Sunday, February 28, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 28, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
5 pieces
Recchiuti Confections
Key Lime Apples
Very Good +
Weight: 1.66 oz. (47 g.)/4 oz. (113 g.) in total box of 12 pieces
Calories: 198 calories for 5 pieces (estimate)
Cost: $23 total for box of 12 pieces
Purchased from: Recchiuti store, in Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

These ultra thin, crispy slices of Granny Smith apples were covered in bittersweet chocolate. The texture and flavor mix was just right.

And, if you're in the San Francisco area and you enter the Ferry Building, I dare you to go in there and buy just one item -- of anything. Hang on to your wallet; it's a foodie paradise.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

ChocolateBet: January 27, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 chocolate cigar
Thompson Candy/Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) for 1 cigar
Calories: 150 calories (+ 75 calories for cherry preserves, fondue ingredients)
Cost: $ (lost price info)
Purchased from: (lost purchase info)

The occasional chocolate cigar probably can't hurt -- especially when it's part of a decluttering-my-room celebration. (Thank you to Vicky for getting the ball rolling on this front.)

Since this was also the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week, I combined part of this cigar with some Hero Black Cherry Swiss Preserves, since I couldn't find a chocolate cherry cigar. More specifically, I melted down the "butt" end of this hollow milk chocolate stogie with the cherry preserves and a few drops of wine. The results: a micro-batch of chocolate cherry fondue to eat with fruit and nuts. (Bowl with happy spoon pictured at right.)

ChocolateBet: February 26, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
1.) Luca Chocolate - Orange Pistachio Nougat (3 pieces)
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) for 3 pieces (estimate)/ 4.2 oz. (118 g.) total box (estimate)
Calories: 135 calories (estimate)
Cost: $16.95 total for 12 piece assortment box (3 different flavors)
Purchased from: Luca Chocolate via Foodzie.com

2.) Cella's Confections  - Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries (2 pieces)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 2 pieces/8 oz. (226 g.) in total box of 16 pieces
Calories: 130 calories in 2 cherries
Cost: $3.99 for a box of 16 chocolate cherries
Purchased from: Paradise Foods, in Corte Madera, CA

There's always cause to celebrate with chocolate. And if I find the occasion lacking, I visit sites like holidayinsights.com, to inspire a real chocola-ganza.  For example, Friday, January 26th was National Pistachio Day, a great fit for Luca Chocolate's Orange Pistachio Nougat chocolates.  Unfortunately the nougat seemed to have leaked out a little, but they were still just fine.

Jan. 26th was also Day #6 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2). Cella's dates back to 1864. Any company that started during the (U.S.) Civil War era, and is still in business, deserves some praise. I had no problem with cherry seepage with Cella's dark chocolate version of their chocolate covered cherries. The dark chocolate shell was quite thick, to encase the "100% liquid center" accompanying the cherry. I prefer dark chocolate, and a few notches down on the sweetness meter, so these dark cherries were a good choice.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 25, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 bar
Dagoba
beaucoup berries
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g)/2 oz. (56 g.) total bar
Calories: 125 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for total bar
Purchased from: Paradise Foods, in Corte Madera, CA

Dagoba's beaucoup berries bar contained pieces of cranberries and cherries in (74% cacao) dark (organic) chocolate, with a little vanilla. When I first tried this bar (outside), it had a slight hard, waxy texture, but this seemed to go away later, when I was in a spot (inside) that was warmer. (I didn't have the patience to hold the first piece in my mouth for 30 seconds.) Just goes to show, once again, that the same piece of chocolate can taste differently under different circumstances. I liked that this chocolate wasn't overly sweet.

Day #5 of Chocolate and Cherries Day (#2).

ChocolateBet: February 24, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 shake
Wendy's (of Marin)
Chocolate Fudge Frosty Shake (with topping and cherry)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 5.85 oz. (114 g.)/11.7 oz. (328 g.) total small shake
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 shake
Cost: $2.49 for total (small) shake
Purchased from: Wendy's (of Marin), in San Rafael, CA

After my salad for dinner, I somehow justified adding a chocolate shake, because: 1.) I walked a stretch of the Bay Trail; 2.) I only drank half of a small size; and 3.) last, but not least, the shake was topped with a cherry. Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2).

ChocolateBet: February 23, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 bar
Chocolate Moderne LLC
Moderne Chocolate and Toffee Bar - Red Fruits
Very Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.)/3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for total bar
Purchased from: The Candy Store, in San Francisco, CA

This saucy dark chocolate bar (65% cacao) from New York was embedded with pieces of toffee infused with cherry, raspberry and strawberry. A big thumbs up from my daughter who shared this bar with me.

Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2).

Monday, February 22, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 22, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 package
Chase Candy Company
Chase's Cherry Mash
Good
Weight: 2.05 oz. (58 g.) in 1 package/bar
Calories: 285 calories
Cost: $1.95 (guesstimate)
Purchased from: The Candy Store, in San Francisco, CA

Happy George Washington Birthday, celebrated on Feb. 22 in the U.S.  As school children, we all dutifully learned that George was a brave young man, admitting: "I cannot tell a lie; I chopped down the cherry tree," when questioned. So, somehow the whole cherry and chocolate theme this week made sense. This is Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2).

I purchased this Chase's Cherry Mash at The Candy Store in San Francisco (Russian Hill area). This store specializes in candy, but thankfully the owners have stocked a small, but very impressive array of chocolate items as well. 

Postscript: Thanks for all who commented on Chase's Cherry Mash! It's a privilege to write about small businesses making chocolates for this long. The Cherry Mash has been around for several decades -- enough time to create lots of good memories and tips (like adding one to a vanilla milkshake).

ChocolateBet: February 21, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Luca Chocolate
Cherry Almond Cordial
Good +
Weight: .35 oz. (9.9 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 48 calories for 1 piece (estimate)
Cost: $16.95 total for 12 piece assortment box (3 different flavors)
Purchased from: Luca Chocolate via Foodzie.com site

In honor of George Washington's birthday this week, I'm embarking on a chocolate and cherry theme week, or at least series of chocolates. This is the second chocolate and cherry theme week on this blog. Another indication of how abundant the chocolate world is. (This is also the second box of Luca chocolates I'm tasting. The first box, opened last week and identical from the outside, was the bacon box.)

Saturday, February 20, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 20, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Luca Chocolate
Bourbon and black pepper truffles
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .65 oz. (18.4 g.) for 2 pieces (estimate)
Calories: 97.5 calories (estimate)
Cost: $16.95 total for small "bacon box" that includes these, and 2 other chocolate items
Purchased from: Luca Chocolate via Foodzie.com site

These two pieces made up the last of three items in the Luca Chocolate "bacon box" assortment. They were tasty; however, I was a little unsure about whether these were bourbon and black pepper truffles, as I tasted neither bourbon nor black pepper. (My favorite item in this bacon box assortment was the chocolate dipped bacon - which was excellent.)

Hats off to chocolatiers who have mastered the art of flavoring chocolate. Too much can overpower and render an item inedible, and not enough can be frustrating. And there is such a fine line between the two.

Friday, February 19, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 19, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
4 pieces
Luca Chocolate
Bacon Caramels
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.2 oz. (33.9 g.) estimate for 4 pieces
Calories: 180 calories (estimate) for 4 pieces
Cost: $16.95 total for bacon box assortment (3 diff. items)
Purchased from: Luca Chocolate via Foodzie.com site

These bacon caramels were the second of three items in the "bacon box" assortment (box pictured). Yesterday, I enjoyed the chocolate dipped bacon (very much). I could taste the quality ingredients in these caramels, including some small pieces of crispy bacon, which I thought were great. My only complaint: these were too sweet. Or, perhaps I was eating these too early in the day (morning).

Thursday, February 18, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 18, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
12 pieces
Luca Chocolate
Chocolate Dipped Bacon
Very Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) (estimate)/2 oz. (56.6 g.) total for 16 pieces (estimate)
Calories: 290 calories (guesstimate)
Cost: $16.95 total for bacon box assortment
Purchased from: Luca Chocolate (North Carolina) via foodzie.com

I'm not a big meat eater, but I was so excited to get my Luca Chocolate bacon box that I ordered...OK, those who find this disgusting need read no further, and to others, please continue... that I forgot to photograph and weigh the chocolate dipped bacon pieces before eating them for brunch this morning. These crispy bacon pieces, covered in just the right amount of dark chocolate, were relatively small and light (2-3 inches long). I enjoyed being able to really taste the bacon. Tomorrow, I'll try the bacon caramels.

Luca Chocolate is based in Ramseur, North Carolina, and is one of many small businesses that Foodzie brings together on their site, for our eating pleasure. (Luca is the name of a lovely brown horse.)

ChocolateBet: February 17, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Twilight (candy bar)
Good +
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

I ate this vegan, dairy-free Twilight bar with a handful of almonds. While I think this bar might have been a little less sweet than many bars (a good thing), at more than 2 oz., some raw nuts and water helped to balance out the sugary taste.

Note: This is a delayed post due to an all-day power outage in my neighborhood yesterday.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 16, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Mahalo candy bar
Good +
Weight: 2.0 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

This Hawaiian* themed, dairy-free, vegan candy bar contained coconut, almonds, and had a "rice-milk chocolatey coating." (*The Hawaiian word Mahalo signifies gratitude, respect, and/or admiration.) The packaging also assured me that there was no trans fats, hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, and "nothing artificial."

ChocolateBet: February 15, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

9 pieces/truffles
Socola Chocolatier, LLC
Aphrodite's Delight Assortment box
1.) Burnt caramel and dark chocolate w/ sea salt truffles - Very Good +
2.) Raspberry pate de fruit w/ champagne ganache truffles - Very Good +
Weight: 3 oz. (84 g.) (estimate) for 9 pcs./3.996 oz. (113 g.) total box of 12 pcs.
Calories: 426 calories (estimate) in 9 truffles
Cost: N/A - Valentines Day gift from Alec
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Thank you to Alec for this very nice box of truffles for Valentines Day. It was a good thing he had three truffles from this box, otherwise I might have eaten all of them myself. Both flavors were very good.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 14, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
1/2 sucker
Lake Champlain Chocolates
Heart Pop
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $6.99 for 1 sucker
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Happy Valentines Day all. February 14 is one of the big chocolate holidays in the U.S. This heart-shaped milk chocolate sucker decorated with white chocolate lace-like decoration was great eye candy, and perfect for the occasion.

Chocolate strawberries from Cafe Madeleine (San Francisco) also beckoned, and a few of these were added to the Valentines chocolate allowance today. (After all, there is a healthy fruit underneath.)These were very good.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 13, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
BonBonBar LLC
Bourbon Candy Bar
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) for 1 bar/total of 4.5 oz. (127 g.) in box of 3 bars
Calories: 217 calories (estimate)
Cost: $15.00 for box of 3 candy bars
Purchased from: Foodzie site, based in San Francisco, CA

If you're into good food, you'll find lots to choose from at foodzie.com.  High-end, adult candy bars from BonBonBar are one example. Thank you to Nina for continuing to generate interesting flavored bars. The Bourbon Candy Bar was very rich, and had just the right blend of chocolate, caramel, (George T. Stagg) bourbon, and just a hint of salt and pepper. The box (pictured above) held three individually-wrapped bars. The picture of the candy bar is from the Foodzie website (www.foodzie.com or http://bonbonbar.foodzie.com/bourbon-candy-bars.html). Thank you to Nanette and Judy for assistance in taste testing these.

ChocolateBet: February 12, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Jokerz (candy bar)
Very Good
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Jokerz. Good name for a band, or a candy bar. This vegan, dairy-free bar contained a mix of caramel, peanuts, and nougat, and was coated with a "rice-milk chocolatey coating." I liked it. On the wrapper there were four icons (representing the four suits in a deck of cards): heart, club, diamond, and spade. It so happens that the heart symbol is appropriate for Valentines Day, and more heart-related chocolates are in the plan in the few days between now and then.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 11, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1 candy bar
Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Buccaneer (candy bar)
Very Good
Weight: 2.0 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Yesterday, I bought four different Go Max Go Foods candy bars to try.  I felt a little pirate-ish today, so I chose the Buccaneer. This dairy-free, vegan, no trans fat, no cholesterol bar with a "chocolatey nougat filling" was covered in a "rice-milk chocolatey coating." (I checked, and it does have real cocoa powder in it.)

Despite the long list of ingredients the label claimed were omitted (no cholesterol, no hydrogenated fats, no trans fats and nothing artificial), the end product was jolly roger good.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 10, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Martina 
Very Good
Weight: 1.55 oz. (44 g.)/7 oz. (198 g.) total box of 9 pieces
Calories: 232 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $19.99 for total box of 9 pieces ($4.44 for two pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

No more chocolates left in this nice red box (pictured). This evening I consumed two "Martina" pyramid-shaped chocolates (filled with a rich praline ganache) for the cause. I ate them to help refuel -- after driving around the San Francisco Bay Area to attend an auction, a lunch, and to walk a bit of the Bay Trail in the Tiburon area (http://walkingthebay.blogspot.com), and take some pictures. Life is good.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 9, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.55 oz. (44 g.)/7 oz. (198 g.) total box of 9 pieces
Calories: 232 calories for 2 pieces (estimate)
Cost: $19.99 for a total box of 9 pieces ($4.44 for 2 pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Knipschildt's "Julianne" chocolates had a marzipan and lemon ganache (filling). Very nice, except I wished these were a little less sweet.

Monday, February 8, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 8, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Eleanor
Very Good
Weight:1.55 oz. (44 g.)/7 oz. (198 g.) total box of 9 pieces
Calories: 232 calories (estimate)
Cost: $19.99 for total box ($4.44 for 2 pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

I'm continuing to work my way through the four different flavors in this Valentines assortment box. Not that I needed an excuse to indulge, but the Eleanor's mocha ganache (filling) helped give me energy for hiking today.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 7, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Vivianne
Very Good
Weight: 1.55 oz. (44 grams) in 2 pieces
Calories: 232 calories (estimate)
Cost: Approx. $4.44 for 2 pieces ($19.99 for total box of 9 pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

It's Valentines Day chocolate season. Even if you're not celebrating the holiday, this time does present opportunities to try new chocolates. Little red packages and ribbons are everywhere.

These dome-shaped chocolates were filled with black currant ganache, and were part of a red assortment box from Knipschildt Chocolatier.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 6, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece/sheet
Claudio Corallo
Chocolate with Ginger
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.)/3.527 oz. (100 g.) total package
Calories: 132 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, Berkeley, CA

A thin sheet of this chocolate (embedded with pieces of crystallized ginger), from the island nation of Sao Tome e Principe (Africa), was good a la carte. And, it would be an enjoyable addition to a vanilla or chocolate ice cream sundae too.

Friday, February 5, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 5, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
7 cookies
K(inni)TOOS Chocolate Sandwich Creme
Very Good
Weight: 2.7 oz. (73.3 g.)/8 oz. (220 g.) total pkg. of 21 cookies
Calories: 420 calories for 7 cookies
Cost: $
Purchased from: ?

This is what happens when you skip breakfast and lunch (which I rarely do). You sit down to eat one cookie, and eat seven of them. Yes, I was hungry, but the fact that these cookies tasted so good, without wheat (gluten), dairy, egg, or trans fats, is also a sign of a well-made cookie.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 4, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving (2 Tablespoons)
Peanut Butter and Co.
Dark Chocolate Dreams
Good +
Weight: 1.13 oz. (32 g.)/16 oz. (454 g.) total jar
Calories: 170 calories
Cost: $6.49 total for one jar
Purchased from: Bi-Rite Market, in San Francisco, CA

(Pictured) is a plate of peanut butter and chocolate health food. Not being able to eat bread (wheat), I ate this dark chocolate peanut spread with Mary's "seed" crackers (very good), and a little homemade strawberry banana jam; and the result was....a peanut butter and jelly, gluten-free snack plate that tasted better than this looks.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 3, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/3 bar
Donna Elvira dolceria
cioccolata modicana - al pepe nero Kuching
Good
Weight: 1.172 oz. (33 g.)/3.52 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 175 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Miette Bakery, Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

The bits of black pepper in this dark (50% cacao - Peru) bar were easier to taste (than the lemon and pepper bar from yesterday - where the lemon flavor outshone the pepper flavor). Yes, there is nothing like biting into a piece of black peppercorn and suddenly bringing a halt to the conversation you're having with someone, while you make odd sounds and faces.

The texture to this bar was a bit crumbly. However, this problem was easily solved when I dissolved this in milk and made spicy hot chocolate out of part of it.

ChocolateBet: February 2, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

Safeway Select
Dark Chocolate with Lemon and Pepper
Very Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.)/3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 253 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.00 for total bar
Purchased from: Safeway, in San Jose, CA

Happy Groundhog Day all.

It was also my mom's birthday dinner - with a lemon and black pepper theme. So, it was fitting that today's dark chocolate (55%) bar would be flavored with -- yes, lemon and black pepper. This Safeway bar was a "product of Switzerland."

Monday, February 1, 2010

ChocolateBet: February 1, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
18 pieces
Recchiuti
Peppermint Thins
Very Good
Weight: 2.6 oz. (73 g.)/3.5 oz. (98 g.) in total box of 24 pieces
Calories: 342 calories (estimate)
Cost: $18.00 for total box
Purchased from: Recchiuti, Ferry Building, in San Francisco, CA

Made with fresh peppermint (you can see little pieces of mint in the filling), and covered with bittersweet chocolate, these sweet little thins are better than most. Eighteen dollars for a little box of 24 pieces may be a lot to swallow for some; but Recchiuti chocolates tend to be a bit more expensive.
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