ChocolateBet: November 30, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
The Hershey Company - Reese's
Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Pumpkin
Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 grams)
Calories: 170 calories
Cost: $?
Purchased from: ?

I celebrated the last day of November, and Day #7 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week, with a Reese's Milk Chocolate, Peanut Butter filled pumpkin. For those on the creative side, you can design your own jack-o-lantern face on the blank milk chocolate surface.

And, yes, I do count the different Reese's novelty/seasonal items as different chocolates. This rule has allowed me to enjoy the classic Reese's peanut butter cup formula in different guises (trees, bunnies, pumpkins, etc.).

Tomorrow we slide into December and colder weather. Snow has arrived in the mountains further east. My reaction to this news was to schedule a chocolate and coconut theme week, starting tomorrow. I see coconut as the tropical equivalent of white snow. This helps me imagine that I'm on a warm island with palm trees and cacao trees, somewhere a bit closer to the equator.

ChocolateBet: November 29, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces
Moonstruck Chocolatier/Moonstruck Chocolate Co.
From 6-piece Flavors of Fall Collection box

1.) Maple Walnut Mousse Truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) total 6-piece box
Calories: 75 calories

Cost: $16.99 for total 6-piece box

Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

2.) Pfeffernusse Spice Truffle
Good
Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) total 6-piece box
Calories: 75 calories
Cost: $16.99 for total 6-piece box
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

The Maple Walnut Mousse Truffle was very attractive -- a perfect half walnut, perched on top of a molded chocolate, realistic-looking walnut half shell. And the maple filling blended well with both of these other elements.

I was less sure about the Pfeffernusse Spice Truffle. This acorn-shaped, all-chocolate truffle, was decorated with tiny chocolate pieces (dark vermicelli) at one end; and the chocolate filling was flavored with a spice combination that may have included cloves and black pepper. However, I am not familiar enough with Pfeffernusse items to judge whether it tasted "authentic" or not.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: November 28, 2010

 

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces
Moonstruck Chocolatier/Moonstruck Chocolate Co.
From 6-piece Flavors of Fall Collection Box

1.) Harvest Almond Praline Truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) total box
Calories: 75 calories
Cost: $16.99 for 6-piece box
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

2.) Pecan Pie Truffle
Good - Good +
Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) total box
Calories: 75 calories
Cost: $16.99 for 6-piece box
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week, and I tried two more chocolates from the Flavors of Fall Collection from Moonstruck Chocolatier/Moonstruck Chocolate Co. (based in Portland, OR).

I'm very fond of almonds in all forms, and I enjoyed Moonstruck's Harvest Almond Praline Truffle (multi-colored leaf shape). This chocolate combined a touch of almond praline, ground almonds and a whole roasted almond in the middle.

The Pecan Pie truffle sounded and looked like a tiny chocolate mousse on the outside. I was a little puzzled by the center, which was fluffy, white and sweet. I think I was expecting something resembling pecan pie filling.

ChocolateBet: November 27, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

2 pieces
Moonstruck Chocolatier/Moonstruck Chocolate Co.

1.) Molasses Plantation Caramel

Good +

Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) in 6-piece box

Calories: 75 calories (estimate)

Cost: $16.99 for 6-pc. Flavors of Fall Collection box

2.) Pumpkin Pie Truffle
Good +
Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) in 6-piece box
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)

Cost: $16.99 for 6-pc. Flavors of Fall Collection box

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week.

Time to celebrate and crack open a 6-piece box of "Flavors of Fall Collection" truffles. Both the Moonstruck Molasses Plantation Caramel (with orange decoration piped on top) and the Pumpkin Pie Truffle (front and center) were hearty, satisfying truffles. The Pumpkin Pie Truffle contained (and tasted like) real pumpkin (pie filling). I can't have pumpkin pie (no gluten for me), so this truffle was a fine post-Thanksgiving holiday bite-sized pie alternative.

ChocolateBet: November 26, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
3 truffles
gnosis chocolate
Pumpkin Spice Truffles
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) total box of 3 truffles
Calories: 205 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: gnosis chocolate, New York City, New York

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week. Today's chocolate choice may be the healthiest one of the bunch this week.

I loved gnosis chocolate's handmade Pumpkin Spice truffles -- filled with pumpkin seed butter, lightly spiced, and covered with a glossy, raw dark chocolate shell. With no refined sugar added, these truffles were not overly sweet either. Yum, and poof! all three truffles in this little box were gone. Gnosis does a nice job with their raw, vegan chocolates. I prefer the texture or "mouth feel" of their offerings over some other raw chocolates I've tried.

ChocolateBet: November 25, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
B. T. McElrath Chocolatier
Sweet Potato Pave
OK+ - Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70.9 g.) total package of 5 pieces
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10.99 (estimate)
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week. Expect to see chocolate combined with pumpkins and other fall flavors this week.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Today was a day for giving thanks over turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin and pecan pie. Sampling a B.T. McElrath Sweet Potato Pave (pave is French for paving stone) was in order. I have to admit sweet potatoes are not my favorite food, but sometimes things do taste better when covered in dark chocolate.

ChocolateBet: November 24, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Michael Mischer Chocolates
Pumpkin Spice/Jack-O-Lantern filled chocolate
Very Good +
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 65 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA; Michael Mischer Chocolates, based in Oakland, CA

It was delightful to bite into this grinning dark chocolate jack-o-lantern made by Michael Mischer Chocolates. It was filled with pumpkin (pie) spice(d) caramel. I loved the way that the two halves (front and back) of this molded chocolate pumpkin were perfectly put together.

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week. And not a moment too soon to celebrate Fall as temperatures plummeted into the 30s (Farenheit) this week.

ChocolateBet: November 23, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) 1 piece
Gateau et Ganache
"Le Gingembre" (Ginger) chocolate bonbon
Very Good
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 63 calories (estimate)
Cost: $15.00 for box of 8 pieces (Autumn collection)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week. I picked up an Autumn collection box of assorted chocolates from Gateau et Ganache, after sampling their "Le Gingembre" dark chocolate and ginger chocolate at the San Francisco Luxury Chocolate Salon recently. Garnished with two small bits of candied ginger on top, this was a rich and tasty bonbon.

And just in case this fine ginger chocolate doesn't count as "gingerbread" I also had a bite of a tiny gingerbread cake -- cookie actually. See below.

2.) 1 small bite of one cookie
Enjoy Life
Soft Baked Gingerbread Spice Cookies
(topped with chocolate and gingerbread sauce)
Good +
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) for 1 bite/ 6 oz. (170 g.) total box
Calories: 30 calories
Cost: $3.69 total box of cookies
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

These small gluten- and nut-free gingerbread cookies from Enjoy Life were a treat, especially when decorated with a drizzle of homemade chocolate and gingerbread sauce (dark cocoa powder, brown sugar, molasses, ginger and spices). My only complaint: a somewhat gummy texture in my mouth that showed up only after I'd chewed up a bite of cookie.

ChocolateBet: November 22, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) 1 serving
Almond Dream Almond Drink
+ Valrhona Cocoa Powder + Molasses and Gingerbread Spices
= Chocolate Gingerbread Almond Smoothie
Very Good
Weight: 5 oz. (140 g.) serving
Calories: 85 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.99 (Almond Drink) + other ingredients
Purchased from: The Almond Drink was from Whole Foods in Los Altos; Valrhona Cocoa Powder was from Whole Foods in Redwood City; and spices were from my kitchen cabinets.

2.) One .5 fluid oz. sip
World Market
Gingerbread Cocoa Mix
Good ++
Weight: .5 fl. oz. (14 g.) serving/ 8 oz. (226 g.) total container (cocoa mix)
Calories: 20 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.99 for total container (dry mix)
Purchased from: World Market, in Mountain View, CA


Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week, and today I tried one cold smoothie and 1 hot beverage that incorporated chocolate and gingerbread flavors.

The cold chocolate gingerbread almond smoothie drink, was surprisingly good. And, no blender to wash. I was able to use the half-full container that held the Almond Dream Almond Drink (aka almond milk) as a blender -- i.e. to shake these ingredients together and make this smoothie. I followed the recipe on the carton for a chocolate smoothie, substituting Valrhona dark cocoa powder in place of chocolate syrup, and adding a 1/2 teaspoon of gingerbread "sauce" (molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and other spices) to the mix. Just shake and you've got a healthy version of a chocolate gingerbread almond milkshake.

The hot beverage was made from World Market's Gingerbread Cocoa Mix. It was a bit sweeter than my non-dairy almond smoothie (above), and quite good as well.

ChocolateBet: November 21, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small piece
Vosges
Gingerbread Toffee
Good
Weight: .3 oz. (45 g.) 4 oz. (113 g.) ttl box
Calories: 45 calories (estimate)
Cost: $13.00 for 1 box
Purchased from: Vosges store, in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week, and I tried the second of two Vosges entries in this category: the company's Holiday Gingerbread Toffee. (I had tried the Vosges Gingerbread Toffee Bar earlier this week.)

Small bark-like pieces of Holiday Gingerbread Toffee contained, (according to the label on the silver box): "Sweet butter toffee with ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, Grenadian nutmeg, Jamaican allspice, and 65% cacao dark chocolate." The toffee pieces were coated with pecan and walnut crumbs. The description sounded great; however, I think I preferred the Vosges Gingerbread Toffee Bar over this toffee.

ChocolateBet: November 20, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Max Brenner
Chocolate Truffles with gingerbread spices
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate) / 2.8 oz. (79 g.) bag (estimate)
Calories: 66 calories (estimate)
Cost: $14.50 for 1 bag of 9 truffles
Purchased from: Max Brenner, Ceasars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week. Last weekend I bought a small bag of dark chocolate truffles with gingerbread spices at Max Brenner's shop, in the Forum Shops area of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

These Max Brenner truffles (carefully hand-crafted, judging from the style and the price) had dark chocolate whipped cream centers and were rolled in cocoa powder. These truffles were on the bittersweet side -- which is great if you're not fond of overly sweet chocolates. My only complaint: the gingerbread spices were barely detectable.

The Las Vegas location, contained both a shop, a small bar/counter, and cafe, and opened a few months ago. "Max Brenner, the bald man, is creating a new chocolate culture," we're told on the company's website. I did not have time to investigate the sit-down menu or to fully experience this new culture. But, I look forward to doing so the next time I visit Las Vegas.

ChocolateBet: November 19, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Hotel Chocolat LTD
Gingerbread Truffle
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .41 oz. (11.6 g.)/ 12.36 oz. (350 g.) total box of 30 pieces
Calories: 61.5 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - evaluation sample
Purchased from: N/A - From Hotel Chocolat LTD, London, England

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week.  Each chocolatier or chocolate maker this week has successfully put their own unique spin on their gingerbread-inspired chocolates. Chocolate and Gingerbread entries this week (will) include: gingerbread truffles, bars, toffees, hot cocoa, and cookies.

The Hotel Chocolat  Gingerbread Truffle, from the company's Sleekster Classic Christmas collection, had a sweet gingerbread center that reminded me of being a young child in the kitchen, getting a lick of gingerbread batter. Wonderful.

ChocolateBet: November 18, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1 square
Vosges Haut Chocolat
Gingerbread Toffee Bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .375 oz. (10.6 g.) / 3 oz. (84.9 g.) total bar
Calories: 54 calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.50 for one bar
Purchased from: Vosges shop, in The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week.

This Vosges Gingerbread Toffee Bar contained tiny bits of sugary toffee in dark (65% cacao) chocolate. The spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.) in the toffee bits were quite mild in the piece I tasted.

ChocolateBet: November 17, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Theo Chocolate
Gingerbread Spice Milk Chocolate (bar)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) total bar
Calories: 79 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.50 for one bar
Purchased from: Kepler's Books and Magazines, Menlo Park, CA

Gingerbread with chocolate is a perfect comfort food combination, especially as the weather cools down and the last sparkle of colorful fall leaves starts to fade. I've been wanting to do a Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week for awhile, and fortunately I found several items that fit into this theme -- including this very tasty Theo Chocolate Gingerbread Spice Milk Chocolate (45% cacao), organic and fair trade bar.

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Gingerbread Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: November 16, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua)
Banana Whiskey Chocolates
Very Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 6.36 oz. (180 g.) total 9-piece box
Calories: 196 calories (estimate)
Cost: $15.00 total box for 9 pieces
Purchased from: Chocolate Momotombo booth at Luxury Chocolate Salon, held at Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

These unique, refrigerated chocolate balls (individually wrapped in gold paper) were infused with bananas and a hint of whiskey. The almost chewy texture would also make these chocolates a delicious accompaniment to fresh banana ice cream or other related dessert.  I hope that Chocolate Momotombo founder, Carlos Mann, finds a U.S. distributor soon, so more people can enjoy these.

Note: the chocolates pictured above in the open, nine-piece box are a combination of Banana Whiskey Chocolates and Mani (peanut) chocolates rolled in sesame seeds.

ChocolateBet: November 15, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
6 pieces
Chocolate Momotombo, LLC
Cacao Nibs, Covered in Fine Chocolate
Very Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) /4.24 oz. (120 g.) total package
Calories: 203 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10.00 for total package
Purchased from: Chocolate Momotombo booth, at Luxury Chocolate Salon event, at Fort Mason, in San Francisco, CA

One great discovery from the latest Luxury Chocolate Salon in San Francisco (yesterday) was Chocolate Momotombo from Nicaragua. Today's chocolate: the company's cacao nibs "covered in fine chocolate" contained a variety of pleasing roasted flavor notes: from corn nuts to toasted almonds.

ChocolateBet: November 14, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Vice Chocolates
"Slayer" truffle
Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Vice booth, at Luxury Chocolate Salon event, at Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

What's in a Vice Chocolates "Slayer" truffle? Think vampires, and you might come up with the answer: garlic, and balsamic vinegar.  Just the right amount of each made for an interesting truffle. I look forward to trying more creative flavors from Vice.

ChocolateBet: November 13, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 squares
Vosges
Cherry Rooibos Bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 110 calories
Cost: $7.50 total bar
Purchased from: Vosges, in Las Vegas, CA

I was interested in including Chicago-based Vosges's new Cherry Rooibos Bar in Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week. Fortunately (for me) Vosges has a Las Vegas, NV, location -- which is at least 1,000 miles closer to me than Chicago. And I just happen to be in Las Vegas for a few days. This bar is described as having "African rooibos tea, dried Michigan cherries, and deep milk (45% cacao) chocolate." The flavors were fairly subtle, but pleasant in the small piece that I ate. It's tempting to eat more and find out if larger chunks of cherry are embedded elsewhere in this bar; but I needed to leave room for dinner this evening.

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: November 12, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Iamori
Chocolate Chip Biscotti - Gluten Free
Good +
Weight: .42 oz. (12 g.) / 5.5 oz. (156 g.) total package
Calories: 40 calories for 1 biscotti cookie
Cost: $7.99 total package of biscotti + $3.50 for bag of cherries
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, in San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week.

I paired one of these Iamori gluten free Chocolate Chip Biscotti cookies with some Dole frozen (defrosted) dark sweet cherries for breakfast. I'm traveling for a few days, and this combination wasn't a bad on-the-road breakfast.

ChocolateBet: November 11, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Caffe D'Amore
Bellagio Sipping Chocolate - Cherry
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)/ 9 oz. (255 g.) total container/tin
Calories: 110 calories
Cost: $5.99 total container/tin
Purchased from: HomeGoods store in San Carlos, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week.

Caffe D'Amore Bellagio Sipping Chocolates can be enjoyed either hot or cold. Since it was fairly cool outside, I chose hot. And, while I'm sure this cherry flavored mix would be great with hot milk, I used hot water -- about half the recommended amount, to make a nice small cup of thick hot cherry chocolate. I liked that this Bellagio chocolate mix was rich in flavor and lacking in artificial ingredients.

ChocolateBet: November 10, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) serving
Recchiuti Confections
Dragee - Cherries Two Ways
Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.)/ 6 oz. (169.5 g.) total package
Calories: 225 calories
Cost: $12.95 total package
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA
 
Day #5 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week. Today's choice was: "A combo of dried Michigan tart cherries and candies wild Italian cherries" -- both types covered in chocolate of course -- from Recchiuti Confections.

Recchiuti is a high-end San Francisco, CA, based chocolate vendor, with a location in the San Francisco Ferry Building -- a foodie paradise.

However, I purchased these chocolate cherries from Fog City News, a great source for chocolates, news, and cards, a few blocks inland on Market Street.

ChocolateBet: November 9, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Harry and David

1.) Chocolate Truffles - Cherry (2 truffles)
Good +
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.)/ 12 oz. (340 g.) total package
Calories: 200 calories for 2 truffles
Cost: $12.95 for total package
Purchased from: Harry and David, Vacaville, CA store/booth at Waterfront Festival, Suisun Bay, CA (Oct. '10)

2.) Bing Cherry Milk Chocolates (4 pieces)
Very Good
Weight: 1.35 oz. (38 g.) / 4.5 oz. (127 g.) total package
Calories: 190 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.99 for total package
Purchased from: Michaels, in Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week; and I enjoyed trying not one, but two, Harry and David chocolate and cherry products. The first, individually wrapped cherry truffles were part of the fruit bowl assortment (the other two flavors being orange and raspberry); they were fudgy and good. I bought these truffles last month from the owners of a local Harry and David store in Vacaville, CA, on Nut Tree Road, who had a booth at the Waterfront Festival -- celebrating wine, art and chocolate -- in Suisun Bay, CA.

The second offering was milk chocolate covered bing cherries, with the taste of dried, (pleasingly) tart, cherries inside.

ChocolateBet: November 8, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 cup
Safeway - Safeway Select
Cherry Almond Fudge Ice Cream
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (66 g.) / 1.5 quart (1.42 liter)
Calories: 150 calories
Cost: $3.29 (sale)
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week. This cherry ice cream from Safeway was blended with roasted almonds and swirls of chocolate fudge. I may also try this frozen dessert with a little chocolate fudge sauce with brandy.

ChocolateBet: November 7, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Jelly Belly Candy Company

1.) Jelly Belly Chocolate + Cherry jelly beans
Good - Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) total package
Calories: 40 calories
Cost: $N/A - free to Jelly Belly factory tour participants
Purchased from: Jelly Belly, in Fairfield, CA

2.) Jelly Belly chocolate covered almonds
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 290 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Jelly Belly, in Fairfield, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week.  I opened a colorful bag of Jelly Belly jelly beans, and started looking for chocolate and cherry beans. These bags, containing 40 possible flavors, were handed out to our group after a factory tour at the Jelly Belly plant and visitor center -- located at One Jelly Belly Lane, in Fairfield, CA.

After getting rid of (eating) a few stray root beer and cinnamon beans (that looked a little like chocolate and cherry beans), and sampling a few chocolate and cherry jelly beans in a one mouthful "recipe," I also enjoyed some Jelly Belly chocolate covered almonds purchased during the same trip.

ChocolateBet: November 6, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
3 small slices
Hotel Chocolat Ltd.
Yule Log - Dark and Fruity
Very Good
Weight:  2 oz. (56.6 g.)/ 5.3 oz. (150 g.) total yule log/package
Calories: 300 calories (estimate)
Cost: $N/A - evaluation samples
Purchased from: N/A - from Hotel Chocolat, based in London, England

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week.*

The cherries, in this case, were bits of morello cherries embedded (along with pieces of orange and cranberry) in a gianduja praline chocolate Yule Log. Phew, that was a mouthful -- but a tasty one.  Judicious carving of this chocolate yule log should yield enough slices for a medium-sized family.

*Note: This is the third Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week we've run on Chocolate Banquet, and the second one this year -- proof that there are a lot of interesting cherry-related possibilities out there in chocolate-land.

ChocolateBet: November 5, 2010

My Kind of Dilemma

Chocolate(s) of the Day
3 pieces
Hotel Chocolat, Ltd.
The Sleekster - Classic Christmas Collection
1.) Cinnamon Praline - Very Good (left, front)
2.) Red Berry Mousse - Very Good (right, front)
3.) Cranberry and Apple - Very Good (center, back)

Weight: 1.23 oz. (34.8 g.) (estimate)/ 12.36 oz. (350 g.) total box of 30 pieces
Calories: 184 calories (estimate) for 3 pieces
Cost: $N/A - evaluation samples
Purchased from: N/A - from Hotel Chocolat, based in London, England

I decided to add an eighth day to Christmas-is-Coming Theme Week today -- so that I could eat three more chocolates from this Hotel Chocolat Christmas collection.

It was difficult to choose which ones; however, if this is the toughest choice I have to make all week, I can handle that.

The milk chocolate Cinnamon Praline (bun-shaped, decorated with red) had a hazelnut praline filling, flavored with cinnamon. I loved that I could actually taste the cinnamon. The Red Berry Mousse had a light, airy -- and, as advertised -- mousse-like center flavored with raspberries and strawberries. And, last but not least, was the dark chocolate Cranberry and Apple. This piece was described as having a "frisky cranberry compote, whose tart flavours are balanced by a creamy apple ganache." I can't argue with that. I thought there was just the right amount of tartness and natural-tasting cranberry and apple in this one; and I liked that it wasn't overly sweet.

ChocolateBet: November 4, 2010

Rum Ingot, Florentine Dream

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces + 1 micro-bite
Hotel Chocolat Ltd.
1.) Rum Ingot - Very Good +
2.) Florentine Dream - Very Good - Very Good +
3.) The Festive Wreath - Caramel, Cookies, Milk Chocolate - Very Good
Calories: 130 calories (for all three)
Cost: $NA - evaluation samples
Purchased from: N/A - from Hotel Chocolat, London, England

I enjoyed setting up a new computer this week. Monitor -- check; keyboard -- check; mouse: check; chocolate power source (in the form of a Rum Ingot and a Florentine Dream) -- double check.

Chocolate is a good power source. The Rum Ingot was flavored with rum from Saint Lucia, blended into a dark ganache. The Florentine Dream had a praline filling, and was topped with honey and almond florentine -- creating a texture blend with just the right amount of smoothness and crunch.

Also sampled today: "The Festive Wreath." All three chocolates came from London-based Hotel Chocolat  -- I may not be able to travel to England this month, but having these samples to evaluate for the Christmas Holidays is surely the next best thing.

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Christmas-is-Coming Theme Week.