Ethereal - Coriander, Orange, Ginger bar - Jan. 18, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ethereal Confections
66% Cacao Topped with Coriander, Candied Orange Peel and Ginger
Good - Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (23 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 112 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: ordered online from Ethereal Confections

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

This 66% Cacao bar, Topped with Coriander, Candied Orange Peel and Ginger, from Ethereal Confections (Woodstock, IL), was loaded with a luscious and colorful jumble of Candied Orange Peel and Ginger pieces.

I did not see, or taste, much Coriander, but this lovely spicy seed but may have gotten overshadowed a bit by the generous serving of orange peel and ginger.

This bar was Dairy and Gluten Free, with no added preservatives. All the ingredients that I remember reading about on the label were also organic.

Chocolate Momotombo - Ginger and Coriander - Jan. 14, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Momotombo
Ginger and Coriander chocolates
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: .3 oz. (8.8 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece / 4.6 oz. (132 g.) (estimate) for total box of 15 pieces
Calories: 46 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $22 for 1 box
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

This small box of 15 pieces of Ginger and Coriander chocolates, from Chocolate Momotombo (Managua, Nicaragua), were big on flavor. These bean-shaped beauties were fresh and glossy looking. Every bite was tremendously satisfying, and worth every penny. The chocolate was rich, flavorful and dark, and harmonized well with the bursts of fresh, spicy-floral coriander seed, and ginger.

These were made in Nicaragua (by Carlos Mann and team) for The Chocolate Garage (Palo Alto, CA). The Chocolate Garage is one of the few places where one can find Momotombo chocolates in the U.S. The chief curator and founder of the Garage, Sunita de Tourreil, has a loyal following among her customers for choosing (and crowd-funding) great chocolates that have a happy supply chain.

Warning: Momotombo chocolates can be addictive.

ChocolateBet: May 20, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) Chuao Chocolatier 
1 small bar
Coco - dark chocolate
Very Good
Weight: .39 oz. (11 g.)
Calories: 69 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ lost receipt
Purchased from: lost receipt

2.) Joy's Place Live
1 container
Chocolate Mousse
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 6.7 oz.
Calories: unknown
Cost: $5.29
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Kahului, Maui; in Hawaii

Today was the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week, which entailed eating a small Coco Choco Pod from Chuao Chocolatier -- a small dark chocolate with coconut, almond, cinnamon and coriander. Perfect size for a high-end, satisfying, bite-sized chocolate snack.

The second chocolate was a Chocolate Mousse, made with nut milk and coconut, and sweetened with local (Hawaiian) honey, from Joy's Place Live! (Maui, Hawaii), found in the local Whole Foods market in Kahului, Hawaii, near where we were staying.

Wow, all these great flavors, and it's not even lunch yet. Have to save room for what's to come.

Following the chocolate trail in Hawaii. Aloha.

ChocolateBet: June 10, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/6 bar
chocri
"Hot Plum Soup" (bar)
Very Good
Weight: .583 oz. (16.5 g.) in 1/6 bar / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar (estimate)
Calories: 85 calories (estimate) for 1/6 bar
Cost: $11.90
Purchased from: chocri (http://www.createmychocolate.com)

The question was, how could I best create a chocolate bar that incorporated coriander? The answer: hot plum soup. From the chocri menu (of 100 possible toppings) I added plum bits, candied ginger, cinnamon, coriander, and orange pepper -- to (an organic, fair trade*) dark chocolate (64% cacao) bar base. The result was not bad. Although, I saw an article on the chocri site that talked about German Chocolate Cake. I think a chocolate bar inspired by this cake may be next on my order list.

Today was Day #6 of Create Your Own Chocolate Theme Week.
*Note: According to their site, chocri also donates a portion of their revenues to DIV Kinder, an organization that supports children in the Ivory Coast region.