Betterland Foods, Inc. - Woo bar - May 15, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Betterland Foods, Inc. 

Woo bar

Good +

Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar

Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $ N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Don and Wendy!)

Purchased from: N/A - gift

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Nuts and Nibs Theme Week.

Today's "Woo" bar was manufactured for and distributed by Betterland Foods, Inc. (Napa, CA). The company was founded in 2021 by Lizanne Falsetto (creator of thinkThin bars).

This bar's aroma had slightly sweet, slightly salty, subtle cocoa and caramel candy bar, nut and faint plant protein notes.

This chocolate-covered bar had a caramel-y, light nougat-y and nutty, sweet center with a soft chew. Flavor notes included: light caramel, a maple-like sweetness, vanilla, subtle chocolate and nuts.

The limited edition Woo bar was formulated to have "half the sugar and 2x the protein" (of a more traditional, popular candy bar). The bar had 22 total carbs. (8 grams fiber, 9 grams of sugar(s)). The 8 grams of protein was achieved using peanuts and "cow-free whey protein" (Perfect Day's "animal-free dairy").* 

Normally I prefer chocolates with a shorter ingredient list. But I also appreciated my teeth feeling slightly less sugar-coated after eating this Woo bar than after sampling other candy bar-like confections. Any chocolate (or nuanced cacao flavors) were not distinguishable in this bar, relegating the chocolate to a pleasant background flavor. Although there was added cocoa butter in the filling and the chocolate coating (which is not always the case with candy bars).

The Woo bar was comparable to a candy bar in taste, but had a more appealing nutritional story.

Ingredients: Caramel (inulin, soluble corn fiber, agave syrup, cocoa butter, caramel color, sunflower lecithin, tapioca starch, natural flavors, gum arabic, salt, beta carotene), chocolate (cane sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, vanilla powder), peanuts, cow-free whey protein, agave syrup, rice syrup solids, glycerine, water, agave inulin, cocoa butter, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, guar gum, natural flavor, vanilla extract.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, peanuts. Manufactured in a facility that also processes other tree nuts, soy, egg, peanuts, milk."

*Perfect Day is a food technology startup, based in Berkeley, CA. The company uses fungi to make protein that is "molecularly identical" to (whey) protein found in cow's milk and is part of a new wave of companies creating lab-grown proteins.

The fermented alternative protein Perfect Day produces has a much lower carbon footprint than whey produced from a traditional dairy farm; and the end product can be used to make "cow-free" dairy products like cheese, yogurt or ice cream. However, while it does not contain lactose (the sugar in dairy milk that can upset stomachs), it may not be suitable for those with a sensitivity to whey protein (one of two types of protein found in cow's milk).

Tony's Chocolonely - Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Nougat - Jan. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Tony's Chocolonely
Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Nougat bar
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving (30 g.) of bar
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 bar (thank you Don!)
Purchased from: New Leaf Markets, Half Moon Bay, CA

Welcome to Day #17 of European Chocolate Vacation Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Honey Almond Nougat bar from Tony's Chocolonely Inc. (New York, NY) and was made in Belgium. 

The chocolate company was founded in the Netherlands in 2005 by three journalists with a vision to eliminate illegal child labor/slavery practices* (primarily in the (West African) cacao supply chain, where farmers are often paid very little. In addition to helping to educate consumers, Tony's Chocolonely supports and carefully sources fair trade ingredients.

As one of the last imaginary European stops via chocolate, I imagined a walk along canals in Amsterdam, a stop at the Van Gogh Museum in the city's Museum Quarter, and a search for a rumor that Tony's Chocoloney chocolate bars can be found in vending machines there. (Yes, it's true, there is a wall-sized, "mega-super" vending machine in Tony's Store in the Westerpark area of Amsterdam.)

Today's ultra-thick bar required some concentration to bite through (a bit like a large, alpine mountain shaped Swiss Toblerone bar.)

The bar had a sweet milk chocolate and nut aroma and sweet, smooth (32%) milk chocolate flavor. Honey nut nougat flecks added crunchy texture. These nougat pieces had a faint, natural honied, layered sweetness (light honied milk tea).

Ingredients: Sugar dry whole milk, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, 10% nougat (cane sugar, glucose syrup (wheat), 2% almonds, potato starch, honey, cocoa butter, egg white), soy lecithin.

Allergen-related information: (Contained milk, wheat, tree nuts (almonds), egg and soy.) "May contain tree nuts and peanut."

*A high percentage of European (and other commercial) chocolates are made using West African cacao. Tony's founders talked about how they were one of the few chocolate companies actively talking about "slave-free" chocolate in the early-mid 2000s. Hence the name Tony's "Chocolonely."

In 2021, Tony's Chocolonely made an acquisition announcement, around plans for an expanded role in an existing (Althaea-De Laet) chocolate factory (Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate Circus), on the border between Zaanstad and Amsterdam. They will become more involved in their own manufacturing and continue to pursue their goal of making "100% slave-free chocolate the norm in the industry."

Coracao Chocolate - Berkeley Bars and Almond Butter Bars - Aug. 2, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Coracao Organic Chocolate

Berkeley Bars

Good +

Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in total package of 2 small bars

Calories: 340 calories in 1 small bar

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package of 2 small bars

Purchased from: Flour Craft Bakery/Cafe, Mill Valley, CA

Almond Butter Bars

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in total package of 2 small bars

Calories: 300 calories in 1 small bar

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package of 2 small bars

Purchased from: Flour Craft Bakery/Cafe, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Almonds Week(s). 

Today I sampled two different small bars from Coracao Organic Chocolate (Berkeley, CA). The company creates healthy chocolates using "certified organic cacao from biodynamic farms" and "farmers are paid Fair Trade wages or above." 

Berkeley Bars

The aroma of this chocolate bar included slight green floral, molasses/brown/maple sugar, tart green (lemon herbs like sorrel, sour grass/oxalis), very faint fruit (red apple, berry), nutty and very faint savory notes. 

There were two layers inside these Berkeley Bars: a soft (lucuma and maca) nougat layer on top and a caramely-crunchy nutty (with lightly salted almond) layer on the bottom pieces. And the entire bar was coated with 81% dark chocolate. 

Ingredients: Organic almonds, organic agave, organic cacao, organic cashew butter, organic coconut sugar, organic lucuma, organic yacon syrup, organic cocoa butter, Himalayan salt, organic maca and organic vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: Contains almonds and cashews. Made in a factory processing other tree nuts. May contain pit or shell fragments.

Almond Butter Bars

The aroma of this small bar coffee toffee, followed by almond molasses brittle, sweet and slightly savory notes

The rich, ultra-dark (81% cacao) chocolate flavor had very faint earth, balanced light bitter and tart green (lemony herbs like sorrel, sour grass/oxalis) notes. The nutty notes (in the form of smooth substantial almond butter filling) showed up a few chews later.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic stone ground almond butter, organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, organic vanilla bean and Himalayan salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains almonds. Made in a factory processing other tree nuts." (organic, vegan)

Cacao Crudo - Mandorlato Almondy Nougat Aux Amandes - July 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Crudo
Mandorlato Almondy Nougat Aux Amandes 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 7.06 oz. (200 g.) in total bar
Calories: 319 calories in 1/4 bar 
Cost: $ N/A - free sample
Purchased from: N/A - free sample 

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week. 

Today's vegan, gluten-free Mandorlato Almondy Nougat Aux Amandes was from Cacao Crudo (Palestrina, Roma, Italia).

The 64% bar was made with fine, unroasted Criollo cacao, resulting in a subtle chocolate aroma and flavor with soft, clean, green notes. 

The easy-to-slice, smooth chocolate (large nougat style bar) was full of fresh, crunchy almonds in almost every bite. The generous serving of almonds also may cause slices of this bar to gently fracture when you pick up a slice to eat it. (I ate my slices on (and over) a small plate, so as not to lose any of the goodness.) 

Almond paste was the number one ingredient (36%) and gave this nougat bar an extra "almondy" flavor (faint almond extract note) that complemented--and did not overpower--the mild Criollo cacao flavor. (Even the cacao butter was made with Criollo variety cacao beans.)

Unlike most sugary "nougat" confection bars, this subtle, nutty bar was not too sweet. (Thank you!) This might have been my favorite thing about this bar. The coconut flower sap used to sweeten the bar was understated and left me without the hard sugar buzz I feel with conventional confections.

The chocolate had a very light/gentle, clean finish and was almost without any bitterness or acidity.

Ingredients: "Organic (not roasted) almonds paste (36%), organic (not roasted) almonds, organic not roasted cacao Criollo beans paste, organic concentrated coconut flower sap, organic cacao Criollo butter from not roasted beans.

Allergen-related information: Contains almonds. "May contain hazelnuts and walnuts."

Cacao Crudo - Nocciolato Hazelnut Crunch (Nougat aux Noisettes) (bar) - Oct. 1, 2020 (part 2/2)

Chocolate of the Day

Cacao Crudo S.r.l.

Nocciolato Hazelnut Crunch (Nougat aux Noisettes) (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 7.065 oz. (200 g.) in total bar

Calories: 328.5 calories in 1.76 oz. (50 g.) of bar

Cost: $ N/A - sample 

Purchased from: N/A - sample from Cacao Crudo

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate, Nuts and More Theme Week.

Today's Nocciolato Hazelnut Crunch (Nougat aux Noisettes) (bar) was from Cacao Crudo S.r.l. (Rome, Italy).

The company produces a variety of chocolate bars. Their body of work demonstrates how far we've come in the last 20 years with unroasted cacao and raw chocolate products. The company focus is on blending high quality ingredients, such as unroasted, high-quality (Criollo) cacao with a smooth, wonderful chocolate flavor, with some wonderful, authentic-tasting flavor inclusions.

Arguably, the best hazelnuts in Europe, come from northern and central Italy. And this large, slice-able bar was packed with 71% "Tonda Gentile Romana"* hazelnuts, known for their rich, nutty and slightly sweet flavor. 

So, while the high nut content made it more difficult to pick out cacao flavor nuances, one could really enjoy both crunchy nut pieces and smooth chocolate-hazelnut base--in part because (like other Cacao Crudo bars) this one was sweetened with the perfect amount of coconut flower sap--adding a satisfying, but not overwhelming sugar buzz.

Each piece of this very creamy, soft, satisfying slab of chocolate with crunchy embedded hazelnut pieces was extra-rich and delicious, but also a bit lighter in texture than expected. (Tip: If enjoyed during the warmer months, I would chill this bar slightly before serving, to make it slightly firmer for slicing.)

*"Tonda Gentile Romano" is a hazelnut cultivar grown in the Viterbo Province of Central Italy. Here, near the mountains and blessed with rich, volcanic soil, some delicious nuts in grow in a goldilocks zone (not too cold, not too hot) for hazelnuts. 

**Today's Cacao Crudo Nougat aux Noissettes (organic, unroasted, vegan, gluten free) bar reminded me of the much sought after Francois Pralus (France) Barre Infernale (nut nougat/praline) chocolate bars, introduced in the U.S. around 2005. Both of these large nougat bars can be carved into individual servings, and are great for sharing with friends and family or bringing to a party.

Ingredients: "(not roasted) "Tonda Gentile Romana" organic hazelnut paste (43%), (not roasted "Tonda Gentile Romana" organic chopped hazelnuts (28%), not roasted, organic cacao Criollo beans paste, organic concentrated coconut flower sap, organic cacao Criollo butter from not roasted beans."

Bees and Beans - Honey Bar Jr. - June 21, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bees and Beans

Honey Bar Jr.

Good

Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) in 1 small bar

Calories: 100 calories in 1 small bar

Cost: $1.95 for 1 small bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Bees and Trees Theme Week.

Today's Honey Bar Jr. was from Bees and Beans (Portland, OR). Several years ago, this small outfit set out to re-invent the traditional candy bar, using local ingredients from Oregon. Great idea, given the access to honey, hazelnuts and possible craft chocolate partners in the Portland area. I think they've succeeded.

The Honey Bar Jr. had a core of sweet honey caramel and hazelnut nougat (real egg whites, flecks of real hazelnut) was dipped in dark chocolate, creating a flavorful high-end candy bar. No preservatives or anything artificial; it was a honey of a sugar bomb though.

This bar's small, "junior" size was just right. Any bigger and you might have a hard time dividing this with a friend or family member on a hot day, when the gooey-sticky factor increases. While this bar is securely sealed in the wrapper (thank you), be careful not to store this treat in a pocket or the bottom of a lunch bag as you may need a napkin when opening and consuming. 

Sea salt, butter and hazelnuts helped to balance the high level of sugar* in this caramel and nougat confection. 

*Ingredients: Sugar, honey, chocolate (cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, vanilla beans), cream, hazelnuts, butter, egg whites, salt, vanilla extract (water, alcohol, sugar, vanilla bean).

Cafe-Tasse - Lait Nougat 35% mini bar - Mar. 13, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cafe-Tasse
Lait Nougat
Good +
Weight: 0.31 oz. (9 g.) in 1 mini bar
Calories: 50 calories (estimate) in 1 mini bar
Cost: $N/A part of a larger order
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Milk Chocolate Theme Week.

This smooth Lait Nougat mini bar from Cafe-Tasse (Belgium) had a lovely, rich milk chocolate aroma with caramel notes. The taste of this 32% cacao chocolate was a bit too sweet for me, but the smell was heavenly.

Cafe-Tasse makes their chocolate bars (full-sized and small sizes are available) using cacao grown in Africa and South America.

Nougat is generally a confection of whipped egg white, honey and almonds. The pieces of nougat were too small to taste or create discernible texture in this milk chocolate mini bar, but likely contributed to the nice aroma, flavor, and sweetness.

Go Max Go - Thumbs Up Candy Bar - Feb. 15, 2018

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Go Max Go Foods LLC

Thumbs Up candy bar

Good

Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) in 1 bar

Calories: 160 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.39 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Buccaneer candy bar

Good

Weight: 2.0 oz. (57 g.) in total bar

Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.39 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate, Enchanted Islands and Pirates Theme Week.

Today's "Thumbs Up" and "Buccaneer" candy bars were distributed by Go Max Go Foods LLC (Santa Fe, NM).

First, a quick digression. A big Thumbs Up to all the athletes competing in this week's Winter Olympics in Korea this week.

The gluten free, vegan Thumbs Up candy bar was reminiscent of a Nestle Butterfinger bar, with a crunchy, "peanut buttery" center. Though similar, this bar had a slightly simpler ingredient list, and claimed to be made with "nothing artificial."

The second, Buccaneer, candy bar was featured on ChocolateBanquet.com (this site) a few years ago, but it was too pirate-like not to include again this week alongside its candy bar sibling. It had a creamy, almost fluffy, gooey-sweet nougat filling. (Think Mars Milky Way or 3 Musketeers bar.)

Both Go Max Go bars had a "chocolatey" coating which did contain cocoa powder, if you're wondering. The Buccaneer was bit too sweet for me, but pirates with a sweet tooth may enjoy this bar.

Pearson Candy Company - Maple Bun bar - Dec. 30, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pearson Candy Company/Pearson's Candy
Bun - Artificially Flavored Maple (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.79 for 1 bar/package
Purchased from: Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate, Holiday Spices and Maple Theme Week.

The Maple Bun confection was from the Pearson Candy Company (Saint Paul, MN), a company that's been in business since 1909 and has seen its share of candy bar trends.*

Today's gluten free Bun bar contained "Real milk chocolate, Virginia peanuts and nougat," and was flavored with maple.

This candy bar was shaped like a patty or bun rather than a uniform, rectangular bar, making it look homemade. It contained more chocolate and peanuts than expected. The layer of sweet nougat-y filling was slightly less dominant than imagined (a good thing).

The maple flavor was subtle and relatively natural tasting.

Rather than broken nut pieces, the Virginia peanuts in this bar maintained a sense of integrity and added a satisfying crunchy texture.

Pearson Candy Company was founded in Minneapolis in 1909, and later moved to Saint Paul. Pearson's acquired the Bun Bar from Clark Bar America in 1998. Pearson's Bun line now includes a Maple, Vanilla and (new) Sea Salt Caramel flavored Bun bars.

*Candy Bar History Trivia: Between WWI and WWII, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of candy bars debuted. One of most interesting was the "Chicken Dinner" candy bar that hit the market in 1923. (It contained peanuts, but no chicken.) Pearson's acquired Sperry, the candy bar maker behind the Chicken Dinner bar. I would have included this Pearson Candy Company bar today. However, Pearson discontinued the Chicken Dinner bar in the early 1960s.

Amy's - Andy's Dandy Candy Dreamy bar - Oct. 13, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amy's Kitchen Inc.
Andy's Dandy Candy - Dreamy bar
Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in 1 package of 2 bars
Calories: 200 calories in 1 package
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Halloween wEEKs. And happy spooky* Friday the 13th to you.

We've been examining traditional candy bars and healthier alternatives this week. And, healthier means different things to different people.

Today's Andy's** Dandy Candy Dreamy bar was from Amy's Kitchen Inc. (Petaluma, CA). While similar to a traditional candy bar in appearance, it's been substantially improved (and I would say it was healthier too).

The vegan Dreamy bar contained no 1.) high fructose corn syrup, 2.) preservatives or 3.) GMOs. Several companies have made a move away from the first two, not so much with the third.

Also, the bar was made with organic dark chocolate and real cocoa butter. (Much of the chocolate used in traditional candy bars is milk chocolate and often contains vegetable oils in place of cocoa fat/dairy butter, and a very low percent of cocoa solids—barely qualifying as chocolate in some cases. Beware when you see the term "chocolately.")

Amy's updated take on candy bars shows how this market has evolved. Their bars are gluten free, vegan and 98% organic ingredients, and can still satisfy a sweet tooth (via organic cane sugar and tapioca syrup).

It was sweet; but the high sugar contain (found in almost all nougat-centered candy bars) was also balanced by the use of dark chocolate and the addition of soy protein. The two smaller bars in one package made sharing and portion control easier (100 calories in each bar).

There were no dairy, wheat, gluten, or nut ingredients listed; but the packaging did contain the: "May contain traces of tree nuts" statement.

*Scarier than Halloween or Friday the 13th this week are the real life wildfires that are burning around some of the Amy's facilities in Northern California. I called to convey good thoughts, and as of this writing the facilities were fine, although many employees were being affected. 

** The name Andy's Dandy Candy came from Andy and Rachel Berliner. who founded the original company in 1987 and named it after their daughter, Amy. The privately-held, family business has grown over the years and produces a line of frozen foods, entrees, soups, and chocolates that offer consumers organic, gluten free and low-sodium options.

Balance - Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Nutrition Bar - Oct. 10, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

The Balance Bar Company
Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Nutrition Bar
Good
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) for 1 small bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: N/A - free samples being handed out
Purchased from: N/A - free samples being distributed to passer-bys

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Halloween wEEKs.

Many people are looking for healthier, more balanced alternatives to traditional Halloween candy. As a child, I remember a dentist handing out sample containers of dental floss instead of candy. Not really appreciated by children at the time. But, times change and balance means different things to different people.

Today's Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Nutrition Bar was from The Balance Bar Company (Bohemia, NY). The company has aimed for a 40-30-30 blend of carbohydrates, protein and fat respectively in their bars. Today's bar looked like a traditional chocolate candy bar, but had added protein.

This Balance bar did have a slight soy protein taste, but overall the flavors were balanced, and the soy wasn't objectionable.

Trader Joe's - Boffo! Bar - Oct. 9, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Boffo! Bar
Good
Weight: 1.8 oz. (51 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Trader Joes, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Halloween wEEK.

Adults who grew up in the U.S. in the mid- to late-1900s celebrating Halloween by dressing up in ill-fitting costumes and going door-to-door for treats often ended up with a fat sackful of candy after a run through the neighborhood.

And they often ended up suffering from sugar overload after downing several (sometimes full-size) candy bars and sweets if they managed to avoid adult vigilance. (It was easier to do the latter if you grew up in a large, chaotic family. Parents were busy doing triage and picking their battles.)

Most parents now monitor candy intake more closely, but individually-wrapped chocolate candy bars are still a thing, even in petite form.

This week begins with featuring more traditional candy bars and then veers into possible chocolate alternatives.

Today's Boffo! Bar from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) possessed all the traits and flavors of a classic candy bar. At its core, it contained white, fluffy nougat, covered by a layer of caramel and peanuts. And it was coated in milk chocolate. I do love the name "Boffo!"* It makes me wonder why this name hadn't been used before.

*And speaking of the 1900s, Boffo is a term linked with a successful production (movie, play, event) and/or satisfying, deep laughter. Make sure to work this term into your comings and goings this week. People may look puzzled, but you'll all be the better for it.

Note: In my haste, I missed that this bar does contain malted barley, and possible traces of wheat. So, gluten-freers should probably avoid this bar.

Small hazelnut chocolate feast - July 18, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Cloetta AB
Sperlari Grandperle
Fondente con granella  di torrone - Good
Gianduja con granella di cacao - Good
Weight: .94 oz. (26.6 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 141 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $n/a from various sources
Purchased from: from various sources

Sjaak's
Hazelnut Butter Bite
Good + - Good++
Weight: .33 oz. (9.42 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 50 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $0.95 for 1 piece
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

After extending Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week to two weeks, this is the last day of Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week(s). It's hard to abandon a great combination like this, but more good things await.

Today's two individually-wrapped chocolate and hazelnut sweets from Cloetta AB's (Kista, Sweden) Sperlari Granperle (from Italy) brand, and Sjaak's (Petaluma, CA) flower-shaped Hazelnut Butter Bite wrapped in light blue foil, were creamy, crunchy and sweet. All good for a post-lunch snack plate today.

The round Fondente con granella di torrone contained a torrone nougat with almond and hazelnut, covered in dark chocolate. (I'd had this chocolate before, but re-tasted with its Gianduja sibling.)

Underneath the sweet chocolate shell of the Gianduja con granella di cacao was a creamy chocolate center with crunchy bits of cacao (nibs I'm presuming). It was a relatively sweet confection, but it was a nice blend of creamy and crunchy. And nibs sometimes tend to balance sweetness.

I'd also sampled Sjaak's Hazelnut Butter Bite before, but it was also re-tasting. It was one luscious, creamy hazelnut butter chocolate. While one could finish this flower-shaped chocolate in one bite, I recommend savoring it and taking at least two.

Tomorrow we transition from hazelnut week to Chocolate Brownie week...with a hazelnut brownie.

Signature Select - Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond Nougat bar - May 6, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Signature Select
Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Almond Nougat bar
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 4 squares, or 2/5 bar
Cost: $2.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Salt and Almond Theme Week.

Today's Signature Select Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Almond Nougat bar was made in Switzerland and distributed by Better Living Brands LLC (Pleasanton, CA).

Better Living Brands is a private label group affiliated with Safeway—a grocery chain that has also offered/offers chocolates with the Safeway Select brand.

The information available above may make it more difficult to decipher the supply chain, for those who want to know where their chocolate is coming from; but the bar was fairly good.

This relatively thin dark 55% cacao bar had a pleasant cocoa aroma and broke with a satisfying snap. It had balanced flavor and texture, with small crunchy, salty almond nougat pieces throughout the bar.

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

Amy's Kitchen - Andy's Dandy Lucky Candy Bar - Apr. 2, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Amy's Kitchen Inc.
Andy's Dandy Candy Bars
Lucky bar
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total package of 2 bars
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar (1/2 package)
Cost: $ need to find receipt
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's gluten-free "Lucky" candy bar was from Amy's Kitchen Inc. (Petaluma, CA).

Part of the company's Andy's Dandy Candy Bars* line, this Lucky chocolate candy bar was filled with nougat, caramel and a blend of chopped pecans, walnuts and...cashews.

*The Andy's Dandy Candy Bars line was named for Amy's father Andy.

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

Cloetta Italia - Sperlari Granperle chocolates - Sept. 29, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cloetta Italia
Sperlari Granperle Fondente con Granella di Torrone - 60% cacao
(Extra Dark Chocolate Pralines - 60% cacao)
Good
Weight: 1.378 oz. (39 g.) / 5.6 oz. (160 g.) in total package
Calories: 210 calories in 3 pieces (approx. 1/4 package)
Cost: $6.25 in one package
Purchased from: The Greedy Ant, Belmont, CA

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

These elegantly and individually wrapped chocolate covered nougat spheres were part of the Sperlari* brand, from Cloetta Italia (Italy). The texture was both creamy smooth and softly crunchy, with some small air pockets between layers as I bit into this Granperle chocolate.

These Granperle Fondente con Granella di Torrone (Extra Dark Chocolate Pralines) were covered with 60% cacao "nel guscio."

*The Sperlari brand dates back to 1836.

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

Quaranta - Nougat with Orange Peel, Dark Chocolate bar - Jan. 26, 2015

Nougat Chocolate of the Day: 

Industria Dolciaria Quaranta Srl
Nougat Passion - Orange Peel and Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 calories in 30 g. serving
Cost: $4.49 in total bar
Purchased from: Crossroads International Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week.

This rectangular, cream-colored soft Nougat Passion bar from Industria Dolciaria Quaranta (Caravaggio BG, Italy) was a visual feast -- loaded with tiny dark chocolate chips, almonds and hazelnuts, and colorful striplets of candied orange peel.

The sweetness of the soft nougat dominated, but the other ingredients contributed to a well-balanced flavor and texture blend. The nuts added crunchy texture and helped to balance the sugar.

ChocolateBet: October 30, 2006

Chocolate of the Day: 

See's Candies
Awesome Nut and Chew Bar
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ N/A - free sample from See's store (when I bought several other items)
Purchased from: See's Candies (store)

I polished off a Sees "Awesome Nut and Chew" candy bar today. It was given to me as a free sample from those nice ladies at the See's Candies store I visited at lunch yesterday.

Apparently there were a few broken bars - this being one. "It would be a shame to see this go to waste," she offered. And, not wanting to be rude I was quick to agree. This was a good candy bar, and a welcome break from the more well-known classic candy bars in the vending machines that I'm often limited to on long work days.

I'm excited, the lease for my San Francisco office space starts this week. I look forward to working up there, and to more chocolate-related safaris in the City.