ChocolateBet: January 9, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 truffle
Coco-luxe Confections
Chai truffle
Good
Weight: .24 oz. (6.8 g.) (estimate for 1/2 pc.)
Cost: $4.00 for small bag of 2 truffles
Purchased from: Coco-luxe, (at temporary holiday shop), Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week, and the day's chocolate choice was a Chai (dark) truffle from San Francisco, CA-based Coco-luxe Confections.

ChocolateBet: June 18, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Coco-luxe Confections
"Good Fortune" - dark chocolate (bar) with ginger, fortune cookie pieces
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .625 oz. (17.5 g.) in 1/4 bar /2.5 oz. (70g.) total bar
Calories: ~ 94 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sugar Shack, in Menlo Park, CA

I like the classic americana theme and flavors that Coco-luxe has created. The homemade fortune cookie pieces are a nice touch to this Asian-American themed bar. I couldn't taste the crystallized ginger, but then I like stronger flavors, and I may have just missed it. It's probably just fine for those who don't want to be overpowered. I recommend warming up this dark chocolate bar a few degrees or breaking it into smaller pieces before tasting this; otherwise it can be a bit hard when you bite into it.

ChocolateBet: May 15, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

~ 1 oz.
Coco-luxe Confections
Roark - "serious dark chocolate with cacao nibs"
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate) serving/ 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate - no calorie information on packaging)
Cost: $7.50 in total bar
Purchased from: Sugar Shack, in Menlo Park, CA

The Roark bar is best if it's brought up to room temperature first; or, if you are patient, you can wait until it softens up in your mouth before biting into it. Otherwise this chocolate can be a bit tough to bite into. But then perhaps with a name like Roark* this is fitting.

*Note: "Roark" refers to a fictional character, a strong, independent architect named Howard Roark who was the protagonist in Ayn Rand's (1943) novel "The Fountainhead" -- a somewhat controversial, philosophical tale some have called an homage to capitalism. Coco-luxe makes a series of chocolate bars with names like this -- i.e. inspired by flashes of "classic Americana."

ChocolateBet: May 8, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Coco-luxe Confections
"Spumoni" (white chocolate with dried cherries, pistachios and cocoa nibs)
Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (17.69 g.) in 1/4 bar/2.5 oz. (70g.) in total bar
Calories: ~94 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.50 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Sugar Shack, in Menlo Park, CA

Note: This posting was delayed due to a trip to Yosemite National Park (out of Internet reception range).

I don't normally eat white chocolate (items made from just cocoa butter), but this bar contained cocoa nibs (from cacao pods, and the source of cocoa solids - which I do count as chocolate). And this Spumoni bar sounded like a fun combination of flavors.

ChocolateBet: March 28, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Coco-luxe Confections
Happy Trails (Drk Choc Bar with Trail Mix)
Good - vaguely chemical taste
Wt: ~.6 oz. (~17 g.); 2.5 oz. (70 g.) total
Calories: ~90 calories
Cost: $ 4.99
Purchased from: Andronicos market, in Palo Alto, CA

Fun concept -- chocolate + trail mix (goji berries, pumpkin seeds), in a dark chocolate bar, called "Happy Trails," dressed in Western style font and package design.