Theo Chocolate - Coconut Salted Almond - Coconut Bites - Feb. 3, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Theo Chocolate
Coconut Salted Almond - coconut bites
Good
Weight: 1.3 oz. (36 g.) in total package
Calories: 200 calories in 1 package of 2 pieces
Cost: $1.66 for 1 package (3 for $5.00)
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

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

Coconut, almond and chocolate blends have been staples in the chocolate candy bar world for decades. We grew up with Almond Joy* candy bars.

Today's Coconut Salted Almond Coconut Bites from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) might be considered an updated, dark chocolate version of that bar.

Made with organic and fair trade** ingredients, this palm free and soy free, 2-piece bar had a slightly chewy, sweet (Non-GMO corn syrup, cane sugar) shredded coconut filling, but the dark chocolate and almond bits (and a faint hint of salt) helped balance the sweetness.

*The Almond Joy candy bar, packaged as two pieces had a coconut filling, topped with almonds and covered by milk chocolate. This bar was introduced after World War II (after ingredient shortages abated) by the Peter Paul Manufacturing Co., which later become part of Schweppes-Cadbury. And, skipping over some history here, the Almond Joy brand eventually became part of The Hershey Company. 

**Contained 57% Fair Trade Ingredients

Natures Warehouse - Nutwit bar - Feb. 2, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Natures Warehouse
Nutwit bar
Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 270 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.69 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Chocolate pairs well with all kinds of nuts and nut-like legumes (such as peanuts). Today's

Nutwit organic and gluten free chocolate candy bar was from Natures Warehouse. And it was full of peanuts. The relatively thick, sweet milk chocolate shell, adorned with a sunburst pattern on one side, was filled with flowing caramel, peanuts and peanut butter nougat.

This bar was  bit sweet too sweet for some of our tasters, but it did have a much simpler and presumably better** ingredient list than many candy bars.

**Gluten free and organic are "better" here at Chocolate Banquet--as are shorter ingredient lists with fewer artificial and processed ingredients.