Cocoa Parlor - Crushed Velvet 41 - Cacao Nibs (bar) - Nov. 17, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cocoa Parlor
Crushed Velvet 41 - Cacao Nibs (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) of bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Nibs Theme Week.

Today's Crushed Velvet 41 (bar) was produced by Cocoa Parlor (Laguna Niguel, CA), a company focused on providing premium organic chocolate.

This bar had a subtle dark milk* chocolate aroma and sweet, smooth milk* chocolate flavor; and it was studded with small bits of crunchy cocoa bean (nibs).

The company ethically sources cacao from the Dominican Republic.

This chocolate bar was certified organic; vegan; gluten free; and soy free.

*There was no milk in this plant-based (rice) "milk" chocolate bar. Ingredients: Organic, unrefined raw cane sugar, Premium organic cacao butter, Organic rice powder, Organic cacao mass, Organic cacao nibs. 

Eclipse Chocolate - Flourless Brownie, Sea Salt Nib bar; Erthe - Raw Cacao Energy Truffle

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Eclipse Chocolate
Flourless Brownie topped with Cacao Nibs
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $4.00 for 1 brownie
Purchased from: Eclipse Chocolate, San Diego, CA


Eclipse Chocolate
Sea Salt Nib (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Warwick's, La Jolla, CA

Erthe Foods
Energy Truffle - Raw Cacao
Good +++
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown 
Cost: $3.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Erthe Foods, Little Italy Mercado Farmers' Market, San Diego, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Nibs Theme Week.

Hello San Diego, California! A recent visit to this fair city yielded several chocolate items with cacao nibs, including the trio of chocolates featured in today's post.

Eclipse Chocolate
Eclipse Chocolate, located in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego, is a cafe/bar/bistro, event and tasting space and chocolate factory—all in one.

Inside, a display case revealed an attractive flourless brownie topped with a generous dollop of cacao nibs. This baked brownie was delicious and packed with chocolate flavor and topped with delicious, nutty nibs.

Also sampled on this trip: a small-sized Eclipse Chocolate Cocoa Nib Sea Salt bar. The chocolate, embedded with candied nibs, was smooth, well-balanced and well-executed and had a faint floral note from lavender-infused sea salt.

Erthe Organic Cafe - Raw Cacao Energy Truffle
Last but not least, was a quick run through the (Saturday) Little Italy Mercado Farmers' Market, where we found a Raw Cacao Energy Truffle from Erthe Foods (San Diego)—a local cafe specializing in organic and plant-based offerings, including beverages, bars and energy truffles.

The company's Raw Cacao Energy Truffle was generously-sized and covered in relatively mellow, nutty, raw cacao nibs. The truffle had a satisfying soft (almost brownie-like) texture and authentic chocolate flavor without being too sweet (thank you!).