ChocolateBet: January 31, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 oz. serving
chocri
Milk Chocolate version of - Sizzling Bacon Breakfast Bar
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: chocri

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

Surprise! More chocolate items from my very full chocolate vault. Two make-your-own bars from chocri. Chocri allows you to design and name your own chocolate bars. I ordered a milk chocolate version of the dark chocolate "Sizzling Bacon Breakfast Bar" original version that I'd previously ordered.

Milk vs. Dark! Which breakfast bar one won? Actually, it was a tie. While both versions were good; I think these savory flavors (corn flakes, bacon bits, peanut butter drops, sesame seeds and sizzling rocks) would be ideal with a chocolate content somewhere in between chocri's milk option (32%) and dark option (64%). A cocoa mass content percentage in the mid-40s -- sometimes called a deep or dark milk chocolate, or a lighter dark chocolate, would be great. Picky, picky.

ChocolateBet: January 30, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 syringe
Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man
Chocolate Syringe
Very Good
Weight: 50+ mL
Calories: 200 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.00
Purchased from: Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man shop, The Forum Shops, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate (and) Surprise Theme Week. I was surprised and amused when I saw this large syringe filled with chocolate at the Max Brenner shop in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The instructions: microwave for 10 seconds, and then squirt the liquid chocolate into your mouth. Easy enough for me. Novel chocolate delivery mechanism, and pretty tasty as well.

Pictures show the syringe -- from starting point (wrapped with an orange bow) to finish. When I put the syringe in the microwave oven for the recommended 10 seconds, a bit of chocolate started to ooze out, so be careful not to leave the syringe in the oven for even a few seconds of additional time, as you'll lose precious chocolate content.

ChocolateBet: January 29, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Seattle Chocolates/Seattle Chocolate Company
Rainier Cherry - Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar
Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (7 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) total bar
Calories: 95 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $ N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift (shop near Pike Place Market), Seattle, WA

After eating more than 1,500 chocolates, it's always delightful to be surprised -- by an unexpected package and note in the mail; a creative new interpretation of an old (chocolate) favorite; or chocolate in some form or combination that I never would have imagined. That said, today is Day #1 of Chocolate and Surprise Theme Week.

I received this Seattle Chocolates slightly creamy textured, dark truffle bar (with praline pecan and cherry bits) in the mail from friends who were visiting Seattle and spied this bar in a chocolate shop near Pike Place Market. Thank you to John and Colleen.

ChocolateBet: January 28, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Cachet
Lemon and Pepper bar
Very Good
Weight: .437 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 2 squares
Cost: $4.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today was the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. The Cachet Lemon and Pepper bar contained a dark chocolate (57% cocoa solids) base that was flavored with just the right amount of lemon and black pepper zing, and was made by Kim's Chocolates in Belgium. According to information printed on the packaging, the bar was also "made with 100% renewable energy," with "20% coming from our own solar panels."

ChocolateBet: January 27, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Dagoba Organic Chocolate
Lemon Ginger bar
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) total bar
Calories: 62 calories
Cost: $2.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. Today's Dagoba Lemon Ginger bar combined rich, Organic dark chocolate (68% cacao), with very subtle accents of lemon flavoring and crystallized ginger. I tend to enjoy stronger natural flavor additions, but here the focus was on the dark chocolate -- as it should have been.

ChocolateBet: January 26, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Lemon Jelly
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 69 calories (estimate)
Cost: (part of larger fruits and jellies assortment box)
Purchased from: Sweet Earth Chocolates, in San Luis Obispo, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week, and I chose a Lemon flavored chocolate from a  Sweet Earth Chocolates' assortment box of fruits and jellies (Lemon, Berry, Orange) -- all dipped or coated in organic dark chocolate.  The company's Lemon Jelly had a soft, glistening yellow gel center that somehow looked more naturally fruit-like than most. It almost glowed in the sunlight. Or maybe I've just grown used to looking at solid chocolate for too long.

ChocolateBet: January 25, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bottle
Anthon Berg
Danzka Citron Vodka of Denmark
Good +
Weight: .55 oz. (15.6 g.) / 8.8 oz. (250 g.) package of 16 bottles
Calories: 80 calories (estimate)
Cost: $14.99 total package of 16 bottles/pieces
Purchased from: BevMo, in Mountain View, CA

Anthon Berg, is a Danish maker of chocolates flavored with popular brands of spirits; and today's chocolate choice was a small chocolate bottle, with Danzka Citron Vodka of Denmark.

The little foil-wrapped bottle was quite stylish. It's a bit tricky to peel off the foil label/covering in one piece, but once you do, you'll be able to take a bite of the chocolate bottle inside. However, you might want to carefully bite off the top first, as there is a liquid center inside.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: January 24, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Lemon Earl Grey Tea Truffles
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .84 oz. (23.7 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 126 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.99 for 2 truffles in 9-pc. box
Purchased from: Sweet Earth Chocolates, San Luis Obispo, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. A sip of hot Earl Grey tea flavored with lemon on a winter morning may have been the inspiration for this Lemon Earl Grey Tea Truffle from (San Luis Obispo, California-based) Sweet Earth Chocolates.

ChocolateBet: January 23, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 cookie
The Inspired Cookie
Espresso Lemon Chocolate Chunk Cookie
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.)
Calories: 260 calories
Cost: $2.99
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. Sarah Gill, founder,  The Inspired Cookie has managed to make a gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and nut free cookie that tasted fresh, fun and -- very cookie-like. This is no mean feat for those who have tried to produce baked goods without flour made from wheat or gluten.

The hint of lemon and espresso flavors, in amongst the chocolate pieces, added a nice pick-me-up to this individually wrapped cookie.

ChocolateBet: January 22, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Sunflower Food and Spice Company
"All Natural" Java Juans
Good
Weight: .15 oz. (4.24 g.) (estimate) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total package
Calories: 21 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.99 for total package
Purchased from: Sunflower Food and Spice Company

For the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week, I tried two candy coated products from the Sunflower Food and Spice Company. The first was a Java Juan, a roasted Mexican coffee bean dipped in chocolate and candy coated. The second was a package of Laughing Lemon Silly Seeds (candy coated sunflower seeds). And speaking of lemon, today was also Day #1 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. I always enjoyed a little lemon peel with a shot of espresso, so why not mix these two flavors with chocolate today. 

ChocolateBet: January 21, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Keoki's Chocolate Factory/Surfin' Ass Coffee

1.) Keoki's Big Island Don't Spill the Beans - Coffee Beans
2 pieces
Good +
Weight: .3 oz. (8.5 g.) (estimate for 2 pcs. I had)/ 4 oz. (114 g.) total package
Calories: 44 calories (estimate for 2 pieces)
Cost: $6.95 for total package
Purchased from: (small store in Hawaii)


2.) Keoki's Big Island Donkey Balls - Mocha Balls
1 ball
Very Good
Weight: .7 oz. (19.8 g.) (estimate)/ 8 oz. (227 g.) total package
Calories: 105 calories (estimate for 1 ball)
Cost: $11.95 for total package
Purchased from: (small store in Hawaii)

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week. It may be January; however, I'm pretending I'm back in Hawaii -- where I was when I bought these two chocolate items made with Kona coffee. Fortunately, both items were kept in well-sealed packages in my chocolate vault -- and seem to have a fairly long shelf life.

Donkey Beans are chocolate covered Kona Coffee Beans. And the Milk Chocolate Mocha Balls are part of Keoki's Big Island line of Donkey Balls, chocolate covered macadamia nuts that come in different flavors. Both are from Keoki's Chocolate Factory in Hawaii. If you can't visit Hawaii anytime soon, Keoki's products can also be purchased online.

ChocolateBet: January 20, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Newman's Own Organics
Mocha Milk Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .56 oz. (16 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.)
Calories: 85 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today is Day #5 of Chocolate and Coffee Week. Having tried some chocolates that were bathed in coffee bean bits, with stronger coffee flavor, earlier this week, I chose what I thought might be a more subtle take on chocolate + coffee with this Newman's Own Organics Mocha bar.

Strong flavors usually need to get dialed back when you're creating a bar with 34% (cocoa) milk chocolate - but, after breaking off a piece and tasting this, I couldn't taste any coffee flavoring in this bar. It was very sweet though.

ChocolateBet: January 19, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

3 pieces
Brown and Haley
Mocha Roca
Good +
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 8 oz. (226 g.) total container
Calories: 200 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $7.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Bed Bath and Beyond, in Mountain View, CA

It smelled like I'd opened a fresh can of coffee when I unsealed this tin of Mocha Roca from Brown and Haley. The foil wrapped pieces of Mocha Roca inside contained buttercrunch toffee centers that were embedded with bits of ground coffee and covered in chocolate and cashew bits. A winning combination of flavors overall. Like many chocolates that incorporate ground coffee beans to impart real coffee smell, taste and texture, the trade-off was having to chew on a few coffee grounds at the end. A small price to pay really.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: January 18, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
.75 oz. (21.2 g.) serving
Chuao Chocolatier
Coffee and Anise bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) total bar
Calories: 148 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.97 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Walmart, American Canyon, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week. And the chocolate choice for the day was a dark chocolate (60% cacao) bar "with finely ground espresso and star anise." I liked these three flavors together; they were blended in the right proportions for my taste. My only quibble: I found that I didn't care for the fine grit from the expresso/star anise that was detectable in some bites of this bar. I would have preferred to taste these nice strong flavors in a dark, (grit-free) smooth base.

This Coffee and Anise bar came packaged with an interesting insert on Chef Michael Antonorsi, co-founder of Chuao Chocolatier -- based in Southern California.

...And yes, you read the "Purchased from:" line correctly; I bought this relatively fancy bar at Walmart.

ChocolateBet: January 17, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 truffle
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Espresso Vegan Truffle
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate) one truffle
Calories: 71 calories (estimate) in one truffle
Cost: N/A - holiday gift (thank you again to Alec and Ardis)
Purchased from: N/A - gift, purchased from Sweet Earth Chocolates, San Luis Obispo, CA

Among the many chocolate options today are vegan offerings. I marvel at those who can craft truffles without the help of cream or butter. This round Espresso Vegan Truffle from Sweet Earth Chocolates (made with Fair Trade chocolate) had a nice, smooth filling.

Providing a texture contrast was a coating of finely ground, rougher bean bits -- which can be seen in the "before" picture (above right). As readers of this blog know by now, the "after" pictures usually do not end well for the chocolate.

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

ChocolateBet: January 16, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 truffle
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Cafe au Lait Truffle
Very Good +
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 72 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ N/A - holiday gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift purchased from Sweet Earth Chocolates, San Luis Obispo, CA

It's time to wake up and get moving. Time to put all those 2011 New Year plans into motion.

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week. This blend of at least partly caffeinated flavors is a popular one; and I knew I would have no trouble finding at least seven chocolate items with coffee or espresso to form this theme week.

Today's Cafe au Lait Truffle was made from Fair Trade Chocolate, by  Sweet Earth Chocolates. The company is based in San Luis Obispo, located in the Central Coast of California. The Truffle was filled with a sweet creamy coffee flavored filling, and topped with a crunchy coffee bean.

ChocolateBet: January 15, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 truffles
Hedonist Artisan Chocolates
Raspberry Chocolate Truffles
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .9 oz. (25.47 g.) (estimate) for 2 truffles
Calories: 130 calories (estimate) for 2 truffles
Cost: $N/A - samples
Purchased from: N/A - from Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, Rochester, New York

Today's 5-piece set of Raspberry Chocolate Truffles are from Rochester, New York-based Hedonist Chocolates. Each piece is decorated with a different design. Made from fresh raspberries, raspberry liqueur and semi-sweet chocolate, these lovebird-inspired TweetHeart truffles are a reminder that Valentines Day is one month away.

ChocolateBet: January 14, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 oz. (57 g.) serving
Hedonist Artisan Chocolates
Pistachio Ginger Bark
Very Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) total package
Calories: 280 calories (estimate) in 2 oz. of bark
Cost: N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - from Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, Rochester, NY

Ginger is a good bridge from Chocolate and Chai Theme Week, covered the past week, to today's chocolate from Rochester, New York-based Hedonist Artisan Chocolates.

Fresh-tasting shards of dark chocolate were topped with crunchy, whole green pistachio nuts and glittering bits of candied/crystallized ginger. In short, it was everything I would hope for in a Pistachio Ginger Bark. Chocolate, shown above right, is on its way to being gratefully devoured.

ChocolateBet: January 13, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 bar
Shaman Chocolates
Organic Dark Chocolate with Green Tea and Ginger
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) total bar
Calories: 170 calories (per label)
Cost: $2.99 total bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week. I paired a Shaman Chocolates Green Tea and Ginger (60% cacao) bar with two different kinds of homemade, hot Chai tea.

This Organic, Fair Trade Certified Green Tea and Ginger dark bar is one of a line of different bars made exclusively for Shaman Chocolates (based in Soquel, CA). Profits from these chocolate bars support the Huichol Indians in Mexico. These descendants of the Aztec people live in the mountains of Jalisco and Nayarit, in Western Central Mexico.

According to the Shaman Chocolates site, "chocolate is sacred to the Huichols who have used it for thousands of years in their ceremonies...Shaman Chocolates gives all of its profits to support three Huichol villages. Every bar you buy helps sustain the Huichols and keeps their ancient shamanic traditions alive."

ChocolateBet: January 12, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Dagoba
chai
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.7 g.)
Calories: 296 calories
Cost: $2.79
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

The Organic, Gluten Free Dagoba  Chai bar -- with milk chocolate (37% cacao content), crystallized ginger and spices (essential oils) -- was a great fit for Day #6 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week.

I'd intended to eat only half this bar, but the remaining chocolate in the wrapper called out to me this afternoon. And you know the rest of the story. All gone.

ChocolateBet: January 11, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
1 serving hot chocolate beverage w/ Chai stirrer

1.) Pacific Natural Foods
Hazelnut Chocolate Non-Dairy Beverage (Gluten Free)
Good ++
Weight: 4 fl. oz. (120 mL)/ 32 fl. oz. (1 Quart) (946 mL) total container
Calories: 60 calories
Cost: $
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

2.) Hammond's Candies
Chai Stirrers (Gluten Free)
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 5 oz. (141 g.) total container (~15 sticks)
Calories: 40 calories in 1 stirrer stick
Cost: $3.99 (sale/marked down price; reg. $7.00)
Purchased from: HomeGoods, in San Carlos, CA

Nut-based beverages offer some tasty non-milk alternatives for hot chocolate. For today's chocolate choice, I used a chocolate hazelnut non-dairy beverage from Pacific Natural Foods, and a Chai stirring stick from  Hammond's Candies.  I did add in a little hot milk into this cocoa as well. Note: your Chai Stirrer will melt fairly quickly if your cocoa is very hot, so stir quickly.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: January 10, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Allegro Coffee Company
Drinking Chocolate
Organic Indian Spice 30 (Chai)
Very Good
Weight: 1 Tablespoon / 8 oz. (226 g.) total package/box
Calories: 95 calories total (45 calories for mix plus 50 calories for milk)
Cost: $6.99 for total box
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, in downtown Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week. And I'm switching from chai flavored truffles to drinking chocolate from Allegro Coffee Company today. Allegro's Organic Indian Spice 30 mix contains "...milk chocolate blended with the ginger and cardamom of classic chai." This flavor is one of several flavored drinking chocolates offered by the company.

I used hot, low-fat (cow's) milk as a base for my hot drinking chocolate; however, I'm sure one could experiment with other milks. This mix does contain dairy -- in the form of organic Fair Trade Certified milk chocolate, and organic milk powder.

ChocolateBet: January 9, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 truffle
Coco-luxe Confections
Chai truffle
Good
Weight: .24 oz. (6.8 g.) (estimate for 1/2 pc.)
Cost: $4.00 for small bag of 2 truffles
Purchased from: Coco-luxe, (at temporary holiday shop), Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week, and the day's chocolate choice was a Chai (dark) truffle from San Francisco, CA-based Coco-luxe Confections.

ChocolateBet: January 8, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 truffle
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Chai Latte Truffle
Very Good
Weight: .48 oz. (14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 72 calories (estimate)
Cost: $N/A - gift (thank you Alec, Ardis)
Purchased from: N/A - gift (from San Luis Obispo, CA)

Today was Day # 2 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week. I experimented with making my own stovetop Chai (cardamom pods, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper and other spices).

Today's Sweet Earth Chocolates  Chai Latte Truffle was very close to the mix of spice flavors that I like best. Sweet Earth specializes in Fair Trade, Organic chocolates.

Note: I initially photographed this little scene without a memory card in my camera. Oops. So, the little empty white paper cup is what remains after I ate Sweet Earth Chocolates Chai Latte Truffle. The image of the Chai Latte Truffle, above right, is from the Sweet Earth Chocolates truffle brochure.

ChocolateBet: January 7, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 truffle
Coco-Zen
Chocolate Chai Spice Truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .6 oz. (17 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 84 calories (estimate)
Cost: $N/A - sample at a benefit film screening
Purchased from: N/A - Coco-Zen table at a benefit, held at World Centric, Palo Alto, CA

Chocolate is one of those remarkably versatile foods that mixes well with a variety of other flavors. Today is Day #1 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week. Chai itself is a blend of tea, spices and milk; and I've found wide variations in this beverage in Northern California. Personally, I like a chai that is cardamom-rich and light on the caffeine. However, I look forward to different chai + chocolate combinations this week.

Today's chocolate was a Chocolate Chai Spice truffle from Coco-Zen. Based in Pacifica, California, Coco-Zen makes hand-crafted chocolates with Fair Trade Certified, Organic ingredients.

Thank you also to Cynthia for sharing cardamom, ginger and orange chocolates from Quebec, after a Cuban lunch -- making today a very international food day.

ChocolateBet: January 6, 2011

Chocolate of the Day: 

1 oz. serving
Sunflower Food and Spice Co. Ltd., LLC
Candy Coated Sunny Seed Drops - Chocolate Sunflower Seeds
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)
Calories: 135 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0.99 (post-holiday sale price)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week. The "flower" focus today is the sunflower -- or seeds from the middle of sunflowers that have been chocolate and candy coated, to be exact.

These Sunny Seeds Drops were quite good with nothing else added. However, since it was Chocolate and Flower Theme Week, and because I like both sunflowers and roses...I also tried misting some of these seeds with a little rosewater (rose oil in water). And these were delicious -- even though the rosewater made the candy coating colors run a little.

ChocolateBet: January 5, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) Dark Orange Cardamom chocolate cup with Lemon Lavender Sorbet
KSchocolat - Orange Cardamom, 72% Dark Chocolate small bar
Silver Moon Desserts Lavender Limoncello Sorbet
Very Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) for 1 cup
Cost: $(combination of several ingredients)
Purchased from: KSchocolat Chocolate was from Chocolate Covered, in San Francisco, CA; and Lavender Limoncello Sorbet was from Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA; the food-grade lavender buds, used for decoration on top, were from The Olive Press, in Sonoma, CA.

2.) Sweet Earth Chocolates
Cardamom Ginger Vegan Truffle
Very Good +
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 72 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift; thank you to Alec and Ardis

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Flowers Theme Week. Although today's flower (lavender) was also mixed with small amounts of citrus (orange and lemon) and spices (cardamom, allspice, ginger).

I melted a very small KShocolat Orange Cardamom dark chocolate (72%) bar in the microwave, and spread the melted chocolate into a cup mold. After the chocolate cup lining had started to harden, I spooned in a bit of frozen Lemon Lavender Sorbet (from Silver Moon Desserts), and topped this little chocolate dessert with a few lavender buds. This was the last of my stash of these Orange Cardamom bars from KShocolat. I'll have to take another chocolate field trip up to Chocolate Covered in San Francisco to see if this chocolate shop still carries their bars. Because I've already eaten this bar before (and I don't repeat chocolates on the blog), I had no choice but to eat a second chocolate.

Sticking with the cardamom and spice theme, I tried a Cardamom Ginger Vegan Truffle, from Sweet Earth Chocolates in San Luis Obispo, CA, that was part of a gift assortment box I was given over the holidays. This blend of cardamom and ginger was just right for my taste.