Monday, December 31, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 31, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Godiva
Coconut truffle (milk chocolate)
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
$ 0 (gift)
Ordered/sent from: Godiva Online

I happen to like coconut and chocolate, and Godiva chocolates, so no surprise that I enjoyed this truffle flavor combination.

Sunday, December 30, 2007

ChocolateBet: December ३०, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Godiva
Eggnog Truffle
Very Good
Weight: ~ .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
$ 0 (gift)
Ordered/sent from: Godiva online


Saturday, December 29, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 29, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Godiva
Gingerbread Truffle
Very Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
$ 0 (gift)
Ordered/sent from: Godiva online

I really enjoy gingerbread flavors in coffee and chocolate drinks and desserts, so it's not a great surprise that I really liked this truffle.

This truffle has inspired me to make some kind of flourless chocolate gingerbread cake (maybe a variant of one of the recipes on the Godiva web site).

I'll add this cooking opportunity to my New Year's resolution and "to do" lists. It is December 29, and I'm down to one of the last days of the year (2007), so to do lists are on my mind as I try to finish some items that haven't gotten done yet. I probably shouldn't be adding more items to my list right now - but, what the heck, it's chocolate-related, so it will at least be more fun than all the clean-up, organizing, recycling, laundry, personal biography/resume updating, and other tasks I seem to be putting off at the moment. Happy de-cluttering and de-to-do-listing to everyone.

ChocolateBet: December 28, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece/truffle
Seattle Chocolates
Cafe Mocha
Good -Very Good.
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 70 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift)
I received in my Christmas stocking at a family celebration a few days ago.

The coffee taste in some Seattle Chocolates items is a bit too strong (burnt flavor?) for me. This is surprising as I really like strong coffee flavors and I also tend not to mind crispy-singed BBQ veggies, potatoes, and meat items. I salute Seattle Chocolates in that they are not afraid to go for it with the intense coffee roast here. I'd rather see bold statements like this than be frustrated by chocolates where the flavors are lost or too weak/muddled.

Can you take flavors too far? Other than the chocolate-covered bugs I tried, I'd have to say I haven't found too many chocolates that I thought were too strongly flavored - other than those that perhaps use artificial flavors which don't taste quite right. Start with a good base chocolate, and I think almost any great flavor might work. Just my opinion.

Friday, December 28, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 27, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pcs
See's
California Brittle - Milk Chocolate
Very Good. I prefer the dark chocolate version of this chocolate, but these are still very good.
~ 1.75 oz. for 2 pcs
~ 260 calories for 2 pcs
~$1.50 for 2 pcs
Purchased from See's, Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: December 26, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pcs.
See's
California Brittle - Dark Chocolate
Very Good - Yum; I really like these. They are like a very robust Heath bar - with bigger hunks of toasted almonds inside the middle brittle center.
~ 1.75 oz. for 2 pieces
~ 260 calories
~$1.50 for 2 pcs
Purchased from: See's, Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 25, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small serving of shavings
Godiva
Dark Chocolate Santa (foil-wrapped)
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2.5 oz./71 g. total
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. of shavings
Cost: $6.50
Purchased from: Macy's at Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

This was Very Good; especially given that most little figures or sculpted/molded chocolate figures over a certain size taste a bit waxy or dull (probably due to ingredients used to help them keep their shape I'm guessing, or to cut down on costs/weight perhaps).

OK, I admit it; I have an odd sense of humor. Because Christmas can be a time when expectations can run high, and family time and commercial overload can be overwhelming, I think there is a place for a bit of comic relief. This fine Godiva chocolate Santa was transmogrified* (see Calvin and Hobbes comics) into chocolate shavings and included in a hot milk, brandy, cinnamon and spices drink for a nice cold winter evening. Poor Santa got shaved by a vegetable peeler.

ChocolateBet: December 24, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
Frango
Candy Cane (mint chocolates) - Limited Edition
Very Good+
Weight: 16 oz. (453 g.) for 1 box
Calories: 80 calories (estimate) for 2 small pieces
Cost: $15.40 total (30% off sale) originally $22.00
Purchased from: Macy's, at Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

I shared this box of crunchy Candy Cane and chocolate sweets with family at a holiday dinner get-together.

My sister, who lived in Seattle, WA, for many years assured me that Frango mints originated in Seattle -- and that a smaller department store that originated these chocolates/mint line was bought up by Marshall-Fields department store. Eventually Macy's bought out Marshall-Fields, or Macy's became the Frango distributor. Glad to hear that a favorite sweets brand survived all these transitions. (Frango is also listed in wikipedia for more info.)

I believe the limited edition chocolates can only be found at specific times of the year, and that these Candy Cane chocolate mints fit under this category.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 23, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Anette's Chocolates
Traditional Cherry Cordial
Good - Very Good
~ .5 oz.?
~ 75 calories?
$0 (gift box)
From: Anette's Chocolates, Napa, CA

This cherry cordial was the last chocolate in a fairly large assortment box. While cherry cordials aren't my favorites, this was good.

As noted previously the good news with assortment boxes is that I can share chocolates with friends and family -- carefully guarding the ones I want to keep for myself for recording in this blog! -- and also I can skip my furtive hunting around for new chocolates for several days. The bad news is that it limits your sense of variety and new adventures, and you may also be tempted to eat more than you originally planned. This is the old security-and-comfort vs. the thrill-of-a-new-adventure trade-off. As with life, there is a balance point that lies somewhere between boredom and terror. The 2- or 3-piece assortment box seems to be that balance point for me.

ChocolateBet: December 22, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Anette's Chocolates
(Milk Choc.) Almond Flip (like a choc caramel turtle)
Very Good
~ 1.2 oz.+? (could be closer to 2+ oz?)
? calories
$ 0 (gift box)
From: Anette's Chocolates, Napa, CA

Friday, December 21, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 21, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 large piece
Anette's Chocolates
(Dark chocolate-covered) Rocky Road candy (with pink? marshmallows and walnuts inside)
Very Good
~.7 oz.
~ 100? calories
$ 0 - gift box
From: Anette's Chocolates, Napa, CA

ChocolateBet: December 20, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Godiva
French vanilla truffle
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz  (14.1 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - $ 0 - gift assortment box
Purchased from: N/A - Godiva online order sent to my office

It can be difficult to taste vanilla with chocolates; it's more of a background flavor in most. I was hoping to get a smidge more authentic vanilla flavor in this French vanilla truffle, but it was still very good.

Went to go see holiday lights and windows and trees and carolers in San Francisco; very nice. I passed by the Macy's Frango (famous mints) table; will return later to see if I can't pick up a new flavor I haven't tried. I still remember these mints from some time ago, and they were quite good. More chocolate memories.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Anette's Chocolates
milk chocolate covered caramel
~ .5 oz. for 1 piece from assortment; Net Wt. 16 oz. (1 lb.) total
~ 75 calories
$ 0 (gift)
Sent from Anette's Chocolates, Napa

ChocolateBet: December 18, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Godiva
(truffle assortment box)
..... (flavor)Weight: ~ ? oz.
Calories: ~ ? calories
Cost: $ 0 (gift box)
From: Godiva online?

ChocolateBet: December 17, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Godiva
...... (flavor)
(truffle assortment)
Weight: ~ .5 oz?
Calories: ~ ? calories
Cost: $0 (gift box)
From: Godiva online?

ChocolateBet: December 16, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 hunk
Fiasconaro (Whole Foods)
Torrone A Pani (drk chocolate with almonds)
~1.2 oz. out of 5.2 oz. total
Very Good - Drk choc covered almond nougat
? calories
Cost: ~$1.00 for what I ate ($4.50 total)
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

Eating Chocolate past the expiration date:
This chocolate covered candy was quite good even tho 1 yr old/past suggested "sell by" date. This leads me to an uncivilized topic - how far past the expiration or sell by date are you willing to chance something? I'm all for chucking older items in the fridge or the cupboard that could make you very sick: such as meat, eggs, milk, suspicious-looking cans, and other products. But, I admit it, I've probably pushed it a few times with chocolate or candy items. My feeling is that provided their stored properly, it's probably not going to kill you.

I suppose I will continue to hope that on the rare occasion when I decide to live on the edge like this that all that sugar acts as an effective preservative. What would Miss Manners say about this tacky and unhealthful practice?

ChocolateBet: December 15, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Michael's (restaurant)
Chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream in a glass goblet dish.
Very Good
? oz. (2-3 oz?)
? calories
$ ?
Purchased from: Michael's restaurant, Mountain View, CA (next to Shoreline Park golf course)

There is nothing like getting out for a movie and lunch on a sunny December day, even if it is a bit cold. This restaurant also has a great chopped cobb salad.

ChocolateBet: December 14, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Anette's Chocolates
almond toffee crunch??
~ .5 oz.
~ 75 calories
$0 cost (gift box)
From: Anette's Chocolates, Napa, CA

Thursday, December 13, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 13, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1-2 pieces
Anette's Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Almonds
Very Good - a touch of what tastes like cinnamon is a nice touch
~.4 oz.
~ ? calories
$0 (gift box)
From: Anette's Chocolates, Napa, CA

ChocolateBet: December 12, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (3 individually-wrapped squares)
Russell Stover International
French Cafe Vanilla Creme
Very Good
Weight: 1 serving/3 squares (38 g.) / 4.95 oz. (140 g.) total package
$?
Purchased at: Long's Drug store, Mountain View, CA


Today's milk chocolate, individually-wrapped squares from Russell Stover had a very nice vanilla flavor (French Cafe Vanilla Creme) in the center.

ChocolateBet: December 11, 2007


Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (3 squares)
Russell Stover Private Reserve
Very Good
Weight: 38 g. for 3 pieces/1 serving; total package = 4.5 oz. (128 g.)
Calories: 190 calories for one 3-piece serving
Cost: $ ?
Purchased at: Long's Drugs, Mountain View, CA

These individually-wrapped dark (60% cacao) chocolate squares from Russell Stover (Kansas City, MO), part of the company's Private Reserve, Origin Select product line,  were made from "100% Ecuador cacao beans."

ChocolateBet: December 10, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Went to Brindles Awesome Ice Creams in a shopping center in (Northwest) San Antonio, TX. Thank you D. for the introduction to this place. This is one of those great ice cream stores that makes their own ice cream.

1 serving - two flavors
Brindles
Azteca (chocolate, cinnamon), and Coffee (Heath Bar?) in a cup
Very Good
? Calories
$?
Brindles

ChocolateBet: December 9, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small bar
NewTree
Pleasure Indulgence/Extase
Very Good
Weight: .32 oz. (9 g.) for each little/individual bar in package/small box of 3
Calories: 46.8 calories/bar (Found on NewTree website* under individual chocolates)
Cost: $2.99 for a package of 3 small bars
Purchased from: ?

I like the very small size of these (individually-wrapped) Mini Bars (which come package of 3 in a tiny box); much better than the huge bar size. They are much easier to transport and eat. These bars were made with 73% cocoa dark chocolate.

Health information
*Health information on this "Indulgence" Mini Bar (below) was copied and pasted from the www.newtree.com web site.
"INDULGENCE
Chocolate is a multifunctional food with health benefits. 73% pure dark chocolate has specifically been selected by NEWTREE for its nutritional richness, because it provides all the nutritional elements necessary for the development and maintenance of a healthy body.

A natural source of proteins, iron and zinc – good for muscle tone and vitality – dark chocolate provides magnesium for muscular balance and alimentary fiber facilitating digestion.

Chocolate also contains numerous antioxidants and polyphenols, which have shown, through independent scientific studies, an incredible variety of positive benefits for the human body, from improving cardiovascular health (lowering LDL oxidation), to relaxation of the blood vessel walls, to diminution of platelet aggregation.

DARK CHOCOLATE
Dark chocolate contains the greatest quantities of cocoa. It is a mixture of cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar and lecithin. Most of its nutritional value is derived from the beneficial properties of cocoa.
Chocolate containing ingredients other than cocoa has a lower fiber content, proportional to the content of cocoa solids. NEWTREE dark chocolates contain around 11g of fiber per 100g."
-----------------
I believe one little bar is also supposed to contain about 5% of my daily iron needs, if I've read the text correctly. Good to know. Not that I needed any further justification to eat chocolate, or dark chocolate, but good to know nonetheless.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 8, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving, 3 pieces
Russell Stover (Private Reserve)
Origin Select chocolate; 100% Belgian Milk Chocolate; 41% cacao
Very Good
Net Wt. 38 grams for 1 serving; 4.5 oz (128 g) total
Calories: 230 calories for 1 serving
$2.99/pkg.
Purchased at: Longs Drugs, Mountain View, CA

This was not bad for milk chocolate; but, does "Belgian" count as single origin?

Friday, December 7, 2007

ChocolateBet: December 7, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Russell Sifers Candy Co.
Valomilk (The Original "Flowing Center" Candy Cups
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (1 cup) / 2 oz. total package (2 cups)
Calories: 140 calories in 1 cup
Cost: $1.59
Purchased at Powell's Sweet Shoppe, in Los Gatos, CA

Additional Notes: Even though this was very sweet, sugar seems tastes so much better than corn syrup to me. This candy has marshmallowy goodness; I ate only one cup as the other cup had already "flowed" away. Inside the wrapper it was very sticky, much like the stickiest fly paper you can imagine. I had to wash my hands twice to extricate the 1 cup from the wrapper. Valomilk is the winner of the messiest candy so far!

Change of Subject...
Magic Eight Balls and Chocolate and Silliness

What, you may be asking yourself, do magic eight balls have to do with chocolate? Well, one of the beautiful things about today's search engines is that you can find a web site with a magic eight ball. I found one. I typed in queries and received answers to the following important questions:

1) Should I eat another piece of chocolate today? (Answer: Outlook not so good)
My analysis: Yes, I had already decided I'd had enough. How did it know? :-)

2) Can I request that I die from eating too much chocolate? (Answer: No way!)
My analysis: OK, I'm a little disappointed to hear this; but I still might try.

3) Do I like chocolate? (Answer: Maybe)
My analysis: Hmmm. Maybe? (See #4 and #7 for possible "explanation", i.e. it "knows" i don't just "like" chocolate....)

4) Do I love chocolate? (Answer: No way!)
My analysis: Ah, I get it. It thinks I meant "love" romantically...(See #7 below)

5) Do I eat too much chocolate? (Answer: Definitely)
My analysis: Well, this answer is spot on.

6) Will I have a successful chocolate blog? (Answer: Maybe)
My analysis: I better work harder at this blog; it still might be possible!

7) Do I love eating chocolate? (Answer: Absolutely!)
My analysis: Re: #4 above...See, I just had to re-phrase the question to get the right answer!

It's as if it's reading my mind! Amazing. I would have flipped a coin to get answers to these questions, but a coin is just so...binary (e.g. heads - yes; tails - no). OK, enough fun for now.

For test the magic eight ball I used, go to:
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~ssanty/cgi-bin/eightball.cgi
Thank you to Steven Santy.

Have you ever used outside help to make a chocolate-related decision? (I feel another short story writing itself...)

ChocolateBet: December 6, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
3 individually-wrapped pieces/1 small box
Chick Chocolates (Seattle Chocolate Co.)
Nutty Chick (milk chocolate with almonds and toffee)
Good-Very Good; cute packaging, but seems overpriced for 3 small pieces
1 oz. (28 grams)
155 calories
$3.29
Purchased at: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, in Los Gatos, CA

Change of subject
Chocolate in the News (Dec 6 story):

LG Electronics reports that they've sold more than 15 million Chocolate Phones (no, these aren't edible) worldwide. These mobile handset devices are from Korea and have sold well. (I've considered buying one, just because I'm thinking so much about all things chocolate these days.) Another example of a chocolate tie-in boosting sales of an otherwise unrelated product? If yes, might we see more chocolate appliances? Could a chocolate car or house be far behind?

ChocolateBet: December 5, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Nestle
Carlos V (chocolate bar)
Good - Very Good
Weight: 0.75 oz. (21 g) in 1 bar
Calories: ? (this info wasn't printed on the wrapper); 100 calories (guess)
Cost: $0.59
Purchased at Powell's Sweet Shoppe, Los Gatos

This little Carlos V milk chocolate bar is "the authentic Mexican chocolate bar - the king of bars in Mexico" according to materials I was able to find (primarily on the Nestle web site). The bar is a perfect size for a royal snack, at a price that regular people can afford.

ChocolateBet: December 4, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Cadbury
Crunchie
Very Good
Weight: 40 grams
Calories: 185 kcals per bar (or 775 kJoules)
Cost: $1.09
Purchased at: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, in Los Gatos, CA

The Cadbury Crunchie candy bar was quite good; its light crunchy "honeycombed centre" was covered in milk chocolate.

ChocolateBet: December 3, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Cadbury
Bournville - Classic Dark Chocolate
Good+ - Very Good
45 grams
220 calories
$1.89
Purchased at: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, in Los Gatos, CA

ChocolateBet: December 2, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 cookie
Gayle's chocolate macaroon
Very Good - Yum
? oz.
? Calories
$?
Purchased at: Gayle's (Santa Cruz); split with Elise L.

ChocolateBet: December 1, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 piece
Gayle's
Peppermint Stick Pie (similar to a chocolate cream pie topped with whipped cream and pieces of peppermint stick
Very Good; sweet and rich but very nice
? oz.
? Calories
$ ?
Purchased at Gayle's

ChocolateBet: November 30, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 srvg, or 3 squares; approx. 1/4 - 1/3 of a 3 oz. bar
Vosges Haut Chocolat
Woolloomooloo "exotic candy bar"
Good - Very Good
Weight: 3.0 oz. (85 grams) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories/serving
Cost: ~$6.95 (estimate)
Purchased from: Whole Foods?, Los Altos, CA?

This one didn't quite grab me like some of the other Vosges exotic bars; but I love the fact that Vosges is putting these different exotic flavors together. This Woolloomooloo bar contained roasted and salted macadamia nuts, Indonesian coconut, and hemp seeds -- mixed into what they're calling deep milk chocolate.

ChocolateBet: November 29, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 pkg
Ocean Spray
Craisins Trail Mix
Cranberry and Chocolate
Very Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (49.6 grams)
Calories: 230 calories for 1 package
Cost: $?
Purchased at: ?

I can't always tolerate cashews (a relative of the poison oak family); so I shared the 6-7 cashew pieces in this trail mix serving with the neighborhood squirrel in our yard instead of tossing them out.

The squirrel enjoyed them, and I enjoyed watching the squirrel enjoy them. No chocolate pieces though for you Mr. or Ms. Squirrel. Even though I saw your cousin eating part of an Oreo cookie in the next yard over one time several years ago...

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

ChocolateBet: November 28, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Kraft
Daim
1.0 oz. (28g)
Very Good; these are very similar to a Heath bar
Calories: 2270 kjoules (~ calories) per 100 grams; 545 kcals (this is high for calorie # because it's not per bar, but rather a per 100 grams #. The calories in this 28 gram bar = approx. 152.6; unfortunately, that is not listed on wrapper, so you have to do some math.)
$1.69
Purchased at: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, in Los Gatos, CA

Chocolate Math:
Here's the secret decoder ring for those of us stuck in the old non-metric world...kilojoules (kj) are the metric equivalent of calories. One (1) calorie = 4.184-4.187 kjoules; or take the kj number and divide it by ~4.2 to get the rough # of calories. (1 joule = .2388 calorie?). Most chocolate bars run between 150 and 170 calories per 1 oz. So, in some countries you may see kcal figures (such as the above) that sound high, or different than this general rule. That is because they are listing the number of calories per 100 grams. (Not as helpful if all you are looking for is the number of calories or kcals in the specific bar you're eating.) So, if you only see a kcal number per 100 g (and not kcals per bar on the label), just multiply the 100g # by .28 (there is about 28 grams in 1 oz.).

For example: 545 kcal x .28 = 152.6 calories for 1 oz. Daim bar.

I could blather on about other types of less serious chocolate math (e.g. some formulas having to do with weight gain or loss and chocolate consumption and stress eating), but I'll wait until another day/evening to do this.

ChocolateBet: November 27, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Owyhee (Idaho Candy Co.)
Old Faithful Peanut Cluster ("Original Creme Center")
Good - Very Good
Net Wt.: 1 1/2 oz. (43g) in 1 bar
Calories: 220 calories
Cost: $ 1.19
Purchased at: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, Los Gatos, CA

Powell's Sweet Shoppe has proven to be a great place to buy "vintage" candy bars, like today's Owyhee Old Faithful Peanut Cluster, and new chocolates I haven't tried yet.

ChocolateBet: November 26, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bite
Cadbury
Starbar ("Milk Chocolate with Caramel and Peanut Centre")
Good - Very Good
Weight: 53 grams for whole bar
Calories: approx. 40 calories in one bite / (1085 kJ, 260 kcals/total bar)
Cost: $1.89
Purchased at: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, in Los Gatos, CA

This Cadbury Starbar with caramel and peanut butter looked good. However, I realized, as I was about to take a second bite, that this bar contained wheat gluten. As soon as I read this in the ingredients list, I had to stop. I really can't have gluten. From what I was able to gather from one bite, it tasted fine otherwise.

I found this Powell's Sweet Shoppe last Saturday while walking through Old Town Los Gatos, on a cold (at least by California standards) night with nice holiday lights; after having dinner. I bought several items. They had some older/vintage candy brands that I'd heard about, but had not seen before. Fun stuff.

ChocolateBet: November 25, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Owyhee (Idaho Candy Co.)
Idaho Spud
Very Good - Yum
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.)
Calories: 180 calories
Cost: $ 0.99
Purchased at: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, in Los Gatos, CA

The Owyhee Idaho Spud candy bar from Idaho Candy Co. may not be everyone's favorite bar; after all it was inspired by a potato. (I love potatoes.) And agar isn't everyone's favorite textural element, but I liked this bar (and the (gel-like) agar's contribution) much more than I thought I would.

This Idaho Spud bar was just like Steve Almond described in his 2004 book, Candyfreak. They have a slightly weird gel center; but they are very good. I also liked the fact that they were not too sweet.

ChocolateBet: November 24, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
The Xocolate Bar
Cherry Hibiscus (bonbon)
Good - Very Good; I found it was hard to taste the flavors in this one. It may be that they are very subtle, or maybe they lose something by being packaged in the same container with 4 other flavors? (e.g. the Peppermint might bleed over into the florals a bit or neutralize some of their smells/flavors?)
Wt: 62 grams total/pkg of 5 bonbons
Calories: ?
Cost: $12.99/pkg,box or 5 different flavors
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: November 23, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bite
Goetze's
Chocolate Cow Tales
Good
Weight: (1 bite of) 1 oz./28 gram sized Cow Tale
Calories: Approx. 15 calories for 1 bite
Cost: $ 0.39 (a bargain)
Purchased from: Surf Super (market) in Gualala, CA

This Chocolate Cow Tale was a very sweet, taffy-like, long rope (or tail) shape. The chewy chocolate caramel from Goetze's Candy Company (made in Baltimore, MD) was a bit sticky to unwrap, but it was something fun and different -- with a chocolate caramel "tail" wrapped around a white creamy center (bone?).

Note: This contained wheat flour and was not gluten-free.

Dagoba - ChocolateBet: November 22, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Dagoba
Conacado 73%
Very Good - Yum
Weight: 1 oz. (of 2 oz./56.7 grams total)
Calories: 154 calories for 1 oz.
Cost: $3.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Surf Super (market), Gualala, CA

 Organic, forest-grown cacao from the Conacado Cooperative in the Dominican Republic; very rich flavor - almost smoky; very good.

ChocolateBet: November 21, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/3 bar
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Chocolate Peanut Crunch
1 oz. of 3 oz. (85 grams) total
Good - Very Good; fair trade certified, organic; cocoa content is 32%
151 calories for 1/3 bar; 452 calories total
$3.69
Purchased from: Surf Super (market) in Gualala, CA

Monday, November 19, 2007

ChocolateBet: November 20, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
(homemade gluten-free) Pumpkin bread with (large size) Ghirardelli All Natural Premium Baking Chips chocolate chips; 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate
Good - Very Good - but a bit too dry (had to improvise somewhat, e.g. didn't have xanthum gum). However, this bread got better the next day - after sitting covered overnight and then reheated. Perhaps some of the moisture "came back" somehow; the air near the ocean where we were would have been moister, and it was foggy outside. Of course I have no idea if this would have affected anything; it's just speculation on my part.
~ 8 oz. for bread (Wt for total bag of chips: = 11.5 oz. (326 g.)
Calories: ~ 200 with 80 for choc chips?? (The entire 11.5 oz. bag of chips has 1,760 calories.)
Cost: ~$9.00 for all the ingredients to make one large pan
Ingredients purchased primarily from: Safeway, Menlo Park, CA

Comments:
- This pumpkin bread tasted a bit like Boston brown bread - but drier, and with chocolate chips instead of raisins.
- These Ghirardelli chocolate chips are bigger in size than most.
- It is definitely more difficult to calculate calories and costs with home-baked ingredients.

ChocolateBet: November 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Vivani
Dark Chocolate with Green Tea, 100% Organic; Cocoa Content: 70%
Good (had some bloom on it, and may have been sitting on shelf too long, or gotten overheated in transit to store; not sure)
Wt. 3.5 oz. (100g) total; 1/4 bar serving that I had ~ 25 g.
Calories: I ate ~ 140 calories worth in 1/4 bar, out of ~ 562 calories total in whole bar.
Cost: $3.59
Purchased from: Surf Super(market), in Gualala, CA

ChocolateBet: November 18, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1/3 of a massive chocolate caramel apple
Very Good (but also very rich)
?? Calories
$ ? (expensive)
Trinks, Gualala, CA

Chocolate thoughts/news/other:
One small apple rolled in multiple layers of caramel, chocolate, nuts, can grow to an impressive size.

ChocolateBet: November 17, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 pc.
Joseph Schmidt
Truffle - Almond Supreme
Very Good
Wt: ~ 1.5? oz.
Calories: ?
Cost: $2.99 ?
Purchased from: Z. Ciaccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

Stopped in North Beach/San Francisco for lunch at Cafe Divine, on the way up to a long-weekend vacation spot on the northern California coast.

ChocolateBet: November 16, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Lazzaroni
Bittersweet Chocolate with Amaretti di Saronno Crumbles
Very Good+
Weight: 3.17 oz. (90g) for 1 bar
Calories: Approx. 120 calories for 1/4 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, in San Francisco, CA

I could taste the amaretto cookies in this bittersweet chocolate bar from Lazzaroni (Italy). I thought the crunchy almond-flavored amaretti cookie bits (sugar, apricot kernels, egg whites) embedded in the bar made for a delicious blend of flavors.

ChocolateBet: November 15, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
The Xocolate Bar
Blackcurrant
Very Good
Wt.: 62 grams for total pkg of 5 different chocolates
Calories: ?
$12.99/package of 5
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, in San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: November 14, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
The Xocolate Bar
Black Muscat
Very Good
? oz/g. for 1 piece (unknown); 62 grams for whole pkg. of five (5)
Cost: $? for 1 pc.; $12.99 total/pkg of 5
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach/San Francisco, CA

I think these are vegan chocolates; but I can't find the package they came in now. They have molds of buddhas and other interesting shapes and figures, which is kind of fun. The Xocolate Bar was founded by a couple (Malena and Clive) who are based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

ChocolateBet: November 13, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
The Xocolate Bar
Peppermint
Good - Very Good
Wt: ? for 1 pc; 62 grams total for pkg of 5
Cost: $? for 1 pc; $12.99 for a pkg of 5 different bonbons
Purchased from Z. Cioccolatos in North Beach/San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: November 12, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 pkg/3 servings
Harry & David's
Moose Munch Confection: Original Dark Chocolate
Very Good
Wt.: 4.5 oz. (127 g)
Calories: 660 calories
$3.99
Purchased from: Michaels (the arts and crafts store), Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: November 11, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Lindt
Lindor (truffle)
Dark Chocolate
Good - Very Good; a bit too sweet for me
Wt: ~ .5 oz.?
Calories: ~70-80?
Cost: $0.39
Purchased from: Michaels, Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: November 10, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

ChocolateBet: November 9, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

ChocolateBet: November 8, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (5 pieces)
Dove/Mars
Milk Chocolate Pecan Pie Flavored Caramel
Weight: 40 grams in 1 serving (5 pieces) / 5.8 oz. (164.4 g.) in total package
Calories: 200 calories in one 5-piece serving
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Walgreen's, Palo Alto, CA

These individually wrapped, bite-sized, Dove Milk Chocolate Pecan Pie Flavored Caramels contained a "Promises" message on the inside of each wrapper, a bit like a fortune cookie.

ChocolateBet: November 7, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Hebert's Fully Loaded
Rocky Road (bar)
Very Good
2.75 oz. (78 grams) total
Calories: 100 for 1/4 bar
$ 1.50 (sale)
Purchased from Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

This "Fully Loaded" Hebert's Rocky Road milk chocolate bar was chock full of traditional rocky road confection ingredients: milk chocolate, walnuts, dark chocolate and marshmallow pieces.

This bar was manufactured by Hebert Confections, LLC, in Shewsbury, MA.

ChocolateBet: November 6, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Hebert's (fully loaded)
Dark Chocolate Turtle bar
("dark chocolate with pecan pralines & toffee")
Very Good?
Wt.: 2.75 oz. (78 grams)
Calories: 400 calories in total bar
$1.50 (sale price)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Good; but I shouldn't have eaten so much. I hope this lack of time for real meals and vegetables won't catch up to me too soon.

Monday, November 5, 2007

ChocolateBet: November 5, 2007

Chocolate of the day:
Teuscher
1 piece - walnut marzipan
Very Good
Wt: ~ .4 oz.
Calories: ? (~70-80)
$ ? (per piece?)
This was part of a tiny hand-packed assortment box of 4-5 pieces
Purchased at Teuscher store in San Francisco, CA, near Union Square

ChocolateBet: November 4, 2007

Chocolate of the day:
Teuscher
1 piece - milk chocolate honeybee
(shaped like a bee; can taste honey it's made with - slightly crunchy (honeycomb?)
Good+ - Very Good
$ ? (per piece)
? oz./grams
? Calories
Bought at Teuscher store in San Francisco, near Union Square
This was part of a tiny hand-packed assortment box of 4-5 pieces.

ChocolateBet: November 3, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Recchiutis
1 piece
Cassis Strata (cassis fruit gelee layer, dark chocolate ganache)
Very Good, but I would like to have tasted fruit flavor even a bit more
~.4 oz./? grams
Calories: ?
$ ?
I bought this (and a few other pieces) at the Recchiuti chocolate shop in the Ferry Building in San Francisco. They have some very nice/interesting flavor combinations, but I would love to have some of these flavors come through a bit more than they do now. The flavors are not quite strong enough for me, although they're very nice, high-quality chocolates. (Recchiuti is a local San Francisco Bay Area business and, I was told, was founded by Michael and Jacky Recchiuti.)

ChocolateBet: November 2, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Recchiuti
Sur de Lago ("bitter" chocolate ganache topped with crushed Sur de Lago cacao nibs)
Very Good
Wt. ~ .4 oz.
Calories: ?
$ ?
Purchased from: Recchiuti, SF Ferry Building, in San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: November 1, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Recchiuti
Burnt Caramel (burnt caramel and dark chocolate ganache)
Very Good
Wt. ~.4 oz.
Calories: ?
$ ?
Purchased from: Recchiuti, SF Ferry Building, in San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: October 31, 2007

Chocolate of the day:

Recchiuti
Star Anise and Pink Peppercorn
Very Good
Weight: ~ .45 oz. (estim.)
Calories: 65? calories
Cost: $ ?
Bought at: Recchiuti, SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Recchiuti is a high-end supplier of carefully executed chocolate jewels that you can view at the company's attractive display case in the San Francisco Ferry Building. They're pricey, but good.

Trying today's Recchiuti chocolate with spices helped mask my frustration over not having more time to hunt down a more Halloween-specific chocolate to feature for today -- Halloween. One of the biggest chocolate holidays of the year.

I tried looking in Latino markets close to home for chocolate skulls or skull molds associated with El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead, celebrated in Mexico), another late autumn holiday celebrated this week, but no luck.

Vosges chocolates' web site looked like they carried chocolate skulls, but I couldn't find them online (at least in time for this year). Next year!

ChocolateBet: October 30, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Recchiuti
Rose Caramel
Very Good
Wt.: ~ .4 oz.? (estim.)
Calories: ~ 65 calories (estim.)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Recchiuti, in the Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: October 29, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Whole Foods/Belg.?
Belgian Little Bites - Dark Chocolate
Very Good; small individually-wrapped chocolates
Weight: 4.4 oz./125 g. pkg total
Calories: ~ 26 calories each
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

Extreme Chocolate Reading...
This week I read a great article about chocolate in the New Yorker magazine (Oct 29, 2007 issue, p. 68). This piece, titled (Notes from a Gastronome) "Extreme Chocolate" is by Bill Buford; and it focuses on Dagoba founder, Frederick Schilling.

The author also takes you, dear readers, deep into the jungles of South America to talk about how beans are grown, harvested, fermented, and eventually poured into chocolate molds somewhere else in the world. Some interesting history about families in this business as well.

ChocolateBet: October 28, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Shaw's
Dark Coffee Toffee
Very Good
Weight: .65 oz.
Calories: 80 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.95 (for a whole bag/package of these dark coffee toffees)
Purchased from: Shaw's, Millbrae, CA

This Shaw's Dark Coffee Toffee candy had a great coffee toffee taste -- close to a toffee-ette*, another childhood favorite candy that tasted great, but could pull the fillings right out of your mouth. They were so good, you were more than willing to take that chance. My mother loved coffee, and thought nothing of giving her six children this coffee toffee candy now and then. Wow, that was brave.

But, I digress. Shaw's was a favorite neighborhood candy spot that had a few different locations in California during its hey-day. The closest location was within bicycling distance of our childhood home and sold candy, ice cream and gifts. Have bicycle (and a few quarters), will buy chocolate.

Sadly, it now appears that the Shaw's Millbrae location, several miles up the peninsula, is the last remaining outpost. Thank you Shaw's for keeping kids of all ages something sweet to remember.

*This candy no longer exists. I believe the company that made them may have been based in Alameda, CA.

ChocolateBet: October 27, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 bar
Cocoa Pete's
Berry Berry Dangerous
1.25 oz. (for 1/2 of a 2.5 oz. total pkg)
Very Good; hard to taste (dried?) strawberry though.
160 calories
$?
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA?

ChocolateBet: October 26, 2007


Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz.
M and M's / Mars
Light and dark pink-colored chocolate M and M's (special "edition")
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 14 oz. (396.9 g.) package
Calories: 140 calories for 1 oz. serving
$2.50 (sale price)
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

This was a nice, fresh-tasting bag of milk chocolate, special edition M and M's chocolate candies. Mars M and M's Brand is planning to contribute $550,000 to "Susan G. Komen for the Cure" this year. The pink-colored blend of M and M's were designed to show continued support in the fight against breast cancer.

Note on avoiding duplicate chocolates: 

I'm choosing to count different versions (shapes and colors) of a few chocolate candies (such as M and M's and Reese's peanut butter cups) as different types of chocolate for the purposes of this chocolate bet. You may disagree, but I figure if it has a different retail sku, and different packaging, and either a different recipe - i.e. different colorings, shapes - then it counts as a "different" chocolate. On the other hand, if the chocolate candy appears in different wrapper colors, but it's really the same item inside the wrapper, and/or has the same bar code, then I'd have to say no, this wouldn't do... My apologies if you're bored with this whole thing by now.

ChocolateBet: October 25, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving (heaping tablespoon?)
Arbonne
Chocolate Protein Shake powder (mixed with milk and water)
Good - Very Good - Not bad for one of these types of drinks
~1 oz? of powder into ~ 6 oz. of milk/water and ice
Calories: ?
$ 0 - gift sample
Obtained from: my sister

One of these days I'm going to dedicate a week to chocolate diet drinks; that should be fun. And if consuming these products resulted in the loss of a pants size, then I would be OK with that too. Maybe I'll try this in January 2008, as part of a resolution to lose a bit of weight.

ChocolateBet: October 24, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Vosges Haut Chocolat
Gianduja Bar ("exotic candy bar" line)
Good - Very Good
Weight: 32 grams/85 grams total
Calories: 190 for 1 serving
Cost: $6.95 (estimate)
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

This Gianduja "exotic candy bar" from Vosges Haut Chocolat (Chicago, IL) was made of almonds, caramelized hazelnuts, and deep milk (41% cacao) chocolate.

As described on the bar's packaging, first almonds and hazelnuts were caramelized with sugar, then ground into a thick paste, and blended into milk chocolate.

ChocolateBet: October 23, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving/scoop
Safeway Select (light ice cream)
Caramel Caribou "Denali" light ice cream
Good - Very Good for light ice cream
Wt: ~ 1/2 cup or 62 grams
Calories: 120 calories/serving
Cost: ~ $3.00 for whole container (on sale - two for $5.99)
Purchased from: Safeway supermarket in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: October 22, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Vosges
Mo's Bacon Bar
Very Good - Yum
Weight: 3.0 oz. (85 grams) in 1 bar
Calories: 425 calories (estimate) for whole bar (according to label)
Cost: ?
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

This Mo's Bacon Bar from Vosges (Chicago, IL) is a bar that most people will probably either love or hate. Count me in the former camp.

What is a Mo's Bacon Bar? The packaging described the gluten free, savory milk chocolate bar by listing the ingredients (a combination of) "applewood smoked bacon, Alder wood smoked salt, (and) 'deep' milk chocolate."

Creator, Katrina Markoff explains, on the back of the package, that her interest in experimenting with chocolate + bacon dates back to age 6, when she remembers eating chocolate chip pancakes with syrup, and bacon.

The bacon pieces I tasted in this Mo's bar were just the right texture; they were still crunchy and they harmonized almost perfectly with the deep milk (41% cacao) chocolate that encased them.

ChocolateBet: October 21, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 pop
Tootsie Roll Industries
Tootsie Roll Pop - Chocolate
Good; enjoyed nostalgic value (and biting into the center)
Wt: 0.6 oz./17 grams
Cost: free
Obtained from: Candlewood Suites, South Austin, TX

For all of us of a certain age... Yes, I think I can still remember the Tootsie Pop TV commercials I watched when I was a kid. I remember a wise cartoon owl character admonishing us to try not to bite into the chocolate tootsie pop center. You were supposed to be patient and lick the candy shell off instead. But, people had trouble being patient. And people would inevitably bite into the thing after only 3 or 4 licks, as I recall. Several baby boomer authors have written with humor and nostalgia about our candy-coated culture, and a few fondly reference TV commercials in the 1950s - 1970s. The book that I've read that seems most directly tied to this theme is Steve Almond's "Candy Freak." I also just bought a copy of the life and times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson - which I will read looking for chocolate memories (and the commercials that sold us these memories) as well. I'll look forward to reading a few more of these books in between new chocolate search expeditions.

ChocolateBet: October 20, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 scoop
Amy's Ice Creams
"On Any (Given) Sundae" ice cream
Good+
Weight: 4.5 oz. (estimate) total
Calories: 290 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ 2.98
Purchased from: Amy's Ice Creams, Austin, Texas (Austin-Bergstrom Airport)

Well, you have to try the BBQ when you're in Texas, right? I'm not a big meat eater anymore; but I do enjoy at least one barbeque item when I'm in Austin or San Antonio.

Unfortunately, I was too full of BBQ from the Salt Lick (near Amy's Ice Creams) in the Austin, TX, airport, to completely finish this cup of ice cream (very unusual for me).

ChocolateBet: October 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolove
Chilies and Cherries in Dark Chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight:  1.066 oz. (30 g.) in 1/3 bar / 3.2 oz. (90 grams) total bar
Calories: 151 calories for 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

I brought this Chocolove bar with me on my business trip to Texas this week -- in case I didn't have time to search for new chocolates. I thought this chocolate with (ancho and chipotle) chili peppers in it might be a good thematic choice given that I'd be in Texas.

The bar was made of good, quality dark (55% cocoa content) chocolate; and it could have passed for a higher percentage than this. I really liked the fact that I could taste the cherries and the chilies in this well-balanced bar.

The "free" love poem inside the wrapper was clever.

This subject of this passionate poem reminded me to go back and rent/watch two movies: "Chocolat" with Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche; and also "Como Agua Para Chocolate" (aka Like Water for Chocolate). Both are good films for lovers of chocolate, chilies, and love poems.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

ChocolateBet: October 18, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Redstone's
Jalapeno Bar (with Peanuts)
Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. / 3 oz. total bar
Calories: 220 for 1.5 oz. serving (1/2 bar)
Cost: $4.75
Purchased from: The Texas Store ("Everything in Texas is Bigger"); Austin, TX

This Redstone's Jalapeno milk chocolate bar with salted peanuts was very good. The milk chocolate was good; the salted peanuts added some crunchy texture and helped balance sweet and savory flavors; and the jalapeno pepper gave the bar a bit of a zing.

I'm still in Texas on business. In between meetings and marathon email bouts, I'm eating chocolate (brought from home). I have found some local (Texas) fare. For example, I stopped at Rudy's Barbeque in San Antonio, TX, before driving back to the hotel. The day was sunny and warm, and perfect for eating BBQ outside on a wooden table and bench. Soaked up as many photons as possible.

I happened to read an article in the local paper when I was in the hotel waiting for my computer to boot up - about chocolate and pets. This got me thinking...I need to research this whole topic of chocolate's toxicity as it applies to some of our furry and feathered friends. Stories seem to vary in terms of how toxic chocolate is, in part because it depends on the size/weight of the dog, and the type (cacao content) of the chocolate.

Today's Chocolate-Related News: by BJ Darnell: Chocolate can kill...
Catoosa County News - Ringgold, GA, USA

Halloween is just days away, and you need to think now about the safety precautions you are going to put into place to keep your pet, as well as your children, safe. Rules are the best for everyone when we have people out there who delight in the misfortune of others.

All candy is not created equal, but whether it is artificial or the real thing, chocolate can and will kill your pet. I have people all the time tell me that they give their pets chocolate and it has not hurt them.

Sorry folks! You must have been living right, because you are going to do that once too often and suffer the consequences of your actions.

Dogs especially love chocolate; the more the merrier, if you would believe them. The majority of the time, you are just too late realizing how sick your pet really is and do not make it to the veterinarian in time.

I personally do not think you should even buy treats or chewies that taste like chocolate because it will just cause a drive in your animal to acquire it by whatever means it can.

I have heard stories of animals climbing onto chairs to get to whatever is on the table they smell. Dog need more help, ordinarily, than cats, who can, flatfooted, make the top of the table and the counter in one bound. Remember, candy dishes should have tops and be placed where small children and pets can not have free access to them.

ChocolateBet: October 17, 2007

Today's chocolate: Chocolates from Texas

Redstone's
"Red Chili" - Chipotle Dark Chocolate bar (1/2 bar)
"Made expressly for Redstone Foods, Inc." (which is based in Carrollton, TX)
Very Good Weight:  1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in 1/2 bar / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: "The Texas Store" in Austin, TX

I'm still in Texas on a business trip. So, it only seemed right to try to eat some chocolate from Texas. I bought two Redstone chocolate bars in The Texas Store*, in a mall in Austin -- the Red Chili bar for today, and a Jalapeno bar for tomorrow.

I'm not sure who manufactures these bars for Redstone. The packaging contained a statement that read: "Made expressly for Redstone Foods, Inc." (Carrollton, TX ).


The Red Chili bar was somewhat spicy, but good. The base dark chocolate was of reasonably good quality.

*The Texas Store was next to a cell phone accessories kiosk -- where I was buying a cell phone charger (that I desperately needed after our two pet bunnies apparently chewed into one of the cell phone cords at home -- right before I left on this trip). There is really no connection with this and the chocolate news story that follows, other than rodents nibbling on things and chocolate.

Chocolate News Story for the Day: The Chocolate Jesus has returned.
(My favorite part of this story is imagining the sculptor repairing damage caused by mouse nibbling.)

From AM New York
Artist bringing 'Chocolate Jesus' back
By David Freedlander, amNewYork Staff Writer
dfreedlander@am-ny.com
October 17, 2007
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-chocolate1017,0,7355154.story

Last spring's "Chocolate Jesus" has been resurrected, but this time the artist hopes the controversy has melted away.The life-sized sculpture will be included as part of the "Chocolate Saints…Sweet Jesus" show at the Proposition Gallery in Chelsea timed to coincide with All Saints Day on Nov. 1. The show also will feature eight chocolate sculptures of Catholic saints.

The art space is expected to mail invitations next week featuring a "scratch n' sniff" on the breasts of a likeness of the Virgin Mary. (Comment: designed for maximum uproar and publicity no doubt)

Related links
'My Sweet Lord' chocolate Jesus statue Photos
Is Chocolate Jesus a publicity stunt?
"It sounds pretty sick to me," said John Horvat, a spokesman for the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property. "Obviously this man has an agenda. He's targeting very revered religious figures."


The gallery director said critics misunderstood the artist's intentions."I see it as basically a show about healing," Ronald Sosinski said. "The sculptures are extremely traditional when you see them in their use of material. When you first see them they look like bronzes.

"Last March, the Lab Gallery at the Roger Smith Hotel in midtown planned to display "My Sweet Lord" in a ground-floor window. In addition to being fashioned from a confection, it is "anatomically correct" and lacks the loin cloth that traditional depictions of Christ have.

The sculpture set off howls of protest from the likes of Cardinal Edward Egan and others, who objected to what they saw as a deliberately provocative artwork. The sculpture was never shown.

"The timing was appalling," said Kiera McCaffrey, a spokesperson for the Catholic League. "That was an upfront assault on Christian sensibilities during Holy Week.

"The league, she said, would not protest this exhibit because "it's going to be limited to galleries and people who expect and like that sort of thing. We don't approve of it, but it's a far cry from what we had last spring," with such a public display.

Cosimo Cavallaro, the Canadian-born artist, did not want to reveal where the sculpture has been stored because of threats, said it had to be repaired after mice gnawed at its fingers, toes, and nose.

He also insisted he's not trying to be sensational.

"As an artist I try to be honest with myself," he said. "When I wake up in the morning everything relates to food. I accepted the world of food and ever since then I've been a lot freer.

"He also hopes that portraying an anatomically-correct, chocolate Jesus calls people's attention to the fragility of life and the lived experience of Christ.

"Depictions of Jesus in plastic or wood are what I find offensive," he said. "With my work, you don't want it to melt, so you have to be more aware of the time you have with it. It's more alive."

ChocolateBet: October 16, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 package/box
Godiva 
chocoiste
Dark Chocolate Almonds
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) total package/box
Calories: 310 calories in 1 package/box
Cost: $
Purchased from: Macy's department store, Sunnyvale, CA

Yum (highest rating). I really enjoyed eating these on the plane flight out to Texas. 

I purchased these Godiva dark chocolate almonds during an after-work evening dash to the mall to buy a few suit jackets -- after our two kittens damaged another one of my blazers. Argh. As luck would have it, the suits I wanted were on sale. This fact + these chocolate almonds made me feel much better about this business trip. 

ChocolateBet: October 15, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Shaw's
Coconut Cream - Dark Choc.
Good+
Wt: ~.4 oz.
Calories: ~ 70
$0.51
Purchased from: Shaw's, Millbrae, CA

ChocolateBet: October 14, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Shaw's
Boysenberry Cream - Dark Chocolate
Good+
Wt: ~ 0.4 oz.
Calories: ~70
Cost: $0.51
Purchased from: Shaw's, Millbrae, CA

ChocolateBet: October 13, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Shaw's
Lemon Cream - Dark Chocolate
Good +
Wt: ~ 0.4 oz.
Calories: ~ 70
Cost: $0.51
Purchased from: Shaw's, Millbrae, CA

ChocolateBet: October 12, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Richart (Paris)
1.) Neroli Ganache - Very Good +
2.) Wildflower Ganache - Very Good - Yum
Wt: ~.33 oz. per piece
Cost: $47.00 total for both herbal and floral boxes/assortments/collections. Very pricey, but what you get is also above average.
Purchased two small (herbal and floral) assortment(s) from: Richart chocolates, San Francisco, on Sutter Street, near Union Square

One could spend a small fortune trying all the various collections here. Herbal flavors include: Jasmine Tea Ganache, Basil Ganache, Thyme Praline, Anise & Fennel Ganache, and others.
Floral flavors include: Rose Ganache, Ylang Ylang Ganache, and Lavender Ganache, among others. Both of today's chocolates were from the floral assortment.

ChocolateBet: October 11, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Richart (Paris)
1.) "Rosae" Geranium Ganache - Very Good - Yum
2.) Lavender Ganache - Very Good - Yum
Wt: ~.33 oz.
Calories: ?
Cost: $47.00 total for both herbal and floral boxes/assortments/collections. Very Pricey; but quality is above average, and flavors somewhat unique
Purchased from: Richart's in San Francisco (on Sutter St.) near Union Square

(Purchased small herbal collection and small floral collection. Both of today's pieces were from the floral assortment.)

ChocolateBet: October 10, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
3 pieces
Richart (Paris)
1.) Basil Ganache - Good - Very Good
2.) Anise/Fennel Ganache - Very Good
3.) Herbal Bouquet Ganache - Very Good +; I can taste the oregano I think.
Wt: ~.33 oz. per piece
Calories: ?
Cost: $47.00 for both Herbal and Floral boxes/collections/assortments; Very Pricey; but chocolates are above average quality and flavor selection
Purchased from: Richart's, San Francisco, CA; on Sutter Street, near Union Square.

(I purchased two small assortments - a small herbal and a small floral assortment. Today's three pieces were all from the herbal assortment.)

ChocolateBet: October 9, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
4 pieces (from Herbal Asstmt.)
Richart (Paris)
1.) Jasmine Tea Ganache - Good - Very Good
2.) Verbena/Mint Ganache - Very Good
3.) Green Tea Ganache - Good - Very Good
4.) Thyme Praline - Very Good - Yum; nice combination
Wt. ~.33 oz./piece
Calories: ?
Cost: $ 47.00 for 2/both Herbal and Floral asstmts/boxes/collections) total; Very Pricey
Purchased from: Richart's in San Francisco, CA, on Sutter Street near Union Square

(I purchased two small assortments - one herbal and one floral. All four of today's pieces were from the herbal assortment.)

ChocolateBet: October 8, 2007

Today I'm enjoying the last two pieces from the Schurra's assortment box of 9 pieces purchased earlier.

1.) White coating with green lines on top - lemon cream pie/key lime pie truffle? - Very Good
2.) Dark choc- gold swirl pattern on top (fruit, spice combin flavor?) - Was this the Banana Rum Raisin Truffle? Hard to tell - Good - Very Good.

Whole box = $11.99 for 9 pieces
Calories for two pieces (~18 grams) is approx. 100 calories

Purchased at San Jose airport (Oct 1) on way back home from vacation/Seattle

ChocolateBet: October 7, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Schurra's

I had 2 pieces from this assortment box.
1.) Milk/Dark chocolate; herb flavor? - Very Good
2.) Dark choc. (purplish and orangish flowers on top) lemon verbena or lavender? - Very Good
Wt. ~.33 oz. each piece
Calories for 2 pieces ~ 100 calories
Cost: $11.99 for whole box (9 pieces)
Purchased at San Jose Airport (on Oct 1) on way back from vacation/Seattle

ChocolateBet: October 6, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 
(Somehow I ended up with two different chocolates in same day; I think this is a mistake.)

2 pieces
Seattle Chocolates
Mint Truffles (2 pcs)
Very Good; nice strong authentic mint flavor, which I liked.
Wt.: Total box/package = 8 oz./226 grams
Calories: ?
Cost: $ ?
Purchased from: a pharmacy/drug store in Orcas Island, WA

Also,
1 piece
Teuscher
Dark Chocolate Champagne truffle
Very Good; ate with my daughter and her boyfriend during trip to the city/SF
Weight: ~.4 oz.
Cost ~ $1.00
Purchased from: Teuscher, San Francisco, CA, near Union Square

ChocolateBet: October 5, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Schurra's 
2 pieces from assortment box:
1.) Milk chocolate with gold star pattern on top - Ginger Truffle - Very Good
2.) Dark chocolate ("quilted" surface) basil or herb/mint taste? - Very Good +
Weight: ~.33 oz. per piece
Calories: 100 calories (estimate) for 2 piecesWhole box = $11.99 for 9 truffles/pieces
Cost: $11.99 for 1 box of 9 pieces 
Purchased from: shop at San Jose Airport, San Jose, CA

This Schurra's Private Reserve assortment box was purchased at San Jose Airport earlier this month, on the way back from vacation in Seattle and Orcas Island.

ChocolateBet: October 4, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Schurra's Private Reserve box

I had 3 pieces - from a 9-pc assortment box (but I don't count the white chocolate one, #2).
1.) 1 Raspberry Truffle - "Dark Belgian chocolate blended with pure raspberry puree and then covered in Belgian dark chocolate. Swirls of red hearts finish the piece." It was Very Good.
2.) 1 white chocolate with a beige cream center; this was probably their Creme Brulee truffle; it was Good-Very Good

3.) 1 chocolate (decorated with orangish swirls on top) that was flavored with spices; this was Good.

Price: was $11.99 for whole box, 9 pieces
Cost for 3 pieces ~ $4.00
Calories for 3 pieces is approximately 150 calories

This assortment was purchased at San Jose Airport on Oct. 1 - on way bk from vacation. Schurra's is a local (Bay Area-based) chocolatier based in San Jose, CA. Airport gift stores can be great places to discover/buy local chocolates - even in your own backyard.

As notes above, I'm not planning on counting any candy that is pure "white chocolate" in my list. However, at some point I may end up making an exception or two. We'll see. For now though - no.

ChocolateBet: October 3, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

1 piece

Ringo
MiniBall

Weight: .28 oz. (8 grams) in 1 piece /3.1 oz. (88 grams) in total cylindrical container
Calories: 42 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased either in or around Milan or Rome, Italy, by co-worker

A kind traveler in the office brought back a small bag of chocolates for some of us at work - from her recent trip to Italy. (Thank you Flavia!) 

The MiniBall chocolates were two-color orbs (milk and white chocolate) that looked like soccer balls with a cookie "surprise" in the middle. I didn't eat the cookie part because I can't have wheat; but it was a clever idea; I liked the design and am guessing that children would appreciate these as well. 

ChocolateBet: October 2, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Seattle Chocolates
2 piecesBlackberry Creme Truffles
Good - Very Good
Weight: 8 oz. (227 grams) total box/packageCalories: 2 pieces = ? calories
Cost: $ ?
Purchased these in Washington State, during vacation trip to Orcas Island.


Comments: Theses were good. However, while I know this is a creme, I would have loved to have tasted more of the real berry taste.

ChocolateBet: October 1, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

1 piece
McCormack and Schmicks restaurant (Seattle, Lake Union)

Flourless chocolate cake with red raspberry and mango coulis
Very Good
? Calories?
$ ? (check receipt?)

I had this dessert after a very nice lunch of salmon, mashed potatoes, and green beans. We had just flown in from Orcas Island (San Juan Islands) into Seattle via Kenmore Air seaplane. If you have an opportunity, I recommend flying by seaplane. You fly low enough that you get to see interesting things below you like submerged marine life, and, in our case, even a large dark-colored submarine.


This flourless chocolate cake at McCormack and Schmicks restaurant in Seattle, on Lake Union, was a great way to end this leg of the scenic journey.

ChocolateBet: September 30, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc. (hand-made) Minneapolis, MN 

B.T.'s Macadamia ToffeeVery Good - Yum
Weight: Total package is 4.0 oz./113 grams (= 3 servings of 4 pieces each)
Calories: One serving is about 230 calories. I had 2 servings = 460 calories (8 smallish pieces)
Price: $7.29 total package
Purchased at the Orcas Village Store, Orcas Island, WA

B.T.'s Macadamia Toffee was described as "Buttercrunch toffee squares made with pure butter from local creameries, blanketed in thick dark chocolate with a generous topping of chopped macadamia nuts." Works for me.

These were very good, with a nice short list of great ingredients and great flavors; and I had fun sharing these.

I enjoyed these while on vacation in the San Juan Islands (Orcas Island), Washington.

ChocolateBet: September 29, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Kathryn Taylor Chocolates
(looks to be local to Orcas Island/San Juan Islands in Washington state from label); looks like it might be a family business.
Fleur de Sel Caramels - dark and milk assortment
Good - Very Good
Weight: 2.8 oz. (79 g.) total

Cost: $11.99 for total package
Purchased in Washington State on vacation in San Juan Islands at Orcas Village Store
? pieces ? Calories


Other comments: preservative-free; hand-made from fresh local and organic ingredients; good, but a bit over-priced. Not quite as good as some of the other high-end salt caramels. (Corn syrup: ewww, whyyy?)


It was great to find a local chocolatier to this area (San Juan Islands, WA) while on vacation though. Given the swings in business (between the summer and year-round crowds on islands), it must make business challenging.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...