Loon Chocolate - The Ghost & The Sea - 70% Dark Chocolate with Ghost Pepper & Sea Salt (bar)

Chocolate of The Day

Loon Chocolate 
"The Ghost & The Sea" - 70% Dark Chocolate with Ghost Pepper & Sea Salt (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 oz. (1 serving)
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Loon Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #18 of Chocolate & Water Week(s), and Day #2 of Chocolate, Fire & Passion Theme Week.

Today's Loon Chocolate The Ghost & The Sea 70% Dark Chocolate with Ghost Pepper & Sea Salt (bar) was manufactured by White Birch Living LLC (Manchester, NH).

Aroma and notes included: bold, but balanced dark chocolate with very faint, diffuse fruit; salt; and spicy chili pepper heat. 

As the maker indicated on the packaging, the flavors progressed from sweet to salty to spicy. Most of the cautious bites I took were spicy without the burn; but a one mouthful flared a little hotter at the end than others. So, be advised if you're chili-sensitive.

Texture: smooth, but tiny crunchy sparkles of sea salt

I appreciated that this vegan, gluten free, bean-to-bar chocolate was made with tasty 70% dark chocolate, just the right amount of salt, and a relatively short list of quality and organic ingredients.

 Maker's Tasting Notes: "Dark chocolate with subtle heat of ghost pepper powder"

Ingredients: Organic Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt, Ghost Pepper

Allergen-related information: Produced in a Facility That Uses Almonds and Milk

Cru Chocolate - " Spicy" Cacao Drink (wheel) - Mar. 22, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Cru Chocolate
Spicy - Cacao Drink (wheel)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in total package of two
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 serving/wheel

Cost: $8.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, add-on to produce delivery service

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Mexico Theme Week.

Happily it's been easier to find fine, bean-to-bar chocolates from Mexico and chocolates with authentic Mexican or Mexican-inspired flavors in the last several years.

Today's Cru Spicy Cacao Drink from Cru Chocolate (Roseville, CA) was characterized as "Chicano" style. (Cru also offers a tasty Purple Corn Pinole "Mesoamerican" style drinking chocolate.)  

Cru founder, Carla McNeil Rueda, in her description of this drinking chocolate, paid homage to "The Adelitas" who were "the brave fighter women of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920)." She notes: "They probably invented this delicious recipe..." And, yes, "Rueda means "wheel" in English, and this package contained two, foil-wrapped "wheels" of drinking chocolate.

Aroma notes included: rich cocoa and aromatic spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves).

Texture: A small bite from the (unprepared) wheel had a pleasing, slightly grainy (stoneground cacao/crystalline panela*) chocolate texture with finely ground, authentic spices. Much of this hearty, textural quality melted/dissolved when mixed with heated whole milk. The end result was a hearty, smooth and creamy, and flavorful drinking chocolate.

Flavor notes for this 60% cocoa included: rich dark chocolate (cocoa, drinking chocolate), warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), with a spicy chili kick. 

I always taste a piece of drinking chocolate before making it into a drink; and I enjoyed the "before" (solid chocolate) and the "after" (a satisfyingly rich and creamy beverage) -- that left me, as promised, "relaxed, but alert" and ready to engage with others.

Ingredients: "fermented cacao beans, panela, organic nutmeg, organic cinnamon, organic cloves, organic hot chili pepper blend"

Allergen-related information: Manufactured on equipment that processes peanuts and milk.

*Panela is a caramel-hued, unrefined whole cane sugar, that retains some of the molasses and nutrients missing from refined white (cane and beet) sugars. 

Monsoon Chocolate - Chiltepin 42% Milk Chocolate (bar) - July 8, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Monsoon Chocolate 
Chiltepin 42% Milk Chocolate, Supporting the Northern Jaguar Project (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate and Mexico Theme Week.

Today's 42% Milk Chocolate "Chiltepin--Supporting the Northern Jaguar Project*"--(bar) was hand-crafted in Arizona by Monsoon Chocolate, LLC (Tucson, AZ). This bar was part of the company's Desert Series. 

My hat is off to those who make chocolate in very hot places. Having visited southern Arizona, I'm also impressed by the wildlife that survive in desert corridors--like the jaguars that range from Mexico to Arizona. 

The chiltepin peppers and cacao in this bar represented these two areas of appreciation for me. These rare peppers grow where the jaguars still roam. Chocolate with a story.

Aroma notes for this 42% cacao bar included: dark chocolate and caramel with very faint, diffuse fruit.

Texture: This caramel-colored bar had a smooth milk chocolate texture.

Flavor notes included: sweet milk chocolate with faint tart-sweet fruit and pepper heat that packed a fiery punch. 

While the heat made it hard to detect subtler notes, it subsided into the finish with most bites with a polite and polished efficiency (similar to its 75% sibling featured yesterday). Some bites had more of a throat-grabbing flame than others; so you may want to enjoy this bar with a glass of water nearby.

I enjoyed this bar in smaller bites; and I was happy to support this maker and the Northern Jaguar Project.

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Milk Powder*, Chiltepin (*Certified Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles tree nuts, wheat, milk, eggs and peanuts. May not be suitable for people with allergies to these foods."

*"The Northern Jaguar Project (NJP) leads efforts to protect North America's northernmost jaguars in the Sierra Madre Occidental, where the chiltepin pepper also thrives. Known as the "mother of all chilies" and the only wild chili native to the US, the chiltepin is honored in the Slow Food Ark of Taste for its cultural and environmental significance. Sourcing chiltepin from NJP-protected areas allows us to support their crucial work."  

American Heritage Chocolate - Dark Chocolate with vanilla, orange & cinnamon (bar) - June 16, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

American Heritage Chocolate
Dark Chocolate with a hint of vanilla, orange & cinnamon (bar)
Good: ++
Weight:  1.27 oz. (36 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar (+tax and shipping)
Purchased from: (Online Shop at Colonial Williamsburg, Online order)

Welcome to the last day of Chocolate and Mexico Week.

Today's American Heritage Chocolate Dark Chocolate with a hint of vanilla, orange and cinnamon 57% Cacao (bar) was made in Henderson, Nevada, and distributed by Mars Wrigley Confectionery US, LLC (Hackettstown, NJ). 

I found this historically-inspired chocolate on the Colonial Williamsburg website. Cacao was ground and consumed in the U.S. by newly arrived Europeans as far back as the 1700s. Williamsburg, Virginia, was using recipes that had their roots in Mexico/Central America. 

Chocolate houses (similar to today's coffee houses) were also in vogue in parts of Europe in the 1600s-1700s; and would have been known to some of the early colonists. These early, water-based, chocolate beverages contained exotic spices and were typically sweetened with sugar.

This bar was full of rich aroma and flavors that reminded me a lot of Mexican chocolate (especially drinking chocolates). This chocolate contained a subtle warm cinnamon and spice blend, and a subtle spicy, kick--consistent with chocolate(s) with chili peppers in Mexico--and possibly in some early chocolate recipes/beverages adopted/adapted by Europeans.

The smooth, thick and creamy-textured dark chocolate had prominent cinnamon and spice (red pepper) notes that were rounded out with orange and vanilla. It had a pleasing, warm quality to it.

I enjoyed this chocolate with some (gluten free) Cinnamon Churro chips from Get Mindright Inc. (Beverly Hills, CA). I felt I'd been transported to Mexico/Latin America.

Ingredients: Chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, salt, natural flavors, red pepper.

Allergen-related information: "May contain milk, peanuts, tree nuts, egg and soy."

Theo Chocolate - Ghost Chili dark chocolate mini bar - Dec. 16, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Theo Chocolate

Ghost Chili dark chocolate mini bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) / 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ unknown (gift from a friend)

Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!)

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Spices Theme Week. 

A spices-themed week wouldn't be complete without a little hot chili pepper (hybrid Capsicum from Asia). Today's Ghost Chili dark chocolate mini bar was from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) and was adorned with an image of a floating ghost.

Years ago, I sampled Theo Chocolate's caramel-filled dark chocolate confections with a trace of ghost chili; and as I recall they packed quite a concentrated spicy punch. 

Today's 70% dark chocolate bar had a lovely, appealing, rich dark aroma with a roasted almost savory, almost nutty notes, with a faint whiff of dried tomato/chili. (This bar contained a mix of Ancho and Ghost chili powders*).

The first five seconds of the first bite was all about the smooth, but flavorful dark chocolate, and it did not disappoint. Then the Ghost chili flames kicked in. And that fire dominated the tasting experience for most of the rest of the tasting curve. However, if you savored this chocolate slowly, the chili faded and the dark chocolate returned with slightly altered chocolate notes. The finish lingered with a balanced, post-chili cacao bitterness. A fun ride.

Thank you to my ever-traveling friend, Toni, who visited Theo's Phinney Ave. flagship store housed in a lovely, historic brick building, and brought back chocolates.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, ancho chili powder, ghost chili powder.

*What a great, complementary mix of Ancho and Ghost chili powders in this dark chocolate bar. Ancho chili starts life as Poblano peppers (Capsicum annuum) that hail from Mexico. And once dried, Poblano peppers are referred to as "Ancho" chili (meaning "wide, broad and/or deep" in English). Ancho chili often anchors chili dishes and savory stews adding richness and depth. 

Ghost chili peppers (Capsicum chinense x Capsicum frutescens) are one of the rock stars of the fiery chili world. They are a hybrid variety from Asia, with a score of 1 million + Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) on the Scoville scale (used to measure chili heat).

Raaka Virgin Chocolate - Ghost Pepper DR bar - Feb. 16, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Raaka
Ghost Pepper Dominican Republic bar
Good +
Weight: .9 oz. (25.47 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50.9 g.) in total bar
Calories: 129 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Raaka (online order)

Welcome to the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Chili Theme Week.

Will we finish up with a bang (or a whimper)? How about with a whisper of Ghost Pepper (aka Bhut Jolokia), one of the hottest chilis around? The Ghost Pepper scores between 855,000 to 1,041,427 on the Scoville scale used to rate spiciness. (The Jalapeno pepper is rated at a "mere" 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units on this same scale.)

Today's attractively packaged Ghost Pepper dark (68% Cacao) chocolate bar from Raaka (Brooklyn, NY) was made with cacao from the Dominican Republic.

Raaka makes what they call virgin chocolate. What does that mean? The chocolate makers at Raaka make bean-to-bar chocolate with unroasted cacao. Why is that important? Well, roasting contributes to the flavor profile of finished chocolate; and the decision not to roast might make for a smoother or, some would say, less robust taste. I think different people will have different preferences here.

The word raaka means raw in Finnish. But, notice I didn't use the word "raw" in the previous paragraph. Of the many steps that go into making chocolate there are at least three (fermenting, roasting, conching, tempering) that involve heating chocolate to a point where temperatures may exceed the threshold (112-118 degrees F./42-45 degrees C.) for raw food adherents. I respect those who honor the spirit and benefits of raw/wild chocolate, but who are also honest about processing terms.

And, Raaka is conscientious about the way they source cacao and make chocolate. They also take their creative side seriously. They are committed to flavor that's less processed and "close to the bean." They almost always identify the country of origin, and sometimes the farm/plantation on the packaging for their bars (and farmers are paid an above market price for their cacao). Today's bar was gluten free (thank you), soy free, vegan and kosher.

Last, but not least, they're creative. E.g., their packaging and bar mold designs, scaled up, might adorn a prize-winning, modern building (exterior or interior).

So, let's get back to today's Ghost Pepper bar. How was it?

The fruity pepper aroma carried a note of warning. This will be hot and s-s-spicy an imaginary snake voice hissed. I've learned this week that the heat and flavor arc of various chilis can be quite different. Some have a slow start and finish with a nuclear blast; others have a mild richness throughout. I wondered what this would be like.

I could taste the almost delicate unroasted cacao, with hints of marshmallow and flowers, that is before the fire from the ghost pepper engulfed it. But, as hot as this chili could have been—the flames flickered throughout the tasting experience and lingered beyond the initial bite—it somehow managed not to be objectionable. This also speaks to the makers' ability to add just the right amount of chili. Hats off to the Raaka team.

Trader Joe's - Jalapeno Ganache - Chili Collection - Feb. 13, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Chili Chocolate Collection
Jalapeno Ganache (dark)
Good - Good +
Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) / 5.64 oz. (160 g.) total box of 16
Calories: 50 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $4.99 for 1 box of 16 pieces
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Alameda, CA

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

Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) came out with a 16-piece Chili Chocolate Collection this year that contained a mix of milk and dark disc-shaped chocolate rounds—each flavored with one of four different chilis.

Flavors sampled the last two days: the Milk Chocolate Guajillo and Milk Chocolate Habanero flavors.

Today's dark chocolate Jalapeno Ganache was decorated with images of green chili/chile peppers and had a silky soft chocolate center layer. The dark chocolate ganache was "paired with the piquant flavor jalapeno chili" and covered in dark chocolate.

Jalapeno peppers score 2,500 - 8,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units) on the Scoville scale.

Trader Joe's - Milk Chocolate Habanero; Chili Collection - Feb. 12, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Chili Chocolate Collection
Habanero Milk Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) / 5.64 oz. (160 g.) in total box of 16 pieces
Calories: 50 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $4.99 for 1 box of 16 pieces
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Alameda, CA

Bienvenidos (Welcome) to Day #3 of Chocolate and Chilis Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Habanero round was part of a Chili Chocolate Collection* from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA).


Covered in milk chocolate (decorated with red peppers), the dark chocolate ganache (filling) had caramel overtones and a restrained amount of habanero chili/chile.

Habanero peppers rank relatively high—100,000 - 350,000 SHU (Scoville heat units)—on the Scoville scale used to measure spicy pepper heat. (Although there is one habanero (the Red Savina) that tops the charts at an impressive 350,000 - 580,000 SHU.)

*This collection or assortment of milk and dark chocolate discs were filled/infused with four different chili/chile flavor fillings.

Trader Joe's - Milk Chocolate Guajillo; Chili Collection - Feb. 11, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Chili Chocolate Collection
Milk Chocolate Guajillo
Good
Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) / 5.64 oz. (160 g.) in total package
Calories: 50 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $4.99 for 1 box of 16 pieces
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Alameda, CA

Buenos Dias mis amigos en chocolate. (Good day my friends in chocolate.) Today is Day #2 of Chocolate and Chili Theme Week.

For the next few days I'll be featuring different spicy milk and dark chocolate rounds from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) Chili Chocolate Collection (a 16 piece-assortment box with four different chili flavors).

Today's Milk Chocolate Guajillo round was what you might expect -- a sweet, classic milk chocolate flavor with an up-and-to-the right slow burn from the guajillo chili/chile.

The guajillo is a popular pepper in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest, with a tangy, bright flavor and a fruity, medium heat; and it is rated 2,500 - 5,000 SHU* on the Scoville scale that measures spiciness.

*Scoville Heat Units

Cacao Atlanta - Aztec Aphrodisiac bar - Feb. 26, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Aztec Aphrodisiac bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.5 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 170 calories (listed on label)
Cost: $6.95 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Chili Theme Week, and we're going out with a bang.

This 60% dark chocolate, Aztec Aphrodisiac bar, incorporated a "secret mix of chilis and spices." It registered somewhere in the medium spicy range, with evenly distributed and well-balanced heat and flavor.

The dark chocolate base was rich-tasting, and could easily pass for 70% (a higher) cacao percentage -- another example of where cacao percentages are just a starting point. Dark fans, don't skip over a bar just because of this % number. Try it first. 

Rescue Chocolate - Pick Me! Pepper bar - Feb. 23, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Rescue Chocolate
Pick Me! Pepper bar
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 320 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Abe's Market, online order

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

The Pick Me! Pepper bar from Rescue Chocolate (made by Tumbador Chocolate in Brooklyn, NY) was made with flavorful and creamy 66% Organic and Fairly Traded (vegan) dark chocolate, and contained pasilla and mulato chili pepper, spices and fleur de sel.

However, no need to be afraid of the heat, as the savory and spicy notes were well balanced, and the slightly salty flavor seemed just right.

The "Pick Me!" in the title refers to dogs who would be happy to be adopted, sponsored or rescued. 100% of the net proceeds from this line of Rescue Chocolate bars go to animal rescue groups.

Fittingly, I spent today leading a Chocolate Walk in the "Dogpatch" neighborhood of San Francisco, an area with several chocolatiers (as well as craft breweries, wine bars, and great little cafes). Dog images were everywhere (including dog paintings/drawings at Recchiuti's Little Nib and theLab Cafe). It was a beautiful day, and thank you to the great group who participated.

Theo Chocolate - Cinnamon Love Crunch bar - Feb. 21, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Theo Chocolate
Cinnamon Love Crunch bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.95 (estimate) 
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate, Cinnamon Love Crunch bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) looked bright pink, sassy, and sweet.

This limited edition bar was created for Valentines Day this month. The bar, made with organic ingredients, also packed a complex, spicy flavor punch -- from cinnamon leaf oil, nutmeg and clove oils, cayenne*, and black pepper oil.

The flavorful bits of cinnamon brittle embedded in the smooth dark chocolate offered a refreshingly different take on cinnamon red-hots or more traditional crunchy candy bits.

*Cayenne and the Scoville Scale
What is the Scoville Scale, and what does it have to do with my chocolate? The Scoville Scale measures the level of capsaicin in chili peppers and hot, spicy foods. Bright red Cayenne peppers (named for the city, Cayenne, in French Guiana) rank a 3 out of 5 on the Scoville Scale. 

ChocolateBet: September 28, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
SOMA Chocolatemaker
Mayan Hot Chocolate Mix
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) mix (estimate)
Calories: 300 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.75 (estimate)
Purchased from: SOMA, in Toronto, ON, Canada

Drinking this Mayan Hot Chocolate brought back good memories of a trip to SOMA in Toronto a few years ago. SOMA Chocolatemaker produces a line of their own bean-to-bar chocolate and other products, and they also carry chocolates from other makers. I remember enjoying a few very unique individual chocolates flavored with Olive Oil, and Douglas Fir there as well. All very good.

This Mayan Hot Chocolate mix, meant to be stirred on the stove, created a thick, rich drinking chocolate, imbued with chilis, ginger, orange peel and other spices.

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

ChocolateBet: Feb. 2, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
3 pieces
Sweet Earth Chocolates
1.) Aztec Truffle - Good + - Very Good
2.) Apricot Habanero - Good +
3.) Aztec Creme - Good +
Weight: 1.32 oz. (37 grams) in 3 pieces
Calories: 190 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - gift (thank you Ardis, Alec)
Purchased from: N/A - gift

There is nothing like a few chilis to add some zing to a bite of chocolate. This trio of truffles and filled chocolates (made with Fair Trade chocolate by Sweet Earth Chocolates) yielded a mild case of chili surprise blow-out. I started with the Aztec Truffle (pictured back/top row, middle), with strong chili and cinnamon flavors infused in a dark ganache, and this resulted in a chili afterglow that bled over into the first bite of the Apricot Habanero chocolate (front right). I tasted a bit of the sweet apricot, and then was awash again in chili flavor. The third chocolate, an Aztec Creme (front left), had sweeter, nuttier flavors, I think. To be fair  to other chocolates in the future, I should take a break after a strong chili flavored item. One additional, pleasant surprise: these Sweet Earth chocolates were more than three weeks old (quite old for truffles), and they were still quite delicious.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week. I'm most happy to report that in a world filled with dubious news, most chocolate-related surprises are positive ones.

Note: Artwork courtesy of Megan A. Hightower 

ChocolateBet: November 3, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Hotel Chocolat Ltd.
"Dark Chocolate with Chilli" Penguin
Very Good
Weight: .41 oz. (11.6 g.) (estimate) /12.36 oz. (350 g.) total package of 30 pieces
Calories: 59 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ N/A - evaluation samples
Purchased from: N/A - from Hotel Chocolat, London, England

It's getting chillier out there. And, when the skies start turning gray, there's nothing like a good dark chocolate penguin with chili powder to warm you up. What? You've never heard of such a thing? Then I refer you to Hotel Chocolat's Classic Christmas Collection. This dark chocolate penguin, from the company's 30-piece Sleekster Christmas assortment box, is one of many pieces geared toward the winter holiday season. And, if the penguin doesn't manage to warm you up, you might try the Rum Ingot or the Florentine Dream (to be reviewed later this week).

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Christmas-is-Coming Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: June 19, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1/5 bar
Coppeneur
Chili and Highland Whiskey (bar)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .52 oz. (15 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 79 calories (estimate)
Cost: $8.95 for total bar
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA

Today's 72% kakao (sic) bar from Coppeneur (Germany) was filled with a Chili and Highland Whisky flavored ganache. I couldn't really taste the chili, but this was one of my favorite ganache bars I've tried. The highland whiskey stood up well against the dark chocolate. I have only an empty wrapper to show (right).

Thank you to Sunita at Chocolate Dividends, and The Chocolate Garage, for providing a tasting venue for chocolates this afternoon; and thank you to Fog City News in San Francisco for providing a great supply of chocolate bars.

ChocolateBet: May 3, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/5 bar (3 small squares)
World Market/Cost Plus, Inc.
Chili and Lime Dark Chocolate (bar)
Very Good
Weight: .6 oz. (16.99 g.) in 3/15 or 1/5 bar - / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 88 calories for 1/5 bar
Cost: $1.99 for total bar
Purchased from: World Market, in Mountain View, CA

This dark chocolate (64% cacao) bar from World Market was a real mouth burner when I first tried it, last month. After that first taste, I wrapped it up, and decided to save it for today (Day #3 of Chocolate and Spicy Theme Week.) It's odd, most chocolates would have lost something over time. However, this bar seemed to improve, and the spiciness of the chili flavor seemed to have died down a bit (more to my liking). While this is the first time I remember a chocolate item improving with time, this surprise result may speak to the difficulty of mixing any added flavor with chocolate 100% evenly. Also, this was a very fresh bar (not due to expire until Aug. 2011, more than a year from now).

ChocolateBet: August 16, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces
Jacques Torres Chocolate
1.) Wicked Fun - Very Good +
2.) Bin 27 Port - Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: ~.7 oz. (20 grams) for 2 pieces
Calories: ~ 105 calories for 2 pieces
Cost: ~$3.26 ($3.00 + 8.8% NYC Sales Tax)
Purchased from: Jacques Torres Chocolate, in New York City, New York

Wicked Fun provided a spicy kick at the end, courtesy of ancho and chipotle chilies mixed into the ganache filling. The second chocolate of the day had a more plain exterior, but its dark chocolate ganache was infused with Taylor Fonseca Bin 27 Port. These would make nice after dinner chocolates; but, if you're like me, any time of day is right for chocolate.

ChocolateBet: August 11, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces
Kee's Chocolates
1.) Black Sesame - Very Good +
2.) Thai Chili - Good + - Very Good
3.) Lemongrass Mint - Not good
Weight: ~1.4 oz. (40 grams) for 3 pieces (estimate)
Calories: ~210 calories (estimate) for 3 pieces
Cost: ~$6.75 for 3 pieces (inclu. NYC sales tax)
Purchased from: Kee's Chocolates in (SoHo area of) New York City, New York

I loved the small macaroons from Kee's Chocolates I ate yesterday, and was looking forward to trying these chocolates. The Black Sesame was very nice, with a dark ganache filling and a coating of toasted black and white sesame seeds. The Thai Chili chocolate was also good; the chili flavor was very subtle. Unfortunately, the Lemongrass Mint, leaf-shaped chocolate tasted off, with a slight ammonia-ish or cleaning fluid flavor. I'm looking forward to trying Kaffir Lime and Pignoli (pine nuts) chocolates tomorrow.

ChocolateBet: August 5, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 package
Senor Murphy
"Chamayo Red Chili Pistachio Bark"
Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. (84 grams) total package
Calories: 450 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.25 ($1.75 per ounce)
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, in San Francisco, CA

The roasted pistachios in this dark chocolate bark were nice and crunchy. This chocolate from New Mexico was also hot and spicy. If you try some, have some milk or ice water standing by.