Alter Eco Foods - Organic Chocolate Grass Fed Milk with salted almonds (bar) - Oct. 4, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Alter Eco Foods
Organic Chocolate Grass Fed Milk with salted almonds (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 440 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Grass-Fed Milk Theme Week.

Today's Organic Chocolate Grass Fed Milk with salted almonds (bar) was made in Switzerland and distributed by Alter Eco Foods (San Francisco, CA).

The bar was part of a series of organic, grass fed milk chocolate bars from the company, with the milk coming from Alpine pastured cows in Switzerland, and the cacao from farmers in Peru.

All three grass fed bars featured this week had a similar slightly earthy, gamey, balanced bitter aroma. The milk tempered sharp edges, but today's salted almonds, a single flavor inclusion, magically balanced everything. (Today's salted almond version was my favorite of the three bars in the series that I sampled.)

The salt, nut and malt flavor nuts almonds created a great balance, creating hearty, milk chocolate flavors, even for a 46% cacao (dark) milk bar.

Ingredients: Organic raw cane sugar, organic

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate - Hazelnut Milk Chocolate 55% (bar) - Oct. 2, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate

Hazelnut Milk Chocolate 55% with Alexandre Family Farm A2/A2 Milk

Good ++

Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar

Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 1 bar

Cost: $9.50 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate, Nuts and Something More Theme Week.

Today's Hazelnut Milk Chocolate 55% cacao (bar) with A2/A2 milk from Alexandre Family Farm (Crescent City, CA) was handcrafted from bean to bar by Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA). 

Lightly roasted Oregon hazelnut bits flavored this 55% milk chocolate. The cacao used to make the base chocolate was from Brazil. Any subtleties in the cacao flavor were muted by the rich milk, the overall blend was a very harmonious one. A slight touch of vanilla added subtle warmth to the bar.

The milk really did play a starring role. A2/A2 milk comes from cows that carry A2 casein protein (rather than the more prevalent A1 casein protein milk found on most supermarket shelves). A2 milk is thought to be easier to digest and is more similar to goat's milk.

This nutty, milk chocolate bar had a soft creaminess to it. Taking a bite was like relaxing into a favorite plush sofa. It was sweet, to be sure, but the peppering of small hazelnut bits helped balance out the sweetness and added some contrasting texture.

Ingredients: Cacao, cane sugar, A2/A2 whole milk powder, cocoa butter, vanilla bean, hazelnuts.

Scharffen Berger - Coconut and Macadamia bar - Mar. 21, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sharffen Berger
Coconut and Macadamia Milk Chocolate bar
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet, Palo Alto, CA

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

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, a division of Hershey (Robinson, IL) made this Coconut and Macadamia Milk Chocolate bar.

The sweet, creamy, 33% cacao milk chocolate bar (sugar and cocoa butter were the first two ingredients) contained bits of toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. This bar was very edible; it was easy to eat more than one.

The Coconut and Macadamia bar was gluten free and made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Cacao.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

SOMA Chocolatemaker - Milk Old School - Mar. 9, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

SOMA Chocolatemaker
Milk Old School
Very Good
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) / 3.18 oz. (90 g.) in total package
Calories: 235 calories (guesstimate) in 1/2 package
Cost: $12.00 (estimate - member pricing may apply) 
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate Brownie Week.

Technically, this "Milk Old School" heart from SOMA Chocolatemaker (Toronto, Canada) was not a brownie. Nor was it a single origin bar, or a cookie. It was the best of all three of these combined.

Hats off to the busy and creative folks at SOMA. I love all that you do, and continuing to provide innovative and natural flavors and form factors.

Today's 38% cacao offering was crafted from Chuao* cacao nibs, some of the best in the world. The partially ground nibs were combined with milk and whole crystals of organic cane sugar, and pressed into a heart-shape, resembling a cookie.

The result: It smelled great, and had a wonderful rich chocolate "brownie" flavor, and crunchy cookie texture. This was a seasonal offering created for Valentines Day last month; but I hope there are more single-origin, old school bar/cookie offerings like this to come.

*Chuao is the name of a village area in northern Venezuela. This area is known for its cacao plantations and prized cacao.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Amedei - Toscano Brown Cioccolato al Latte bar - Sept. 26, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amedei
Toscano Brown Cioccolato al Latte bar
Good +
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) /1.75 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 131 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

This Toscano* Brown Cioccolato al Latte bar was made by Amedei (Pontedera (Pisa), Italy) in Tuscany.*

Amedei was founded in 1990, by brother and sister team, Alessio and Cecilia Tessieri. (The inside of this Latte bar's packaging contained information about Amedei single origin and other bars.)

Today's creamy milk chocolate (35% cacao) bar had slight five-spice and hazelnut notes to it but otherwise was relatively even in tone.

Fun fact I enjoyed reading in Wikipedia about Amedei chocolate:

"Amedei chocolate is used in making the world's most expensive cupcake, The Golden Phoenix, which is made by Bloomsbury's, a boutique cafe in Dubai." These cupcakes start at $1,000 apiece, and involve a lot of edible gold.

*I'm not really sure why we need to tell other people how to pronounce their name. In Italy they call the large region in their own country Toscano. We call it Tuscany. It's a beautiful region in any language. 

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Sulpice Chocolat - Salt and Almonds Milk Chocolate Bar - Aug. 28, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sulpice Chocolat
Salt and Almonds Milk Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .92 oz. (26 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 134 calories in 2/5 bar
Cost: $0.99 (estimate)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

This Salt and Almonds Milk Chocolate bar from Sulpice Chocolat (Barrington, IL) was sealed in a gold inner wrapper.

I like attractive design and packaging. However, effective packaging also prolongs freshness. Hand-crafted and folded paper and foil wrappings are nice to look at, but they don't do as much to preserve freshness as sealed wrappers. Today's bar simply tasted fresher.

This Non-GMO and Gluten Free milk chocolate bar also had a pleasing design on the bar itself. Drizzles of pink and orange cocoa butter "paint" were splashed across the top of this "hand-painted artisan chocolate" bar.

The chocolate itself was thick creamy milk chocolate with a fairly soft "bite." Soy lecithin gave it a very slightly gummy chew, but it was not nearly as bad as some bars in this respect.

The salt was enjoyably uniform throughout the bar without being overly salty; and the salt helped balance sweetness. I couldn't really taste any almonds. They could have been in very tiny bits.

Bridge Brands - Got Milk? chocolate drops - June 8, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Bridge Brands Chocolate
Got Milk? Chocolate - Milk Chocolate Drops
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total container
Calories: 155 calories in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) serving
Cost: $2.49 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #14 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

Bridge Brands Chocolate makes a variety of different milk and dark chocolate drops for different clients. They are sold under different brand names, and each disc-shaped drop I've tasted so far seems slightly different (There 31% and 38% cacao milk chocolate versions, and at least one organic milk chocolate.)

Some seem slightly sweeter or more "chocolatey." Regardless, today's Got Milk? Chocolate - Milk Chocolate Drops were quite good.

In answer to the question: Got Milk? Yes, in fact, I did have milk with my milk chocolate.

Chocolate Encore?

And, just in case these drops were a duplicate (from the same batch or formulation) as previous Bridge Brand made drops, I'm planning to enjoy another chocolate this evening, at Dandelion Chocolate (San Francisco).

I'm hoping Dandelion Chocolate will have an ice cold, cacao fruit smoothie, because it promises to be the first really hot day of spring. 

Akesson's Bali 45% fleur de sel bar - Dec. 12, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Akesson's (AO GmbH)
Bali, Sukrama Farms 45% Milk Chocolate with Fleur de Sel and Organic Coconut Blossom Sugar
Very Good
Weight: .69 oz. (20 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) total bar
Calories: 104 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today's Akesson's (AO GmbH, Zug, Switzerland) sea salt bar was assembled from several interesting ingredients. The 45% milk chocolate was made with cacao beans from a single plantation, Sukrama Farms, in Bali. The addition of a bit of fleur de sel (salt) gave the bar a pleasing, rounded caramel taste. However, I'm guessing, what really amped up the caramel flavor in a wonderful way was the addition of organic, coconut blossom sugar.

I've enjoyed several chocolates with coconut palm/blossom sugar over the past several years, and this sweetener does yield a rich, interesting flavor -- where these flavors complement the inherent flavors in cacao beans being used.*

Akesson's founder, Bertil Akesson, owns land or has forged relationships with growers on plantations in Madagascar, Brazil, Bali and elsewhere. (He also sells peppercorns.)

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

*On the other hand, "pure" cane sugar is a popular choice, where the undiluted flavor arc of certain cacao beans is the desired focus. For three-ingredient bars (cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar), especially, every ingredient must be of a high quality and play well with the others to yield optimal, clear as a bell, results. Disclaimer: I love playing with the "browner" richer, natural sweeteners when cooking. A touch of molasses, organic coconut sugar, natural brown sugars, can improve sweet or savory dishes.

Lonohana Estate - Nene bar with sea salt - Dec. 9, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC
The Nene Milk with sea salt bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 173 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

Most great chocolate bars contain five ingredients or less. Today's bar was no exception. The Nene Milk with sea salt bar from Lonohana Estate Chocolate (Honolulu, HI) ingredient list read as follows: 1.) Lonohana Estate grown cacao; 2.) cocoa butter; 3.) organic whole milk powder; 4.) Maui cane sugar; and 5.) Alaea sea salt.

This Nene milk chocolate bar possessed wonderful caramel notes, without being overly sweet, and just the right, light touch of sea salt.

Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC, is the product of two families' efforts to both grow their own cacao fruit/trees in Hawaii and to make their own chocolate from the cacao beans. They planted their first tree back in 2009, and have started selling small production runs of bars (through a club system) within the last year.

Classified as a tree-to-bar company, this maker has more control over the complete process (raising the probability of making a great chocolate bar). However, the many steps involved, from propagating cacao seedlings to tempering and molding finished chocolate bars, also present more complex challenges (and opportunities for things to go wrong). For these reasons, the maker(s) at Lonohana are to be congratulated.* (Thank you Seneca, and Sunita.)

*Note: If the greatest alchemy is to turn fear into strength, the second greatest feat may be to turn cacao beans into great chocolate. There are more than 20 steps involved. The process rivals wine-making and any other complex craft food-making that I've encountered.

Torn Ranch - Milk Chocolate bar - Sept. 24, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Torn Ranch
Organic Signature Milk Chocolate bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.50 (estimate)
Purchased from: Torn Ranch table at event, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Cashew Theme Week, and I combined a sea salt roasted cashew nut mix with milk chocolate.

The Organic Signature Milk Chocolate bar from Torn Ranch (Petaluma, CA), did, in fact, taste like it was made from ethically sourced and carefully selected, high-quality cacao beans. It had a rich, complex chocolate flavor (often not found in a milk chocolate) and a smooth texture.

Pralus - Barre Infernale - Sept. 11, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Francois Pralus
Barre Infernale - Lait (bar)
Very Good - Yum!
Weight: .8 oz. (22.64 g.) / 5.64 oz. (160 g.)
Calories: 124 calories (estimate) for .8 oz. (22.64 g.) serving
Cost: $25.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Great chocolate seems to attract adjectives that involve angels and devils in equal measure. Heaven in a bar. That's a good way to describe slices of today's chocolate bar. Each piece of this bar tasted like a high end truffle with a creamy* chocolate hazelnut center. Or, one could call this French bar devilishly good -- as the name (Barre Infernale) suggests. Either way, this filled milk chocolate bar from Francois Pralus (France) was memorable and extremely good.

*Note: "Creamy" doesn't quite cover it. Think buttery, only better.

The Barre Infernale (that comes in both milk and dark chocolate versions) is a bar you take to a dinner party with very good friends, or one you save for a special occasion. (This week I reached my seventh year of eating a different chocolate every day this week; and also celebrated my birthday.)

Fig Cake + Milk Chocolate

Chocolate of the Day: 

Perugina
Milk Chocolate bar
Good+
Weight: .7 oz. (?? g. ) .36 lb. total wedge
Calories: 105 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A
Purchased from: small store in San Francisco, CA

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

I bought a wedge of pressed, dried fig cake with almonds (from Spain). This dense cake became a bit softer and more lovely when heated in the microwave -- and even better with small squares of Perugina milk chocolate (owned by Nestle - Vevey, Switzerland) melting beside it.

If you like figs and you like chocolate, it's hard to go wrong with almost any combination of the two. But I did like this simple pairing. The almonds in the fig cake also added some additional crunchy texture and balanced out the slightly acidic flavors of both fig and chocolate.

Punk Passion chocolates - Aug. 12, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Imagine Chocolate
(Imagine Flavor, Inc.)
Punk Passion chocolate assortment
1.) "London Calling" - Good
2.) "Blitzkrieg Bop" - OK+ - Good
3.) "Personality Crisis" - Good
4.) "Brain Stew" - OK+ - Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) for 1/2 of 4 pieces / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in 1 box
Calories: 192.5 calories for 1/2 of 4 different chocolates
Cost: $5.00 for 1 box of 4 pieces (school music program fund-raiser)
Purchased from: Imagine Chocolate, Studio City, CA via Nessie Noel (parent of high school student)

Today's Punk Passion assortment box from Imagine Chocolate/Imagine Flavor, Inc. (Studio City, CA) contained four different flavors, each inspired by a different song and group.

"London Calling" (a 1979 hit by The Clash) was up first. This milk chocolate peppermint center with peanuts, covered in milk chocolate, and topped with green sprinkles, was my favorite piece in this Punk-influenced collection. The hint of peppermint gave this chocolate a punch and the peanuts gave it a bit of a crunch.

Next, I tried "Blitzkrieg Bop" (a "fast, loud, and fun" hit by The Ramones from 1976). This milk chocolate toffee almond center in milk chocolate with sweet, but lacked full flavor I'm used to with higher end toffee creations. I loved the excuse to listen to "Blitzkrieg Bop" again though.

The third chocolate in this 4-piece box was "Personality Crisis" (an early punk hit in 1973 by the New York Dolls) had a vanilla walnut center covered in semi-dark chocolate, and decorated with pink icing. Often vanilla nut nougat centers are too sweet for my taste, but this one was about right, and the semi-dark chocolate coating helped balance the sweetness.

Last, was "Brain Stew" (referencing a 1995 hit track from Green Day's Insomniac album). This milk chocolate with (white) chocolate crunchies in milk chocolate was a bit mellower than the other chocolates in this group, except for a slightly crunchier texture.

The company's music-themed chocolate collection boxes are available through school fund-raisers, and are being updated over time to capture the latest hits.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Music/Audio Theme Week.

Goss Milk Chocolate bar - May 1, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Goss Chocolate
Milk Chocolate bar
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 (BZ $) ($3.00 U.S.D.)
Purchased from: Advanced Tees (shop), in Belize airport (BZE), Belize

Today's Milk Chocolate bar from Goss Chocolate (Placentia, Belize) was full of rich, chocolatey, fudge brownie flavor, and was much better than the average milk chocolate I am used to tasting in this category.

After buying this shiny gold bar from a refrigerated case in a shop at the Belize airport and carting it around for a week (in and out of refrigeration), I was expecting the worst (a white haze of fat bloom, melted corners, an off-taste). However, I was delighted to find when I unwrapped this bar today that it had survived all these ups and downs, and still tasted great.

The fine flavor in this milk chocolate bar speaks well of the cacao beans Goss Chocolate obtained (ingredient #2, after cane sugar) and the skills of the chocolate maker(s) at Goss. The company is located on the seashore (Caribbean) in Southern Belize. This location has access to high quality beans from cacao growers and farms nearby, but it still takes talent and patience to coax the best from the beans. It was great to taste another bar that was made from Belize beans, and made in Belize as well.

Cacao has been enjoyed for thousands of years in this area. The Mayans and peoples who have settled in Belize since then are fortunate indeed to enjoy this national treasure. I was not able to visit Goss Chocolate this past week, while in Belize. I might have flown over it on the way back (from Punta Gorda to Belize City). The picture at right shows a snippet of the Belize coastline and beautiful reefs in this area from several thousand feet up.

Cotton Trees and Cocoa Nibs - April 30, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cotton Tree Chocolate
Cocoa Nib Crunch (bar)
Good
Calories: 183 calories for 1/3 bar
Cost: $15.00 Belize dollars ($7.50 US Dollars)
Purchased from: Advance Tees shop in Belize International Airport, Belize City, Belize

This week I'm enjoying chocolate brought home from Belize, including today's sweet, milk chocolate (46% cacao) Cocoa Nib Crunch bar from Cotton Tree Chocolate (Punta Gorda, Belize). My favorite part: the nibs - packed with earthy, unsweetened chocolatey flavor.

This was the first chocolate brand/bar that I saw in Belize. I snapped one up at a shop in the Belize International Airport within an hour of arriving -- just in case I might not see it again. However, I needn't have worried, as I was on my way to the Toledo District in Southern Belize -- known for its cacao farms and chocolate.

Later in the week, I had the privilege of visiting the Cotton Tree Chocolate factory store in Punta Gorda town (a few miles from where I was staying, at the Belcampo Lodge and Farm). And I bought more bars after seeing chocolate made there. (Thanks again to Juli for the tour.)

Cotton Trees and Cacao
When I first arrived in Belize, I noticed strips of leather-like bark with fluffy, cream-colored cottony fluff attached. I soon figured out (by looking straight up) that these had fallen from a Cotton Tree.

The Cotton Tree (also known as the Ceiba tree) is a tall tree that towers above the jungle canopy in Belize. Revered by the people, and tied to Maya legends, this tree has a massive root system (similar to a large fig or banyan tree). I hiked through undergrowth, around vines, and over limestone rocks to see the roots of one massive tree up close (see photo) while in Belize. (Thank you Desmond for leading the way.)

Cacao and Cotton Trees both grow in forested areas in Belize, and other areas of Latin America. Cacao trees grow well with some shade cover. I think if I was a cacao tree, I would feel fortunate to have some shade from a Cotton Tree.

Maya Mountain Cacao, Cotton Tree Lodge
While in Belize, I also took a brief tour of the Maya Mountain Cacao fermentation and drying operation at the Cotton Tree Lodge (both were within sight of another very large, majestic Cotton Tree).

Belcampo's first batch of chocolate made in the chocolate building of their new Agritourism facility on their property in Punta Gorda was made in part with beans from Maya Mountain Cacao.

Next post will include more on this tour...

Theo Hazelnut Crunch bar - April 10, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Theo Chocolate
Hazelnut Crunch bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 330 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.25 total
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Strawberry Village shopping center, Mill Valley, CA

Today was the third day of Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week. Nuts can be effectively blended with chocolate in so many ways: roasted, toasted, crushed, made into a hazelnut butter or spread or mousse.

Today's Hazelnut Crunch bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA), incorporated tiny, crunchy pieces of hazelnut brittle into an Organic, "Fair for Life" certified milk chocolate (45% cacao) bar base.

These tantalizing bits of hazelnut brittle captured my full attention. I felt I was playing hide-and-seek with an interesting flavor note. With each nibble, I wondered, was I tasting molasses? Or was it ginger molasses cookie; cinnamon; or maybe brown sugar? It mattered not. It was a great milk chocolate bar.

I found this Theo bar at a great little shop, SweetE Organic, tucked away in the back of Strawberry Village Shopping Center, north of San Francisco. Thank you Elana for continuing to stock great sweets and chocolates, with a healthy twist.

Tumalo Lavender - Lavender Milk Chocolate bar - December 19, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Tumalo Lavender
Lavender Milk Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .83 oz. (23.1 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) total bar
Calories: 125 calories (estimate) for 2/3 bar
Cost: $N/A
Purchased from: Tumalo Lavender, Tumalo, OR

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Lavender Theme Week.

Lavandula (more commonly known as lavender) -- a group flowering plants, made up of 39 species, and part of the very large mint family -- has been cultivated for many centuries, for gardens, cooking and scented oils. Lavender blooms in summer, but I also enjoy its soothing, floral smell in the winter. (Try a pot of water with lavender buds on the stove, on a low heat setting for an hour or two, being careful to add more water if it evaporates too quickly. Much better than artificial air fresheners.)

I once associated lavender with Provence in Southern France -- fields bursting with purple rows of French lavender; and I thought lavender was limited to areas with a Mediterranean climate, such as California. In fact, there are species grown around the world. (Given my love for lavender, it's hard to believe that this plant with the fragrant purple flowers is considered a weed in parts of Spain and Australia.)

I later learned of other varieties being grown in cooler areas. This purple flower can grow in the U.K. (Lavanda angustifolia, or English Lavender), and in the United States in cool mountainous areas of the Northwest. Tumalo Farms (Tumalo, OR) near the town of Bend, Oregon, has cultivated (and sells) lavender that can grow near the slopes of the Cascade Mountains (Zone 5), where it snows in the winter.

Tumalo Farms organic lavender oil is incorporated into many of the company's offerings. Today's Tumalo Farms Lavender Milk Chocolate bar (a seasonal item) was very pleasantly scented with this oil. In fact, I think my favorite part of this 33% cocoa milk chocolate bar was the lavender. Thank you to Gordon, at Tumalo, for sending one of the few bars left from this past year's summer harvest. I'll have to wait try the dark chocolate version of this bar until next year; but I look forward to featuring Tumalo lavender jelly (in combination with chocolate) tomorrow.

ChocolateBet: March 21, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Jade Chocolates
Genmai (35% cacao milk chocolate bar with roasted brown rice, green tea, jasmine tea)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (58 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 (estimate - check this)
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, in Menlo Park, CA

Jade Chocolates (San Francisco) offers several Eastern-inspired flavors. I found this carefully and artfully wrapped Genmai bar (one of three different Jade bars on display) at Draeger's, a high-end local market with a large collection of fine foods and higher-end chocolates.

ChocolateBet: October 4, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

3 oz. bar
Scharffen Berger
Milk Almond ("Sea Salted Almonds and Milk Chocolate") bar
Very Good+
Calories: 420 calories for 1 bar
Cost: $ 5.00
Purchased from: Scharffen Berger, in Berkeley, CA

I prefer dark chocolate, but this was good milk chocolate. This 41% cacao Scharffen Berger Milk Almond bar had a very nice caramelized flavor.

I've been told that, legally, a chocolate product can be called "dark" if it contains over 35-36 percent cacao solids. High-end chocolate makers tend to include more/higher quality solids and to take steps in the manufacturing process that makes -- well, let's just cut to the chase -- their milk chocolate taste a lot better! In fact, I started out eating just part of this bar, and then...What do you know, it's all gone.