Chocolate Maya - Almond Butter chocolate - Sept. 17, 2019

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Chocolate Maya
1.) Almond Butter chocolate - Good +++
2.) Caramelized Almond Cup - Dark Chocolate - Good ++
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 117 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $5.00 for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Nut Butter Theme Week.

Today's Almond Butter filled chocolate and Caramelized Almond Cup were handcrafted at Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA).

The Almond Butter piece was described as having "toasty spices blended in (a) creamy almond butter." And the Caramelized Almond Cup's description read: "solid dark chocolate and caramelized California almonds."

Both were quite good and as promised. The former, a vegan, gluten free Almond Butter filled dome had well balanced, nutty, almond butter aroma and flavor with a trace of light upbeat spice and was covered with a high-quality, lightly decorated (spotted) chocolate shell.

The Caramelized Almond Cup was wall-to-wall, high-quality dark chocolate studded with caramelized (but not too sweet, thank you!) crunchy almond pieces that had received just the right amount of heat.

Chocolate Maya - Dark Chocolate + Almonds - August 2, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Maya
Dark Chocolate + Almonds
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 2.65 oz. (74.9 g.) in 1 bag of pieces
Calories: 397 calories (estimate) in 1 bag
Cost: $5.19 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Today was Day #12 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week. (As often happens, one week of chocolates often leads to two weeks.)

This evening I enjoyed a small bag of Dark + Almonds chocolate pieces from Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA) for dessert. The dark chocolate was rich tasting without being bitter, and had a creamy melt. And the crunchy, toasted whole almonds embedded in these bark-like pieces were perfectly done. 

Chocolate Maya - Basil chocolate - July 29, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolate Maya
Basil chocolate
Good ++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week.

I love flowers and herbs in filled chocolates, truffles and bonbons. So I was interested in trying this basil-flavored filled chocolate (adorned with a dark and white colored patterned stencil) from Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA).

Chocolate and mint is a popular combination. And basil is a member of the very large mint family. Both the chocolate and the basil-almost-mint herbal flavoring in the smooth ganache (filling) complemented each other nicely and the flavors were refreshingly natural and authentic.

Today's piece was one of several interesting, unique and carefully crafted filled chocolates packed into a relatively small Santa Barbara-based shop that also contained a great selection of chocolate bars from around the globe.

Chocolate Maya - Buddha in Jasmin; Ganesh chocolates - July 28, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Chocolate Maya

Buddha in Jasmin (sic) tea
Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 for 1 piece
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Ganesh
Good ++
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $1.50 for 1 piece
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week.

These two wonderful and exotic pieces, a Buddha-shaped chocolate infused with jasmine tea, and a Ganesh medallion-shaped chocolate, were from Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA).

Both were made with rich, high-quality chocolate; and buddha contained a subtle hint of floral flavored tea.

Chocolate Maya - Milk and Honey and Champagne chocolate - July 27, 2015

www.chocolatemaya.com

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Maya
Milk and Honey and Champagne chocolate
Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week.

I've been enjoying the assortment box of chocolates I purchased from Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA) recently. We knew when we peeked in the door of this small, but wonderful shop that we'd be walking out with an interesting assortment of chocolates. And we did.

Today's "Milk and Honey and Champagne" bonbon was a creamy, sweet milk chocolate round topped with tiny (crunchy), gold candy "bubbles;" and it had a very slight hint of champagne grape flavor. Great for a gift or for celebrating a festive occasion, especially if you're milk chocolate fan.

Chocolate Maya - Elderflower Liqueur chocolate - July 26, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Maya
Elderflower liqueur chocolate
Good ++
Weight: .37 oz. (10.4 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 56 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 in 1 piece
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week. I'm working my way through a few different assortment boxes of chocolates recently purchased in Santa Barbara, CA.

Today's purplish, flower-shaped confection came from Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA) and was filled with elderflower liqueur (St. Germain I believe) infused dark chocolate ganache. This filling had just the right amount (for my taste) of slightly berry-tart elderflower flavor.

Chocolate Maya - Rosewater chocolate - July 25, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Maya
Rose - Rosewater Dark Chocolate
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Santa Barbara Theme Week.

This Rose dark chocolate from Chocolate Maya (Santa Barbara, CA) was deliciously dark and authentically rose flavored. And I loved that it wasn't overly sweet.

Unfortunately, the assortment box of great chocolates I bought at Chocolate Maya last week got squashed (my fault), so this photo does not do this lovely, heart-shaped, floral chocolate justice.

Chocolate Maya is a small shop, right off State Street, the main street running through downtown Santa Barbara. It's not far from the ocean and the Santa Barbara pier -- that offers great views of the ocean, the city and the blue and dusky beige mountains as a backdrop. But, back to the chocolate...

Swiss-born owner, Maya Schoop-Rutten uses organic cocoa from "ethical plantations" in her house-made confections. Good chocolate made a difference, as did a lighter touch of sugar. Her shop also is well-stocked with high-quality chocolate single origin bars from bean-to-bar chocolate makers.