Hana Gold - 72% Dark Chocolate Maui Made (bar) - March 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hana Gold
72% Dark Chocolate Maui Made (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. of bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Hana Gold, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week. 

Today's 72% Dark Chocolate "Maui Made" (bar) was distributed by Hana Gold Farm (Hana Highway, Maui, HI).

Aroma and flavor notes included: deep dark chocolate with diffuse, balanced fruit and forest notes. I could almost taste (or at least the chocolate conjured up notions of) slightly earthy (peaty/amended) volcanic soils in the greener parts of Hawaii.

Texture: soft, initially very slightly gummy, texture with a creamy and light mouthfeel once melted. 

I liked this bold but balanced 72% dark chocolate. Dark fans will appreciate the less sugary taste and the slightly earthy but smooth dark complexity. Like many two-ingredient bars you get more unadulterated cacao flavors and a sense of cacao origins (terroir, fermentation, grower and maker choices).

Ingredients: Hana Gold cacao, organic cane sugar.  

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that... processes nuts, dairy, soy.

 

Hana Gold - 51% Milk Chocolate with Hana Banana (bar) - Mar. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hana Gold
51% Milk Chocolate with Hana Banana (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in total bar
Calories: 241 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Hana Gold, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Gold Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week. 

Today's 51% Milk Chocolate with Hana Banana (bar) was distributed by Hana Gold Farm (Hana Highway, Maui, HI).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and light banana.

Texture: soft, initially almost gummy, texture with a creamy and light mouthfeel once melted.

Flavor notes included: slightly fruity, rich, sweet, dark and milky/creamy chocolate--with thin, crunchy banana slices of dried banana.

This sweet, balanced dark milk chocolate bar still had some pleasing, mild complexity (very slightly fruity cocoa, banana, vanilla). That is, the higher percentage of sugar and milk (51% vs. 70%) in this bar did not eclipse the other/more subtle flavors.

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole and skim milk, whey, soy lecithin, vanilla, organic dried banana.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, soy (lecithin). "Made in a facility that also processes nuts, dairy, soy.

Anthon Berg - Golden Jubilee Selection: 1.) Matusalem Gran Reserve Rum; 2.) Famous Grouse; 3.) Sobieski Vodka - Mar. 21, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Anthon Berg 

Golden Jubilee Selection
1.) Matusalem Gran Reserve (rum) - Good ++
2.) Famous Grouse (Scotch whisky) - Good ++
3.) Sobieski Vodka - Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.69 oz. (48 g.) in 3 bottles / 2.2 lbs. (1 kilogram) in total 64-pc. Golden Jubilee Selection box
Calories: 216 calories (estimate) in 3 bottles 
Cost: $N/A - gift from a friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Joe-Ming!)

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

These spirits-filled chocolate bottles were from Anthon Berg (Ballerup, Denmark). This Danish chocolatier (now a division of Toms International) has a history that stretches back to 1884.

Today's three foil-wrapped chocolate bottles were part of a deluxe, 64-bottle Anthon Berg Golden Jubilee Selection, that were housed in an attractive, large gold package (box). The filled chocolate assortment featured several well-known spirits/liqueurs fillings from different countries.

Matusalem

The 50% dark chocolate "bottle" enclosure had a smooth dark milk chocolate* taste with a creamy melt and mouthfeel. 

Matusalem is a premium Caribbean rum produced in the Dominican Republic.

The Matusalem Gran Reserva liquid (syrup) filling was authentic, with pleasing almost whiskey-like caramel and vanilla, along with very faint and rich wood/oak and stone fruit notes.

Famous Grouse

Famous Grouse is a brand of blended Scotch whisky(s) produced in Scotland.

Sweet, creamy and aromatic dark milk chocolate surrounded a generous sip of sweet, boozy, rich and smooth single malt Scotch flavor.

Sobieski Vodka

The well-tempered, creamy dark milk bottle-shaped exterior contained a sweet and "clear" boozy dose of vodka, with a clean finish.

The chosen dark chocolate couverture complemented all the spirits-based fillings in the Golden Jubilee flavors I tasted.

*Note: Today's chocolates did not list milk in their ingredients list; they are 50% dark chocolates--despite my repeated descriptions of these chocolates having the smooth, creamy taste and texture of a dark milk chocolate.

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass**, cocoa butter**, water, spirits 6% (whiskey, liqueurs, cognac, whisky, vodka, liqueur (coconut), rum), natural orange flavor (Cointreau(R)), 0.8%, flavoring. (Minimum 50% cocoa solids in dark chocolate.)

** = Rainforest Alliance Certified

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut. May contain traces of milk and tree nuts.

Anthon Berg - Golden Jubilee Selection: 1.) Cointreau, 2.) Remy Martin Cognac, and 3.) Southern Comfort - Mar. 20, 2025

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Anthon Berg 

Golden Jubilee Selection
1.) Cointreau - Good ++
2.) Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne - Good + - Good ++
3.) Southern Comfort - Good ++

Weight: 1.69 oz. (48 g.) in 3 bottles / 2.2 lbs. (1 kilogram) in total 64-pc. Golden Jubilee Selection box
Calories: 216 calories (estimate) in 3 bottles 
Cost: $N/A - gift from a friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend

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

Today's three foil-wrapped chocolate bottles were part of a deluxe, 64-bottle Anthon Berg Golden Jubilee Selection (housed in an attractive gold package). The filled chocolate assortment featured several well-known spirits/liqueurs fillings from different countries.

Anthon Berg (Ballerup, Denmark) is a Danish Chocolatier (now a division of Toms International) with a history that stretches back to 1884.

How did each one taste? 

Cointreau 

The chocolate "bottle" had a smooth dark milk chocolate taste with a creamy melt and mouthfeel.

The Cointreau liquid (syrup) filling was authentic, with pleasing, clean, clear fragrant sweet orange and  very faint, pleasing herbal and balanced bitter orange notes toward the finish.

Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne 

Sweet, creamy and aromatic dark milk chocolate surrounded a generous sip of sweet, boozy, cognac/brandy flavored syrup.

Southern Comfort

The well-tempered, creamy dark milk bottle-shaped exterior contained a sweet, relatively complex warm, sweet whiskey, with very faint citrus and oak notes.

Note: The dark chocolate did not contain milk, even though it had the smooth taste and creamy texture of a dark milk chocolate.

A testament to how versatile chocolate can be, the chosen dark chocolate couverture complemented all the spirits-based fillings well.

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass**, cocoa butter**, water, spirits 6% (whiskey, liqueurs, cognac, whisky, vodka, liqueur (coconut), rum), natural orange flavor (Cointreau(R)), 0.8%, flavoring. (Minimum 50% cocoa solids in dark chocolate.)

** = Rainforest Alliance Certified

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut. May contain traces of milk and tree nuts.

Goldkenn - 37% Swiss Milk Chocolate with Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne (bar) - Mar. 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Goldkenn 
37% Swiss Milk Chocolate with Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 500 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $16.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Worldwide Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Gold Theme Week.

Today's 37% Swiss Milk Chocolate was filled with pockets of Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne Syrup. It was "Swiss made by Goldkenn" (La Locle, Switzerland).

This bar was part of Goldkenn's Liquor Collection (chocolate bars filled with different spirits). The company also offers a Gold Collection that includes gold (chocolate) coins, gold bars, and even a gold van filled with...yes, gold chocolates.

Aroma and flavor notes for this cognac chocolate included subtle dark milk chocolate--that tasted a bit darker than many 37% cacao milk chocolates (less sweet, hurray!), while also having a very smooth flavor that I associate with fine Swiss chocolate.

The chocolate complemented the "Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne" syrup filling quite nicely. The syrup did contain real Cognac--a brandy (spirit distilled from wine) from the Cognac region in France. And each filled square of this bar had an authentic (slightly bitter, boozy) cocktail flavor.

Texture: Smooth mouthfeel. The bar was divided into eight, scored, 37% milk chocolate squares. Each square had a protruding dome that contained a flowing (liquid), cognac liqueur-like filling. (Note: Eat over a plate or a napkin if you want to avoid possible cognac drips.)

There was a small percentage of alcohol in this adult chocolate.And each filled square of this bar did have an authentic (very slightly bitter/strong) miniature cocktail flavor. 

This bar paired well with a fruit plate. In keeping with the gold theme, golden tangerines added some extra sweet citrus sparkle.

Ingredients: "sugar*, cocoa butter**, cocoa mass**, Remy Martin(R) Cognac Fine Champagne (7%), whole milk* powder, skimmed milk* powder, butter*fat (milk), whey* powder (milk), emulsifier: rapeseed lecithin, natural vanilla extract. (* = Ingredients from Switzerland; ** Rainforest Alliance Certified). Made in Switzerland.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. May contain hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pecan nuts, cashew nuts, pistachio nuts, eggs, soya, wheat and barley. "This product may contain traces of coconuts."

Zoe's Chocolate Co. - The Gold Bar - Mar. 18, 2025

Chocolate of the Day 

Zoe's Chocolate Co.
The Gold Bar - part of The Bar Collection
Good ++
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 411 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Zoe's Chocolate, online order

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

Today's "The Gold Bar" from Zoe's Chocolate Company (Waynesboro, PA and Frederick, MD) is part of the company's The Bar Collection.

This sweet, smooth--and elegant looking--60% cacao bittersweet chocolate bar was draped with a generous helping of 24 karat gold leaf pieces.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla), 24 karat gold. 

Allergen-related information: "Made in an environment where peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs are used."

Willie's Gold - Pure Gold Sur Del Lago Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar) - Mar. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Willie's Gold 
Pure Gold Sur Del Lago Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .705 oz. (20 g.) / 1.41 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Worldwide Chocolate, online order 

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

Today's Willie's Gold Pure Gold Sur Del Lago Venezuela 100% Cacao (bar) was from chocolate maker Willie's Cacao Ltd. (Devon, UK). 

The cacao used to make this bar was grown in Sur Del Lago (south of Lake Maracaibo) in Venezuela. Maracaibo is a famed lake where the skies are charged with tropical lightning.* Bananas, peanuts, cocoa and other crops are grown in this area.

Aroma and flavor notes for this smooth (silky, buttery) textured chocolate bar included: deep, luscious dark chocolate (fudge brownie with nuts (almonds, walnut)) -- without the sugar. (Note: there were no nut ingredients.)

Ultra-dark chocolate lovers will appreciate this two-ingredient bar that captures the essence of cacao very nicely. As with all other 100%ers, milk chocolate/candy lovers may miss the bright sweetness that comes with sugar-sweetened chocolate.** 

I enjoyed this bar with friends in the Golden State of California, at a Golden State Warriors basketball game in San Francisco, with views of the Golden Gate bridge. It was indeed a 100% gold-filled day. Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all who celebrate this day. We saw rainbows today, but no leprechauns (cancelled due to weather) jumping into pots of gold.

Ingredients: Cocoa Solids, Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: (None listed/visible on this package.)

*The Catatumbo lightning over Lake Maracaibo is part of a rare atmospheric phenomenon -- a reaction driven by the interaction between warm air from the Caribbean and cooler air descending from the Andes mountains. The word "catatumbo" comes from the local Bari language and roughly translates to "house of thunder." 

**Note: I am someone (part of roughly 25% of the population in the U.S./Europe) who not only tolerates, but really enjoys more bitter flavors (cacao, hops, arugula, coffee, etc.). And while this may be largely genetically determined, I am thankful my genes allow me to savor the nuanced flavors in these lovely items. Yes, there are some plant items that are too bitter even for me, but thankfully cacao seeds (aka cacao beans) are not on this list. 

Eat Gold Organics - The Untamed 70% Cacao (bar) - Mar. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Eat Gold Organics
The Untamed 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Village Market, S.F. Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Gold Theme Week, including several chocolates with "gold" connections, and a few that actually contain gold.

Today's "The Untamed" 70% Cacao (bar) was from Heart of Gold Organics (Minneapolis, MN). The company produces a line of different chocolate bars; and, yes, this Limited Edition bar from Tasya Van Ree did contain attractive, festive flecks of 24K gold.

My tasting notes: smooth, and slightly woodsy dark chocolate with a bit of very subtle sweet fruit, botanical and light umami and pleasant wood in the relatively long finish.

 Ingredients: Specialty Cacao*, Coconut Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Lions Mane Mushrooms*, Rhodiola Rosea*, 24K Gold (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: Manufactured in a Facility That Processes Tree Nuts, Milk, Wheat & Peanuts.

Eat Gold Organics - Sweet Dreams (bar) - Mar. 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Eat Gold Organics
Sweet Dreams 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Village Market, S.F. Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Gold Theme Week, including several chocolates with "gold" connections, and a few that actually contain gold.

Today's Sweet Dreams 70% Cacao (bar) was from Heart of Gold Organics (Minneapolis, MN). The company produces a line of different chocolate bars. (One of these does contain gold, and I'm featuring that one tomorrow.) In the meantime, this Sweet Dreams bar was described as "Adaptogen Nootropic Infused."*

My tasting notes: smooth, and slightly woodsy dark chocolate with a balanced bit of bitter in the finish.

 Ingredients: Specialty Cacao*, Coconut Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Almonds* (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: Manufactured in a Facility That Processes Tree Nuts

*Normally the theobromine (the primary stimulant in cacao) keeps people feeling wide awake. However, I didn't quite get the same buzz I associate with some dark chocolates -- likley due to use of coconut sugar, vs. refined "white" sugar. (Coconut sugar is lower on the glycemic index.) 

Cacao is considered by some to have nootropic (cognitive enhancing) properties. I'm not sure if the unspecified "adaptogen nootropic" properties of this particular chocolate contributed to a sense of relative calm or not. And there was no other information available on the packaging to explain how this bar was "formulated to reach a deeper, more restful sleep." I guess I'll find out tonight....P.S. I slept very well and did have great dreams.

Chocolarder - Gold Frankincense & Myrrh chocolate 72% (bar) - Mar. 14, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolarder
Gold Frankincense & Myrrh chocolate 72% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.24 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 196 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Gold Theme Week.

Today's Gold Frankincense & Myrrh 72% chocolate (bar) was from Chocolarder (Falmouth, Cornwall, U.K.).

This seasonal bar was made from bean-to-bar using Peruvian cacao, tree resins from the province of Kenitra in Morocco, and gold leaf. 

For all its shimmering beauty, gold is an inert element that imparts no flavor that I'm aware of. However, this dark chocolate was dressed for an evening out, with sparkling flecks of gold (very thin gold leaf/foil pieces) carefully placed in a chocolate mold so that on the finished bar, the gold pieces adorned the company name ("Chocolarder") and some cocoa pods.* 

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate; faint diffuse fruit (mild citrus (sweet orange or mild tangerine); and pine or herb-like, aromatic resins (frankincense and myrrh). There was also a very faint (barely detectable but pleasing) cherry cola with sweet herbs soda note in the finish.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Warming aromas of orange and pine needle with undertones of red fruit and green apple."

Ingredients: "Cocoa beans, unrefined raw sugar, cocoa butter infused with Frankincense and Myrrh, 23ct gold leaf"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a factory that also handles dairy and tree nuts."

*Typically flavor inclusions are sprinkled on the "back" of a bar, and it was impressive to have all these elements present on one side. Extra luxe (and extra time and care too I imagine).

NearyNogs Chocolate - "Salt Water Days" - Irish sea salt, cacao nibs & gold dust 60% Ecuador (bar) - Sept. 3, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

NearyNogs Chocolate
"Salt Water Days" - Irish sea salt, cacao nibs & gold dust 60% Ecuador (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 166 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and The Sea Theme Week.

Today's "Salt Water Days" - Irish sea salt, cacao nibs & gold dust 60% Ecuador (bar) (Batch 2604) was from NearyNogs Chocolate (Mourne Coast, Ireland). 

This small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker is "nestled between the Mourne Mountains and the Irish Sea." And today's bar is their "ode to sunny beach days." (include parts of their description) the golden sheen off the water. 

The cacao used for this 60% dark chocolate was made using cacao from Hacienda Limon in Ecuador.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (ganache), very faint tart-sweet fruit (citrus, berry, dried fig), and faint roasted and caramel notes found in mocha lattes.

There were two different flavor zones in this bar: 1.) the base dark chocolate (ultra-dark, bittersweet chocolate-y tart made with non-alkalized cocoa powder); very faint diffuse fruit (citrus, berry); roasted marshmallow/toffee; and a very slightly earthy, bittersweet tang; and 2.) the bites that also included the crunchy cocoa nibs and sea salt. The latter bites tasted mellower, nuttier, and a bit more well balanced to me. 

Note: salt tends to cut bitterness a little. I liked the bites with salt and nibs a bit better. It was nice to have a wee bit of contrast though. I'm a huge fan of well-executed complexity and layered flavors. 

Someone asked me: Did the gold have a flavor? Not that I could taste. Pure gold is considered an inert substance, and doesn't spark taste sensations per se; but it can (and did today) create pretty visual effects. And appearance is part of the whole tasting experience.

Having walked on the coastal trail near Dublin, the subtle glow of the gold sheen on this bar did indeed bring back happy memories of late afternoon light on the Irish sea when I was there. Thank you to NearyNogs for the temporal transportation today and for being who they are (solar-powered chocolate factory, soulful family stories, thoughtfulness, and nature-inspired, beautiful, compostable packaging).

Maker's Tasting Notes: Caramel, Butter, Toffee, Salt

Ingredients: "60% cacao beans, unrefined cane sugar, Irish sea salt, edible gold dust. (cocoa solids 60% minimum)."

Allergen-related information: None listed on packaging.

*Edible gold has no taste; and it is "inert" so it doesn't react with anything?? and passes through the digestive system.

Woodside Chocolate Company - Caramel chocolate (bar) - Feb. 19, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Woodside Chocolate Company
Caramel chocolate bar (with gold accents)
Good + 
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) (estimate) total bar 
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in .5 oz. (14.1 g.) piece of bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: The Village Bakery, Woodside, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Golden Sugars Week, featuring chocolates with caramel, toffee, honeycomb toffee and other forms cooked sugar(s). 

Today's caramel flavored chocolate (bar) from Woodside Chocolate Company (Woodside, CA) was also decorated with edible gold (pieces of gold leaf sheeting used to decorate high-end desserts). 

This elegant-looking chocolate bar was quite sweet and had small, softly crunchy bits (possibly caramel/toffee flecks and/or very thin flecks of almond) incorporated into what tasted like a sweet, dark milk chocolate base.* 

If one took inspiration from the flavor of a Cadbury's Caramello bar from one's childhood...and decided to make the most grown-up, upscale version possible of a caramel chocolate bar, this is what it look and taste like. 

It was a bit too much sugar for this dark fan, but this locally-made bar would make an attractive and impressively gilded chocolate gift for those with a sweet tooth.

*Ingredients: (None listed on package)

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging)

Rococo Chocolates - Gold Frankincense Myrrh 65% bar - Aug. 22, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Rococo Chocolates
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh bar
Good+++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 186 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

Today's Gold Frankincense and Myrrh dark chocolate bar was from Rococo Chocolates  (London, UK).

This 65% cocoa bar had a pleasing, complex chocolate aroma; and a rich, true chocolate flavor with hints of dried golden and citrus fruits, and slight aromatic earthy note.

The dark chocolate bar was flavored with a hint of sweet orange oil and contained trace amounts of 22-carat gold leaf, frankincense oil and myrrh oil.

Note: This seasonal bar may not be available at this time.

Ghirardelli - Milk Chocolate Jewel City bar - Nov. 27, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

Milk Chocolate bar

(Jewel City - Art from Panama Pacific International Exposition)

Good 

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4 oz. (113.5 g.) in total bar

Calories: 137.5 calories (per label) in 1/4 bar (2 squares)

Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate and California Dreaming Theme Week. First a bit of chocolate history about the Golden State, since we'll be virtually visiting here for the next several days.

The Gold Rush and the promise of new opportunities and dreams, drew many people to San Francisco in 1849. One individual, who arrived via South America, was Domenico (Domingo) Ghirardelli.

Ghirardelli first offered chocolate to miners in the Stockton, CA, area, and later opened a second shop in San Francisco. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was incorporated in 1852, making it one of the oldest chocolate companies operating in the U.S. 

Later, Ghirardelli's three sons managed the growing operation in a new San Francisco location. And, after successfully weathering the 1906 earthquake, participated in the Panama Pacific International Exposition*, which attracted visitors from around the globe. (Source of stamp shown: Pinterest.)

Ghirardelli California headquarters may now be across the Bay in San Leandro, and they're owned by a Swiss company (Lindt); but their heart and history is still in San Francisco.

The chocolate was sweet, and uniformly even in flavor. The texture was creamy smooth.

*The cover of today's "Jewel City" milk chocolate bar was adorned with an image from an Arthur Mathews oil painting, titled "The Victory of Culture over Force (Victorious Spirit), 1914. This bar (and art) were part of a centennial celebration and art exhibit in San Francisco that commemorated the 1915 Exposition in 2015-2016. One of the major attractions at the historic expo was a Tower of Jewels that was illuminated at night—thus the nick-name Jewel City.

Unilever Magnum Gold?! ice cream bars - May 16, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unilever
Magnum Gold?! ice cream bars
Good
Weight: 3.38 fl. oz. (86 g./100 mL) / 10.14 fl. oz. (300 mL) in box of 3 ice cream bars
Calories: 290 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $missing info
Purchased from: Safeway


Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Caramel and Toffee Week, as I transition away from three weeks of chocolate items with salt.

We start this week with an echo from last week's salted caramel series, with today's Magnum Gold!? ice cream bar swathed in a bright, shiny gold wrapper.

Today's box of 3 Magnum frozen ice cream bars was from Unilever (Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

These almost amber-colored bars were described as "vanilla bean ice cream with sea salt caramel swirl, dipped in a golden chocolatey coating."

The (Belgian) chocolate,* the inner coating layer, was relegated to a colorful decorative accent color in these stylish bars.

Unilever's Magnum line includes several flavors. One of the first Magnum ice cream bars I had was a "Double Caramel" ice cream bars. The company also offers a Sea Salt Caramel ice cream bar.


*These bars were made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa and Vanilla.

Goldkenn - Original Praline bar - March 21, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Goldkenn
Original Praline bar
Good ++
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) in package/bar of 2 pieces
Calories: 105 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $N/A - gift from friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from friend

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate Surprise Theme Week.

Sometimes the best surprises come from friends, like today's Swiss chocolate bar. Thank you Joy. The Swiss have a reputation for making chocolates with a silky smooth, buttery melt.

Goldkenn (Le Locle, Switzerland) offers a variety of milk, dark and praline chocolate bars packaged as replicas of gold bars. Today's Goldkenn Original Praline bar contained two pieces that were individually-wrapped in gold foil. The chocolate had a decadent flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture -- sugar, cocoa butter, butterfat, creamy milk chocolate with flecks of almond and hazelnut.

ChocolateBet: June 11, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/6 bar
Golden Monkey Bar
Very Good
Weight: .583 oz. (16.5 g.)/ 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 85 calories (estimate) for 1/6 bar
Cost: $12.90 for total bar
Purchased from: chocri (http://www.createmychocolate.com)

Today was Day #7 of Create Your Own Chocolate Theme Week (although there will be more of these in the future), and Day #1 of Chocolate and Monkey Theme Week.

Monkeys, you may ask? And my answer would be, why not? The Golden Monkey Bar that I created using the chocri online ordering system was a dark chocolate (64% cacao) bar with banana chips, cinnamon, real gold flakes, mini bananas, and peanut butter drops. The results: a fun-to-eat, festive-looking bar.

I'm not sure monkeys should eat chocolate, but our monkey friend (pictured below) seemed to like the idea.

ChocolateBet: May 16, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Northern Delights
1.) Alaskan Black Bear Paw
(1/2 piece) - Good +
Weight: .63 oz. (17.6 g.) /1.25 oz. (35.4 g.)  total package
Calories: 97 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.50 for 1 bear paw/package
Purchased from: Cabin Fever, in Anchorage, Alaska

2.) Alaska Gold Nuggets
2 small pieces/nuggets - Good
Weight: .1 oz. (2.8 g.) / .5 oz. (14 g.) total package
Calories: 15 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.95 total package
Purchased from: Cabin Fever, in Anchorage, Alaska

The Cabin Fever shop in downtown Anchorage was chocked full of interesting items from Alaska, not the least of which was several chocolates that were new to me. Two of these (above) were from Northern Delights (based in Eagle River, Alaska I believe).

I didn't get to pan for gold or see a bear on my trip to Alaska. So eating realistic, chocolate facsimiles (chocsimiles) of both was the next best thing. There were three types of Northern Delights bear paws available: black bear, brown bear and polar bear. I chose the black bear paw -- a dark chocolate, realistic looking paw with roasted almonds for claws, that was filled with caramel. I enjoyed splitting this was Edith, who I met on a day cruise today and who was visiting Alaska also (from Mexico). The second Northern Delights item was a small metal miner's pan, filled with chocolate facsimiles (chocsimiles) of gold nuggets nestled inside. This clever packaging called to mind the various gold rushes that helped lure many to the Western U.S. in the past.