chocolate, and The Chocolate Garage, for making this possible. And thank you to Laurie for tasting help this evening.

*Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Vietnam Theme Week.