Friday, February 29, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 29, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
MarieBelle (New York)
1 Buckwheat and 1 Caipirinha
Very Good - Buckwheat: what taste like little pieces of buckwheat kernels help give it some nice texture and flavor; nice combination.
Very Good + - Yum - Caipirinha - taste like a very nice light citrus drink you might enjoy at a tropical vacation spot.
Wt. ~ .8 oz.?
Calories: 145?
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: Red Envelope/MarieBelle (New York)

Very nice 25-piece assortment box/gift - shared with folks at work. (Thank you Susan!) Nice artwork on each piece and accompanying sheet that described what flavor each chocolate was.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 28, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces (1 serving)
B. T. McElrath Chocolatier
B.T.'s Ginger Toffee
Very Good
Wt.: 42 grams in 1 (4-pc) serving; 4.0 oz.
Calories: ~210 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ 10.99 for a 4 oz. bag (pricey if you only want a single serving)
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

These chocolate covered buttercrunch toffee squares were very good, but the ginger flavoring seemed to be a bit uneven - undetectable in first bite or two, then registering only as a hot taste. It was only in the last piece or two that I could finally taste a "ginger" taste that helped balance out the hot sensation.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 27, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Theo Chocolate - 3400 Phinney bar series
NiB Brittle - Dark Chocolate (65% Cacao)
Good+ - Very Good
Wt: 2 oz. (57 grams)
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ 3.99
Purchased from: Andronico's Market in Palo Alto, CA

This NiB Brittle bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) was almost too sweet, but not quite as much as other two Theo 3400 Phinney bars/flavors I tried earlier this week. (The other two were milk chocolate bars with coconut curry and chai.)

Overall the quality of chocolate was quite good, but the taste throughout the bar was slightly uneven. For example, there was an almost burnt nib taste in one bite, but not in other parts of the same bar.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 26, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Theo Chocolate - 3400 Phinney
Chai Tea
Milk Chocolate 40% Cacao
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.)
Calories: 300 calories in one bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

This milk chocolate (40% cacao) Chai Tea bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) was Organic and Fair Trade Certified. It was a bit on the sweet side for me, but still quite good.

Monday, February 25, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 25, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Theo Chocolate - 3400 Phinney
Coconut Curry - Milk Chocolate
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.)
Calories: 310 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

This milk chocolate (40% cacao) Coconut Curry bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) was good, albeit a bit sweet for my taste. Perhaps the chocolate-maker felt it needed to be this sweet to balance out the spices. Regardless, this quibble didn't stop me from eating a whole bar. This bar was also Organic and Fair Trade Certified.

The exotic-looking and colorful paintings/artwork adorning the 3400 Phinney* bar series wrappers were fun.

*3400 Phinney is the street address for Theo Chocolate, in Seattle, WA

Chocolate in the News 2/25/2008

SF Gate (San Francisco, CA)
Parapsychology researcher looks at effects of chocolate being blessed by monks
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/02/25/findrelig.DTL

Sunday, February 24, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 24, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 cookies
Edna's
(Gluten and Casein Free)
Peanut Butter (chocolate chip) cookies
Very Good for gluten-free cookies; a little bit dry and crumbly, but not bad.
Weight: 4.5 oz. (estimate) for 2 cookies
Calories: 400 for 2 cookies
Cost: $7.99 (for total container of 6 cookies)
Purchased from: Andronico's market, in Palo Alto, CA

I ate these cookies while trying to cram in the last bit of Academy-nominated-movie-watching before the Academy Awards ceremony this evening. I watched "American Gangster" this afternoon, a movie that just became available on DVD a few days ago. I am sure there must be chocolate at an Oscar party, or two, somewhere this evening.

Below are a few are some examples...

1.) Oscar (sculpted) cake from Patisserie Parmentier (from previous year)
http://www.jpdesserts.com/details_Oscar.html

2.) Globeandmail.com story about Oscars 2008 (Nominated Animators and chocolate foscas)
"Animators relish comaraderie, chocolate" - Feb. 24, 2008
Story by Pamela Chelin (dateline Los Angeles, CA)
(Animators attend the 18th annual Chocolate Fosca party in honor of the Oscar nominees for Best Animated Short Film.)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080224.woscarchoco0224/BNStory/oscars2008/home

3.) And for those looking for chocolate party favors...
6 1/2 inch Solid Chocolate Oscar statues from The Obsession Box Company (Campbell, CA)
http://www.theobsessionboxco.com/6sochstor10o.html

4.) Associated Press Story - "Hollywood Abuzz with Oscar Preparations" - Feb 24, 2008
(Oscar Bleacher Bling - bags include chocolate granola bars, donuts, and more)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHgKVsVOR2R9gCNQE60yIRsOIf1gD8V0VTV01

ChocolateBet: February 23, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 serving
Red Lotus
Chocolate Tartufo
Weight: ~2.5 fl oz. serving
Calories: 250 calories (estimate)
Cost: ~ $4.00? for total dessert
Purchased from: The Red Lotus (restaurant) in Portola Valley, CA

Split this Chocolate Tartufo frozen chocolate dessert with a friend.

I liked this Asian restaurant's logo, and some of their "fusion" cuisine items. I hope the place will be successful.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 22, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving/container
Silk Soymilk - Chocolate
(Made with organic soybeans)
Good - Very Good
Wt: 11 fluid oz. (325 mL)
Calories: 200 calories in container (small plastic bottle)
Cost: $ 0 (free sample)
Purchased from: N/A - free sample

Someone was handing out free sample bottles of Silk Soymilk near Union Square in San Francisco, CA. I picked up the Chocolate flavor.

Fake milks, or what I call "filks," are often hit and miss in the flavor and texture department. Distributed by WhiteWave Foods (Broomfield, CO), this Silk Chocolate Soymilk, was lactose free and made from organic soybeans; and it was smooth, and better than I thought it might be. It was actually quite good. 

ChocolateBet: February 21, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Mascleta - Oriol Balaguer (sold in Cocoa Bella)
(Chocolate) Hazelnut Praline with Tangerine Pop Rocks
Very Good+; I love the flavor combination. Very creative.
Wt.: ~ 0.6 oz.
Calories: ~ 85 calories
Cost: ~$1.50
Purchased from: Cocoa Bella, in San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: February 20, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Kikos - Oriol Balaguer (sold in CocoaBella Chocolates shop)
(Chocolate) Hazelnut & Toasted Corn Nuts
Very Good+; I love this combination. It is clever and very tasty.
Wt: ~0.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 75 cals.
Cost: ~$1.50
Purchased at: CocoaBella Chocolates, in San Francisco, CA

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Dagoba - ChocolateBet: February 19, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Dagoba
xocolatl - dark chocolate, chilies and nibs
(Organic Chocolate)
Very Good+
Weight: .5 oz. in 1/4 bar; 2 oz. (56.7 grams) total
Calories: 79 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $2.99 total
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today's xocolatl bar was a nice rendition of chocolate with spices, probably one of my favorites so far. I like the chili taste (nice spicy flavors); and the nibs added some crunchiness to the texture.

ChocolateBet: February 18, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving - 3 pieces
Whitman's Candies - Soho Chocolates
1. Cacao Truffle - Good
2. Pear Praline - OK (artificial taste)
3. Madagascar Vanilla Brulee - OK +
Wt. 1.65 oz. (47 grams); 3.3 oz. (94 grams) total
Calories: 230 calories for 3 pieces/1 serving
Cost: $4.99/whole box*
Purchased from: Longs Drugs, Mountain View, CA

Sunday, February 17, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 17, 2008

Chocolate of the Day
3 pieces
Whitman's Chocolates
(Soho Chocolates - Artist Inspired Series - 6-pc box)
1) Raspberry Ganache - Good+; too sweet for my taste
2) Pistachio Nougat - Good +; too sweet; it would be nice to taste more natural pistachio flavor
3) Sea Salt Caramel - OK - Good; too sweet for me; this tasted like a regular low-end caramel, can't taste the salt part - perhaps it was mixed in with the candy too thoroughly.
Weight: 1.65 oz. (47 g.) for 3 pieces (Wt. for total box = 3.3 oz. (94 g))
Calories: 230 for 3 piece serving
Cost: $4.99 (for whole box - 2 srvgs)
Purchased from: Longs Drugs, Mountain View, CA

The packaging for this box/assortment was nice. It was barely recognizable from the old Whitman chocolate packaging of years ago. A shiny snakeskin-textured red box (with an artsy presentation of the chocolates themselves) lives up to the "artist inspired" branding. However, the chocolates themselves didn't live up to the packaging. The three chocolates I tried were too sweet, and lacked the balance and flavorings that would have made them much more enjoyable. With so many higher-end chocolates available now at the corner drugstore, the ones that are heavy on the artificial flavors and sweeteners don't measure up as well.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 16, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Kozy Shack
Chocolate "All Natural Pudding"
Wt.: 1/2 cup (113 grams) per serving
Calories: 140 for one serving
Cost: $3.00 (sale price)
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Friday, February 15, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 15, 2008

Chocolate of the Day

1 serving
Russell Stover
Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Heart
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: 110 calories for 1 heart/piece
Cost: $0.59
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

It's a heart-shaped candy week, due to Valentines Day (yesterday).

Thursday, February 14, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 14, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Baskin Robbins
"Made with Reeses" Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Very Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (73 g.)
Calories: 190 for 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $5.59
Purchased from: Baskin Robbins, Santa Clara, CA

Ate with Valentines dinner. Happy V'day all.

Chocolate in the News:
Also, here's an example of a story where business and social good and chocolate all intersect.
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2008/02/enter_a_contest.html
Bruce Nussbaum (Business Week) talks about an (Architecture for Humanity) contest/challenge to build a factory and Internet hub for Kallari villages (cacao famers cooperative) in Ecuador, based on an AMD-sponsored dinner Nussbaum attended in Davos. The indigenous Kallari will use the new factory for - the production of organic chocolate, and the Internet hub to help to connect them to markets for this chocolate.

(Architecture for Humanity and AMD) Open Architecture Challenge youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_wQ1z9oy1M

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 13, 2008


Chocolate of the Day
1 serving
Michele's Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Chippers (chocolate covered potato chips)
Dark Chocolate & Ruffled Potato Chips
Very Good+ (because I really like dark chocolate, and potato chips I guess)
Wt: ~ 1.5 oz. serving (entire bag/pkg is 8 oz. (227 gm))
Calories: ~ 225 cals?
Cost: $8.99/pkg
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, in San Francisco, CA

I'd tried chocolate covered potato chips before, a few years ago, before I started this bet, and I liked them then. These may not be for everyone, but they work for me.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 12, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Z. Cioccolatos
Tiger Butter fudge
Very Good
Wt.: ~ 1 oz.
Calories: ?
Cost: ~$1.00?
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, in San Francisco, CA

A small piece of fudge is usually plenty for me. I don't generally like fudge, but Z Cioccolatos (San Francisco) makes better fudge than most; and they offer a variety of interesting flavors.

Their Tiger Butter Fudge has some layers of chocolate and peanut butter, and also wide swaths of what I'm assuming might be vanilla.

Monday, February 11, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 11, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Harry London
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) for this piece /2 oz. (56 g.) for total box of 4 pieces.
Calories: 95 calories for this one piece
Cost: $5.00 for 1 box of 4 pieces (~$1.25/piece)
Purchased from: Macy's, Palo Alto, CA

I wasn't able to pick out the taste/mouth feel of hydrogenated oils as much with this Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle as the other three pieces in same box. It was quite good overall. The center was lighter, more gel-like than expected, and raspberry taste was authentic - including a few seeds.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 10, 2008

Chocolate of the Day

1 piece
Harry London
Milk Chocolate Praline
Good+
Wt: .5 oz. piece/2 oz. (56 g.) total (for 4 pcs.)
Calories: 95 calories (estimate) per piece
Cost: $5.00 for whole box
Purchased from: Macy's, Palo Alto, CA

This Milk Chocolate Praline (with a hazelnut cream center and a "praline crunch") from Harry London was part of a 4-piece assortment box.

Chocolate in the News:
 (and spiced chocolate truffles with cocoa nibs recipe) by Greg Atkinson that appeared Feb. 10, 2008, in the Seattle Times (link below)

"Get a kick out of chocolate with salt, pepper and curry, too"
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2004163209_pacificptaste10.html

Summary:
- An increase in flavor combinations with chocolate (salt, spices, and cocoa nibs) were discussed.
- It's worth nothing that some of these flavor combinations (like chocolate and chilis) were popular centuries ago, and are now back in favor
- Local Seattle chocolatiers (Chocolate Box, Fran Bigelow, Theo Chocolate) were mentioned.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 9, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Harry London
Cappuccino Truffle
Good+
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) for 1 box of 4 (different) pieces
Calories: 95 calories (estimate) for 1 piece (seems like a lot, but fat content was high)
Cost: $5.00 for a 4-piece assortment box
Purchased from: Macy's, Palo Alto, CA

These were nicely packaged and flavored truffles from Harry London. The Cappuccino Truffle had a coffee infused center, was coated with white chocolate, and dusted with cocoa powder. My only issue: I don't care for hydrogenated oils in chocolate.

ChocolateBet: February 8, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Harry London
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) total for 4-piece assortment box
Calories: 95 calories (estimate) for 1 piece (This seemed like a lot of calories for just one .5 oz. piece, but the fat content is high.)
Cost: $5.00 for 1 box of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Macy's, Palo Alto, CA

These were nicely packaged in a black box with beige/gold script and the four (different) chocolates looked nice. And, I like peanut butter with chocolate. The only down side: I don't like chocolate with hydrogenated oils (palm, others). It may be psychological, but I can almost imagine these oils clogging up my arteries.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 7, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Godiva
Sugar-free chocolate with almonds bar
Good - Very Good - almost tasted too sweet to me, even though it was sugar-free
Weight: .375 oz. (~11 grams) in 1/4 bar; 1.5 oz. (43 grams) total
Calories: 50 calories in 1/4 bar; 200 calories total
Cost: $3.50
Purchased from: ? (purchased last year - last few months of 2007?)

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 6, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Ben & Jerry's
Karamel Sutra ice cream
Very Good - sweet, gooey and chocolatey (caramel and chocolate ice cream with caramel swirl)
Wt.: 1/2 cup serving (107 grams)
Calories: ~ 270 calories for 1 serving
Cost: $4.49 for one pint, entire container
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 5, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 serving
Williams-Sonoma
The Original Peppermint Hot Chocolate - Bittersweet Chocolate Shavings Infused with Peppermint Oil
Very Good
Weight: ~ 20 grams (2 1/2 Tbs.) for 1/2 serving. Total container = 14.5 oz. (410 g.)
Calories: from cocoa/choc shavings = 105 + large glass milk = 350 calories
Cost: $19.50 for a large tin
Purchased from: Williams-Sonoma, San Francisco, CA

I bought this hot chocolate a few months ago in a Williams-Sonoma store in San Francisco. It was a cold evening and the holiday decorations were out, and it was a great time to buy hot chocolate. I'm enjoying it a lot this evening too. All that was lacking was a fire in the fireplace.

ChocolateBet: February 4, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece (individually wrapped to look like a $500 poker chip)
Vegas Image
Texas Hold 'Em Chocolate (chips and holder)
Good - Very Good - clever packaging with $5, $10, $25, $50, $500 and $1000 stacks of chips
Wt.: 4.8 oz. total container
Calories: 65 calories (estimate) for 1 piece/poker chip
Cost: $14.99 for whole container
Purchased from: Las Vegas, NV, airport gift shop (name? C? concourse? where SW air flights depart?)

Yes, you can craft chocolate into just about any shape or facsimile (chocsimile) of any object, which is why I enjoy seeing what creative chocolatiers will come up with next.

Today's chocolates were chocsimiles of poker chips, which is appropriate for something I found in a gift shop at the Las Vegas airport. Viva Las Vegas.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 3, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (3 pieces)
(The) Cocoa Deli (a Kinnerton Confectionary brand)
Rocky Road Clusters
Good - Very Good
Weight: 40 grams in 1 serving (total container is 8.5 oz. (240 g.)
Calories: 180 in one (3-pc) serving
$6.99 for 1 whole container
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Today's blend of Belgian milk chocolate, marshmallows, raisins and caramelized hazelnut bits from Cocoa Deli (London, UK), was definitely rocky road inspired. And I love tasting different variations on this theme.

My favorite rocky road chocolates have big chunks of nuts. I love the contrast between the sweet, soft marshmallows and crunchy nuts that balance out the sweetness.

So I found myself imagining a version of these rocky road clusters with dark chocolate, and more nuts. But then, my preference is for dark chocolate and nuts in almost any confection. 

ChocolateBet: February 2, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Dreyer's
Mocha Almond Fudge
Good - Very Good - enjoyed as part of a birthday celebration
Wt: ~ 1/2 cup (out of a 1/2 gallon size container)
Calories: 160
$?
Purchased from: Piazzas, Palo Alto, CA

Saturday, February 2, 2008

ChocolateBet: February 1, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 wedge
The Chocolate Traveler
Tiramisu Dark Chocolate Wedges
Good - The combination of natural and artificial flavors used to achieve the tiramisu flavoring was a little overpowering.
Wt: .21 oz/(6.25 g) out of a total of 1.75 oz. (50 g) in 8-pc round tin/container
Calories: 30 calories in one wedge/pc.
$4.95 (hand-written price tag either reads $4.95 or $4.75 - I think it's $4.95.)
Purchased from: a store in San Diego, CA, near the water - north of the Convention Center last year.

Cute concept and packaging (round tin with images of travelers in Italy). I like chocolate and I like to travel, so why not? So, I remember buying a few different flavors of these chocolates. However, I don't remember the other flavor (that I tasted previously, last year) having an artificial flavor issue.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...