Sunday, December 25, 2022

Trader Joe's - Mint Hot Cocoa Ornament + Maxine's Heavenly Chocolate Peppermint Cookies - Dec. 24, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Trader Joe's
Mint Flavored Hot Cocoa Ornaments
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) (estim.) for total ornament
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1/2 ornament + milk
Cost: $N/A - holiday gift (Thank you Trudi!)
Purchased from: N/A - holiday gift (Trader Joe's)

Maxine's Heavenly
Super Soft Chocolate Peppermint Cane Cane Cookies
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2.44 oz. (69 g.) / 7.2 oz. (284 g.) in total box/package
Calories: 300 calories in 3 cookies
Cost: $6.99 for 1 box/package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You CSA delivery box, added item

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

Today (Christmas Eve) was chocolate-filled this year. This is the second post (of two) for today features two chocolate items left out for Santa. 

The first item featured was a 70% Belize Bourbon Barrel Aged dark chocolate from Dick-Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA)--enjoyed by adults before Santa's arrival. 

Trader Joe's Mint Hot Cocoa Ornament

This pretty, shiny rose-hued ornament was submerged in pot of hot milk on the stove. After melting, the inside contents were revealed: tiny marshmallows inside the hollow center. 

The taste (when incorporated into the hot (whole) milk) was chocolate-y, creamy and satisfying with a subtle (just the right) touch of mint.

Extra points for attractive packaging and fun presentation/preparation steps--and the "magical" transformation from holiday ornament to hot chocolate treat.

(This was likely part of a larger packaged set. No packaging to refer to for ingredients.)

Maxine's Heavenly Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies

Maxine's Heavenly Cookies were gluten free, soft and slightly chewy. (A gluten-free oat blend (whole grain oats, oat flour) was the number one ingredient.)

Embedded chunks of dark chocolate and bits of candy cane gave these soft baked cookies layers of holiday flavor and well-integrated, satisfying texture(s).

These were left out on a plate for Santa, along with Maxine's Heavenly Super Soft Gingerbread Cookies (also gluten-free, but with no chocolate). 

Ingredients: Gluten Free Oat Blend (oats, oat flour, oat fiber); palm fruit oil (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Certified; Chocolate Chunks (organic cane sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter); white rice flour; organic coconut sugar; organic coconut nectar; dates; candy cane pieces (cane sugar, organic rice syrup, peppermint oil, colored with red cabbage, purple carrots); water; cocoa powder; organic gum acacia; flaxseed; sunflower lecithin; peppermint extract; sea salt; baking soda.

Allergen-related information: Contains: Tree Nuts (coconut).

Dick Taylor - 70% Belize Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Aged (bar) - Dec. 24, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Dick Taylor 
70% Belize Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Aged (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Airport store or Los Altos?

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

Today's 70% Belize Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Aged (bar) was created by Dick Taylor (Eureka, CA).

Aroma: heavenly. Rich, dark chocolate (single origin Belize) dark chocolate was enlivened with the aromatic spirit of a well-rounded Bourbon. Slightly fruity, and very slightly woody/woodsy notes were also part of this bouquet.

Flavor notes for this dark, smooth and creamy bar included: very appealing dark chocolate with well-balanced, diffuse fruit (sweet, dark ripe blackberry, plum, sweet citrus). Gently intoxicating Bourbon cask wafts lingered lightly in the finish.

This is one of my favorite bars this year, from one of my favorite chocolate makers. Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor (the creative duo that is Dick-Taylor Craft Chocolate) have been consistently turning out well-crafted, small-batch chocolate in Northern California for many years now. No small feat.

The only sad news: This 70% Belize Bourbon chocolate is a Limited Edition bar, that sells out quickly. So, these may be hard to find out of season.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, Bourbon Whiskey

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that also processes milk, tree nuts, wheat and peanuts. 

Shekoh Confections - Mezcal - Dec. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Mezcal
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: .39 oz. (11 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 61 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $4.50 for 1 piece (part of a 5 piece box for $22.25)
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's "Mezcal"* luxury chocolate confection was created by Shekoh Moossavi of Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

This attractive, pale yellow-green (artfully colored) dome-shaped dark chocolate had an aroma with balanced (not too sweet) chocolate and very faint/diffuse fruit notes.

Under the pretty color was a thin, dark (balanced bold, faint earth) chocolate couverture (shell) that surrounded a softer, sweeter ivory-hued white chocolate center. The ganache (filling) had subtle, fruit (citrus (faint lemon-lime) and pear) and very faint tequila flavor notes. 

The end result: a sophisticated, spirit-inspired chocolate.

Ingredients: (Made with Valrhona chocolate.) No full ingredient list came with individual pieces.

Allergen-related information: None listed for individual pieces.

*Mezcal is a distilled beverage made from agave (plants). Tequila is a type of mezcal.
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