Chocolove - Filled Strawberry in Dark Chocolate bar - Dec.

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolove 

Filled Strawberry in Dark Chocolate bar

Good +

Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) / 3.2 oz. (90 g.) in total bar

Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $2.95 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Filled Strawberry in Dark Chocolate bar was from Chocolove (Boulder, CO). 

This semisweet dark chocolate (55% cocoa) bar was filled with pillows of strawberry marmalade.

The chocolatier's description included these words: "The subtle fruity notes of African cocoa beans playfully swirl together with the sweet tart flavors of fresh ripe strawberries."

This week is focused on fruit. However, if this was a chocolate and poetry themed week, then Chocolove bars and confections would certainly be highlighted. The company has included printed verse on the inside of their chocolate wrappers almost as long as they've been in existence (1996).

Today's piece: "Sonnet 49: Against That Time, If Ever That Time Come" by William Shakespeare. Not exactly a joyous ode to strawberry picking and chocolate sampling on a light summer's day. It was more like spotting approaching dark winter* clouds; but it was thought-provoking nonetheless.

*We're bracing for winter here in Northern California. Winter is only 8 days away; but the palm trees outside betrayed no trace of the season's change today. 

Royal Hawaiian - Macadamia Nut - Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Mango - Dec. 12, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Royal Hawaiian - Macadamia Nut, Inc.

Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Mango 

Good

Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total package

Calories: 200 calories in 1 package

Cost: $0.50 for 1 package (2 for $1.00 sale)

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

At the heart of today's Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Mango pieces were roasted, Hawaiian-grown macadamia nuts from Royal Hawaiian Macadamia Nut, Inc.

These "mac" nuts were covered in dark chocolate and infused with pomegranate and mango flavor.

Royal Hawaiian - Macadamia Nut - Dark Chocolate Blackberry Goji - Dec. 11, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Royal Hawaiian - Macadamia Nut, Inc.

Dark Chocolate Blackberry Goji 

Good

Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total package

Calories: 200 calories in 1 package

Cost: $0.50 for 1 package (2 for $1.00 sale)

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Blackberry Goji pieces were made possible by the Royal Hawaiian Macadamia Nut, Inc.

Roasted, Hawaiian-grown macadamia nuts were covered in dark chocolate and infused with tart blackberry and tropical goji.

A fruity, berry aroma wafted up to greet the taster, after this snack-size package was opened. The macadamia nut centers were mild and had a soft crunch. 

RAD Chocolate - Vegan Organic Milk Chocolate made with Coconut Sugar - Dec. 10, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

RAD Chocolate
Vegan Organic Milk Chocolate made with Coconut Sugar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 for 1 bar
Purchased at Nibble Chocolate, Old Town, San Diego, CA location

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's RAD Chocolate Vegan Organic Milk Chocolate made with Coconut Sugar was affiliated with Nibble Chocolate (San Diego, CA).

This sweet chocolate bar, clad in recycled brown paper, had a uniform rich, fudge texture and flavor with underlying coconut sugar notes. (The makers used single origin Trinitario cacao from the Dominican Republic to craft this bar.) Some of the rich flavor and texture was enhanced by the inclusion of finely ground almond and cashew (butters).*

Ingredients: cocoa, coconut sugar, almonds, cashews, vanilla extract, sea salt

RAD Chocolate - Vegan Organic Creamy Coconut Chocolate made with Maple Sugar - Dec. 9, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

RAD Chocolate
Vegan Organic Creamy Coconut Chocolate made with Maple Sugar
Good
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 for 1 bar
Purchased at Nibble Chocolate, Old Town, San Diego, CA location

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's RAD Chocolate Vegan Organic Creamy Coconut Chocolate made with Maple Sugar was affiliated with Nibble Chocolate (San Diego, CA).

Finding new chocolates was one goal of a recent trip south to San Diego. Nibble Chocolate has a location in the Old Town historic location north of downtown San Diego. And thanks to the help of a sign (shown at right), we found this shop, among the whitewashed Spanish style buildings, red tile roofs, sounds of Folklorico dancers and smells of homemade tamales.*

Today's bar had a pleasing chocolate and coconut aroma, and a creamy initial melt one might mistake for a dark milk chocolate bar. It also had a satisfying, sweet chocolate flavor, a very subtle hint of maple sugar and a very slight fine grained texture in the finish.

*If you're unable to travel to San Diego, check out the RAD Chocolate website for information on how to obtain a bar.

Jennies - Raw Organic Coconut Bar with Cacao Nibs - Dec. 8, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Jennies Gluten Free

Raw Organic Coconut Bar with Cacao Nibs

Good

Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in 1 bar

Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.19 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Raw Organic Coconut Bar with Cacao Nibs was from Jennies Gluten Free* (Moosic, PA). The company's Jennies Organic Coconut Products line is made with organic, sulfite-free coconut, and demonstrated how the mere macaroon can be expanded to other tasty possibilities.

This bar had a soft, chewy texture and rich, coconut flavor. Traditional macaroons can be sticky sweet with corn syrup or almost prickly dry with fibrous coconut shreds. Today's bar had a balanced sweetness and texture (in the desirable middle and was not too gooey sweet or too fibrous). A delicate hint of vanilla (extract) and sea salt provided a natural lift that complemented the sweetness.

The underside of the bar was comprised of a layer semi-sweet chocolate. Organic cacao nibs blended in with and boosted the cacao quotient of this Coconut Bar. 

*Also referred to as Jennies Gluten-Free Bakery 

thinkThin - Chocolate Coconut Almond Protein Nut Bar - Dec. 7, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

thinkThin LLC
Chocolate Coconut Almond Protein Nut Bar
Good
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.19 for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Coconut Almond Protein Nut Bar was from thinkThin LLC (Los Angeles, CA).

The bar contained 9 g. of protein (from pumpkin seeds, almonds and soy crisps) and was crunchy, nutty and and chewy—with coconut and chocolate flavor throughout.