Mitica - Coffee Pesetas - Chocolate-Covered Fruit & Nut Cake with Coffee - Sept. 1, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mitica
Coffee Pesetas - Chocolate-Covered Fruit & Nut Cake with Coffee
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 4.94 oz. (140 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $10.99 for 1 package of 8 pieces
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Mitica Pesetas Coffee Chocolate-Covered Fruit & Nut Cake with Coffee (discs) were produced by Paiarrop S.L. (Valencia, Spain), and imported into the U.S. by Forever Cheese LLC (New York, NY).

Aroma notes included: dried fruits (date, fig); smooth dark chocolate; with faint, mild nut (almond); and faint, rich coffee. 

Texture: a blend of dried fruit (figs, dates) and finely chopped nuts (almonds) pressed into a disc form, and covered by smooth dark chocolate.

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes (mentioned above), but with deeper/richer smooth dark chocolate, dried fruit and salt notes. 

I liked the subtle coffee, almonds and especially the sprinkling of salt. All three of these flavors balanced out the natural, concentrated sweetness in the (preservative-free) dates and figs.

Company tasting/pairing notes: "...smooth on the outside, inside they are soft and tender with a mix of dates, figs, coffee, and buttery almonds. Pair with cheese and charcuterie..."

Ingredients: Pitted Dates, Dark Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, reduced fat cocoa powder, SOY lecithin, natural vanilla extract), Dried Figs, Dark Chocolate Chips (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor), ALMONDS, Soluble Coffee, Roasted Cocoa Nibs, Salt. 

Allergen-related information: Contains: Soy (lecithin), Tree Nuts (almonds)

Intrigue Chocolate - Honey & Salt; Pomegranate Bay Leaf; Fresh Mint; Coffee & Balsamic Fig Truffles - Jan. 7, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.

• 1.) Honey & Sea Salt Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 2.) Pomegranate Bay Leaf Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 3.) Fresh Mint Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 4.) Coffee Truffle - Good ++ - Good +++
• 5.) Balsamic Fig Truffle - Good ++

Weight: 1.57 oz. (44.5 g.) in 5 truffles / 4.09 oz. (116 g.) (estimate) in total box of 12 (13) truffles
Calories: 245 calories (estimate) for 5 truffles
Cost: $44.00 for 1 box of 12 (13) truffles
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate, Tea, Herb and Spice Week--featuring a range of bars, truffles, and hot chocolates infused with herbs and/or spices and/or teas.

Today's five truffles were made and distributed by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). These individually-wrapped truffles were part of a 13-piece truffle assortment box. 

Pairing these truffles with a few (non-competing) side dishes and some teas, resulted in an instant, well-crafted cacao feast.

Honey & Sea Salt Truffle aroma and flavor notes included: rich, creamy fudge brownie, honey, very faint honey cookie, and sea salt. Sounds simple, but the flavors were perfectly balanced in this truffle. Another favorite.

Pomegranate & Bay Leaf Truffle notes included: rich chocolate with flavorful red fruit and sophisticated herb (bay leaf). Well-executed, and wonderfully balanced. The result was something akin to a classy, vertical, floral arrangement with subdued, elegant reds and greens. (Ode to a truffle?)

Fresh Mint Truffle notes included: fresh and authentic mint infused into rich, creamy chocolate.But the mint wasn't the strong, overpowering, sweet peppermint found in most mint-flavored chocolates. Instead, the maker chose to use a mint closer to spearmint (and perhaps a touch of another mint). A very nicely balanced chocolate with pleasing, subtly complex mint flavor.

Coffee Truffle notes included: beautiful coffee, cream latte, and coffee cheesecake/cream cheese (there was no cream cheese). I really enjoyed that I could taste the nuanced flavors in the coffee, which was wonderful.

Balsamic & Fig Truffle notes included: rich fruit (dried fig), red wine (there was no wine) and chocolate notes. The Balsamic added some flavor depth and a sweet, rich, slightly tangy taste.

I enjoyed the buttery smooth truffle texture, the authentic and balanced flavors, and the choice of herbs and spices in the assortment box (of 13 truffles). 

Ingredients: Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, soy lecithin), Cream (milk), flavors (as described in the truffle name).

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk.  

Cacao Space - Bolivia Alto Beni 75% with Mission figs - Oct. 21, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Space

Bolivia Alto Beni 75% with Mission figs (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 217 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cacao Space, online order + local pickup (Los Altos, CA)

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

Today's Bolivia Alto Beni 75% dark chocolate with Mission figs (bar) was from Cacao Space (Los Altos, CA).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, dried fruit (fig), and very faint (barely detectable) fresh bread/soda cracker.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with chewy pieces of dark fig.

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate, faint molasses, dried figs, and very faint fleeting floral green tea.

I enjoyed that this 75% dark chocolate was well-balanced, relatively complex (with hearty flavors that were heavenly and not harsh), and this was not too sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: cacao nibs, organic coconut sugar, Mission figs

Allergen-related information: (None listed)

Cacao & Cardamom - 72% Venezuelan Mendiants - Sept. 12, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao & Cardamom
72% Venezuelan Mendiants
Good ++
Weight: 3.52 oz. (100 g.) / 4.7 oz. (133 g.) (estim.) in total container
Calories: 546 calories (estimate) in 100 gram serving
Cost: $15.00 for 1 container (+ shipping)
Purchased from: Cacao & Cardamom, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week. 

Today's 72% Venezuelan Mendiants with Fig, Almonds, Pistachio and Candied Ginger were from Cacao & Cardamom (Houston, TX).*

The company used "a (Valrhona) 72% Araguani chocolate from Venezuela with roasted Pistachios, Almond slivers, Calimyrna Figs, and crystallized Ginger" to make these hexagonal chocolate mendiants. (Mendiants are attractive, traditional French chocolate confections (often flat discs) topped with dried or candied fruits and nuts.)

Aroma notes included: smooth dark chocolate, faint fruit and nut, and spice (ginger).

The texture was a tasty blend of creamy and crunchy elements -- including the very subtle, edible tiny seeds in the dried fig strip.

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate, ginger and subtle nuts (almonds, pistachios) and dried fig. The ginger added great flavor and complemented the dark chocolate nicely.

Ingredients: 72% Venezuela Chocolate, Calimyrna Figs, Almonds, Pistachios, Ginger

Allergen-related information: "Dairy Free & Gluten Free"

* Four of today's ingredients involved seeds: 1.) cacao beans (seeds); 2.) almonds and 3.) pistachios are seeds from drupes, i.e. not technically nuts; and 4.) dried figs offered additional tiny little seeds.

 

That's it Nutrition - Organic Dark Chocolate Fig Truffles 60% Cacao - June 7, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

That's it Nutrition LLC
Organic Dark Chocolate Fig Truffles
Good + -  Good ++
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 20 oz. (567 g.) in total bar
Calories: 70 calories in 1 serving (3 truffles)
Cost: $ N/A - gift from neighbor (Thanks Bill!)
Purchased from: N/A - gift from neighbor

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week that has expanded into a second week--with a growing list of fruits being represented.*

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Fig Truffles were from That's it Nutrition LLC (Los Angeles, CA).

Aroma notes included: subtle dark chocolate and dried fruit (fig).

Flavor notes included: chocolate and softly chewy and almost earthy, whole dried fruit (fig). The fig was the star of the show; and the 60% dark chocolate covering/shell complemented the fruit well.

I liked that this chocolate covered fruit was authentic tasting (made with a short list of organic ingredients), and was not overly sweet. (Thank you!)

Ingredients: Organic Figs, *Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter).

Allergen-related information: May contain occasional stem, seed or pit fragments. Certified Gluten Free, Certified Organic, Certified Paleo, Fair Trade Certified Cocoa.

In the earlier years of Chocolate Banquet, I ran week-long and month-long chocolate series that included flavor inclusions in alphabetical order (from A-Z). It was fun to hunt for all these different chocolates (Apple, Banana, Cherry, Durian...etc.)  

It also proved that chocolate makers are very creative, chocolate is incredibly versatile--it can be sweet or savory; bitter, sour and/or sweet, and can mix with almost every food and liquid in some form.

Vosges - Parmesan Walnut and Fig 67% Cacao (bar) - June 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Vosges IP, LLC
Parmesan Walnut and Fig 67% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Vosges website, online order

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

Today's Parmesan Walnut and Fig 67% Cacao (bar) was created by Vosges IP, LLC (Chicago, IL).

Aroma notes included: chocolate, faint dried fruit, saltines (crackers) and nuts.

As with yesterday's Vosges 45% Cheddar and Apple chocolate bar, today's 67% aged Parmigiano Reggiano, California walnut and Turkish fig chocolate was smooth with a soft crunch. Particles of authentic cheese and dried fruit items were fully incorporated into a chocolate base.

Flavor notes included sweet dark chocolate, parmesan cheese, walnuts and dried fruit (figs). Very subtle spices (salt, pepper, peppercorns) rounded out this savory chocolate blend.

The complexity was enjoyable, flavors were well balanced and this chocolate was not too sweet (thank you!).

Hats off to Vosges for continuing to create new and wonderful flavor combinations, including a line of chocolates blended with cheeses (parmesan, cheddar, manchego, other). Some of these "cheese" bars also have fruits and/or nuts. 

I love sampling savory chocolate flavors, and creating chocolate and cheese pairings. Blends like this are hard to find.

Ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla bean seeds), chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla bean seeds), walnuts, dried figs, parmesan cheese (raw milk, rennet, salt enzymes), sea salt, pepper, pink peppercorns.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, walnuts. "Processed on equipment that also processes milk, soy, wheat, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts."

 

Essential Living Foods - Organic Mediterranean Mix - Dark Chocolate, Figs, Almonds - Feb. 20, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Essential Living Foods
Organic Mediterranean Mix - Dark Chocolate + Figs + Almonds
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 14 oz. (396 g.) in total package
Calories: 280 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $9.99 for 1 large package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and EFGHI, an alphabetic theme week featuring chocolates with flavor inclusions that start with the letters E, F, G, H and I.

Today's chocolate was a mix of elements. Essential Living Foods* Mediterranean Mix was a blend of Dark Chocolate + Figs + Almonds. 

Figs were one of the first fruits cultivated by humans. The figs we eat now are often descendants of trees with Mediterranean and Asian origins--seemingly a world away from cacao tree roots in South America and Central America.** 

However, native fig trees in the Americas do exist, in a range that overlaps cacao origins, and as far north as Florida and as far south as Paraguay. 

Regardless, fig fruit(s) and chocolate seem to have been made for each other. (It's similar to the natural affinity between dark chocolate and ginger, chocolate and raspberry, and chocolate and certain spirits.) 

It was exciting to find and enjoy an authentic-tasting, "gourmet trail mix" with dark chocolate, figs and almonds...that wasn't too sweet or salty. I was even happier to find pumpkin seeds, white mulberries (a fig relative), hazelnuts and Brazil nuts were included in this crunchy, chewy mix. 

Yes, I heartily agree with the marketing tagline. This was truly a deluxe, haut trail mix. Only a sprinkle of gold dust and/or golden berries*** would have made it more high-end.

This trail mix would be good eaten a la carte on a hike; intermingled with oatmeal or granola-type cereals; baked into muffins or baked apples; or sprinkled on vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients: Organic dark chocolate chips (chocolate liquor, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla extract), diced figs, roasted pumpkin kernels (pumpkin kernels, salt), white mulberries, Brazil nut pieces, almonds, hazelnuts (Note: Except for salt, all ingredients above were listed as Organic.)

*Essential Living Foods trail mix blends are distributed by Terrafertil US, LLC (Torrance, CA), a producer of natural, organic and plant-based foods. (Terrafertil was founded in Ecuador in 2005.) In 2018, Nestle (Vevey, Switzerland) bought a majority stake in Terrafertil.

**Ficus is the Latin name for fig. European (Spanish "Black Mission") figs (Ficus carica) arrived in the Americas centuries ago (likely in the 1500s). Franciscan missionaries later cultivated them in Mexico and Southern California (in the San Diego area) in the early 1700s. 

However, banyan-related fig trees (Ficus citrifolia) are native in the Americas (Southern Florida, Mexico, Caribbean islands, Central America and northern South America); and they bear sweet, edible fruits as well. (The red mulberry tree, a fig relative, is also native to the Americas.)

***Golden berries (Physalis peruviana), are bright yellow, cherry tomato (or tomatillo) sized fruits from South America (Peru, Colombia), in the nightshade family. They are also grown in Ecuador and Chile.

Terrafertil (Ecuador) is one of the largest suppliers of Golden Berries, also known as Inca(n) berries and Cape Gooseberries. 

Akbal Chocolate Mexicano - Oscuro 72% Higo Almendra bar - Mar. 30, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Akbal Chocolate Mexicano
Oscuro 72% Higo Almendra Ahumada Sal de Mar (Edicion Especial)
Dark 72% Fig, Smoked Almond, Sea Salt (Special Edition) (bar)
Good +
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) (estimate, no weight listed on label) in total bar
Calories: 296 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: N/A - gift from a friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (thank you Julie!)

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Mexico Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's Oscuro 72% Higo Almendra Ahumada Sal de Mar chocolate was from Akbal Chocolate Mexicano aka Akbal Chocolates (Playas de Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico). This attractively packaged* 72% cacao dark chocolate fig almond and sea salt special edition bar was made from bean-to-bar in Mexico.

Dried fig and nuts naturally complement dark chocolate very nicely. Add a balanced hint of sea salt and a trace of smoke, and I'm sold.** The dark chocolate was relatively uniform and smooth and not too sweet (thank you!).

*Art on packaging was from Ronaldo Glaubitz

**Ingredients: Cacao, azucar (sugar), higo (fig), almendra ahumada (smoked almond(s)), sal de mar (sea salt).

Chocolate Fondue Night - Ecuador + other origins - Aug. 24, 2019

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Several different Ecuador (70% - 100% cacao) bars
Good +++
Weight: Approx. 3 oz. of dark and ultra-dark fondue
Calories: 450 calories (estimate) in two servings of fondue(s)
Cost: $N/A - various bars with different price points
Purchased from: Various Sources

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

Tonight's impromptu fondue backyard get-together involved two vats of solar-melted dark chocolate: one was made with 15 different melted 70%-75% cacao chocolate bars.

And the second pot was made from a collection of 100% cacao bars (i.e. no sugar). Ecuador bars were heavily represented.

Both dark and ultra-dark chocolate fondue blends were good, and were enjoyed with fresh fruits, marinated figs, persimmon bread, roasted walnuts and almonds, graham crackers and marshmallows, and many other shared items. (Thank you to those who participated!)

Made in Nature - Figgy Pops Choco Crunch Energy Balls - June 29, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Made in Nature, LLC
Figgy Pops - Choco Crunch Supersnacks
Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4.2 oz. (119 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 2 pops
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Cacao Nibs, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Figgy Pops Choco Crunch Supersnacks* were distributed by Made in Nature, LLC (Boulder, CO). They're part of a growing number of "energy ball" offerings in the market in recent years.

Moist and crunchy don't often co-exist in the same food item. However, these organic, round Figgy Pops pulled it off. They were moist and fruity (dates, figs, tart cherries), with a hint of cocoa and coconut flavor. And they had a slight, satisfying crunch (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cacao nibs). They were lightly sweetened (apple juice) and seasoned (Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt).

*These Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified Unbaked Energy Balls also had one of the longer descriptive product names this week.

Hu Kitchen - Crunchy Fig Chocolate Bar - Aug. 6, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hu Kitchen
Crunchy Fig Chocolate Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.05 oz. (29.7 g.) 2.1 oz. (59.43 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Lost info.
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate, Fruits and Nuts Theme Week.

This Crunchy Fig Chocolate Bar from Hu Kitchen (Brooklyn, NY) was a tasty blend of crunchy (almonds), chewy (organic figs), and rich, smooth, slightly earthy dark chocolate (72% cacao).

Hu Kitchen's motto is to use plain, simple fresh ingredients -- to "get back to the way humans ate before industry ruined food." Strong words, but appealing to people seeking less processed, and healthier and tastier food options.

Designed to be paleo and vegan diet-friendly, this dark fig and nut bar was not overly sweet (no refined or cane sugar, just organic coconut sugar and figs) -- which I liked. And it was made without gluten, soy (lecithin) or other emulsifiers.

Donnelly Chocolates - Fig Dark Chocolate Bar - Aug. 6, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Donnelly Chocolates
Fig Dark Chocolate Bar
Good +
Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 119 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Marianne's Ice Cream, Santa Cruz, CA

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate, Fruit and Nut Theme Week -- beginning with a few chocolates studded with dried figs.

I purchased today's Fig Dark Chocolate Bar from Donnelly Chocolates (Santa Cruz, CA), in Santa Cruz, at another local favorite spot, Marianne's Ice Cream (Santa Cruz, CA) that offers some fun chocolates of their own.

The thick, dark chocolate bar base was smooth in flavor, and was topped with pieces of golden, slightly chewy fig. What could be better for those who enjoy both dark chocolate and figs? Not much.

In keeping with fresh California fruit and nut flavors, I paired this fig dark bar with freshly cracked and extracted walnut pieces (from a grower up in walnut country. (Thank you Yvonne!) The slight bitterness of the walnuts + a tiny sprinkle of salt complemented the rich and fruit-sweet flavors in this bar.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate + Fig + Rose - Nov. 27, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Organic Dark Chocolate 73% Cacao Super Dark bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 158 calories for 1 oz. (14.1 g.) piece of chocolate
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Palo Alto, CA

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the U.S. I'm thankful for time spent with family, and for all the people growing cacao and making great chocolate.

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week, and the first day of Chocolate and Rose Theme Week.

With this many food and chocolate flavors intersecting today (I'm giving pumpkin a rest this year), I decided to make a trio of small shotglass desserts with chocolate. What's better than one dessert? Desserts that are so tiny, you can have more than one.

All three of these desserts incorporated chocolate from today's Organic 73% Super Dark bar from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA).

The first dessert, served warm, consisted of brandy-marinated figs, atop a layer of chopped bacon, topped with a layer of melted dark chocolate in a shotglass.

The second tiny dessert was a fig bread pudding -- with chopped figs and gluten-free raisin cinnamon toast, topped with chopped pecans, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, and chocolate shavings.

Last but not least, the third small glass was filled with greek yogurt flavored with rosehip jam, rosewater and cardamom, and topped with chopped, roasted and salted pistachio nuts. and chocolate shavings.

The Trader Joe's Super Dark bar was smooth, dark fun, with fudgy and nutty flavors. This organic bar was perfect by itself, or for livening up a dessert.

Sapore Messo Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar + figs - Nov. 26, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sapore Messo Foods
Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
Good++
Weight: 1 teaspoon / 375 mL (12.07 oz.) in total bottle
Calories: 6 calories (estimate) in 1 teaspoon
Cost: $12.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Sapore Messo Foods table, Farmers Market, OFJCC, Palo Alto, CA

The days are growing shorter, and it's time to turn to the dark side. By that, I mean Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar -- that can be used to liven up all sorts of dishes.

Drizzle this Sapore Messo (San Jose, CA) balsamic over some figs on gluten-free toast with some great olive oil, and you have a great sweet and savory tapas plate. Or create a fig bruschetta. (The company also offers several other flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars, including a fig balsamic. The balsamic vinegar they work with is from Modena, Italy.)

A small amount of this dark chocolate balsamic vinegar imparts powerful flavor, so use sparingly on lighter dishes, such as fruit salads. This type of product invites experimentation. And, I'm going to experiment next with a small shake of this balsamic vinegar on a mango, blackberry and sage salad for the upcoming Thanksgiving long weekend.

Any fruits or berries that pair well with dark chocolate (strawberries, raspberries, orange, etc.) would likely work well also. Add a dollop of greek yogurt and grate a little dark chocolate over the top and you have a fruit salad that could easily serve as dessert.

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

Blanxart Dark Chocolate + Figgies and Jammies - Nov. 25, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Blanxart
Chocolate Negro (Dark Chocolate)
Good - Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 79 calories (estimate) in .5 oz. (14.1 g.) piece of bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: (unknown, lost information)

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

When I think of figs and chocolate, I think about Spain and other Mediterranean countries and the many wonderful ways to enjoy figs (with goat cheese; with sherry, port and various liqueurs; in savory dishes or in salads; etc.).

Today's 62% cocoa Chocolate Negro (Dark Chocolate) bar from Blanxart (Barcelona, Spain) was wrapped in gold foil and a brown paper outer wrapper with a hand block-printed image look from centuries past. This bar would likely have harmonized nicely with figs and sherry, then as now.

If you're in dessert snack mode, and prefer to skip the sherry, try a piece of this chocolate bar with a Mission Fig "Figgies and Jammies" cookie from Pamela's Products (Ukiah, CA). These gluten-free cookies had a cake-like exterior that enveloped a jam-like fig and fruit filling. Or you could melt the chocolate and use it as a fondue to dip your cookie or pieces of cut up fresh figs, peaches, apples, berries or other fruit.

There are days when it's easy to get carried away with pairings -- like today. This smooth, relatively sweet, dark chocolate bar was also perfectly fine all by itself.

DOTI Berry Allure - Figs in Chocolate - Nov. 24, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

DOTI (Chocolate Manufacturer)
(Chicago Importing Co.)
Berry Allure - Figs in Chocolate
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 7 pieces
Cost: $6.95 for 1 package/bag
Purchased from: Draegers - San Mateo, CA

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

The Berry Allure brand Figs In Chocolate were from DOTI (a Polish chocolate manufacturer). The company specializes in European chocolate covered fruits and nuts.

Chewy pieces of fig had a hint of butterscotch brown sugar flavor and were coated with Belgian chocolate. I found them somewhat addictive. Not too much sugar, but just the right amount of natural fig sweetness.

3D Candies - Blue Cheese White Fig caramels - Nov. 23, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

3D Candies
Blue Cheese White Fig chocolate caramels
Good - Good +
Weight: .672 oz. (19 g.) / 3.36 oz. (95 g.) in total package
Calories: 100 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $14.99 for 1 package of 5 pieces
Purchased from: Draegers, San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week.

3D Candies (Sacramento, CA) offers several caramels, and has developed successful relationships with wineries over time -- which likely leads to fun and interesting food and chocolate taste test research with wine.

Today's 3D Blue Cheese and White Fig, non-GMO, chocolate-covered caramels might pair well with some wines. (Perhaps port or sherry and some savory, roasted walnuts would make an interesting trio?)

Each of the five pieces in this package were decorated with a slice of dried white fig. I didn't taste any blue cheese flavor in these caramels. While some will revel in the generous sweet caramel filling, I might be tempted to add a few grains of sea sea salt or savory flavor to balance the sweetness.

As with any caramel or filled chocolate, make sure you buy a fresh package.

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - Fig Butter Bar - Nov. 22, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Co.
Fig Butter Bar
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 149 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $3.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Co., Oakland, CA

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

This dark chocolate Fig Butter Bar was hand-crafted by Nancy Nadel at The Oakland Chocolate Co. (Oakland, CA). The chocolate was made from scratch using single origin, Jamaican cacao beans. And the tiny filling cavities were bursting with dried chopped fig, and hints of orange zest, lemon and sea, salt yielding a small bar that was full of concentrated flavor.

The Oakland Chocolate Co. - 85% Fig, Pumpkin seed bark - Nov. 21, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

The Oakland Chocolate Co.
85% Cacao Chocolate Bark - Fig, Pumpkin and Hemp Seeds
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70.75 g.) in total bag/package
Calories: 149 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. piece of bark
Cost: $5.50 for 1 bag/package
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Co., Oakland, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week. Cold weather tends to enhance my appreciation of rich, concentrated flavors, like those found in dried fruits. So, while fresh figs are wonderful, I'm focusing on great chocolates made with dried figs this week.

Today's dark chocolate and fig offering from The Oakland Chocolate Co. (Oakland, CA) came in the form of thin shards of 85% (Jamaican) cacao bark, adorned with small slices of dried figs. Green pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and small, sparkling crystals of sea salt added great, well-balanced texture and flavor.

When so many other holiday barks are loaded with sugar, this one stands out as a less-sweet, tasty, dark alternative. 

Trader Joe's - Peru bar - May 12, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Peru 60% Dark Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .318 oz. (9 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) total bar (part of a larger package of 8 bars)
Calories: 46 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $N/A - part of previous tasting
Purchased from: Trader Joe's (by someone else)

How many ingredients can be combined together without the overall flavor getting muddied up (the artist's equivalent of mixing every paint color together and getting a "palette grey")? Well, the answer is it depends on the ingredients, and how well balanced they are. For example, a good sauce or soup might contain the essence of many things.

Today's miniature dessert was composed of a small vanilla scoop of ice cream, with a dollop of dark chocolate fig and orange sauce, topped with crunchy green pistachio nuts.

The chocolate was a piece of a Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) Peru 60% Dark Chocolate bar, melted with fig and orange. The resulting chocolate and fig sundae was a blend of sweet, smoky, floral, citrus, fruity -- light, bright and dark -- flavors. I savored every tiny bite.

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Fig Theme Week.