ChocolateBet: November 30, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
3 pieces
Bergen Marzipan & Chocolate Inc.
Brandy Pralines
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.)/9 oz. (254 g.) in total box of 18
Calories: 190 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $5.99 for box of 18
Purchased from: TJ Maxx, in San Francisco, CA

These round truffle-shaped chocolates, rolled in chopped nuts, had a strong almond flavor (which I liked). The ingredient list included "toasted almond," but not specifically marzipan. However, I'm guessing from the company's name (Bergen Marzipan & Chocolate) that there may have been a touch of extra almond paste or flavoring involved as well. In any case, nicely done.

ChocolateBet: November 29, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Russell Stover
Santa Milk Chocolate bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 310 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.29
Purchased from: Walgreens, in midtown Palo Alto, CA

Today concluded chocolate money week. Christmas candy started to appear in stores early this year (after Halloween). So, today also marks the transition to the Christmas chocolate season. This Russell Stover ($1 million dollar bill) milk chocolate bar was stamped with the phrase "In Chocolate We Trust;" whereas "In Santa We Trust" was printed on the outer packaging, as was the signature of Mrs. S. Claus (Wife of Santa). I have to say that both chocolate and Santa have both proven relatively trust-worthy; so all this sounded OK to me.

ChocolateBet: November 28, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Chocolate #1
2 pieces (coins)
Steenland Chocolate BV
Milk Chocolate Good Fortune Coins (2 types)
Weight: .266 oz. (7.533 g.) for 2 pcs./(4 oz. (113 g.) total mesh bag
Calories: 40 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

Chocolate #2
1 piece/coin
Sweet Treats (by Metro Candy Sales)
Chocolate Coins (gold foil wrapped chocsimiles of U.S. Liberty Quarters)
OK+-Good
Weight: .15 oz. (4.35 g.) for 1 coin/6 oz. (170 g.) total bag of 39 coins
Calories: 22.5 calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.99 for bag
Purchased from: Diddams store, in Mountain View, CA

Who knew there were so many types of chocolate money? It's no surprise that chocolate money theme week has extended well beyond the originally planned 7 days. However, in the interest of diversity, I think tomorrow will be my last entry in this category for awhile. Best wishes for a prosperous holiday season to all.

ChocolateBet: November 27, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
Steenland Chocolate BV
Milk Chocolate Bank Vault Coins
Good +
Weight: .6 oz. (17 g.)/5.29 oz. (150 g.) in total bag
Calories: 90 calories in 2 pieces (1 coin +1 bar)
Cost: $3.99 for mesh bag of 26 pieces (22 coins, 4 bars)
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

Gold prices have continued to go up. This month, I have pegged my fortunes to a chocolate gold standard. How sad, but how delicious. Today I ate chocsimiles of
1.) 1 (fyngoud) fine gold 1-oz. (Suid Afrika) South African 1981 Krugerrand
2.) 1 "Credit Europe" 10.5 g gold bar ("Fine Chocolate Gold 9999")

Because these chocolates seemed rather lonely by themselves, I ate them with a small dish of pumpkin pecan dessert in honor of Thanksgiving weekend. Not quite guilding the lilly, but getting close. Guilding the dessert perhaps.

ChocolateBet: November 26, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Chocolate #1
2 mini bars
Heidel Confiserie
Heidel Chocolate Euros
Good +
Weight: .52 oz. (15 g.)/1.7 oz. (50 g.) total pkg.
Calories: 78 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.99 for pkg. of 7 small bars
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

A total of 885 chocolate Euros, for only $2.99. Such a deal. I ate two: the 500 and 200 Euro chocolate bars. I liked the small bar size (.26 oz/7.5 g. each), the pleasing Euro graphic art, and also the fact that these bars were made from whole milk powder (and no added lactose, from what I could tell.)

Chocolate #2 - A cautionary tale
1 taste
Baskin Robbins
Ice Cream Turkey - full size
Purchased from: Baskin Robbins store, in Palo Alto, CA (1 year ago)

One cryogenic turkey, brought back to life one year later for Thanksgiving. It's alive! Well, my dear Igor, not exactly. The storage conditions in my freezer this past year were apparently not ideal. The dear departed ice cream turkey was nestled in the back among the frozen broccoli, chopped onions and old popsicles. And, in absorbing all those other flavors, it did not age well.

I shared one of these Baskin Robbins turkeys with family a year ago, and it was great. Very realistic looking, and tasty. The outside (turkey skin) appeared to be painstakingly applied caramel and chocolate syrup(s). I saved this second turkey (with chocolate "dark meat" inside), because everyone was stuffed after eating the first one (with vanilla "white meat" inside). Happy Thanksgiving to all in the U.S. and elsewhere.

ChocolateBet: November 25, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
5 pieces (coins)
Steenland Chocolate BV
(Piggy Bank with Chocolate Coins)
Good +
Weight: .77 oz. (22 g.) (estimate)/2.82 oz. (80 g.) total piggy bank
Calories: 115 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.99 for total "bank" of 23 coins
Purchased from Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

High-flying finance with chocolate and pigs...piggy banks that is. Today's clear plastic pig from Steenland Chocolate (Netherlands) was filled with gold foil wrapped chocolate coins in the following denominations:

1.) U.S. Quarters ($0.25) (1993)
2.) Japanese Yen? (10) (????)
3.) French Francs (2 Fr) (1979)
4.) Chinese Yuan? (100) (1992)
5.) Danish Kroner (10 K) (1979)

I consumed one of each, for the sake of international diplomacy. (Note: I took my best guess as to #2 and #4 coins.)

ChocolateBet: November 24, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Chocolate #1
3 pieces/coins
Steenland Chocolate BV
Milk Chocolate Coins of the World
Good - Good +
Weight: .535 oz. (15 g.) in 3 pcs./2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total 14-piece package
Calories: 80 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.99 for total package/mesh bag of 14 coins
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

Chocolate #2
1 large coin (Liberty)
Steenland Chocolate BV
Chocolate Reserve Pack - Milk Chocolate Coins
Chocolate Coins of America (3 Large Size Coins)
Good +
Weight: 2.03 oz. (57.4 g.)/6.01 oz. (147 g.) total pkg. of 3 large coins
Calories: 304 calories (estimate) in 1 large coin
Cost: $7.99 for total package of 3 coins
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #7 of chocolate money theme week, and I was still finding new and different chocsimiles of coins and bills. I liked the pictures of travel destinations on the Steenland Coins of the World (the flip side had imprints of various continents). I chose to eat three coins picturing destinations I haven't visited yet, cementing my intentions with chocolate.

The second Steenland Chocolate choice for today was a giant Liberty $50 gold coin from a Chocolate Reserve Pack of 3 giant coins. Yes, I was investing in my reserves -- my fat reserves.

ChocolateBet: November 23, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bag (5 coins)
Palmer (R.M. Palmer Co.)
Premium Milk Chocolate Gold Coins
Good +
Weight: 0.81 oz. (23 g.) in 1 bag
Calories: 121 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0.89 for 1 mesh bag of coins
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

In keeping with chocolate money theme week, today we have...more chocolate coinage. This little yellow mesh bag from Palmer contained chocolate versions (chocsimiles) of the following coins:
1.) Two Canada dollars
2.) One U.S. Kennedy dollar
3.) Two Israeli 5 Shekel coins

ChocolateBet: November 22, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small bag of 7 pieces/coins
Palmer (R.M. Palmer Co.)
"Milk Chocolate Coins of All Nations"
Good
Weight: .81 oz. (23 g.) in total small mesh bag of 7 "coins"
Calories: 121 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: ?*

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Money Theme Week. The tradition(s) of using chocolate money to celebrate holidays is a long one. Chocolate coins are used for Hanukkah gelt and dreidel games, to celebrate Chinese New Years, and Christmas, to name a few. Palmer's chocolate "Coins of all Nations" contained facsimiles (chocsimiles) of two U.S. pennies; three 5 Kronors; and two 1 Euros.

*Note: I found these chocolate coins in my chocolate stash. Unfortunately, they had become separated from the receipt and place of purchase information.

Today I also tried Yogi Tea's Mayan Cocoa Spice Tea (which does contain actual cacao ingredients). It was quite good. I was given this tea bag to try by my sister, when I was staying at the Double K Ranch in Southern California a few weeks ago.

ChocolateBet: November 21, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

3 pieces
Manischewitz
Magic Max's Milk Chocolate Coins
Good - Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11 g.)/.53 oz. (15 g.)
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: N/A - gift (thank you to Elise)

I placed this mesh bag of chocolate coins on my computer keyboard (see image), to show size. Fortunately, it's cooler in November, so this placement did not result in instant chocolate coin fondue.

ChocolateBet: November 20, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
4 pieces
Streit's
Kids Milk Chocolate Coins
Good - Good +
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) for 4 coins
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: N/A gift (Thanks Elise)

Today I enjoyed more simulated wealth via chocolate -- with gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins from Streit's, a company based in Israel. I've wanted to do a chocolate money theme week for some time. And I'd been building up a few chocolate bills and coins in my chocolate storehouse for just such an occasion. Thank you to Elise for making this possible.

ChocolateBet: November 19, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
3 pieces
Laica S.p.A.
Milk Chocolate $$$
Good
Weight: ~ 1 oz. (28.3 g.)/2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total pkg.
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: N/A - gift (thank you to Elise)

Yesterday I scarfed down a 100 Grand. Today, I ate $110 of chocolate...in milk chocolate bills, that is. In a nod to our global ecosystem, this chocolate currency in U.S. denominations was made in Arona, Novara, in Italy. I'd like to think I'm just doing my part to keep the economy going.

ChocolateBet: November 18, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 fun size (mini) bar
Nestle
100 Grand bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .79 oz. (22.3 g.) in 1 fun size/mini bar
Calories: ~ 118 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ (part of a Halloween candy assortment bag)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Well, who wouldn't want 100 Grand? The name has a ring of prosperity to it. This small bar is the last of the miniature Nestle chocolate bars in my Halloween candy bowl. (It contains "Chewy Caramel $ Milk Chocolate $ Crispy Crunchies"...I like the dollar signs instead of ampersands.) Now, I'm down to a few non-chocolate gummy skeleton items, which will evaporate slowly and mysteriously over time.

ChocolateBet: November 17, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small bar
Nestle
Oh Henry! candy bar
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 125 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ (part of Halloween assortment bag)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

This small Oh Henry! candy bar came from my Halloween candy bowl. I've been working on the leftovers for the last few days.

Nestle owns a flock of popular chocolate bars that have become Halloween staples. Nestle acquired the name and/or rights to distribute this candy bar in the U.S. more than 20 years ago. (The Oh Henry! name is almost 90 years old, and the bar was developed in the U.S.)

Taste is important; but for a brand name to live this many decades, it needs the backing of a large marketing budget, a rabid local following, or a clever tie-in to something attractive. Or, sometimes a company gets lucky. There are dozens of different Kit Kat bar flavors (ramune soda, caramelized potato to name a few) sold in Japan. Apparently Kit Kat (a 73+-year old brand, licensed and made by Nestle in Japan) is similar to a Japanese phrase for you will surely be a winner (kitto katsu), and has become a pre-exam talisman for students, potential lottery winners and others hoping for some good fortune. Unfortunately the wheat (wafer) in these bars will prevent me from eating a lot of these, but good luck to all of you out there.

ChocolateBet: November 16, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 (mini) bags
Nestle
Goobers
Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) in 2 small bags (estimate)
Calories: 174 calories (estimate)
Cost: $(lost info for large Halloween candy assortment bag)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

It was time to finish the bowl of Halloween fun-sized bars and bits the goblins didn't get a few weeks ago. First on my list, a few miniature packages of Nestle Goobers*, made from roasted peanuts covered in milk chocolate. (I found a few tiny Goobers that I'm assuming don't have microscopic peanuts in them. See scanned image of Goobers with angelic back lighting.)


As I've written before, I like small serving sizes. I cringe when I have to throw away chocolate leftovers. Cleaning up after Halloween is always a pleasure. Sure, I'll pay for this, with a chocolate candy hangover tomorrow, but it's just once a year. I'll go back to organic chocolate with agave syrup soon. Years from now kids that grew up with these organic chocolates may have nostalgia cravings for them, like I occasionally have for the cleverly-marketed candies, cereals and chocolate lovelies from the 1960s.

*Goobers = a Southern slang term for peanuts

ChocolateBet: November 15, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Cerreta Candy Company/Cerreta's Fine Chocolates
Cerreta's Extra Dark bar - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.25
Purchased from: Cerreta Candy Company, in Glendale, Arizona

In addition to this Cerreta's dark chocolate (55% cacao) bar, I enjoyed a Naked Camelback -- a racy name for a small, individually-wrapped caramel and pecan patty. (Note: there was no chocolate in the Camelback.)

One of my favorite sights at Cerreta's was an homage to a Lucy & Ethel's chocolate factory fiasco (from an old episode of the "I Love Lucy" TV show).
(For those old enough to remember the show, and young enough to be able to see the details of tiny, grainy photographs, see image at right from the Cerreta's factory floor.)

ChocolateBet: November 14, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
half of 3 pieces
Cerreta Candy Company/Cerreta's Fine Chocolates

1.) French Mint - Good +
2.) Dark Chocolate Orange - Very Good
3.) Roman Rum - Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) for half of 3 pieces
Calories: 112 calories (estimate) for half of 3 pieces
Cost: $2.73 for 3 pieces
Purchased from: Cerreta Candy Company, in Glendale, Arizona

Stretching out my haul from last week's visit to the Cerreta Candy Company in Arizona, I enjoyed three more chocolates today. Splitting the chocolates with Alec meant I could justify tasting more than one. Thank you Alec for driving, so I could unwrap and pull apart chocolates on the drive up to San Francisco. My favorite was the dark chocolate orange; although it looked like the French Mint was a big seller at Cerreta's. Thank you also to Jerry "the Chocolate Man" at Cerreta's. (Jerry is part of the Cerreta family business -- one of four sons involved in running Cerreta Candy Co.; and from what I gather the one most closely tied to chocolate operations.)

FYI, for those in the Phoenix, AZ, area, Cerreta's also offers tours.

ChocolateBet: November 13, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Cerreta Candy Co./Cerreta's Fine Chocolates
Milk Chocolate Peanut Cluster
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0.91
Purchased from: Cerrata Candy Co., in Glendale, AZ

It's always a treat to buy chocolate from the source. I visited Cerreta's Candy Co. in downtown Glendale, AZ, with a friend this week, and picked up some chocolates. We missed the tour, but the manufacturing area was visible from the retail store area. (See image above.) Also pictured: a large chocolate Santa talking to an oversized chocolate bunny mold.

ChocolateBet: November 12, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Jungle Grub
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Snack Bar(s)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: o.88 oz. (25 g.) in 1 bar/4.4 oz. (125 g.) total pkg.
Calories: 100 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.49 total - for box of 5 bars
Purchased from: Sprouts, in Glendale, Arizona

This gluten-free, organic snack bar was fairly tasty. The picture of the monkey* + small bar size (100 calories) enabled me to justify eating this - despite being full already. Also, the "cookie dough" flavor was a reasonable facsimile of dough I remember sampling before I gave up wheat/gluten.

*Yes, I am a monkey liker.

ChocolateBet: November 11, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Alegio Chocolate
Caribbean - 66% cacao
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.95
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, in Berkeley, CA

The Caribbean (66% cacao) was a fine chocolate with a smooth, dark chocolate ganache. Alegio Chocolate is a small shop, located toward the back of a small group of shops, on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, CA. I made a mental note to visit the outdoor garden in back next time. It looked like a very relaxing place to enjoy some chocolates.

ChocolateBet: November 10, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Alegio Chocolate
Grapefruit (caramel + grapefruit)
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.14 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.95
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, in Berkeley, CA

I like grapefruit and caramel, and this chocolate was a skillful blend of both. Thank you again to Robbin Everson, chocolate ambassador at Alegio. We received great answers to all the questions we had about chocolates they carry the day we visited recently.

ChocolateBet: November 9, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 package
Enric Rovira
Bombolas de pimienta rosa con chocolate negro
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.)/3.5 oz. (100 g.) total package
Calories: 145 calories (estimate)
Cost: $19.95 total package
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, in Berkeley, CA

I recommend a stop at Alegio Chocolate if you happen to be in the San Francisco Bay Area. This small store offered an excellent variety of unique and exotic chocolates. These tasty pink peppercorn flavored, dark chocolate pearls (from Spain) were so authentic, I could taste the tiny pieces of pink peppercorn skin.

ChocolateBet: November 8, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 square
Savor...
Chocolate Rice Krispy square
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. (115 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 400 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.75
Purchased from: Long Beach Aquarium Cafe (Scuba), in Long Beach, CA

There were many interesting things to see at the Long Beach Aquarium: fish, sharks, otters, starfish, and a few chocolate items in the Cafe.

ChocolateBet: November 7, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece

Saul's Restaurant & Delicatessen

Chocolate Covered Halvah

Very Good

Weight: 2.08 oz. (59 g.)

Calories: 250 calories (estimate)

Cost:$2.00

Purchased from: Saul's Restaurant & Delicatessen, in Berkeley, CA

This chocolate halvah, was from the take-out area of Saul's. Other tasty items in the glass case called out to me; but I refrained, as they contained wheat.

ChocolateBet: November 6, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

3 macarons

Masse's Pastries

1.) Hazelnut - Good +

2.) Orange Chocolate - Good - Good +

3.) Chocolate - Very Good

Weight: 3.25 oz. (92 g.)

Calories: 300? calories (estimate) for 3 macarons

Cost: $5 for 4 (Yuzu flavor eaten early)

Purchased from: Masse's Pastries, in Berkeley, CA

Macarons. There are so many great flavors available now. Masse's is located in Berkeley, on Shattuck Ave., next door to Saul's Deli. Masse's chocolate macaron was great -- almost brownie-like in flavor and texture. I was less impressed with the orange macaron. I could see the orange color, but couldn't taste any orange flavor. The hazelnut was nice, although I would have loved an even stronger hazelnut flavor. (I like stronger flavors.) Note: I also bought a Yuzu flavored macaron and ate this the day before; it was chocolate-free, but had an excellent flavor.

ChocolateBet: November 5, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:


1 chocolate skull
Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Red Fire Skull
Very Good
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62.4 g.) in 1 skull
Calories: 325 calories (estim.)
Cost: Approx. $8
Purchased from: Vosges Haut-Chocolat, Chicago, IL

El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is celebrated in Mexico, and in some (primarily Southwestern) U.S. communities. Sugar skulls are put out to honor departed loved ones. This holiday fell on Nov. 1-2 this year; however, my chocolate skulls arrived only yesterday (Nov. 4), pushing my Dia(s) de Chocolate skull-eating to Nov. 4-5. Today's dark chocolate (55% cacao) Red Fire Skull was flavored with "Mexican ancho and chipotle chilies + (Ceylon) cinnamon." Eyes were decorated with Black Hawaiian sea salt.

ChocolateBet: November 04, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 chocolate skull
Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Barcelona Skull
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62.4 g.) in 1 skull
Calories: 325 calories (estimate)
Cost: Approx. $8
Purchased from: Vosges, in Chicago, IL

Hurray. My chocolate skulls finally arrived today. I'm two days late for Day of the Dead (Nov. 1-2) celebratory eating. That didn't stop me from enjoying every bit of my Barcelona Skull, made with "hickory smoked almonds + Maldon sea salt + deep milk chocolate (45% cacao)."

ChocolateBet: November 3, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces (figs)
La Biscotteria
Chocolate Dipped Figs
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~ .8 oz. (22 g.) for 2 figs/8 oz. (226 g.) for total pkg. of 20 figs
Calories: 108 calories (estimate) in 2 figs
Cost: $14.00 for a package of ~ 20 figs
Purchased from: La Biscotteria, in Redwood City, CA

Mission black figs were dipped in "German dark chocolate." Very nice. I also plan to try some of these figs drizzled with brandy, topped with whipped cream, and maybe a dusting of nutmeg.

ChocolateBet: November 2, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 frozen bar
Klondike (Unilever)
Klondike bar made with Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Good +
Weight: 4 fl. oz. (118 mL)/24 fl oz. (709 mL)
Calories: 260 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99 in 1 package of 6 bars
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Reese's has done a great job extending their brand to a variety of product offerings. I've enjoyed most of them. I like Reese's peanut butter cups and I like ice cream. The frozen chocolate coating has to stand up to freezing temperatures as well as contact with warm hands. I'm not wild about the texture and taste of most chocolate coatings like this; however, this coating worked, and looks like it was made without hydrogenated oils.

ChocolateBet: November 1, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 package of 8 small cookies
La Biscotteria
Amaretti Mini Chocolate Dipped Cookies
Very Good +
Weight: ~ 2.2 oz. (63 grams) in one package of 8 small cookies
Calories: ~ 230 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.00 for package of 8 small cookies
Purchased from: La Biscotteria, in Redwood City, CA

These mini Amaretti cookies (with chocolate on the flat side) were a slight variation on yesterday's larger amaretti with chocolate ganache cookie (topped with almond pieces). Both were excellent. For those that can't tolerate wheat or gluten, and can eat almonds, these amaretti are one of the best alternatives you could hope to find.