ChocolateBet: November 30, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

~ 1 oz. serving
Lotte (distributed by Nishimoto Trading Co. of Tokyo, Japan)
Almond Chocolate Crisp (individual chocolate covered almonds, w/ addit. filling elements)
Good +
Wt.: 1 oz. serving/4.16 oz. (118 g.) in total box
Calories: 170 calories (estimate) in ~ 1 oz. serving
Cost: $2.35 for total box
Purchased from: store in Chinatown, in San Francisco, CA

These chocolate covered almonds from Lotte weren't bad; however, I shouldn't be eating chocolates with "malt puff" in them, because I need to avoid wheat/gluten items. And, I'm 99% sure that malt puff probably has at least some gluten in it.

ChocolateBet: November 29, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece

Jo's Candies

Dark Salt Caramels

Very Good

Weight: .6 oz. (17 g)/ 1.2 oz. (34 g.) in total package of 2 pieces

Calories: 75 calories in 1 piece

Cost: $ 1.75 for total pkg. of two pieces

Purchased from: Peet's Coffee and Tea, in Menlo Park, CA

These Dark Salt Caramels from Jo's Candies (Torrance, CA) were very good.

ChocolateBet: November 28, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving

Cafe Primavera at The Tech Museum of Innovation
Hot Chocolate 

Good +

Weight: 12 oz. size cup

Calories: 400 calories (estimate)

Cost: $ ?

Purchased from: Cafe Primavera, at/in The Tech Museum of Innovation, in San Jose, CA

We enjoyed hot chocolate and dinner at a cafe in the Tech Museum (San Jose, CA). The hot chocolate was based on Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and cocoa powder. It was great to drink something hot before going out to view outdoor holiday exhibits and snow.

After dinner, we walked across the street to the park, and through Christmas exhibits. It was nice to see and walk through a burst of snowflakes (albeit fake snow), given that we live in the Bay Area of California and a rare dusting of morning frost is considered deep winter here.

ChocolateBet: November 27, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz. serving
Redstone's
Cranberry dark chocolate ("72% dark")
Good - nice dark chocolate; the crunchy cranberry granules were interesting, though a bit artificial-tasting
Wt.: 1 oz./3 oz. (85 grams) in total bar
Calories: 133 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar (1 oz.)
Cost: $5.99 for total bar
Purchased from: Natalie's Candy Bar, in Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport; Dallas, TX

Happy U.S. Thanksgiving day all.

ChocolateBet: November 26, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 box
Old Dominion Peanut Company
Dipped Peanut Brittle
Very Good
Weight: 5.75 oz. (163 grams)
Calories: 661 calories (estimate) for a whole box
Cost: $.99 for box
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Menlo Park, CA

Well, sometimes you just end up eating the whole box. What can I say. At only $0.99 for the whole box of chocolate-covered peanut brittle goodness....this is a real bargain in the chocolate world.

ChocolateBet: November 25, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 cup
Palo Alto Cafe Coffee House
Hot Chocolate with whipped cream and a shot of almond syrup
Very Good
Weight: ~ 12 fluid oz.
Calories: 400 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.75
Purchased from: Palo Alto Cafe Coffee House, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was the last day (technically day #8) of hot chocolate week. Today we enjoyed some home-made hot chocolate from one of the few independent (non-chain) coffee houses left in midtown/South Palo Alto, the Palo Alto Cafe coffee house.

ChocolateBet: November 24, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Ibarra Chocolate (from Mexico)
"Table Chocolate", wedges for hot chocolate
Very Good
Weight: ~ 23 grams for two wedges (~ 5 fluid oz. hot chocolate)/ total pkg = 19 oz. (1 lb. 3 oz.) or 540 g.
Calories: 110 calories for wedges + milk (~40 cals.) = 150 calories total
Cost: $3.99 for total package (~ 24 servings) makes this a great deal
Purchased from: La Costena (market and take-out food, burritos) in Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of hot chocolate week.

It's only right to try some hot chocolate from Mexico/Central America - where drinking chocolate originated, before it spread far and wide throughout the world.

Today's Ibarra Genuine Mexican Chocolate, contained a short list of the right ingredients, and made a rich, authentic tasting hot chocolate.

ChocolateBet: November 23, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small size serving/cup
Peet's Coffee & Tea
Peppermint Hot Cocoa w/ just a little whipped cream on top
Very Good - just the right amount of mint (not too much)
Wt.: ~ 12 oz. serving/cup
Calories: ~ 400 (estim.)
Cost: $2.75 (need to verify amt.)
Purchased from: Peet's Coffee & Tea, in Menlo Park, CA

Day #6 of hot chocolate week. The weather has cooled down, so hot chocolate seems like a good choice for a theme week. Although it never really gets much below freezing here, something hot to drink is nice during these short days and early evenings.

ChocolateBet: November 22, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 tall size serving
Starbucks Coffee Company
Hazelnut Hot Chocolate
Good + - Very Good; a bit sweet, but nice all the same
Wt.: ~ 12 fluid ounces (tall size) cup
Calories: ~ 420 calories in tall size
Cost: $3.25
Purchased from: Starbucks Coffee in Mountain View, CA

As part of Day #5 of hot chocolate week, I tried one of Starbucks three Signature hot chocolate flavors they are offering this fall. My favorite is their salted caramel flavor (covered in yesterday's post).

ChocolateBet: November 21, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 tall size serving
Starbucks Coffee Company
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Very Good +; nice flavors
Wt.: ~ 12 fluid oz. in tall size cup
Calories: ~ 420 calories (acc. to Starbucks web site)
Cost: $3.25
Purchased from: Starbucks Coffee in San Jose, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of hot chocolate week. Fortunately, Starbucks has three new Signature hot chocolate flavors this fall; these are apparently made with a mixture of four cocoas. This salted caramel flavor was quite good.

ChocolateBet: November 20, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
2 packets
Flavia
"Choco" hot chocolate
Good - Good +
Wt.: ~ 8 oz.
Calories: 200 (estim)?
Cost: $0
Purchased from: N/A - AMD/company break room

Day #3 of hot chocolate week. The weather is getting cooler. Tried cocoa from a relatively new dispenser system in break room.

ChocolateBet: November 19, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

~ 1 serving
Chuao Chocolatier
Hot Chocolate - Spicy Maya (hot chocolate mix)
Very Good; tastes chocolate-y with a slight spicy/peppery aftertaste
Weight: ~ 5 oz. serving/12 oz. (340 g) in total container/tin
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 5 oz. serving I had
Cost: $18.50 for entire tin/container
Purchased from: Coupa Cafe, in downtown Palo Alto, CA

Day #2 of hot chocolate week on the blog. There are lots of hot chocolate options out there these days. It may take me more than a week, or 7 days, to sample them all.

I paid more attention to proportions of water and chocolate mix today, with (no surprise) better results. Yesterday's flavor was probably less sweet than it should have been due to slightly more hot water than the directions called for. When it comes to food preparation/cooking, I am the first to admit that I have a hard time following directions. I'm always thinking of a possible improvisation. So, lo siento mucho abuelita de ayer.

ChocolateBet: November 18, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

~ 1 serving
Chuao Chocolatier
Hot Chocolate - Abuela (hot chocolate mix)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~ .7 oz. /12 oz. (340 grams) mix in total container
Calories: 200 calories (estimate) includes ~ 1/4 cup milk
Cost: $18.50 for a whole container (yipes!)
Purchased from: Coupa Cafe, in downtown Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the first day of Hot Chocolate Week! We had an unusually warm, sunny spell in the past several days in California. So, I waited until today (Tuesday), when it felt more like November, to start this Hot Chocolate Theme Week. I may even extend the theme week beyond 7 days - depending on how many variations on hot chocolate I can find.

This Abuela mix from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA) contains cacao from Venezuela, and tastes very nice even right out of the tin -- sprinkled over ice cream, pudding or other dessert.

The initial taste of hot chocolate I made with hot water was good. Then I found I wanted to make slight tweaks to this first cup, in two different directions: more sweet, and less sweet. This was due to watering down the mix too much.

I'd like to make this hot chocolate again with some coconut milk, or something sweet (marshmallows and/or cinnamon). I drank this with a few pieces of candy corn from Halloween, and that worked. In the direction of "less sweet," the addition of the milk made it less sugary sweet, and richer tasting.

ChocolateBet: November 17, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

~ 1.5 oz.
Lula's chocolates
Dark Aloha Rocky Road
Very Good
Weight: ~ 1.5 oz./ 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: ~ 210 calories in ~1.5 oz. piece
Cost: $6.95 for total package
Purchased from: The Cliff House Gift Shop, in San Francisco, CA

Lula Lund's Chocolates, LLC (based in Monterey, CA) made these generous single serving packages of dark rocky road chocolate - chock full of house-made, fresh marshmallows (yes, this did make a difference), and roasted macadamia nuts. This latter ingredient added some "Aloha" to this confection. 

ChocolateBet: November 16, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 brownie
Edna's
Vegan gluten-free chocolate brownie
Very Good + - this is very good for gluten-free
Wt.: ~ 3 oz. (estim.)
Calories: ~ 180 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (free sample)
Purchased from: Edna's booth at the Mountain View farmer's market, in downtown Mountain View, CA

Thank you to Mary Posey (Edna's founder & triathlete) for the brownie sample at the farmer's market. It's great to know that there are some very tasty gluten-free, chocolate-containing treats right down the road. This brownie was nice and moist, and was enjoyed on a hike in San Francisco today out by the beach. I look forward to trying the chocolate and chocolate chip macaroons in Edna's line in the future.

Note: these brownies aren't in stores yet, but, if you are in the S.F. Bay Area, you may want to contact Edna's (www.ednasuccess.com) for more information how you might pick some of these up at a farmers market near you.

ChocolateBet: November 15, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
Laura Secord
1.) extreme dark - 70% cocoa - Good+ (a bit brittle/chalky, but good)
2.) premium dark chocolate - Good
Weight: 10 grams x 2 = 20 grams total, for 1 each of both flavors above
Calories: ~ 100 calories for 2 pcs.
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Laura Secord shop, in Toronto, ON, Canada

ChocolateBet: November 14, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Laura Secord
Toffee Crunch
Very Good
Weight: 10 grams
Calories: 50 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Laura Secord shop, in Toronto, ON, in Canada

ChocolateBet: November 13, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Chuao Chocolatier
Firecracker (bon bon)
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: ~ .5 oz.
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.50
Purchased from: Coupa Cafe, in downtown Palo Alto, CA

This Firecracker bon bon from Chuao Chocolatier had very nice texture and flavors, and was part of a nice birthday dinner of Venezuelan-style arepas and ropa vieja, and chocolate items of course. Happy birthday Alec.

ChocolateBet: November 12, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Laura Secord
french mint chocolate
Good
Weight: 10 grams
Calories: 45 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Laura Secord shop, in Toronto, ON, Canada

ChocolateBet: November 11, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Mauna Loa
Macadamia Clusters
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .53 oz. (15 grams) in one cluster/piece
Calories: 77 calories (estimate) per piece
Cost: $0?
Purchased from: This may have been a free hand-out from Hawaii trip awhile back. Checking.

This "Taste of the Tropics" consisted of milk chocolate covered mac nut clusters. 

ChocolateBet: November 10, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces/balls
Keoki's Big Island Donkey Balls
Frosted Blue Balls - Milk Chocolate Covered with Blue Chocolate
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~1.6 oz./4 oz. (114 grams) in total package
Calories: 240 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces/balls
Cost: $5.95 for package of six balls
Purchased from: Lava Java Coffee, in Kehei, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii

These Donkey Balls from Hawaii were cute; and blue chocolate is kind of fun.

ChocolateBet: November 9, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 servings
Marich Confectionery Co.
Dark Chocolate Cacao Nib Toffee (72% cacao)
Very Good +; these are very tasty
Wt.: 80 grams (16 pcs.)/4.5 oz. (125 grams) in total package
Calories: 400 calories in 2 servings (16 pieces)
Cost: $4.50 for total package
Purchased from: Safeway, in San Jose, CA

Marich is a Hollister, CA-based family-run business (about a one-hour drive from where I live). These were very good; and I look forward to trying more Marich chocolates in the future.

ChocolateBet: November 8, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece/ball
Keoki's Big Island Donkey Balls
Dark Chocolate and Cayenne Pepper - Balls of Fire
Very Good; plus a few extra points for fun marketing/packaging
Wt.: ~.8 oz./4 oz. (114 grams) in total package
Calories: ~ 120 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.95 for total package
Purchased from: Lava Java Coffee in Kehei, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii

ChocolateBet: November 7, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece/ball
Keoki's Big Island Donkey Balls
Dark Chocolate - Flaky Balls - Toasted Coconut
Very Good; these are fun; picture a chocolate jaw-breaker w/ a macadamia nut in the middle
Wt.: ~ .8 oz./8 oz. (227 grams) in total package
Calories: 120 calories (estimate)
Cost: $11.95 for total package
Purchased from: Lava Java Coffee, in Kehei, on the island of Maui; in Hawaii

I've had fun sharing these "Donkey Balls" with toasted flakes of coconut from Hawaii. This evening, we all had a ball before a Mexican food feast and a movie. It was all good.

Pictured above right is empty package/resealable bag.

ChocolateBet: November 6, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Keoki's Big Island Donkey Balls
Milk Chocolate Chinese Balls ("Rolled in Li Hing Mai Powder")
Very Good - although you have to open wide to fit these into your mouth
Wt.: ~.8 oz. for 1/4 oz. (114 g.) in total package
Calories: ~ 120 cals. in one ball/piece
Cost: $5.95 for total package
Purchased from: Lava Java, in Maui, Hawaii

ChocolateBet: November 5, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

~1.2 oz. serving
Republica Del Cacao Los Rios Province
Single Origin Dark Chocolate - 75% cacao solids (bar)
Very Good +
Weight: 1.2 oz. (estimate) serving/ 3.5 oz. (100g) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.50 (CAD) for total bar
Purchased from: SOMA chocolatemaker, Toronto, ON, Canada

This bar was made from "Arriba" cacao beans from the Los Rios Province in Ecuador.

There is an oft repeated story about cacao from this region. It goes something like this: Cacao beans had been grown in the Los Rios Province of Ecuador for many years, characterized by unique sweet and floral flavor notes. In the 1800s a Swiss chocolatier was traveling up the Guayas River and was impressed by a certain aroma.

The story is printed on this Republica de Cacao bar's label. The chocolatier was reputed to have asked workmen unloading cacao sacks from a nearby boat, where does the cacao aroma come from? They answered "de rio arriba" or "from up the river"

ChocolateBet: November 4, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bite
Laura Secord
"milk chocolate covered marshmallow halloween bar"
OK
Weight: ~ 5 grams/25 grams total bar
Calories: 20 calories (estimate) /100 calories in total bar
Cost: $1.35 (Canadian)
Purchased from: Laura Secord shop in Toronto, ON, Canada

Oops. Halloween was four days ago; and I forgot I had this Laura Secord milk chocolate and marshmallow bar from a recent trip to Canada. Well, better late than never.

It is election day in the U.S., and by late this evening we may know who our President will be for the next 4 years. Major changes like this in times of economic uncertainty like we have now is probably frightening enough for some. No need for Halloween ghosts and goblins here.

ChocolateBet: November 3, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 squares
Natalie's
Dark (chocolate squares)
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: .58 oz. (16 grams) for 2 squares/2.9 oz. (80 g) in total package
Calories: ~84 calories for 2 squares
Cost: $6.59* for total pkg of 10 squares
Purchased from: Natalie's Candy Bar, shop in DFW Airport, in Dallas, Texas

ChocolateBet: November 2, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 squares/pieces
Natalie's
Milk (Chocolate)
Good
Weight: .58 oz. (16 grams) in 2 squares/2.9 oz. (80 grams) in total package
Calories: ~ 87 calories in 2 squares/pieces
Cost: $6.59 in total package*
Purchased from: Natalie's Candy Bar, shop in DFW Airport, in Dallas, TX

ChocolateBet: November 1, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 square
Natalie's
Milk Almond (square)
Good
Wt.: .29 oz. (8 grams) per piece or square/ 2.9 oz. (80 grams) in total 10-pc. package
Calories: ~ 44 calories
Cost: $6.59 in total package
Purchased from: Natalie's Candy Bar, shop in DFW Airport, in Dallas, TX

I found Natalie's Candy Bar, candy and chocolate shop, while changing planes in Dallas. This location/shop was another good chocolate-at-an-airport find.

ChocolateBet: October 31, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz.
Redstone's
Red Chili and Curry dark chocolate bar
Very Good
Wt.: 1 oz. (28.3 g) out of a 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 148 calories (estimate) in 1 oz.
Cost: $5.99 for bar
Purchased from: Natalie's Candy Bar, shop at DFW Airport, in Dallas, TX

These are fun bars. I had tried Redstone's Jalapeno milk chocolate bar with peanuts before and liked it. My only complaint with this 72% cocoa Red Chili bar was that the chili and curry flavorings seemed to be somewhat unevenly distributed in the bars. One bite might be mild; and the next bite in the same bar might contain a spicy mouthful of curry and/or chili. I shared some of this bar with others at work, and one individual bit into more curry than he bargained for. Trick or treat. It's Halloween!

Halloween is a big chocolate holiday. For the past two years I've been trying to get a hold of a chocolate skull or something that might tie in with the Day of the Dead celebrations this week. I ordered a chocolate skull for Halloween, but shortly after I submitted my order, the company sent me an email message saying the item was discontinued. It's a pity. Next year maybe...

ChocolateBet: October 30, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz.
Redstone's
Old New Orleans - French Roast Coffee and Cacao Nibs dark chocolate bar
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) out of a 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 147 calories (estimate) in 1 oz.
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Natalie's Candy Bar, shop at DFW Airport, in Dallas, TX

This Old New Orleans "72% dark" bar from distributor and importer, Redstone Foods (Carrollton, TX)*, was flavored with ground coffee and cocoa nibs was much like I imagined a fusion between Old New Orleans + Texas might be -- bursting with flavor and anything but bashful. It became a bit more of a mouthful (i.e. more brittle and harder to bite into) when cold; but that is true of many chocolate bars, especially thicker ones.

*As part of their private label offerings, Redstone Foods also markets a line of Redstone's chocolate bars, including today's bar.