Safeway - Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - July 17, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway
Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
Good 
Weight: .81 oz. (23 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 100 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $0.60 for 1 piece
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Savory Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Signature Reserve Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel was from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA).

The square-shaped, chocolate covered confection had a pleasant chocolate aroma; and each bite yielded a soft swoon into a caramel center punctuated by a few crunchy sea salt crystals. A classic high-end candy combination for a very reasonable price; and just the right size--hearty enough for a tidy, 3 bite serving of sweet, yet small enough to avoid a sugar avalanche.

Sea salt + caramel + chocolate. Adding two addictive substances to a third, and one of the most common example of a savory chocolate. I also sampled this Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel with a small fruit and cheese plate, and the two items paired together very nicely.

Ingredients: Caramel (corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk (milk, sugar), sugar, heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, invert sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, soy lecithin; dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla); sea salt

Savory ice cream coconut sundae & Safeway Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - July 10, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Sweet and Savory Ice Cream Sundae
Peanut Butter cup ice cream, toasted coconut strips, savory seed and nut blend, cacao nibs
Good ++
(Various vendors)

Weight: Approx. 16 oz. (1 lb.)

Cost: Approx. $10.00
Purchased from: three different suppliers/stores

Safeway
Signature Reserve Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
Good
Weight: .8 oz. (23 g.) in one piece
Calories: 100 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $0.60 for 1 piece 
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week and Day #1 of Chocolate and Savory Theme Week.

Today's chocolate double feature, began with a large sweet and savory, homemade ice cream sundae made using ingredients from several companies.

Savory Ice Cream Sundae
The base vanilla ice cream was embedded with slightly salty flecks of chocolate peanut butter cups. And the toppings included a generous serving of organic, toasted coconut chips, a savory nut and seed blend that added crunchy texture, and a little sprinkle of cacao nibs.

The savory elements balanced out the sweetness very nicely. And layering toppings elements (vs. being homogenized together in one ice cream flavor) added flavor fun and depth and kept the topping textures fresh and crispy/crunchy. I'll be making this sundae again in the future.

Safeway - Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel
I also tasted a Signature Reserve Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA).

Crunchy crystals of salt made this substantial milk chocolate covered caramel seem less sugary sweet--a neat trick given that caramel is mostly (heated) sugar. The caramel stretched into soft points with each new bite. 

Homemade Chocolate Ginger Spumoni - Jan. 15, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

California Spumoni desserts
1.) Homemade Chocolate Ginger fudge sauce - Good - Good +
2.) Signature Select Ginger Zinger Trail Mix - Good
Weight: 4 oz. (113.2 g.) in 1 serving (small bowl)
Calories: 226 calories (estimate) for 1 small bowl
Cost: $N/A - various ingredients
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Hazelnuts Theme Week and Day #1 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

Today's ice cream might be best described as California spumoni ice cream, with cherries (fresh and dried) nuts and chocolate...and with a wake-up zing of spicy ginger.

Authentic spumoni ice cream is often a layered parfait of cherry pinks, pistachio greens and cream-colored chocolate (and possibly vanilla), interspersed with bits of fruits and nuts.

Today's homemade ice cream sundae with Ginger Zinger Trail Mix and chocolate ginger sauce, as well as a homemade frozen parfait could be considered California-style Spumoni deserts.

The latter contained dried cherries, hazelnuts and candied ginger (provided by the same Ginger Zinger Trail Mix + some chopped frozen cherries).

O Organics - Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks - Jan. 5, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

O Organics
Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 10 oz. (283 g.) in total package
Calories: 150.9 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) serving
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Hit the Trail with Chocolate Theme Week.

I made my own organic trail mix today, combining an ounce of Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks from O Organics (distributed by Lucerne Foods Inc., Pleasanton, CA)* with a handful of O Organics Organic Cranberry Nut Trail Mix.

The dark chocolate helped perk up the trail mix, which provided some quick, concentrated energy for a day outside at the Palo Alto Baylands. The combination of smooth dark chocolate, bright dried fruit and crunchy nuts
was appealing, if for no other reason, because of the bright variety of tastes and textures.

Safeway - Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream - Apr. 30, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Safeway Signature Select
Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream
Good
Weight: 1/4 cup (33 g.) / 1.5 Quarts (1.42 Liters) in total container
Calories: 95 calories in 1/4 cup serving // 465 cals. (estimate) for 1 small banana split
Cost: $3.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

One can't have a banana theme week without at least one banana split with chocolate ice cream. Today's split featured: vanilla, walnut and Extreme Moose Tracks chocolate ice creams, walnut pieces, a cherry and, of course, a banana.

What is Moose Tracks? In the mid-1990s, Moose Tracks Fudge* became popular as part of an ice cream flavor of the same name.

The original Moose Tracks ice cream was made of vanilla ice cream, Moose Tracks Fudge and peanut butter cups. Today's Safeway's Signature Select Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream ups the chocolate ante and is made with a chocolate ice cream base with fudge cups and pieces of Moose Tracks Fudge.

*The folks at Denali Flavors, Inc. (Michigan) have expanded the Moose Tracks line to include ice creams, cheesecakes and milks.

Lucerne - Toffee Brittle Ice Cream Bars - Mar. 19, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lucerne
Toffee Brittle Ice Cream Bars
OK++
Weight: 2.5 fl. oz. (74 mL) / 15 fl. oz. (443 mL) in total box of 6 bars
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.49 in 1 box of 6 bars
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Ice Cream Bar Theme Week. Yes, it's only March, but it's never too early, or too cold outside, for ice cream here at Chocolate Banquet.

Today's bars were a quick pick from a local Safeway grocery store frozen case: Lucerne Dairy Farms Vanilla Flavored Ice Cream Bars with Almond Toffee Candy Pieces and a Chocolatey Coating (artificial flavor added).

The vanilla ice cream filling was soft, cold and creamy, and the caramel-colored toffee pieces had sort of melted into the ice cream. The "chocolatey" coating served it's purpose as a smooth covering, but I'd call it chocolate "lite" in terms of flavor. (Not everyone is looking for serious dark chocolate, and these were relatively inexpensive.)

The long ingredient list for these bars included milk, cream, sugar, almond toffee candy, coconut oil and chocolate liquor. It also included mono and diglycerides, guar gum, locust bean gum, polysorbate 80, carrageenan, etc.—additives that I'd just as soon leave out of my chocolate items, but these may be OK for some.

Signature Select - 85% Cacao Dark bar - June 24, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Signature Select
(Distributed by Better Living Brands LLC*)
85% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 115 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $2.50 for 1 bar (2 bars for $5.00)
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Swiss Chocolate Week. When people think of Swiss chocolate they often think of milk chocolate, but in the closing days of this theme week, we'll look at a few ultra-dark bars made in Switzerland.

Today's Signature Select 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar (made in Switzerland and distributed by Better Living Brands LLC, Pleasanton, CA*) had a dark, complex but well balanced aroma and flavor profile.

Far from being a one-note bar, there was a bit of earth, a bit of chocolate fudge, and even a bit of a sweet green, floral top note. Flavors unfolded nicely without any huge spikes or "off" flavors.

Speaking of flavor, this five-ingredient** bar did contain some "natural flavor," although that doesn't tell us much. It could be natural fruit or nut flavorings; or it could be almost anything really.

There was a tiny bit of granularity in the texture, but nothing too off-putting. (Given a choice, I'd rather have a slightly shorter conch time and retain more volatile flavor elements than have a sub-micron level smoothness with less flavor.)

I don't know what the origin(s) and supply chain were for this ultra-dark bar, but for $2.50, it was a commendable and reasonably-priced bar for eating; and it might be great in a dark brownie mix.

*Better Living Brands LLC is associated with Safeway (Pleasanton, CA). In 2008, Safeway (large U.S. grocery store chain) unveiled the Better Living Brands Alliance to market health brands (e.g., O Organics, Eating Right product lines). Brand and private labeling strategies have continued to evolve since then. Sometimes it's easier to keep brands floating above underlying corporate mergers and acquisitions; although it does make tracking more difficult.

**Ingredients: Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Cocoa Power, Natural Flavor

Signature Select - Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond Nougat bar - May 6, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Signature Select
Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Almond Nougat bar
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 4 squares, or 2/5 bar
Cost: $2.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Salt and Almond Theme Week.

Today's Signature Select Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Almond Nougat bar was made in Switzerland and distributed by Better Living Brands LLC (Pleasanton, CA).

Better Living Brands is a private label group affiliated with Safeway—a grocery chain that has also offered/offers chocolates with the Safeway Select brand.

The information available above may make it more difficult to decipher the supply chain, for those who want to know where their chocolate is coming from; but the bar was fairly good.

This relatively thin dark 55% cacao bar had a pleasant cocoa aroma and broke with a satisfying snap. It had balanced flavor and texture, with small crunchy, salty almond nougat pieces throughout the bar.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Eating Right - Chocolate Vanilla cookies - Aug. 18, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lucerne Foods (Safeway)
Eating Right (for gluten free)
Chocolate Vanilla Flavored Creme Sandwich
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) 10.6 oz. (300 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories in 2 cookies
Cost: (lost information)
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

I've been writing about a range of chocolate items with coconut and vanilla this week. When these three flavors are combined, chocolate or coconut flavors generally dominate. Very rarely, the vanilla speaks up loudly enough to be heard -- but more often this orchid derivative acts as a soothing peacemaker, bringing some harmony to/between the two stronger flavors, as in today's case.

Today's Eating Right brand Chocolate Vanilla creme sandwich cookies were a gluten-free twist on the traditional chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookie. Happily these gluten-free cookies (made in Germany for Lucerne Foods, part of Safeway) contained natural bourbon vanilla flavor and natural vanilla flavor, and not artificial flavoring.

The vanilla centers were soft and light, and the outside chocolate cookies tasted fresh and crunchy. All in all, the best chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookie I remember tasting.

I enjoyed a non-traditional "milk" with my cookies, made with a blend of iced coconut milk and vanilla yogurt instead. And, while refreshing, the coconut did dominate the vanilla in this blend, despite my best efforts.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate, Coconut and Vanilla Theme Week.

Lucerne Foods - Gluten Free Brownies - June 4, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Lucerne Foods Inc.
Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Mix
OK + - Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 16 oz. (454 g.) total box of mix
Calories: 130 calories for 1 brownie
Cost: $3.99 for 1 box of mix
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

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

These Eating Right Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies from Lucerne Foods, Inc. (Pleasanton, CA) were relatively chocolatey and attractive looking. Made from a mix, I added fresh eggs and butter (a little extra butter actually).

Early versions of commercially available gluten-free cakes and brownies ran the risk of being slightly dry and crumbly. These brownies hung together well -- almost unnaturally well, while still retaining a somewhat moist, slightly spongy texture. It may have been the touch of xanthan gum, a binder used in gluten-free baked goods.

I debated whether to add some buttercream frosting to this batch of brownies, and decided against it. Too much sugar. However, spreading a little salted butter across the top was not out of the question.

Safeway - Orange Cranberry bar - May 23, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway Select
Dark Chocolate with Orange and Cranberry bar
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories (estimate) in 2/5 bar
Cost: $2.50 (sale price) for 1 bar
Purchased from:

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Fruit Salad Theme Week.

The Safeway Select Dark Chocolate with Orange and Cranberry 72% Cacao bar from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA), was a very smooth, pleasant dark chocolate bar with accents of bright fruit and tiny crunchy bursts of orange. The flavors were well balanced, so that no one flavor dominated the mix.

To complement this bar I chose to make an orange and cranberry fruit salad in a cocktail glass. I boosted the orange flavor by drizzling a little orange blossom honey over the top and adding a splash of orange blossom infused water. The fruit salad was simple, colorful, fresh and delicious, and played well with the chocolate, and it motivated me to eat lunch outside in the sun.

With summer on the way, I'm looking forward to making a lot more fruit salads. Some fruit pairs well with chocolate (strawberries and chocolate fondue anyone?) but, if you appreciate fresh from the garden flavors as much as I do, most fruit is best served and enjoyed a la carte.

Safeway Select - Almond and Blueberry bar - May 22, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway Select
Almond and Blueberry bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 4 squares, or 2/5 bar
Cost: $2.50 sale price for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Fruit Salad Theme Week.

The Safeway (Pleasanton, CA) "Safeway Select" brand includes ice creams, chocolates and other higher-end specialty items. Today's Dark Chocolate (72% Cacao) bar with Almond and Blueberry was a Safeway Select branded product that was made in Switzerland. (Not a bad country for chocolate production.)

The chocolate itself had nice, smooth even flavor for a bar over 70% cacao content. Nothing too harsh.

I liked the thickness of these bars, that is to say - they were thin enough to provide a larger surface to mass ratio. More surface = more access to flavors in the bar as you put a piece in your mouth, and a generally a quicker melt (when flavors are released).

The bar was populated with crunchy, tiny bits of almond and blueberry granules (made from blueberry powder and sugar). It was sweet, without being overly so; the crisp sparkles of blueberry flavor in each bite added interest, and was even and well balanced.

Once again this week, I created a fruit salad with almonds and blueberries to pair with this Safeway Select dark bar. The fruit salad with blueberries, melon and chopped roasted almonds was drizzled with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and muddled fresh mint, and topped with honey yogurt. Pairings are fun; this one seemed to work well. Squares of this Almond and Blueberry bar could be served alongside this cocktail glass full of fruit and feel right at home.

Safeway - Almond Berry Medley - March 30, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Safeway
Almond Berry Medley Trail Mix
Good
Weight: 1/4 cup, 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 14 oz. (397 g.) total package/bag
Calories: 150 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $ various
Purchased from: items 3 different Safeway stores

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Cranberry Theme Week. Once again, there were too many different chocolate items to fit into a conventional 7-day week.

The Almond Berry Medley Trail Mix from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA) had a good balance of sweet fruit (dried cranberries, blueberries), crunchy nuts (almonds) and chocolate covered soybeans.

I also bought some dried cranberries, chocolate covered walnuts, and a bag of Safeway Select Cranberry A-Go-Go Trail Mix (with almonds, cranberries and cashews), for a cranberry trail mix banquet for lunch today.

ChocolateBet: October 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Safeway Kitchens
Cocoa Nuggets (cereal)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (32 g.) / 11.6 oz. (329 g.) total box
Calories: 130 calories in 3/4 cup serving
Cost: $ N/A
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Continuing to explore the convergence chocolate, rice and banana, I ate a bowl of cereal that incorporated all three of these ingredients. Today's chocolate came in the form Cocoa Nuggets (sweetened rice with cocoa) cereal from Safeway Kitchens, with fresh banana slices.

Great fuel for a 7-8 mile hike this morning. Just ask the maniacal little monkey on the front of the Cocoa Nuggets box, who looks up for anything.

Today was Day #7 Chocolate and Rice Theme Week, and Day #2 Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: March 6, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 cookies
Lemon Poppy Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free, homemade)
Very Good
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 2 cookies

1.) General Mills - Betty Crocker Yellow Gluten-Free Cake Mix
Very Good
Weight: 15 oz. (425 g.) total package
Cost: $4.79 total box of Cake Mix
Purchased from: Draeger's in San Mateo, CA

2.) Safeway - Real Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Very Good
Weight: 12 oz. (340 g.) total package
Cost: $2.99 in total package (sale price)
Purchased from: Safeway The Market, in downtown San Jose, CA

Today (Sunday, and also Day #6 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookie Theme Week), I improvised a recipe for some gluten-free Lemon/Limoncello Poppy Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I started with General Mills Betty Crocker Yellow Gluten Free Cake Mix. Instead of eggs*, I added lemon curd, Limoncello, poppy seeds, Safeway semi-sweet chocolate chips, and lemon infused olive oil. After experimenting with four different batches, I found a thin, crisp, browned version that worked. Not too dark, and not too light. (I'm no fool; I'm not showing you the quasi-burned ones.) It was hard to take a close-up shot of a fresh, hot cookie on a spatula without fogging up the camera lens; my best cookie cam shot is pictured at right.

I like lemon mixed with dark chocolate. So, I added three lemon-y ingredients to these cookies. However, much of the lemon flavor dissipated in the cooking process. I'll try adding finely ground lemon peel next time.

*General Mills also makes a Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie mix. No egg improv necessary.

ChocolateBet: November 8, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 cup
Safeway - Safeway Select
Cherry Almond Fudge Ice Cream
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (66 g.) / 1.5 quart (1.42 liter)
Calories: 150 calories
Cost: $3.29 (sale)
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week. This cherry ice cream from Safeway was blended with roasted almonds and swirls of chocolate fudge. I may also try this frozen dessert with a little chocolate fudge sauce with brandy.

ChocolateBet: February 2, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

Safeway Select
Dark Chocolate with Lemon and Pepper
Very Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.)/3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 253 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.00 for total bar
Purchased from: Safeway, in San Jose, CA

Happy Groundhog Day all.

It was also my mom's birthday dinner - with a lemon and black pepper theme. So, it was fitting that today's dark chocolate (55%) bar would be flavored with -- yes, lemon and black pepper. This Safeway bar was a "product of Switzerland."