Saturday, September 22, 2007

ChocolateBet: June 21, 2007

Alas, I did not get the brand, or name of company who makes the chocolate I had today. My daughter and I, and many other family members and relatives, boarded an authentic Mississippi river boat this evening for a cruise up and down the river and through the locks, and for dinner and drinks as well.

My chocolate for today was a chocolate - dipped fresh strawberry that I'd rate as Very Good - Yum. It was also timely that we did this cruise on this summer soltice evening, as there was additional entertainment/soltice celebrations and dancers on the river banks to watch as we went by. It was great timing.

Postscript: about a month after this trip, a large bridge collapsed a few miles from where these river boats dock. I hope their business was not affected, and that everyone we spoke to is OK.

ChocolateBet: June 20, 2007

Vacations and chocolate are an easy mix. My daughter and I flew to Minnesota for a family reunion. And no sooner did we start to stroll toward the baggage claim area when we ran into the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the Minneapolis airport. Once again, airports gift shops help tourists gain easy access to local chocolate favorites.

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries
1 piece, ~.5 oz.
Very Good
Purchased at: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store in Minneapolis, MN airport

ChocolateBet: June 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving/sucker
1 Vertigo Chocolate Strawberry sucker
~.75 oz.??
Very Good
Calories: about 100 calories??
Purchased at: Bed Bath & Beyond, in Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: June 18, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 serving
Tootsie Roll Industries
Junior Caramels
Good
Wt.: 4.25 oz. total box/pkg.
Calories: 1/2 serving =~6 pieces =~95 calories
Cost: $1.49 for total box/pkg.
Purchased at: Bed, Bath & Beyond store in Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: June 17, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (2 pieces)
Lammes Candies
Longhorns - pecans and caramel in (milk) chocolate
Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. / 1.5 oz. total for 2 piece box
Calories: 110 calories for 1 piece
$0 - gift ($3.99 regular price)
Purchased from: N/A - gift (San Antonio, TX airport)

We might call these turtles. But, in Texas these chocolate covered, pecan-studded caramel confections are called Longhorns.

My boyfriend brought these Longhorns, from Lammes Candies, back from Texas; and we ate these at the end of a hike up a mountain, near Pacifica, CA. We sat on a bench at the top and had a great view of the Pacific Ocean and Pacifica down below. The millionaire view, with chocolate.

ChocolateBet: June 16, 2007


Chocolate of the Day:
.5 oz.
Niederegger Lubeck
Marzipan - Erdbeer-Kiwi (Strawberry Kiwi)
Weight: .5 oz. (14 grams)/ 3.5 oz. (100 grams) in total bar
Calories: ~ 80 calories in 1/2 oz.
Cost: $(~$3.69)
Purchased from: (World Market?)

ChocolateBet: June 15, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Ritter Sport Mini
Milk Chocolate (Vollmilch)
16.67 grams
Good - Very Good
Calories: approx. 90 per bar
$3.49 (for an assortment of several different Ritter mini bars)
Purchased at: World Market, Mountain View, CA

Misc: I fed an over-eager squirrel at the back kitchen door some whole almonds that I like to eat with different chocolates sometimes. (No, don't worry, I didn't feed the squirrel any chocolate, although I thought I saw a squirrel next door eating part of an Oreo cookie a few years ago.) OK, back to the point...Raw/Unsalted almonds and water are a decent palette cleanser between chocolate tastings.

ChocolateBet: June 14, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Ritter Sport Mini
Chocolate with Marzipan
16.67 grams
Good; nothing bad, just not really great...
Calories: approx. 90 per bar
$3.49 (for an assortment of several different Ritter mini bars)
Purchased at: World Market, Mountain View, CA

What was great today was attending my daughter's high school graduation ceremony and dinner up in the hills (behind the Mountain Terrace Restaurant on Skyline) on a broad stretch of lawn - ringed by tall trees and a bit of a view down into the valley below.

My mom got permission to leave her care facility, and my dad pushed her wheelchair to the front so that she could give my daughter her diploma. It was a great moment. And speaking of sweet things. There were some desserts with chocolate at the dinner, but they had wheat in them, so I had my Ritter sport mini.

ChocolateBet: June 13, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Ritter Sport Mini
Chocolate with Nougat/Praline
16.67 grams
Good - Very Good; the small size is very nice.
Calories: approx. 90 per bar
$3.49 total (for assortment of several Ritter mini bars)
Purchased at: World Market, Mountain View, CA

Misc: I ate a delicious nectarine today, and thought about - when I finish my "year of chocolate" - it might be refreshing to try a "fruit year" - where I tried to eat a different kind or variety of fruit every day. That, or maybe salads, or soups. All things I like, and maybe a little less caloric too. I'd really love to do a "beach" year next, but that probably requires more vacation time off than I have accrued. Ah well. Life is full of good material we can use for fun projects.

ChocolateBet: June 12, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Ritter Sport Mini
Chocolate with corn flakes (knusperflakes)
16.67 grams
Good - Very Good; tastes like chocolate with corn flakes - because it is :-). I like the small size.
Approx. 90 calories per bar
$3.49 total (for a variety pack of small Ritter mini bars)
Purchased at: World Market, Mountain View, CA

Misc: Hey, if we put rice crispies in our chocolate, why not corn flakes, or other flakes or puffs? And speaking of breakfast cereal, I was happy to have the chance to make my daughter and I some breakfast (mostly for her) before her math final today.

ChocolateBet: June 11, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 pkg/drink
Ecco Bella
health by chocolate "instant bliss" drink mix
1 oz./28 g.
Very Good; tastes like fancy chocolate milk
~210 calories w/ milk
$2.49/1 oz. packet
Purchased at: (?Elephant Pharmacy, Los Altos, CA?)

Random entry: I saw the movie "Paprika" this evening after work. Sort of a bizarre, but creatively interesting Japanese animated film. I didn't see any dancing chocolates, but there might have been some. I'll watch more closely next time, if I see the movie again in the future.

ChocolateBet: June 10, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
~ 1 oz./part of 1 bar
Niederegger Lubeck
Marzipan Peach Mango bar
~ 3.5 oz. (100 grams) total
Good - Very Good
$3.69
Purchased at: World Market, Mountain View, CA

Got to sleep in, then I drove up the coast to San Francisco. The scenery was beautiful, with caramel-orange colored cliffs jutting up out of turquoise surf.

Comments: Chocolate & wine can be better enjoyed when shared; I ate this chocolate with my sister and my dad at my parent's house in the evening.

ChocolateBet: June 9, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Ben & Jerry's (ice cream)
New York Fudge Chunk
1 serving ~ 4 oz.
Very Good
~260 calories

Random addition:
I ate this with some milk and nuts in a bowl. Try it; you'll see, it's not bad. And speaking of nuts, we went to go see a comedy this evening - Jay Apatow's movie "Knocked Up" which had people laughing out loud in several parts.

ChocolateBet: June 8, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving, ~1/3 bar
Ritter Sport
Cappucino
~1.16 oz. or ~37.5 grams (3.5 oz./100 g. for total bar)
Good; although it's a bit too sweet for my taste; and they add lactose.
Calories: 220 calories for 1 srvg (sounds a bit high; maybe it's the palm oil)
$1.99
Purchased at: World Market, Mountain View, CA

Comment/Open Question: Lactose is not well tolerated by millions of people around the globe. Why is there lactose in so many foods and medicines? I seem to remember that it may facilitate the mixing of ingredients together, or somesuch. My guess it's just an inexpensive sugar-type substance they found a use for.

ChocolateBet: June 7, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Ritter Sport
Milk chocolate with coconut (bar)
1 bar - 3.5 oz./100 g. total
Very Good; 660 calories
$1.99
Purchased at World Market, Mountain View

Notes: I love chocolate and coconut (in hot cocoa (with or without alcohol), german chocolate cake, some candy, ice cream - all the better if there are nuts involved. Although some folks are being warned by their doctor to stay away from coconut - for health reasons; usually the concern is over coconut milk and high saturated fat content. Hey, just don't eat it every day. Personally, I'd be more worried about all the hidden trans fats and other things.

ChocolateBet: June 6, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/3 bar
Cadbury
Royal Dark - dark semi-sweet chocolate
1.5 oz. (~42g) serving/4.5 oz. (127 g) total (for whole bar)
Good - Very Good
basic dark chocolate
220 calories for 1 serving (710 calories in whole bar)

Misc: This bar is manufactured by The Hershey Company, under license from Cadbury Ltd. I like the royal insignia on this label; it states "by appointment to H.M. the Queen... Cocoa and chocolate manufacturers Cadbury Ltd., Bournville." I may not be around long enough myself to collect one of these Royal Warrant stamps for supplying something valuable to the royals, but it's fun to see one.

ChocolateBet: June 5, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
E. Guittard
Sur Del Lago Bittersweet (Venezuela) - single origin choc
1 oz. serving - 1/2 bar (2 oz. bar total)
Good - Very Good
basic dark chocolate
145 calories for 1 serving or 1/2 bar
65% cacao
$?
Purchased at: Easy Foods Market, in Mountain View, CA

There is lots of language describing these single origins (chocolates) like a fine wine.

For example: "Complex chocolate flavors underlie subtle hints of red berry fruit. Cacao beans used to make this chocolate were harvested from trees of Criollo and Trinitario heritage in Venezuela's Sur del Lago region."

Also..."Each E. Guittard single origin chocolate is carefully crafted to showcase the unique flavors of the region and the ancient cacao tree type from which it came. We refer to them as our 'sipping chocolates' and savor them as one savors a fine wine."

When each bean or grape has a story behind it, people are probably also willing to pay more for the end product.

ChocolateBet: June 4, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
E. Guittard
Ambanja Bittersweet (Madagascar) bar5
1 oz. serving - 1/2 bar (bar is 2 oz. total)
Very Good
Calories: ~ 145 calories for 1/2 bar (290 cals total)
$?
Purchased at: Easy Foods (Market), Mountain View, CA

Today's chocolate, a single origin, E. Guittard Ambanja Bittersweet (65% cacao) bar, was made from cacao beans from Madagascar, and it had nice, rich flavors.

Misc. notes: This evening I attended a "jewelry party" and got to catch up with an ex-colleague from consulting days. It was great to see her. We talked about life, my silly chocolate bet, what I'm doing at work, etc. She looked slim and very healthy. This reminds me that I need to lose a few pounds I've put on this year. Ah, trade-offs.

ChocolateBet: June 3, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
? serving?
Scharffen Berger
Dark chocolate-coated ginger
~1/8 of an ounce?
Very Good
Purchased at: Piazza's (market), Palo Alto, CA

Misc. notes: These would be good to try in chocolate chip cookies; they could probably be used in place of chocolate chips.

I went to the local art museum today to see an exhibit (and, yes, I always check the museum shop for chocolate items). I also re-watched the movie/documentary on artist Andy Goldsworthy, entitled "Rivers and Tides." It's wonderfully creative, and visually compelling. Note-to-self: It would be fun to do a nature-inspired sculptural piece like this, somehow incorporating chocolate.

Dagoba - ChocolateBet: June 2, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

1/4 bar
Dagoba
Brasilia - chocolate, coconut and exotic nuts bar
Good - Very Good
Weight: ~.5 oz. serving (1/4 bar)
Calories: ~82 calories for 1/4 bar
Cost: $?
Purchased in: (Gualala, CA?)

It's Saturday, and I made it to the gym today. That always makes me feel a bit better, and makes it easier to justify sampling chocolate. But, work has really heated up again, and I have some additional responsibilities now that make it difficult to leave early enough in the evenings to work out - before the gym closes at 8 p.m.

This Dagoba Brasilia bar was made with 37% cacao chocolate, coconut and nuts.

Notes: In my mind it's hard to go too far wrong when you combine chocolate, coconut and nuts. It's interesting to note though that this combination can range from ok to incredible. This was somewhere in between. I'll have to pay more attention to ingredients, and other reasons why such variations occur.

ChocolateBet: June 1, 2007

Happy birthday to my dad today. He bounced back from open heart surgery a few months ago and is already taking long bicycle rides again.

Tonight after work I met a friend in downtown Palo Alto to do the First Friday gallery artwalk. And I was on the look-out for some stores with different chocolates as well. And I did find one...

The chocolate for the day is:
(sample)
The Cocoa Room (www.thecocoaroom.com) I at first thought co name was Chocolate Room, but I'm correcting this.
Chocolate-coated sunflower seeds
~ 1/8 of an ounce serving (sample at an art store downtown Palo Alto)
Good - Very Good
The Cocoa Room is based in Chicago, Ill.

ChocolateBet: May 31, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
~1/4 bar
Ritter
Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts (bar)
~.75 oz.? (smaller size)/3.5 oz. (100g.) in total bar
Good - Very Good

Misc: Happy birthday to my daughter Megan. Yesterday was her actual birthday. While she is allergic to nuts and can't share this candy bar with me, I was remembering throwing her a birthday party in the park when she was very young. We covered a few park picnic tables with tablecloths and paper, and let the kids "make" and decorate their own cupcakes. May all your memories be as sweet.

ChocolateBet: May 30, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Alexandra's Collection
Dark Chocolate Pecan Patty
1 oz./28 g.
Very Good; fair trade certified
Calories: 150 calories
Purchased at: Surf Supermarket, in Gualala, CA

Misc: Happy birthday to my daughter. She turns 18 today.

ChocolateBet: May 29, 2007

Getting things done at work after taking a break is always satisfying.

Today's chocolate is:
1 serving
Alexandra's Collection
Dark Chocolate Toffee Chip
1 oz.
Very Good; 61% cocoa; fair trade certified
Calories: 150 calories
Purchased at: Surf Super (aka Surf Supermarket), in Gualala, CA

ChocolateBet: May 27 and 28, 2007

Chocolate(s) of the Day(s):

Horrors. I've left out an entry for May 28. I'm having to combine these two entries for May 27 and May 28, because I don't have the time to see if I can fix this right now.

May 27, 2007
It's great to be on vacation for the weekend. A change of scene does wonders, as does catching up on sleep. One of the great things about traveling is discovering local food makers and their specialties. Today, I discovered Trinks desserts - and their Rocky Road candy at a local supermarket in the coastal town of Gualala. (Highway 1 runs through the center of town.) This candy is made in Gualala and ingredients include dark chocolate, walnuts, and marshmallows.

Chocolate of the Day (5/27):
1 serving/container
Trinks Desserts
3.2 oz. total
Very Good - Yum - This is very tasty, and could be addictive.
320 calories
$6.99/container/pkg.
Purchased at: Surf Super (Market), in Gualala, CA

May 28, 2007
Chocolate of the Day (5/28):
1 serving (1/4 bar)
Seattle Chocolates
Cappuccino Crunch - Toffee, Almonds, and Espresso (milk chocolate)
2.5 oz. (70 grams) total
Good - Very Good - espresso used is a bit strong for this milk chocolate
Calories: 100 for 1/4 bar
Purchased at: either Surf Super (Market) in Gualala, CA; or Easy Foods Market in Mountain View, CA?

ChocolateBet: May 26, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Ritter Sport
Milk Chocolate with whole almonds (bar)
1 serving
3.5 oz./100 g. total
Very Good
Calories: 150 calories for 1/4 bar
Purchased at: Easy Foods Market, in downtown Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: May 25, 2007

I have decided to drive up north for the weekend to a place called the Sea Ranch. It's a great, peaceful, beautiful place by the Pacific Ocean that, years ago, used to be a working ranch. Now it's mostly a place for vacation homes - done in the "style of" old sheep barn structures - natural wood, that homeowners are not allowed to paint.

On the drive up Highway 1 (a winding road with beautiful views of the ocean) I stop at a gas station and go into their little convenience store to get something to eat, and to look for strange chocolate items if they have them. They did have the following:

Chocolate of the Day:
Nestle
Shrek Sludge Fudge Bar
1 bar
Good - Very Good
150 calories; cute greenish-yellow caramel "ogre" filling inside the frozen fudge bar itself.
Purchased at: gas station convenience store off Highway 1, (Jenner? or Bodega Bay?)

ChocolateBet: May 24, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 "bottle"
Anthon Berg
(1 small foil-wrapped chocolate "bottle" with liquor filling)
Stoli Ohranj
~.75 oz.
Very Good
~$0.79 each/per bottle
Purchased at: Easy Foods (market) in Mountain View, CA

Today I'm finally in the right mode to cut back on over-eating. I think this has less to do with all this chocolate I've been eating, and more to do with all the family health and other wacky stressful stuff that's been going on since last November. Oh yes, I could cut back on how much chocolate I eat each day, and exercise more. Yes indeed.

ChocolateBet: May 23, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Anthon Berg
Galliano
(1 foil-wrapped chocolate "bottle" with liquor filling)
Very Good
Wt.: ~ .75 oz.?
Calories: ~ 108 cals (estim.)
Cost: $~0.79
Purchased at Easy Foods Market, Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: May 22, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
1 "bottle"
Anthon Berg
Grand Marnier
(1 foil-wrapped chocolate "bottle" with liquor filling)
Wt. ~.75 oz.
Good, if you like liquor taste
Cost: ~$0.79
Purchased at: Easy Foods Market, in Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: May 21, 2007


Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving (4 squares)
Lindt (Excellence Line)
Intense Pear (dark chocolate) bar
Very Good - Yum; very nice strong pear taste, almond and chocolate flavors.
Wt.: 40 grams in 1 srvg. (4 squares)/3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: ~ 190 cals. in 1 serving

The pear taste is very natural and it's almost surprising that you can taste it this much against dark chocolate. It's great. I wish more chocolate makers would use flavors like this.

I'm feeling grateful that I'm getting in some writing with this chocolate log. I'd love to do more creative writing as well. I have some short stories started. I trawl for images after work. I went to a bookstore to browse in the evening; and saw a lot of heart shapes for some reason. (I've seen them everywhere this past week. What's with this?) Hmm. How can I work this into a short story...I saw a sunset that looked like a nuclear bomb of golden light went off. Not chocolate-related, but I just had to add this too. It was beautiful and I feel grateful I was outside/driving home and able to see it. Hmmm, does that fit into a short story? OK, I'll stick with chocolate for now.

ChocolateBet: May 20, 2007

Chocovic
Ocumare (Venezuela)
1 serving - 20g/80g total
Very Good; nice bouquet; 71% cocoa; had with milk and wheat-free cookies.

And speaking of a nice bouquet, I'm enjoying some beautiful multi-colored bouquet of yellow, yellow/rose, and yellow/peach roses from my yard. I also had the good fortune to catch a great sunset. A salmon-colored sky garnished with blue-gray cloud wisps. It feels good to have accomplished a few things this weekend around the house as well. Chocolate and simple pleasures: food, flowers, friends, family.

ChocolateBet: May 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wt. ~ 4 oz.
Calories: ~ 290
Cost: ~$4.00
Obtained from: Rose Pistola Restaurant, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

Going to get my hair cut is always a bit of an indulgence; and this Saturday I'm doing just that. And then I'm going to an Artists Open Studios in Belmont. After that it's on to San Francisco - where I plan on eating dinner at Rose Pistola restaurant in North Beach.

Dessert at Rose Pistola was an affogato with (Guittard) chocolate pieces on top. It was very nice of them to provide a chocolate version of this great but very simple dessert (espresso and vanilla gelato). As I was eating dessert, the musician Carlos Santana walked by and gave us diners in his path a look and a small head nod, as if to say - that's right, it's me. Santana has reinvented himself over the years and I hope he keeps doing so, inspiring others along the way. 

ChocolateBet: May 18, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Pamela's
1 serving - Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies
33 g. for 2 cookies; 150 g. total for whole box
Yum-chocolatey! (and wheat/gluten-free too)
170 calories for 2 cookies
Purchased from: Piazza's (grocery market); Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: May 17, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Nestle
1 - Aero bar
Good
Wt: 1.44 oz./41 grams
Calories: 200 calories
Cost: $1.49
Purchased from: I bought this candy bar in the "out-of-country" section of the local high-end market (Piazzas, Palo Alto, CA)

ChocolateBet: May 16, 2007

1 - coconut macaroon cookie - 1/2 dipped in chocolate
Good - Very Good
Individually wrapped in plastic wrap; couldn't find any brand name.
$1.65
Purchased at/from: Cafeteria at work

Hearing that my daughter's lump she had surgically removed was benign really made my day; the cookie was just a nice little extra crumb on top of that good news.

ChocolateBet: May 15, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Mrs. Richardson's hot fudge topping.
1.75 oz./49.6 g. packet/package
OK - except corn syrup and hydrogenated fat; ate with two wheat-free ginger cookies and some vanilla ice cream.

ChocolateBet: May 14, 2007

Haagen Dazs
1 serving of Rocky Road ice cream
It was Very Good. I ate with some almonds.
~260 calories

ChocolateBet: May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there. I really enjoyed visiting with my daughter and her rabbit in the morning, and the card she gave me.

Cosmic Chocolate
Strawberry chocolate
Good, but it needs more/more distinct flavor in my opinion.
$19.99/box of assorted flavors
Purchased at/from: Z. Ciaccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: May 12, 2007

Cosmic Chocolate
1 piece
orange cointreau
Good, but hard to tell what the flavor is
Wt: ~ .4 - .5 oz./pc
$19.99 for the whole assortment/box
Purchased at/from: Z Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: May 11, 2007

Sentiment for the day...Thank goodness it's Friday.
Chocolate for the day:
Today I eat another piece of chocolate from Cosmic Chocolate 8-pc. assortment; this time it's the ginger/lemon (?) flavored one. It's Good, but it's hard to distinguish the flavors. It needs more flavor in my opinion.
Wt: ~ .5 oz./pc
$19.99/assortment/box
Purchased from Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: May 10, 2007

Today I had the "amarula" flavored chocolate from the Cosmic Chocolates 8-pc assortment. It was Very Good. It was a very nice flavor. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but it was quite nice.

This ~.5 oz. piece of chocolate came from a $19.99/assortment box from Z. Cioccolatos in North Beach, San Francisco, CA.

We had some layoffs at work this week. I'm glad to be employed still and to have a steady income - so I can afford these silly expensive chocolates, and to go up to San Francisco on weekends to write and play around, and buy more chocolates. I'm also grateful to have a few minutes to enjoy the warmer weather, the smell of honeysuckle in the backyard in the evenings, and all the roses in bloom in my yard. And, I get to extend some invites to a few people for a behind-the-scenes screening of "Shrek the Third" this month. Life is good, and I am grateful.

ChocolateBet: May 9, 2007

Cosmic Chocolate (assortment of 8 flavors purchased earlier)
I tried the bananas foster flavor.
It was OK; not enough flavor though.

The first few in this 8-pc/flavor assortment were very good; the last few have been somewhat lacking in flavor. I'm wondering whether the flavors could have dissipated somehow once the box/container was opened?

Wt: ~ .5 oz. per piece
Cost $19.99 for asstd/box
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: May 8, 2007

I have a nice lunch with a co-worker at the restaurant near the golf course in Shoreline park in Mountain View. They have a great salad there. And we checked out the solar arrays in the Google parking lot on the way out, where people can, presumably, plug in their hybrid cars. I wonder if it's possible to make a chocolate dessert in a solar cooker? I remember baking a cookie on a little mini-reflector "solar cooker" on the dashboard up against the windshield when the car was parked all day in a hot parking lot. So, why not? McGyver might approve.

I have a peach champagne Cosmic Chocolate today. It is Good, but there's not quite enough peach flavor.

Wt: ~.5 oz./pc.
Cost: $19.99/asstmt, box
Purchased at Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: May 7, 2007

I had lunch with an office colleague at Barn Thai restaurant in Sunnyvale. Thai food always tastes good to me. And Thai iced tea is nice, and doesn't seem like it's loaded with caffeine the way that regular iced tea is, so it doesn't keep me up at night. This is nice. While some have told me that chocolate has caffeine in it, I don't seem to have a problem with being kept up at night when I eat chocolate. Thank goodness for that.

Later I am driving home on the freeway at sunset, and I watch a plane's vapor trail "draw" an apricot chalk-colored line across the sky. This horizontal line runs below the first bright star in the sky and above the mass of dark tree silhouettes. I eat a Cosmic Chocolates chambord chocolate (from an 8-pc assortment I bought earlier) and it's Very Good.

Wt: ~ .5 oz./piece
Cost of assortment/whole box: $19.99
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: May 6, 2007

It's Sunday, and I'm going to San Francisco. I've not had one day yet where I didn't get energized by going up there. Today I'm taking a friend up to North Beach with me, to eat brunch and to show her my office space. We end up talking a lot about life, and along the way we stop for some gelato, at Gelato Classico. I have 1 scoop (in a cup) of Peppermint Bark gelato, and it tastes Very Good. It's a really warm (almost hot) day in San Francisco, so the peppermint taste, and something cold is refreshing.

Gelato Classico is on Union St. in North Beach, San Francisco, CA; look for the ice cream cone out front. I look forward to going back and trying other chocolate flavors.

ChocolateBet: May 5, 2007

Happy Cinco de Mayo Saturday everyone.

Today, I'm resting in the morning, and watching youtube and fountains of wayne (band) videos. Ah, it's so good to read and relax for a few hours.

My chocolate for today is: 1 piece from a Cosmic Chocolates assortment box with 8 different flavors. I try their mojito flavor. It's Very Good, and tastes like a mojito (an alcoholic drink with lime and mint). Each piece is ~.5 oz. (4 oz. total).

This assortment box ($19.99 - on the pricey side) was purchased from Z. Cioccolatos, in the North Beach area of San Francisco, CA.

ChocolateBet: May 4, 2007

Judy's Candy Co
1 pc - Chocolate Caramel
~ 1 oz?
It tasted Good; it was very caramelly.
? calories
Cost: $0.65
Purchased from: work cafeteria

ChocolateBet: May 3, 2007

Haagen Dazs
Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream
1 serving (~ 280 calories?)
Very Good

ChocolateBet: May 2, 2007

Bodega
Mint or Cabernet chocolate bar?
~ 1 oz.
OK; not really impressed with this brand. It could be that the ones I bought were old/stale/not stored properly at the store. Hard to tell. I'll hope to find some other product to try, some other time. I think Bodega chocolates is based in Fountain Valley, CA, and was founded by two people from Europe (Spain and Italy).

$2.95 for 2 bars
Purchased from Z. Cioccolatos, North Beach, San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: May 1, 2007

There is something so wonderful about starting the day with an affogato (espresso and vanilla ice cream or gelato) for breakfast.

Today I arrived a few minutes early in the North Beach cafe (Caffe Grecco) for a meeting with an animator who owns his own business with a partner. I am meeting him to talk about his business and for a case study. He lives across town in San Francisco, so meeting in the city works. After our meeting, I hit a frequent chocolate haunt in this neighborhood: Z Ciaccolatos, and I buy 2 small peanut clusters to eat. (These are Good - Very Good, and they go well with a decaf latte to go from Figaros afterward on my way out.)

ChocolateBet: April 30, 2007

Well, it's getting warmer out. So, I feel justified exploring something from the freezer case. Today I tried a Klondike Krunch bar. It's approx. 4 fluid oz./118 ml. It was Good; although it looked/tasted more industrial than homemade. 260 calories.

ChocolateBet: April 29, 2007

Delivered yellow roses from my yard to friends and relatives. For my chocolate of the day I ate a (1.7 oz./48 g.) Reese's Crispy Crunchy bar.
It was Very Good, but a bit messy.
260 calories.

ChocolateBet: April 28, 2007


Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving (9 pieces)
Hershey's
Hershey's Kisses - Special Dark Macadamia Nut
Good
Weight: ~1.4 oz. (40 grams)/8.5 oz. (240 grams) in total package (bag)
Calories: 210 calories in 1 serving

I had a motivating conversation about goals with a good friend over dinner last evening. I hope this dark chocolate and nut combo will get/keep me going in the right direction - that is, following up on goals. I'm going to the gym; that's a good start.

ChocolateBet: April 27, 2007

Hershey PayDay Pro (high-protein energy bar)
1.85 oz./52 g.
Good
This version tastes more like an energy bar than a candy bar
220 calories

ChocolateBet: April 26, 2007

Today I had a Mars Milky Way - Midnight Dark candy bar
It was Very Good - The Milky Way bars really are better with dark chocolate.
Wt.: 1.76 oz. (49.8 grams)
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.69
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: April 25, 2007

Judy's Candy Company
1 serving/cup
Peanut Butter cup
2.5 oz./71 g.
Very Good
380 calories

Ate lunch with co-workers in our cafeteria, which stocks/sells these Judy's chocolates. So, I had this for dessert.

ChocolateBet: April 24, 2007

Today I ate a 1.74 oz./49.3 g. sized bag/1 serving of Mars/M&Ms - Ogre-sized peanut M&Ms. These have a marketing tie-in with the DreamWorks movie "Shrek the Third" - which my work is very indirectly tied to re: underlying technology. So, it seemed only fitting.

All these M&Ms are over-sized yellow and green ones. (These also happen to be my two favorite M&M colors.)

They were Very Good; 250 calories.

ChocolateBet: April 23, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

NewTree
"Rejoice" bar
Bitter Orange/Crisped Rice, Milk Chocolate
Very Good
Weight: 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 440 calories in 1 bar

Very Good for milk chocolate

ChocolateBet: April 22, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Starbucks
Starbucks dark chocolate square
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (estimate)

My daughter and I stopped into Starbucks for iced vanilla lattes while doing some shopping. And I also bought and ate a small square of Starbucks dark chocolate (~.5 oz.). The little square was Very Good, and the iced lattes were very refreshing.

ChocolateBet: April 21, 2007

This weekend, I cut the first spring batch of yellow roses from my yard and put them in glass vases to start sharing them with friends, neighbors, colleagues, and today with Celine, who has cut and fixed up my hair for more than 10 years now. Hard to believe.

For the chocolate of the day, I mix Skippy Peanut Butter with O brand chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of cinnamon to make about 2 oz. worth of heaven. Another twist on a classic combination; hard to go wrong here as far as I'm concerned. (Although I try to avoid eating a lot of peanut butter when my daughter is around, as she is seriously allergic to peanuts.) Sometimes a little sliced banana thrown in completes this picture.

ChocolateBet: April 20, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Liberty Orchards
Cranberries in Dark Chocolate
Very Good
Weight: 2 servings / 12 oz. total plastic container
Calories: 360 calories in 2 servings/16 pieces

This evening is my daughter's high school prom, and some friends had a pre-prom get together at their house. It was a great occasion to say hello to other adults, and to snap lots of pictures of these beautiful teenagers all dressed up.

Their prom theme is "Casino Night" so on my way home from Las Vegas (at the Las Vegas airport) I picked up some casino-related items for them - including some fuzzy dice for the car, and some foil-wrapped chocolates that look like poker chips.

ChocolateBet: April 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Today I am leaving Las Vegas...I took a taxi to the airport and shared a fare with two characters from the U.K. and enjoyed a fun conversation with them.

Today's chocolate of the day was half a 3 oz. box of Starbucks Chocolate Peanut Butter Toffee (milk chocolate) candies. These were Good - Very Good, but I felt like I could taste the hydrogenated vegetable oils in them. I ate approximately 220 calories worth of these.

ChocolateBet: April 18, 2007

Ethel M chocolates are a big brand here in Las Vegas, NV
Today 1 had an Ethel M "Mint in Dark Chocolate" bar (1.38 oz./39 g.) which was Very Good.
It was about 220 calories.
I also purchased this at the Whiskey Run gift shop in a hotel here.

ChocolateBet: April 17, 2007

Still busy with meetings at tradeshow in Las Vegas. Today's chocolate was:

Scharffen Berger
1 piece Mocha (small square)
~.3 oz.
Good
approx. 60 calories?
$0 (gift) This was a gift that I brought along to Las Vegas with me.

ChocolateBet: April 16, 2007

I had to go foraging for chocolate items at the Whiskey Run gift shop in Las Vegas after a full day of events/work.
I did find (and eat) the following:
Mars/M&M
MAZing M&M Chocolate (bar)
1.52 oz./43.1 g.
Good - OK for milk chocolate.

I don't think they could have fit any more "Ms" in this label though...:0)

ChocolateBet: April 15, 2007

I'm in Las Vegas this week for a big tradeshow.

Today's source for chocolate: Betty's (at Imperial Palace Hotel in Las Vegas)
1 serving Chocolate Fruit Cup
~4.5 oz.
Very Good combination (caramel nut chocolate-dipped shell) with fresh fruit and good stuff inside.

If you have to be running around, working, on a weekend, this is at least some small compensation if you have to skip meals and get ready for presentations, events, meetings, etc.

ChocolateBet: April 14, 2007

Dr. Bob's (ice cream)
1 serving - Black Raspberry with Scharffen Berger chocolate
~3.5 oz.
Very Good

My daughter and I enjoyed during an ice cream break - between eating breakfast and packing to leave for the airport for a tradeshow for several days.

ChocolateBet: April 13, 2007

Endangered Species
1 bar
Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter Brittle
3 oz./85 g.
Good? (Pre-tradeshow/business trip stress prevents me from really tasting this fully/fairly I suspect. I remember this brand being great before; and this combination certainly sounded great.)
460 calories -- hmmm Or, maybe I just ate too much.

ChocolateBet: April 12, 2007

Maybe it was getting work and chores done, and finalizing work on my taxes, and helping my daughter to file hers for the first time...I was in the mood to be economical, to cut back on frivolous excess - at least for a few hours. So, how about trying a chocolate diet bar I thought.

South Beach Diet (Kraft)
1 Chocolate Crisp bar
2.11 oz./60 g.
Good; a bit dry; and I suspect too many ingredients. (I always have mixed feeling about eating processed foods with huge ingredient lists.)
210 calories

ChocolateBet: April 11, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Palmer Company
Animal Expressions (card with chocolate)
Good
Weight: .4 oz./11 g.
Calories: 60 calories

Cute puppy card with red foil wrapped chocolate lips/"kiss"

Later on the way home, I watched little apricot-colored puff clouds being blown across the evening sky. OK, I realize this is a random addition. But, it's important to enjoy the moment, chocolate or otherwise. Thank God I can still do this.

I'm starting to read "Best American Travel Writing (short stories edited by Tim Cahill)." This should either help feed or help satisfy my travel lust. And, with travel will come chocolate field trips.

ChocolateBet: April 10, 2007

I was happy to feel like I was getting things done at work. I deserve some chocolate...

Today's chocolate was one piece (wafer) of Vere Chocolate's spice pepita wafers offering.
2.82 oz./80 g. total
Very Good; nice spicy kick to them; 85 calories for one piece/16 grams in my serving.

ChocolateBet: April 9, 2007

Nestle Treasures
Dark Chocolate Caramel
~.6 oz. - 1 piece
Very Good; ~80 calories
Courtesy of Anne at work; thanks Anne.

Had dim sum lunch with work colleagues. Later that night I re-watched "The Usual Suspects" (movie) at home. Great movie. It was just as enjoyable the second time, even though I knew what was going to happen. This time I got to listen to extras on the DVD, which was fun.

ChocolateBet: April 8, 2007

Cape Cod Cranberry Candies
1/3 bar - Dark Chocolate with cranberries, almonds?
3.5 oz./100 g.
Yum (highest rating)
very tasty; only 48% cocao, but great.

ChocolateBet: April 7, 2007

It is a nice day outside; I'm taking my daughter shopping for a dress and earrings for her high school prom that's happening soon. Later, I made some dinner for her and her boyfriend (and dessert for their friends). And after they'd all left to go out, I put two little chocolate Easter Bunnies out for them in honor of Easter Sunday tomorrow.

My chocolate of the day was one SheerBliss Pomagranate (sp?) ice cream bar (dark chocolate covered ice cream) ~ 3 oz?
It was very good; maybe 150 calories? if I had to guess

ChocolateBet: April 6, 2007

Oppenheimer
Chocolate Coated Orange Peels
1 serving (111 calories/serving)
5 oz./142 g. total
Good - Very Good
These might be good with a vanilla dessert, mousse or ice cream.

ChocolateBet: April 5, 2007

Endangered Species
Dark Chocolate with Tangerine (bar)
1.4 oz./40 g.
Very Good; 200 calories; Organic; 10% proceeds go to a good cause(s)
Chocolate with a conscience - another good justification.

ChocolateBet: April 4, 2007

1 serving Yoplait (yogurt mousse)
Whips! Chocolate Mousse-style Chocolate Raspberry
4 oz./113 g.
Very Good; 160 calories; nice light texture, but a bit too sweet for my taste.

ChocolateBet: April 3, 2007

A.G. Ferrari Foods
Tortino al Cioccolato (flourless chocolate cake)
1 cake
3.5 oz./100 g.
Very Good - Yum - especially with walnuts and vanilla ice cream. mmmm.

ChocolateBet: April 2, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Donnelly Chocolates
1 piece - Cardamom Dark Chocolate Bark
Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. (estimate) piece
Calories: 75-80 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Purchased from: Donnelly Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA


Today's Cardamom Dark Chocolate Bark was purchased on a previous trip to Donnelly Chocolates (Santa Cruz, CA); and it was very good.

*Note: These photos (added later) do not really do this delicious spiced dark bark justice; but it's what I had.

ChocolateBet: April 1, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Donnelly Chocolates
Lavender Dark Chocolate Bark
Very Good - Yum
Weight: 1.6 oz. package
Calories: 248 calories (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Donnelly Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Happy April (Cocoa) Fools Day all. Today spring was in the air.

I went to see the buddhas at Stanford University's Cantor Arts Center/Museum. It's a great small museum in the San Francisco Bay Area. I recommend going. (Also, they sometimes have art specialty chocolates in the gift shop there.)

After the stop at the museum, I went to Gamble Gardens in Palo Alto, right off Embarcadero (in between Cowper and Waverly Streets). There, I floated through there looking at tulips, sticking my nose in the wisteria in bloom, gawking at glossy red poppies with black and gold centers, appreciating ranunculas, and sitting on a bench to eat some lavender chocolate. Life is good.

I give this dark chocolate lavender bark a Very Good - Yum rating.

ChocolateBet: March 31, 2007

Today's chocolate:

Godiva
Dark Chocolate with Raspberry (bar)
1/2 bar
Very Good - Yum
105 calories for 1/2 bar
$2.95
Purchased at: World Market, in Mountain View, CA

I split this with my daughter in the car. I've said this before, but Godiva candy bars are great.

Saturday mornings are great for reading magazines, like "The New Yorker" in bed, and getting up at a leisurely pace. I did make it to the gym though after making some breakfast for my daughter and her boyfriend. Compensatory exercise for excess chocolate consumption.

ChocolateBet: March 30, 2007


Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Scharffen Berger
Dark Chocolate Easter Egg filled with chicks
Very Good - Yum
Wt.: ~.5 oz. piece/8 oz. (227 grams) total egg & chicks
Calories: ~ 75 cals. (estim.)
Cost: $19.95 (ouch) for total egg & chicks
Purchased from: Peet's Coffee & Tea, in San Jose, CA

Easter Chick Tragedy
Today I enjoyed a piece of one Scharffen Berger "Dark Chocolate Easter Egg (hollow) filled with (chocolate) chicks" purchased at Peet's Coffee & Tea shop while at Santana Row -- an upscale outdoor shopping center/European-outdoor-village -- in San Jose, CA.

Unfortunately, I had put this in my car, and the egg got somewhat melted. Some of the poor little chicks became fused together to the egg inside. What a horrible fate for these little guys. The quality of chocolate overall was great; a very nice dark chocolate, rich fermented taste. Maybe this would be good for a microwave fondue session in the office with some strawberries or fresh fruit.

Fortunately, I was able to go out and see a funny/silly movie ("Blades of Glory") later that night with my boyfriend, to put this tragedy out of my mind.

ChocolateBet: March 29, 2007

You'll have to forgive me. I'm about to wax rhapsodic about spring. The return of sun and flowers is another big reason (in addition to chocolate, good books/magazines/writers, good friends, great sunsets, good exercise, etc.) to be glad about life.

Today, clumps of bright orange California poppies burst out everywhere against bright green lawns. By April, things will start to head toward a goldish/tawny color as the sun gets stronger. But February and March are magical green months in California. Eating lunch outside at a table in the sun, white blossom petals fly around me, and I wonder why I don't make more of an effort to leave my desk more often. On the drive home, it is still light, and the setting sun pours into my left ear like warm honey. I love spring.

The following was my chocolate of the day:

Whole Foods
1 serving - chocolate toffee almonds
~2.2 oz.
Very Good - Yum
I got hooked on these and had to buy some, after trying a free in-store sample near the check-out counter.

ChocolateBet: March 28, 2007

My daughter has a long history of bringing home unauthorized pets - without my permission (if that isn't already clear). And despite my protests, most end up staying. Today, I spent some time letting "Thumper" one of two rabbits romp around the living room; and I feed a squirrel or two at our back door a few raw nuts. You're not supposed to feed chocolate to dogs and cats, or pets in general. The rumor is that it can kill them. Euphanasia by chocolate. If only life and death (and reducing pet overpopulation) were that simple.

Fortunately, on my trip to SF/Chocolate Heaven (Pier 39, San Francisco), I picked up a second chocolate to try later. So, today, I brought this turtle to work to try: one large dark chocolate walnut turtle.

It was Good - Very Good.
~3.9 oz. = ~ 550 calories?

I also went out to lunch with two colleagues. No wonder I'm having trouble fitting into some pairs of pants this spring.

In the evening I watched youtube.com videos to relax. Chocolate videos on the web. I haven't checked yet, but it's inevitable of course - with every possible search term that I've tried yielding some interesting result. I haven't seen chocolate items on that guy's cat (stuff on my cat), but, it's only a matter of time.

ChocolateBet: March 27, 2007

Today I was reminded again of spring. A few weeks ago there were lots of big pink and white puff balls of blossoms on the trees. It was like a spring fairy-land. These gave way to explosions of tender green leaves that filled in the spaces between the buds and blossoms on the bare branches.

I almost didn't have a chocolate of the day here, as I accidentally skipped a line for 3/27/07 in my Excel spreadsheet I've been keeping. So, the chocolate that almost never was....is...

ChocolateBet: March 26, 2007

Lindt - Petits Desserts (assortment)
I had one piece - "Meringue"
~.4 oz. piece =~55 calories
It was Good.

The challenge with buying an assortment box is that if there are too many chocolates, you run the risk of getting bored with the whole thing, and you want to move on to the next chocolate adventure. But, at least the smaller pieces offer more reasonable portion sizes than the huge chocolate bars that I've been eating.

ChocolateBet: March 25, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Chocolate Heaven - Pier 39 (San Francisco, CA)
1 Milk Chocolate Peanut Turtle
It was Good - Very Good
~3.9 oz.?
~550 calories would be my guess

I ate this while watching the sea lions that are laying on the docks in the harbor area at the end of Pier 39. It was fun playing tourist in my own backyard.

ChocolateBet: March 24, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:
Lindt Petits Desserts (assortment)
1 piece - "Chocolate Log"
~.4 oz. = ~55 calories
OK

ChocolateBet: March 23, 2007

Lindt-Petits Desserts
1 piece - "Macaroon"
~.4 oz. piece = ~ 55 calories?
Good

ChocolateBet: March 22, 2007

Lindt-Petits Desserts (assortment)
1 piece - "Creme Brulee"
~.4 oz. piece = ~ 55 calories
Good

ChocolateBet: March 21, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Donnelly Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Spicy Smokey Chipotle (bark)
Very Good - Yum
Weight: .5 oz. (estimate) in 1 piece / 1.6 oz. (estimate) for total package
Calories: 75-80 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Donnelly Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Great rich, spicy, smokey and dark chocolate flavors in this bark from Donnelly Chocolates (Santa Cruz, CA). 

ChocolateBet: March 20, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Donnelly Chocolates
Rose Dark Chocolate bark
Very Good - Yum
Weight: .5 oz. (estimate) for 1 piece / 1.6 oz. (estimate) in total package
Calories: 75-80 calories (estimate)
Purchased from: Donnelly Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

I love the florals: rose, lavender, geranium...you name it. If it's edible, I want to try pairing it with chocolate. This rose infused dark chocolate bark from Donnelly Chocolates (Santa Cruz, CA) was very tasty.

ChocolateBet: March 19, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Donnelly Chocolates
Hazelnut dark chocolate bark
Very Good
Weight: 1.69 oz. package
Calories: 248 calories (estimate)
Purchased from: Donnelly Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Today's dark chocolate hazelnut bark was from my trip over to Donnelly Chocolates (Santa Cruz) yesterday. It was very good. Chocolate paired with hazelnuts is a hard combination to beat.

ChocolateBet: March 18, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

1 piece
Donnelly Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Cherry Pecan chocolate
Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. piece (estimate)
Calories: 55 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Purchased from: Donnelly Chocolates, Santa Cruz, CA

Sunday, and it was time to a drive over to Santa Cruz, to Donnelly Chocolates -- a small shop where the resident chocolate artisans make their chocolates by hand.

I was interested in stopping by after reading some local Santa Cruz reviews, and also because it sounds like they're not afraid to use strong flavors. (I want to taste my rose and lavender.)

I bought several to try. Today's chocolate: 1 Dark Chocolate Cherry Pecan chocolate. It was Very Good.

ChocolateBet: March 17, 2007

1 piece
Lindt - Petits Desserts
"Tiramisu"
~.4 oz. piece
Very Good; ~ 55 cals.

ChocolateBet: March 16, 2007

1 piece
Lindt-Petits Desserts chocolates (assortment)
"Lemon Tart"
~.4 oz. piece
Very Good; ~ 55 cals.

ChocolateBet: March 15, 2007

This evening I had a chocolate martini ~ 4oz. It was OK. (It was a bit disappointing after the outstanding one I'd had in L.A. at Lola's last year.)

Misc. notes: My boyfriend and I met his aunt and uncle for dinner in the East Bay. They are about to sell their house in the San Francisco Bay Area and move up to Orcas Island (the San Juan Islands near Seattle, WA). It was great to hear about their retirement plans. Sounds relaxing.

However, family health issues that have come up in the last several months (including mom almost dying and being left incapacitated by a freak illness that requires around the clock nursing care, dad having to have open heart surgery this month, my daughter's friend getting killed in a car crash, a few cancer scares, etc.) left me less relaxed during this get-together than I would have liked to have been. Still, being able to celebrate with them, and see them off, with a touch of chocolate on top, is not so bad.

ChocolateBet: March 14, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

NewTree
1/4 bar
Ginger/Sexy/Energizing dark chocolate bar
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) in 1/4 bar / 2.82 oz./80 g. total
Calories: 100 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Very Good; 73% cocao
100 calories for 1/4 bar

NewTree has hit on a successful blend with this Belgian dark chocolate (73% cocoa) and ginger bar, that is described as "Sexy" and "Energizing." Ginger shavings, natural ginger flavor and a bit of guarana extract give this bar a boost.


ChocolateBet: March 13, 2007

BurgerTown
1/2 chocolate milkshake
~ 6 oz.?
Good; ? cals.
I had burger, fries and 1/2 shake at the long-term/skilled nursing facility with my mom and family members. Mom was in the mood for a burger. My sister and her boyfriend, who are in town for a few days, picked up the food. It was nice to sit outside and share dinner out on the patio there.

ChocolateBet: March 12, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

NewTree
Lavender "Tranquility" milk chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: 1/4 bar / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1/4 bar

Very Good; it had a nice lavender taste.

ChocolateBet: March 11, 2007

Today I had one chocolate chip rice flour pancake, home made from Bob's Red Mill wheat-free flour mix and organic chocolate chips.

The pancakes were Very Good.

ChocolateBet: March 10, 2007

Hachez
Cocoa D'Arriba Mango Chili (bar)
I had 1/4 bar
Very Good; 77% cocao

ChocolateBet: March 9, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

NewTree
Black Currant/Cassis dark chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: 1/4 bar (20 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories (estimate) for 1/4 bar
Cost: $4.95? or $4.29? for 1 bar
Purchased from either Draegers in Los Altos, CA, or World Market in Mountain View, CA.

Today's Black Current/Cassis dark bar from NewTree was made with 73% cocoa "Fine Belgian Dark Chocolate" (Fin Chocolat Noir Belge), and was labeled with the words: Renew, Rejuvenating and Vivifiant. Regardless of the uplifting marketing terms, this chocolate was quite good and hit the spot.

This bar was made in Belgium for NewTree America Inc. (San Anselmo, CA).


ChocolateBet: March 8, 2007

Hershey's Kisses - Filled with Caramel
I had 1 serving - 9 pieces (200 calories)
11 oz.bag total
They were Good.

ChocolateBet: March 7, 2007

Hershey's Kisses - Filled with Cherry Cordial Creme
1 serving - 9 pieces (200 calories)
11 oz. bag total
OK - artificial cherry flavor is not my favorite

ChocolateBet: March 6, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

NewTree
Cinnamon Cocoon/Comfort
Good - Very Good
Weight: 1/4 bar / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) total bar
Cost: $4.95 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's market in Los Altos, CA?

This bar had a nice cinnamon flavor, but it's milk chocolate. (My prejudices are showing; I seem to have gone over to the dark side for the time being.)

ChocolateBet: March 5, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Nacional de Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Santander (Columbian single origin) bar with passion fruit
Very Good
Weight: I ate 1/4 bar / 2.29 oz. (65 g.) total bar
Calories: 63 calories/290 calories total (per package - sounds low, but OK...)

I enjoyed this dark chocolate (70% cacao from Colombia) bar with bits of tropical fruit bits ("natural passion fruit extract"). The passion fruit (or maracuya) was also from Colombia. Both cacao and maracuya have a long history in this area of South America.

The Chocolate Santander bar was made in Colombia by Nacional de Chocolates (established in 1920), and the company's bars are GMO free, and "Fairly Traded with small farmers from our country."

ChocolateBet: March 4, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Lake Champlain Chocolates
Jamaican Rum Caramel Filled Dark Chocolate (bar)
3.5 oz./92 g. total; I had 1/4 bar
Very Good

ChocolateBet: March 3, 2007

1/4 bar
Chocolat Stella
Dark Chocolate with Whole Almonds (bar)
3.5 oz./100 g. total
Very Good, especially given that it is 75% cacao, which can be too high for some blends
My boyfriend and sister liked it too.

ChocolateBet: March 2, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

NewTree
Lemon Forgiveness (bar) Belgian dark chocolate
Good - Very Good
Weight: 2.82 oz./80 g. total - I had 1/4 bar
Calories: 105 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: World Market (Cost Plus), in Mountain View, CA

While the overall quality of this Lemon dark chocolate bar from NewTree seemed good, I would have loved to have tasted the lemon a bit more. It also tasted a little "chalky" to me.

Some interesting marketing went into this line -- each bar in this family seemed to possess a few different, select adjectives, nouns or verbs. In this case: Forgiveness. 

ChocolateBet: March 1, 2007

Chocolate of they Day:
Today I ate one pc./truffle
Lindt Lindor truffle - "Swiss Milk Chocolate with a smooth filling"
It was Good.
Wt.: 3.5 oz./100 g. in total package (~18 pieces)
Calories: I had one piece (~ 33.3 calories); = 600 calories total
Cost: $0 (gift from Megan)
Purchased from: ?

ChocolateBet: February 28, 2007

Today I had one bite of a Palmer (brand)
Hollow milk chocolate apple with a gummy worm inside.
I have to hand it to Palmer, we loved the concept, and my daughter and I were fighting over who got the gummy worm.

There is something wonderfully decadent about taking a bite out of a fresh (hollow) chocolate apple. You couldn't do that with a solid chocolate apple and do anything other then scrape off the side - leaving big teeth marks and maybe some drool in the process. But, here, you somehow felt you were eating a "real" apple.

ChocolateBet: February 27, 2007

Berkeley Farms
Milk Chug - Chocolate lowfat milk
1/2 pint bottle
Good; 190 calories; lowfat 1% milk

It probably would have been fine with a little less sugar/sweetener. I remember occasionally getting to drink chocolate milk when I was in elementary school. It was always a treat. I couldn't really drink that much regular milk (unless it was with cereal or in a milkshake or malted milk drink), but chocolate milk - that was a whole different story.

ChocolateBet: February 26, 2007

Today I had two pieces of chocolate peanut butter flavored Z Cioccolatos (SF) taffy. It was Very Good.

I remember making salt water taffy when I was in junior high school, at someone's birthday party. I can remember pulling the taffy with a small group of girls. What a brave mother that must must have been - risking turning her kitchen into one big gooey mess. And of course, I have fond memories of buying little bags of salt water taffy at various beach stops on vacations. So, what's not to like about taffy.

ChocolateBet: February 25, 2007

Stephany's Chocolates
Chocolate Almond Toffee
I had one serving (1-2 pieces); 2.2 oz. total
It was Very Good
From Safeway in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: February 24, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Vere
Chocolate rice clusters (dark chocolate)
Good - Very Good
Weight: 36 g. / 72 g. total box
Calories: 170 calories for 36 gram serving (1/2 box)

These gluten-free, vegan, organic brown rice clusters were covered with vere dark chocolate (New York City) and had a very nice, rich flavor.

Postscript: Vere closed its doors in early 2010.

ChocolateBet: February 23, 2007

Nestle Chunky (milk chocolate, peanuts, raisins)
1.4 oz./39.6 g.
It was Good- Very Good
OK, for those of us who grew up in a certain era watching television, I couldn't help but hear the commercial jingle..."Open wide for Chunky!"

ChocolateBet: February 22, 2007

Fruitstix (sp?)
Dark chocolate covered coconut bar (frozen item)
Very good; refreshing.
Wt.: ~ 4 oz?/bar?
Calories: ?
$3.99 for whole box
Purchased at: Piazzas, Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: February 21, 2007

Hershey's Signature Piece
I had one .75 oz. serving from a 7 oz./218 g. total size offering purchased on sale. Ah yes, Valentines day candy on sale. I probably could have bought the contents of the entire shopping cart at the end of the aisle, and it would have lasted me for months. But, I do have my limits, and not all of it would be fresh by the time that I got to it I think. And, it was mostly....milk chocolate.
It was OK; milk chocolate.

ChocolateBet: February 20, 2007

Hershey's hazelnut bouquet
I had one .75 oz. serving (approx. 120 calories) from a 7 oz./218 g. (total) size pkg.
It was OK - milk and dark chocolate
Bought on sale

I enjoyed not getting rained on today, and being able to absorb a few minutes of sunshine while walking from the parking lot to the office door. And I also enjoyed talking about animation trends, "Web 2.0" and creative uses of technology with an industry exec.

ChocolateBet: February 19, 2007

Hershey's Pecan caramel clusters
Good; milk chocolate
.75 oz. serving = 120 calories
bought them on sale
7 oz./218 g. total size

I was able to get things done at work to feel a bit more caught up, and even got outside in the sun for lunch today. I also enjoyed seeing my daughter be able to take a vacation break from school for a few days - which also gave her time to earn money for her cell phone bill, so I wouldn't be forced to disconnect it. This is a good thing.

ChocolateBet: February 18, 2007

Today's Chocolate: Hershey's Golden Almonds
I had a one .75 oz. serving out of a 7 oz./218 g. total (~120 calories).
They were Good; milk chocolate; and they were on sale for $4.49.

Today's treat: seeing little miniature yellow daffodils blooming outside my front door - one of the first signs of spring. We also made a nice "spring" dinner of broiled baby lamb chops with garlic and rosemary. In California, you can almost delude yourself that you might be able to fast forward your way through the rest of winter.

ChocolateBet: February 17, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dagoba Organic Chocolate
Chocodrops - 73% cacao content
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) total package
Calories: 154 calories

It's Saturday, and I made it to the neighborhood gym to burn off some chocolate. The sun was out, so we visited my mom and pushed her wheelchair around for a walk.

Today's chocolate was a serving of Chocodrops from Dagoba Organic Chocolate (Ashland, OR). These limited edition, organic, fair trade and gluten free chocolate drops were quite good.

Note: photo of this chocolate was added later.

ChocolateBet: February 16, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Newman's Own Organics
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) in 1 package (3 cups)
Calories: 180 calories in 1 package (3 cups)

Today I enjoyed a package of three Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups from Newman's Own (Aptos, CA). These organic peanut butter cups were Very Good, and only 180 calories, according to the label. Thanks Newman's Own for making great products.

I celebrated being able to leave work early today (Friday), in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset with bands of rich colors, and a World War 2 era movie: "Letters from Iwo Jima" afterwards.

I couldn't help but wonder, did these soldiers (on either side of this real-life battle) receive any peanut butter or chocolate in their war-time meals or rations*? I don't know. But, even if they did receive these snacks, they probably were nowhere near the quality of today's tasty and healthy peanut butter cups, and would have done little to improve their circumstances.

*A "D" Ration bar was available to American soldiers in World War 2, when meat and bread-based C Rations were not available. A D Ration was described as a high-caloric, hard, (approximately 4-oz.) chocolate bar that also contained oat flour. Elsewhere I found references to candy-coated peanuts, caramels and cocoa powder that soldiers also may have received.

Note: Photo of this chocolate item was added later.

ChocolateBet: February 15, 2007

Today I had one small serving of Jolly brand (U.K.) Smart Alecs. They are Good, roundish candy-coated chocolate pieces (similar to Mars M&Ms). I shared them with my boyfriend. The candy shells are nice, pleasing colors. However, it looks like they have some wheat/gluten in them, so I don't eat too many.

ChocolateBet: February 14, 2007

Yes, today is Valentines Day - a chocolate holiday of epic proportions - one of the biggies in the U.S. So, given this chocolate bet I'm on, I feel like I should be visiting some equivalent of Las Vegas for chocolate, buying some chocolate body frosting, or at least eating something heart or flower-shaped. But, this is not the case, as it is a Wednesday in the middle of a work week for me.

I do enjoy, however, a bar (3 pieces) of Shaymee's Aussie Toffee - Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee (2 oz./57 g.). It was Very Good, especially with fresh strawberries - in honor of Valentines Day.

ChocolateBet: February 13, 2007

Hershey's
Dark Chocolate with macademia nuts and cranberries (bar)
3.52 oz./100 g.
It was Good; and although nutrionists would not approve, I had one of these bars for lunch. It was 60% cacao.

ChocolateBet: February 12, 2007

Warning: Another Childhood Reverie - Chocolate Ice Cubes

When we were kids, my sisters and I would bicycle down to a small corner grocery store to buy gum or candy. It would get us out of the house, give us some exercise, and it was during a time when parents apparently either worried less about something happening to their kids on cross-town adventures like this, or when families were bigger and it was not possible to have enough energy to focus parental anxiety on just one or two children.

So, we bicycled around town with a few quarters in our pockets, and we felt a sense of wealth and freedom that thousands of dollars can't buy. One of our prized candy treasures was the chocolate "Ice Cube." It was a simple foil-wrapped square of plain chocolate, and we gaged our wealth by how many chocolate Ice Cubes we could buy on a given trip/day. They cost about two cents each at the corner store. Ice Cubes were the gold standard of kid.

Today, it's possible to find Moritz Ice Cubes in some stores, and today I located and bought one. It was Good, although not quite so fantastic as I remember. However, it was worth it just to remember that sense of abundance from long ago.

ChocolateBet: February 11, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Godiva
Extra Dark with Almonds Bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in total bar
Calories:
Cost: $2.95 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: ?

Today my good friend Laurie is having a milestone birthday, and I've been fortunate enough to be invited to a wine and food get-together celebration in her honor in Willow Glen (San Jose area). I enjoyed some great conversations with people there.

My chocolate of the day was a Godiva Extra Dark Chocolate with Almonds bar. It was Very Good, nicely balanced, and was made with 72% dark chocolate.

ChocolateBet: February 10, 2007

Today I drove up to San Francisco office in North Beach (San Francisco) and spent an hour or so working on my goals. Then, as a reward I went foraging for chocolate.

Turin makes some nice chocolates with a liqueur/liquor tie-in. Today I enjoyed three pieces of Turin's Jack Daniels Old No. 7 brand chocolates (~ 30 grams sized serving (140 calories) from a 60 g. sized package). These were Very Good, and tasted just like chocolate & Jack, the real thing.

I bought an extra package to send to a work friend who was talking about enjoying some Jack Daniels adventures. I'll try sending them through the mail and hope they get there in one piece, without any Jack Daniels leakage all over his other mail.

ChocolateBet: February 9, 2007

Today I ate 3 York Peppermint Patties (mint center covered in dark chocolate). They were Good, and were the smaller sized ones that were from a larger bag - probably leftover from the holidays.

For dinner I went out to Fiesta Del Mar in Mountain View, and had some great Mexican food with my boyfriend (enchiladas suiza), and then we went to the movies and saw "Babel" which is up for an Academy Award or two. We're trying to see the films that were nominated for awards before the actual awards ceremony. It looks like we'll see most of them.

ChocolateBet: February 8, 2007

Mars M&Ms now come in several different flavor varieties/sku possibilities.

Today I try to play catch-up at work, and I have a (1.63 oz./46.2 g.) size bag of peanut butter M&Ms (240 calories). I would rate these Good-Very Good, and better than expected for something from our breakroom vending machine.

Tonight I watch "The Black Dahlia" a DVD rental at home. This movie was OK, but it was expertly shot. There is a long tracking shot in particular that is really wonderful. Sadly, for my dear logical readers, I don't think there was any chocolate tie-in here. I just felt like talking about books, movies, and magazines again.

ChocolateBet: February 7, 2007

Today's chocolate: 1 serving (220 calories) of Planters Almonds in Milk Chocolate (from a 6.5 oz. package). They were Good-Very Good. Thank you Mr. Peanut.

ChocolateBet: February 6, 2007

Yesterday (Sunday), I visited Z Cioccolatos (chocolate purveyer/store in North Beach, San Francisco) once more; and I bought another hand-made confection behind their counter - a Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. I would rate this a definite Yum (highest rating).
This item has got to be about 2.75 oz. and probably more than 450 calories. But, with a great execution of a favorite flavor combination like this, it's worth it. It helped fuel me to check off a few items at my desk, organize papers, and even find a few lost items. I'm sure it was the chocolate.

ChocolateBet: February 5, 2007

The Hershey's chocolate kiss is now available in multiple variations. Today I eat a (1.5 oz./42 g.) serving of Hershey's Kissables - candy coated mini-kisses (190 calories). They were Good.

ChocolateBet: February 4, 2007

Herbert's Fully Loaded
Dark Margarita Lime
2.25 oz./64 g. bar
1/2 bar
Good; my only quibble was that you can just taste the chocolate and not the margarita/lime flavor.

ChocolateBet: February 3, 2007

Hebert's Fully Loaded
Dark Choc. Bananas Foster (bar)
2.25 oz./64 g. bar
Very Good; good with banana ice cream and nuts
It helped chase a cold away; and gave me strength to call to wish my mom a happy birthday week. She got permission to leave the long-term care facility for the day to come home to their house for the day to help celebrate her birthday with family, which was nice.

ChocolateBet: February 2, 2007

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Crisis Center
Milk Chocolate MeltDown bar
Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 112 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $2.00 for 1 small bar
Purchased from: Kepler's, Menlo Park, CA

We had Chinese food delivered to our house for my daughter and I as we're still feeling a bit icky, maybe trying to fight off a cold.

In keeping with a bit of a crisis theme, today's chocolate was a Milk Chocolate MeltDown bar from the Chocolate Crisis Center (C3 Partners, Inc. - Denver, CO). It was good; and it was a nice small size (.75 oz.). Clever packaging -- chocolate to the rescue! -- but a bit over-priced.

Note: photo of this bar was added later. 

ChocolateBet: February 1, 2007

Endangered Species
Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut Toffee (bar)
3 oz./85 g. total
Very Good-Yum, especially for 70% cocoa; I was hungry too; ~440 calories
Ate with a tangerine or two, tea, rice toast, to help chase away a sore throat; lay low, and worked from home.

ChocolateBet: January 31, 2007

Newman's Own
Butter Toffee Crunch - Milk Chocolate (bar) Organic
1.2 oz./34 g. (180 calories)
It was Good.

ChocolateBet: January 30, 2007

This morning I enjoyed eating a bowl of Reese's chocolate and peanut butter cereal and milk. It was Very Good. It's like candy, only healthier -- I think.

ChocolateBet: January 29, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

Bloomsberry and Co.
Chocoscopes (milk chocolate bar)
Good
Weight: 3.5 oz./100 g. total
Calories: 400 calories (estimate) in 3/4 bar

Funny packaging, with descriptions of different zodiac signs and how they eat chocolate.

ChocolateBet: January 28, 2007

Hawaiian Host
Whole Macademias in Dark Chocolate
I had 4 pieces (~ 260 calories) from a 3.5 oz. box
They were Very Good.
Enjoyed with friends at Lakeside Cafe in Mountain View, CA

ChocolateBet: January 27, 2007

Tropical Source
Mint Crunch dark chocolate bar
1/4 of a 3 oz. bar
Very good for gluten- and dairy-free
~110 calories for 1/4 bar serving

ChocolateBet: January 26, 2007

Charles Chocolates
Hazelnut and Candied Orange Peel
3.4 oz. bar
Good. Maybe better if warmer; 65% bittersweet chocolate
A bit too pricey.

ChocolateBet: January 25, 2007

Trader Joe's store has provided me (and my family and friends) with some great food and drink finds over the years. And chocolate items are no exception. Today I enjoyed a nice mug of hot tea - Trader Joe's Chocolate Flavored Tea - with milk and sweetener - to be exact. It tasted Very Good on a cold winter morning.

ChocolateBet: January 24, 2007

In the high-end local grocery store where I occasionally shop, I've been noticing the small packages of L'estasi Dolce Truffles. They come in Cabernet and Champagne. I tried the Cabernet (1 oz./28 g. size - two pieces).

The two truffles I had were Good; they had a nice flavor; but they were a bit pricey.

ChocolateBet: January 23, 2007

One more clever little bar from Chocolate Crisis Center. Today's choice was the OrangeChocolate "HunkerDown." It was good; and I liked the nice small size (.75 oz.). But they are expensive.

ChocolateBet: January 22, 2007

I had heard of Frango mints before, I think. When I told an older woman about my chocolate bet, she immediately suggested I add Frango mints to my list. So, I did a bit of quick research, and hunted them down. They could be bought at Macy's - near Union Square in San Francisco, where I'd decided to go today to look at lofts. I didn't end up buying a loft, but I bought a 5.33 oz. box of Mint Chocolates Limited Edition at Macy's. They were very good. (This box cost $8.00.)

After that, I drove back down, and visited my mom in the long-term care facility where she is living.

ChocolateBet: January 21, 2007

I had another chocolate bar from Chocolate Crisis Center today. This time it was a
Dark Chocolate "BreakDown" bar.

It was Good; it came in a nice small size; and had a clever name/packaging; although it was overpriced.

ChocolateBet: January 20, 2007

I think I finally might be getting to the end of the Kirkland Signature Belgian Chocolates assortment box. Today I had three pieces: 1) Dark Chocolate with Vanilla Sugar Cream; 2) Napolitain - plain squares; and 3) Dark Chocolate with Dark Ganache.

They were Very Good.
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