Thursday, October 30, 2014

Truffettes de France - Orange Mallows - Oct. 30, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocmod USA
Trufettes de France
Orange Mallows Dipped in Dark Chocolate
Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 7 oz. (200 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 3-piece serving
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package/box
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Truffettes de France brand products come from Chocmod Chocolatier Confiseur (Roncq, France).


These Orange Mallows Dipped in Dark Chocolate had a very sweet filling comprised of a fluffy marshmallow layer topped with an "orange jam" layer. (The company also makes Cherry Mallows and Pear Mallows.)

Tomorrow is Halloween in the U.S., a holiday known for chocolates and candy for trick-or-treaters and spooky things. In keeping with these traditions, I tried something a little scary. I toned down the sweetness a bit by giving these mallows a sprinkle of black pepper and salt -- and it wasn't bad. 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Endangered Species - Dark Orange bar - Oct. 29, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Endangered Species Chocolate
Organic Dark Chocolate and Organic Orange Flavor bar
Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Chocolate and Orange land -- also known as Day #5 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week on ChocolateBanquet.

Yes, in addition to jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin lattes, citrus fruit, and lots of people wearing orange and black clothes to support the San Francisco Giants baseball team (who won the World Series this evening), there have been numerous combinations of chocolate and orange fruit/oil to celebrate this week.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate and Organic Orange Flavor 70% cocoa bar was from Endangered Species Chocolate (Indianapolis, IN). The company donates 10% of net profits to species and habitat conservation. This 1.4 oz. bar is one in a line of 4 organic bars -- all picture an animal. This one features a zebra.










Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Caffarel - Cioccolato e Mandarinello - Oct. 28, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Caffarel
Cioccolato e Mandarinello
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $2.60 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Sonoma, CA

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

These Cioccolato e Mandarinello chocolates were from Caffarel (Italy). Caffarel is a subsidiary of Lindt and Sprungli.

Their dark chocolate domed shells were filled with a mandarin orange liqueur* infused, soft flowing center. It felt like a grown-up treat after all the sweet milk chocolates this week.

*Mandarinello is a mandarin orange liqueur similar to Limoncello







Sunday, October 26, 2014

jcoco orange bar, Whetstone milk oranges - Oct. 27, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

jcoco
cayenne veracruz orange bar
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 small bar (1 of 6 in set)
Calories: 150 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $ N/A - from a friend (Thank you Toni!)
Purchased from: N/A - from a friend

This cayenne veracruz orange jcoco bar (affiliated with Seattle Chocolates) was what I'd call excellent white chocolate. The orange taste and spicy kick created a sweet, rich and well balanced flavor blend.

Because this chocolate did not contain cocoa solids (a requirement for my daily chocolate), I also had the following orange milk chocolates.

Whetstone Candy Company
Milk Chocolate Oranges
Good
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) in 4 pieces
Calories: 201 calories in 4 pieces
Cost: $ lost information
Purchased from: $ lost information

This bag of tiny, solid milk chocolate "oranges" with a hint of vanilla from Whetstone Candy Company, Inc. (St. Augustine, FL) were individually wrapped in orange foil. I'd been storing these in my chocolate vault, just for this very theme week.


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




Terry's Milk Chocolate Orange Segsations - Oct. 26, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Terry's Chocolate Orange
(Kraft Foods UK)
"Segsations" (package of 5 flavors)
1.) Milk Crispy with Orange
2.) Milk Chocolate with Orange
3.) Milk Chocolate with Dark Chocolate with Orange
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) (estimate for 3 pieces) / 11.66 oz (330 g.) in total package
Calories: 198 calories (estimate) in 3 pieces
Cost: $ N/A - from a friend who brought back from a holiday trip
Purchased from: N/A - from a friend

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

 This milk chocolate and orange trio from Terry's Chocolate Orange (Kraft Foods UK) consisted of three different, individually-wrapped, chocolates in the shape of orange slices. (The company's "Segsation" package contained 5 different flavors.)

Each slice contained a similar, smooth base of milk chocolate -- flavored with natural-tasting, real orange oil.

The Milk Crispy flavor also contained small pieces of crispy rice. And the third piece was a blend of dark chocolate and milk chocolate.


In addition to being stamped with a small Terry's logo on what would be the "peel" surface, each segment was etched with a short, cheery message: Big kiss, Do the twist!, and the helpful Chill out.


Terry's Exploding Orange Segments - Oct. 25, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Terry's Chocolate Orange
Segsations - package of 5 flavors
Exploding Candy flavor
Good - Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces/ 330 g. in total box
Calories: 131 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: N/A - from a friend (Thank you Mary!)
Purchased from: N/A - from a friend (from London, UK)

Today kicks off Chocolate and Orange Theme Week. Orange and black colors are everywhere this week in the San Francisco Bay Area -- and not just because we're celebrating Halloween next week.

The San Francisco Giants (baseball) team is in the World Series; and after this evening (Game #4), they are tied with their rivals, the Kansas City Royals. The Giants team colors are, you guessed it, orange and black. After their come-from-behind victory this evening in San Francisco, fireworks filled the sky.

To celebrate the home team win, I enjoyed two Exploding Candy "Segsations," individually-wrapped chocolate orange segment-shaped pieces from Terry's Chocolate Orange (Kraft Foods UK).

These orange-flavored milk chocolate segments were embossed on one side with messages like "Kiss Kiss" and "Love Me," and a small Terry's logo. They were smooth and flavorful, and the tasting experience was punctuated with tiny, mild fizz-pop sensations from popping candy embedded in each piece.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Chocolate Rocks - Oct. 24, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Chocolate Rocks
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate) in 1 serving
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1 serving
Cost: N/A - gift from friend (Thank you Don)
Purchased from: N/A - gift from friend

As a follow-up to the Chocolate Legos featured yesterday, today's chocolate rocks could also be used as a construction material, or perhaps landscaping.

These colorful, and realistic looking, pebbles were solid chocolate on the inside.

Chocolatiers that specialize in these chocolate pebbles include Fiesta Candy (Chocolate Rocks) and Kimmie Candy Company (ChocoRocks).


Thursday, October 23, 2014

Chocolat Uzma Sharif - Chocolate Legos - Oct. 23, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolat Uzma Sharif
Chocolate Legos
1.) Salmon - Good + - Very Good
2.) Yellow - Good +
3.) Blue - Good - Good +
Weight: 4.5 oz. (137 g.) (estimate) for 10 pieces/ 4.95 oz. (140? g.) (estimate) for total container
Calories: 695 calories (estimate) for 10 pieces
Cost: N/A - gift from friend (Thank you Toni!)
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (who bought in Chicago, IL)

If you're a creative tinkerer, or you've wondered if you could construct a house using chocolate building materials, today's chocolate is for you.

Life would be sweeter if temporary houses could be made from chocolate Legos or Lincoln Logs. Like ice castles, they may not last long, but they'd be fun to build.

I became intrigued with chocolate Legos when a friend (Melissa) posted a picture of some on Facebook. Think of the possibilities! I responded. Illustrator and designer, Akihiro Mizuuchi, explored this concept and built figures or characters from carefully molded chocolate Lego bricks, in different chocolate colors.

Today's Lego chocsimiles* came from Chocolat Uzma Sharif (Chicago, IL). Each colored brick was made from a different chocolate (salted milk, milk and dark chocolate), and was "painted" with a different color cocoa butter "paint." The salmon-colored salted milk chocolate bricks were my favorite.

*Chocsimiles = chocolate facsimiles of objects; in this case these Chocolate Legos were chocsimiles of the LEGO(R) brick(s) made by The Lego Group, a privately held company in Billund, Denmark.




Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Tate's Bake Shop - Gluten Free Brownie - Oct. 22, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tate's Bake Shop
Gluten Free Brownie
Good - Good +
Weight: 4 oz. (113 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 480 calories in 1 package
Cost: $27.00 for 1 box of 6 (+ shipping)
Purchased from: Tate's Bake Shop, online order

Today was Day #9 of Chocolate Brownie Theme Week.

This rich, substantial Gluten Free Brownie was from Tate's Bake Shop (Southampton, NY), and had a fudgy, dense and slightly chewy, semi-sweet chocolate texture and flavor.

The Brownie was part of a box of 6 individually-wrapped, gluten-free bars (3 Blondies and 3 Brownies). Tate's Bake Shop also offers a line of gluten-free cookies.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Tate's Bake Shop - Blondie - Oct. 21, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tate's Bake Shop
Blondie
Good - Good +
Weight: 4 oz. (113 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 510 calories for 1 piece (3 servings)
Cost: $27.00 for box of 6 (+ shipping)
Purchased from: Tate's Bake Shop, online order

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate Brownie Theme Week.

I enjoyed Tate's Bake Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies so much that I wanted to include their Gluten-Free brownie bars this week, so I ordered some. And, once again, a 7-day theme week, has grown by a few days.

When I was young, my mom used to make butterscotch brownies. These were also called blonde brownies, or "blondies."

This Gluten Free Blondie from Tate's Bake Shop (Southampton, NY) contained 1.) brown sugar, 2.) butter and 3.) semi-sweet chocolate chips -- in that order, followed by a list of natural ingredients. Almond flour and walnut bits gave these Blondie a slightly nutty taste and texture.

At 510 calories for the whole blondie, this was not a low-calorie item. But then, it doesn't pretend to be. The label suggested that this very rich bar be divided into 3 servings. So, find a knife, cut this into thirds and try to resist eating all three pieces yourself. I dare you.

Monday, October 20, 2014

jcoco - edamame bar, brownie - Oct. 20, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

jcoco
(created by Jean Thompson, Seattle Chocolates)
edamame sea salt in milk chocolate bar
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / part of a 6 pack of jcoco small bars
Calories: 250 calories (estimate) = 1/3 bar (+ 1 brownie with pieces of bar)
Cost: N/A - gift from a friend (thank you Toni!) ($18.00)
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Brownie Theme Week.

Edamame (green soybeans) may not be the first flavor that pops to mind when dreaming up a new brownie.

However, there is much to be said for chocolate desserts with a savory kick. And armed with this belief, I created today's Asian-themed brownie cookies. Say what you will, mixing these up was great fun.

To a gluten-free brownie mix, I added finely chopped black sesame crackers, sea salt, a dash of tamari sauce, and chopped up most of a jcoco* edamame sea salt in milk chocolate bar (after tasting this bar by itself). The non-GMO and kosher bar had a good buttery milk chocolate melt/texture with crunchy pieces of roasted edamame and a slight hint of sea salt and soy sauce**.

The brownie cookies were chewy, slightly sweet and slightly savory, and were topped with a few roasted edamame. They worked for me, but may not be everyone's favorite.

*The jcoco brand is part of Seattle Chocolate Company.
**This bar probably contained a trace of wheat from the small amount of soy sauce.



Sunday, October 19, 2014

thinkThin - Brownie Crunch protein bar - Oct. 19, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

thinkThin, LLC
Brownie Crunch - High Protein Bar
Good
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate Brownie Theme Week.

I was pleasantly surprised by this Brownie Crunch High Protein Bar, distributed by thinkThin, LLC (Santa Monica, CA).

For a bar containing 20 grams of protein (a blend of whey and soy protein, casein) it was remarkably free of that slightly gritty texture and taste sometimes found in other such bars. It really did have a brownie taste, and I would say it had less crunch and more soft chew -- giving it more of a brownie-like texture.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Luna - Caramel Nut Brownie bar - Oct. 18, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Luna
(Clif Bar and Company)
Caramel Nut Brownie
OK+ - Good
Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate Brownie Theme Week.

The Luna line of Nutrition bars (from Clif Bar) was "created by and designed for women."

Today's Caramel Nut Brownie contained soy protein and 24 Vitamins and Minerals, giving this nutrition bar the general flavor (not too sweet) and texture of a protein bar (substantial but less velvety than pure chocolate).

Nice to see some organic ingredients. This bar was "70% Organic," and contained organic chocolate chips, organic unsweetened chocolate, organic cocoa butter and organic chocolate flavor.




Wholesome Chow - The Big Yummy Brownie - Oct. 17, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wholesome Chow
The Big Yummy - Double Chocolate Brownie
Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. (113.3 g.) in total package - 1 brownie
Calories: 420 calories in 1 brownie
Cost: $2.79 for 1 brownie
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate Brownie Theme Week.

Wholesome Chow (Los Osos, CA) offers a line of gluten free and vegan cake mixes, and now this ready-to-eat "The Big Yummy" brownie.

This Double Chocolate Brownie was soft, moist and cake-like. The addition of chocolate chips enhanced, or doubled, the chocolate flavor. One of my favorite brownies so far, and proof that wonderful results are possible without traditional baking ingredients (wheat flour, eggs and dairy, butter, etc.).

This individually-wrapped brownie was supposed to contain three servings. Sadly, the brownie was eaten in its entirety and no more was left to share with others, she confessed as she wiped brownie crumbs up to hide the evidence.



Thursday, October 16, 2014

Amy's - Gluten Free Brownies - Oct. 16, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amy's Kitchen Inc.
Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies made with Organic Chocolate
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 7.0 oz. (199 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories in 1 brownie (1/5 package)
Cost: $6.79 in total box/package
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Brownie Theme Week.

Up until recently finding great-tasting, gluten-free brownies was adequate cause for celebration. And now Amy's Kitchen Inc. (Petaluma, CA) is spoiling us with great tasting Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies -- made with Organic Chocolate.

I found these brownies in the freezer section. The size was perfect -- smaller than a party size and bigger than a single serving, enough for 4-5 generous servings. The brownie "pan" was a relatively shallow, white cardboard tray; and I used a knife to very carefully cut out and remove the brownie size I wanted.

The brownie I had was sweet, moist and chewy with a rich, authentic chocolate taste. I would definitely share these with others.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Zing - Double Nut Brownie Bar - Oct. 15, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Zing Bars
Double Nut Brownie bar
Good
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ unknown - lost receipt
Purchased from: unknown - lost receipt

What makes a brownie a brownie?

A deep chewy fudginess that is denser than a cake, but not quite a cookie? Today's Double Nut Brownies from Zing Bars (Seattle, WA) embodied some of these characteristics.

The creators behind this vegan, gluten-free*, soy free and Non-GMO brownie nut bar (finely ground almonds and walnuts) also incorporated some extra protein (rice, pea) and Vitamin E.

The chewiness and sweetness levels were just about right for me; that is, the bar was not too dry or crumbly, and not too sweet.

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

*Zing bars are made in a certified gluten free facility.


Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Cybele's - Chocolate Brownie Cookies - Oct. 13, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cybele's (distributed by Free-to-Eat, Inc.)
Chocolate Chunk Brownie Cookies
Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 5.4 oz. (153 g.) in total box
Calories: 110 calories in 2 cookies
Cost: $5.99 for 1 box
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #13 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookie Theme Week.

These vegan and gluten-free Chocolate Chunk Brownie cookies were from Cybele's/Free-to-Eat, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA).

The cookies were notable for their soft, chewy brownie texture, but also for what they lacked. Notably absent were the top 8 allergens: dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. These cookies were made in a "dedicated gluten-free, allergy-friendly" facility.

Cybele Pascal (the force behind the Cybele's brand) became an allergy-friendly cook when her son was diagnosed with severe food allergies. She started baking from scratch and developed recipes that would help others enjoy allergy-safe versions of favorite foods.

Monday, October 13, 2014

HomeFree Chocolate Chip Cookies - Oct. 13, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

HomeFree, LLC
Mini Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Good
Weight: 1.09 oz. (31 g.) / 5 oz. (144 g.) in total box
Calories: 150 calories in 7 mini cookies
Cost: $3.99 (sale) in 1 box
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #13 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookie Theme Week.

These Mini Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies from HomeFree, LLC (Windham, NH) were small enough that I could enjoy a festive little pile of them on a tiny dessert plate. Cute!

Gluten Free, Nut Free and made from "Whole Grain" -- these crunchy, bite-sized cookies dotted with chocolate were made with a gluten-free whole oat flour base.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Tate's Bake Shop - Double Chocolate Chip cookies - Oct. 12, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tate's Bake Shop
Gluten Free - Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 7 oz. (200 g.) in total package
Calories: 280 calories in 4 cookies
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #12 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookies Theme Week(s).

Tate's Bake Shop (Southampton, NY) is based in a charming village in the Hamptons. It will be a while before I can make it out to Southampton, but that is the beauty of food. It allows us to travel via our palette and imagination.

The company's Double Chocolate Chip Cookies were a hit, possessing all the qualities I look for in a crispy-style chocolate gluten-free cookie. My checklist is below.
  • Good balance between crispy and chewy - Yes, 95% crispy, 5% chewy
  • Holds together without an excess of vegetable gum(s), not too crumbly - Yes
  • Slight buttery flavor and texture - Yes (contained butter)
  • Quality ingredients list - Yes; first ingredient listed was chocolate chips (bonus points)
These chocolate + chocolate chip cookies were just the right thickness (i.e. not too thick or thin) for the optimal buttery crunch. And the tiny hint of salt was perfect.








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