Saturday, May 31, 2014

Nut 'n Bean - Bacon Chocolate Peanut Butter - May 31, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nut 'n Bean
Bacon Chocolate Peanut Butter
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate) / 8 oz. (227 g.) total jar
Calories: 190 calories (estimate) in 2 Tbsp.
Cost: $9.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Nut 'n Bean table at Palo Alto Farmers Market, Palo Alto, CA

Holy breakfast on toast Batman. This peanut butter spread had it all, or at least all the good stuff, like bacon and chocolate. It was soft and easy to spread, and I liked the chewy bits of savory bacon that were interspersed throughout. The chocolate gave it an added richness, without making this peanut butter too sweet.

Gently trowel some of this spread onto your bread of choice, add a lettuce leaf and a slice of extra bacon), or some chopped peanuts. Serve with a small glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice on the side and you can talk yourself into calling this combination a balanced meal.

Ingredients: peanuts, grapeseed oil, dairy free 51% chocolate, bacon and sea salt.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Patric Chocolate - Spicy Thai Peanut bar - May 30, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Patric Chocolate
Spicy Thai Peanut bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 172 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO) produces a line of bean-to-bar, craft chocolate, single origin and flavored bars -- including limited release bars like today's Spicy Thai Peanut bar that I bought from The Chocolate Garage in Palo Alto, CA.

The base chocolate for this bar -- made from organic cacao beans and organic cane sugar -- had bright, fruit/berry notes that managed to shine through, even with Thai-inspired flavor additions like ginger-infused sugar crystals, roasted peanuts and habanero sea salt, competing for attention. The bar was soy and gluten free.

I envisioned eating this bar with spicy peanut butter sauce over chicken and rice, with pad thai and mango salad on the side.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Safeway Peanut Butter Cup ice cream - May 29, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway Select
Super Premium - Peanut Butter Cup ice cream
Good - Good+
Weight: 1/3 cup oz. (78 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 264 calories in 1/3 cup serving
Cost: $2.99 (estimate)
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week, and I celebrated with two different ice creams that incorporated peanut butter and chocolate. The Safeway Select ice cream (shown in dish at right) contained broken up chunks of peanut butter cups, evoking childhood memories of favorite chocolate candy.

The second ice cream was "What a Cluster" ice cream from Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream -- a company known for its clever product names. And, while What a Cluster did have a smidge of cocoa in it -- qualifying it as a chocolate item -- I chose this cold, sweet treat for its clever title. What a Cluster ice cream was a melange of peanut butter ice cream, caramel cluster pieces, marshmallow swirls and "peanut buttery swirls."


Wednesday, May 28, 2014

PB2 - Powdered Peanut Butter with Chocolate - May 28, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

PB2
Powdered Peanut Butter with premium chocolate
Good
Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 90 calories in 1 package
Cost: $1.50 for 1 package
Purchased from: REI, Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

What is powdered peanut butter? Made for Bell Plantation (Tifton, GA), this PB2 package contained a powder that was made from slow roasted and pressed peanuts. The pressing process removed 85 percent of the fat/oil, according to the information on the packaging. The list of ingredients was short: roasted peanuts, cocoa powder, sugar and salt.

Add water until you reach a creamy consistency and you have instant chocolate peanut butter that would be handy for multiple uses, including a topping for ice cream, camping trips, fancy sandwich making, or snacks on the go. I added water, stirred the resulting paste, and let it sit for a minute. Then I added a bit more water. The texture was smooth and creamy, the chocolate taste was very mild, and the sugar and salt seemed minimal -- to my liking.

I paired this gluten-free PB2 peanut butter with a gluten-free Picky Bar ("made for picky eaters on the go"). This Picky Bar ("Lauren's Mega Nuts - Peanut Butter Booyah") was very fruity tasting, and the PB2 peanut butter helped evoke a peanut butter and jelly sandwich flavor. And, there was still plenty of PB2 leftover to try eating plain, or tasting with small bits of other items (banana, cookie, apple).


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Van's - Peanut Butter Chocolate bars - May 27, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Van's Natural Foods
Peanut Butter Chocolate snack bars
Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 6.2 oz. (175 g.) total box of 5 bars
Calories: 160 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.49 for 1 box of 5 bars
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

These gluten-free Peanut Butter Chocolate snack bars from Van's Natural Foods (Vernon, CA) were slightly chewy and were made with gluten-free oats. The bars contained both peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. And the incorporation of fig paste helped give these a pleasantly sweet and moist chewy texture.

The flavors and textures were fairly well balanced. I would have liked a bit more chocolate and peanut butter; although the sweetness level was about right for my taste. (I don't care for gooey sweet snack bars unless, oddly, there are lots of nuts involved.)

I ate this snack bar after some early morning exercise, before harnessing myself to my office chair for several hours of computer time. I would love to be outside today taking a hike; but on busier days like today, snack bars like this can come in handy.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Edy's Peanut Butter Sundae ice cream - May 26, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Edy's Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Sundae ice cream
Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (66 g.) / 1.5 Quarts (1.41 L) total container
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $3.69 (estimate) (sale)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the first day of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

Most of this week's chocolate + peanut butter treats will involve ice cream, due to the warm weather we're experiencing. However, I'll eat ice cream anytime.

The Edy's brand originated in Oakland, CA, in the 1920s, and is now part of Nestle.

Today's Edy's Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Sundae ice cream had enough going on, including a long peanut butter ice cream ripple down the middle of the container, that I merely garnished my scoop in a dish with a few salted peanuts and a dab of coconut chocolate topping, and called this sundae done.












Sunday, May 25, 2014

Supah Stah - Mulberry bar - May 25, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Supah Stah
Mulberry bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Fruit Salad Theme Week.

This Supah Stah Mulberry Dark Chocolate Superfood Bar was made from 100% Organic ingredients, and was vegan, grain free and gluten free, with no refined sugars.

A tiny riot of coconut flakes and bits of mulberries adorned the back of this smooth, dark bar, that was sweetened with coconut palm sugar. I've found that coconut palm sugar gives chocolate (and other desserts) a flavorful sweet taste (think caramelized or maple sugar), without the jangly buzz of white sugar.

The chocolate was very smooth and buttery, partly due to added cocoa butter, with some added chewiness from the coconut flakes and mulberry bits.

Mulberries are a wonderful earthy golden color. Inspired by this fruit, I paired this Mulberry bar with a golden fruit and vegetable salad - with yellow and orange carrots, fresh orange, nectarine, caraway seeds, raisins, a very small pinch of salt, and arugula.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Supah Stah - Goji Berry bar - May 24, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Supah Stah
Goji Berry bar
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.)/ 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 in 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

Supah Stah is a new brand on the block. Creator, Erika Wright, has designed two new (Organic, Vegan and Gluten Free) Dark Superfood Bars.

I'm featuring the Supah Stah Goji Berry bar today, and the Mulberry bar tomorrow. These two bars are both made with unroasted cacao, coconut flakes, berries, hemp and chia seeds, maca root, cacao butter, vanilla, sea salt and cinnamon -- and are sweetened with coconut palm sugar. However this description doesn't quite do these bars justice.

From the minute you unfold the purple foil inner wrapper, you are treated to a visual feast. A sea of coconut flakes with islands of scarlet goji berries rest on the back of this bar. The dark chocolate base was very smooth, with a buttery taste and melt. The sweeteners (primarily coconut palm sugar) gave the bar a more gentle, yet more flavorful taste than ordinary white cane sugar, with slight maple sugar flavor note.

I paired the Supah Stah Goji Berry bar with a berry and apple-pear salad that was sprinkled with a few seeds and other seasonings.


Friday, May 23, 2014

Safeway - Orange Cranberry bar - May 23, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway Select
Dark Chocolate with Orange and Cranberry bar
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories (estimate) in 2/5 bar
Cost: $2.50 (sale price) for 1 bar
Purchased from:

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

The Safeway Select Dark Chocolate with Orange and Cranberry 72% Cacao bar from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA), was a very smooth, pleasant dark chocolate bar with accents of bright fruit and tiny crunchy bursts of orange. The flavors were well balanced, so that no one flavor dominated the mix.

To complement this bar I chose to make an orange and cranberry fruit salad in a cocktail glass. I boosted the orange flavor by drizzling a little orange blossom honey over the top and adding a splash of orange blossom infused water. The fruit salad was simple, colorful, fresh and delicious, and played well with the chocolate, and it motivated me to eat lunch outside in the sun.

With summer on the way, I'm looking forward to making a lot more fruit salads. Some fruit pairs well with chocolate (strawberries and chocolate fondue anyone?) but, if you appreciate fresh from the garden flavors as much as I do, most fruit is best served and enjoyed a la carte.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Safeway Select - Almond and Blueberry bar - May 22, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway Select
Almond and Blueberry bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 4 squares, or 2/5 bar
Cost: $2.50 sale price for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

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

The Safeway (Pleasanton, CA) "Safeway Select" brand includes ice creams, chocolates and other higher-end specialty items. Today's Dark Chocolate (72% Cacao) bar with Almond and Blueberry was a Safeway Select branded product that was made in Switzerland. (Not a bad country for chocolate production.)

The chocolate itself had nice, smooth even flavor for a bar over 70% cacao content. Nothing too harsh.

I liked the thickness of these bars, that is to say - they were thin enough to provide a larger surface to mass ratio. More surface = more access to flavors in the bar as you put a piece in your mouth, and a generally a quicker melt (when flavors are released).

The bar was populated with crunchy, tiny bits of almond and blueberry granules (made from blueberry powder and sugar). It was sweet, without being overly so; the crisp sparkles of blueberry flavor in each bite added interest, and was even and well balanced.

Once again this week, I created a fruit salad with almonds and blueberries to pair with this Safeway Select dark bar. The fruit salad with blueberries, melon and chopped roasted almonds was drizzled with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and muddled fresh mint, and topped with honey yogurt. Pairings are fun; this one seemed to work well. Squares of this Almond and Blueberry bar could be served alongside this cocktail glass full of fruit and feel right at home.


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Michel Cluizel - Orange Toasted Sesame bar - May 21, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Michel Cluizel
Orange Toasted Sesame bar
Good ++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 375 calories (estimate)
Cost: $8.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draegers, San Mateo, CA

Today is Day #3 of Chocolate and Fruit Salad Theme Week; and I'm letting a chocolate bar inspire a similar salad.

I enjoyed an Orange Toasted Sesame bar from Michel Cluizel (Michel Cluizel USA is based in West Berlin, NJ). It was made with 55% cocoa and lovely, jewel-like, chewy candied orange bits. A touch of vanilla, and a sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds finished the bar nicely. The chocolate had a smooth, almost silky texture and mouth-feel.

This flavorful bar inspired me to make a sweet and savory orange sesame fruit salad, with a sweet citrus and ginger sesame dressing.

I also paired this orange sesame salad, and bar, with crunchy ginger peanut squarelettes from keen-wah, LLC (Chicago, IL).

All these items were creative takes on Asian-inspired cuisine. I've been told that oranges came from Asia originally. And, chocolate originated in the Americas many hundreds of years ago. It's wonderful to live in an age -- and place like the San Francisco Bay Area -- where so many fusions of cultures and foods can be found.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Nut 'n Bean - Mandarin Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter - May 20, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nut 'n Bean
Mandarin Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in 1 jar
Calories: 190 calories (estimate) for 2 Tablespoon serving
Cost: $8.00 (estimate) for 1 jar
Purchased from: Nut 'n Bean table, at Palo Alto Farmer's Market, Palo Alto, CA

This Mandarin Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter from Nut 'n Bean (Hayward, CA) proved to be a very versatile spread (and another great Farmer's Market find).

Flavored with mandarin orange infused olive oil, one could drizzle this chocolate "butter" over a fruit salad -- an orange and avocado salad with roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds in this case.

I also used this chocolate seed butter as a dunk for three Natural Decadence (gluten-free) citrus shortbread squares, and as an accompaniment for a Flax4Life carrot raisin muffin (also gluten free).

This Nut 'n Bean butter (made with dairy-free, semi-sweet chocolate) fared well with salad and sweets, and it would be worth trying with other dessert items (in a crepe, over ice cream, on a croissant or toast, etc.).

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruit Salad Theme Week.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Lucienne's - Orange Sugar Free Dark bar - May 19, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lucienne's
Orange Sugar Free 83% Dark Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: .8 oz. (22.68 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 2/5 of 1 bar
Cost: $4.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Fruit Salad Theme Week.

The chocolate of the day, an Orange Sugar Free 83% Dark Chocolate bar was from Lucienne's (Trumansburg, NY). Lucienne's is a bean-to-bar chocolatemaker using cacao beans from Ecuador (and Peru).

Today's Orange stevia-sweetened bar was made from Ecuadorian Antigua Nacional cocoa. Orange oil added a bright, bittersweet citrus fruit flavor to this dark (83% cacao) but smooth bar.

Lucienne's chocolate bars are sugar free, gluten free and dairy free. This Orange bar had 1 Net Carb and 46 grams of fiber per serving (1/2 bar). I had a bit less than this (2/5 bar), and also enjoyed a small orange fruit salad for dessert. (1 medium fresh, orange contains an estimated 12 Net Carbs and 3 grams of fiber. Net net: A serving of this chocolate would probably be less likely to raise blood sugar than most fruit salads.






Lucienne's - Sugar Free 83% Dark bar - May 18, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lucienne's
Sugar Free 83% Dark Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: .8 oz. (22.68 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 100 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $4.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

I find it interesting to try sugar-free dark chocolate bars, such as today's 83% Dark Chocolate bar sweetened with a proprietary stevia blend from Lucienne's (Trumansburg, NY).

Stevia-sweetened bars available now are quite good. In addition to missing the sugar buzz, and lacking any artificial flavor that earlier sugar-free bars sometimes had, these bars offer an opportunity to see what the underlying chocolate tastes like without sugar. (Sugar does add a certain brightness to certain flavors.)

This dark chocolate bar, made from Ecuadorian Antigua Nacional cocoa ("gently roasted" to retain antioxidants and flavor) was fairly smooth, without any bitter or objectionable notes that some people associate with bars with a higher cacao content. 

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Monique's Chocolates - Ecuador truffle - May 17, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Monique's Chocolates

1.) Ecuador truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight:
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) for 1 truffle
Cost: $2.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Monique's Chocolates, Palo Alto, CA

2.) Chocolate Creme
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. (estimate) in 1 small cup
Calories: unknown
Cost: $2.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Monique's Chocolates, Palo Alto, CA

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

I've enjoyed single origin truffles and "liquid chocolate" (served either hot or iced cold) from Monique's Chocolates (Palo Alto, CA) for the past few years. Unfortunately, owner/founder Mark West will be moving to Paris in the coming year and will be closing down the Palo Alto shop. We'll miss Mark and family!

As a last hurrah (before they close their doors on June 15th), I ducked into Monique's for a liquid chocolate made from Ecuadorian cacao, but changed my mind and picked out an Ecuador truffle and a chilled Chocolate Creme made from Ecuador cacao instead. Both were quite good. The truffles had a soft dark chocolate ganache center with a rich, warm caramel flavor. And the cold Chocolate Creme, served in a small cup was richer with more concentrated authentic dark chocolate flavor than other chocolate cream or pudding type desserts. Quality ingredients do matter.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Raaka Chocolate - Bourbon Cask Aged bar - May 16, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Raaka Chocolate
Bourbon Cask Aged, Ecuador 82% bar
Good+ - Very good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.98 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

This Bourbon Cask Aged dark (82% cacao) bar from Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY) was something special. Made from unroasted cacao beans, you might get the incorrect impression that this vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free bar would be missing something -- but this was not the case.

Using a hint of both cane sugar and maple sugar to add light sweetness, and aging cocoa nibs (cacao bean bits from Ecuador) in bourbon barrels to impart some fruit, wood and smoke notes to the finished bar was a brilliant idea. (The Raaka bar's packaging also lists caramel and vanilla as possible flavors you might taste.)

Raaka Chocolate also lists their cacao as being organic and fairly traded


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Raaka Chocolate - Ecuador 85% bar - May 15, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Raaka Chocolate
Ecuador - Aproca Co-op, 85% bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.98 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

This dark bar from bean-to-bar chocolate maker Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY), was made from unroasted cacao beans, from the Aproca Co-op in Ecuador.

The bar had a nice sheen; a dark and earthy flavor; and a relatively flat flavor arc, without the boost you might get from a chocolate bar with a sugar or fruit sparkle.

This 85% dark bar was constructed with a higher percentage of cacao solids and, as a result, less sugar. Some will like the lack of sweetness; but there can be trade-offs with bars this dark -- like fewer light fruit, citrus or floral notes. "Brighter" flavors often are present in bars with a lower cacao percentage (e.g. 70% cacao), and a relatively high(er) percentage of sugar.

Tasting notes on the bar's wrapper read: almonds, molasses (and nutty).

This Raaka Chocolate bar was vegan, gluten free, nut free and soy free.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Cello Chocolate - Ecuador bar - May 14, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cello Chocolate
Ecuador 70% cacao bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 180 calories (estimate) in 3/5 bar
Cost: $5.00 (+ shipping)
Purchased from: Cello Chocolate, online order

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

This 70% dark chocolate, single origin Ecuador bar from Cello Chocolate (Nevada City, CA), had a wonderful and, yes, musical tasting arc, with great floral, marshmallow notes -- that were well balanced with bold and smooth fruit/acid flavor.

The Ecuador bar (part of a line of single origin bars from different cacao-growing countries from Cello Chocolate) was made with "sustainably traded and certified organic cocoa beans."

Agami Superfoods - Raw Maya bar - May 13, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Agami Superfoods
Raw Maya Chocolate - Single Origin Ecuadorian
Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.5 g.) / 1.5 oz. (143 g.) in total bar
Calories: 112.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

This 77% Dark and 100% Raw Maya Chocolate bar from Agami LLC (aka Agami Superfoods) (Boise, ID) had interesting complex flavors and texture. A true single origin bar, both the cocoa mass and the cocoa butter were from Ecuadorian cacao.

I tasted earth, mushroom, tobacco, and caraway notes. The texture of the bar was a little soft side of a hard snap, which was fine. The texture was smooth. Some bites were slightly more "buttery" than others -- likely from the Raw, Organic, Single Origin, Ecuadorian, Arriba Nacional Cacao Butter and/or the Raw Organic Coconut Butter in this chocolate.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Trader Joe's - Peru bar - May 12, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Peru 60% Dark Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .318 oz. (9 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) total bar (part of a larger package of 8 bars)
Calories: 46 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $N/A - part of previous tasting
Purchased from: Trader Joe's (by someone else)

How many ingredients can be combined together without the overall flavor getting muddied up (the artist's equivalent of mixing every paint color together and getting a "palette grey")? Well, the answer is it depends on the ingredients, and how well balanced they are. For example, a good sauce or soup might contain the essence of many things.

Today's miniature dessert was composed of a small vanilla scoop of ice cream, with a dollop of dark chocolate fig and orange sauce, topped with crunchy green pistachio nuts.

The chocolate was a piece of a Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) Peru 60% Dark Chocolate bar, melted with fig and orange. The resulting chocolate and fig sundae was a blend of sweet, smoky, floral, citrus, fruity -- light, bright and dark -- flavors. I savored every tiny bite.

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week. 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...