Wednesday, February 29, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 29, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Pure Organic
Chocolate Brownie Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) total bar
Calories: 180 calories
Cost: $2.49
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate Brownie Theme Week. This gluten-free, raw, vegan Chocolate Brownie Bar from Pure (Newport Beach, CA) was packed with organic dates, nuts and cocoa, and sweetened with organic agave nectar. The dates and agave syrup provided moistness and cohesiveness, and a brownie like texture. Walnuts and cashews (and cacao of course) provided visual interest and brownie taste. This may be the healthiest brownie entry of the week. 

ChocolateBet: February 28, 2012


Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Momotombo
(Mystery flavor in dark blue wrapper)
Maranones - Artisanal chocolate
Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $N/A - split boxes with a friend
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week. And this evening I was confronted with a surprise of sorts. I couldn't identify the flavor of handmade chocolate from Chocolate Momotombo (Nicaragua) that was wrapped in a dark blue wrapper. It was a round, individually wrapped, dark chocolate with pieces of maranones (cashew), or mani (peanut), in the center.

There was no ron (rum) or alcohol in it or chili, or other flavor I'd tried before. I also  sampled the Momotombo Coco (Coconut) and Naranja (Orange) chocolates as well.

Monday, February 27, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 27, 2012

Chocolates of the Day:

Vosges Haut Chocolat

1.) "Crema"
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .6 oz. (16.98 g.)/5.4 oz. (152.8 g.) total 18-piece assortment box (estimate)
Calories: 85 calories (estimate)
Cost: $29.00 for 18-pc. box
Purchased from: Vosges.com, Chicago, IL

2.) "Maple"
Good +
Weight: .6 oz. (16.98 g.)/5.4 oz. (152.8 g.) total 18-piece asst. box (estimate)
Calories: 85 calories (estimate)
Cost: $29.00 for 18-pc. box
Purchased from: Vosges.com, Chicago, IL

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

Today's two chocolates came from Vosges (Chicago, IL), and were members of a chocolate-covered exotic caramel collection, with ingredients from afar. The "Crema" was an Argentine dulce de leche with Costa Rican cashews, and milk chocolate -- topped with cashew pieces.

The second "Maple" piece, contained Canadian maple sugar and walnut caramel, and was covered in dark chocolate and topped with maple sugar.

Surprise! I found these two where I'd stowed them in the fridge previously. The caramel centers were harder than normal, so I savored them slowly. There was one more flavor left -- "Leather" - which will be eaten soon. 

Sunday, February 26, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 26, 2012


Chocolate of the Day: 

Havanna Chocolates
Semiamargo 40% Cacao Tableta (bar)
Good
Weight: .19 oz. (5.3 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) total bar
Calories: 28 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Surprise Theme Week. I received this bar from Havanna Chocolates (Buenos Aires, Argentina), as a gift, from a friend (thank you Sue!) who is a tango dancer and has visited this great city. What a pleasant surprise. I haven't been to Buenos Aires, but I hope to get there some day.

This bar reminded me of a dark, baking/"dabbler's" bar from Italy that I ate last year. When I opened both, there was a nice chocolatey aroma. The flavor seemed darker than 40% Cacao (semiamargo translated: semi-bitter). I'm almost always happy to taste less sugar in a new bar. However, the emulsifiers/stabilizers, soy lecithin and/or vanilla flavoring seemed to mask some flavor notes that I'm used to tasting with darker (less sweet) bars that lack these ingredients. Local and individual taste preferences, trade-offs in the process of making chocolate, and other factors, make it difficult to make easy comparisons.

Some field research in Italy and Argentina may be in order.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 25, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Artisan du Chocolat
Tonka bar
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.)/1.59 oz. (45 g.) total bar
Calories: 196 calories (estimate)
Cost: $6.00
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA (last year, before bars stopped being available - see below)

Surprise. You can flavor chocolate with beans (other than cocoa beans) -- for example, Tonka beans from South America. Tonka beans (shown at right) apparently can't be legally imported into the U.S. because there is a law on the books banning items containing coumarin -- even though coumarin can also be found in several other food items, such as cinnamon. This Tonka milk chocolate bar (40% Cocoa) came from Artisan du Chocolat  (London).

The Tonka bean has a unique, aromatic flavor profile, and is often shaved and served on various desserts in Europe, and other parts of the world. I shared this bar with a super taster (thank you Deanna) who described the tonka flavor as "cherry soap" with hints of cinnamon toast.  I found that it bounced along with several different notes -- ranging from floral, smoky, cherry/fruity and vanilla, making for a very enjoyable ride for my nose and taste buds.

I'll add Artisan's description here:
"To capture their hypnotic fragrance, we crush the tonka beans and let them infuse for several days in a tank of molten milk chocolate. The result is a dynamic bar where the milk chocolate awakens and dances between comforting sweetness and powerful perfume."

The base milk chocolate in this bar was a little sweet for me. I couldn't tell whether the sweetness inhibited or enabled the Tonka flavors, but this was certainly a fun bar to try.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.


Friday, February 24, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 24, 2012


Chocolate of the Day: 

Yes Cacao
Gaba 13 bar
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) total bar
Calories: 179 calories (guesstimate)
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Yes Cacao (Justin Frank Polgar)

I ate this surprising Yes Cacao Gaba 13 bar for breakfast early this morning. And I felt rather calm and relaxed afterward, even as I hurtled myself out the door and into my car to drive to the office. Who was driving? A more relaxed and focused version of my normal commuter self. Maybe it was the Turmeric and Coriander? Or, the Kava? Or, the Blue Lotus? There were thirteen interesting ingredients in all. Or the lovely blue skies and trees in bloom outside? Who can say. I did enjoy nibbling on this rich tasting (it contained cocoa butter and coconut butter) chocolate bar as my morning meal.

Yes Cacao owner, Justin Polgar, also known as a minister of chocolate, advises that people make a wish before biting into one of his Yes bars. Or, you could engrave your wish on the bar with a toothpick, in the area within the decorative border, before you take a bite. I'll have to try that next time.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.


Thursday, February 23, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 23, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Yes Cacao

1.) Om Mama bar
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 218 calories
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Yes Cacao (Justin Frank Polgar)

1.) Karamellowl bar
Good+
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 184 calories
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Yes Cacao (Justin Frank Polgar)


Today was Day #2 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

These two bars were made in California by Yes Cacao. Each was infused with an interesting and, yes, surprising, mixture of herbs, seeds, organic and "wild-crafted" ingredients, honed down to a fine particle size elixir. So you won't be crunching down on any identifiable pieces of leaves or seeds. Lower levels of sweetener allowed me to more easily taste the flavors, although I was hard-pressed to guess what was in the mix until I read the labels. Lacuma, maca, yacon, and much more.

I liked the 1.1 oz (31 g.) bar size, and the design. The mold used for these bars created an open space with a border around it -- plenty of room to fill in your own chocolate story or wish.

The Om Mama bar was crafted with Chinese herbs, lemon oil and poppy seed, and many other ingredients, creating a "raw, vegan, organic elixir" that was designed to balance hormones to bring "peace of body, mind, and soul" for women and men. It had a very slight bitter taste to it, and an array of other interesting flavor notes.

"Formulated to quicken recall memory and bring into focus our peripheral vision, the Karamellowl bar is Yes Cacao’s first 'white chocolate' bar." The dark golden color, comes from turmeric -- and maybe the Lion's Mane mushrooms, the cinnamon and/or the sage.

For more about these and other bars, go to Yes Cacao. Custom formulations may also be available.



Wednesday, February 22, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 22, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Sir Francis Bacon
Chocolate Peanut Brittle
Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) total box
Calories: 450 calories (estimate)
Cost: $N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - The National Peanut Board table, Fancy Food Show, San Francisco, CA

Surprise! That is to say, welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

I discovered today's entry while making my way through the packed aisles of the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco recently. The folks at the National Peanut Board table were very helpful, and introduced me to a few of peanut and chocolate products I hadn't tried.

These generous squares of Sir Francis Bacon Chocolate Peanut Brittle were sweet-and-savory-tasty with a bacon and crunchy brittle center, a 32% milk chocolate coating, and  a dusting of peanut pieces.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 22, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Give Bars, LLC
Two Degrees Chocolate Peanut Food Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.6 oz. (44 g.) total bar
Calories: 190 calories
Cost: $ (info not available)
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Cupertino, CA

Today was the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Seed Theme Week.

Give Bars, LLC (San Francisco, CA) offered a line of several Two Degrees bars. This Chocolate Peanut Food Bar incorporated Quinoa, Chia and Millet seeds. Again, as yesterday, there was a very thin layer of gel around the Chia seeds, barely detectable when packaged with other flavorful ingredients such as chocolate, prune puree, raisins, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rice syrup and peanuts and peanut butter.  This healthy vegan option with heritage grains was a far cry from commonly sold chocolate and peanut butter candy options, and very satisfying. 

Monday, February 20, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 20, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Fearless Chocolate
Super Seeds! Hemp Chia Flax bar
Good+
Weight:.8 oz. (22.64 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) total bar
Calories: 97 calories
Cost: $6.49 total bar
Purchased from: Alameda Natural Grocery, Alameda, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week. This raw, organic Super Seeds! dark chocolate (70% cacao) bar from Fearless Chocolate (San Francisco/Oakland) incorporated three different types of seeds: hemp, chia and flax. Each type of seed added a slightly different texture and taste. The base dark chocolate tasted rich and complex up front with a relatively hard snap; and it had a mild finish with a few seed notes trailing after the chocolate flavor had subsided.

Remember those chia pets -- with the little green sprouts growing as "hair" or "fur" out of clay/ceramic heads and animals? Well, chia seeds are also edible, and they have a slightly nut-like taste and gel-like textural quality that you may detect if you eat enough of them. All three seeds in this bar are reputed to have beneficial nutritional properties on top of those found in raw dark chocolate.

What does raw chocolate mean? Fearless crafted this bar (and others in their product line) from unroasted cacao, and with low heat under 118 degrees, to help preserve nutritional, mineral and anti-oxidant content that might be otherwise lost in conventional processing.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 19, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

NewTree
Flax bar
Good+
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 119 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ (not available)
Purchased from: Piazzas Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week.
This dark (65% cocoa solids) bar from NewTree (San Anselmo, CA/Belgium) with toasted, golden flaxseeds and crisped rice was a perfect single serving, snack-sized bar. 

Saturday, February 18, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 18, 2012

Chocolate(s) of the Day:


1.) Landgarten
Pumpkin Choco-Snack
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.9 oz. (53.7 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 306 calories
Cost: $1.99
Purchased from: N/A - gift - Thank you Megan!

2.) Gnosis Chocolate
Passion Collection - Set of 3 pieces
Cupuacu truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 148 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10.49 for 3-pc box
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, New York, NY

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

Yesterday I enjoyed the dark chocolate version of Pumpkin Choco-Snack(s) from Landgarten (Austria). Today, I sampled the company's milk Pumpkin Choco-Snack flavor -- roasted pumpkin seeds covered with 37% Belgian milk chocolate. No surprise, this version was quite a bit sweeter; it also had a slightly floral taste. You could still taste the pumpkin seeds though -- a definite plus.

I also tried the Cupuacu (aka Cupassao, and many other spellings) truffle from Gnosis Chocolate, one of a three-piece "Passion Truffle Collection" package that also included Wild Rose (made with white chocolate and topped with a rose petal), and Cherry Vanilla.

The Cupuacu is a tropical fruit that is a relative of the cacao tree. There is more fruit surrounding the seeds in a Cupuacu fruit than what can be found in cacao fruit (pods), and the seeds have a slightly different flavor. However, there are a few chocolate makers experimenting with making Cupuacu confections (e.g. Nat at Madre Chocolate in Hawaii) and making bars and truffles with it.

This Gnosis Cupuacu truffle also contained passion fruit -- and had a slightly smokey and mildly tart passion fruit flavor. These Gnosis truffles were made with no refined sugar, dairy, gluten or peanuts. They did contain cashew butter.




Friday, February 17, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Landgarten
Pumpkin Choco-Snack
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: 1.9 oz. (53.2 g.) total package/bag
Calories: 292 calories in 1 package
Cost: $N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift - Thank you Megan

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Seed Theme Week. These roasted Styrian pumpkin seeds covered in dark chocolate from Landgarten (Austria) fit this theme perfectly. They were crunchy without being overdone. And, the smooth, 62% dark chocolate coating was not overly sweet (a plus), and complemented the seeds without overwhelming the pumpkin seed flavor (even better). This product was GMO free, Peanut free, and Gluten free.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 16, 2012


Chocolate of the Day:

Organic Food Bar Inc.
Chocolatey Chocolate Chip
Good
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) total bar
Calories: 220 calories
Cost: $1.59 total bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Seed Theme Week. It was a bit of a stretch to say that the raw flax seed sprouts were seeds...But, I went with the flax, and the other raw and organic ingredients in this Chocolatey Chocolate Chip bar from Raw Organic Food Bar (Fullerton, CA).

In addition to a few dark chocolate chips, and the aforementioned flax sprouts, this bar also contained cashew butter, dates, agave nectar, brown rice protein and quinoa sprouts. While not the most attractive and glossy bar, it sounded and tasted healthy. My only comment: I would have added a few more organic dark chocolate chips.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pul Foods Inc.
Chocolate Crunchfuls Cereal
OK + - Good
Weight: .1 oz. (2.8 g.) / 8.9 oz. (252 g.) total box
Calories: 5 calories (estimate) in a small bite
Cost: $3.50 (closing sale - estimate)
Purchased from: Andronicos, in Palo Alto, CA

More chocolate cereal today -- part of Day #7 of Chocolate and Cereal/Grains Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week. Today's selection: a bite of Chocolate Crunchfuls Cereal from Pul Foods Inc. (Mountain View, CA).

Designed to be healthy, these crunchy little "o" rings were made from lentils and beans ("pulseeds") and were lightly seasoned with cocoa. My first impression: pleasantly crunchy, and not too sweet; I like cereals that aren't overly sweet. My last impression: a slight bean and lentil after-taste.


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 14, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Gateau et Ganache
Raspberry - Framboise
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .33 oz. (9.24 g.) (estimate) /1.32 oz. (36.9 g.) box of 4 bonbons
Calories: 50 calories (estimate)
Cost: $8.99 for box of 4
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Cereal/Grains Theme Week. It was also Valentines Day, a day traditionally celebrated in the U.S. with candy hearts, flowers, and c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e-s.

I was going to enjoy a little bowl of Enjoy Life gluten free, very berry granola (with fresh strawberries, raspberries) with some kind of chocolate milk. But, I decided replace the chocolate milk with a little red box of dark chocolate raspberry bonbons instead from Gateau et Ganache (Palo Alto, CA).  Decorated across the top with little pink hearts, these oval-shaped chocolates were at first bite sweeter than I expected, followed by a very authentic, slightly tart, right-out-of-the-garden-raspberry + maybe the slightest hint of Framboise liqueur taste. I could have been imagining this last part. Happy V'day all.

Monday, February 13, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 13, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sunny Select
Cocoa Crispy Rice
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 15 oz. (425 g.) total box
Calories: 120 calories
Cost: $2.49 (sale) total box
Purchased from: Lucky, Foster City, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Cereal/Grains Theme Week.
Sometimes chocolate cereal is good, by itself, as a snack. My handful of Cocoa Crispy Rice cereal was crisp and sweet, as advertised. 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 12, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tumbador Chocolate
Fatty Bar
Good +
Weight: .71 oz. (20 g.) / 2.17 oz. (60 g.) total bar
Calories: 107 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Williams-Sonoma, Stanford Shopping Center; Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Cereal/Grains Theme Week. Eating gluten free, rice plays a big role this week's chocolates.

This milk chocolate Fatty Bar from Tumbador Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY) contained both puffed and toasted rice, and a sly surprise in the form of candied ginger. I felt I was tasting  a high-end Nestle's Crunch - type bar, with a bit more interesting texture (due to the two kinds of rice) when the ginger turned up toward the end.  (Note: this bar did contain some gluten -- I'm guessing from the malt flavoring.)

The Tumbador website showed an interesting array of bars and other chocolates. Specialties: Certified Kosher, a dairy free line, and chocolates made with exotic combinations/ingredients. Look forward to trying their dark mole bar.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 11, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Glenny's
Brown Rice Marshmallow Treats - Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) / 4.25 oz. (120 g.) total box of 5
Calories: 100 calories
Cost: $2.74 for 1 box of 5

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Cereal/Grains Theme Week. For those who need to stay gluten/wheat-free, these individually-wrapped Brown Rice Marshmallow Treat bars from Glenny's are a good, healthy option. The whole grain brown rice, marshmallow, cocoa powder, brown rice syrup and other organic ingredients earned this product a USDA Organic seal. These were a little sweet for my taste, but then I tend to prefer less sweetener in my treats.


Friday, February 10, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 10, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Madre Chocolate
Popped Amaranth Dark Chocolate bar
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total bar
Calories: 72 calories (estimate)
Cost: $12.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

Ah, the smell of good chocolate in the morning. I could detect rich, earthy notes even as I unwrapped this Popped Amaranth 70% dark bar from Madre Chocolate (Honolulu, HI). Made with organic and fair trade Costa Rican cacao (from a farmer's cooperative in Upala), the popped amaranth added a pleasant background texture, without interfering with the chocolate flavor arc. This is good cacao you want to be able to taste. The fact that amaranth is also a nutritionally rich grain that was also enjoyed by the Aztecs, just adds to the good story.

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Hawaii/Islands Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cereal/Grains Theme Week. Yes, after almost 2,000 different chocolates, there are still plenty of theme weeks and chocolates to try. Thank you to ethno-botanist Nat at Madre Chocolate, for the company's attention to quality, and making excellent handcrafted, bean-to-bar offerings like this (and their famous Triple Cacao bar, which is tough to beat anywhere). Being a lover of plants and flowers, and good chocolate, I'm looking forward to continuing to work my way through their product line.

ChocolateBet: February 9, 2012


Chocolate of the Day: 

Maui Specialty Chocolates
1.) Milk Chocolate, mac nuts, marshmallows, rice crispys
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .7 oz. (19.8 g.) total package (estimate)
Calories: 105 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.10 for 1 piece
Purchased from Maui Specialty Chocolates, Kahului, HI

2.) Dark Chocolate, mac nuts, marshmallows, rice crispys
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .7 oz. (19.8 g.) total package (estimate)
Calories: 101 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.10 for 1 piece
Purchased from: Maui Specialty Chocolates, Kahului, HI

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Hawaii/Islands Theme Week. Today's chocolates from Maui Specialty Chocolates (Kahului, HI) were milk and dark versions of what I'd call Hawaiian rocky road candy -- made with macadamia nuts, marshmallows, and rice crispys.

These two pieces also represented the end of my chocolate stash from my last trip to Maui. Perhaps it's time for another trip to Hawaii.

Today was also the first day of Chocolate and Cereal Grains (in this case rice) Theme Week.




Wednesday, February 8, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 8, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Maui Specialty Chocolates
Maui Island - Dark Chocolate
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) total package (estimate)
Calories: 224 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.35 for 1 piece/island
Purchased from: Maui Specialty Chocolates, Kahului, HI

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Hawaii/Islands Theme Week. The island of Maui was featured yesterday, in milk chocolate form; and today's chocolate is the same island (mold), but in dark chocolate.

Molded chocolates are generally formulated for looks (smooth firm surfaces) and staying power, vs. being optimized for maximum taste (which I sometimes associate with softer, more rustic or textured variations on dark bars). That said, this wasn't bad. With this aerial view of Maui, it was easy to imagine coming in for a landing at Kahului airport in Hawaii. Aloha.


Tuesday, February 7, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 7, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Maui Specialty Chocolates
Milk Chocolate - Island of Maui
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 225 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.35 for 1 island/package
Purchased from: Maui Specialty Chocolates, Kahului, HI

$2.35 is not bad for a whole island -- especially if that island is Maui, one of the Hawaiian islands in the beautiful and vast Pacific Ocean. I'd been hoarding this island in my chocolate vault -- so I could bring it out and enjoy it, in the depths of the California winter. Don't laugh, we really do have winter here.

Biting into his molded, milk chocolate island from Maui Specialty Chocolates (Kahului, HI) yielded a hard snap. The texture was smooth, and not bad for a molded chocolate. Aloha.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Hawaii/Islands Theme Week.

Monday, February 6, 2012

ChocolateBet: February 6, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Vosges Haut Chocolat
Blush caramel
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: .15 oz. (4.25 g.)/ 5.4 oz. (152.8 g.) total 18-pc. assortment box (estimate)
Calories: 25 calories (estimate) in 1/2 piece
Cost: $29.00 for 18-pc. box
Purchased from: Vosges.com

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Hawaii/Islands Theme Week.

I continued to work my way through an exotic caramel assortment box from Vosges (Chicago, IL).

Today's Blush caramel contained Hawaiian red sea salt in the caramel, and the chocolate covering was sprinkled with Li Hing powder -- that provided a pink blush color as well as a slightly tart, fruity taste. These Vosges caramels offer layers of identifiable flavors like (rather than one homogeneous mixture), so that each flavor has a turn to shine for a few seconds.
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