Monday, March 31, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 31, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Pecan Caramel
Charles Chocolates
Very Good; fleur de sel style caramel, coated with chocolate w/ a toasted pecan half.
Wt: ~.4 oz.
Calories: ~75 cals.
Cost: $1.35
Purchased from: Charles Chocolates, in Emeryville, CA

Sunday, March 30, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 30, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Charles Chocolates
I had one Meyer Lemon Yankee, and one Meyer Lemon Marzipan (2 pcs total)
1) Meyer Lemon Yankee - Very Good - everyone else could taste lemon in the dark chocolate ganache/filling; I could not. This is too bad, because I tend to enjoy lemon and dark chocolate flavors together.
2) Meyer Lemon Marzipan - Very Good+ - I could definitely taste the lemon in this one, and I like their version of marzipan - less sweet, more almonds.
Wt: ~ .8 oz.
Calories: ~145 calories
Cost: ~$2.70 for 2 pcs.
Purchased from: Charles Chocolates (HQ) in Emeryville, CA

I visited the Charles Chocolates factory, and enjoyed looking through the glass at their operation. It's not a full factory tour in the sense that you're within touching distance of any chocolate in different rooms/stages, but you do get to see most all of their operation and machinery from the viewing area/chocolate bar. They also do tea and chocolate pairings once a month; I hope to attend one of these in the future. Below is some information from their web site on where they are located for those interested in paying them a visit. (Tour is free; tour and tasting is $10.)

Charles Chocolates Store & Chocolate Bar
6529 Hollis St.
Emeryville, CA 94608
510.652.4412 x311
Description Every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, we will offer a guided factory tour of our production facility. You'll be able to watch as our chocolatiers are in full production in our kitchen, observe various chocolates being made, and learn how hand-crafted, artisan chocolates and confections are made at Charles Chocolates. The tour will end with an interactive question and answer session.

You may make a reservation online via Brown Paper Tickets until 2 hours prior to the tour.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 29, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 cookie
Nana's
No Gluten Chocolate Crunch (gluten-free) cookie
Very Good - healthy: no gluten, no trans fats or refined sugar
Wt: 3.5 oz. (99 grams)
Calories: 360 calories in 1 cookie
Cost: $1.79
Purchased from: Whole Foods market in Los Altos, CA

Friday, March 28, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 28, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Coco-luxe Confections
Happy Trails (Drk Choc Bar with Trail Mix)
Good - vaguely chemical taste
Wt: ~.6 oz. (~17 g.); 2.5 oz. (70 g.) total
Calories: ~90 calories
Cost: $ 4.99
Purchased from: Andronicos market, in Palo Alto, CA

Fun concept -- chocolate + trail mix (goji berries, pumpkin seeds), in a dark chocolate bar, called "Happy Trails," dressed in Western style font and package design. 

Thursday, March 27, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 27, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
World's Finest Chocolate
Mint Meltaways
Good + - nice classic chocolate mint combination; a little sweet, but good.
Wt. 1.375 oz. (39 grams) for 1 serving; 2.75 oz. (78 g) total pkg.
Calories: 230 calories
Cost $2.00?
Purchased from: Colleague at work (thanks Bao!); fundraiser

ChocolateBet: March 26, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
GuyLian
Belgian Chocolate Twists
Extra Dark - 70% cocoa
(Dark chocolates with a dark chocolate filling)
Very Good
Weight: ~9 grams per piece (total package is 4.9 oz. (139 g))
Calories: 50 calories in one piece
Cost: $3.99 for total package of 16 pieces
Purchased from: Fry's Electronics, in Palo Alto, CA

I liked these individually-wrapped, dark chocolate (70% cocoa) seahorse-shaped chocolates with the smooth dark filling.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 25, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Michel Cluizel (Paris)
Noir Infini 99% cacao
Very Good
Wt. ~.5 oz. (~15 g.) in 1/2 bar; 1.05 oz. (30 grams) total
Calories: not clear (~72 calories for 1/2 bar)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: (don't know as it was a gift; possibly Dean and DeLuca)

Thank you George for sharing this find!

A hard wax-brittle start gave way to rich flavors (think unsweetened baker's chocolate and you'll get the general idea).

The very high 99% cacao content was achieved by adding just a small pinch of cane sugar, and omitting milk or any other fillers that might dilute the chocolate. The absence of sugar lets the cacao flavors and maker's skill shine through.

Monday, March 24, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 24, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 chocolate egg
Dove/Mars
Smooth Milk Chocolate Truffle Egg
Very Good - Dove chocolates have a nice richness and smooth texture that balances out the sweetness in a way that is not always achieved with other chocolates.
Wt. 0.90 oz. (25.5 grams)
Calories: 150 calories
Cost: $ 0.79
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

This chocolate egg will be the last (I think) in the Easter-related chocolates this week. Chocolate "theme weeks" are always fun.

Chocolate Eggs in the News
Reports of very large chocolate Easter eggs surface from time to time. Apparently the largest egg to date was made in Belgium. The egg measured 8.32 meters (27 ft) high and was made of at least 50,000 bars or around 2,000 kg of chocolate. (This fact appeared in a 3/24/08 article entitled "Giant chocolate Easter egg made in Brazil" about a slightly smaller 160 kg (352 lb.) Brazilian egg, courtesy of the Russian News Information Agency.)

Sunday, March 23, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 23, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:


1 peep
Just Born
Peeps - Marshmallow Bunnies (Cocoa)
Good+ - nice light cocoa flavor
Wt: ~.3 oz. (~8.4 grams) per peep; 2 3/8 oz. (67 grams) total
Calories: 30 calories per peep
Cost: $0.59? (sale?)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Cocoa flavored-peeps. How great is that.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 22, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

3 solid milk chocolate bunny ears
(1 ear each from Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail chocolate bunnies)
Beatrix Potter The Tale of Peter Rabbit (3 diff bunny characters in series)
Distributed by Frankford Candy & Chocolate C.O.
Product of Chile
Good+ (A bit sweet but richer tasting than most milk chocolate)
Wt: .1 oz. (each ear) x 3 ears = .3 oz.
Calories: ~ 45 calories in three small ears
Cost: $4.50 for all three bunnies (~$1.50 each) sale price
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: March 21, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 choc cross
Palmer (R.M. Palmer Company)
May His Light Shine Upon You (solid milk chocolate-shaped cross)
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: 37 calories (150 calories total)
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Thursday, March 20, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 20, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Palmer (R.M. Palmer Co.)
Hear My Prayer Double Crisp
(A pair of chocolate hands folded in prayer)
Very Good
Wt. 1.5 oz. (42.5 grams)
Calories: 220
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

I was thinking good thoughts while munching on the chocolate hands. This was another Easter related chocolate for this week leading up to Easter Sunday.

Chocolate Bunnies in the news...

I read in an article that last year that more than 90 million chocolate rabbits were produced in the U.S. for Easter. This data apparently came from the National Confectioners Association.

"A survey by the association revealed that 76 percent of chocolate bunny eaters bite the ears first, and 42 percent of sweet eaters preferred solid chocolate bunnies. Of those people surveyed, 21 percent said they preferred a hollow chocolate bunny, 10 percent wanted to see a marshmallow bunny in their basket and 9 percent wanted other types of Easter candies."

This information was from a (New Hampshire) "Telegraph" article by Andrea Bushee entitled "Sweet shops make their own chocolate bunnies" that ran yesterday, Wed. March 19, 2008.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 19, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 pkg eggs
Cadbury
Mini Eggs (Solid Milk Chocolate with a Crisp Sugar Shell)
Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21 grams); out of a total of 1.5 oz. (42 grams) total pkg.
Calories: 105 calories for 1/2 pkg (210 total)
Cost: $0.59 per package
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

More Easter holiday themed chocolates - little chocolate eggs this time. Chocolate bunnies in to-be-eaten-next pile are getting nervous...

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 18, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 egg
Reese's
Fudge Peanut Butter Egg
Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 grams)
Calories: 180 calories in 1 egg
Cost: $0.41
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Continuing along the Easter theme this week....I ate an egg, Reese's style. And it was very good. I've never meet a Reese's peanut butter item I didn't like.

Monday, March 17, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 17, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece/carrot
Lindt and Sprungli
Chocolate Carrots (Solid Milk Chocolate blended with Hazelnut)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .45 oz. (13 grams) for 1 pc/carrot; 1.8 oz. (52 grams) total box
Calories: 52 for 1 pc/210 for 3+
Cost: $5.25 for box of 4 chocolate carrots
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, in North Beach area of San Francisco, CA

These solid milk chocolate Lindt and Sprungli chocolate carrots, individually wrapped in orange, were fun chocsimiles (chocolate facsimiles) of this favorite Easter bunny treat.

And, making sure to include as many holidays as possible... the little green stick and green part of the wrapper provided a bit of green for St. Patrick's day today.

ChocolateBet: March 16, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 scoop
Gelato Classico
Chocolate Peanut Butter gelato
Very Good
Wt: ~ 4 fl oz.
Calories: ~ 250? calories
Cost: $3.50 for cup
Purchased from: Gelato Classico, in North Beach area of San Francisco, CA

ChocolateBet: March 15, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Dove
Dark Chocolate Cherry Flavored Caramel
Very Good+
Weight: 8 grams for 1 piece / 5.8 oz. (164.4 g.) total bag
Calories: 40 calories for 1 piece
Cost: $2.50 (sale) for 1 bag
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: March 14, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Chuao Chocolatier
Candela Choco Pod
Spicy Macademia Praline
Very Good
Weight: 11 grams/piece or pod / 2.3 oz. (66 g.) total box of 6
Calories: 60 calories/piece
Cost: $5.99 for 1 box of 6 pods
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, in Cupertino, CA

It's best to eat these Candela Choco Pods slowly, to really taste the blend of spicy (chipotle pepper), nut (macadamia), and dark chocolate (60% cacao) flavors.

Friday, March 14, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 13, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 of a bunny
Reese's
Reester Bunny (Milk Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Bunny)
Very Good+ - actually this tasted a little better to me than regular peanut butter cup
Wt: 1.25 oz.(35 g) for 1/4 bunny; (5 oz. or 141 g. total bunny)
Calories: 190 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.69?
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

In the run-up to Easter, it seems only right to try to eat some chocolate bunnies, eggs and other holiday-related items made for the occasion.

The Reester Bunny did not disappoint; it was indeed "packed with Reese's Peanut Butter."

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 12, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Ethel's Chocolate (Lounge)
Cinnamon Truffle
Very Good; the cinnamon flavors are a bit subtle for me, but it was good.
Wt.: ~ .4 oz.
Calories: ~ 75
Cost: $1.50
Purchased from: Ethel's Chocolate (Lounge), in/at the Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, NV

ChocolateBet: March 11, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Ethel's Chocolate (Lounge)
Peanut Butter & Jelly chocolate
Very Good+; nice authentic flavors/filling
Wt: ~ .4 oz.
Calories: ~ 75
Cost: $1.50
Purchased from: Ethel's Chocolate (Lounge), at/in the Las Vegas Airport

Loving life and chocolate. Today I went on a day trip to Las Vegas for a meeting. It was so nice to travel without luggage and laptop! It left me with a free hand to scoop up some chocolate on my way back through the airport. Chocolate and potato chips for dinner. Hurray!

Monday, March 10, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 10, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Chuao Chocolatier - Choco Pod
"Passion" - Passion Fruit Caramel
Very Good
Weight: 11 g (0.388 oz.) per piece/pod / Total package was 2.3 oz. for 6 pieces/pods
Calories: 50 calories for 1 piece/pod
Cost: $5.99 for total package of 6 pieces/pods
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, in Cupertino, CA

Today's individually wrapped chocolate pods from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA) were very good. The "Passion" pods were filled with bright passion fruit caramel flavor and covered with dark (60% cacao) chocolate.

I would have enjoyed it if it were a little less sweet, but they were still quite nice. Wanting to be able to taste the chocolate flavors, and not the sweetness, seems to be my preference these days.

In other Chocolate News:

Nestle To Open Chocolate Centre of Excellence
(Vevey, Switzerland, March 10, 2008) (ABN Newswire)
http://www.abnnewswire.net/press/en/49072/Nestl%C3%A9.html
The new Chocolate Centre of Excellence, part of a Nestle factory in Broc, Switzerland, will be opening in 2009. (New hang out for international chocolate professionals? We'll see.)

Sunday, March 9, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 9, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Joseph Schmidt Confections
Belgian Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter Truffle Filling
Good + - Very Good - A bit too sweet for me.
Wt.: 1.1 oz. (31 g) for 1/2 bar; (2.2 oz. (62 g) total bar)
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar; (340 in total bar)
Cost: $1.99 (store closing sale)
Purchased from: Green Earth Foods, in Santa Clara, CA

This peanut butter truffle filled milk chocolate bar from Joseph Schmidt Confections (San Francisco, CA) was flavorful and tasty, but a bit too sweet for me.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 8, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
"the pate of beets and chocolate frozen arugula and port sauce"
Citizen Cake (restaurant)
Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. total (guesstimate)
Calories: 350 calories (estimate)
Cost $ 11.00 for this dessert (It was part of the most expensive meal I've had all year.)
Purchased from: Citizen Cake (restaurant) in San Francisco, CA

I thought this unusual dessert was very good -- and definitely not for everyone. A chocolate "ganache" layer was topped with a beet gelee layer, and was served with a small portion of arugula ice cream and a port sauce - that seemed to have some cherries in it. I liked it - but one of my dining companions (who is not a beet fan) did not. The menu was clever, with creative word riffs unhampered by capital letters or punctuation.

I'd like to go back to Citizen Cake for brunch, or perhaps just for dessert. They offered tempting looking sweets in their adjacent take-out patisserie/shop.

P.S. Unfortunately, Citizen Cake is now closed.

ChocolateBet: March 7, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small bar
Vosges
Barcelona Bar - hickory smoked almonds, grey sea salt, deep milk chocolate
41% cacao
Very Good
Wt: .5 oz (15 grams) per label
Calories: 80 calories (estimate) for 1 small bar
Cost: $2.49
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, in Cupertino, CA

Thursday, March 6, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 6, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 heart-shaped, red and gold, foil-wrapped piece
Roshen (Ukrainian chocolate maker)
Good+ (It probably would have been better if I'd eaten it sooner; no fault of the chocolate's)
Weight: ~.4 oz./~ 5 oz. box total (estimate)
Calories: 79 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift from daughter's friend last year)
Purchased from: ? (somewhere in Russia/Ukraine?)

I'd love to travel to Eastern Europe and Russia. However, since I can't make it this year, it was great to be able to try chocolates from a similar part of the world.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 5, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
XOX Truffles
1 Cognac Truffle and 1 Champagne Truffle
Very Good + for Cognac, and Very Good for Champagne
Wt: ~.8 oz. for two pieces
Calories: ~ 115 for two truffles
Cost: $1.50 for two truffles (.75 each)
Purchased from: XOX Truffles, in San Francisco, CA

XOX Truffles offers several flavors. I think I like the Cognac truffle the best so far; however, more research may be necessary.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 4, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
XOX Truffles
1 Lemon/Citron and 1 Caramel Truffle
Both were Very Good; I liked the Lemon
Wt: ~.8 oz. for 2 pcs.
Calories: ~ 115 for 2 pcs.
Cost: $1.50 for 2 truffles (.75 per truffle)
Purchased from: XOX Truffles, in San Francisco, CA

I purchased a small bag of 6 truffles at XOX Truffles during my last trip up to San Francisco a few days ago, and have been picking them off - two by two the past few days. They offer a nice range of flavors. Cautionary note, these are prone to getting soft so be careful not to squish them together.

Chocolate in the News:

Dark Chocolate Shown to Lower Blood Pressure
Dark varieties promote healthier hearts, lower cancer risks
by Sally Squires, The Washington Post
"...Americans each consume an estimated 11 pounds (more than 26,000 calories) per year, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition..."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/healthyliving2/stories/DN-nh_leanplatenew_0304liv.ART.State.Edition1.465996b.html

Monday, March 3, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 3, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces/Truffles
XOX Truffles
1 Green Tea Matcha Truffle and 1 Earl Grey Truffle
Both were Very Good; nice tea flavors in both
Wt. ~ .8 oz.
Calories: ~ 115 calories for 2
Cost: $1.50 for 2 (.75 each)
Purchased from: XOX Truffles, in San Francisco, CA

XOX Truffles is a tiny little chocolate (and coffee) shop on Columbus; I waited in line (on the sidewalk) behind a half dozen folks who were picking out a custom variety of truffle flavors. No problem. It gave me more time to make up my mind.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 2, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 cupcake
"Crave - A San Francisco Bakery"
Confetti Cupcakes (chocolate with chocolate frosting, and some sprinkles)
Very Good - and Very Good + if warmed slightly in the microwave oven
Weight: 3 oz. (85 grams) per cupcake / (12 oz. (342) grams total for total package of 4)
Calories: 240 for 1 cupcake
Cost: $9.99 for a container of 4 cupcakes
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, in Cupertino, CA

I made my first trip into the Whole Foods Market in Cupertino - a huge (68,000 square foot) store that opened in 2007 and was built across the street from their old store. It was impressive.

There were lots of chocolates (conveniently located close to the front entrance). And, equally important for me, there were lots of gluten-free chocolates to choose from -- including these gluten-free and milk-free, chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting from Crave (San Francisco, CA). These Confetti Cupcakes were topped with festive sprinkles.

The cupcakes were even better, if that's possible, when warmed very slightly in the microwave oven.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

ChocolateBet: March 1, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Chuao Chocolatier
Choco Pod - Modena
Weight: 1 pod - 11 grams / 2.3 oz. (66 grams) total package of 6
Calories: 50 calories for 1 piece/pod
Cost: $6.29 for package of 6 pieces
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

This package of 6 dark chocolate (60% cacao) "pods" from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA) were filled with a strawberry and balsamic caramel center, and were very good.

Each pod (roughly shaped like a cacao fruit) was individually wrapped making single servings convenient; the filling had a nice flavor without overwhelming the dark chocolate that surrounded it, which I liked -- probably because so many fillings are too sweet for my taste.
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