Hammond's - Espesso Martini Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 7, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hammond's Candies 
Espresso Martini Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.125 oz. (32 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Ace Hardware, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's Espresso Martini - Espresso Flavored Dark Chocolate Infused with Coffee Caramel (bar) was from Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO).

Aroma notes for this filled bar included: very sweet chocolate, and caramel, vanilla and coffee latte flavorings.

Texture: Smooth dark chocolate filled with a coffee-flavored, flowing caramel (with crunchy ground coffee bits and possibly vanilla bean specks) filling.

Flavors: smooth, uniformly flavored dark chocolate--that encased and blended with a dark-caramel hued, thick syrup-like caramel-coffee and vanilla filling. There were more sweeteners (sugars, corn syrup) and added flavorings (see ingredients list) than expected in this bar.

I enjoyed the idea behind and blend of flavors in this bar, even if it was too sweet for me. (This was like a high-end candy bar.) 

Note: there was no alcohol in this chocolate + espresso martini inspired chocolate.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor, filling (corn syrup, cream [heavy cream, milk, contains less than 0.5% of: mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 80, carageenan], sugar, butter [cream, natural flavor], mocha espresso coffee paste [coffee, canola oil, sugar, soy lecithin], ground roasted coffee beans, vanilla paste [sugar, water, vanilla extract, vanilla bean specks, gum tragacanth], sea salt, cappuccino tiramisu extract [natural flavor, sugar, caramel color], natural flavor).

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

Hammond's Candies - Dark Peanut Butter Cup bar - Sept. 1, 2017

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Hammond's Candies
Peanut Butter Cup - Dark Chocolate with Peanut Butter bar
Good
Weight: 1.125 oz. (32 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 175? (guess) calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mostly Chocolates, Rapid City, South Dakota

Cabela's
Half Dipped Squares (Peanuts)
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 14 oz. (396.9 g.) in total container
Calories: 140 calories in 1 oz. serving
Cost: $6.81 (with tax) for 1 container
Purchased from: Cabela's, Rapid City, South Dakota

Welcome to the last day (Day #10) of Chocolate and the Wild West Theme Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate and Peanuts Theme Week.

Today's entry includes two chocolate items with peanuts, recently purchased in Rapid City, South Dakota—a part of the country known for its wide open spaces, the Badlands, Black Hills, towns like Deadwood, and in some cases ranches with cowboys who aren't just all hat and no cattle.

Hammond's Candies - Dark Peanut Butter Cup Bar
Peanut Butter Cups. H.B. Reese is credited with inventing this confection in 1928. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (The Hershey Company) are a prominent feature of the American (and global) candy landscape. What's not to like? A dark chocolate peanut butter cup bar? Sign me up.

Today's Peanut Butter Cup bar was made for Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO), a company that has been in the sweets business since the 1920s. The dark chocolate bar contained a soft peanut butter filling. I would have liked the dark chocolate to have been a little richer and darker, but it was a good rendition of a classic pairing.

Cabela's - Half Dipped Squares
Today's Half-Dipped Squares were made for Cabela's—an outdoor sportsman's paradise of a retail location. Beneath Cabela's vaulted ceilings lie stuffed game and hunting, fishing and camping equipment galore. A reflection of the wild west in its present day form.

These small squares were made of a sweet, peanut crunch brittle and were coated with chocolate on one side.

They were also very similar to an Uncle Buck's peanut squares item found a few years ago in a Bass Pro store (a Cabela's competitor). It's worth noting, the two large outdoor stores have recently agreed to merge; so one of these lines may eventually also be merged with the other. 

Hammond's - Milk Chocolate Piggy Back Pecan and Caramel - Nov. 23, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Hammond's Candies
Milk Chocolate Piggy Back Pecan and Caramel
Good
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 360 calories in 1 package
Cost: $3.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Orchard Supply Hardware, Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Thankful Theme Week.

Pecans continue to dominate this week's chocolate menu.

Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO) has been in the candy business since 1920. Today's Hammond's Milk Chocolate Piggy Back Pecan and Caramel was a jumbo-sized, individually-wrapped confection that contained caramel, pecan pieces and was covered in milk chocolate.

Other pecan and Thanksgiving foolishness

Thanksgiving day is three days away. My kitchen has transformed into a mad scientist food lab; and pumpkin and cranberry items abound this week.

I found myself tinkering with pumpkin soup; pumpkin and cranberry muffins with pumpkin cream cheese; and a Thanksgiving trail mix with pecans, pumpkin chips, cranberries, golden raisins, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips and cocoa nibs.

This blend was followed up with a second "entree" trail mix with gravy and stuffing flavored potato chips (yes there really is such a thing), salted green bean chips, pieces of turkey jerky, and orange cranberry bits, to create a portable, dried version of an iconic turkey day meal—that I'll take on a long hike this fall/winter.

Chocolate Breakfast - Yes! - Feb. 19, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) The Yes Bar Co.
The Yes Bar - Coffee Cayenne
Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $N/A
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

2.) Hammond's Candies
Pigs N' Taters Bar
Good
Weight: .375 oz. (10.6 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) total bar
Calories: 55 cals. in 1/6 bar
Cost: N/A
Purchased from: N/A

Why eat bacon, hash browns and coffee, why you can have two different "breakfast" chocolates instead? Today's Chocolate Breakfast served as a transition between Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week, and Chocolate and Chilis Theme Week.

The Coffee Cayenne Yes Bar contained a healthy mix of nuts, seeds, coconut, chocolate chips, ground espresso and dried cherry bits. This gluten-free, GMO free bar from The Yes Bar Co. (Los Angeles, CA) did have a hint of cayenne, but it was very faint. So, there's no danger of burning yourself on this cup of java.

The cleverly named "Pigs N' Taters" Bar from Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO) incorporated (soy) bacon bits and flecks of potato chips into a smooth, milk chocolate bar base.

Crackle Crunch bar - Aug. 9, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hammond's Candies
Crackle Crunch bar - milk chocolate with raspberry popping candy
OK+- Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) piece / 2.1 oz. (59 g.) total bar
Calories: 49 calories (estimate) for .5 oz. (14.1 g.) piece of bar
Cost: N/A
Purchased from: N/A

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Music/Audio Theme Week.

The list of items that make sounds and can also be added to chocolate is not infinitely long. One such item: Pop Rocks, or popping candy. Popping Candy may not be audible to an outside observer, but it can make a racket inside your head.

Today's Crackle Crunch milk chocolate bar from Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO), was packed with tiny raspberry-flavored explosives.

My only quibble: the tiny fizzy riot from the raspberry popping candy overwhelmed the milk chocolate and tasted a bit artificial. 

ChocolateBet: August 26, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hammond's Candies
PB and J Sandwich (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: .84 oz. (23.6 g.) in 2/5 bar / 2.1 oz. (59 g.) total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $2.69 total bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

I like distinct layers of flavors inside a bar or truffle. It's an opportunity to taste these flavors separately and together. In today's case, I could see and taste the peanut butter layer and the seedless raspberry jelly layer inside this milk chocolate PB and J Sandwich bar from Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO).

The design and type face on the company's packaging reflects a distinguished candy-making history, that stretches back to the 1920s.

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: January 11, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
1 serving hot chocolate beverage w/ Chai stirrer

1.) Pacific Natural Foods
Hazelnut Chocolate Non-Dairy Beverage (Gluten Free)
Good ++
Weight: 4 fl. oz. (120 mL)/ 32 fl. oz. (1 Quart) (946 mL) total container
Calories: 60 calories
Cost: $
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

2.) Hammond's Candies
Chai Stirrers (Gluten Free)
Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 5 oz. (141 g.) total container (~15 sticks)
Calories: 40 calories in 1 stirrer stick
Cost: $3.99 (sale/marked down price; reg. $7.00)
Purchased from: HomeGoods, in San Carlos, CA

Nut-based beverages offer some tasty non-milk alternatives for hot chocolate. For today's chocolate choice, I used a chocolate hazelnut non-dairy beverage from Pacific Natural Foods, and a Chai stirring stick from  Hammond's Candies.  I did add in a little hot milk into this cocoa as well. Note: your Chai Stirrer will melt fairly quickly if your cocoa is very hot, so stir quickly.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: December 2, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

14 pieces
Hammond's
Peppermint Jewels
Very Good
Weight: 2.82 oz. (80 g.)/8 oz. (226 g.) in total bag
Calories: 360 calories in 14 pcs. (2 servings)
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Gourmet Works of Los Altos; in downtown Los Altos, CA

This cheery bag of peppermint stick candy "jewels" coated with dark chocolate, from Hammond's Candies, was tied up with a small white bow on top, making it gift-worthy. In the spirit of holiday giving, I'll share these chocolate jewels with others.

I considered making a piece of edible jewel-ry with these pieces; but my dining room table was covered with half-manifested projects already. A quick web search revealed a few artisans already working in chocolate, including Hatzidakis Manos (see Chocolate Jewels profile on Facebook).

ChocolateBet: October 9, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving - 7 pieces
Hammond's Candies (Since 1920)
Peanut Butter Jewels
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.)/8 oz. (226 g.) total bag
Calories: 160 calories in one 7-piece serving
Cost: $7.50 for total bag
Purchased from: Gourmet Works in Los Altos, CA

The old-time candy shop packaging was attractive and cheerful -- and appropriate for a business that has been in operation since 1920. (Hat's off to that accomplishment.)

These particular candies contain hydrogenated fats, which I'm not fond of; but the quality seemed high, and they tasted fine otherwise.

My apology to Hammond's, as this is not the best picture of the candies, but it is hard to scan three-dimensional objects.