Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Raaka - Pine Needle bar; Peeps - Feb. 28, 2017

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Raaka Chocolate
Pine Needle bar
Good
Weight: .9 oz. (25.4 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50.9 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of LMNOPQR Theme Week. Just another day in the chocolate alphabet; and today "P" stands for Pine, and Peeps.

Pining for Chocolate
I've enjoyed all the pine-infused chocolates* I've featured on Chocolate Banquet thus far, and was excited to try this Pine Needle (Bolivia) bar from Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

Today's bar had a dark chocolate and slight "dirt" aroma. This slight earthiness (occasionally accompanied by very light smoke and/or espresso notes)** is not necessarily a flaw. I've been known to like what I'd call perfectly good dirt bars. And when one is making a bar inspired by a tree in a forest, perhaps a certain hint of earthiness is appropriate.

However, I wondered whether I'd be able to taste the subtle floral, lemony-citrus notes of the Douglas Fir tips used to impart flavor to this Pine Needle bar. In fact, it did take a few bites for this lovely flavor to shine through. Once it did materialize, this pine flavor was lovely, but fleeting.

Peeping for Chocolate
I appreciate the memories I have of certain candy items. So, I felt compelled to include another significant "P" item from my childhood: a marshmallow "Peep."

These Peeps were made (hatched?) by Just Born, Inc. (Bethlehem, PA) and were first created many years ago as marshmallow chick shapes. They're now available in many bird and animal shapes, colors and flavors—including a few with chocolate or cocoa.

Today's attractive Red Velvet Limited Edition Peeps were red on the outside and cocoa-colored on the inside and were sitting on a white base.

I'm afraid the sugar, corn syrup and gelatin didn't have quite the charm it did in my childhood, but this marshmallow chick was still fun to try.

*Yes, believe it or not, there are several pine flavored chocolates and confections out there. My first one was a Douglas Fir truffle at SOMA Chocolatemaker (shop) in Toronto, Canada several years ago. I was hooked.

**These characteristics often start back in the fermentation and drying phases (on farms, before most bean-to-bar makers receive the cacao beans and start to make them into chocolate). And because Raaka creates their chocolate from unroasted cacao, I'm assuming these are not flavors associated with a roast profile.) 

Monday, February 27, 2017

Cerreta - Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar - Feb. 27, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cerreta Candy Company
Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar with Sea Salt
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Queen Creek Olive Mill store, Scottsdale, AZ

Welcome to Day #4 of LMNOPQR Theme Week. Today "O" stands for olive.

This Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar with Sea Salt was made by Cerreta Candy Company (Glendale, AZ) with/for Queen Creek Olive Mill (Queen Creek, AZ).

I bought this bar at a Queen Creek Olive Mill marketplace location at the Kierland Commons shopping area in Scottsdale, AZ, thanks to the help of a friend who lives nearby. (Thank you Joy!)

Cerreta included Queen Creek's cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in this dark chocolate bar. The resulting chocolate had a thick and pleasant mouthfeel and melt. The EVOO and cocoa butter give the bar a rich, smooth texture and mellowed any harsh or acidic chocolate notes (of which there were none, from what I could tell).

About mid-way into the first bite, the sweetness kicked in and then the hint of sea salt. It was a fun and interesting bar to try.




Sunday, February 26, 2017

Backyard Brew - Nutella Hot Chocolate; Barlovento Bars; Nuts, Nibs, Nice - Feb. 26, 2017

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Backyard Brew
Nutella Hot Chocolate
Good++
Weight: 10+ oz. (estimate) for 1 serving
Calories: 168 calories (estimate) in 1 serving
Cost: $4.00 for 1 serving
Purchased from: Backyard Brew, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of LMNOPQR Theme Week. As we frolic through the alphabet, we arrive today at the letter "N."

Nuts, Nibs...Hmmm. How about Nutella Hot Chocolate? It just so happened I found such a thing at a new small business called Backyard Brew in Palo Alto, CA.

The duo working there I spoke to were thoughtful, bright, creative young men with a passion for creating community and a relaxing shared public space.

A place to relax and enjoy a coffee or tea, or a Nutella Mocha or Hot Chocolate. And, one could stay and do some creative doodling —on tables, chairs or walls too.

Backyard Brew's Nutella Hot Chocolate was full of pleasing cocoa and hazelnut flavor and had a light, whipped texture.

Accessible via alley from California Avenue—a street known for it's small businesses, restaurants and a thriving Sunday Farmers Market—Backyard Brew should do well.

Barlovento Chocolates
And, speaking of the Farmers Market, today was Sunday. So I bought two bars from the Barlovento Chocolates booth (not far from Backyard Brew) at the Market:

1.) 80 percent Venezuelan Dark Chocolate Cacao Nibs bar
2.) 73 percent Venezuelan Dark Chocolate Fruits and Nuts (Pistachios, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries) bar

Wrapped in gold foil, both bars were made from dark, slightly earthy but smooth, Venezuelan chocolate by founder Peter Brydon and team at Barlovento Chocolates (Oakland, CA).

It was a very Nice morning indeed.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Moo Free Chocolates Minty Moo bar; NibMor Mint Squares - Feb. 25, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Moo Free Chocolates
Lily-Lu Lemur
Minty Moo Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: .812 oz. (23 g.) for 1 bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.50 for 1 box of 4 bars
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of LMNOPQR Theme Week. Today the letter "M" is featured with two chocolate and mint offerings.

There are many different mints that might be blended with chocolate. However, the most popular seems to be peppermint (especially around the holidays). My guess is that, while not specified, one or both of today's mint chocolates do contain some peppermint.

Peppermint may have originated in the Middle East and Europe, but it's grown deep roots here in North America.*

Moo Free Mint

Today's Minty Moo bar was part of a holiday assortment package (of 4 different bars) from Moo Free Ltd./Moo Free Chocolates (Reading, UK).**

The Minty Moo bar was sweet, creamy (fooled me; I thought it contained dairy); and it had a natural minty flavor throughout. Pieces of crisp rice were perched around the border.

This bar was dairy free, gluten free, vegan and made without genetically modified (GM) ingredients.

And now on to the second mint chocolate of the day...

NibMor
Mint - Daily Dose of Dark
Good ++
Weight: .35 oz. (9.9 g.) / 2.45 oz. (70 g.) in box of 7 squares
Calories: 50 calories for 1 packet
Cost: $1.99 (estimate) for 1 box of 7 packets
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

These Mint Daily Dose of Dark, individually-wrapped squares were manufactured for NibMor Inc. (Great Neck, NY). The individually-wrapped squares were, in fact, a perfect and portable daily dose of dark chocolate.

The chocolate was well balanced (the right amount of mint, not too sweet), with crunchy texture from cacao nibs (a treat). (There was no mention if the organic mint was peppermint and/or spearmint.) The dark chocolate was, from what I could tell under the mint, smooth, dark and balanced; and nothing seemed amiss.

These 72% Cacao chocolates were made from USDA Organic, ethically traded, and Rainforest Alliance Certified cacao. They also were Non GMO Project Verified.

*Re: overall mint production in the U.S.: Oregon and Washington supply much of the mint and mint oil on the Western U.S., with Washington claiming the largest number of mint growers (150+ in 2012) and the largest quantity mint oil produced. Oregon claims approximately 35% of U.S. production. 

Michigan claims it has the most acres in production in the U.S. And it also grows in the NE from Indiana to New York, and into Southern Canada.

** Re: UK -- The English fancy their peppermint oil to be some of the best there is. (You'll often hear references that most of what is grown in the U.S. is "black" peppermint. And the "white" peppermint oil from the UK and France is superior. I can't comment; but I'm inspired to do a side-by-side tasting in the future.




Friday, February 24, 2017

Patti's Lemon and Chocolate Cupcakes - LMNOPQR Week - Feb. 24, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Patti's Perfect Pantry
  1. Lemon Curd Cupcake
  2. Lemon Cheesecake Cupcake
  3. Chocolate Fudge Cupcake
  4. Chocolate Chip Cupcake

Welcome to the first day (Day #1) of LMNOPQR Theme Week. We'll be continuing to work our way through the chocolate alphabet this week, starting with the letter "L."

What starts with "L" that blends well with chocolate? Answer: Lemon. I've always enjoyed bars and confections made with dark (or dark milk) chocolate and lemon.

Limoncello, lemon custard or lemon curd in a dark chocolate shell is like a little black dress in a woman's wardrobe that's simple, elegant, and always in fashion.

Today's find of the day was Patti's Perfect Pantry (Morgan Hill, CA). Their bakery, cafe and take-out offerings were all made in a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. It's not every day I can enjoy a "Mad Hatter" sandwich (honey ham, Swiss cheese and pineapple) on gluten-free pumpernickel bread. (Thank you Don for finding this place.)

Chef Patti has created a series of gluten-free cupcakes, including ones with lemon and and chocolate. The two made with lemon curd were particularly delicious. I wouldn't suggest eating four whole cupcakes at one sitting. But, I did have a slice of all four mentioned above, for scientific research purposes.

I'll likely go back to Patti's to try other gluten-free chocolate cupcake flavors: brownie, chocolate peanut butter and Boston cream cupcakes, to name a few.





Thursday, February 23, 2017

Godiva Dark Chocolate Almond bar; Endangered Species Chocolate Bark - Feb. 23, 2017

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Godiva Chocolatier, Inc.
Dark Chocolate Almond bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 3 blocks (22.5 g.) / 3.1 oz. (90 g.) in total bar
Calories: 115 calories in 3 blocks of bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

People often ask me if I eat the same chocolate twice. I've tried very hard not to; for example, I use spreadsheets to track and avoid duplicates.

Today's Dark Chocolate Almond bar from Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. (New York, NY) was marked as "New/Nouveau" on the packaging.

This bar had a dark chocolatey, almost earthy brownie flavor that was also smooth and appealing. It didn't taste overly sweet, and that was great as far as I was concerned.

However, it appeared the Dark Chocolate Almond bar from Godiva might be similar to the Godiva 72% cacao bar with almonds I had years earlier, perhaps a re-packaged version, or perhaps with different cacao sources too.

Occasionally chocolate is re-introduced as new with different packaging or a slight tweak in ingredients. So, to be on the safe side, I chose a second chocolate today (below).

Godiva has been producing chocolate since 1926. Any business that's been around that long earns my respect. One can imagine the changes the owners have experienced over the past 90+ years.

One last observation about this bar...

Reading labels is a hobby for me. I was interested to read on this Godiva bar packaging: "Partially produced by genetic engineering." This is one of the first times I've seen this.

I'm all for transparency, so I appreciated this heads up. Meanwhile, as I pondered this, our squirrel* chocolate thief, who loves chocolate with nuts, enjoyed a small piece of today's bar. It, apparently, could give a hoot about GMOs.


Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Bark with Almonds and Peanuts

Endangered Species Chocolate, LLC
Chocolate Bark - Dark Chocolate Almonds and Peanuts
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) / 4.7 oz. (133 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package (3-4 servings)
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

I've been featuring Endangered Species Chocolate bars for 10 years here on Chocolate Banquet. Each different bar has featured a new animal or bird that is under threat, and may need help. The picture of the chosen species is depicted on the packaging.

Today I'm trying the company's Chocolate Bark. This package of Almonds and Peanuts and Dark Chocolate featured endangered species (animal) was the Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi). So, I was indulging for a cause. A percent of the proceeds go toward helping wildlife and habitats that support them.

Each piece of today's bittersweet 60% cacao chocolate bark was filled with bits and chunks of almond and peanuts—the latter providing a peanut brittle flavor note (although without all the sugar). The result was a very tasty combination that wasn't overly sweet.

This dark bark was Non-GMO Project Verified, Certified Gluten Free, Vegan, and made with fair trade ingredients.


*Note: squirrels (agouti, rats, woodpeckers and other critters) eat cacao in the wild, and are not afflicted with the same intolerance of theobromine as other animals, such as dogs and cats, other living things and some people (who lack the ability to process this chemical stimulant found in chocolate). I like chocolate, but I don't advocate feeding large quantities of chocolate to anyone. 

As for the squirrel thieves, they've occasionally gotten into the house (when doors/windows were left open) and stolen chocolate, and they've broken into packages of chocolate left on my doorstep. At first I was annoyed, and worried it would kill the thieves; but the squirrels have suffered no ill effects. Their hardy constitution is perhaps one reason we don't see them on any Endangered Species chocolate wrappers.






Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Clif Bar - Dark Chocolate Almond Coconut bar - Feb. 22, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Clif Bar and Company
Dark Chocolate Almond Coconut bar
(Mojo Trail Mix bars)
Good
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.00 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

Today I enjoyed a Mojo Dark Chocolate Almond Coconut bar from Clif Bar and Company (Emeryville, CA).

This relatively "low glycemic*" bar was studded with organic dark chocolate pieces/chips, made with Non-GMO ingredients, and contained 8 grams of protein.

The Clif Bar Mojo Sweet and Salty Trail Mix Bar was part of an ever-expanding family of individually wrapped energy bars, snacks and beverages that includes Clif, Mojo, Kit, Luna, Nut Butter Filled and other bar brand variations. (Luna bars seem to cater more toward women. Kit Bars are designed by co-owneer Kit Crawford.)

*This bar contained 20 grams Carbohydrates, including fiber. Only 10 grams are considered sugars.

**The company was founded in 1992, and Gary Erickson named the company after his inspirational dad named Clif. The original Clif Bar was apparently created in the early 1990s, after a 175-mile bike ride. Yup, that would do it.





Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Neo Cocoa - Almond Chocolate Caramels - Feb. 21, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Neo Cocoa
Almond Chocolate Caramel
Good +
Weight: .8 oz.  (22.6 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 119 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $2.00 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: La Cocina table, Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

I picked up these two individually wrapped almond chocolate caramels from Neo Cocoa in San Francisco. They were being sold by the piece at the La Cocina* table at the Ferry Building.

These confections were sweet, rich and chewy with chocolate caramel flavor, and an almond in the center to create visual interest and textural crunch.

*La Cocina ("The Kitchen" in English) is a non-profit organization in San Francisco that supports food-related startups.










Monday, February 20, 2017

ChocoRite - Dark Chocolate Almond Bar - Feb. 20, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

HealthSmart Foods, Inc.
ChocoRite
Dark Chocolate Almond Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 5 oz. (141 g.) in package of 5 bars
Calories: 120 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $N/A - sample (for 1 package of 5 bars)
Purchased from: N/A - sample from vendor

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

Earlier this year, I featured a week of sugar-free chocolate offerings, and included some dark chocolate bars from ChocoRite.

Today's Dark Chocolate Almond Bars were similar, only they contained almond bits, that added a hint of mellow nut flavor.

These gluten free, maltitol-free, individually-wrapped bars were sweetened with Erythritol and Stevia. There are several reasons one might want to stay away from processed cane or beet sugar, including the desire to manage blood sugar levels.

These conveniently sized, single-serving bars also were only 120 calories each—about 20% less than the average 1 oz. chocolate bar that might be 150 calories or more.







Sunday, February 19, 2017

Tony's - Chocolate 51% Almond Sea Salt bar - Feb. 19, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tony's Chocolonely
Chocolate 51% Almond Sea Salt ? bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $8.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Alameda Natural Grocery, Alameda Marketplace, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

Today's Almond Sea Salt bar from Tony's Chocolonely (Amsterdam, The Netherlands*) was a large, thick bar—suitable to share with friends or at a family get-together.

This 51% cacao bar had a pleasant, smooth chocolate flavor with an occasional well-balanced sparkle of sea salt and crunchy bites from chunks of almond.

The Tony's Chocolonely bar was made with cocoa from West Africa that was fair trade and "slavery free." The founder's vision involves social change, reducing inequity and "making slavery free chocolate the norm." Worthwhile goal; and hats off to those trying to monitor labor practices at the farm level.

The bar was scored into different sized pieces—unequally divided, just like the real world. Got the message.

*The company also has a location in Portland, OR, USA.






Saturday, February 18, 2017

Skinnygirl - Chocolate Almond Dark Chocolate Truffles - Feb. 18, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Skinnygirl
Chocolate Almond Belgian Dark Chocolate Truffles
Good +
Weight: .6 oz. (17 g.) / Net Wt. 3.6 oz. (102 g.) in total package of 6 servings
Calories: 100 calories in 1 serving/packet
Cost: $3.49 for 1 package of 6 servings
Purchased from: Ross Stores, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

Skinnygirl* Chocolate Almond Belgian Dark Chocolate Truffles were indeed, as the name implied, made with Belgian chocolate (no source specified).

The package I bought contained six, individually-wrapped serving packets. And each individual packet held two small truffles with almond bits in a red plastic base/holder (100 calories for each two-piece serving).

These dark chocolates were rich and indulgent, and managed to taste both silken and solid. They contained cocoa butter, cream and organic coconut oil. Yes, the truffles contained satisfying fat, (but "no trans fat"), and that filled me up.

These Skinnygirl chocolates were not low calorie per se, but rather a great example of simple, elegantly designed portion control. Give someone a relatively small piece of concentrated, rich, dark chocolate, and they may not want/need another piece.

The truffles were also gluten free and contained no preservatives.

*These Skinnygirl candy offerings were distributed by Rivo USA Co Ltd, Van Nuys, CA


Friday, February 17, 2017

Two Moms in the Raw - Almond Butter Truffles - Feb. 17, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Two Moms in the Raw, Inc.
Cacao Almond - Almond Butter Truffles
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total package of 4 pieces
Calories: 140 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $3.19 for 1 package of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Redwood City, CA

Welcome to the opening day (Day #1) of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

Today I'm featuring Almond Butter Truffles from Two Moms in the Raw (Longmont, CO).

These Cacao Almond truffles, nestled in a small white tray, didn't leave me with the same sugar and chocolate buzz I get when I eat a solid, single origin bar. (And some of you will think this is great.)

Instead, these slightly chewy, coconut flavored, almost cake-like cacao "truffles" with tiny bits (I'm assuming these were almond bits) lacked the firmness, denseness and sweetness of many chocolates.

The sweet level (supplied by organic coconut syrup and date paste) in this bar was fine with me. However, if you're craving the dense cocoa butter fat that many chocolates contain, you might prefer a pure chocolate bar or other confection.

Today's Cacao Almond truffles were made with sprouted* ingredients, and were Certified Gluten Free, USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified.

*Two Moms founders believe that scientific research suggests that "sprouted ingredients may increase bioavailability." The suggestion here is that it may be easier for your body to absorb nutrients in this form.


Thursday, February 16, 2017

Raaka Virgin Chocolate - Ghost Pepper DR bar - Feb. 16, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Raaka
Ghost Pepper Dominican Republic bar
Good +
Weight: .9 oz. (25.47 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50.9 g.) in total bar
Calories: 129 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka (online order)

Welcome to the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Chili Theme Week.

Will we finish up with a bang (or a whimper)? How about with a whisper of Ghost Pepper (aka Bhut Jolokia), one of the hottest chilis around? The Ghost Pepper scores between 855,000 to 1,041,427 on the Scoville scale used to rate spiciness. (The Jalapeno pepper is rated at a "mere" 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units on this same scale.)

Today's attractively packaged Ghost Pepper dark (68% Cacao) chocolate bar from Raaka (Brooklyn, NY) was made with cacao from the Dominican Republic.

Raaka makes what they call virgin chocolate. What does that mean? The chocolate makers at Raaka make bean-to-bar chocolate with unroasted cacao. Why is that important? Well, roasting contributes to the flavor profile of finished chocolate; and the decision not to roast might make for a smoother or, some would say, less robust taste. I think different people will have different preferences here.

The word raaka means raw in Finnish. But, notice I didn't use the word "raw" in the previous paragraph. Of the many steps that go into making chocolate there are at least three (fermenting, roasting, conching, tempering) that involve heating chocolate to a point where temperatures may exceed the threshold (112-118 degrees F./42-45 degrees C.) for raw food adherents. I respect those who honor the spirit and benefits of raw/wild chocolate, but who are also honest about processing terms.

And, Raaka is conscientious about the way they source cacao and make chocolate. They also take their creative side seriously. They are committed to flavor that's less processed and "close to the bean." They almost always identify the country of origin, and sometimes the farm/plantation on the packaging for their bars (and farmers are paid an above market price for their cacao). Today's bar was gluten free (thank you), soy free, vegan and kosher.

Last, but not least, they're creative. E.g., their packaging and bar mold designs, scaled up, might adorn a prize-winning, modern building (exterior or interior).

So, let's get back to today's Ghost Pepper bar. How was it?

The fruity pepper aroma carried a note of warning. This will be hot and s-s-spicy an imaginary snake voice hissed. I've learned this week that the heat and flavor arc of various chilis can be quite different. Some have a slow start and finish with a nuclear blast; others have a mild richness throughout. I wondered what this would be like.

I could taste the almost delicate unroasted cacao, with hints of marshmallow and flowers, that is before the fire from the ghost pepper engulfed it. But, as hot as this chili could have been—the flames flickered throughout the tasting experience and lingered beyond the initial bite—it somehow managed not to be objectionable. This also speaks to the makers' ability to add just the right amount of chili. Hats off to the Raaka team.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Trader Joe's - Chili Lime, Chili Chocolate Collection - Feb. 15, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Chili Lime
Chili Chocolate Collection
Good++
Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) / 5.64 oz. (160 g.) total box of 16 pieces
Calories: 50 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $4.99 for 1 box of 16 pieces
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Chili Theme Week.

Today I'm featuring the last of four different chili-flavored chocolates from Trader Joe's Chili Chocolate Collection.* And the Chili Lime flavor may also have been my favorite.

This Chili Lime round was covered with dark chocolate and had a pleasant aroma with citrus fruit and caramel notes.


The product description read: "Dark chocolate with zesty lime oil play well with indulgent caramel flavored with hot chili."

True enough, although the heat was more pleasing and less searing than some other chili flavors in this assortment box. And I liked the authentic lime + chili + a hint of salt blend. There's nothing like a little zing to pep up an overcast, winter day.

Note: The chocolates in this collection contained glucose and likely a small trace of wheat.




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