Simply - Coconut Almond Chocolate Date Bar - Nov. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Simply Gum, Inc.
Coconut Almond Chocolate Date Bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Coconut Almond Chocolate Date Bar was distributed by Simply Gum, Inc. (Brooklyn, NY).

Made with a relatively short list of ingredients

Subtle aroma notes for this bar with a pleasant, substantial chewy texture included: chocolate, coconut, and dried fruit (date).

Flavor notes included: light chocolate (thin surrounding layer); and at the core of this bar: coconut, mild nut (almond) and sweet date. There was a very faint coconut cookie/macaroon quality--made better by the addition of almonds and chocolate--and (an imagined) vanilla flavor.

Another plus: it wasn't overly sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: Organic Deglet Noor Dates, Organic Dessicated Coconut, Roasted Almonds, Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Chocolate Liquor, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Cacao Butter), Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: "Contains Coconut. Made in a facility that also processes wheat, peanut, almond, cashew, and pecan. May contain pits and/or fragments of shells."

Tony's Chocolonely - Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Nougat - Jan. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Tony's Chocolonely
Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Nougat bar
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving (30 g.) of bar
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 bar (thank you Don!)
Purchased from: New Leaf Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

Welcome to Day #17 of European Chocolate Vacation Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Nougat bar from Tony's Chocolonely Inc. (New York, NY) and was made in Belgium. 

The chocolate company was founded in the Netherlands in 2005 by three journalists with a vision to eliminate illegal child labor/slavery practices* (primarily in the (West African) cacao supply chain, where farmers are often paid very little. In addition to helping to educate consumers, Tony's Chocolonely supports and carefully sources fair trade ingredients.

As one of the last imaginary European stops via chocolate, I imagined a walk along canals in Amsterdam, a stop at the Van Gogh Museum in the city's Museum Quarter, and a search for a rumor that Tony's Chocoloney chocolate bars can be found in vending machines there. (Yes, it's true, there is a wall-sized, "mega-super" vending machine in Tony's Store in the Westerpark area of Amsterdam.)

Today's ultra-thick bar required some concentration to bite through (a bit like a large, alpine mountain shaped Swiss Toblerone bar.)

The bar had a sweet milk chocolate and nut aroma and sweet, smooth (32%) milk chocolate flavor. Honey nut nougat flecks added crunchy texture. These nougat pieces had a faint, natural honied, layered sweetness (light honied milk tea).

Ingredients: Sugar dry whole milk, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, 10% nougat (cane sugar, glucose syrup (wheat), 2% almonds, potato starch, honey, cocoa butter, egg white), soy lecithin.

Allergen-related information: (Contained milk, wheat, tree nuts (almonds), egg and soy.) "May contain tree nuts and peanut."

*A high percentage of European (and other commercial) chocolates are made using West African cacao. Tony's founders talked about how they were one of the few chocolate companies actively talking about "slave-free" chocolate in the early-mid 2000s. Hence the name Tony's "Chocolonely."

In 2021, Tony's Chocolonely made an acquisition announcement, around plans for an expanded role in an existing (Althaea-De Laet) chocolate factory (Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate Circus), on the border between Zaanstad and Amsterdam. They will become more involved in their own manufacturing and continue to pursue their goal of making "100% slave-free chocolate the norm in the industry."

SweetWorks - Creme d'Amaretto and Creme de Menthe chocolates - Jan. 1, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

SweetWorks Confections, LLC
(A Chocolat Frey Company)
Ovation Break-A-Parts by Frey
Creme de Menthe
Good +
Weight: .3 oz. (8.75 g.) /6.17 oz. (175 g.) in total package
Calories: 47.5 calories in 1 segment
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

SweetWorks Confections LLC
Ovation Break-A-Parts by Frey
Creme d'Amaretto
Good +
Weight: .31 oz. (8.8 g.) /6.17 oz. (175 g.) in total package
Calories: 48 calories in 1 segment
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Happy Chocolate New Year and New Decade to all! Welcome to the final day (Day #11) of Holiday Tea and Spirits Theme Week, and Day #1 of 2020.

Today's Ovation Break-A-Parts by Frey were manufactured by SweetWorks, LLC (A Chocolat Frey Company (Buffalo, NY).

I enjoyed these two variations on a holiday chocolate foil-wrapped "orange" tradition that I first encountered in the UK.*

After a few quick whacks on the edge of the kitchen counter....citrus-like chocolate segments were freed and ready to eat. And each segment was filled with a flavored filling: Creme de Menthe and Creme d'Amaretto respectively.

*Terry's Chocolate Oranges originally made their appearance in the early 1930s, the creation of family firm Joseph Terry's and Sons/Terry's Chocolate Works in York, England. (Mondelez International bought Terry's in 2012.)

Chocolate Frey, founded in 1887 by brothers Robert and Max Frey, is a Swiss business enterprise of the M-industry and has been a part of the Migros Group since 1950.

High Road Craft Ice Cream - Cherry Almond Chip Ice Cream - May 7, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

High Road Craft Ice Cream
Cherry Almond Chip ice cream
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1/2 cup (107 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 250 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $1.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Cherry Almond Chip ice cream was from High Road Craft Ice Cream (Marietta, GA). The product packaging indicates this ice cream was designed and made by chefs.*

The rich (16% butterfat) ice cream was good. It was more delicate and flavorful than many bulk commercial ice creams. It was flavored with dark, sweet cherry pieces; roasted, praline almond bits; small, soft dark chocolate chunks; and vanilla.

There was also a very faint coconut* flavor note, but there was no coconut listed in the ingredients.

It contained vegetable gums as stabilizers but otherwise no artificial or superfluous items that we could detect.

*CEO and Founder of High Road Craft Brands (and Ciao Bella Gelato Co.), Keith Schroeder, is also a chef.

Sanders Candy - Milk Chocolate Cherry Almond Caramels - May 1, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sanders Candy - Sanders fine chocolatiers
Milk Chocolate Cherry Almond Caramels
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in total package 3 pieces
Calories: 120 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package of 3 pieces
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Menlo Park, CA

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

Today's Milk Chocolate Cherry Almond Caramels were made by Sanders Candy (Clinton Township, MI).

Yes, these milk chocolate confections were sweet, but the chewy, chocolate-covered caramels were full of cherry and almond bits which helped slow down the sugar rush. And they were substantial and satisfying after a long hike.

tinyB Chocolate - Dark Chocolate Almond, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate brigadeiros - Oct. 11, 2018

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

tinyB Chocolate
Four-piece box of Brigadeiros

1.) Dark Chocolate Almond - Good ++

2.) Coconut and Cream - Good

3.) Dark Chocolate and Sprinkles - Good ++

4.) Milk Chocolate and Milk Sprinkles - Good

Weight: 2.6 oz. (73.5 g.) in total box of 4 pieces

Calories: 240 calories (per tinyB) in 4 pieces 

Cost: $ N/A - gift/sample from tinyB Chocolate

Purchased from: Sample box was supplied by tinyB Chocolate 

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week. 

Today's box of brigadeiros from tinyB Chocolate (San Francisco, CA) were made in San Francisco, by Renata Stoica who was born in Brazil.

What is a brigadeiro? Think of this popular confection as a Brazilian cousin to the American chocolate truffle. Brigadeiros have a smooth, creamy texture, and no hard shell. (They are related to other Latin American confections that are carefully stirred and cooked in a pot on a stove.)

My favorites in this 4-piece box were the Dark Chocolate Almond (upper right in photo) and Dark Chocolate and Sprinkles (lower right in photo). The company also offers a variety of other tempting flavors, including Raspberry and White Chocolate, Cinnamon and Dark Chocolate, and Half Dark and Half Passion Fruit.

Eaten fresh they are creamy, sweet and wonderful. Store in the refrigerator to prolong life.

Ingredients for the base chocolate were: organic sugar, organic milk, organic butter, organic chocolate + flavor inclusions (most of which are organic).

Living Raw - Almond Avalanche Truffles - Oct. 5, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Living Raw
Almond Avalanche Truffles
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in 1 package of 3 truffles
Calories: 180 calories in 1 package of 3 truffles
Cost: $5.79 for 1 package of 3 truffles
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

This morning's Almond Avalanche Truffles were from Living Raw (Franklin, TN).

This package of three Organic, Raw, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan and Paleo Friendly rounds were comprised of soft, almost velvety, chocolate truffle centers (organic cacao powder, cacao butter and coconut oil), and were coated in bits of toasted almond.

The truffles were sweetened with organic coconut nectar; and they were sweet without being overly so.

Sorbabes - Coffee Almond Frozen Dessert - Sept. 30, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sorbabes Gourmet Sorbet
Coffee Almond Frozen Dessert with Espresso Bark
Good
Weight: 5 fl. oz. (147 mL) total container
Calories: 160 calories in 1 container
Cost: $0.50 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Ice Cream Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

Sorbet is not ice cream; but this offering was a frozen dessert, and it served as a transitional item into Today's Coffee Almond Sorbet with Espresso Bark and other natural flavors was from Sorbabes Gourmet Sorbet (Le Mars, IA).

This frozen dessert was rich, sweet and refreshing, and was made with no soy or gluten; and it was labeled Non-GMO.

Perfect Bar - Almond Coconut bar - July 1, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Perfect Bar, LLC
Almond Coconut bar
Good
Weight: 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 290 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift from family
Purchased from: Costco, Mountain View, CA

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

The Almond Coconut refrigerated protein bar from Perfect Bar (San Diego, CA) was satisfying, chewy, and surprisingly sweet (organic dates and cranberries, organic apple juice concentrate and honey). This organic, gluten-free bar had rich coconut and almond flavor with a touch of cocoa.

The 8 grams of protein in the bar were primarily supplied by organic almond butter, organic hemp protein and chia powder, and other vegetable oils and fruit and vegetable powders were also incorporated into the bar.

Chuao Chocolatier - Organic Dark Chocolate Moon Bark - Coconut Almond Radiance - June 28, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chuao Chocolatier

Coconut Almond Radiance - Organic Dark Chocolate Moon Bark 

Good

Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total package

Calories: 200 calories in 1 package
Cost: $ missing information  

Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Coconut Almond Radiance Organic Dark Chocolate Moon Bark was from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA).

This disc- or moon-shaped chocolate had a slightly crunchy texture. The base 72% (fair trade) dark chocolate was decorated, mendiant*-style, with toasted coconut, dates and salted caramelized almonds.

On the flip side (not pictured in this post), the disc was scored into quarters, the following words appeared: "Moon Vibes Only." Coincidentally we were out last night admiring our wondrous summer moon; it was shining between branches in the backyard. What a treat.

*A mendiant is a French-style chocolate confection, usually round and flat, with nuts and fruits pressed into or dropped/placed onto a cooling chocolate disc. Each inclusion was said to represent one of the monastic orders in France, and possibly to represent the colors of monks" robes.

Baru - Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Hippos - Aug. 8, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Baru
Dreamy Chocolate Hippos
Milk Chocolate Honey Almond
Good
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total package
Calories: 167 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, San Mateo, CA

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate and Honey Theme Week.

Sometimes people think that eating a new chocolate every day must be like dwelling in the land of milk and honey. More accurately, it involves visits the land of milk chocolate and honey.

Today's Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Chocolates from Baru (Belgium) were molded into small (individually-wrapped) hippo shapes. Cute!

The 33% milk chocolate hippos had a sweet milk chocolate aroma and flavor with a creamy melt.
The almonds were difficult to detect in the honey nougat flavored milk chocolate. A bit of nice honey flavor surfaced in the finish.

*Note to those watching their allergens: While there was no specific wheat ingredients called out, this chocolate contained glucose, a sweetener that can contain/be made from wheat. And the label carried a "may contain traces of wheat/gluten" type advisory.