ChocolateBet: March 31, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
De Brito Chocolate Factory
Butter Almond Toffee (Dark)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~ 1 oz. (28.3 grams)/4 oz. (113.2 g.) in total pkg.
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.33 for total package
Purchased from: De Brito Chocolate Factory (store), in Hollister, CA

ChocolateBet: March 30, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2/3 bar
TCHO Chocolates
Dark Chocolate "Nutty" - Peru - 65% cacao
(fair trade beans)
Very Good
Weight: ~1.4 oz. (~40 g.)/2.12 oz. (60 g.) ttl bar
Calories: 220 calories (estimate) for 2/3 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cowgirl Creamery at/in Tamales Bay Foods, in Point Reyes Station, CA

This dark chocolate bar had a nice smooth flavor throughout. TCHO has selected cacao from different areas of the world that highlight different aspects of natural chocolate flavors - much like you would see in certain wines.

This bar was "nutty" (the light brown segment in the TCHO wheel pictured above). TCHO also has produced chocolate with citrusy, earthy, floral and other flavor profiles.

ChocolateBet: March 29, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 scoop in a cup
Three Twins (Organic Ice Cream)
Mint Confetti ice cream
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: ~2.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.50 for 1 scoop/cup
Purchased from: Cowgirl Creamery in Tomales Bay Foods, in Point Reyes Station, CA

A friend and I enjoyed a drive up to Point Reyes, CA, and lunch at Cowgirl Creamery. (The green hills and wildflowers north of San Francisco, CA, will be "golden" brown in just a few weeks, but they looked great today in the March sunshine.) In between lunch and cheese tasting, we had some Three Twins organic ice cream, which was very nice.

ChocolateBet: March 28, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
De Brito's Chocolate Factory
"Earthquake" (dark chocolate, crisped rice, peanut butter)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~1.2 oz. (33.96 g.) for 2 pieces
Calories: ~ 180 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.33 for total package of ~ 8 pieces
Purchased from: De Brito's Chocolate Factory, in Hollister, CA

Today, a friend and I visited De Brito's Chocolate Factory as part of a beautiful Spring Saturday drive-and-hike day. Green hills, wildflowers, and (of course) stops for chocolate...Hollister, CA, is in earthquake country, south of San Jose, CA, with a major fault closeby - thus (I'm guessing) the name for the "Earthquake" chocolates. Each piece was decorated with a jagged white "fault" line on top. In additions to chocolates, De Brito's offers more than 30 different flavors of caramel apples. Some of these apples probably weigh more than 2 pounds by the time they're rolled in a variety of ingredients. I'll have to come back at a later time to try one of these.

ChocolateBet: March 27, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Maglio
Messico - 40% cacao
Good +
Weight: ~ 1.77 oz. (5o grams)
Calories: ~ 265 calories
Cost: $5.00
Purchased from: Caffe del Doge, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: March 26, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (banana)
Trader Joe's
"Gone Bananas - chocolate dipped bananas" (frozen)
Good +
Weight: ~ 2.75 oz. (78 grams)/11 oz. (312 g.) for total pkg. of 4 bananas/bars
Calories: 160 calories for 1 banana
Cost: $1.99 (a relative bargain for 4 servings)
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, in Mountain View, CA

These frozen bananas are a good value. Also, 160 calories for one serving of a frozen dessert is not bad if you are trying to watch your weight.

ChocolateBet: March 25, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 container
Trader Joe's
Mocha (European Style Lowfat Yogurt)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 5.3 oz. (150 grams)
Calories: 130 calories
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, in Mountain View, CA

I think I like their Chocolate flavor a bit better than the Mocha, but both flavors are pretty tasty.

ChocolateBet: March 24, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

5 pieces
Caffe del Doge
(Made by Tavoletta)
TreRe Fondente - dark chocolate w/ hazelnuts
Yum
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 grams)
Calories: ~ 315 calories in 5-piece package
Cost: $ (checking)
Purchased from: Caffe del Doge, in downtown Palo Alto, CA

Caffe del Doge in Palo Alto specializes in coffee and hot chocolate drinks; but also carries chocolates. These dark-chocolate with hazelnut chocolates were fantastic. Just what I like: great, rich dark chocolate mixed with toasted nuts.

ChocolateBet: March 23, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 container
Trader Joe's
Chocolate - European Style Lowfat Yogurt
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 5.3 oz. (150 grams)
Calories: 130 calories
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, in Mountain View, CA

Well, I guess you may need to be a yogurt-liker to appreciate this combination. I love Trader Joe's plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt, so I was interested to try their chocolate flavor. It's good. I also picked up their mocha yogurt, and I'll try that later this week.

ChocolateBet: March 22, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces
Caffe del Doge (Il Caffe di Venezia)
(Made by Tavoletta)
Grue - Il Cioccolato line (dark chocolate pieces covered with cacao nibs)
Very Good +
Weight: ~1.17 oz. (33.3 grams) in four pieces/2.8 oz. (80 grams) in total package
Calories: ~ 175 calories (estimate)
Cost: $9.00 for total package
Purchased from: Caffe del Doge, in downtown Palo Alto, CA (the other location is in Venice, Italy)

These dark chocolates are great with a coffee and/or shot of steamed milk. And the coffee drinks and hot chocolate flavors here are pretty wonderful at this cafe too. This may be the closest I get to Venice (at least this year).

ChocolateBet: March 21, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Jade Chocolates
Genmai (35% cacao milk chocolate bar with roasted brown rice, green tea, jasmine tea)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (58 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 (estimate - check this)
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, in Menlo Park, CA

Jade Chocolates (San Francisco) offers several Eastern-inspired flavors. I found this carefully and artfully wrapped Genmai bar (one of three different Jade bars on display) at Draeger's, a high-end local market with a large collection of fine foods and higher-end chocolates.

ChocolateBet: March 20, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small package
Britt chocolates
Dark chocolate covered passion fruit jelly
(Jalea de maracuya cubierta de chocolate oscuro)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: 142.8 calories
Cost: 750 colones (Costa Rica)
Purchased from: shop in San Jose area of Costa Rica

Dark chocolate tends to overwhelm many fruit flavors. The good news is that I could detect a hint of passion fruit flavor inside the dark chocolate coatings.

ChocolateBet: March 19, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small package
Britt chocolates
Dark chocolate covered guava jelly
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: ~134.4 calories
Cost: 750 colones (Costa Rica)
Purchased from: gift store in San Jose, Costa Rica area

These were similar to the Leaves-n-Trees chocolate-covered guava pieces that I tried on Feb. 27, 2009. While tasty, if I were blind-folded I would have had a hard time guessing these had a guava filling. Dark chocolate's strong flavor masks any fruit not strong enough to stand up for itself.

ChocolateBet: March 18, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small package
Britt chocolates
"Dark chocolate covered gourmet Macadamia Nuts"
Very Good
Weight: .9 oz. (26 grams)
Calories: ~156 calories
Cost: $2.00
Purchased from: store in San Jose area of Costa Rica

I'm still working on my chocolate stash from Costa Rica. There were some nice chocolates there. My apologies to Britt. I've flattened their triangular-shaped pouch to scan the packaging. It's much nicer looking than this.

ChocolateBet: March 17, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Schurra's Fine Confections
Brandied Cherry Cordial (milk chocolate)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~.6 oz. (16.98 grams) (estimate)
Calories: ~ 90 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Schurra's store in San Jose, CA

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all of you with a bit of Irish in you. No chocolate shamrocks this year, but maybe I'll find one to try next year.

ChocolateBet: March 16, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
3 pieces
Leonidas
1.) Coconut Cup (dark choc.) - Good + - Very Good
2.) White Pearl Praline Truffle - Pistache Choc. Cream filling - Good +
3.) Lingot - Milk Chocolate Vanilla Hazelnut Paste (rectangular shape) - Very Good
Note: I am pretty sure that #3 was a Lingot and not a Manon (mocha hazelnut paste)
Weight: ~ 1.3 oz. (36.79 grams) in 3 pieces
Calories: ~ 195 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: ~ $3.30 (guesstimate) for 3 pieces
Purchased from: Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe, in Pasadena, CA

ChocolateBet: March 15, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
1.) Raspberry Praline (dark) (piano-shaped w/ wings stencil) - Good + - VG
2.) Le Feuille (milk) nougatine/toffee (thin, leaf-shaped) - Very Good
Weight: ~ 1.1 oz. (31.13 grams) for two pieces
Calories: ~ 165 calories for both pieces
Cost: ~$2.20 (guesstimate - I only have total $ for several items.)
Purchased from: Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe/store, in Pasadena, CA

The Leonidas Raspberry Praline is filled with a raspberry-flavored ganache, that looks like it may also contain a little white chocolate. Les Feuilles (the leaves) come in milk and dark flavors. I believe this one I tasted was the milk chocolate version; the thin center layer was a crispy toffee/nougatine with finely chopped nuts.

ChocolateBet: March 14, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces (halves)
Schurra's (Fine Confections)
Zoria Farms California Dried Apricots (dark choc.)
Very Good
Wt.: ~.5 oz. (14.1 grams) (estim.)
Calories: 65 calories (estim.)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Schurra's in San Jose, CA

ChocolateBet: March 13, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small bar
Arriba - 40% (cacao) (from Origin Collection - small bars)
Very Good
Wt.: 13.5 grams for 1 bar/162 grams for total pkg. of 12 bars
Calories: 78 calories for one small bar
Cost: $13.00* for total package/box of of 4 different small bars
Purchased from: Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe, in Pasadena, CA

ChocolateBet: March 12, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small bar
Leonidas
Venezuela - 72% (cacao) (from single origin collection of small bars)
In between Good + - Very Good and Very Good
Weight: 13.5 grams
Calories: 73 calories in one bar
Cost: $13.00 for total package/box of 4 different small bars
Purchased from: Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe, in Pasadena, CA

I would rate this small, dark Venezuela bar from Leonidas between Good + - Very Good and Very Good (How's that for splitting hairs?)

ChocolateBet: March 11, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small bar
Leonidas
Ghana 60% (from single origin collection of small bars)
Very Good
Wt.: 13.5 grams
Calories: 69 calories in one small bar
Cost: $13.00* for total package of small bars
Purchased from: Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe, in Pasadena, CA

ChocolateBet: March 10, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small bar
Leonidas
Tanzanie 75% (from single origin collection of small bars)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 13.5 grams
Calories: 76 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar
Cost: $13.00 for total package/box of small bars
Purchased from: Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe, in Pasadena, CA

This small, Tanzania dark bar had smooth dark chocolate flavor. What it may have lacked in complexity (a more dramatic flavor arc), it made up for with a nice, even taste -- which some will prefer.

I liked the packaging on these Leonidas single origin bars -- with examples of tribal masks from the different cacao-growing regions.

ChocolateBet: March 9, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces
1.) Green Tea (Dark) - Good +
2.) Banana Cream (Milk) - Good +
Wt. ~ 1 oz. (28.3 grams)
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Mignon Chocolate, in Pasadena, CA

I'm on the road again this week, and am eating some chocolates I bought last weekend on a day trip down to L.A./Pasadena area. Both green tea and banana are difficult flavors to pull off I've found. Parts of these flavors seem to get lost, or end up tasting somewhat artificial. These were fairly good.

ChocolateBet: March 8, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Mignon Chocolate
1.) Limoncello (Dark) - Good +
2.) Lavender (Dark) - Very Good + - Yum
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. (28.3 g.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Mignon Chocolate, Pasadena, CA

The limoncello flavored chocolate was good, although it didn't really taste exactly like the lemon-flavored alcoholic drink. Something did not translate exactly right. This may may need an extra dose of lemon flavoring to counteract something else that's going on here when the liqueur is blended with the chocolate; I'm not sure. The lavender flavored dark chocolate was excellent.

The family that started Mignon have an interesting story. The company has roots in the Ukraine and Iran. Mignon Chocolate operates in Southern California, with two locations - one in Glendale and one in Pasadena. (Their factory is in Van Nuys, CA.)

ChocolateBet: March 7, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe
Marron - Dark
Very Good
Wt.: ~ .5 oz.
Calories: ~ 75 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0 (sample)
Purchased from: Leonidas store, in Pasadena, CA

Old town Pasadena was fun to visit today. Thank you to Starla who was helping us pick out chocolates in the Pasadena store.

ChocolateBet: March 6, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Schurra's
Victorian Cream - Dark chocolate version
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: ~ .5 oz. (14.1 gram)
Calories: ~ 75 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0 (sample) included with purchase of several chocolates
Purchased from: Schurra's store in San Jose, CA

I don't usually care for chocolates with cream centers, but the rum taste to these dark chocolate-coasted creams made for an enjoyable flavor.

ChocolateBet: March 5, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Two different flavors of ice cream in one cup
1.) 1/4 cup Ben and Jerry's "Imagine Whirled Peace" - Very Good
2.) 1/4 cup Breyers (1/2 the fat light ice cream) Mint Chocolate Chip - Very Good
Wt.: 1.) 1/4 cup/1 pint total; 2.) 1/4 cup/1.5 quarts (1.41 Liters) in total container
Calories: 135 calories + 65 calories = 200 calories total
Cost: $ 3.50 + $6.49 = $9.99 total for both containers/flavors
Purchased from: Safeway in Menlo Park, CA

I wanted to focus on chocolate money, coins and a related theme this week, but I didn't have a chance to research this fully. Today, I ran out of time and ended up shopping at a local supermarket at 10 p.m. at night for my chocolate of the day. They had no chocolate coinage...So, I went with two ice creams that had some vague connection to this overall monetary theme.

First, Ben and Jerry's "Imagine Whirled Peace" contained what looked to be small chocolate coins, but they are really peace signs. Second, I sprung for some "1/2 the fat"/light Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream...well, because a "mint" is where money is made. OK, I realize this is a bad pun and a big stretch; but when you go shopping late at night, and the store employees start suspecting you are a bit strange as you walk down all possible aisles/areas that might harbor some chocolate coins, with the look of a hungry hunter, you have to get creative.

ChocolateBet: March 4, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 coin
(Made in China - I couldn't find manufacturer's name)
Chocolate Golden Coins (Chinese symbols and Happy New Years greeting)
OK
Wt.: ~.3 oz. (9.4 g.)/3.67 oz. (104 g.) total package
Calories: ~ 50 calories
Cost: $1.49 for total package
Purchased from: Gum Sing Market, in Chinatown, San Francisco, CA

Many countries produce gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins. I won't have time to explore just how many, but there seems to be more fake candy money made of chocolate ("chocsimiles") than other candy types. I have not seen, for example, any gummy coinage, or peppermint dollar bills. But, they may be out there.

ChocolateBet: March 3, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
4 pieces
Gamesformotion (distributed in the U.S. by Ferrara Pan Candy Company)
Chocolate Monopoly
4 pieces (Park Avenue $350; Reading Railroad $200; Pacific Avenue $300, Chance (?))
Very Good - surprisingly good for novelty chocolates
Wt.: ~ .65 oz. (18.4 grams)/5.1 oz. (144 grams) total pkg./box
Calories: ~ 97.5 calories for 4 pieces
Cost: $9.99 for total package (~ 33 pieces of chocolate?)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

This week I'm focusing on chocolate high finance. Given the state of our economy, it's possible that chocolate is worth more (pound for pound) than certain real estate properties.

Today I ate Park Avenue -- and Reading Railroad, Pacific Avenue and a Chance (?) -- properties valued at ~ $950. Gamesformotion in the Netherlands makes a chocolate edition or version of the famous board game, Monopoly. This Chocolate Monopoly box/set also comes with a game "board" and spinner, so you can play a game with the chocolate pieces (provided it's not a very hot day). Also, property and chance cards tend to disappear before you are half-way through the game.

ChocolateBet: March 2, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
3 coins
Blue Frog Chocolates
Mardi Gras Chocolate Doubloons (wrapped in purple, green, gold and silver foil)
Very Good +
Wt.: ~ .73 oz. (20.6 g.)/~4.85 oz. (137.5 g.) in total package of 20 chocolate coins
Calories: ~ 109.5 calories for 3 coins
Cost: $ 10 for pkg of 20 doubloons/coins
Purchased from: Blue Frog Chocolates (online order), in New Orleans, LA

Happy very belated Mardis Gras all. This week I thought I would focus on chocolate money. These Blue Frog coins were surprisingly good. (I tried the purple, green and gold ones.) Perhaps my expectations were too low for chocolate coinage.

Also, Blue Frog, I salute your creativity! Hailing from New Orleans, the city so affected by Hurricane Katrina a few years ago, the company has incorporated humor in some of their chocolate offerings, such as the "FEMA Approved Blue Roof Houses" (I ordered one) and the "Hurricane Katrina Trash Piles" (which, sadly, was pictured on their site, but is no longer available). And, I enjoyed their claim that chocolate is "nature's way of making up for okra"...This is funny; however, I actually like okra, especially okra pickles. I haven't tried pickled okra with chocolate, yet.

ChocolateBet: March 1, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Chocorart
(Chocolate Organico Artesanal)
Mint
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: 30 grams (~1.06 oz.) in each of the six different pieces/flavors
Calories: ~ 155 calories (estimate)
Cost: $15.95 USD for total package of six different chocolates
Purchased from: Airport gift shop in San Juan, Costa Rica

Once again, an airport gift shop proved to be a great place to find some different local chocolates. Chocorart products, according to information I found on the web, come from an organic cacao plantation. The organic cacao farm and chocolate factory is near Playa Chiquita (just south of Puerto Viejo, on the Caribbean/east coast) in Costa Rica.

This mint chocolate was one in a package of six Chocoart flavors. I found these on the way out of Costa Rica at the end of a vacation. The consistency of these cigar-shaped chocolates was a bit different; they have just three ingredients: cacao, cane sugar, and flavoring (mint in this case). But the texture and taste grow on you.