Thursday, March 31, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 31, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 eggs
Hotel Chocolat
Amaretto
Very Good - Very Good+
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.4 g.) (estimate for 2 eggs)
Calories: 224 calories (estimate) in 2 eggs
Cost: N/A - sample box
Purchased from: N/A - sample; from Hotel Chocolat, London

Today's breakfast menu: two eggs, a banana and a glass of water. Oh, did I mention these were Spring/Easter eggs freshly harvested from a chocolate nest? Milk chocolate shells filled with an Amaretto-flavored truffle cream filling, to be precise.

Hotel Chocolat's Amaretto egg was very satisfying. While the liqueur taste was very pleasing with the chocolate, I'm not sure I could have guessed it was Amaretto. But, to amp up the almond flavor would have meant tampering with simplicity. And, a few high quality ingredients, kept simple, is a formula that seems to work best for most fine edibles.



Wednesday, March 30, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 30, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 egg
Hotel Chocolat
Apricot Brandy
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) (estimate for 1 egg)
Calories: 112 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - sample - from Hotel Chocolat

Mention Spring and Easter, and the conversation quickly turns to chocolate chicks, bunnies and eggs here at Chocolate Banquet. The next few days we'll be celebrating the "Your Eggsellency" collection from  Hotel Chocolat (London). On today's menu for brunch: Apricot Brandy, a white chocolate egg with a few yolk-colored decorative dribbles, with an apricot brandy flavored chocolate truffle cream center. Heavenly.

This Apricot Brandy egg was packaged (with four other different eggs) inside a large chocolate half-egg-shell. Two sets of these five eggs were included in one box: one set nestled in a 70% dark chocolate shell, and one set in a 40% milk chocolate shell.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 29, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Recchiuti
Sesame Nougat
Very Good
Weight: .48 oz. (13.5 g.) for 2 pieces
Calories: 69 calories for 2 pieces
Cost: $2.55
Purchased from: Cocoa Bella, in Westfield/Market St. location, San Francisco, CA

At $85.00 (USD) per pound, my expectations for chocolate rise accordingly, and Recchiuti does deliver fine, well-manicured chocolates. The good news: a few small pieces of Sesame Nougat chocolate (with crunchy bits of caramelized sesame seeds and dark chocolate ganache) can be very satisfying. 

Monday, March 28, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 28, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Christopher Elbow - 4 individual pieces
1.) Balsamic Caramel (2 pieces) - Very Good
2.) Spiced Pear - Very Good - Very Good +
3.) Vanilla Cognac - Very Good - Very Good +

I always enjoy visiting Cocoa Bella in San Francisco; they carry individual chocolates from some fine chocolate artisans. Christopher Elbow chocolates look like small works of art.

The two "Balsamic Caramels" were worth framing, or treating as subjects for a chocolate still life. I, however, ate them instead. Other than a very slight salad dressing taste, these pieces filled with a rich, dark caramel filling were very good. Not all balsamic vinegar flavored chocolates trigger the salad taste, but vinegar and wine are very tricky flavors to blend. And it's easy to associate vinegar flavors with salad.

The bright green, faceted "Spiced Pear" was filled with a bottom layer of dark ganache and a top layer of almost liquid pear caramel. Sadly, this piece was cracked a bit by the time I unwrapped this bag at home. Next time, perhaps I'll bring a small box to protect them.

Last, but not least,  I tried Christopher Elbow's "Vanilla Cognac" chocolate, covered in gradated, black licorice colored shell. It was filled with a dark chocolate ganache that was flavored with vanilla and aged French Cognac, worthy of eating slowly.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 27, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
See's Candies
Lemon Truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 1 lb. assortment box
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $16.50 for a 1 lb. assortment box
Purchased from: Park Pharmacy, El Sobrante, CA

I love lemon and dark chocolate, so I enjoyed this See's Candies Lemon Truffle with "rich lemon chiffon buttercream" filling coated in dark chocolate. I would have been all for a slightly stronger lemon flavor. Natural lemon flavors do tend to fade when they're being cooked or processed I've found.


Saturday, March 26, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 26, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
7 oz.
Popcornopolis
Chocolate Kettle Popcorn
Good +
Weight: 7 oz. (198 g.)/ 8.75 oz. (248 g.) total package
Calories: 770 calories
Cost: $2.49 (going out of business sale price)
Purchased from: Blockbuster, in Palo Alto, CA

For those who want a combination candy and popcorn treat, Popcornopolis offers different flavors of kettlecorn and flavored popcorn items. Today's choice: Chocolate Kettle Popcorn, that was gluten free with no trans fats. Unfortunately, I forgot I was eating fully loaded popcorn, and ate most of the package while watching a video. Now, I want to take a nap.

Friday, March 25, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 25, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 package
Just Born, Inc.
Peeps - Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Peep
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)
Calories: 120 calories
Cost: $0.75
Purchased from: Walgreens, in San Pablo, CA

Peeps! A springtime tradition. Walgreens was stocked with rows of little pink, green and blue marshmallow chicks. Today's Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallow treat was filled with sweet, yellow marshmallow chick filling. 

ChocolateBet: March 24, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Trader Joe's
Dark Chocolate Roasted Pistachio Toffee
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 7.5 oz. (212 g.) total container
Calories: 180 calories
Cost: $3.99 total
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, in Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week. Trader Joe's has a nice selection of chocolate items in their stores that I've visited. These dark chocolate pieces were rich and sweet with crunchy roasted green pistachio pieces outside and golden toffee inside. So, thank you to the chocolate/candy buyers at the company's Monrovia, CA, headquarters -- or wherever this group might be located -- for making such a wide variety of good chocolates available over the years.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 23, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1 package
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (distributed by)
Great Value Indulgent Trail Mix
Good - Good+
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) (sold in package of 8)
Calories: 300 calories in 1 package
Cost: $ --
Purchased from: Wal-Mart, in American Canyon, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Nut Theme Week. Some school friends and I used to make our own trail mix. Many interesting things were thrown into a bag, without any measuring. But, the common denominator in my trail mixes seemed to be nuts and chocolate-containing items, and dried apricots (since they were grown locally and widely available).

Now pre-packaged trail mixes are easy to find, such as today's Great Value Indulgent Trail Mix, that contained "white chocolatey" drops, chocolate drops, peanut butter drops, almonds, peanuts, cashews, golden raisins and cranberries.  I found these at a Wal-Mart, while I was out taking a hike on the San Francisco Bay Trail a few months back. There were 8 small bags packaged together in a cardboard box, plenty to last for several hikes, with enough leftover to pour into a cocktail glass and enjoy later.

I also tried a second mix. Details below.

1 serving
Trader Joe's (distributed by)
Nuts About Raspberries and Chocolate Trek Mix
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (30 g.) serving/ 12 oz. (340 g.) total bag
Calories: 150 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $3.99 total bag
Purchased from: Trader Joe's in Mountain View, CA

Later in the day, I enjoyed 1 serving (see second cocktail glass) of Nuts About Raspberries and Chocolate Trek Mix, distributed by Trader Joe's. This bag of (Kosher) mix contained peanuts, almonds, raspberries, and Belgian chocolate chips. It was not quite as sweet (or caloric); and it was quite good.

So, whether you are trekking, hitting a trail somewhere, or just relaxing, I hope you enjoy whatever mix you're in.


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 22, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
See's Candies
Maple Walnut - Dark Chocolate
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .6 oz. (17 g.) / 16 oz. (454 g.) total box
Calories: 80 calories for 1 piece
Cost: $16.60 for a dark chocolate 1 lb. assortment box
Purchased from: Park Pharmacy, in El Sobrante, CA

Today was the fifth day of a Chocolate and Nut Theme Week. When I bought this 1 pound assortment box of dark chocolates (part of a fund-raising effort), I figured there must be some chocolate and nut candies inside that I hadn't tried yet. And there was at least one -- a Maple Walnut piece with a buttercream and English Walnut filling, covered in dark chocolate.

Since there was no piece of paper or "legend" explaining what different chocolates were, I had to eat a few (not reflected here) first to discover this one. When we had a box of See's Candies in my family's house where I grew up, siblings (who will go unnamed) often cheated and punched holes in the bottom of chocolates to determine flavors. A little guide would be helpful here; and it makes me wonder why one was not included. Perhaps every box is a little different.


See's is based in South San Francisco, CA, and makes a variety of chocolates, using real butter and cream. The tagline on the box reassures me that See's Candies are "A Happy Habit." OK, I'll buy that.

Monday, March 21, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 21, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Organic Nectars
Nut 'Milk' Chocolate - Raw Cacao Bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.)
Calories: 230 calories
Cost: $ (no info)
Purchased from: (no info)


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

The Organic Nectars Nut 'Milk' Chocolate Raw Cacao Bar was dairy free, vegan, USDA Organic, and contained no gluten or soy. The nut milk bar was made with organic coconut palm sugar and raw organic cashews, and remained very fresh tasting after even a few months in my chocolate vault.

This bar was eaten on the go, on the way to take a nice long walk in a park by the San Francisco Bay.


Sunday, March 20, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 20, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Hawaiian Host
Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts (Milk Chocolate)
Good
Weight: .357 oz. (10 g.)/ 5 oz. (142 g.) total box of 14 pieces
Calories: 57 calories
Cost: N/A - gift from mom and dad
Purchased from: N/A - gift from mom and dad

Happy first day of Spring to you all.

One of the best things about a Hawaiian Host box of (Milk) Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts is the bright, sunny cover with the tropical flowers and palm tree silhouettes. I say this because it's been gray and stormy here this past week (see clouds above my umbrella, at right). I'll take all the island sunshine I can get.

Overshare for the day: Chew chocolate and nut pieces (and raw carrots) thoroughly. And while doing so, avoid talking or being around someone who's telling jokes that make you suddenly inhale or laugh.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.


Saturday, March 19, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 19, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Cocoa Pete's
Nuts So Serious
Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (17.6 g.)/ 2.5 oz. (70.7 g.) total 4 piece bar
Calories: 94 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ not known
Purchased from: not known

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week, and Cocoa Pete's hazelnut butter, pistachio and milk chocolate creation -- dubbed Nuts So Serious -- was pulled from my chocolate vault just for this very occasion.

Here are some nuts so serious photos of this product, including one piece doing a wheelie (top right), a box/bar being juggled, and a box/bar on a cat.


Friday, March 18, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 18, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar - 2 squares
Mars
Snickers Peanut Butter Squared
Good
Weight: 1.78 oz. (50.5 g.) total package of 2 squares
Calories: 250 calories
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Blockbuster, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was filled with pesky adversities. Among them: cold, stormy weather and the chocolate originally planned for today was stolen by a squirrel.


The first time I was burgled by this squirrel I was annoyed but amused. The squirrel nibbled through a cardboard box that was left on my doorstep, and made off with a few pieces from one corner of a high-end chocolate assortment box. This time, the squirrel stole the entire shipment. I was left with an empty shipping box -- with a large hole in it (pictured), chewed up bubble wrap, a small colorful twist-tie, and a comment card with a gnawed off corner (the squirrel's signature, the rodent equivalent of the mark of Zorro). This means war...

Fortunately, when it comes to emergencies I'm well prepared. I have extra water, two LED headlamps, a solar cooker, first aid kit, etc., in case of an earthquake. And I have a chocolate vault. I dug into the vault and found a new item for today. So, let's get back to talking about chocolate.

Today I tried Mars Snickers Peanut Butter Squared bar with two squares packaged in one wrapper. See 3D (actual squares) vs. 2D image (magazine advertisement) versions. Maybe it was the lactose, hydrogenated oil, and corn syrup, but I didn't feel especially great after eating these two squares. This bar could also have been on the shelf too long before I bought and ate it. It's also hard to beat the original Snickers bar recipe. The ad seemed to indicate that these squares are better than circles that look like Reese's Peanut Butter cup shapes. Unfortunately, I'm not so sure I agree.

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

Thursday, March 17, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 17, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small bag
Melzy Enterprises Inc.
Figamajigs - Mint
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) total package
Calories: 150 calories
Cost: $0.79 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Melzy Enterprises Inc.'s Figamajigs line includes these candy-coated pieces of dark chocolate covered fig. These happened to be mint flavored.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day all. In addition to green beer and corned beef and cabbage, sweets or candies for this day full of leprechauns and four-leafed clovers have included chocolate gold coins, green foil-wrapped shamrocks, and chocolate mint beverages.

May all you find a pot of gold at the end of whatever rainbow you might be pursuing.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 16, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Lulu's Chocolate
Chocolate Maca Chunk bar
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)
Calories: 143 calories
Cost: $5.49
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Raw chocolate is tasting better and better these days. According to the label, Lulu's Chocolate Maca Chunk bar is made from USDA Organic, handcrafted raw chocolate (62% cacao), low-glycemic coconut sugar, and 13% maca* (3,900 mg. per bar). I've never eaten maca by itself, so I don't know what it tastes like. However, I can't detect any unique flavors (other than chocolate) in this bar.


As an added plus, this bar is attractively packaged, and stamped with a Lulu's logo on one side (with what may be pieces of chocolate and maca on the reverse side). Exotic ingredients tend to come with a higher price tag. And, at $5.49 per 1-ounce (28 grams) bar, this offering fits into this category. For most high-end, artisan bars, you'll be paying $20 or more for a family of four if each person wants their own bar. Of course chocolate-lovers like me are happy to call a nice bar like this a meal, but nutritionists may rightly disagree.

*Maca is a root vegetable that is part of the radish family, found in the Andes mountains in Peru and Bolivia. It is thought to have energy-boosting properties.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 15, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 brownie
WOW Baking Company
Chocolate Brownie
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2.75 oz. (78 g.)
Calories: 161 calories
Cost: $2.69
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

This wheat and gluten free brownie from WOW Baking Company (Kent, WA) was very satisfying, especially for just 161 calories. It was great just by itself. However, if one felt like dressing up this brownie, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some frosting or other topping of your choice, and away to chocolate la-la land you go.

Monday, March 14, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 14, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 muffin
Udi's Gluten Free Foods
Double Chocolate Muffins
Good - Good +
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) / 12 oz. (340 g.) total package of 4 muffins
Calories: 270 calories for 1 muffin
Cost: $4.99 total package of 4
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Muffins are a breakfast food. Udi's makes Gluten Free Double Chocolate Muffins. Therefore, I can have a chocolate muffin for breakfast. This is chocolate logic; and it works for me.

These Udi's Double Chocolate Muffins are gluten free, and also soy free, dairy free, and nut free. I found them in the freezer section of a local grocery store. Freezers and refrigerators are not always kind to fresh-baked goods. However, gluten-free foods are frequently stored and sold in a frozen state, due to lower volume sales. (Eating these muffins with some fruit and/or yogurt helps balance lost moisture.) That said, I'm very thankful to stores such as Piazza's for stocking gluten-free items. Thank you!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 13, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 package
American Outdoor Products, Inc. / Astronaut Foods
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Good
Weight: .7 oz. (19 g.) total package
Calories: 130 calories
Cost: $(lost receipt)
Purchased from: REI, Mountain View or San Carlos store, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week. In honor of the safe landing of the last U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery flight this past week, today's chocolate choice was Astronaut Foods Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream -- freeze-dried, like they eat in outer space.

My understanding is that a single slice of ice cream is cut, freeze-dried and packaged. The pieces of this slice were contained in a specially sealed pouch and inner wrapper, and was ready for eating.

I would liken this freeze-dried ice cream to bits of mint chocolate chip meringue -- very light (apparently freeze drying removes 90% of the weight); not quite as sweet as a meringue (which I liked); and ice-cream-like in flavor. Ingredients included milk, chocolate drops, and natural peppermint flavoring. The package label says that freeze-dried food dates back to the early Mercury (space) Missions; and that this and other products "continue to be used on NASA missions today."


Saturday, March 12, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 12, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Vosges Haut Chocolat
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 110 calories - 1/4 bar
Cost: $(misplaced receipt)
Purchased from: Vosges, in Caesars Forum Shops, Las Vegas, NV

Two of the many reasons why I like dark chocolate bars: they're usually not overly sweet, and (provided they're kept in a cool dark place) they can be stored for a few months and eaten later.  I prefer to eat freshly made chocolate, but I have a chocolate backlog situation at the moment. Fortunately, just as some people have wine storage areas, I have a small chocolate vault space. And, today, I reached into the vault and pulled out this nice Vosges dark chocolate (62% cacao) Peppermint Candy Cane Bar, which I bought a few months ago at a Vosges shop, while visiting Las Vegas.

As promised, this dark bar contained peppermint -- 5% crushed peppermint and peppermint oil, according to the ingredients list; and it was not too sweet. Perfect choice for Day #6 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.


Friday, March 11, 2011

ChocolateBet: March 11, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
12 pieces
Three Senses Gourmet, Inc.
Gluten Free Chocolate Souffle Bites
Very Good
Weight: 8 oz.
Calories: lots and lots
Cost: $6.99 total package of 12 pieces/bites
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week. Fresh mint is a great side dish to serve with chocolate. I am fortunate that I had some growing in my yard. These greens and fruits helped balance out all that fresh unsalted butter, eggs, chocolate and sugar in these individual bake-and-serve souffle bites from Three Seasons Gourmet (based in Danville, CA).
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