The Organic House - Clementine 70% Cacao Thailand Chanthaburi (bar) - Dec. 31, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Clementine 70% Cacao Thailand Chanthaburi (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 30 g. of bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cacao, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Thailand Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & Citrus Theme Week.

Today's Clementine 70% Cacao Thailand Chanthaburi (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada).

Aroma notes included: smooth dark chocolate, sweet citrus (orange, sweet, ripe tangerine), and brown sugar.

Texture: smooth textured chocolate with a smooth and creamy melt. The citrus fruit (clementine) was fully incorporated into the chocolate.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate, multi-dimensional sweetness (brown sugar/coconut flower nectar, subtle citrus fruit candy and the diffuse, faint tropical fruit notes from the Chanthaburi cacao). This bar had all the sweetness of citrus fruit without strong sour or bitter notes. 

I enjoyed the flavorful, balanced, complexity in this chocolate and the warmth of it on a winter day (the upbeat citrus, the unprocessed ("brown") sugar, and just a hint of toast in there with the cacao and fruit.

Maker's tasting notes: "Smooth chocolate with a light sweet orange finish, accompanied with notes of tropical fruits and toasted brown sugar." 

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, Organic coconut flower nectar, Organic cacao butter, Organic clementine."

Allergen-related information: "May Contain: Almonds, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios."

 

Fjak Chocolate - Thai Chilli (bar) - Dec. 30, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fjak Chocolate
Thai Chilli 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / ~2.11 oz. (~60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 175.2 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's "Thai Chilli 70% Dark Chocolate" (bar) was from Fjak Chocolate AS (Eidfjord, in the scenic Hardangerfjord area of Norway). This dark bar was made from bean-to-bar in Norway, using cacao beans from Chanthaburi, Thailand.

Aroma notes for this bar--from Fjak's Limited Edition "World Flavours" series--included: dark chocolate and savory vegetable (spicy chili pepper).

Texture: The well-tempered bar broke with a snap (in a cool room); and it had a smooth dark chocolate texture, melt and mouthfeel. (The chili was fully incorporated into the chocolate.)

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate with very faint fruit and spicy hot chili suffused--evenly (thank you)--across the bar. Flavors lingered into the attractive finish.

I enjoyed the short list of thoughtfully sourced organic ingredients as well as the authentic chili flavor nuances and its consistent distribution throughout the chocolate (no pockets of surprise heat). One of my favorite chili chocolate bars in years. Perfectly balanced chili and chocolate flavors. (In the Goldilocks zone. "Not too this. Not too that. Just right.")

Maker's description: "...By lacing...Thailand cocoa beans...with the aromatic heat of Thailand's most emblematic flavour of Bird Eye chilli, we find ourselves somewhere between the colourful street food markets of Bangkok and the lush green cocoa plantations of south east Thailand. Boom!"

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Chilli*, Min. 70% cocoa. (* Organic NO-OKO-01)

Allergen-related information: "Vegan, dairy and gluten free"

Rhyme & Reason Chocolate Co. - 72% Dark Chocolate Chanthaburi, Thailand (bar) - Dec. 29, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Rhyme & Reason Chocolate Co.
72% Dark Chocolate Chanthaburi, Thailand (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Thailand Theme Week. 

Today's 72% Dark Chocolate Chanthaburi, Thailand (bar) was from Rhyme & Reason Chocolate Co. (Greensboro, NC). 

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate-y, dark chocolate with lots of fruit (ripe, tart-sweet cherry, mango, cacao pulp, faint pineapple); very faint botanical/green/vegetable (potato); and barely there toasted bread.

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap (in a cold room). It was an integrated blend of smooth and slightly stoneground cacao/dark chocolate, that resolved into a smooth melt in the end. (Note: As is often the case in winter, this chocolate was much smoother and more velvety in a warm room.)

I enjoyed the fruity notes and deep, dark chocolate brownie flavors in this 72% cacao bar, and the way all these flavors were allowed to shine from just two ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Organic Sugar 

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility which also handles milk, peanuts, and tree nuts"

 

The Organic House - Thailand 70% Cacao Chanthaburi (bar) - Dec. 28, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Thailand 70% Cacao Chanthaburi (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 198 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cacao, online order

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

Today's Thailand 70% Cacao Chanthaburi (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada).

The cacao came from Thai-inter cacao, a women-owned and operated family farm in Chanthaburi in eastern Thailand, near the Cambodian border.

Aroma notes included: relatively smooth, dark chocolate with warm, authentic brown/maple sugar.

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a snap, and it had a smooth, almost creamy texture and melt.

Flavor notes included: refreshingly tasty, very faintly roast-y, dark chocolate and subtle tropical fruit (mango, cacao pulp, sweet pineapple) sweetened with brown/coconut flower nectar sugar. Nice finish with a little warm spice that lingered with the cacao, fruit and brown sugar notes. This bar was high in flavor, and relatively low in bitterness.

(Sadly, this bar was sold out when I checked The Organic House site today.)

Maker's tasting notes: "Tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, passion fruit) and toasted brown sugar" 

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, Organic coconut flower nectar, Organic cacao butter

Allergen-related information: "May Contain: Almonds, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios"

Rhyme and Reason - Midnight Raspberry 70% Chanthaburi Thailand (bar) - Dec. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Rhyme and Reason Chocolate Co.
Midnight Raspberry 70% Chanthaburi Thailand Dark with a Pop of Raspberry (bar)

Good ++ 

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Thailand Theme Week. 

Today's Midnight Raspberry 70% Chanthaburi* Thailand with a Pop of Raspberry (bar) was from Rhyme and Reason Chocolate Co. (Greensboro, NC).

I'm enjoying a virtual vacation in Thailand this week, via chocolate. Christmas isn't necessarily a traditional religious holiday in Thailand; but there have been plenty of Christmas holiday lights and decorated trees in Bangkok--and at least one Thai Santa (with children dressed as elves).**

Aroma notes included: smooth, slightly roast-y, dark chocolate; tart sweet red fruit (red raspberries, black raspberry, pomegranate molasses); faint, authentic brown sugar; and almost undetectable spice (diffuse warm spice, black licorice).

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap, and had a smooth, thick and creamy melt (in a cool room).

Flavor notes: relatively smooth, slightly-roasty, dark chocolate and satisfying red raspberry, flavors that lingered into a pleasant finish.

I enjoyed the classic (almost always works) blend of (Thai) dark chocolate + authentic, concentrated (freeze-dried) raspberry fruit; being able to fully enjoy the raspberry flavor without the berry seeds (thank you!); and the fact that this dark chocolate bar wasn't too sweet (thank you again). I also liked the maker's choice of a less processed sugar that gave the chocolate a faint brown sugar warmth.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Freeze Dried Raspberries, Cocoa Butter"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility which also handles milk, peanuts, and tree nuts"

*Chanthaburi is a city and province located in Eastern Thailand, near the border with Cambodia. The climate is tropical with large amounts of rainfall in the wet season.

**Thank you YouTube. Where a chocolate-centric tourist like me can experience places, sights and insights in Thailand, and in so many other places worldwide. 

Compartes Chocolatier: Thailand Sticky Rice with Mango & The Margarita Bar (bars) - Dec. 26, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
Mango Sticky Rice Chocolate 36% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order

Compartes Chocolatier
The Margarita Bar - Dark Chocolate Margarita Lime 73% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) / 2.6 oz. (74 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order 

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate & Rice Week and Day #2 of Chocolate and Thailand Theme Week, through the lens of a virtual holiday vacation in Thailand.

Today's two bars were from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA). They join the long list of fun flavored and elegantly clad bars from Compartes featured over the years.

The first of the two bars -- The White Lotus - Mango Sticky Rice Chocolate 36% Cacao (bar) -- is a reference to "The White Lotus" (HBO series). Season 3 was filmed in Thailand. 

White chocolates are occasionally enjoyed here on Chocolate Banquet, but without cocoa solids they don't count. So the "Mango Sticky Rice Chocolate" white chocolate bar was paired with "The Margarita Bar" dark chocolate bar from the same chocolatier.

Together, these two bars launched virtual visits to several restaurants and cafes in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, including those with tropical fruits and mango with sticky rice items (K. Panich, Bangkok), and a visit to one bar with a very creative Thai-inspired take on a Margarita-style cocktail, garnished with an edible gold chocolate.

The White Lotus 35% White Chocolate (bar)

Aroma notes for this bar included: tropical fruit (pineapple, mango), sweet rice cereal, vanilla caramel,  and very faint coconut.

Texture: creamy, caramel-hued white chocolate with softly crunchy crisped rice 

Flavor: sweet, fruity, slightly tangy, with rich caramel and vanilla; very faint (barely detectable) coconut

This bar evoked the smells of days at the beach with tropical juice-drinks, caramel candies, and coconut suntan lotion as a child, as well as mango and pineapple fruit salads and popsicles.

Ingredients: White Chocolate (Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Whole Milk, Soy Lecithin as an Emulsifier, Vanilla), Mango, Rice, Coconut Milk.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. "Made in a facility that handles dairy, peanuts, wheat, egg, soy, tree nuts."

The Margarita Bar 73% Dark Chocolate (bar)

Today's "The Margarita Bar" 73% dark bar was a fitting tribute to a popular cocktail that likely originated in Mexico in the late 1930s.

Are there Margaritas in Thailand? Yes, there are, particularly in larger cities catering to tourists and ex-pats. I was impressed by a talented bartender (Nopadon Thamsongla, aka "Bomb") at the "Margarita Bar" in Bangkok who has mixed up some amazing drinks, including a Margarita-like cocktail garnished with a golden (gilded chocolate) nugget.*

Aroma notes for this Margarita 73% chocolate bar included: dark chocolate, tart-sweet citrus (lime), faint vanilla, and faint spirits (tequila).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a constellation of tiny, crunchy salt crystals.

Flavor: smooth, rich dark chocolate, gentle and authentic lime, sparkles of sea salt and faint spirits.

I enjoyed the authentic dark chocolate and lime flavors--and the use of salt to add flavor, evoke a Margarita and balance the sweetness. The ingredients were well-balanced; the vanilla and tequila were not too overwhelming (thank you); and all the elements harmonized nicely together.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Soy Lecithin as An Emulsifier, Vanilla), Tequila, Lime, Sea Salt 

Allergen-related information: "Vegan, Gluten Free" "Made in a facility that handles Dairy, Peanuts, Wheat, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts"

*As part of this week's virtual visit to Thailand, I watched (videos of) a very talented bartender in the "Margarita Bar" in Bangkok. One featured a cocktail garnished with a golden (gilded chocolate) nugget.*

The video explained that this golden nugget was filled with a garnet-colored dehydrated concoction of pomelo, soy sauce and agar agar that was coated with chocolate, and then covered in edible gold to accompany what might have been a pomelo Margarita.

KanVela - 58%Dark Milk Mocha with Crispy Rice (bar) - Dec. 25, 2025

Chocolate of The Day

KanVela Chocolate
58% Dark Milk Mocha with Crispy Rice
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cacao, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate & Thailand Theme Week. And Merry Christmas from Thailand.*

Today's 58% Dark Milk Mocha with Crispy Rice (bar) was from KanVela Chocolate (Chiang Mai, Thailand).

The company name "KanVela" translates into a "passage of time," an important concept when it comes to the cultivation of foods. You can't (or shouldn't) rush the natural passage of time in agriculture--or making chocolate. KanVela Chocolate makers embrace the growth of cacao trees, the slow roasting process for cacao and coffee (or rice), and (poetically) when the chocolate "is so smooth it could flow through wood." 

Aroma notes: fragrant sweet mocha coffee (lightly roasted Thai coffee) and subtle chocolate

Texture: thick, substantial bar with a creamy melt and mouthfeel interspersed with pieces of (Thai Jasmine) crispy rice

Flavor notes: smooth, thick, dark milk chocolate with relatively light, sweet but still flavorful coffee

I loved that the coffee, rice and cacao were all from Thailand; and I enjoyed the balanced, and delicately nuanced coffee aroma and mocha flavors. 

Maker's tasting notes: "...The soft and delicate fragrance is juxtaposed with the immediate crunchiness of the bar..."

Ingredients: "Cacao nib 40%, Sugar 21%, Cocoa butter $18%, Milk powder 14%, Crispy rice 5%, Ground coffee 2%"

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Made in a Facility that processes wheat, sesame, soy, and tree nuts"

*We're on a virtual holiday vacation in Thailand this week, via chocolate (and the magic of YouTube).

Hijita Chocolateria - Toasty Horchata 70% Soconusco, Chiapas Filled with Toasted Rice Almond Butter (bar) - Dec. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hijita Chocolateria
Toasty Horchata - 70% Soconusco, Chiapas Filled with Toasted Rice Almond Butter (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 310 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $16.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from, Hijita, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week. Happy Christmas Eve, to those who celebrate.

Today's "Toasty Horchata - 70% Soconusco, Chiapas Filled with Toasted Rice Almond Butter" (bar) from Hijita, LLC (Austin, TX).

Aroma and flavor notes for this stylishly geometric, disc-shaped, filled dark bar included: ebony-hued dark chocolate (roast-y/toasted cacao beans, green, nut, spice, vanilla bean). 

In appearance, it looked like it could be a beautifully designed (modern, yet timeless) holiday ornament--perfect for Christmas Eve day.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a smooth, stone-ground almond butter filling. (The toasted rice, vanilla bean and cinnamon were almost fully incorporated, so the overall texture was fairly .)

After a few weeks that included many heavily flavored (and sugared and salted) milk and dark chocolates, it was lovely to taste this authentic Mexican dark chocolate, with subtle, traditional flavor inclusions, sweetened with piloncillo.*

I loved that this elegant and satisfying filled bar wasn't too sweet (thank you!)--and that all the flavor inclusions were compatible with each other and spoke with a come-hither whisper. I felt myself leaning in to try to taste more cinnamon, vanilla and rice (horchata). The very slightly smoke-y, roasted notes took me back to watching, smelling (and ultimately tasting) chocolate being made in a Central American forest, many years ago.

Ingredients: "Mexican Cacao, Almond, Cacao Butter*, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Toasted Rice*, Mexican Cinnamon, Mexican Vanilla Bean, Mexican Sea Salt"

Allergen-related information: "Contains Almond. Made in a Facility That Processes Peanuts and Tree Nuts"

*Piloncillo is a traditional, unrefined Mexican sugar, typically made from boiled sugar cane juice. The resulting caramel-colored cone shapes contain traces of molasses and minerals (similar to other unrefined brown sugars), and contribute subtle flavor depth to baked goods, drinking chocolate/chocolates and savory dishes. 

 

Mirzam - Mango Sticky Rice 52% Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mirzam Chocolate Makers
Mango Sticky Rice 52% Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total

Calories: 166 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $14.50 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week.

Today's flavorful Mango Sticky Rice 52% Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Mirzam Chocolate Makers (Kakaw Manufacturing Co. LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates). 

Aroma and flavor notes for this attractively packaged* bar included: smooth milk chocolate, fruit (mango) and sweet, fruity rice cereal with very faint coconut oil.

Sticky Rice with Mango is a popular dessert dish across many Asian nations, including India, China and Thailand...where we're headed this week.** And this bar was a fusion of stories and ingredients from many countries.

The rice, mango and coconut found in today's bar have an intertwined history with Arab traders. The company's name (Mirzam) refers to a star that Arab traders followed.

Rice was likely first cultivated in China, but rice in India and Thailand may stretch back as far back as 6,000 BCE. Arab traders brought mangos from South Asia to the middle east and helped expand markets for rice. They also carried coconuts to the middle east from India and SE Asia.

Texture: a blend of creamy milk chocolate studded with crispy, softly crunchy, roasted rice bits. (The mango was completely incorporated into the chocolate.)

Flavor notes included a very satisfying blend of flavors: smooth dark milk chocolate (slightly more flavorful than most milk chocolates and slightly less sweet (thank you!)); complex, authentic, fruity mango, very faint coconut, and slightly malty crispy rice bits. 

The makers elevated (what might have been) a sweet, fruity milk chocolate into a celebration of each of component by sourcing a short list of high-quality ingredients. The choices to use a single origin (India) chocolate (and a slightly darker 52%, vs. for example, a 40-45% cacao milk chocolate) and the Alphonse mango were especially nice. The coconut wasn't intrusive; and the rice added a mellowing flavor and a crispy texture.

Ingredients: "Cocoa beans, unrefined cane sugar, cocoa butter, coconut, mango, roasted rice"

*The background printed on the bar's packaging was inspired by Chinese blue and white porcelain -- complete with a dragon surrounded by clouds and a geometric pattern resembling rows of dragon scales across the top half. 

The dragon(s) amid clouds motif is considered auspicious, and can connote "imperial power and divine connection."

To me, this pattern evoked ancient traditions behind crafting rice and mangos, and crafting beautiful items in Asia--while a world away in the Americas cacao (including cacao pulp/fruit) and maize and ceramics were being celebrated. How wonderful that all these traditions came together (a "divine connection") in such a delicious way today.

**The day after tomorrow, we will segue into Chocolate & Thailand Theme Week.

Compartes Chocolatier - Rice Crispy Treat Milk Chocolate 44% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
Rice Crispy Treat - Milk Chocolate 44% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 420 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes Chocolatier, online order 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Rice Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet.

Today's Rice Crispy Treat - Milk Chocolate 44% Cacao (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA). 

Compartes offers a dazzling array of different dark, milk and white chocolate bars--most with flavor inclusions, and many with fun entertainment tie-ins as well. They also produce chocolate confections and chocolate dipped fruit collections.

Aroma and flavor notes for this attractively packaged* bar included: sweet milk chocolate with marshmallow rice crispy treats. 

Texture: sweet well-tempered milk chocolate with crispy, slightly crunchy marshmallow rice crispy bits.

This bar was a little too sweet for me, but those with a sweet tooth who like milk chocolate and rice crispy treats will love this relatively addicting bar. 

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Soy Lecithin as an Emulsifier, Vanilla), Rice Crispy Treats (Toasted Rice Cereal (Rice, Sugar, Salt, Malt Flavor, Niacinamide, Reduced Iron, Vitamin B2, Folic Acid), Corn Syrup, Fructose, Butter, Marshmallows (Corn Syrup, Sugar, Modified Food Starch, Gelatin))

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. "Made in a facility that handles dairy, peanuts, wheat, egg, soy, tree nuts."

*The package was elegantly illustrated with illuminated palm trees against a dark blue sky lit up with gold stars. A beautiful clear evening sky in Hollywood, with lighting and special effects to dress up a winter night.

Definite Chocolate - Arroz Con Leche with Puffed Rice and Spices (bar) - Dec. 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Definite Chocolate
Arroz Con Leche with Puffed Rice and Spices (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 260 calories in 1 bar 
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week.

Today's Arroz Con Leche with Puffed Rice and Spices - Carnival Edition* (bar) from Definite Chocolate, S.R.L. was made in the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic).

Variations on rice pudding exist worldwide. A version of rice pudding from North Africa made its way to Spain in the 700s (AD). And, centuries later, the Spanish brought arroz con leche to the New World (Latin America and Caribbean nations). In the Dominican Republic it's a popular dish enjoyed during Christmas, Carnival* (February) and Lenten holidays.

In its most basic form, arroz con leche is a blend of rice, milk, sugar and cinnamon. International variations may include: additional spices (cloves, allspice, ginger); vanilla; coconut; raisins; caramel; rum; and fruits (lime, orange, cherry).

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth, dark milk chocolate, subtle spices and faint citrus (lime, orange). The puffed rice mellowed the chocolate without masking the notes I really enjoyed.

I loved the authentic and subtle flavor complexity (warm spices and light lime) in this smooth but dark milk chocolate. I also appreciated the short list of ingredients, and the maker's choice to use single origin (DR) cacao. This chocolate hit squarely in the Goldilocks zone. (Not too this. Not too that...It was just right.)

Ingredients: "Cane sugar, cacao, cacao butter, milk powder, puffed rice, spices, sea salt, lime peel."

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. Made in a facility that handles nuts & milk.

*The packaging for today's bar was adorned with images of the colorful masked Lechones de Santiago characters one sees during Carnaval.

Domori - Milk Chocolate with Puffed Rice (bar) - Dec. 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Domori
Milk Chocolate with Puffed Rice with Criollo Cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: unknown (not found on label)
Cost: $N/A - "bonus bar" from Bar & Cocoa 
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa (part of a larger order) 

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

Today's Milk Chocolate with Puffed Rice with Criollo Cacao was from Domori (None (TO) Italy.

Aroma and flavor notes for this sweet treat included: sweet milk chocolate and puffed rice.

Texture: soft and very creamy milk chocolate and softly crunchy puffed rice

Those with a sweet tooth and like creamy textures will appreciate this milk chocolate. This candy-like bar was quite milky and sweet (a bit too much for me, a dark fan). Even though the puffed rice was slightly caramelized, it helped balance the very sweet 38% milk chocolate. 

Ingredients: "Milk chocolate 90% (sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, cocoa mass (of which Criolla mass (is) 3,5%), emulsifier, sunflower lecithin), caramelised puffed rice 10% (rice, sugar, glucose/fructose syrup), Cocoa solids 38% min. - Milk solids 24% min. in chocolate."

Allergen-related information: Gluten Free. May contain nuts and soja (soy)

Raaka - Pumpkin Spice Dipped Waffle Cone - Crispy Cone in Dark Chocolate - Dec. 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka
Pumpkin Spice Dipped Waffle Cone - Crispy Cone in Dark Chocolate
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total package/bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 waffle bar
Cost: Missing information
Purchased from: Missing information

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

Today's Pumpkin Spice Dipped Waffle Cone - Crispy Cone in Dark Chocolate was from Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY). 

Aroma and flavor notes for this tasty, seasonal treat included: chocolate, cookie, pumpkin, and pumpkin spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger). 

Every element of this chocolate was executed thoughtfully with quality ingredients. The maker's choice of single origin 54% cacao (Semuliki Forest, Uganda) gave this chocolate a bit of flavor depth and oomph that I liked. I also appreciated the pumpkin flavor (use of real pumpkin powder) and the authentic pumpkin spice(s).

Last, but not least, was the texture. This bar was a great blend of smooth, creamy dark chocolate and crispy-crunchy (flat) waffle cone/cookie. I loved the skillful waffle-cookie execution and texture achieved -- using rice and brown rice flours (plus other GF flours/seed meal, and a hint of apple puree for coherence).

Maker's notes: "Comforting as your favorite hoodie. Autumnal bliss."

Ingredients: "cacao beans*, cane sugar*, cacao butter*, waffle cone* (cane sugar*, coconut oil*, apple puree*, rice flour*, brown rice flour*, tapioca flour*, millet flour*, flax seed meal*, arrowroot powder*, pumpkin*, cinnamon*, baking powder, inulin*, xanthan gum), pumpkin powder*, cinnamon*, nutmeg*, ginger*, vanilla bean* (*Organic) 54% Cacao Dark Chocolate"

Allergen-related information: "Gluten Free, Vegan"

 

Basquia Rice Bakery - Chocolate Madeleine; Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie; Chocolate Cake - Dec. 18, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Basquia Rice Bakery 

Chocolate Madeleine
Good ++
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $4.50 for 1 piece
Purchased from: Mega Mart, East Palo Alto, CA

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie
Good ++
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $4.50 for 1 large cookie
Purchased from: Mega Mart, East Palo Alto, CA 

Chocolate Ganschu Cake
Good +++
Weight: 6.9 oz. (196 g.) total piece
Calories: unknown
Cost: $6.50 for 1 slice/piece of cake
Purchased from: Mega Mart, East Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week.

Today's chocolate baked treats were from Basquia Rice Bakery--a (Korean and European-inspired) bakery that uses rice flour instead of wheat flour. They offer an array of baked goods including, small and large cakes, cookies, breads, madeleines and special items like a cheesecake cooked in a green kabocha squash. 

Basquia offers "the comfort of rice" -- which for me meant I could enjoy any item in their bakery, because items were made with gluten-free rice flour. (A first for me in a bakery.)

Chocolate Madeleine

This small, shell-shaped French buttery cake was topped with a generous, smooth, thick and creamy chocolate icing layer. The firm, cake-like base was buttery and sweet like a cookie, but had the slightly dense sponginess of a cake that could be eaten like a cookie. Just what I'd hoped it would be.

Ingredients: unknown

Allergen-related information: No ingredients list(ed). Contains dairy/butter, egg

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie

This generously-sized, buttery, fresh-baked cookie had a soft crunch with pleasing half-melted chocolate chips/chunks and a chocolate-y (gluten-free) Oreo cookie embedded in the center/middle of the cookie. This item was very close to what I remember a wheat flour-based cookie tasting like.

Ingredients: No ingredients list(ed). Contains dairy/butter, egg

Chocolate Ganschu Cake

Creamy, fluffy and lightly sponge-y cake layers were surrounded by whipped buttercream frosting and chocolate whipped cream in between layers of cake. Topped with a curl of dark chocolate and a floret of whipped cream -- this cake almost floated from the plate into my mouth. I loved the ethereal lightness of this whipped cream chocolate cake. (Mas-issneun keikeu.)

Ingredients: unknown

Allergen-related information: No ingredients list(ed) on 

I went a little overboard at Basquia (and forgot about the high sugar levels in bakery items). But, these items were all fun to try, visually appealing, and available in single-serving, pre-packaged portions (thank you). And they were skillfully and thoughtfully executed. A big thank you to Basquia Rice Bakery.

Clif Bar - LUNA Chocolate Cupcake Whole Nutrition Bar - Dec. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Clif Bar
LUNA Chocolate Cupcake Whole Nutrition Bar 
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.69 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Missing information 

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

Today's Organic LUNA Chocolate Cupcake Whole Nutrition Bar was distributed by Clif Bar & Company (Emeryville, CA). This nutrition bar included: a "protein grain blend" of soy, oat and rice flours; brown rice syrup; and, of course, chocolate.

Aroma notes for this bar included: chocolate cake, and very faint soy + rice cake/cracker.

Texture: relatively light, crispy-chewy (rice-soy crisps) and smooth chocolate--with a chocolate-y coating and chocolate icing.

What did I like? One bar contained 8 grams of protein, and--for a nutrition bar--it was a surprisingly close approximation to an iced chocolate cupcake. I also liked that it was gluten free.

Ingredients: Protein Grain Blend (Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour*, Alkalized Cocoa*], Soy Flour*, Rolled Oats*, Roasted Soybeans*), Brown Rice Syrup*, Cane Sugar*, Sunflower and/or Soybean Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Alkalized Cocoa*, Cane Syrup*, Chicory Fiber Syrup*, Agave Inulin, Unsweetened Chocolate*, Cocoa*, Palm Kernel Solids, Palm Kernel Oil, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic*, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Cocoa Butter*. (*=Organic Ingredient)

Allergen-related information: "Contained Soy. May Contain Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, and Sesame."

Otherly - Plain Oatmilk Chocolate 43% (bar) - Dec. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Otherly
Plain Oatmilk Chocolate (bar)
Good+ - Good ++
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) / 4.2 oz. (120 g.) in total bar
Calories: 325 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Village Market, SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week.

Today's Plain Oakmilk Chocolate 43% (cacao solids) bar from Otherly was a product of Scotland. (Queensferry, UK). 

Aroma and flavor notes for this generously-sized chocolate bar included: relatively sweet and smooth (but also convincingly dark) chocolate; faint oat/rice porridge; and warm, sweet vanilla.

Texture: The texture was also relatively smooth. This chocolate broke with a snap but had a slightly different melt and texture than pure chocolate -- from the oat and rice powders (that were fully incorporated into the chocolate).

This interesting and appealing oat and rice "milk" bar was sweet without being overly so. That said, I felt like I wanted to add salted butter to this chocolate. (Tasting this must have triggered a childhood oatmeal memory.) Salt can also help balance out sweetness. A handful of nuts roasted in olive oil and sea salt paired nicely with this bar. 

Using 100% oat powder for the "milk" component might have tasted too oat-y. It seemed like the blend of oat and rice powder worked fairly well together.

Ingredients: "Sugar, cocoa butter, dried gluten-free oat powder, chocolate, dried rice powder, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavour." (Cocoa solids: 43% minimum)

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk, soya, gluten, peanuts and tree nuts." "Suitable for a vegan diet."

 

Sted Foods - Cardamom Krumkake Cookie 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Sted Foods
Cardamom Krumkake Cookie 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 3/4 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sted Foods, online order 

Welcome to Day #22 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week; and Day #2 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week.

Today's Sted Foods Cardamom Krumkake Cookie 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN).

Krumkake (pronounced KROOM-kah-kah)* are thin, crispy, wafer cookies from Norway often made for  winter (Christmas) holidays. The dough is rolled (into cone or cylindrical shapes), and is decorated with a pattern on a hot embossed, metal cookie maker (think small, round waffle iron). The warm cookies are then quickly rolled around a wooden dowel into the desired shape and are either left to cool/harden, or eaten soon after.

Aroma and flavor notes included: rich, sweet and flavorful dark milk chocolate, cardamom, and faint, spiced butter cookie.

Texture: relatively thin, creamy milk chocolate with a judicious amount of very tiny cookie crumbs. (The crumbs were almost completely incorporated into the chocolate.) 

Happily (for gluten-free folks) the cookie crumbs in today's chocolate were made from a gluten-free flour (that included white and brown rice flours). Krumkake recipes often use flour + potato flour, and are more amenable to rice flour blends than thicker breads or cakes.

Unfortunately, like many well-made 50% dark milk bars, this chocolate was relatively addicting and was gone in a trice. And this seasonal release may also be out of stock. (Hoping Sted Foods will bring this one back next year.)

I "paired" this bar with some entertaining and educational Norwegian videos about making krumkake cookies and traditional Christmas food, drinks and baked goods.

Ingredients: organic cocoa, cane sugar, milk powder mixed with crumbled organic krumkake cookies (made with butter, sugar, rice flour, tapioca starch, potato flour, molasses, baking soda, cinnamon, salt) and organic cardamom essential oil.

Allergen-related information: gluten-free, soy-free, palm-oil-free 

*I learned about krumkake from Darlene, a Minnesota mom (now passed on) who used to make krumkake cookies. She learned to make them from her mother, who learned from her mother...and so on, all the way back to Norway. (Thank you Darlene and Gigi.)

Element - Dipped Minis Dark Chocolate - Dec. 14, 2025

Chocolate of the Day 

Element
Dipped Minis Dark Chocolate
Good ++
Weight: .74 oz. (21 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $ Missing information

Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #21 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week.

Today's Dipped Minis Dark Chocolate (chocolate coated mini rice cakes) were from Element Snacks, Inc. (Needham, MA). 

Aroma notes for these small round rice cakes included: faint chocolate and sweet rice (mochi) cake.

Texture: These treats started with a soft chocolate-y bite, followed by a satisfying crunch, and ending with a soft chew again. 

I really enjoyed the texture, and the basic flavors. This simple round also worked well as a "platform"-- topped with other seasonings and fruits (like candied fennel seeds, citrus peel with cardamom or ginger; spiced nuts; rosewater/floral essences; or a slice of fresh mango).

Today's virtual "visit" to Bollywood was made possible via food and movie snacks from India, and two Indian dance sequence (videos): 1.) "Ghar More Pardesiya" (from "Kalank") (2019) and 2.) "Pinga" ("Bajirao Mastani") (2015).

The Indian-inspired snack banquet included the following items:

• Butter Chicken and Rice 
• Chai-spiced Apple Cider 
• Popcorn with cocoa butter, caramelized coconut, turmeric and black pepper*
• Masala popcorn
• Rose and Pistachio Bombay Halwah
• Element Dark Chocolate Minis (rice cakes) with different toppings

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Powder, Whole Milk Powder, Soy Lecithin, Salt), Rice.

Allergen-related information: "Contains Milk and Soy. May contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts."

* For this Rich, sweet and flavorful popcorn I melted an Organic Golden Mylk bar from Endorfin Foods (made by Coracao Confections, Richmond, CA). I was surprised to find out that this golden-brown gravy-hued bar didn't contain any cocoa solids. But what it lacked in terms of cacao solids it made up for with its unique, rich cocoa butter, caramelized coconut and authentic spice blend with just the right amount of salt.

Compartes - White Lotus Pineapple Coconut 73% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 13, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
The White Lotus Pineapple Coconut Chocolate 73% Cacao (bar)

Good ++
Weight: 2.7 oz. (77 g.) in total bar
Calories: 460 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes, online order 

Welcome to Day #20 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week(s).

Today's The White Lotus Pineapple Coconut Chocolate 73% Cacao (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA). 

This bar was inspired by the award-winning (HBO) TV show The White Lotus -- Season 1 (Hawaii), a dark comedy centered around the staff and guests at a tropical resort.* 

Aroma notes for this attractively packaged bar included: smooth, sweet dark chocolate and subtle, dried fruit (pineapple) and toasted coconut.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy dark chocolate with tiny bits of softly chewy pineapple and chewy (slightly tougher chew) lightly toasted, golden-hued coconut shreds.

The small pieces of candied pineapple weren't overly sweet (thank you). The tiny coconut shreds were more detectable in the flavor than the aroma, and also tasted authentic (not too overwhelming).

I liked the balanced blend of flavors in this 73% cacao dark chocolate with tropical flavor inclusions. 

Maker's description: "Unwrap a delectable infusion of flavors with rich, decadent chocolate, coconut and pineapple for chic Hawaiian vibes, and be transported to "The Pineapple Room" (where drama unfolds). 

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Soy Lecithin as An Emulsifier, Vanilla), Pineapple, Coconut"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles dairy, peanuts, wheat, egg, soy, tree nuts."

*The Pineapple Room featured on "The White Lotus" TV show was modeled after (and filmed in) the 3-bedroom, Lokelani Presidential Suite at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Kihei, Hawaii).

Cru - Purple Corn Pinole 60% Drinking Chocolate - Dec. 12. 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cru Chocolate
Purple Corn Pinole 60% Drinking Chocolate
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total box of 2 "wheels"
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 wheel
Cost: $8.99 for 1 box of 2 pieces
Purchased from: FarmFresh, online order

Buenos dias and welcome to Day #19 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment -- a week that includes food, chocolate, storytelling and lore from various cultures. The chocolate stories coming from Central America where cacao origins run deep are particularly meaningful.*

Today's Purple Corn Pinole 60% Drinking Chocolate was made in Cru Chocolate's kitchen in Roseville, CA. 

Cru Chocolate founder, Karla, grew up in Honduras, a country full of interesting cacao stories--some of which is printed on product packaging and for more, check out the company's website.

Aroma and flavor notes for these drinking chocolate wheels included: cacao and corn (mild cornbread) suffused with warm, appealing spices (cinnamon, allspice).

The ground purple corn mellowed out the cacao -- and both the chocolate and corn harmonized beautifully with the spices.

Prepared with almond milk or dairy milk, this was a lovely winter warmer. And as an eating chocolate I was able to access the undiluted, flavorful and relatively sweet dark chocolate.

Maker's tasting notes: "Intensity: Light. 60% cacao; Style: Mesoamerican; Body: Thick & Hearty; Nose: Warm Spices; Mood: Satisfied and Happy; Suggested liquid: Almond milk.

Ingredients: "Fermented cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic heirloom purple corn, organic cinnamon, organic aniseed, organic allspice"

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured on equipment that processes peanuts and milk."

Cacao & Corn pairing

This week I'm "pairing" (enjoying) chocolates with selected movies, music videos, animated shorts, and other forms of entertainment. 

I listened to a video of the "Chocolate" song (aka "Bate, Bate (El) Chocolate") on YouTube; and then watched a video about purple corn (maiz morado). Both cacao and corn were considered gifts from the Gods by the Maya and other ancient cultures.

*The Eastern/Caribbean side of Honduras is likely where Christopher Colombus and crew first spotted cacao beans (being transported in canoes by locals), around 1500 A.D. (on one of their later voyages).

French Broad - Dark Chocolate Montmorency Cherries + Sted Foods Salty Licorice 38% (bar) - Dec. 11, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

French Broad Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Montmorency Cherries
Good ++ 
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $17.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Sted Foods
Salty Licorice 38% White Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sted Foods, online order 

Welcome to Day #18 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week(s)--where salutes to movie snack bars and concession stand memories are piling up. Here are a few more.

Today's two chocolates are collectively honoring memories of cherry slushie/ICEE drinks, chocolate covered snacks, and licorice candy (including cherry licorice candy) enjoyed in childhood. 

I'm upgrading these flavor memories significantly with chocolates from two U.S.-based bean-to-bar makers.

Dark Chocolate Montmorency Cherries

Today's cherry-filled chocolates were handcrafted by French Broad Chocolate (Asheville, NC). 

Make sure to savor these confections slowly, to fully appreciate the bean-to-bar dark chocolate and the high-quality Montmorency* cherries. Dark chocolate and cherries are a natural match, but these two ingredients had a special sense of resonance with each other.

Aroma and flavor notes included: flavorful dark chocolate; and authentic, concentrated sweet-tart (whole, dried) cherries with a concentrated, rich flavor that lingered into the finish. 

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (cacao, sugar*, cacao butter), dried cherries (red tart montmorency cherries (red tart montmorency cherries, sugar, sunflower oil). (*organic)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles tree nuts, wheat, gluten, milk, eggs, sesame & peanuts. May not be suitable for people with allergies to these foods."

*The Montmorency cherry (Prunus cerasus) is named for an area in France, and is a popular cherry in the U.S. and Canada.

Salty Licorice White Chocolate 

This Sted Foods Salty Licorice 38% White Chocolate (bar) (a "Scandi treat") was manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN)

Aroma and flavor notes for this golden-hued bar included: caramel (brown sugar, faint maple candy) with   upticks in salt. (The tiny salt crystals on the back looked like fresh-fallen flakes of snow.) 

There was licorice flavor (powder) incorporated into the white chocolate; but, I did not taste it. So I paired this bar with a black salted licorice caramel from Holland. That added the licorice oomph my adult-self was looking for and it helped balance the milky sweetness in this bar.

Ingredients: "organic cocoa butter, organic cane sugar, organic whole milk powder, organic licorice powder, sea salt"

Allergen-related information: "Contains Milk. Made in a facility that uses sesame seeds, pecans, almonds, coconut, cashews, hazelnuts, and milk."

Cherry & Licorice Movie & Music Video Pairings...

I "paired" these two chocolates with a short animated video fairy tale: "Princess Chang and (the) Cherry Tree"; and a music video of KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" (2005).

I also watched the movie "Licorice Pizza" (Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson) (2021). Many people missed this one (I did), as it coincided with Covid-19, when people felt uncomfortable in movie theaters. (Note to parents: this movie is Rated R.)

Sted Foods - Caramel Crack - 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 10, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Sted Foods 
Caramel Crack - 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sted Foods, online order  

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week. 

What might an elevated version of Hershey's Milk Duds look like? 

Many Milk Duds melted in my mouth in dark movie theaters as a child. These lumpy chocolate rounds filled with chewy caramel were a popular item at concession stands.

The chocolate below was an up-leveled version of this (chocolate + milk + caramel) favorite--in bar form.

Today's Sted Foods Caramel Crack - 50% Dark Milk Chocolate was manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN).

Aroma and flavor notes for this more-ish milk chocolate included: dark milk chocolate and caramel/toffee.

Smooth, almost velvety, sweet dark milk chocolate suffused with light and appealing caramel notes. The chocolate was punctuated with a tiny riot of crunchy toffee bits. 

Texture: The rich, creamy texture was attenuated a bit as this bar was also quite thin. Thinner means more surface to mass -- and more surface area means more area to access flavors when the chocolate is in your mouth, which is especially important when you have dark chocolates with nuanced flavors. 

This bar might have been even more hearty and delicious (maybe even more addicting) if it was a wee bit thicker. But, it warmed me up and made me happy on this cold December day. (Part of that warming feeling came from the addition of maple sugar and real butter in the toffee.)

I "paired" this bar with two Minnesota-related shows: a "Fargo" episode, and a few episodes of Rocky (Rocket J. Squirrel) and Bullwinkle (the Moose) cartoons who lived in the fictional Frostbite Falls, a take-off on International Falls, MN--that is indeed very cold in the winter.

I enjoyed this chocolate and these shows...and with a homemade, frosty Cherry & Elderberry beverage (an upgraded version of an icy, cherry/elderberry drug store fountain drink from many decades ago).

Sted chocolate makers's tasting notes: "Burnt + Sumptuous + Minnesota Sugar Shack"

Ingredients: organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic whole milk powder, organic MN Maple Toffee (organic cane sugar, organic butter, organic maple syrup, sea salt)

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk. Made in a facility that uses coconut, almonds, pecans, and milk."

YumEarth - Choco Yums Chocolate Candies; Chocolove Almond Butter Dark 55% Cacao (bites) - Dec. 9, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

YumEarth
Choco Yums Chocolate Candies
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99.2 g.) in 1 package of 5 snack packs
Calories: 300 calories in 3 snack packs
Cost: $6.49 for 1 package of 5 snack packs 
Purchased from: Vitacost, online order

Chocolove
Dark Chocolate 55% Cacao Almond Butter Bites
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $4.49 for 1 package of 10 (estimate) bites
Purchased from: Vitacost, online order 

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week(s), and to movie snacks and music videos that share a "Choco" reference/name in common.

Choco Yums Chocolate Candies

Choco Yums(TM) is a trademark of YummyEarth Inc. (Stamford, CT). I appreciated that the company provides snacks that are free from common allergens, and uses plant-based colors (like spirulina, carrot and turmeric), and uses Fair Trade certified and organic ingredients.

The minute I opened the package I could smell authentic dark chocolate. These round chocolate candies were inside individually-wrapped snack packs. 

These disc-shaped, candy-coated dark chocolate pieces were covered in thin, crispy-crunchy shells, and were similar to (plain) Mars M&Ms*, but they had beautiful, naturally colored shells, and more authentic (less processed) dark chocolate centers.

I "paired" these two "Choco" items with two other "Choco" related foods/experiences. (I ate the rest of the "Choco Cherry" ice cream that went into ice cream sandwiches earlier this week; and sampled Choco Musk perfume--a wearable, but not edible treat with cocoa, vanilla and cinnamon notes. 

Ingredients: Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Cane Sugar, Chocolate Liquor*, Cocoa Butter*, Sunflower Lecithin, and Vanilla Extract), Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter*, Organic Powdered Sugar, Organic Spirulina (Color), Organic Turmeric Extract (Color), Acacia Gum, Colored with Concentrate (Carrot, Radish, Blackcurrant, Sweet Potato), Corn Protein, Organic Carnuba Wax. (*Fair Trade Certified(tm) by Fair Trade USA, 46% Fair Trade Certified Ingredients"

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility free from peanuts and tree nuts." Allergen Friendly: free of egg, gluten, shellfish, fish, peanut, tree nut, soy, dairy, sesame. 

*Mars, Incorporated has owned the M&Ms trademark since 1940.

Chocolove Salted Almond Butter Bites

These Almond Butter bites were made in Boulder, CO, with Belgian chocolate. 

I enjoyed these Chocolove bites. The chocolate-y outer covering was filled with a satisfying, almond butter filling that wasn't ultra-sweet.

Ingredients: "Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Liquor**, Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Almond Butter (Dry Roasted Unblanched Almonds), Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Milk, Cocoa Liquor**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Organic Butter Oil, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin. (** Rainforest Alliance Certified. Find out more at RA.ORG.)"

Allergen-related information: "Contains Almonds, Milk, Soy. Made in a Facility That Also Processes Eggs, Peanuts, and Other Tree Nuts."

Sadly the "Choco Taco" (discontinued in 2022 by Klondike, but there are variations on this product out there)--and the Ritter Sport "Choco Cubes" I bought--were a no go, as they contained wheat.

Choco-related entertainment today included 2 music videos:

• Chocolate (Choco Choco) song - Does anyone else remember this ear worm from 2004, from German duo Soul Control? (It was a Eurodance pop hit in Europe and the Philippines.)
• Choco Choco Choco song - Gummibar (The Gummy Bear/Gummy Bear International Inc.) This song is an adaptation of the Chocolate song from 2004 (and it too became a hit). See their YouTube channel.

Woodstock - Organic Dark Chocolate Raisins + Deux Cranes - Matcha Strawberry (bar) - Dec. 8, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Woodstock
Organic Dark Chocolate Raisins
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 3.25 oz. (92 g.) / 8.5 oz. (241 g.) in total package
Calories: 450 calories in 1/2 package (3 servings)
Cost: $9.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Vitacost, online order 

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week, with a Japanese twist.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Raisins were from Woodstock (Edison, NJ), and distributed by UNFI (Providence, RI)* -- a day that also featured Japanese movies and snacks that included an elegant white chocolate Strawberry Matcha bar from Deux Cranes (Los Gatos, CA); Matcha, Sardine Cracker and Curry Popcorn(s);...and mentions of two treats that got away.

These raisins were paired with a virtual trip to an imaginary Tokyo theater (my living room). I had fun making Japanese popcorn flavors (Matcha, Sardine Cracker and Curry). These were joined by sweet rice crackers and sesame crackers. This snack buffet on a lacquered tray was a good match with classic Japanese films. 

There were two small disappointments: 1.) I couldn't find the Japanese gummy eels (candy) in time for this entry. 2.) Nor was I able to find the Japanese Raisin Tree (Hovenia dulcis), with fruits that taste like raisins. Both seemed perfect for the occasion. (These two might appear in a future Japan-themed chocolate week.)

Some of you are asking, where are the Raisinets? A doff of the hat to our U.S. classic chocolate covered raisin brand: Raisinets.

I featured Nestle Raisinets** here on Chocolate Banquet (10/14/2009). I don't feature the same chocolate twice unless there's a new version/ingredients change. Raisinets are now owned by a different company, but they're still going strong at movie concession stands, nearly 99 years after they were invented in 1927.

I was happy to find Woodstock's organic version of the popular American movie treat, that I had not tried yet.

Woodstock Organic Dark Chocolate Raisins

Aroma and flavor notes for these glazed chocolate raisins included: smooth chocolate-y, dark chocolate  and faint dried fruit (raisin). The dark chocolate coating surrounded whole dried raisins.

I appreciated the company's long-time commitment to the use of organic and Non-GMO ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Soy Lecithin [An Emulsifier]), Organic Natural Flavor, Organic Sunflower Lecithin [An Emulsifier], Organic Raisins (Raisins, Sunflower Oil), Confectioner's Glaze, Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Sugar. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains Soy. Manufactured in a plant that processes peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, sesame, eggs and milk products." 

Japanese Films

I "paired" today's dark chocolate raisins with a classic Japanese film: "Rashomon" (1950); a more modern classic film "Spirited Away" (2001); and 7 episodes from the vintage animated series "Speed Racer". Popular in the 1960s-1970s in the U.S., this series featured a talented young racer driving a "Mach 5" car in a racing world full by intrigue. It was part of the local Saturday cartoon line-up where I grew up. Go, Speed Racer, Go!

*Woodstock is owned by United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) based in Providence, Rhode Island. The company sources organic and Non-GMO ingredients from farms in 25 countries. Today's organic dark chocolate raisins were produced in the U.S. with domestic and imported ingredients.

**Ferrero acquired Nestle's U.S. confectionery business in 2018, which had previously bought the brand from the Bluementhal Brothers in 1984. The Blumenthal Brothers Chocolate Company "invented" Raisinets in 1927.

Schar - Double Chocolate Cookies + Rick's Choco Cherry Ice Cream - Dec. 7, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Schar 
Double Chocolate Soft Baked Cookies 
Good ++
Weight: 2.4 oz. (70 g.) / 7.4 oz. (210 g.) in total box of 6 cookies
Calories: 320 calories in 2 cookies
Cost: N/A - gift from family member
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Rick's Ice Cream
Choco Cherry Ice Cream
Good ++
Weight: 1/2 cup serving / 1 Quart total container
Calories: unknown
Cost: $19.50 for 1 quart of ice cream
Purchased from: Rick's Ice Cream, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week, featuring an excellent two-product pairing--that resulted in a delicious ice cream sandwich.

I loved ice cream sandwiches as a child--outdoors in warm weather, indoors in the winter. It was dark and cold today, so I tucked into this tasty chocolate and cherry sandwich while watching the Job Switching (1952) episode from the "I Love Lucy" (TV) show--where Lucy and Ethel (in their newly found jobs at a candy factory) were bested by a rapidly moving chocolate conveyor belt. One of the top classic chocolate comedic moments on film.

Also enjoyed: a variety of cartoon shorts from the Ice Cream Sandwich (YouTube) channel. 

Double Chocolate Soft Baked Cookies

These gluten-free, chocolate cookies with chocolate chips came individually wrapped in a box of six. They were good by themselves. And the cookies' texture and relatively mild, smooth chocolate flavor made them perfect for ice cream sandwiches. 

Texture: soft and perfectly cohesive (not too crumbly, dry or starchy) with a pleasing chew.

I don't know how they would fare over time in frozen form; but they were just right when used fresh.

Ingredients: "Corn starch, Chocolate chips (sugar, cocoa mass**, cocoa butter**, soy lecithin, natural flavor), Brown sugar, Rice flour, Blend of vegetable fats and oils (coconut fat, sunflower oil), Butter (milk), Chocolate (Cocoa mass**, sugar, cocoa butter**, soy lecithin), Corn syrup, Sorbitol syrup, Eggs, Fructose, Cocoa powder**, Dextrose, Xanthan gum, Baking soda, Ammonium bicarbonate, Salt, Soy lecithin, Natural flavor."

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Soy, Egg, Milk, Tree nuts (coconut). May contain: Tree nuts."

Choco Cherry Ice Cream (and sandwich filling)

Aroma and flavor notes for this Chocolate Cherry ice cream included: Light colored, Burgandy cherry-style ice cream aroma and flavor with flecks of dark chocolate.

Texture: Light and creamy in texture, easy to scoop, and enjoyable to eat. Also perfect for ice cream sandwich making. A denser ice cream would have been more challenging to scoop/shape.

Ingredients: (Not listed on container)

Allergen-related information: (Not listed on container.) Contained Milk.

Hu - Vanilla Crunch Organic 70% Dark Chocolate (Bar) + Built - Puff Coconut with Dark Chocolaty Coating (protein bar) - Dec. 6, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Hu
Vanilla Crunch - Organic 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Built Brands, LLC 
Puff Coconut with Dark Chocolaty Coating (protein bar) 
Good +
Weight: 3.25 oz. (92 g.) / 1.23 lbs. (560 g.) in total package/box
Calories: 140 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $19.99 for a box of 14 bars (2 different flavors)
Purchased from: Costco, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Movies and Entertainment Theme Week, featuring two bars--used to re-create a "Charlie Chaplin" chocolate (chocolate, marshmallow, coconut and cashews) made popular in Buffalo, New York, over a century ago. 

Buffalo was a candy hot spot in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Confectioners created promotions around their products, including an event when they invited Charlie Chaplin to open his film "The Adventurer" (1917) there. 

Chaplin was said to like marshmallow, chocolate, coconut and cashews. Buffalo responded with chocolates containing these ingredients for the occasion.

I was born in upstate New York and watched Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton films as a child. I felt moved to create a version of this confection with these four flavors. I did. And I enjoyed the results very much while watching Chaplin's "The Adventurer" (1917) and "The Circus" (1928).

Today's two bars were:

• Vanilla Crunch - Organic 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) with coconut sugar from Hu Products LLC (Austin, TX).
• Built Puff Coconut with Dark Chocolaty Coating (protein bar) from Built Brands, LLC (American Fork, UT). 

Hu Vanilla Crunch 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)

This bar provided satisfying dark chocolate flavor (flavorful but smooth). Organic vanilla beans (fully ground into the cacao) provided sunny baked goods warmth--perfect for long, snowy winters in Buffalo--and anywhere else.

This Vanilla Crunch bar was sweetened with just the right amount of organic, unrefined coconut sugar. Tiny crunchy bits of quinoa added a little texture. And the small dose of sea salt was very satisfying. 

I appreciate the makers' thoughtful sourcing and the short list of quality, organic ingredients.

Ingredients: "organic cacao*, organic unrefined coconut sugar*, organic cocoa butter*, organic quinoa*, organic vanilla bean*, sea salt" (* = Certified Fairtrade ingredients)

Allergen-related ingredients: "Contains coconut. May contain almond, cashew, hazelnut, pistachio, & dairy. Allergen cleans made prior to production, but beware that product is produced using equipment that also processes tree nuts, soy, dairy & wheat."

Built Puff Coconut Bar

This protein bar provided the marshmallow-like (and coconut flavored) filling (with a thin dark coating) that paired well with the Hu Vanilla Crunch bar and the roasted cashews in olive oil and sea salt.

The pillowy, chewy "puff" (marshmallow-like) center was infused with a gentle coconut aroma and flavor.  

Texture: fairly light and fluffy, slightly whipped, gelatin with a thin coating of smooth dark chocolate ("chocolatey coating"). 

I appreciated the 17 grams of protein. But, I prefer a bit more dark chocolate and less sweetness. But, as one of three ingredients in the Charlie Chaplin chocolate, this flavored protein bar complemented the Hu dark chocolate bar and the cashews very nicely 

I also appreciated that this bar was gluten free, and despite the fairly long list of ingredients, there were no potentially gut-disrupting vegetable gums, or artificial sweeteners. (Not wild about Natural Flavors or cultured dextrose; but there are trade-offs in life.)

Ingredients: Premium Collagen Protein Blend (Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate, Collagen), Glycerin, Sugar, Water, Palm and Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Gelatin, Natural Flavors, Cultured Dextrose, Nonfat Milk Powder, Soy Lecithin.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. May Contain: Peanuts and Tree Nuts

Filoli - World's Best Hot Chocolate with Rumple Minze - Dec. 5, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Filoli 
"World's Best Hot Chocolate" with Rumple Minze
Good ++
Weight: 10 fl. oz. (296 mL) (estimate) in 1 cup
Calories: calories in 1 cup (unknown)
Cost: $10.00 + spike $10
Purchased from: Filoli beverage trailer

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week. Movies have been hogging the spotlight so far this week, so today the focus was on chocolate enjoyed at a holiday-related event at the Filoli Estate (Woodside, CA).

The featured "World's Best Hot Chocolate" with Rumple Minze (think Peppermint Schnapps) was obtained after a short walk into the redwoods and while admiring a several model trains chugging around an excellent set-up of tracks among towering redwood trees. Trimmings included: several tiny little forest houses and strings of lights, and one giant wooden troll figure--who recently took up residency in the woods at Filoli. 

And more new chocolates were found at the "Train Depot" (gift shop in a cabin) on the way out. What could be better?

The toasty warm, creamy and rich hot chocolate was topped with a very generous dollop of whipped cream and a shot of Rumple Minze. It was a delicious hot chocolate in a magical forest setting. 

This outdoor winter holiday event was entertaining in the best possible way.

Ingredients: Unknown

Allergen-related information: Unknown. Contained Milk, Whipped Cream

Compartes Chocolatier - The Drive In 44% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 4, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
The Drive In 44% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 360 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes Chocolatier, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week.

Today's "The Drive In" 44% Cacao (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA).

Compartes offers a wide selection of chocolates with different flavor inclusions, including several bars with references to Hollywood, movies and/or entertainment. 

Aroma and flavor notes for today's Hollywood-themed bar included: sweet milk chocolate interspersed with embedded pieces of lightly salted, buttered popcorn.

Texture: Thick, creamy and rich milk chocolate bar with very soft, lightly crunchy popcorn pieces.

I enjoyed the popcorn and chocolate blend, and the bar's packaging--with an image of a drive-in with rows of parked cars facing a very large, elevated screen. 

This bar brought up a blend of childhood memories of being at drive-in theaters and eating snacks in the car--some homemade and some bought at concession stands). At one time in the U.S. there were more than 4,000 drive-in movie theaters (including three within a few miles of  where I grew up). Now there may be fewer than 200. 

The multi-screen Century theater that I frequent now was a former drive-in theater until the 1980s. Popcorn snacks, chocolates and other candies and soft drinks along with new additions like nachos are still available for sale.

Today's popcorn bar inspired me to re-watch an animated short film from the 1950s, with dancing refreshments reminding movie-goers (in theaters and drive-ins) to visit the snack bar. ("Let's All Go to The Lobby...").* The film is still shown at some independent theaters, and has spawned take-offs by other animators and filmmakers. I can still hear this song in my head.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin as an emulsifier, Vanilla), Smoked Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles Dairy, Peanuts, Wheat, Egg, Soy, Tress Nuts"

*Over time this theater became surrounded by a succession of technology companies (many of which have come and gone). Those companies have included: Adobe, Silicon Graphics, Google, Microsoft and other tech companies involved in commercial media and entertainment. YouTube movies anyone? Wait, I'll "Google" what's playing at the theater.

**The ad/trailer/short film features four singing and dancing refreshment items getting snacks in the lobby -- including popcorn and chocolate characters. It was Directed by Dave Fleisher for the Filmack Studios. The film has inspired a few different versions (one with Covid masks) and at least one short live action horror film with the same title in 2020.

 

Woodstock - Organic Dark Chocolate Almonds - Dec. 3, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Woodstock
Organic Dark Chocolate Almonds
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 3.25 oz. (92 g.) / 6.5 oz. (184 g.) in total package
Calories: 450 calories in 1/2 package (3 servings)
Cost: $9.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Vitacost, online order 

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Almonds were from Woodstock (Edison, NJ), and distributed by UNFI (Providence, RI).* The Edison location caught my eye. (See below for an explanation.)

Aroma and flavor notes for these glossy, jumbo-sized dark almonds included: a generous coating of glazed, smooth, chocolate-y, dark chocolate with faint, slightly roasted cacao and dark berry and earth notes. And at the center of each piece was an authentic, crunchy, whole roasted almond.

I appreciated the more flavorful dark chocolate and the company's long-time commitment to the use of organic and Non-GMO ingredients.

Thank you Thomas Edison...

I "paired" today's almonds with 3 historic short films from the 1890s that had roots near Woodstock Foods in Edison Township, NJ--an area where famous inventor Thomas Edison's Menlo Park "idea factory" was located--where light bulbs, phonographs and a motion picture camera took shape.

Thomas Edison later open a laboratory complex (and the Black Maria film production studio) further north in West Orange, NJ--where very short moving pictures were developed that included: "Blacksmith(ing) Scene" (1893), "Washing the Baby" (1893), and "Fred Ott's Sneeze" (1894). The last one was over in a matter of seconds. Hardly enough time to tuck into a bucket of popcorn or take even a sip of an iced cherry cola.

Chocolate pre-dated even the earliest of films,** but modern chocolate/snacks were still toddlers in the 1890s.

The very first film venues likely lacked dedicated concession stands. As films became longer, viewers might have brought dried fruits or nuts or their own candies. Hershey's chocolate bars were in their infancy in the 1890s. (They were being developed for sale in Pennsylvania.)

Chocolate almonds were being made in Virginia** as early as in the 1700s (often following European recipes), but modern concession stand chocolates like Goobers (1925) and Raisinets (1927) didn't appear until more than thirty years after the three early Black Maria short films debuted.

Happily movies and snacks of all kinds are firmly intertwined in the 21st Century...to the horror of movie viewers who cringe at the sounds of chewing and slurping next to them inside a theater.

I wonder what Thomas Edison would have thought about nachos and gummy worms? I guess we'll never know.

Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Soy Lecithin [An Emulsifier]), Organic Roasted Almonds, Confectioner's Glaze, Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Sugar. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains Tree Nut (Almond), Soy. Manufactured in a plant that processes peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, sesame, eggs and milk products." 

*Woodstock is owned by United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) based in Providence, Rhode Island. The company sources organic and Non-GMO ingredients from farms in 25 countries. Today's organic dark chocolate almonds were produced in the U.S. with domestic and imported ingredients.

** There are records of Virginians making chocolate in Colonial Williamsburg in the U.S. in the 1700s, primarily grinding cacao beans to make a hot chocolate beverage, often spiced. George Washington and his wife Martha, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson are all said to have enjoyed drinking hot chocolate. 

Compartes Chocolatier - Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows (pink and white striped bar) - Dec. 2, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Compartes Chocolatier
The Beverly Hills Hotel Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel 73% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 420 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes Chocolatier, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week on Chocolate Banquet. 

Today's "The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel 73% Cacao" (bar) was from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA). 

Compartes offers a creative line of chocolate bars with different flavor inclusions, including several with references to Hollywood, movies and/or entertainment -- and at least two bars that pay homage specifically to the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Aroma and flavor notes for today's Beverly Hills Hotel-themed dark chocolate, caramel and salt bar included: pleasingly smooth chocolate-y dark chocolate and light, almost buttery caramel. 

Texture: well-tempered, smooth and relatively creamy dark chocolate with slightly crunchy sparkles of sea salt.

I enjoyed the satisfying dose of sea salt and the subtle almost smokey, warm caramel notes.

Warning: This chocolate is addictive ("more-ish") if you're hungry. Indeed, this bar quickly faded to black--as have many Hollywood stars who've enjoyed Beverly Hills Hotel since it opened in 1912.

The illustrated pattern for this bar's packaging--a pink and white pin striped pattern--is part of the Hotel's overall pink* and green color palette.

The hotel may carry Compartes Chocolatier bars like this one in their gift shop. (And if you're still interested in chocolate, head to the Polo Lounge for a chocolate souffle.)

I "paired" this chocolate with the 1978 film: "California Suite" that featured a star-studded cast with drama unfolding at/inside the famed hotel involving five separate couples. I also enjoyed watching "The History of Beverly Hills," (Hilton & Hyland President) Jeff Hyland's insider account of the city's history, ties with Hollywood films, film stars...and their estates. 

Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Cocoa Mass, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin as an emulsifier, Vanilla), Cane Sugar, Butter, Cream, Vanilla, Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy. "Gluten Free"

*The choice of pink was inspired by the colors in southern California sunsets.

Fujiya Co., LTD. - PekoPopo Chocolate (pops) - Dec. 1, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fujiya Co., LTD. 
PekoPopo Chocolate (pops)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .84 oz. (24 g.) in 1 package of 2 pops
Calories: 140 calories (estimate) in 2 pops
Cost: $3.25 for 1 package of 2 pops
Purchased from: de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA

Irasshaimase (welcome) to Day #8 of Chocolate, Movies & Entertainment Theme Week. 

How about edible cartoon characters from Japan, courtesy of a Manga exhibit in San Francisco?

Today's PekoPopo Chocolate (pops) were from Fujiya Co., LTD. (a large confectionery business based in Bunkyo-ku, Japan*). The company was founded in 1910. 

In 1950, a cute cartoon of a six-year old girl named "Peko" became the mascot for Fujiya's Milky milk candy brand. Peko-chan was later joined by a young boy named Popo-chan when the sweets (and Peko-chan) proved popular. Seventy-five years later, the smiling faces of these two famous, forever-young characters can still be seen across Japan (and beyond).

Aroma notes included: biscuit/cookie; freshly toasted bread with jelly; and milky, sweet hot chocolate. 

Texture: light, creamy, milky

Flavor notes included: sweet, mild and creamy milk chocolate--with no bitterness or acidity one might encounter with darker chocolates.

It's probably not polite to say I enjoyed eating adorable children, but these two milky chocolate cartoon kiddos were sweet and tasty (despite containing a lot of additives).

I did enjoy the Manga exhibit at the de Young Museum; and I appreciated the museum's decision to offer these Japanese chocolate pops for sale in their cafe. (And, yes, there are numerous examples of "fan-created manga" featuring Peko-chan.)

Ingredients: Sugar, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm, Shea, Sunflower), Unsweetened Chocolate, Whole Milk Powder, Lactose, Powdered Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Hydrogenated Modified Oil and Fat (Sunflower, Rapeseed), Polyglycerol, Polyricinoleate, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Flavor, Red Beet Juice.

Allergen-related information: Contains: Milk and Soybeans. May Contain Wheat, Egg and Peanuts. Contains bioengineered ingredients

*This chocolate was imported by JFC International Inc. (Los Angeles, CA).