Sorbabes - Coffee Almond Frozen Dessert - Sept. 30, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sorbabes Gourmet Sorbet
Coffee Almond Frozen Dessert with Espresso Bark
Good
Weight: 5 fl. oz. (147 mL) total container
Calories: 160 calories in 1 container
Cost: $0.50 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

Sorbet is not ice cream; but this offering was a frozen dessert, and it served as a transitional item into Today's Coffee Almond Sorbet with Espresso Bark and other natural flavors was from Sorbabes Gourmet Sorbet (Le Mars, IA).

This frozen dessert was rich, sweet and refreshing, and was made with no soy or gluten; and it was labeled Non-GMO.

So Delicious - Cashew "Milk" Double Chocolate Delight non-dairy frozen dessert (bars) - Sept. 29, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

So Delicious Dairy Free
Cashew "Milk" Double Chocolate Delight non-dairy frozen dessert
Good
Weight: 2.3 fl. oz. (68 mL) / 9.2 fl. oz. (272 mL) in total box/package of 4 bars
Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 box/package of 4 bars
Purchased from: Sprout's Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

While not "ice cream," today's Cashew "Milk" Non-Dairy Double Chocolate Delight frozen dessert (bars) from So Delicious Dairy Free (Eugene, OR) had much of the same creamy texture of a conventional ice cream bar.

These frozen bars had a rich, chocolate coating and had a slight processed nut flavor.

*The company has been dedicated to making dairy-free offerings for 30 years. They also offer coconut, almond and soy "milk" products.

Ben and Jerry's - Vanilla Peanut Butter Cup Pint Slices - Sept. 28, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (Unilever)
Vanilla Peanut Butter Cup Pint Slices
Good
Weight: 2.86 oz. (81 g.) / 9 fl. oz. (266 mL) in total package of 3
Calories: 300 calories in 1 "slice"
Cost: $ missing information 
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

Today's Vanilla* Peanut Butter Cup Pint Slices from Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (Burlington, VT) were comprised of vanilla ice cream and peanut butter cup pieces, and covered in a Dark Chocolatey Coating.

These individually-wrapped Pint Slices contained a pleasant vanilla ice cream, and fleeting glimpses and bites of peanut butter cups.

*The vanilla in these slices came from Fairtrade Certified farms in Uganda.

Ben and Jerry's - Coffee, Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz Pint Slices - Sept. 27, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (Unilever)
Coffee, Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz Pint Slices
Good
Weight: 2.86 oz. (81 g.) / 9 fl. oz. (266 mL) in total package of 3
Calories: 280 calories in 1 "slice"
Cost: $ missing information 
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

Today's Coffee, Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz Pint Slices from Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (Burlington, VT) were comprised of coffee ice cream and "Espresso Bean Fudge Chunks, covered in a Dark Chocolatey Coating with Cocoa Nibs."

Famous for their pints of ice cream with the famous black and white cow* (and favored by late afternoon and evening snackers), the company's individually-wrapped Pint Slices were the love children of a chocolate-coated ice cream bar and a hand-held ice cream sandwich.

The packaging and concept were laudatory and the flavor combination sounded very appealing. The overall product was OK, but somehow the flavors didn't quite match the potential conjured up in my mind. Maybe this slice was not meant as a breakfast food.**

* The iconic Ben and Jerry's cow was designed by Woody Jackson in 1979.
**I sample chocolates first thing in the morning.

Gusto Bello Cafe - Triple Chocolate Gelato - Sept. 26, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Gusto Bello Cafe
Triple Chocolate Gelato
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (67 g.) / 30 fl. oz. (1 Pint 14 fl. oz. (900 mL) in one container
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

Today's frozen treat was a bowl of Triple Chocolate Gelato from Gusto Bello Cafe (distributed by Topco Associates LLC, Elk Grove Village, IL).

This gelato was creamy smooth and chocolatey, and lighter (less dense, more fluffy) than ice cream. At only 140 calories per 1/2 cup it also contained far fewer calories than most ice creams.

Gelato Fiasco - Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Gelato - Sept. 25, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Gelato Fiasco
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Gelato
Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup (50 g.) / 1 Pint container
Calories: 160 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $2.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup ice cream from Gelato Fiasco (Brunswick, ME) was constructed with chopped peanut butter cups, and a swirl of peanut butter in chocolate gelato.

Gelato Fiasco founders, Josh and Bruno, set out to create a better, Italian-inspired gelato in the U.S., and they've succeeded.

My only quibble, I wish I could find more ice creams and gelatos without emulsifiers or vegetable gums; but they are very hard to find.

Enlightened - Triple Chocolate Ice Cream - Sept. 24, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Beyond Better Foods, Inc.

Triple Chocolate Ice cream

Good

Weight: 1/4 cup (36.5 g.) / 1 Pint oz. (473 mL) in total container

Calories: 45 calories in 1/4 cup serving

Cost: $2.99 for 1 container of ice cream

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

This Enlightened higher protein, lower sugar, Triple Chocolate ice cream (Better Beyond Foods, Inc., Bronx, NY) was threaded with dark chocolate sauce. It was both light and full of rich chocolate flavor. And not too sweet. 

I'm not sure how this would fare in a side-by-side tasting with a full-fat ice cream (hard to beat the mouthfeel of real dairy milk and cream); but it's also hard to beat a frozen dessert with only 45 calories for 1/4 cup serving.

Enlightened - Frozen Hot Cocoa Ice Cream - Sept. 23, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Produced for Beyond Better Foods, Inc.
Enlightened - Frozen Hot Cocoa Ice cream
Weight: 1/2 cup (73 g.) / 1 Pint (473 g.) in total container
Calories: 90 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $2.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

Today's Enlightened Frozen Hot Cocoa ice cream was produced for Beyond Better Foods, Inc. (Bronx, NY).

What made it different? It was lower in calories and carbs (lower sugar) and higher in protein than most other popular frozen dessert treats.

In keeping with the hot cocoa concept, this relatively light and naturally sweet-tasting, chocolate ice cream was larded (sugared?) with a bit of white marshmallow ripple.

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - Magnum Milk Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream - Sept. 22, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unilever
Magnum Milk Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/3 cup (55 g.) / 14.8 fl. oz. (440 mL) in total container
Calories: 185 calories in 1/3 cup
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway (missing location information)

Welcome to Day #12 of Celebrating 12-Years of Chocolate Series, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

Today's Magnum Milk Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream was from Unilever (Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

The unique feature about this relatively new offering was: "Squeeze to Crack" packaging—a hybrid of a large, chocolate-coated ice cream bar and a container of ice cream.

When you squeeze the plastic container, the chocolate "lining" or coating breaks with a crunch. Then you can enjoy bites of hazelnut ice cream mixed with milk chocolate shards. Fun concept.

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - Magnum Double Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream bars - Sept. 21, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unilever
Magnum Double Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream bars
Good
Weight: 3.04 oz. (90 g.) / 9.12 oz. (270 mL) in total package of 3 bars
Calories: 280 calories in 1 ice cream bar
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 package of 3 ice cream bars
Purchased from: Safeway (missing location information)

Welcome to Day #11 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week.

Continuing the chocolate and hazelnut ice cream thread started with yesterday's Turkish Choco Hazelnut ice cream, and in response to a last blast of hot summer weather, today's chocolate came fresh from the freezer: Magnum Double Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream bars from Unilever (Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

Each ice cream bar was composed of chocolate hazelnut ice cream dipped in a "chocolatey coating," hazelnut sauce and milk chocolate.

Constructed with satisfying layers of cool, rich sweetness, ice cream and chocolate, the hazelnut flavor in this bar was very subtle.

*"Magnum cocoa comes from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms." This bar was "made with Belgian chocolate."

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - Marash Turkish Ice Cream - Choco Hazelnut - Sept. 20, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Marash Ice Cream
Choco Hazelnut - Turkish Ice Cream
Good+ - Good ++
Weight: 4 oz. (96 g.) / 8 fl. oz. (236 mL) in total container
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 container
Cost: $5.45 for 1 container
Purchased from: Tuts Bakery and Cafe, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series.

I began this month's 12-year celebration line-up with chocolate and hazelnut offerings, and am ending this baker's dozen series with three more, starting with today's ice cream.

Today's Choco Hazelnut (Turkish Ice Cream) from Marash Ice Cream (Santa Ana, CA) had a creamy texture, and natural tasting roasted hazelnut chocolate flavor more commonly found in Europe than in the U.S.

The Turkish-style ice cream was made with sahlep (a substance made from a starchy orchid tuber). I was told this ice cream contained mastic (tree sap), which is found in some Turkish ice creams. But, if this was so, it did not appear on the ingredients list. (This ice cream did contain vegetable gums (locust bean, guar) and carrageenan.)

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate Series - Chocolate Banquet - Sept. 19, 2018

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Seattle Chocolate Company
San Juan Sea Salt Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar
Good+
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Wild Sweets Chocolate Factory
Black Onyx Truffles
European Black Cream Truffles
Good
Weight: unknown
Calories: 130 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Greetings and Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series. Seattle, WA and Portland, OR, are both high chocolate IQ cities.

Today was a true Chocolate Banquet day, with a spread of different birthday chocolates from these two Pacific Northwest hot spots (thank you all). Chocolate is always sweeter when shared with others.

The first course was a San Juan Sea Salt Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar with crunchy coffee from Seattle Chocolate Company (Seattle, WA). (Thank you Michelle and Hali!)

The second course involved two dark chocolate creams from Wild Sweets Chocolate Factory (Portland, OR): a Dark Chocolate truffle and a Black Onyx Dark Chocolate bittersweet truffle. Both filled chocolates had smooth, creamy dark chocolate ganache fillings and dark chocolate shells. (Thank you Kaitlin!)

Other chocolates included a 72% Bacon Caramel bar (made with cacao grown in Ecuador) from Xocolatl de David (Portland, OR), and a Salt dark chocolate bar from Woodblock Chocolate (Portland, OR)—made with cacao from Peru and Ecuador.

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - Seattle Chocolate Company - Champagne Dark Chocolate Truffle bars - Sept. 18, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Seattle Chocolate Company
"Here's Looking at You" Sparkling Mimosa Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar
Good
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 38 calories (estimate) in 1 bite
Cost: $3.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Pebble Beach Market, Pebble Beach, CA

Seattle Chocolate Company
Here's to You Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar with Popping Champagne
Good
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 36 calories (estimate) in 1 bite
Cost: $3.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Pebble Beach Market, Pebble Beach, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series.

Nothing like a little champagne if you're celebrating an important occasion. Even if the bubbly comes in the form of chocolate embedded with popping candy.

Today's similarly wrapped and designed fizzy, celebratory dark chocolate truffle bars were from Seattle Chocolate Company (Seattle, WA). Cheers.

The "Here's Looking at You" Sparkling Mimosa Dark Chocolate bar had a natural orange aroma and a sweet chocolate flavor, interspersed with tiny bursts of very slight candy fizz.

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - Living Raw - Hippie Hemp Truffles - Sept. 17, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Living Raw
Hippie Hemp Truffles
Good
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total package of 3 truffles
Calories: 180 calories in 1 package of 3 truffles
Cost: $5.59 for 1 package of 3 truffles
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series.

Today's single serving size trio of Hippie Hemp Truffles were from Living Raw (Franklin, TN).

These round truffles had a thick, natural chocolate fudge texture, melt and flavor with a slightly nutty taste and texture (from the hemp seeds they were rolled in).

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - Kakawa Chocolate House - Chocolate - Sept. 16, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Kakawa Chocolate House
Aztec Warrior (Unsweetened)
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) (estimate) in total package
Calories: unknown (estimate: between 150–170 calories per serving)
Cost: $ N/A - gift (Thank you Anne!)
Purchased from: N/A gift

Welcome to Day #6 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series

Today's Aztec Warrior chocolate granules were created by Kakawa Chocolate House (Santa Fe, NM). The company specializes in authentic, historic drinking chocolate (elixirs).

The Aztec Warrior dairy-free chocolate blend included: "unsweetened chocolate (cacao solids, cacao butter), organic herbs, flowers, organic nuts, organic spices, chile and vanilla." It had a moderately bitter flavor with subtle star anise flavor note and low chile heat.

After adding hot water, I tried frothing this beverage with a hand-powered molinillo (modified wood chopstick rotated or rolled back and forth between two hands (palms)). My improvised tool wasn't really up to the job, but it was fun to indulge in a bit of imaginary time travel** and re-experience some traditional drinking chocolate and chocolate-making techniques and tools.

If you're not feeling your inner warrior and want something more friendly, you might also experiment by adding to this blend corn masa, ground roasted (unsalted) almonds and orange (peel), vanilla and cinnamon, to slightly warm and de-acidify the unsweetened base flavor of this blend. You could also add honey or sugar and milk, but I preferred experimenting with these other inclusions first.

Thank you again to Anne for bringing this blend back from Santa Fe, NM.

*Kakawa was an ancient name for cacao.
** Chocolate beverage making dates back more than 4,000 years in Mesoamerica/South America.

Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate - Chocolate Hazelnut Trail Truffles - Sept. 15, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trail Truffles
Chocolate Hazelnut
Good
Weight: 1.26 oz. (36 g.) / 5.1 oz. (144 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories in 3 truffles
Cost: $6.59 for 1 package
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA


Welcome to Day #5 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series.

Today's Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles were from Trail Truffles (Draper, UT).

Like most other items that contain dates, these truffles have a moist, naturally slightly acidic fruit sweetness and cohesiveness. However, the hazelnut and chocolate did participate in this blend of  flavors. And their texture was great for a hike outside.

The Trail Truffles were taken up to a park in the hills to enjoy a great view of San Francisco Bay. They had a bit of oily sheen to them.; but they did not melt or fall apart.

I found this added extra virgin coconut oil* very helpful as an active person. (And the founders at Trail Truffles are active trail users from what I read.) A little fat is great for breakfast before a walk or hike—to stave off hunger before lunch.

Ingredients: dates, hazelnuts, organic cacao powder, organic coconut nectar (syrup evaporated), organic extra virgin coconut oil, sea salt

Jade Chocolates - 7-piece Assortment - Sept. 14, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Jade Chocolates
Assortment box
1.) Masala Chai - Good ++
2.) Bittersweet with Ajwain (think caraway) Seeds - Good
3.) Coconut Honey Meltaway (dairy free) - Good
4.) Olive Oil Cardamom - Good
5.) Lychee Rose Green Tea - Good
6.) Curry Caramel - Good + - Good ++
7.) Ginger Tumeric (sic) Meltaway - Good ++

Weight: 2.7 oz. (76 g.) (estimate) in 7 pieces
Calories: 405 calories (estimate) in 7 pieces
Cost: $21.95 for 1 package of 7 pieces
Purchased from: Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series.

I wanted to enjoy a variety of chocolates this week to celebrate eating a different chocolate every day for 12+ years (4,414 days). And this beautiful 7-piece assortment from Jade Chocolates (San Francisco, CA) with creamy centers and exotic flavors was just the ticket.

Jade Chocolates is a small batch chocolatier specializing in chocolates (blended with
teas, spices and tropical fruits) with Asian and Pacific Islands origin stories.

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - O Organics Chocolate French Truffles - Sept. 13, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

O Organics
Organic Chocolate French Truffles
Good ++
Weight: 1.13 oz. (32 g.) / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) in total box
Calories: 200 calories in 4 pieces
Cost: $3.99 for 1 box
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series.

Many chocolate confections are called truffles; but there's nothing like well-made, traditional truffles (called so because of their resemblance to the treasured, roundish, fungus by the same name)—made from a short list of high-quality ingredients (chocolate, butter, cream, cocoa powder).

Today's O Organics* Chocolate French Truffles were relatively close to this concept in appearance, taste and texture. They were made with chocolate and dusted with cocoa powder. However, coconut oil and cocoa butter were used instead of butter and cream; and soy lecithin was part of the mix.**

These truffles had a cocoa aroma and were soft, creamy and chocolatey. They had a very pleasing mouth-feel and melt that was almost velvety.

*O Organics is an Albertsons/Safeway brand
** Ingredients: organic cocoa mass, organic coconut oil, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic cocoa powder, soy lecithin (emulsifier).

Celebrating 12 Yrs. of Chocolate - Better Bites Bakery - Mostess Mini-Cupcakes - Sept. 12, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Better Bites Bakery
Mostess Mini-Cupcakes
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total container of 6
Calories: 220 calories in 2 cupcakes
Cost: $11.99 for 1 container of 6 cupcakes
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate Series.

Today's container of 6 Mostess "chocolate mini-cupcakes with coconut cream filling dipped in a chocolate ganache" were from Better Bites Bakery (Austin, TX). This refrigerated, allergen-free* mini-cupcake resembled an upscale version of a popular chocolate cream-filled cupcake with white icing.

Smaller-sized desserts like this sweet chocolate morsel are convenient, allowing one to sample three different miniature treats if desired, instead of one larger item.

*Founder, Leah Lopez developed a line of gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free baked goods based on the needs of her son, Gabriel. These small cupcakes were also free of other 4 other common allergens (peanuts, soy, shellfish, fish).

Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate - Hazelnut bonbons - Sept. 11, 2018

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Timothy Adams Chocolate
1.) Hazelnut Praline bonbon - Good - Good +
2..) Dairy Free bonbon (made with hazelnut milk) - Good
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) (estimate) in two bonbons
Calories: 117 calories (estimate) in two bonbons
Cost: $5.50 for two chocolate bonbons
Purchased from: Timothy Adams Chocolate, Palo Alto, CA

Oh, happy day. Welcome to a Special Celebration Chocolate Series, featuring a baker's dozen of bonbons, truffles, confections, baked goods, and ice creams over the next 12 days (with a heavy hint of hazelnuts).

What's the occasion? We're celebrating 12 years of chocolate, beginning today with two glossy, hazelnut bonbons made by the creative duo behind the Timothy Adams Chocolates shop in (Palo Alto, CA).

Visit this well-designed chocolate store (accented with hot pink and bright turquoise blue) and your mood will be lifted. The staff are friendly and helpful. The chocolates and beverages are well-made and will satisfy a sweet tooth.

The Hazelnut Praline had a sweet, dark chocolate (72% outer shell) aroma with hazelnut notes. It was topped with a small dollop of hazelnut praline, and had a tasty, creamy 58% middle.

The sweet Dairy Free chocolate also had a 72% dark chocolate shell (couverture) and a 58% ganache. Made with hazelnut milk, this alternative milk chocolate was a more convincing dairy free chocolate than most. It had a milk chocolate aroma, and a dairy-like creaminess to it. The uniform sweetness overshadowed chocolate and hazelnut flavor nuances; however, this Dairy Free bonbon offered a great milk chocolate alternative.

Celebrating 12 Years of Chocolate
Twelve years ago, on September 11, 2006, yours truly committed to eating a different chocolate every day for a year. The adventure began with a cup of Haagen Dazs chocolate ice cream in Amsterdam, Netherlands; and this was the beginning of Chocolate Banquet.

Did I know I'd still be eating a different daily chocolate 12 years later? No. I wouldn't have thought that possible.

Many things have happened in the chocolate world since 2006, even in my home town of Palo Alto. Timothy Adams Chocolates shop was once occupied by Monique's Chocolates. And down the street, a lovely place called The Chocolate Garage closed its doors to the public just a few weeks ago, after several years of supplying excellent craft chocolates to an appreciative following.

Perhaps the biggest trend over the past dozen years: the growth in the number of new artisan and bean-to-bar chocolate makers. (Long may they thrive. Like many passion-driven craft industries, profits can be hard-earned.) And customers have learned to appreciate higher-quality chocolates, now that they are more available.

How long will I continue to eat a different daily chocolate? If you believe one has to do something 10,000 times to be an expert, I'll need to eat a new daily chocolate for another 15.4 years.

We'll see. There are many other tempting personal research projects to pursue.

Hu Kitchen - Hazelnut Butter Dark Chocolate bar - Sept. 10, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hu Kitchen / Hu Chocolate
Hazelnut Butter Dark Chocolate bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA


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

Today's Hazelnut Butter Dark Chocolate bar was from Hu Kitchen (New York, NY).

Hu Kitchen is a paleo-oriented restaurant in New York City. The founders and their team also make and sell their own chocolate bars and coffee.

This filled dark bar had a smooth, fairly creamy texture and melt. And the paleo vegan chocolate (made with organic house-ground cacao) had aroma and flavor notes of true dark chocolate, roasted hazelnuts, and very faint roasted coffee.

Tony's Chocolonely - Milk Chocolate Hazelnut 32% bar - Sept. 9, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tony's Chocolonely

Milk Chocolate Hazelnut 32% bar 

Good ++

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1/6 bar

Cost: $4.89 for 1 bar

Purchased from: New Leaf Market, Half Moon Bay, CA

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

Today's generously-sized, Milk Chocolate Hazelnut 32% bar was distributed by Tony's Chocolonely Inc. (Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Portland, OR).

The company's mission is to make slave-free chocolate the norm.* This is a big, worthy goal. I can't speak to the results they might be achieving. (They've sold more than 28 million bars and helped raise money and awareness. And they talk more about results on their website.) However, I did sample their chocolate and enjoyed it.

The bar had a warm milk chocolate and hazelnut aroma and flavor. Bits of hazelnut added light crunchy texture to the smooth chocolate, that had uniformly pleasing taste from start to finish. (European chocolate companies know how to produce great chocolate and hazelnut offerings.)

*Journalist, Teun van de Keuken, after finding out that child slavery still existed on cocoa farms, publicly declared himself a chocolate criminal, and decided to continue doing more research, which eventually led to the founding of Tony's Chocolonely and the selling of slave-free chocolate.

Primal Kitchen - Chocolate Hazelnut bar - Sept. 8, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Primal Kitchen 

Chocolate Hazelnut Bar with Grass-Fed Collagen

Good - Good +

Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar

Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $3.79 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Chocolate Hazelnut Bar with Grass-Fed Collagen was created by Primal Kitchen (Oxnard, CA), and is part of the company's line of Collagen Nut and Seed bars developed by founder Mark Sisson.

In this refreshingly un-sugared* (thank you!) bar, unsweetened chocolate and organic fair-trade cacao powder were paired with a generous helping of pumpkin seeds, toasted hazelnuts and almonds, along with the aforementioned grass-fed collagen.

Why collagen? Collagen is an important protein in our body. It seems our ability to produce collagen diminishes with age; and there is evidence that ingesting collagen may help skin, hair and nails. (I can remember people drinking gelatin many years ago, hoping to achieve similar results.) Today's chocolate hazelnut nutrition bar seems like a tastier way to get your collagen.

*This Chocolate Hazelnut bar contained 3 grams of sugars (honey was #7 on the ingredient list); and total carbohydrate count was 13 grams (includes Cassava Root fiber).

Trader Joe's - Nothing but Fruit and Nuts: Date - Hazelnut - Cacao - Sept. 7, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Nothing but Fruit and Nuts - Date - Hazelnut - Cacao
Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 7.04 oz. (200 g.) in package
Calories: 80 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package of 8 pieces
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's package of individually-wrapped "Nothing but Fruit and Nuts: Hazelnut - Date - Cacao" pieces were from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA).

Dates tend to impart a distinctive fruity sweetness and moist, dense texture. The cacao and hazelnuts took a back seat to the dates.

These flavorful snack rounds were "nothing but" three ingredients: dates (date paste), hazelnuts and cacao. Refreshing (and unusual for packaged foods).