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.


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