Thursday, October 30, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 29, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1.5 oz. (1/2 bar)
Redstone's
La Azteca - cinnamon, chile and cacao nibs, dark chocolate
("72% dark")
Very Good
Wt.: 1.5 oz. (43 g.)/3.0 oz. (85 grams) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 in total bar
Purchased from: Natalie's Candy Bar, DFW Airport shop, in Dallas, TX

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 28, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz.
SOMA chocolatemaker
Green Tangerine (dark 66% Trinitario/Criollo; from Madagascar) bar
Very Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (23.3 grams) / 100 grams total in package
Calories: 155 calories (estimate)
Cost: $? (need to find, check receipt)
Purchased from: SOMA chocolatemaker, in Toronto, ON, Canada

Very nice 66% cacao (Trinitario and Criollo beans from Madagascar) chocolate base. The green tangerine was good and interesting, although I could taste this citrus flavor more in some bites, than others.

ChocolateBet: October 27, 2008


Chocolate(s) of the Day:

4 pieces
SOMA chocolatemaker
1.) Gooderham Worts Whiskey - Very Good
2.) 8-yr aged Balsamic Vinegar - Very Good +
3.) "Arbequina" estate olive oil - Very Good
4.) Douglas Fir - Very Good +
Wt.: ~ 1.8 oz. for 4 pieces
Calories: ~ 279 calories for 4 pieces
Cost: $ (I need to find, check receipt)
Purchased from: SOMA chocolatemaker, in Toronto, ON, Canada

SOMA is located in an old brick distillery, and the ~ 5-yr. old company makes chocolates on the premises (you can watch through a window in the store).

These four individual chocolates contained wonderful, unique flavors. All of them tasted like they were made with very high-quality chocolate. I gave the Balsamic Vinegar and the Douglas Fir a few extra points for originality and for tasting well balanced and better than I expected they would. I had intended to eat only one of these each day for four days, but...Oh well, they disappeared quickly...I was curious to "pair" the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil together. And, that worked fairly well. Next time I'm in Toronto, maybe I'll buy a few of these and melt them over a nice green salad. But, seriously, they were quite good; and the Douglas Fir was a great introduction to combining chocolate with pine tree-like flavors. The Worts whiskey was very good, but I couldn't taste any whiskey.

ChocolateBet: October 26, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Chocolate (cafe/restaurant)
"Coca" dark hot chocolate made with coconut milk
Very Good
Wt.: ~ 7 oz.
Calories: ~ 200 calories
Cost: ~ $4.00 + tax & tip
Purchased from: Chocolate (cafe/restaurant), in Santa Cruz, CA

Chocolate works chocolate into their menu in several interesting ways. I also split a spicy chocolate barbequed pork roast entree with a friend; and tried a few bites of their coconut cheesecake (which also has some chocolate in it as well). Chocolate offers a series of interesting hot drinking chocolate choices and desserts.

This was the second time I had been here, and there are plenty of items I can try in the future if I'm over in Santa Cruz.

ChocolateBet: October 25, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Laura Secord
70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Square (wrapped), part of assortment
Good+
Weight: ~ .4 oz (12 g.)/200 grams in total box
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: N/A

I liked this Laura Secord dark chocolate a bit better than the milk chocolate.

Friday, October 24, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 24, 2008



Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
French Crisp ("toasted almond buttercrunch")
Laura Secord
Good +
Weight: ~.4 oz. (~12 grams) pc./200 grams in total assortment box
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift) Thank you Mike.
Purchased from: N/A

Thursday, October 23, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 23, 2008



Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Laura Secord
Pistachio Marzipan
Good +
Weight: ~.4 oz.(~12 g.) piece /200 grams in total assortment box
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in one piece
Cost: $0 (gift) Thank you Mike.
Purchased from: N/A - gift

This milk chocolate topped with toasted pistachio nut bits from Laura Secord (Canada) was a bit sweet for me, but I liked the combination of pistachio nuts, marzipan and chocolate.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 22, 2008



Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Laura Secord
Maple ("Traditional Maple Cream")
Good+
Wt.: ~ .8 oz. (24 g.) 2 pcs./200 grams total assortment box
Calories: ~ 120 calories in 2 pcs.
Cost: $0 (gift) Thank you Mike.
Purchased from: N/A

Laura Secord is a Canadian heroine, who helped warn the British about an American invasion in Ontario, Canada, back in the early 1800s. About 100 years later, her name became associated with a chocolate company - which now has many locations throughout Canada.

This leaf-shaped piece is not a bad example of chocolate and maple syrup together; a good Toronto souvenir.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 21, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:
4 pieces/chocolate coins
The Nutty Chocolatier
Chocolate Coins (gold-foil wrapped milk chocolate Loonies)
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: ~ 1 oz.
Calories: ~ 155 calories (estimate) for 4 coins
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: The Nutty Chocolatier, in Toronto, ON, Canada

Nothing makes you feel wealthy during a recession like eating chocolate coins. Salud y'all.

ChocolateBet: October 20, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz. serving
Coppeneur
Indonesie Java Dunkle Chocolade (72% Cacao Criollo)
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. / 1.76 oz. (50 grams)
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $9.99
Purchased from: The Nutty Chocolatier, in Toronto, ON, Canada

Today's Coppeneur offering was a smooth, high-quality, 72% dark chocolate bar from Germany. I wish it had a bit more of a kick/finish, but otherwise it was very good. Fighting...so...hard...not to...sound...like a wine snob! But, eating close to the bean will do this. So many great tasting arcs to explore, from so many origins, in so little time.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 19, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Lindt
"Creation 70%" ("70% cacao dark chocolate with chocolate mousse filling")
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz./5.3 oz. (150 grams) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. portion
Cost: $0 (gift) Thank you Ann
Purchased from: N/A

Saturday, October 18, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 18, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Turkey Hill Sugarbush LTD., C.P.
Maple Espresso ("in Dark Belgian Chocolate")
Very Good
Weight: 60 grams
Calories: 290 calories (estimate) in total bar
Cost: $2.99 (Canadian)
Purchased from: Bowring (store) in Eaton Centre, in downtown Toronto, ON, Canada

This Turkey Hill dark bar was hard to bite into initially; however, once the piece got warmed up in my mouth it had a good balance of maple sugar, coffee and dark chocolate flavors.

ChocolateBet: October 17, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Turkey Hill Sugarbush LTD., C.P.
Maple Butter Crunch ("in Belgian Milk Chocolate")
Very Good
Weight: 30 grams / 60 grams in 1 bar
Calories: 145 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar/ 290 calories (estimate) in total bar
Cost: $2.99 Canadian
Purchased from: Bowring (store) in Eaton Centre, downtown Toronto, ON, Canada

No surprise; there are a variety of chocolates flavored with some form of maple sugar or maple syrup in Canada. Turkey hill is one brand that offers a few different choices in this area - in milk and dark chocolate. This bar was made with Belgian milk chocolate, and the toffee crunch and almond bits made for a fairly sweet bar but provided some mild crunch.

I found a store (that carried Canada novelty items) on the way to look for a laptop battery in Eaton Centre, a very large indoor mall in downtown Toronto.

ChocolateBet: October 16, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
The Nutty Chocolatier
Thanksgiving Turkey Chocolate
Very Good
Wt.: ~ 1 oz.
Calories: ~ 130 calories
Cost: $10.00 in one box (sale)
Purchased from: The Nutty Chocolatier, in the beach(es) area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in mid-October, and these turkey-shaped chocolates were already on sale the day after Thanksgiving this week. The filling was a very nice smooth chocolate.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 15, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
The Nutty Chocolatier
Chocolate Popcorn
Good + - heavy milk chocolate coating over individual popcorn pieces
Wt.: ~ 1.5 oz. /8 oz. total in bulk plastic bag/pkg.
Calories: ~ 160 calories (estim.)
Cost: $4.99 total package
Purchased from: The Nutty Chocolatier, in Toronto, Canada

This is a fun local chocolatier in the beach(es) area of Toronto. Thank you to eyeon Software for the introduction to this place next door to their office.

ChocolateBet: October 14, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece (bon bon)
South 'n France
Pistachio
Very Good - sweet, but nice; gluten-free
Weight: ~ 1 oz. (estimate)
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0
Purchased/Sent from: South 'n France (www.southnfrance.com), in Wilmington, North Carolina

I packed this bon bon in my briefcase to accompany me on a business trip this week. It survived the flight across country relatively intact, and I continued my chocolate-before-breakfast routine this week in keeping with a full schedule. Sleep doesn't really matter when you have chocolate bon bons by your side, right?

ChocolateBet: October 13, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
South 'n France
Coconut (bon bon)
Very Good - a bit sweet, but very nice; gluten-free
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. (estim.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0
Purchased from: South 'n France (http://www.southnfrance.com/); Wilmington, North Carolina

I'm on the road this week. Traveling through time zones on business is always a bit harried. I ate this sometime before breakfast before jumping on a plane. I find I can eat chocolate any time of the day, but my guess is that certain taste and brain receptors are more alert during certain hours. (Another future experiment I'll have to research.)

Sunday, October 12, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 12, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:
1 bon bon/piece
South 'n France
Cafe Au Lait
Very Good
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. (estim.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0
Purchased from: South 'n France, in Wilmington, NC

Several years before Hurricane Katrina, I remember drinking a cafe au lait and eating a beignet (think doughnut + croissant), with my friend, Ginger, at the Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. South 'n France's Cafe Au Lait flavor, brought back this fond memory; and while a bit sweet for my taste now, it is very good. Also, this bon bon is gluten-free.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 11, 2008



Chocolate of the Day:
1 bon bon/piece
South 'n France
Fudge Brownie
Very Good +
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. (estim.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0
Purchased from: South 'n France, in Wilmington, North Carolina

Thank you again to South 'n France for allowing me to sample such a fine collection of bon bons. I am happily working my way through all seven flavors. Today's choice was the Fudge Brownie, which was in equal parts: brownie and chocolate bon bon. A very nice mix. This particular flavor is probably not entirely gluten-free (although others are), but I am making a small exception this week. As mentioned yesterday, I like the little inserts that help you tell one flavor from the next (see image above). In this case the color of the foil wrappers is coordinated to match the different bon bon flavors.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Chocolate Bet: October 10, 2008




Chocolate of the Day:
2 bon bons/pieces
South 'n France
"Peanut Buttah"
Very Good + - these are very nice, hearty bon bons
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. x 2 = 2 oz. total (estim.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories x 2 = 300 calories total (estim.)
Cost: $0
Purchased from: South 'n France, in Wilmington, North Carolina

South 'n France offers bon bons that combine the best of the South with French panache and technique, and more than a dash of fun. (www.southnfrance.com). Founders Charlene Dupray and Pascal Siegler met in Paris, and the later married. Their compay is based in North Carolina. I received a generous sample tin from South 'n France, with different flavors to try.

Today's choice was Peanut Buttah' (second from left in image above). This flavor was very good, and is, I was told, based on an old family recipe. Lots of interesting bits/flavors mixed in with the peanut butter filling. These bon bons are shipped cold, and while I had some reservations about eating chilled chocolates (as I can often taste more flavors at room temperature), these bon bons were excellent cold. I'm looking forward to trying another flavor tomorrow.

I really appreciate package inserts that list all the flavors in an assortment box/tin -- all the better to remember what you liked best, so you can re-order more later. And the card (image above) that South 'n France includes, showing the cut-away view of these bon bons, is even more helpful. (This certainly beats what my younger siblings used to do to find fillings they liked when we were young kids -- actions that resulted in occasionally finding chocolates with a small hole drilled in the bottom.)

These bon bons can be ordered from the South 'n France web site, and you can choose a customized assortment of flavors.

Note to those who watch their wheat/gluten intake: about half these flavors are also gluten-free, which is nice.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 9, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
ethel's chocolate (Mars)
"Sweet Rose"
Very Good + - this has a nice authentic rose flavor (& the amount of flavoring was just about right for me - not too weak, not too strong)
Wt.: ~ .5 oz. piece
Calories: ~ 75 calories
Cost: $0 - free sample in store
Purchased from: ethel's chocolate lounge/store in the C concourse of the Las Vegas Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, NV

This rose-flavored chocolate is part of ethel's relatively new tea-flavored chocolate series; I look forward to trying more from this collection in the future. The ethel's brand was created by Forrest Mars, and ethel's chocolates lounges/stores can be found in Las Vegas and Chicago.
www.ethelschocolate.com

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 8, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz.; 1/2 bar
E. Guittard
"Quetzalcoatl" (72% cacao - bar)
Very Good - tasted fairly light and sweet for such a dark bar
Wt.: 1 oz. (28.3 grams)/ 2 oz. (56.7 grams) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolato, in North Beach area of San Francisco, CA

This bar warmed up a bit sitting in the sun before I ate it. At some point, I'll have to do a side-by-side taste test where I eat different pieces of the same chocolate, at different temperatures.

In the past, I've noticed that other dark chocolates can have a hard waxy taste; and sometimes they benefit from a few minutes in the sun...But, you have to be careful you don't end up with fondue.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 7, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

2 servings; 2 ounces
Living Intentions
Gone Nuts! - Raw Cacao Almonds and Raisins
("Raw, not roasted; air-dried")
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56 grams)/4 oz. (113 grams) in total package
Calories: 206 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $? (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: Piazza's in Palo Alto, CA (need to double-check this)

Raw chocolate. It's getting better. These Gone Nuts! Raw Cacao Almonds and Raisins from Living Intentions (SF/Richmond, CA) kind of grew on me; they tasted better as I ate more of them. These were also vegan, gluten-free, with no GMOs or trans fats.

Monday, October 6, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 6, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

2 srvgs. (1 cup)
ConAgra Foods
Poppycock - Peanut Butter and Chocolate
Very Good
Wt.: 60 grams in 1 cup/ 8.5 oz. (240 grams) in total package
Calories: ~ 280 in 2 servings (1 cup)
Cost: $? (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: ? (need to find receipt)

Poppycock indeed. These peanut butter glazed popcorn clusters were drizzled with milk chocolate; and they were somewhat addictive the same way that so many other sweet and salty snacks are. The nutty flavor only increased the appeal.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Scharffen Berger - Antilles dark bar - October 5, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

Scharffen Berger*
"Antilles" (dark) ("Limited Series No. 9: Trinidad, Grenada, The Dominican Republic and Coastal Venezuela"); 75% cacao
Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (~42 g.) in 1/2 bar/3 oz. (85 grams) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ 6.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Scharffen Berger, in Berkeley, CA

Scharffen Berger makes dark chocolate worth eating slowly. While the flavors in this bar aren't as varied and complex as some others I remember tasting, it is uniformly good, smooth dark chocolate. These Scharffen Berger bars are just thin enough that I could really taste the flavors in a piece broken off and put in my mouth -- greater surface to mass ratio, and all that stuff.

The wrappers are printed on nice papers and, as shown (in scanned image above right), the "title" of the bar is printed on the edge of the wrapper, so that you may stack these together as you might books on a shelf - or tie a ribbon around a nice bundle of these and give them to someone (or yourself). I think this appeals to those who still enjoy books.

*Scharffen Berger is a division of Artisan Confections Company, which is part of Hershey's.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 4, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

3 oz. bar
Scharffen Berger
Milk Almond ("Sea Salted Almonds and Milk Chocolate") bar
Very Good+
Calories: 420 calories for 1 bar
Cost: $ 5.00
Purchased from: Scharffen Berger, in Berkeley, CA

I prefer dark chocolate, but this was good milk chocolate. This 41% cacao Scharffen Berger Milk Almond bar had a very nice caramelized flavor.

I've been told that, legally, a chocolate product can be called "dark" if it contains over 35-36 percent cacao solids. High-end chocolate makers tend to include more/higher quality solids and to take steps in the manufacturing process that makes -- well, let's just cut to the chase -- their milk chocolate taste a lot better! In fact, I started out eating just part of this bar, and then...What do you know, it's all gone.

ChocolateBet: October 3, 2008


Chocolate of the Day
1 oz.
Scharffen Berger
Finisterra ("they go to the ends (finis) of the earth (terra) to get the best for you")
10th Anniversary Limited Series Blend (bar)
"Dark chocolate featuring cacao from Venezuela, Trinidad & Madagascar"
Very Good + - a nice dark blend
Wt.: 1 oz. (28.3 g.)/3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: ~ 134 calories
Cost: $6.50 in total bar
Purchased from: Scharffen Berger, in Berkeley, CA

Buying any food closer to its source increases the odds you'll get to see and hear where it came from. We do like our stories. Scharffen Berger (which was bought by Hershey's a few years ago) is a Berkeley, CA, (San Francisco Bay Area) chocolate maker. You may not get the chance to visit a cacao plantation in your lifetime, but if you sign up for the Scharffen Berger tour, you'll get to hear a great story about their chocolate (and you'll at least see nice color pictures of cocao plantations and pods). The title "chocolate maker" means the company is involved with making chocolate from the cocoa pod stage to the finished product stage.

On the tour, after you hear the story of chocolate and see and taste roasted cocoa nibs and samples of final product, you'll get to walk through their factory, peer into (from a safe distance) vats of chocolate, and watch little dark chocolate bars being poured into molds and shaken slightly (to get the air bubbles out).

Our tour of the Scharffen Berger plant was followed by a chocolate shopping spree in the gift store - which offers a full range of their products and a few other items (e.g. a chocolate-themed book and/or music CD, cocoa/chocolate drink machine, etc.). The tour is free, but bring your wallet if you want to pick up something on the way out.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 2, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:

2 servings
Lincoln Snacks Company
Poppycock Chocolate Lovers (glazed popcorn clusters with almonds, pecans, chocolate drizzles)
Very Good - (pkg states that there are 0 grams of trans fat which is nice)
Wt.: ~ 1 cup (64 grams)/8 oz. (226 grams) in total package
Calories: 320 calories (estimate) in 2 servings
Cost: $ ? (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: ? (need to find receipt)

I bought two different kinds of Poppycock (both with chocolate) to add to the "just-in-case-I-ran-out-of-chocolates" stash bag at home. I had almost forgotten I had them. The company name is The Lincoln Snacks Company. Their headquarters looks like it is in Chicago; however, it appears that these hail from (or at least are made in) Lincoln, Nebraska. So, Nebraska, I am adding you to my list of U.S. states (& countries) that I'm keeping -- where I list the geographic origin of different chocolate I have eaten. Yes, people, there will probably be a wacky chocolate map someday if I can figure out how to get this created and posted.

*Note added later: Poppycock is now owned by ConAgra foods (along with the Fiddle Faddle brand). As kids in the U.S., we grew up eating these two sweet glazed popcorn snacks and - another related brand, Screaming Yellow Zonkers. It looks like Ubiquity Foods owned all three of these brands in 2007, but, in the $24 billion snack food business, who can keep track.

According to a story that ran in September 2007, in the Chicago Sun-Times:

---------------------
ConAgra Foods Inc. is the new owner of Fiddle Faddle and Poppycock snacks, having acquired the brands' owner, Lincoln Snacks, from Chicago-based Ubiquity Brands last week for an undisclosed price.
Lincoln's manufacturing facility in Lincoln, Neb., will continue to produce the glazed popcorn snacks, which will report to ConAgra Food's Snack Foods division headquarters in Edina, Minn.
Lincoln had about 120 employees. Several office and sales employees who did not want to move with the brand will lose their jobs, said Kris Makowlski, Ubiquity's chief marketing officer.
Lincoln Snacks had about $45 million in sales last year.
Omaha-based ConAgra already owns a similar popcorn product -- ...
-----------------
OK, the point of all this is that I probably bought these bags of Poppycock awhile back (ahem), and they still tasted nice and relatively fresh, even after all these changes have taken place. And more important, I can keep Nebraska on my chocolate sources and states list. Hurray Nebraska. You're still on the wacky chocolate map.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

ChocolateBet: October 1, 2008


Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Shokolaat (restaurant, chocolatier, patisserie)
"Asylum" (dark chocolate, w/ fruit layer)
Very Good - very nice layered flavors
Wt.: ~.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 75 calories
Cost: $2.00 (estim.)
Purchased from: Shokolaat, in Palo Alto, CA
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