Friday, September 30, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 30, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 small bowl
Laughing Giraffe Organics LLC
1.) Cherry Ginger Granola with Walnuts and Pecans - Good - Good+
2.) Goji Cacao and Maca Energy Snack - Good
Calories: 187 calories
Purchased from: Andronicos, Palo Alto, CA (closing sale)

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week. And, by mixing these two Laughing Giraffe (granola and snack) products, a little of each was enjoyed.

ChocolateBet: September 29, 2011


Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Fearless Chocolate Co.
Sweet and Hot Hibiscus Ginger (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) total bar
Calories: 148 calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.99 total bar
Purchased from: Village Market, in the Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

This Sweet and Hot dark chocolate (70% cacao) bar from Fearless Chocolate Co. (San Francisco) was made from raw cacao -- "unroasted and with low heat under 118 degrees" to help preserve nutrients, minerals and antioxidants. Both the hibiscus and ginger flavors were very subtle.

Loved the company's creative approach -- which extended to a bite-shaped missing piece in the bar design itself.

I bought this bar at the Village Market, one of several great stops for chocolate and other unique food items in San Francisco and, more specifically, at the SF Ferry Building.

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


ChocolateBet: September 28, 2011


Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
SOMA Chocolatemaker
Mayan Hot Chocolate Mix
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) mix (estimate)
Calories: 300 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.75 (estimate)
Purchased from: SOMA, in Toronto, ON, Canada

Drinking this Mayan Hot Chocolate brought back good memories of a trip to SOMA in Toronto a few years ago. SOMA Chocolatemaker produces a line of their own bean-to-bar chocolate and other products, and they also carry chocolates from other makers. I remember enjoying a few very unique individual chocolates flavored with Olive Oil, and Douglas Fir there as well. All very good.

This Mayan Hot Chocolate mix, meant to be stirred on the stove, created a thick, rich drinking chocolate, imbued with chilis, ginger, orange peel and other spices.

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

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 27, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bite
Kim's Chocolates
Cachet - Blackberry and Ginger (bar)
OK+ - Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g) bite / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.29 total bar
Purchased from: Draeger's in San Mateo, CA

Ginger mixed with blackberries and dark chocolate. It sounded good. But, somehow the blackberry granules and ginger granules used to flavor this dark Cachet bar from Kim's Chocolates didn't quite mesh for me. The chocolate bar base was smooth and even. I might have preferred this dark chocolate melted over fresh berries and fresh ginger gelato. So many ways to enjoy chocolate.

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


Monday, September 26, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 26, 2011


Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
fleurir
Ginger Rogers
OK + - Good
Weight: .39 oz. (11 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 59 calories (estimate)
Cost: $34 for a box of 18 different pieces
Purchased from: fleurir - via foodzie.com

Ginger Rogers was a lively and engaging dancer, heavily linked with famous dance partner Fred Astaire in the mid-1900s. Today's Ginger Rogers chocolate was infused with a lively assortment of flavors -- spearmint, peppermint, crystallized ginger, almond amaretto and almond extract. Unfortunately, these flavors all wanted to dance off in different directions in my mouth; and they never really completely synched up with each other. Fun combination to try, but it didn't quite work for me.

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

Sunday, September 25, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 25, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Wei of Chocolate
Wei Love - chili-infused
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 70 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.98 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Ferry Building, in San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Spicy Pepper Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week. This little Organic, flower-shaped dark chocolate (74% cacao) from Wei of Chocolate (Phoenix, AZ) was infused with a subtle blend of cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, and flower essences. It was a great choice for a contemplative Sunday at home, spent recovering from a cold. Hot soup and ginger honey tea soon followed.

Oh, did I mention this Wei Love was gluten-free, Fair Trade and Vegan as well? The question I really want to ask though is how does Wei make chocolate in a city as hot as Phoenix? Hats off to them.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 24, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
fleurir
1.) Pink Peppercorns - Very Good
2.) Brandy Alexander - Good +
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.)
Calories: 117 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: both were part of a larger 18-piece assortment box
Purchased from: fleurir hand grown chocolates, via foodzie.com

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Spicy Pepper Theme Week. Sadly the Pineapple Habanero chocolate from a few months ago had expired. However, I found this pair of truffles from fleurier.

Fleurir's Pink Peppercorn contained tiny chunks of Brazilian pink peppercorn and white peppercorn pieces; this coarse grind contributed some crunch, textural variety and a bit of a spicy kick.

The Brandy Alexander piece covered all the chocolate bases. It contained white, milk and dark chocolate; and it was flavored with creme de cacao, brandy and nutmeg -- making it a pleasant nightcap.

Friday, September 23, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 23, 2011


Chocolate of the Day:

1/3 bar
Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Co.
Cinnamon Chili Chocolate bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .9 oz. (26 g.) / 2.75 oz. (77.8 g.) total bar
Calories: 137 calories (estimate)
Cost: $8.00
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

Olive and Sinclair's Mexican Style Cinnamon Chili chocolate bar can be enjoyed by itself, or can be melted down and made into a satisfying cup of hot chocolate. The company's artisan, slow-roasted, stone-ground bar included cacao beans (from Ghana), sugar, cocoa butter, Organic Ceylon cinnamon, Kosher salt, and cayenne pepper. The texture is a little bit more granular, but not unpleasant; and the flavors tasted very fresh. The cayenne pepper yielded a very mild kick.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Spicy Pepper Theme Week.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 22, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

2/5 bar
Artisan du Chocolat
Mole Chili bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .636 oz. (18 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) total bar
Calories: 95 calories (estimate)
Cost: $6.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Spicy Pepper Theme Week. This Mole Chili dark chocolate (70% Cocoa) bar from Artisan du Chocolat (London) contained a mix of ingredients found in mole sauce: chile mulato, chile ancho, chile pasilla, chile chipotle, ground almonds, tortilla, thyme, and other spices. Despite all the different peppers, this bar was not too spicy.

I suspect if you melted this bar in with some red or enchilada sauce and baked it with poultry, you'd have an interesting chicken/turkey dish with mole sauce -- a delicious way to incorporate chocolate into sweet and savory dishes.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 21, 2011

Chocolate of the Day: 

1 piece
Chocolat Moderne
Havana Heat
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) total package of 5
Calories: 74 calories (estimate)
Cost: $15.00 for package of 5 different bonbons
Purchased from: Fog City News, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Spicy Pepper Theme Week.  I have a cold, so I'm bringing the heat today! A Havana Heat with dark ganache and habanero pepper -- in your face, cold! OK, it's actually in my face/mouth, but roll with me here. This heart-shaped bonbon from Chocolat Moderne, part of the company's "Devotion" collection, helped me get my mind off the sniffles for a while.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 20, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Lake Champlain Chocolates
Dark Spicy Aztec bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Spicy Pepper Theme Week. This Dark Spicy Aztec bar (55% cocoa content) from Lake Champlain Chocolates reminded me of a very good, spicy drinking chocolate in bar form. I could taste the cayenne pepper (not too strong), a hint of cinnamon and vanilla; and some pumpkin seeds added a bit of textural crunch. 

Monday, September 19, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 19, 2011


Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces
Theo Chocolate
Ghost Chile Salted Caramel
Very Good
Weight: 1.83 oz. (52 g.) total package of 4 pieces; (.457 oz. each)
Calories: 274 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10.50 total package/box of 4
Purchased from: Fireworks 2, SEA Airport, Seattle, WA

I was fighting off a cold today. Maybe, I thought, these Ghost Chile Salted Caramels in dark chocolate from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) will help? These Organic, Fair Trade chocolates were a tasty blend of sweet and savory.

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Spicy Chili/Pepper Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: September 18, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Lake Champlain Chocolates
Milk Chocolate Caramel
Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) (Originally these came from a 12 oz. bag, but I bought 1 flower that was sold separately)
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ info not available
Purchased from: SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week. I bought this bright chartreuse foil-wrapped, chocolate flower from Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington, Vermont), separately, some time ago. So, there was no labeling information I was able to consult that would have been part of the original, larger bag or package. Fortunately, this chocsimile of a flower did turn out to be a Milk Chocolate Caramel -- perfect for this theme week.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 17, 2011

Chocolate of the Day: 

1 piece
Godiva Chocolatier, Inc.
Milk Chocolate Caramel Apple Truffles
OK+ - Good
Weight: .38 oz. (10.75 g.)/ 3.5 oz. (99 g.) total bag
Calories: 47.5 calories
Cost: $4.79 total package/bag
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Fall is upon us. The first leaves are turning colors. Soon it will be time for pumpkins and candy corn. As part of this shift of seasons, Caramel Apple Truffles sounded appealing. These Limited Edition milk chocolates (part of Godiva's "Gems" line), were individually wrapped in shiny apple green. They were rather sweet, and did not really taste that much like real apple.

Poor things fell short of the memories I have of homemade caramel apples. Childhood memories are sweet and carefree. Despite our "help" my poor mother was likely the one who was stuck with the mess in the kitchen after a boatload of kids spent the afternoon swabbing gooey melted caramel all over fresh green apples on wax-paper lined trays.

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

Friday, September 16, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 16, 2011


Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 serving
Aussie Crunch, LLC
All Natural Fudge Caramel - Gourmet Popcorn
Good
Calories: 65 calories
Cost: $4.29 total bag
Purchased from: Mollie Stone's, Palo Alto, CA

There's nothing like a tiny handful of chocolate popcorn after a nice dinner and a walk -- and maybe a few youtube clips -- on a Friday night. The simple pleasures in life brought to you in part by Aussie Crunch, LLC (Nashville, TN).

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

Thursday, September 15, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 15, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
World's Finest Chocolate
Caramel (bar)
Good - Good+
Weight: .37 oz. (10.6 g.)/ 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) total bar
Calories: 52.5 calories
Cost: $N/A
Purchased from: N/A - given to me; thank you Karen G.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week. World's Finest Chocolate (based in Chicago, IL) manufactures chocolate bars that are primarily sold to support fund-raising activities. This particular milk chocolate bar, when broken into segments, displayed a nice thin layer of viscous caramel in the middle.

The company mentions that they have an experimental cacao farm on the island of St. Lucia (in the Caribbean), and that they make chocolate from cacao beans. I would be interested in trying a bar with a higher cacao content -- so I can taste a bit more of the cacao bean flavor.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 14, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Lake Champlain Chocolates
Caramel - Five Star Bar
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) total bar
Calories: 299 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week. Ooey, gooey caramel -- the kind that stretches out in the middle when you cut a caramel-filled milk chocolate bar in half. There is a very delicious aspect to this kind of texture and taste. In the end, it was a bit too sweet for my taste; however the almonds suspended in the caramel added some crunchy texture and helped cut the sugary sweetness a little.

And I liked the small bar shape and size of this Caramel Five Star Bar from Lake Champlain Chocolates (Vermont). Although the shape was deceptive, as this was a 2 oz. (56 g.) bar. Some chocolates are better if they're quite thin. Others need room for hearty fillings and additions, like this one.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 13, 2011



Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Amport Foods/American Importing Co. Inc.
Caramel Nut Crunch
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.)/ 12 oz. (340 g.) total package
Calories: 170 calories
Cost: Information not available
Purchased from: Information not available

I planned on walking a local trail this evening after work; and I was looking for a trail mix that I could take along with me. This Caramel Nut Crunch blend from Amport Foods (Minneapolis, MN) contained peanuts, caramel and chocolate chips, cashews, almonds, raisins and walnuts, and certainly fit the bill.

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

Monday, September 12, 2011

ChocolateBet: September 12, 2011

Chocolate of the Day: 

Stonyfield Farm, Inc.
Oikos
1.) Chocolate nonfat yogurt - OK+- Good
2.) Caramel nonfat yogurt - Good
Weight: 4 oz. (113 g.) each cup
Calories: 200 calories (total for 2)
Cost: $ not available
Purchased from: information not available

Time to get some culture today -- yogurt culture that is. New Hampshire-based Stonyfield Farm is behind the Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt brand. Today I sampled two Oikos nonfat yogurt flavors: Chocolate and Caramel.

Chocolate flavored yogurt is a bit of a challenge in my experience. Fresh, unsweetened Greek yogurt topped with dark chocolate shavings, dried figs and toasted walnuts is my favorite rendition of this flavor; and it's unfair to compare a custom favorite with any standard item purchased in a grocery store. But, you could gussy up your Oikos yogurt with your own toppings. Hats off to Stonyfield for their contribution to their contribution to sustainable and organic practices on a large scale over time.

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


Sunday, September 11, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Madre Chocolate
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.5 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total bar
Calories: 112 calories (estimate)
Cost: $12.00 (estimate)

Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA


Today was a good day to celebrate life and chocolate. Thank you to friends and family who joined me for a walk around San Francisco Bay (mile 955), lunch, and a celebratory chocolate tasting to mark the fifth year since I've been eating a different chocolate each day. (Thank you Toni for the lovely Vosges Assortment box -- fresh from Chicago no less.)

The Triple Cacao bar from (Hawaii based) Madre Chocolate was a great way to experience cacao, and a perfect choice for a five-year anniversary chocolate. This dark bar contained cocoa solids, toasted cacao nibs (beans), and small pieces of dried cacao fruit (the whiteish pulpy fruit surrounding the seeds).

It's difficult to obtain fresh cacao fruit in the U.S., as it is only grown in Hawaii (and Caribbean and Latin nearby countries); and the slightly slimy, stringy texture of this fruit may not be appealing to everyone. Cacao fruit is also quite perishable, but I highly recommend trying it if you get the chance. It is has lovely, light citrus flavor.

Thank you to all who have been part of this chocolate adventure.  I'm looking forward to another five years of chocolate research. 

ChocolateBet: September 10, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Lindt and Sprungli
Grandeur 34% Hazelnuts - Dark Chocolate bar
Very Good
Calories: 395 calories
Cost: $4.69 total bar
Purchased from: Piazzas Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

The following is my answer to a question you may not have asked: Yes, the dark chocolate version of today's  Grandeur (34% hazelnuts) bar was just as good as yesterday's Milk Chocolate version. The treatment of the whole, toasted nuts and caramelized nut pieces was superb.


And, this concludes (Day #8) of Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week. Alas, no time for a nice pour of Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) into some hot chocolate, and other possible combinations of hazelnuts and cacao. Maybe next year.

Another milestone: tomorrow will be the 5th anniversary of my deciding to eat a different kind of chocolate every day. Five years and more than 1,800 chocolates later, I have (unbelievably) many thousands more chocolates to investigate. And, a good place to research new chocolates and combinations is with a small, chocolate tasting community, such as The Chocolate Garage. Thanks to all who helped celebrate this weekend's milestone.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...