B.T. McElrath - Salted Caramel - Dec. 1, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Salted Butter Caramel
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .38 oz. (10.8 g.) / 1.9 oz. (54 g.) total box
Calories: 56 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $12.00 for 5-piece truffle assortment box
Purchased from: B.T. McElrath (online order)


Happy December 1st! I hope wherever you are, you're making plans to enjoy this last month of 2013. I'm looking forward to combinations of chocolate, caramel, sea salt, sugar and spice, and maybe some cacao nibs and coconut to keep me warm as we head into winter.

Today's chocolate could spread chocolate wings and head south if need be. This butterfly-shaped buttery milk chocolate, from B.T. McElrath (Minneapolis, MN), was filled with a silky, flowing caramel center. A hint of salt helped balance and round out the rich, smooth sweet taste.

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

B.T. McElrath - Blood Orange Blossoms - Nov. 25, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Blood Orange Blossoms
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) total package of 2 pieces
Calories: 145 calories (estimate) in 2 piece(s)
Cost: $6.50 total package of 2 pieces (favor size)
Purchased from: B.T. McElrath (online order)

Were it not for the warm and sunny weather, I would have pinned one of these dark chocolate covered Blood Orange Blossom beauties from B.T. McElrath (Minneapolis, MN) to my hat before going out. They certainly would make good table favors.

Filled with fuschia-colored, blood orange and white chocolate ganache, and encased in hand-painted, 70% dark chocolate shells, these flowers were pleasing to the eye and palette, with a subtle sweet, citrus finish.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Flower Theme Week.

B.T. McElrath - Chili Limon bar; cookies- Nov. 17, 2013

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier
Dark Chocolate Chili Limon Chocolate Bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 72 calories (estimate) in 1/6 bar
Cost: $5.50 in 1 bar
Purchased from: B.T. McElrath (online order)

I shared today's Chile Limon Chocolate bar from B.T. McElrath (Minneapolis, MN) with a friend. We both experienced a spicy chili and cayenne pepper kick; however, he experienced grains of salt and I did not. That is the challenge with sprinkled on flavor additions; some flavors may be more unevenly distributed than others.

This bar was made with 70% dark and milk chocolate; decorated with colorful red and yellow-orange swirls; and infused with chilies and lime.

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Lemon* Theme Week.

*To arrive at a true chocolate + lemon item with chocolate, I made a small batch of gluten-free lemon, almond cookies (with Crabapple Meyer Lemon marmalade from McEvoy Ranch) that were topped with bits of today's bar. I enjoyed these a lot, but as I mentioned yesterday, I am very fond of most lemon and chocolate combinations.

B.T. McElrath - Lemon Truffle - Nov. 16, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Lemon Supreme Truffle
(part of 5-piece Truffle Assortment)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .38 oz. (10.8 g.) /1.9 oz. (54 g.) total box
Calories: 57 calories
Cost: $12.00 for 5-piece assortment box
Purchased from: B.T. McElrath (online order)

I love lemons and I love chocolate. So, I've been looking forward to the beginning of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week; and it's finally here.

Today's Lemon Supreme Truffle from B.T. McElrath (Minneapolis, MN) -- a dark chocolate piece, with a lemon-infused white, creamy filling, and topped with a yellow dot -- was delicious.

B.T. McElrath Chai Honey Truffles - Oct. 3, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Chai-Spiced Honey Truffles
Good - Good +
Weight: .9 oz. (25.47 g.) in 2 truffles
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) for 2 truffles
Cost: $6.50 for package of two (2-piece favor size)
Purchased from: B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Minneapolis, MN

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Honey Theme Week, and I started the day with a 2-piece party favor sized package of two Chai-Spiced Honey Truffles from Brian T. McElrath (B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Minneapolis, MN).

These truffles possessed creamy, soft ganache (centers), flavored with a chai spice blend and Minnesota honey, and were enveloped by thick 70% dark chocolate exteriors. The truffles were decorated with a honeycomb + bee print across the top.

This week I'm promoting not only chocolates with honey, but also our friends the honeybees. Bees have experienced tough sledding in recent years (diseases, mites, problems made worse by humans, and the usual weather and changing habitat challenges). Go bees! we're rooting for your ongoing well-being. We love your honey, and the fact that you are great pollinators for other foods we value.

Super Red Chocolate Bar - Sept. 17, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Super Red Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $5.49 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Berry Theme Week.

This Super Red Chocolate Bar from B.T. McElrath Chocolatier (Minneapolis, MN) contained 15% fruit -- dried tart cherries, strawberries and raspberries -- in 70% dark chocolate.

There are several bars I've tasted that contain crystalline bits of berry fruit. These, often colorful, berry bits seem a bit sweeter and more concentrated than mere chewy shreds of dried fruit; and they are occasionally more crystalline in texture as well. In any case, the berry pieces were a bit sweet, but were just fine for this bar.

Note: This entry was posted late due to out-of-state travel, and lack of Internet access.

ChocolateBet: November 25, 2011

Chocolate of the Day: 

1 oz.
B.T. McElrath Chocolatier
Passion Fruit and Tangerine Bar
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.)/ 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ Lost info
Purchased from: Lost info


I'm interested in combinations of chocolate and passion fruit. It's hard to make this mixture work. This Passion Fruit and Tangerine bar from B.T. McElrath (Minneapolis, MN) was a good attempt, but swirling white and dark chocolate together confused my taste buds. White chocolate is a good base to let citrus flavors shine through; a heavier solid base of dark chocolate might have wiped out the fruit flavors. However, the two chocolates (and two fruits) might have been one flavor too many.


Change of Subject: Cookies Anyone?
Since today was also Day #1 of Chocolate and Gluten-Free Cookie Week, I took the rest of this bar and cut it up into chunks -- to mix into a gluten-free cookie mix, and added some tangerine olive oil to boost the citrus/fruit flavor. The result: some interesting tasting cookies, studded with passion fruit-tangerine chocolate chunks. There must be an infinite number of variations on chocolate chip/chunk cookies.

My apologies to purists, but recycling chocolate bars to make cookies and chocolate fondue/sauce is a great way to experiment and prevent chocolate from going to waste.

ChocolateBet: November 25, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
B. T. McElrath Chocolatier
Sweet Potato Pave
OK+ - Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70.9 g.) total package of 5 pieces
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10.99 (estimate)
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week. Expect to see chocolate combined with pumpkins and other fall flavors this week.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Today was a day for giving thanks over turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin and pecan pie. Sampling a B.T. McElrath Sweet Potato Pave (pave is French for paving stone) was in order. I have to admit sweet potatoes are not my favorite food, but sometimes things do taste better when covered in dark chocolate.

ChocolateBet: September 21, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) 1 package
R and J Toffees LLC
Original Dark Almond Toffee
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. (113.5 g.) package
Calories: 600 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Palo Alto Farmers Market, downtown Palo Alto, CA

2.) 1 piece
B.T. McElrath
Individually-wrapped toffee (Note: this seemed to be a small version of the 40% cacao milk chocolate, toffee Prairie Dog bar; a Prairie Dog Bite perhaps?)
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Toffee Theme Week. I had two different kinds of toffee today, one from a local (Campbell, CA) company, R and J Toffees.

The second toffee seemed to be a small orange-foil-wrapped version of the (40% milk chocolate) B.T. McElrath Prairie Dog toffee bar with sea salt. (A Prairie Dog Bite perhaps?)

Note: Dangerous things can happen when chocolate is mixed with butter, sugar, nuts, and a pinch of salt. For example, more than 4 oz. (113.5 g.) of chocolate toffee products disappeared this afternoon, after I forgot to eat lunch and became overly hungry before eating chocolate.

ChocolateBet: September 20, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Salty Dog Chocolate Bar
Very Good
Weight: 3.0 oz. (85 grams) in 1 bar
Calories: ~420 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.50
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, in San Francisco, CA

Arghh. I missed the opportunity to eat this yesterday, September 19, which was Talk Like A Pirate Day. It's hard to keep track of all the interesting holidays (that provide creative fodder for eating different chocolates). This was good. However, as much as I enjoy good dark chocolate, a version of this bar with 60% cacao (vs. 70%) would probably make it easier to taste the nice, embedded toffee bits and sea salt.

ChocolateBet: February 28, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces (1 serving)
B. T. McElrath Chocolatier
B.T.'s Ginger Toffee
Very Good
Wt.: 42 grams in 1 (4-pc) serving; 4.0 oz.
Calories: ~210 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ 10.99 for a 4 oz. bag (pricey if you only want a single serving)
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

These chocolate covered buttercrunch toffee squares were very good, but the ginger flavoring seemed to be a bit uneven - undetectable in first bite or two, then registering only as a hot taste. It was only in the last piece or two that I could finally taste a "ginger" taste that helped balance out the hot sensation.

ChocolateBet: September 30, 2007

Chocolate of the Day:

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc. (hand-made) Minneapolis, MN 
B.T.'s Macadamia ToffeeVery Good - Yum
Weight: Total package is 4.0 oz./113 grams (= 3 servings of 4 pieces each)
Calories: One serving is about 230 calories. I had 2 servings = 460 calories (8 smallish pieces)
Price: $7.29 total package
Purchased at the Orcas Village Store, Orcas Island, WA

B.T.'s Macadamia Toffee was described as "Buttercrunch toffee squares made with pure butter from local creameries, blanketed in thick dark chocolate with a generous topping of chopped macadamia nuts." Works for me.

These were very good, with a nice short list of great ingredients and great flavors; and I had fun sharing these.

I enjoyed these while on vacation in the San Juan Islands (Orcas Island), Washington.