Parliament Chocolate - Redlands Citrus bar; Michael Mischer Orange chocolates - April 12, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Parliament Chocolate
Redlands Citrus 70% bar
Good +
Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 127.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week. We risked citrus overload today with a double dose: one citron and two orange chocolates. It was worth it.

Today's Redlands Citrus 70% dark chocolate bar was crafted by Parliament Chocolate (Redlands, CA).

This ebony-colored bar was chock full of tiny, embedded pale yellow, citron particles. The chocolate offered an enjoyable full, nuanced citrus flavor ride.

Michael Mischer Chocolates
Orange chocolates
Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 113 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $4.00 for package of 2 pieces
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Michael Mischer of Michael Mischer Chocolates (Oakland, CA) is a true craftsman offering fine, high-end bars and filled chocolates.

Today's heart-shaped Orange Caramels consisted of silky smooth, high-quality chocolate covering a creamy chocolate center infused with just the right amount of natural orange flavor. Definitely a keeper, and a cut above your average filled chocolate.

ChocolateBet: May 4, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Michael Mischer Chocolates
Orange Zest
Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 59 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, Oakland, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Citrus/Orange Theme Week. This Orange Zest filled chocolate from Michael Mischer Chocolates (Oakland, CA) was shaped like a half-round citrus fruit, complete with orange peel textured skin. Inside the dark chocolate covering was dark chocolate and naturally flavored orange peel ganache.

ChocolateBet: June 18, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Michael Mischer Chocolates
Pistachios (bar)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories:
Cost: $10.95 total bar
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, Oakland, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Mediterranean Theme Week, part 2.  (This past week there was a brief intermission between Mediterranean Week part 1 and part 2 -- in order to have a Chocolate and Bacon Theme Week.)

And, now we return to lovely items such as green pistachio nuts, that pair well with deep milk and darker chocolates in bar or bark form. The pistachios in this Michael Mischer bar are set into a smooth base of single origin Criollo 65% dark chocolate.

Several of Michael Mischer's line of designer bars are studded with nuts -- others contain salt, toffee or nibs and other flavors. If you visit Mischer's Oakland store, you can browse a long line of these bars (see photo above).

ChocolateBet: December 14, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 


1.) Michael Mischer Chocolates
Spiced Almonds - Single Origin - Criollo; 65% Dark Chocolate
1/8 bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 108 calories (estimate) in 1/8 bar
Cost: $ (varies by bar)
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, Oakland, CA

2.) Michael Mischer Chocolates
Mixed Nuts - Single Origin - Criollo; 65% Dark Chocolate
1/8 bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 108 calories in 1/8 bar (estimate)
Cost: $ (varies by bar)
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, Oakland, CA

It was difficult to pick just one Michael Mischer dark chocolate and nut bar. So, I chose two bars to conclude (Day #7 of) Dark Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week. The Spiced Almonds had a kick to them; and the mixed nuts bar included a generous sprinkling of toasted almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios. Both 65% bars were made from single origin Criollo beans.

ChocolateBet: December 9, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Michael Mischer Chocolates
65% Cacao with toasted Almonds (bar)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 105 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, Oakland, CA

Today was Day #2 of Dark Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week. Michael Mischer does nuts well -- perfectly toasted, and sprinkled across a rich, dark chocolate (65% cacao) bar base, made from single origin Criollo beans from Venezuela.

ChocolateBet: November 24, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Michael Mischer Chocolates
Pumpkin Spice/Jack-O-Lantern filled chocolate
Very Good +
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 65 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA; Michael Mischer Chocolates, based in Oakland, CA

It was delightful to bite into this grinning dark chocolate jack-o-lantern made by Michael Mischer Chocolates. It was filled with pumpkin (pie) spice(d) caramel. I loved the way that the two halves (front and back) of this molded chocolate pumpkin were perfectly put together.

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week. And not a moment too soon to celebrate Fall as temperatures plummeted into the 30s (Farenheit) this week.

ChocolateBet: September 24, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Michael Mischer Chocolates
Dark Chocolate - Single Origin Criollo - 65% Cacao Toffee and Salt (bar)
Very Good
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) / 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 37 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, in Oakland, CA

Today's Michael Mischer 65% dark toffee and salt bar was similar to the 72% dark version I tried yesterday. However, I think this 65% toffee bar comes in a close third behind the 38% milk chocolate and 72% dark versions. Of course, given how wonderfully great those other two bars were/are, this was was still a great rating. The small bar size was nice as well.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Toffee Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: September 23, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Michael Mischer Chocolates
Toffee and Murray River Salt (bar); 72% Dark Chocolate
Very Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 109 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $9.95
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, in Oakland, CA

This proved to be another in a series of great Toffee and Murray River Salt chocolate bars from Michael Mischer Chocolates (Oakland, CA). Yesterday's chocolate was the incredibly smooth and addictive 38% milk chocolate version. Today it was the 72% dark chocolate version, also made from Single Origin Criollo beans/chocolate. Today's chocolate base was, no surprise, darker and richer, and also had a harder snap to it than it's milk chocolate cousin.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Toffee Theme Week. Thank you to Susan for tasting help.

ChocolateBet: September 22, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

2.4 oz. serving
Michael Mischer Chocolates
Toffee and Murray River Salt (bar); 38% Milk Chocolate
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: 2.4 oz. (69 g.)/ 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 360 calories
Cost: $9.95 total bar
Purchased from: Michael Mischer Chocolates, located in Oakland, CA

When I see this Michael Mischer bar label (pictured above, right), my advice is to hide. By that I mean, either hide the chocolate in a cool, dark place from yourself, or others if necessary, to avoid accidental over-consumption and/or spontaneous combustion.

The second image (at right) is a picture of this bar in its hiding place in a back bedroom, moments before being eaten. My second piece of advice: do not attempt to eat just part of one of these bars if you are overly hungry.

These toffee bars are made with a very fine, smooth base of single origin Criollo milk chocolate (38% if you're counting). This is a creamy, delicious milk chocolate I can get behind. Add to that a topping of high-end toffee pieces and Murray River salt, and the result is a highly addictive chocolate bar.

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

ChocolateBet: July 20, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Michael Mischer Chocolates
Almonds and Murray River Salt
Single Origin - Criollo 72% Dark Chocolate
Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. (85 grams)
Calories: 450 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, in San Francisco, CA

This dark chocolate bar from Michael Mischer Chocolates (Oakland, CA) had some nice, rich complex flavors, including a very faint toasted-to-burned flavor, much like you'd taste with Turkish coffee. A touch of Murray River Salt perfectly rounded out the flavor combination.