Heart of Shasta - Spicy Cayenne Ginger Love bar - Aug. 31, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Heart of Shasta
Spicy Cayenne Ginger Love bar
Good - Good ++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.13 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $3.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #24 of Chocolate, Fruits and Botanicals Month.

The Spicy Cayenne Ginger Love bar from Heart of Shasta (Mount Shasta, CA) had a great tasting arc. It started with a light honey sweetness and moved to an authentic ginger spiciness. And then, wait for it, it finished with a spicy cayenne heat that receded after a polite interval.

Heart of Shasta specializes in dairy, soy and gluten free organic, raw chocolates (confections and bars).

The ingredients list for today's bar: 100% cacao powder, cacao butter, honey, coconut oil, cayenne pepper and crystallized ginger.

MilkBoy - Lemon and Ginger bar - Aug. 30, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Menrose GmbH
MilkBoy Lemon and Ginger chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $5.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #23 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Today's sunny Lemon and Ginger bar was from MilkBoy (Zurich, Switzerland). Sweet, creamy 33% cacao milk chocolate was stuffed full of lemony crunchy bits. I'm assuming the bits were tiny granules of candied ginger, with some twinkles of vanilla pod. The ginger flavor was very subtle.

This blend with essential lemon oil resulted a pleasant lemon cookie aroma and flavor, reminiscent of Lemon Snap cookies from my childhood. Dark chocolate aficionados may consider this more baked good than bar, but if you like the authentic flavor of lemon blended with milk chocolate it's worth a try.

The Xocolate Bar - Ginger, Absinthe chocolates - Aug. 29, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

The Xocolate Bar

1.) Chocolate Dipped Ginger
Good++
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 70 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.50 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Xocolate Bar

2.) St. George Absinthe Truffle
Good - Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.50 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Xocolate Bar

It's Day #22 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month. I'm moving away from fruits and into spices today, with a short series of chocolates blended with ginger. The ginger we eat is from a rhizome* of the ginger plant, although it's commonly referred to as ginger root.

Today I enjoyed two bonbons from The Xocolate Bar (Berkeley, CA). One was a generous round slice of candied ginger, partly dipped in dark chocolate. And the second was infused with Absinthe (a botanical based spirit) from St. George Distillery (Alameda, CA).**

The dark chocolate-dipped ginger piece had a great, natural sweet and spicy ginger kick and a slightly chewy texture. The ginger was a great match with the rich, dark chocolate.

The attractive Absinthe chocolate was a shimmering turbaned man's face (Aladdin or a genie perhaps?) and had a creamy dark chocolate melt and faint Chinese five spice flavor (fennel/anise) notes.

*A rhizome is actually a stem that spreads out horizontally in the ground. Both roots and shoots can grow from rhizhomes. I'm growing ginger in my kitchen. I started this plant from a piece of ginger I bought at the store. I hope, by next year if all goes well, to be able to harvest my own crop of fresh ginger. 

**Note: I was tempted to re-sample the company's Cardamom Truffle (a spice made from the seeds of a plant from the ginger family). I'd tasted this Cardamom Truffle in 2010, and it was also came in a face-shape form (Ramses or King Tut perhaps?).

Santosha Chocolate - Goji Berries, Ginger and Ashwagandha bar - Aug. 28, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Santosha Chocolate
Goji Berries, Ginger and Ashwagandha Root bar
Good
Weight: "about 1 oz. (29 g.)" in 1 bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #21 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Today's Goji Berries, Ginger and Ashwagandha Root bar from Santosha Chocolate (Asheville, NC) was made with Raw, Organic 70% cacao.

This dark, raw bar—made from fair trade, "heirloom variety" Peruvian cacao beans—was vegan, and low-glycemic (made with coconut palm sugar.) It was also nut, soy and gluten free.

The flavor inclusions were subtle. I couldn't really taste the ginger. Occasional whole goji berries provided pleasing mild fruit flavor. Ashwagandha is a bit of an acquired taste, but is said to offer certain health benefits.

I bought this bar in Dec. 2014; but it still tasted fine in 2016—in part due to the bar's sealed silver wrapper and careful storage (in a cool, dry place).  That said, I wouldn't recommend keeping most chocolate bars this long.

Even though well-tempered dark chocolate bars can last up to 18-24 months, it's almost always best to eat chocolate as soon as you can.* (And, some chocolates, e.g. truffles, should be eaten within a week or purchase date.)

*Some might actually benefit from a little "resting" or aging during the making process; but that time usually occurs in the early stages, before you purchase a bar.

Himalania - Cacao Dusted Dark Chocolate Goji Berries - Aug. 27, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

BrandStorm, Inc.
Himalania
Cacao Dusted Dark Chocolate Goji Berries
Good+
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #20 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Theme Week.

Himalania Cacao Dusted Dark Chocolate Goji Berries were distributed by BrandStorm, Inc.* (Los Angeles, CA). These dried berries that have mild red fruit, molasses and tea/floral notes were dusted with dark chocolate (alkalinized cocoa powder).

*Thierry Ollivier is the founder, CEO and president of Natierra. In 2014 Natierra became the umbrella for Himalania and Nature's All Foods lines/brands, which Ollivier had previously created. One of the first BrainStorm Himalania offerings was goji berries. 

New Earth Superfoods, Inc.

I also enjoyed trying two raw, organic chocolate offerings from New Earth Superfoods, Inc. (San Luis Obispo, CA).

I sampled: 1.) Probiotic Chocolate Truffles (Goji), and 2.) Probiotic Chocolate Bars (Goji Cream flavor).

(Thanks David and Katy for sharing these not too sweet, non-GMO chocolates with a quick, slightly velvety melt.)

Next by Nature - Dark Chocolate Goji Berries - Aug. 26, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Next by Nature
(Tropical Valley Foods)
Dark Chocolate Goji Berries
Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total package
Calories: 190 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today I "tasted" the lack of certain ingredients in these chocolates; and that was a good thing. What was missing? Ingredients (and processing) that can mask or dampen authentic flavors, or seem to seek 100% uniformity as a goal.

When eating fruits and other plant-based foods (like chocolate), it's important to have a minimum level of quality and freshness. However, beyond that, slight variations in (and natural unfolding of) flavors are what make many foods more interesting and delicious.

Welcome to Day #19 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Next by Nature Dark Chocolate Goji Berries were "produced by Tropical Valley Foods" (Plattsburgh, NY).

Today's small, elongated red berries had hints of mild dried berry fruit, molasses, faint earthiness and almost floral sweetness, and all the true goji flavor and texture that I would have hoped for. I could taste the real fruit and the dark chocolate in this gluten free and well balanced snack (with no additives or preservatives).

Brookside - Dark Chocolate Goji and Raspberry - Aug. 25, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

The Hershey Company
Brookside - Dark Chocolate Goji and Raspberry Flavors
Good
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total package
Calories: 85 calories in 1/2 serving (8 pieces)
Cost: missing information
Purchased from: missing information



Welcome to Day #18 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month, and a transition day from raspberry to goji berry flavors.

These Brookside Dark Chocolate Goji and Raspberry "Flavors" were from The Hershey Company (Hershey, PA) and were made in Canada. The round pieces consisted of "soft fruit flavored centers, covered in smooth dark chocolate."

I would call these chocolate candies. The dark chocolate was very sweet, as were the fruit centers. I have a bias: I like to taste the chocolate and the fruit(s); and I prefer sugar as a light accent flavor.  So (news flash to myself) I probably shouldn't be reviewing most candies.

Gratify - Raspberry Flavored Dark Chocolate Pretzels - Aug. 24, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Osem USA, Inc.
Gratify Foods
Raspberry Flavored Dark Chocolate - Gluten Free Sweet Pretzels
Good
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 5.5 oz. (156 g.) in total package
Calories: 95 calories in 1/2 serving (5 pretzels)
Cost: $1.99 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Today's heart-shaped Raspberry Flavored Dark Chocolate Gluten Free Sweet Pretzels were from Gratify Foods, part of Osem USA, Inc. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

Gratify Foods offers a variety of gluten free pretzels (sweet and savory) and crackers.

Gluten baked goods don't always translate well. Thankfully, gluten free pretzels are generally very good, and these today's pretzels provided a hearty, crunchy interior (under a faintly raspberry flavored chocolate coating). And the sea salt on the pretzels balanced the sweetness.

Chobani Simply 100 - Raspberry Chocolate Twist - Aug. 23, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Chobani, LLC

Chobani Simply 100

"Crunch" Raspberry Chocolate Twist

Good

Weight: 4.2 oz. (119 g.) in total container 

Calories: 100 calories in 1 container

Cost: $missing information

Purchase from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Back on Aug. 26, 2013, I featured a Chobani (Norwich, NY) "Bite" 100-calorie offering with raspberry yogurt and chocolate chips. I'm not sure the smaller-sized (3.5 oz. or 100 g.) "Bite" line of flavors are still sold.

Today's newer Select 100 "Crunch" Raspberry Chocolate Twist (yogurt) flavor, also was only 100 calories and had flavors that included raspberry and chocolate. However, today's "Crunch" also contained acai and coconut, giving it a bit more varied texture (creamy, chewy and slightly crunchy).

Raspberry Acai non-fat Greek yogurt was blended with "Raspberry Milk Chocolate and Toasted Coconut."

The two-compartment yogurt snack was naturally sweetened (with monkfruit and stevia) and made from Non-GMO ingredients. The natural sweetener blend was quite good compared to artificial sweeteners or sugar and corn syrup blends of the past.

Today was Day #16 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Sjaak's - Dark Chocolate with Raspberry bar - Aug. 22, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sjaak's Organic Chocolates
Dark Chocolate with Raspberry bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .583 oz. (16.6 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 82.3 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $2.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Today's filled Dark Chocolate with Raspberry bar from Sjaak's Organic Chocolates (Petaluma, CA) was organic, vegan and made with Rainforest Alliance Certified cacao.

A thick layer of dark chocolate was topped with what tasted like a soft layer of raspberry jam flavored caramel, and topped with another, slightly thinner top layer of dark chocolate. A nice blend of natural flavors.

Spokandy - Raspberry Chipotle Sea Salt bar - Aug. 21, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Spokandy
Raspberry Chipotle Sea Salt bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (13.8 g.) / 1.5 oz. (41.53 g.) in total bar
Calories: 70 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vista House, Crown Point, OR

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals and the first day of a short series of chocolates with raspberry. (I should add, chili peppers are fruits too.)

Today's Raspberry Chipotle Sea Salt bar was from Spokandy (Spokane, WA).

The bar had a slightly earthy, dark aroma and a relatively buttery/creamy melt. The flavor evolved into a bittersweet/sweet chocolate, with a candy notes finish.  It was adorned with a festive sprinkling of tiny sea salt crystals on the back. The raspberry and chipotle (chili pepper flakes) flavors were very subtle in the few bites I tried.

Brookside - Summer Berry Crisp Dark Chocolate bar - Aug. 20, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

The Hershey Company
Brookside Summer Berry Crisp dark chocolate bar
OK
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3.17 oz. (90 g.) in total bar
Calories: 132 calories (per label) for 1 oz. (28.3 g.) of bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

For a dark chocolate bar, this was very sweet—a good example of how dark chocolate can technically be made just as sweet (or moreso) than a milk chocolate bar.

This bar was made with "natural" berry flavors, that tasted a little off, but still conveyed the essence of highly sweetened berries. The attractively packaged dark bar also had a slightly crunchy texture due to the addition of "grain crisps." This bar was not labeled as gluten free, but the grains seemed include brown rice flour, brown sugar and perhaps some corn, and did not seem to include wheat or barley.

Sahale Snacks - Dark Chocolate Peanut + Berry Macaroon - Aug. 19, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sahale Snacks
Dark Chocolate Peanut - Layered Nut Bar
Good+
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Theme Week.

I enjoyed today's Dark Chocolate Peanut - Layered Nut Bar from Sahale Snacks (Seattle, WA), and a companion package of Berry Almond Macaroon Almond Mix (also from Sahale).

The word "natural" really meant something with these snacks. The company used higher-quality whole nuts, and preservative-free, dried fruit in their single-serving sized snack mixes. And their Dark Chocolate Peanut bar was satisfying without being too sweet.

Hershey - Brookside Blueberry chocolates - Aug. 18, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

The Hershey Company

1.) Brookside - Blueberry Almond with Acai Flavor bar
OK + - Good
Weight: .79 oz. (22.5 g.) / 3.17 oz. (90 g.) in total bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $3.59 for 1 bar
Purchased from: CVS Pharmacy, Palo Alto, CA

2.) Brookside - Whole Blueberries in Smooth Dark Chocolate
OK + - Good
Weight: .6 oz. (17 g.) / 1.8 oz. (51 g.)
Calories: 80 calories in 1/3 package
Cost: $2.19 for 1 package
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

These two dark chocolate and blueberry offerings were from The Hershey Company (Hershey, PA). The Brookside brand seemed designed to appeal to higher end buyers who might be more partial to dark chocolate.

Both the Brookside Blueberry Almond with Acai flavor bar and the Whole Blueberries in Dark Chocolate were too sweet for me; but they might appeal to those with a sweet tooth. The dark chocolate was even, and it was made with cocoa that had been alkalinized (a process that cuts acidity and smooths flavor).

The bar was attractively packaged, and I found myself looking around for a food pairing that might cut the sugar level a bit. This sounds terrible, but we dipped a small piece of the bar into some great salsa at lunch, and the salt and chilis (and perhaps the touch of acidity) seemed to improve the flavor and tone down the sweetness.

Russell Stover - Blueberry Bites - Aug. 17, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Russell Stover
Blueberry Bites
Good
Weight: .74 oz. (21 g.) / 6.5 oz. (184 g.) in total package
Calories: 95 calories for 5 pieces
Cost: $4.79 for 1 package
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

These Dark Chocolate Blueberry Bites were from Russell Stover Candies, Inc. (Kansas City, MO). Marble-shaped, jewel-toned, blueberry colored and flavored centers were coated with glossy dark chocolate coverings.

This flavor was part of a family of new "Everyday Chocolates" that the company announced this past year that included Bites, Sugar Free Bites, Bark, Pretzels and other confections.

Russell and Clara Stover began their chocolate company in the early 1920s in Denver, Colorado. The company later evolved and moved to Missouri. In 2014, Lindt and Sprungli bought Russell Stover Candies.

Mars - Dove Whole Blueberries Dipped in Dark Chocolate - Aug. 16, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Mars
Dove Whole Blueberries Dipped in Dark Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) / 6 oz. (170.1 g.) total package
Calories: 400 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month. This week I'm featuring another item in a series of blueberry chocolates.

Blueberries and chocolate have become known as good sources of antioxidants; so it's no surprise that companies are creating confections with both of these sweet, flavorful ingredients.

Today's Dove Whole Blueberries Dipped in Dark Chocolate offering from Mars Chocolate North America, LLC (Hackettstown, NJ) was similar to yesterday's Emily's dark chocolate covered, glossy, pearl-shaped blueberries. These were also covered in smooth dark chocolate, but were slightly sweeter. Both tasted relatively authentic and were made with real fruit (thank you).

Although today's Dove blueberries contained lactose, corn syrup and artificial flavors, which I could have done without. And yet, I still managed to enjoy 1/2 package with no trouble whatsoever.

Emily's - Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries - Aug. 15, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Emily's
Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries
Good+
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.)/5 oz. (142 g.) in total package
Calories: 190 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Emily's Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries were not bad for chocolate-covered fruit pieces. Made with Non GMO dark chocolate, these whole, dried blueberries tasted like real berries and contained no artificial flavors or colors.

The blueberries were sweetened, but didn't taste loaded with sugar—a good thing if you like tasting the fruit and the chocolate.

These berries were convenient to take along on a hike. (And, yes, chocolate and hiking are just as wonderful with a broken hand.)

The Emily's brand is "looked after by" AMES International, Inc. (Fife, WA).

Lindt - Pineapple bar, Ambrosia - Aug. 14, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Lindt
Pineapple bar
Good
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 105 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $3.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

I was intrigued by my first taste of ambrosia fruit salad, by the combination of pineapple pieces, mandarin oranges, coconut flakes, diced marshmallows, sour cream and occasionally pecans or cherries.

Today's dark (47%) chocolate Pineapple bar from Lindt and Sprungli AG (Kilchberg, Switzerland), had a fruity aroma and contained small pieces of pineapple and flecks of hazelnut. (Pairing suggestion on the label for this bar: a Chardonnay white wine.)

I felt inspired to combine some different chocolates to approximate an ambrosia fruit salad. A small sampler plate soon also held: a Blood Orange Olive Oil Meltaway cube of silken chocolate goodness from Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL); a piece of Roasted White Chocolate (bar) from SOMA Chocolatemaker (Toronto, Canada); and a bite of Coconut Crisp bar from TCHO (Berkeley, CA).

I enjoyed alternating bites of complementary fruit flavors. Bon appetit to all.

Nestle - Milk Chocolate Raisinets - Aug. 13, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Nestle
Raisinets - Milk Chocolate
Good
Weight: 1/4 cup (45 g.) / 8 oz. (226.7 g.) in total package
Calories: 190 calories in 1/4 cup (45 g.) serving
Cost: $3.00 (sale) for 1 package
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

Today I attended an event that was honoring women who joined the workforce during wartime (in World War II). These so-called Rosie the Riveters helped weld and assemble ships that were being launched in the San Francisco Bay Area (and elsewhere) in rapid succession, to help fight the war overseas during the 1940s.


In keeping with that era, I chose to feature Milk Chocolate Raisinets, a confection that may have been familiar to the "Rosies." Chocolate covered raisins have a long history, and were likely available in the U.S. at least a decade before World War II started, from the Blumenthal Chocolate Company and some European companies.

These chocolate and raisin pieces had an almost malty sweetness to them.

Milk Chocolate Raisinets now come from Nestle (Vevey, Switzerland). Nestle acquired the Raisinets brand in 1984.

Philip Marks Chocolates - Dark 72% Raisin Bark - Aug. 12, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Philip Marks Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Raisin Bark
Very Good
Weight: 2.25 oz. (64 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) in total package
Calories: 320 calories (estimate) in 1/2 package
Cost: $5.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Fruit and Botanicals Month.

I was surprised and delighted to taste today's Dark Chocolate Raisin Bark from Philip Marks Chocolates (Brisbane, CA). Dried fruits such as raisins don't always get the respect, and careful treatment, they deserve.

Today's thick shards of high-quality, 72% (Arriba) cacao, dark chocolate bark were topped with jumbo-sized, plump golden raisins—that tasted more like juicy, sweet white wine grapes than the shriveled, dry raisins I recall from childhood.

This was a great elevated execution of a classic confection.