Sunday, August 8, 2010

ChocolateBet: August 8, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1.2 oz. (4 squares)
Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Co.
67% chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.75 oz. (77.8 g.) total bar
Calories: 174 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Olive Theme Week, and today's chocolate choice was a chocolate bar from Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Co, based in Nashville, TN. The company handcrafts their bean-to-bar line of bars. Some stone ground bars are a bit too coursely textured for me; but this 67% bar was nice and smooth.

I look forward to trying other Olive and Sinclair bars in the future -- especially those inspired by flavors from the Southern United States (salt and pepper, coffee, and others).

Some may argue that a brand name (the "Olive" in Olive and Sinclair) doesn't technically count as real "olive" content; so, I tasted this 67% bar with a very small amount of Ascolano Olive Oil from The Olive Press (bought earlier in Sonoma, CA). This bar was made from three simple ingredients: cacao beans from Ghana, brown sugar, and cocoa butter. That is, until I adulterated one square of this bar with olive oil and a tiny amount of salt and herbs. The sacrificial square is pictured, above right. The more subtle notes in both the chocolate and olive oil did get lost when mixed together; but I enjoyed pairing them nonetheless.

ChocolateBet: August 7, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
The Xocolate Bar
Kalamata Olive Caramels
Very Good
Weight: .8 oz. (22 g.) in 2 pieces (estimate)
Calories: 120 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.50 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: The Xocolate Bar, in Berkeley, CA

These caramel-filled chocolates really did have an olive taste. I like olives, so this was fine by me. I don't know how The Xocolate Bar's chocolatier achieved this result, as there were no visible olive bits or ingredients. However, I am honored to include this chocolate as today's (Day #5's) selection in Chocolate and Olive Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: August 6, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece/olive
"The Original Chocolate Olive"
Good - Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11 g.) / 2 oz (57 g.) (estimates) total package of 5 pieces/olives
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.95 total package of 5 pieces/olives
Purchased from: ? (lost receipt)

I had been saving this small package of pit-free, red pimento-stuffed green (chocolate) olives for today, Day #4 of Chocolate and Olive Theme Week.

I will probably offer the rest of these realistic-looking olives to unsuspecting family members and friends. Or, perhaps I could melt them down and make chocolate olive fondue.

Note: The chocolate olive market may have become saturated in a down economy. Or maybe fewer people are drinking variations on a chocolate martini? I tried to order some "Cholives" from a small company in Wisconsin; however, sadly, I found out this company closed down last month (July 2010).
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...