ChocolateBet: July 31, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Patric Chocolate
Signature Dark Milk Chocolate bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.15 oz. (62.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar
Calories: 173 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.95 total bar
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #4 of Milk Chocolate Theme Week.

This Dark Milk Chocolate bar, from Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO), came with the added creaminess of some milk, but retained chocolate maker Alan "Patric" McClure's signature blend dark characteristics -- that is, a well-balanced blend of acid/fruit and earth notes.

Made with four simple ingredients: cacao, whole milk powder, cane sugar, and cocoa butter -- this Dark Milk bar, I'm guessing, might be anywhere from 52% - 62% cacao. No percentage was listed on the packaging or the Patric website. Thank you to Alan for his deft use of sugar, to enhance and not overpower the cacao flavors.

I look forward to trying the new, seasonal Patric Milk Chocolate bar with Anya Apricots soon. In the meantime, I'll work on biting Patric bars so that they more closely resemble the shape of their origin state of Missouri vs. the fictional jurisdictional outline of Chocolate County.

ChocolateBet: July 30, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Bonnat Chocolatier
(aka Chocolat Bonnat)
Surabaya Chocolat au lait bar
Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 173 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $12.00 total bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Milk Chocolate Theme Week. The choice of the day was the Surabaya Chocolat au lait (milk chocolate) bar from Bonnat Chocolatier (Voiron, Isere, France, since 1884), with cocoa from three origins: Asfarth, Java and Surabaya, Indonesia.

This attractively packaged bar was "65% de cacao." Once again, a shorter ingredient list correlated with higher quality. The four ingredients were: cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar and milk powder. The consistency was in the "European style" --  that is, possessing a pleasing, creamy smooth mouth-feel. Because cocoa was the first ingredient (ahead of cocoa butter and sugar) there was a hint of richer chocolate aroma and flavor than is often detectable in overly sweet bars. Vive le chocolat.

ChocolateBet: July 29, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

NewTree
Milk bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .564 oz. (16 g.) in 1/5 bar / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 77.6 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $6.75 in total bar
Purchased from: NewTree store in San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #2 of Milk Chocolate Theme Week.

I started eating a different chocolate each day, almost six years ago. This year, it seemed easier to find quality milk chocolate bars (that were available in the U.S.) than when I started -- a sign that the market has continued to grow and evolve.

Today's NewTree Belgian Milk Chocolate bar was made from 50% milk chocolate sourced from the Dominican Republic and Peru. This bar, and most of their other bars, were made in Belgium; however, NewTree nevertheless has a strong presence in the U.S. -- with a new store that recently opened in San Francisco, where this bar was obtained.

This milk bar was quite smooth; however, it took a bit longer to melt in my mouth than I expected. 

ChocolateBet: July 28, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Momotombo
Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) with roasted Cacao beans
Very Good +
Weight: 1.766 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar
Cost: $ N/A
Obtained from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Happy National Milk Chocolate Day to all.

I wanted a special milk chocolate to honor this U.S. holiday, and to kick off Day #1 of Milk Chocolate Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet today.

Fortunately, I found a great Dark Milk Chocolate bar from Chocolate Momotombo (Managua, Nicaragua), at The Chocolate Garage in downtown Palo Alto, CA -- the only place on the West Coast that carried chocolates from this Central American maker.

If you like cocao nibs you'll really appreciate this bar. The wonderful, complex flavors from the (whole, roasted) cacao beans that are embedded in this "59% Dark" bar are more typical in a bar with a higher percentage of cocoa solids. Less sugar allowed the smooth, earthy, roasted flavors (with hints of nut and olive) to really shine. This was a special bar that I could enjoy any day of the year. Thank you to Carlos and crew at Momotombo for making great chocolates.

ChocolateBet: July 27, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Nana's
Nana's Cookie Bars - Chocolate Munch
Good +
Weight: 2.46 oz. (70 g.) for 2 bars / 6.17 oz. (175 g.) total package of 5 bars
Calories: 260 calories in 2 bars
Cost: $3.79
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

A few years ago (2008), I tried Nana's Chocolate Crunch Cookie. Today's box of Chocolate Munch Cookie Bars had some things in common with the individually wrapped Crunch Cookie.

Both Nana's offerings were Gluten Free, contained chocolate in some form, and were made with relatively healthy ingredients. And both were quite good I thought for gluten-free. (The Crunch Cookie also contained some puffed rice for some extra crunch.)

Today's Nana's Chocolate Munch bars were a cross between a chocolate cookie and a cake-brownie in terms of texture and form.

ChocolateBet: July 26, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC
Crunchy Chocolate Chip cookies
Good++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total box
Calories: 240 calories in 4 cookies
Cost: $4.59 total box of 14 cookies
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #8 of Crunchy Chocolate Theme Week. I've extended this theme week by a few days, as I found several chocolate items with a crunch component.

These gluten-free (and nut and dairy free) Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies from Enjoy Life (Schiller Park, IL) were, as labeled, crunchy; and they were fairly light, with a generous smattering of chocolate chips.

These might also make good ice cream sandwich cookies -- perhaps with a vanilla gelato center.

ChocolateBet: July 25, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Can Do Kid, Inc.
Chocolate Crunch Nutrition/Energy Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) in one package (2 pieces)
Calories: 240 calories in 4 cookies
Cost: $4.59 total box of 14 cookies
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Crunchy Chocolate Theme Week.

This gluten-free (and corn syrup free) Chocolate Crunch bar (2 pieces) from Can Do Kid (Mill Valley, CA) was formulated with kids in mind by two parents, Deb and Chris; and it wasn't bad for a nutrition/energy bar offering. (Many bars with soy pack a little more protein, but have a bit of an off-taste to me. Note: this bar does contain, milk, peanuts and soy.)

The picture of the cheetah streaking across the label inspired me to get outside and grab a breath of fresh air in my tiny savannah of a back yard.

ChocolateBet: July 24, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Fruition Chocolate
Rustic Crunch bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.11 oz. (60 g.) total bar
Calories: 145 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10.00 total bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Crunchy Chocolate Theme Week. This week's batch of crunch-themed chocolates have contained bits of toffee, cookie pieces, and other texture-adding ingredients.

Yesterday's Patric Chocolate"Rio Crunch" bar and today's Rustic Crunch bar from Fruition Chocolate (Shokan, NY) -- both from new American bean-to-bar makers -- were studded with crunchy cacao nibs.

Today's 70% (single origin Peru) Fruition Chocolate bar also contained tiny crystals of Demerara cane sugar, pieces of whole vanilla beans from Madagascar and Vietnamese cinnamon -- although the latter two ingredients contributed very subtle, background flavor. Over time, and perhaps more frequently during bouts of warm weather, the tiny crystals of sugar, which may entrance some, "melt" into the background and become less prominent in the texture and flavor profile -- a good thing if you don't want microbursts of sweet to dominate cacao notes.

ChocolateBet: July 23, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Patric Chocolate
Rio Caribe Superior dark chocolate with nibs and sea salt bar
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar
Calories: 166 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

Today's Rio Caribe Superior bar from Patric Chocolate, made with cacao from the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela, contained a liberal sprinkling of crunchy cacao nibs on the back side, and a subtle dash of sea salt. A great choice for a hike along the California coastal trail and a lunch stop at a sandy beach along the Pacific Ocean.

This 70% bar, available exclusively through The Chocolate Garage in Palo Alto and nick-named the "Rio Crunch" bar, was made with just four, high-quality ingredients: cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter and sea salt. A relatively light touch on the sugar shaker allowed the complex flavors of the chocolate to shine through -- such as a hint of olive.

Today was Day #5 of Crunchy Chocolate Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: July 22, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolove
Coffee Crunch in Dark Chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3.2 oz. (90 g.) bar
Calories: 137 calories in 1 oz. serving
Cost: $2.69 total bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

Today was Day #4 of Crunchy Chocolate Theme Week. The crunch in this coffee flavored dark chocolate (55% cocoa content) bar was provided by ground coffee beans. The particular grind provided just the right amount of texture: not too fine, and not too gritty; it was just right.

The 55% chocolate in this chocolate crunch combination was just right as well. It was smooth, not too dark, and not too sweet. This Chocolove (Boulder, CO) bar was a good value at $2.69 USD for 3.2 oz. (90 g.). As an added bonus: inside each wrapper was a free love poem. In this case it was a Shakespeare Sonnet. This Coffee Crunch bar was also one of the better coffee bars I've tasted in quite awhile.

I'm melting the last bit of this and eating it over vanilla gelato for dessert tonight.

ChocolateBet: July 21, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Double Rainbow
Cappuccino Chocolate Crunch ice cream
Very Good
Weight: 1/3 cup (156 mL) (estimate) 1 scoop in cup
Calories: 165 calories (estimate) for 1/3 cup scoop
Cost: $3.90 (estimate) for 1 scoop in cup
Purchased from: Double Rainbow Cafe, Benicia, CA

Today was Day #3 of Crunchy Chocolate Theme Week.
It was a hot, hot day in Benicia, CA, where a group of us were sightseeing this weekend.

We took a break in the afternoon -- after watching a glass-blowing demo and before a hike with waterside views -- to enjoy some ice cream at the Double Rainbow Cafe in downtown, historic Benicia. Thank you to the staff there for their friendly, helpful service.

This scoop of Cappuccino Chocolate Crunch ice cream was cold, dense and creamy, and chocolatey, with a hint of a crunch (toffee bits); and it really hit the spot. The ice cream stop helped fuel a mid-afternoon rally, just in time for our hike.

ChocolateBet: July 20, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC
Crunchy Double Chocolate cookies
Good +
Weight: 1.37 oz. (39 g.) in 3 cookies/ 6.3 oz. (179 g.) total box
Calories: 165 calories - 3 cookies
Cost: $3.99 total box of cookies
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, in Palo Alto, CA


Today was Day #2 of Crunchy Chocolate Theme Week.

These Crunchy Double Chocolate cookies from Enjoy Life (Schiller Park, IL) were crunchy, as advertised. The double chocolate moniker referred to chocolate chips that were embedded in a gluten-, dairy- and nut-free chocolate cookie base.

I liked the size of these chocolate cookies. Two or three were just right as a light snack.

Enjoy Life specializes in "allergy friendly" foods. Rice, buckwheat and millet flours were used as a gluten-free alternative mix for these double chocolate cookies.

ChocolateBet: July 19, 2012

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) Mountain House
Chocolate Strawberry Crunch
Good
Weight: N/A - see explanation below
Calories: N/A
Cost: lost info
Purchased from: lost info, probably REI

2.) Kraft Foods
Temptations by Jell-O - Double Chocolate Pie flavor
Good - Good+
Weight: 3.916 oz. (111 g.)/11.75 oz. (333 g.) in package of 3 pie snacks
Calories: 120 calories in one snack
Cost: $
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Best laid plans often go awry. After eating a different chocolate every day for six years, I've learned to be adaptable and to have a sense of humor about the unexpected. I had planned that today would be Day #1 of Crunchy Chocolate Week. I opened a pouch of Chocolate Strawberry Crunch -- a dehydrated dessert from Mountain House (a division of Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc. - based in Albany, OR).

This pouch contained three smaller packets -- one silver envelope of crunchy toffee bits, and two sealed, white packets filled with freeze dried strawberry pieces -- instead of one packet of strawberry bits, and one packet of chocolate pudding mix. Gasp. No chocolate.

No problem. I quickly called in a chocolate pudding stunt double. A small container of Jell-O Double Chocolate Pie flavor snack filled in for the missing pudding. And I topped this cup of creamy chocolate dessert with the crunchy strawberry and toffee bits. Voila. Crunchy chocolate.

ChocolateBet: July 18, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolat Moderne
Peach Persimmon
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.)/ 2.5 oz. (70 g.) total set of 5 pieces
Calories: 75 cals. (estimate)
Cost: $15.95 (estimate)
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #11 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

The Kimono Collection from Chocolat Moderne (New York, NY) was a box of five different, attractively stenciled, blossom-shaped, Japan-themed chocolates that I picked up during a recent trip into downtown San Francisco (from Fog City News).

The soft, almost caramel-like center of the Peach Persimmon piece that I selected for today contained very subtle hints of peach and persimmon fruit puree flavor. The dark chocolate shell tasted a bit waxy or reinforced -- as molded chocolates often are, to keep their shape.

My favorite chocolate of the five-piece set was the Soy - Miso chocolate. The salty/umami flavored ganache was a flavorful complement to the dark chocolate. I hope to include this flavor in a future post if it's still available.

ChocolateBet: July 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Safeway Select
Super Premium Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (236 mL) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 260 calories in 1/2 cup
Cost: $2.50 (estimate - sale price)
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Happy National Ice Cream Day, and Day #10 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week here on Chocolate Banquet. To celebrate, I enjoyed a small bowl of Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA).

A ribbon of chocolate flowed through a base of strawberry ice cream studded with ripe strawberry fruit bits. Garnished with a few fresh strawberries, this ice cream became a great warm summer evening dessert -- eaten slowly while listening to crickets chirping outside in the backyard garden.

ChocolateBet: July 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Julie's Organic
Gluten Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich
Good - Good +
Weight: 3.5 fl. oz. (103 mL) in 1 sandwich/ 14 fl. oz. (414 mL) total container
Calories: 200 calories in 1 sandwich
Cost: $6.99 total container of 4 sandwiches
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

Today was Day #9 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week. Julie's Organic, gluten free ice cream sandwiches -- petite rounds made with Glutenfreeda (Burlington, WA) gluten free, organic chocolate cookies -- tasted cheesecake-rich, but only tipped the scale at 200 calories each. A trace of organic cherry sauce was swirled throughout the cheesecake ice cream filling.

ChocolateBet: July 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Maison Bouche
Pomme d' Amour - Noir (bar)
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) (estimate - no weight list on label)
Calories: 74 calories (estimate - no calorie information listed)
Cost: $4.95 (estimate)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

This "Apple of Love" candied apple flavored, dark chocolate (55%) bar from Maison Bouche (Oakland, CA) was unique. The dark chocolate bar base was smooth and pleasant, and I always enjoy Maison Bouche's pretty label designs.

I enjoy trying new flavored bars; however, I couldn't tell whether this apple flavoring came from natural or artificial sources. It could have been either one. Mixing apple with chocolate can be a challenging combination.

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: July 14, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Good Bean LLC
Chocolate Berry! bar
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 140 calories
Cost: $1.39 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

Bon Bastille Day to my French friends, and Happy Day #7 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week!

This gluten and nut free, Chocolate Berry! bar (made with white-ish beans, and red and blue berries), from The Good Bean LLC (Berkeley, CA), was the closest chocolate I could find that matched both today's French holiday (or at least the colors of the French flag) and this week's chocolate and fruit theme.

If you don't mind chickpeas with your chocolate, this bar may offer you a good, high fiber alternative to other protein bars. 

ChocolateBet: July 13, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wild Ophelia
Southern Hibiscus Peach Milk Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 300 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.99 total bar
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

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

This summer afternoon was pretty close to ideal. I took a break and sipped peach iced tea and nibbled on a Southern Hibiscus Peach Milk Chocolate (44% cacao) gluten free bar, from Wild Ophelia (Chicago, IL). As I'm typing this, I'm looking outside at the branches and flowers swaying slightly out in the sun. Getting sleepy. Need to find a hammock.

ChocolateBet: July 12, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wild Ophelia
Sweet Cherry Pecan Milk Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (estimate)
Published from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

I've been enjoying the fresh cherries that are in season. So I thought I might like this Sweet Cherry Pecan milk chocolate (44% cacao) bar from Wild Ophelia (a collection created by Vosges Haut Chocolat founder, Katrina Markoff). This sweetness of this bar overwhelmed the taste of the small cherry bits embedded in the milk chocolate; although the pecan bits were a little easier to identify.

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

ChocolateBet: July 11, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Royce' Chocolate
Nama Chocolate - Au Lait - Cherry Marnier
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .975 oz. (27.9 g.) in 3 pcs. / 6.5 oz. (186 g.) total box
Calories: 140 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift (from Asia/Japan)

Thank you to Elise and Kerry for sharing some of this Royce' Chocolate (Japan) Nama Chocolate Au Lait gift box, from an overseas (Singapore) colleague, with me. These soft chocolate pieces, with a slight dusting of cocoa and flavored with just the right touch of Cherry Marnier (liqueur), were good served slightly chilled. Not every chocolate should be refrigerated, but I believe keeping these cool helped prolong their shelf life. The box came with a special little serving spoon to help in the serving process.

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

ChocolateBet: July 10, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Bliss Bar
Chia Mulberry bar
Good
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) total bar
Calories: 142 calories
Cost: $4.19 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

For those hoping to get your sugar buzz on, you may be disappointed with this disc-shaped bar. Organic, raw and gluten free, this Chia Mulberry "Endurance" bar from The Bliss Bar (Ashland, OR), was very lightly sweetened with raw honey and mulberries, and embodied a different approach -- chocolate as health food.

The bar was vegan and nut-free; and in addition to chia (seeds I'm assuming), it also contained pumpkin seed, maca, mesquite, hempseed and chaga.

Although not as initially eye-popping as a sugar and chocolate high, it was quite satisfying. And I did, in fact, feel much more productive this afternoon than I usually feel, after eating many other chocolates. I've noticed this effect before with similar bars.

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

WholeVine - Chocolate Chocolate-Chip cookies -: July 9, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

WholeVine Products
Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Sonoma Style Cookies
Good++
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) total bag/package
Calories: 220 calories in 2 cookies (assumes 8 per bag)
Cost: $7.99 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Molly Stone's Markets, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #12 of Chocolate and Backyard Barbeque and Bacon Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week. This backyard BBQ was Northern California style.

Or at least Sonoma Style...as in these gluten free Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies from WholeVine Products (Santa Rosa, CA). They were the perfect cookies for an solar cook-out and picnic.

(Solar cooker in my yard, pictured above right.) A California-style coq au vin dish (with chicken, wine, bacon and vegetables), a small glass of red wine for dessert, a BBQ chicken breast, and two of these chocolate cookies. Life was good.


A doff of the hat to gourmet wine country living; these cookies contained Merlot (red wine grape) skin and seed flours. WholeVine specializes in gluten-free cookies and flours, and culinary oils.

Thank you to Ken for tasting input.