Friday, June 22, 2018

TCHO bites - Almond + Sea Salt discs - June 22, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

TCHO 
TCHO Bites - Almond + Sea Salt discs
Good ++
Weight: 1.02 oz. (29 g.) / 5 oz. (140 g.) in total package
Calories: 180 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 
Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate, Cherry and Berries Theme Week.

Today's small discs of dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt from TCHO Ventures, Inc. (Berkeley, CA) were made of 64% cacao and Fair Trade Certified ingredients. 

These discs were well-suited for experimenting with pairings with cherry and berry items. 
The first pairing was with a Kirschwasser (cherry brandy). The alcohol and cherry flavor seemed a bit too much, and altered and "flattened" the dark chocolate flavor, giving it a slightly artificial taste.

The second pairing item was a Chloe's frozen raspberry pop (raspberries, cane sugar and water). Also, not a great pairing, although both were good on their own. The temperature difference did not help.

The last pairing was with fresh blueberries (not pictured). This worked the best of the three, but the dark berry flavor made this chocolate taste like milk chocolate (quite sweet) in comparison. 

These discs are fine all by themselves. However, despite the lack of success today, they do seem well-suited to pairings, and experiments will continue with the rest of this package. 


California Sungold Pistachios - Chocolate Cherries - June 21, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

California Sungold Pistachios
Chocolate Cherries
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total package
Calories: 190 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 bag/package
Purchased from: CVS/pharmacy, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Cherry and Berries Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Cherries were from California Sungold Pistachios (Oakhurst, CA).

Under the glossy, cherry-colored shell of these confections, white chocolate and milk chocolate surrounded a dried cherry center that maintained some natural cherry flavor and dried cherry texture.








Hudsonville Creamery - Chocolate Cocoa Bean Ice Cream + cherry - June 20, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hudsonville Creamery and Ice Cream Company 
Naturals - Chocolate Cocoa Bean Ice Cream 
Good
Weight: 1/4 cup (32 g.) / 32 oz. (946 mL) in total container
Calories: 65 calories (per label) in 1/4 cup
Cost: $3.99 (estimate) for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA
Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today we cooled down with some cherry-related items combined with a scoop of Chocolate Cocoa Bean Ice Cream from Hudsonville Creamery and Ice Cream Company (Holland, MI).

The Chocolate Cocoa Bean Ice Cream was part of the company's Naturals line, and was made with a list of 7 ingredients* and included cocoa that had been more minimally processed. (Much of the bulk cocoa powder people buy has been treated (alkalinized) to reduce the natural acidic content of cocoa. This apparently was not.) The chocolate flavor was still smooth.

Perhaps the favorite, chilled cherry and chocolate ice cream combination of the day was a small scoop of Cocoa Bean Ice Cream with rum-soaked cherries. This dish disappeared too quickly to be photographed.

Ingredients: Milk, cane sugar, cream, organic natural cocoa, skim milk, carob bean gum, vanilla 






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