Endorfin Chocolate - Sourdough & Olive Oil 70% Cacao (bar) + Coracao Confections Dubai Chocolate 81% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 13, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Endorfin Chocolate
Sourdough & Olive Oil 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Coracao Confections, Richmond, CA

Coracao Confections
Dubai Chocolate 81% Dark Chocolate Shell (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in total bar

Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar 
Cost: Free sample bar
Purchased from: Coracao Confections, Richmond, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate Banquet Birthday Celebration Week, featuring two different chocolates each day this week--from chocolate makers whose bars have appeared on Chocolate Banquet for many years.

Today's chocolate duo: 1.) Endorfin Foods Sourdough & Olive Oil 70% Cacao (bar) manufactured by Coracao Confections (Richmond, CA), and 2.) Dubai Chocolate, a pistachio and quinoa dark chocolate coated confection of a bar, created and manufactured by Coracao Confections.

Sourdough & Olive Oil 70% Cacao (bar)

Aroma and flavor notes included sweet dark chocolate, with very faint coconut sugar, and crunchy bits of (gluten free) sourdough bread. 

Texture: I really enjoyed the sourdough and olive oil crumbs.

I appreciated the short list of quality and organic ingredients and the choice of caramelized coconut butter. I was also grateful both of today's bars were gluten-free and made with allergies in mind. (It's rare to find other chocolates with bread and pastry ingredients that are also gluten free.)

Ingredients: Cacao*+, Coconut Sugar*, Cacao Butter*+, Caramelized Coconut Butter*, Extra Virgin Olive Oil* and Gluten Free Sourdough Breadcrumbs {(Sourdough starter [water, organic brown rice flour]), organic sorghum flour, organic millet flour, organic tapioca flour, organic psyllium husk, organic olive oil, organic flax meal, sea salt, organic apple cider vinegar} (*Organic ingredient; +Fair Trade Certified)

Allergen-related information: "No Dairy, No Soy, No Refined Sugar"

Dubai Chocolate 81% Dark Chocolate Shell

Aroma and flavor notes included: ultra-dark chocolate; sweet nutty aroma and flavor; buttery caramelized coconut; and authentic pistachio nuts (the number one ingredient).

The coconut ingredients (toasted coconut, coconut sugar and coconut milk) with caramel/caramelized notes complemented the nutty pistachios, added flavor depth and balanced the slightly bitter 81% dark chocolate and quinoa.

Texture: Relatively hearty, very satisfying chocolate, nutty and crunchy textures.

I enjoyed the texture and flavor blend and the opportunity to try a gluten-free Dubai chocolate.

Ingredients: Pistachios*, Coconut Sugar*, Crisped Quinoa*, Cacao*+, Cacao Butter*+, Toasted Coconut*, Coconut Milk Powder* (Coconut Milk*, Tapioca Maltodextrin*), Himalayan Salt, Vanilla Bean* (*Organic, +Fair Trade Certified(TM))

Allergen-related information: Contains Pistachio. Made in a facility processing other tree nuts. May contain shell fragments.

TCHO - "Lemon Twist" Dark Chocolate With A Lemon Filling, Sea Salt & Extra Virgin Olive Oil (bar) - Jan. 1, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

TCHO
"Lemon Twist" - 67% Cacao (Shell) With A Lemon Filling, Sea Salt & Extra Virgin Olive Oil (bars)
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total package of 3 bars
Calories: 220 calories in 2 bars (2/3 package)
Cost: $4.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: TCHO, online order

Happy New Year to you all! And, welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & Citrus Theme Week. 

Like chocolate, lemons are tremendously versatile when it comes to flavor pairings. They both can go sweet or savory; and, happily, they both harmonize well with each other.

Today's bright "Lemon Twist" -- a package of 3-individually-wrapped "67% Cacao (Shell) With A Lemon Filling, Sea Salt & Extra Virgin Olive Oil" (bars) from TCHO Ventures Inc. (Berkeley, CA) offered upbeat holiday + citrus cheer.

Aroma notes for these bars included: dark, very slightly earthy chocolate and citrus (lemon). 

Texture: firm, dark chocolate-y exterior with a slightly softer, fondant-like lemon filling. The olive oil added smoothness and subtle flavor depth.

Flavor notes included: a blend of balanced bitter and sweet, with dark, slightly earthy 67% chocolate, tart-sweet and very slightly bitter lemon; and a nice light touch of salt to balance the bitter and the sweet. A tiny hint of vanilla added sweet warmth.

I liked the cheery, authentic and balanced lemon and chocolate flavors; and I appreciated TCHO's decision to use organic, fair trade and gluten-free ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*+, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*+, Gluten Free Oat Flour* (Oat Flour*, Natural Vitamin E), Freeze Dried Lemon Powder*, Extra Virgin Olive Oil*, Sunflower Oil*, Sunflower Lecithin*, Sea Salt), Turmeric*, Citric Acid, Lemon Oil*, Vanilla Beans*

(* = Organic, + = Fair Trade Certified (TM); Over 53% Fair Trade Certified (TM) Ingredients)

Allergen-related information: May contain tree nuts.

*I've been enjoying the lemon tree in my yard for almost 20 years now. 

Sabadi - Il Cioccolato di Agrigento (bar) - April 22, 2024

Chocolate of the The Day

Sabadi 
Il Cioccolato di Agrigento (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 118 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's Il Cioccolato di Agrigento (bar) 60% (Ecuador cacao) chocolate bar with olive oil and bay leaves was from Sabadi srl (Modica, Sicily, Italy). (Agrigento is a town in southwest Sicily.)

Sabadi (Saturday in English) offers a variety of chocolates, including raw chocolates and Italian herb and fruit infused items, as well as other Italian foodstuffs. I recommend a browse of their website. If I'm able to travel to Sicily in the future, I'll definitely look them up.

Aroma notes included: sweet dark chocolate, savory herb and oil (very faint olive oil potato chips).

The texture of this chocolate was slightly crunchy from (I'm assuming) less refined sugar crystals, similar to some stone-ground chocolate where the cacao was minimally ground, adding a slightly crunchy creamy texture. In this case the sugar was the "rougher" ingredient, and not completely incorporated. I was expecting olive oil and cocoa butter creaminess. But I also enjoyed the added textural interest. (The company does some wonderful things with different sugars.) 

Flavor notes included: sweet, dark chocolate (with very faint fruit-floral); herb (light rosemary-mint, faint tarragon, sweet (Turkish) bay leaf). Note: there are different types of bay leaves. Bay* leaves in California are much stronger, and less "sweet" and nuanced than those found in Southern Europe.

This 60% "cold processed" chocolate was relatively sweet because: 1.) in part because the sugar crystals weren't ground down and fully incorporated, so I could taste the sweetness in a more intense way; 2.) the Ecuadorian cacao was inherently smooth (low in bitter/sour notes that can dampen or counter-balance sweetness); and 3.) 60% is a lower percentage of cacao than many dark bars (by definition there is more sugar).

Flavors were well balanced. The dried bay leaf had a lovely, nuanced/layered herbal flavor. The olive oil was very subtle.

I paired this chocolate with a high-umami, Italian-inspired meal with savory tomato and mushroom sauce. (Tomato is a high-umami fruit from the Americas that has become fully embedded into European--and global--cuisine(s).)**

Ingredients: Cocoa mass** -- origin: Ecuador -- variety: Nacional Fino de Aroma; cane sugar*, extra virgin olive oil (min. 5%), dried bay leaves (min. 1%). Cocoa: 60% minimum.

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts, milk and soy.

*California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica)--aka California laurel, Oregon myrtle, Pacific myrtle, Myrtlewood, Spice tree, Pepperwood---is native to California and Oregon in the U.S. It has a strong, almost eucalyptus-like/menthol-like strength. A little goes a long way. 

European bay laurel leaves are much more nuanced and pleasant (and less likely to give some people a headache).

** The Americas, for a variety of reasons, became more densely inhabited later than Africa, Europe and parts of Asia. The indigenous peoples of the Americas cultivated many species of plants and domesticated animals early on. 

Subsequent European explorers sped the spread of cacao, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peppers, vanilla, allspice, many squashes, Brazil nuts, avocados, tobacco, and many other uniquely American tropical fruits, grains and other foods worldwide in a big way. 

According to the Smithsonian Institution, approximately 60% of the world's diet today is based on foods that originated from the Americas.

 

Thomas Keller Armando Manni - K+M Extra-Virgin Milk Chocolate Winter Spice (bar) - Nov. 28, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Thomas Keller - Armando Manni
K+M Extra-Virgin Milk Chocolate Winter Spice (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 193 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12+ (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Holiday Spices Series.

Today's K+M Extra Virgin Milk Chocolate Winter Spice (bar) was a collaboration bar between Chef Thomas Keller and extra virgin olive oil maker Armando Manni. (K+M Chocolate is based in Napa, CA.)

Aroma: The initial sniff revealed pleasing, balanced, warm holiday spices, faint chocolate and very faint citrus (sweet orange). Note: after being opened for a few hours, the spice aromas were not quite as strong.

Texture: This Thomas Keller + Armando Manni (K+M) holiday milk chocolate bar had a very special, smooth texture with a relatively creamy, luxurious slow melt. The collaboration between chef + olive oil expert delivered a unique, rich mouthfeel.

Flavor: The smooth, relatively mellow dark chocolate (made with cacao from Hacienda Victoria, Ecuador) had notes of faint warm spices (star anise, allspice, cinnamon, ginger). A blend of whole milk powder, cocoa butter and extra virgin olive oil provided splendid texture, but may have muted some of the chocolate and spice (smooth and balanced) flavors a bit. However, it was still a very enjoyable and interesting bar to try. 

K+M maker's tasting notes: "Allspice, Citrus, Lush, Velvety"

Note: K+M also offers a Winter Spice hot chocolate, made with spices (such as: allspice, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper)

Ingredients: (Note: missing complete packaging. As I recall ingredients included: Cocoa beans, whole milk powder, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic extra-virgin olive oil, spices, tangerine oil)

Allergen-related information: (Contained milk.)

K+M Extra Virgin Chocolate - Dark Milk Chocolate Nicaragua (bar) - Oct. 14, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

K+M Extra Virgin Chocolate 

Dark Milk Chocolate Nicaragua (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 400 (estimate) calories in 1 bar

Cost: $15.00 (estimate) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Equator Coffee, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Dark Milk Chocolate Nicaragua (bar) was from K+M Thomas Keller and Armando Manni (located in Napa, CA).

The whole milk powder blended with Nicaraguan cacao in this dark milk (no cacao percentage listed) chocolate added creamy texture and smoothness to the aroma and flavor. A small amount of Manni extra virgin olive oil added extra silky, velvety texture. 

Frequently there is a trade-off between adding fats and milk powder to chocolate. Creamier, buttery textures offer luxurious mouth feel, but usually mute cacao aroma and flavor. However, there were satisfying faint, balanced hints of green and fruit (dark berries) in this chocolate, making it rather addicting.

The maker's tasting notes for this bar read as follows:

"An intense and complex chocolate, K+M Extravirgin Milk Chocolate Nicaragua delivers flavors of rich cream and black currants complemented by notes of malt and coffee..."

Ingredients: organic cocoa beans, RBST-free whole milk powder, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic (Armando) Manni extra-virgin olive oil, organic soy lecithin.

K+M Extravirgin Chocolate - Milk Chocolate Cocoa Nibs (bar) - Aug. 8, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

K+M Extravirgin Chocolate

(Thomas Keller + Armando Manni)

Milk Chocolate Cocoa Nibs (bar)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 200 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Cocoa Nibs Theme Week.

K+M Extravirgin Chocolate's Milk Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs (bar)--a collaboration between Chef Thomas Keller and olive oil expert and supplier, Armando Manni--was made in Napa, CA.

Today's milk chocolate bar (no cacao percentage listed) had a subtle aroma and a rich, luxuriously smooth and creamy texture (from extra virgin olive oil and whole milk*), accented by a soft crunchy texture from a field of relatively finely ground cocoa nibs. 

The small amount of olive oil replaced some of the cocoa butter, and contributed a silkiness and softness to the texture.

The flavors were more pronounced than the faint aroma would indicate. Clear dairy milk, rich sweet chocolate and ample caramel notes lingered into the finish.

This bar was well balanced and confection-level sweet; however, the quality of the chocolate, milk and olive oil were high enough to save it from sugar purgatory.

*Ingredients: cocoa beans, RBST-free whole milk powder, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic Manni extra virgin olive oil (Tuscany, Italy), cocoa nibs, organic soy lecithin.

K+M Extravirgin Chocolate - Dark Chocolate 75% Peru bar - July 16, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

K+M Extravirgin Chocolate

(Thomas Keller + Armando Manni)

Dark Chocolate 75% Cocoa Peru bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 375 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Equator Coffees, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Dark Chocolate 75% Cocoa Peru bar was from K+M Extravirgin Chocolate (Napa, CA), a collaboration between chef Thomas Keller and olive oil maker Armando Manni. The results: a series of interesting chocolates created in the heart of Northern California wine country, a region famous for fine food as well.

This single origin cacao (Peru) bean-to-bar chocolate had an earthy fruit and deep dark chocolate aroma and flavor, and a hint of very balanced bitterness. All these characteristics helped prevent the chocolate from tasting too sweet (thank you!).

The inclusion of Manni's organic, extra virgin olive oil. instead of added cocoa butter, gave this bar a silky smooth melt and mouthfeel.

This bar paired well with a savory meal and salty items. One could almost imagine it as a high-end steak sauce ingredient or accompaniment.

The maker's tasting notes read: "...notes of orange blossom and quince." 

I would agree with the description of the floral note: it was balanced but bolder (more like citrus blossom or a slightly woodsy, fermented bergamot orange) than a light, green floral note you might find, e.g., in some Ecuador cacao bars. As for the fruit note, I might go with dried cherries and pears that had been slightly aged in a barrel. Both these flavor notes had a depth and complexity you might find more in a fermented food or beverage. 

Also each olive oil contains flavor elements that would influence the overall chocolate taste. It was not clear if a smooth blend of olive oils (e.g. on the smooth, round, buttery or nutty side, or an olive oil with peppery, or grassier notes) might have been included or not. It must have been challenging, but fun, to pick the most complementary flavor blend for this particular cacao.

Ingredients: organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic Manni extra-virgin olive oil, organic soy lecithin.

Nuance Chocolate - Rosemary, Sea Salt and Olive Oil Truffle - July 12, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nuance Chocolate 

Rosemary, Sea Salt and Olive Oil Truffle

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .69 oz. (19.5 g.) (estimate) in 1 truffle

Calories: 103 calories (estimate) in 1 truffle

Cost: $3.80 for 1 truffle

Purchased from: Nuance Chocolate, Fort Collins, CO

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

Today's Rosemary, Sea Salt and Olive Oil Truffle was made (hand-rolled) by Nuance Chocolate (Fort Collins, CO).

This truffle had a rich chocolate aroma and taste with a smooth melt and texture. This flavorful dark chocolate and taste paired very nicely with authentic, aromatic rosemary flavoring, and a balanced whisper of sea salt. 

Botanical herbs, sea salt and olive oil combined with great chocolate--a recipe for sweet and savory chocolate success.

Raphio Chocolate - Clementine Olive Oil bar - April 18, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Raphio Chocolate

72% Clementine with Olive Oil bar

Good +

Weight: 1.1 oz. (31.5 g.) / 2.2 oz. (63 g.) in total bar

Calories: 165 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

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

This pleasant 72% dark chocolate Clementine with Olive Oil bar from Raphio Chocolate (Fresno, CA) had authentic, rich but smooth dark chocolate flavor.

It was infused with a light natural citrus flavor* and had a subtle, creamy/soft initial texture (olive oil) and melt. The chocolate had a very slight grainy finish, but it was not enough to affect the tasting experience.

*Raphio Chocolate's Elisia Otavi, skillfully incorporated Enzo Olive Oil Company's Clementine Olive Oil into this bar.

Bonaris Cacao de Peru - Chocolate Negro con aceite de oliva y sal - Jan. 14, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bonaris - Cacao de Peru
Dark Chocolate with Olive Oil and Salt 80% Cacao bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 176 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Surprise Me Theme Week.

Surprises come in many forms. Sometimes wonderful chocolate surprises arrive by mail or via an acquaintance who has come back from a trip.

Today's Bonaris Dark Chocolate bar with Olive Oil and Salt was was purchased by a colleague who was visiting Barcelona, Spain.* (Thank you Eileen!)

The bar looked like a conventional dark bar, and had pleasing dark chocolate flavor. However, don't expect this to break with a hard snap, the sign of a fully tempered bar.

It was surprisingly soft and a wee bit granular; however the olive oil, and added cocoa butter, helped give this gluten and dairy free bar an almost velvety stoneground melt. This was labeled as an 80 percent cacao bar, but it was quite sweet and approachable for an ultra-high percentage bar.

A generous sprinkle of salt on the back yielded surprise bursts of salt sparkle, more on some bites than others.

This was a fun bar to try, with a great journey story to tell. And the repurposed envelope and inner wrapper packaging was clever, resourceful and functional.

*As far as I can tell, Bonaris bars (available in Spain in several flavors) are made in the Lleida Province of Catalonia in northeast Spain, using at least some cacao grown in Peru. These bars (or tabletas) are sold through Chocolates IVIS SL at outdoor markets in the region, including in Barcelona. Picture at right is from the company's Facebook page and shows the variety of bars they offer.

Cerreta - Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar - Feb. 27, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cerreta Candy Company
Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar with Sea Salt
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Queen Creek Olive Mill store, Scottsdale, AZ

Welcome to Day #4 of LMNOPQR Theme Week. Today "O" stands for olive.

This Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Bar with Sea Salt was made by Cerreta Candy Company (Glendale, AZ) with/for Queen Creek Olive Mill (Queen Creek, AZ).

I bought this bar at a Queen Creek Olive Mill marketplace location at the Kierland Commons shopping area in Scottsdale, AZ, thanks to the help of a friend who lives nearby. (Thank you Joy!)

Cerreta included Queen Creek's cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) in this dark chocolate bar. The resulting chocolate had a thick and pleasant mouthfeel and melt. The EVOO and cocoa butter give the bar a rich, smooth texture and mellowed any harsh or acidic chocolate notes (of which there were none, from what I could tell).

About mid-way into the first bite, the sweetness kicked in and then the hint of sea salt. It was a fun and interesting bar to try.

Endangered Species - Sea Salt and Almonds bar - July 31, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Endangered Species Chocolate
Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Almonds bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: .6 oz. (17 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories (per label)
Cost: $2.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Santa Cruz, CA

Today was the final day (Day #7) of Smoke and Savory Theme Week, and the last day of July. Farewell July, I hardly knew ye. Summer does seem to evaporate all too quickly.

This Smoke and Savory week has been a great way to capture the flavor of outdoor barbecues and summer cook-outs, even if I can't always enjoy a lingering picnic myself.

Today's Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Almonds bar from Endangered Species Chocolate (Indianapolis, IN) provided just the chocolate I needed for eating enjoyment, and for a key ingredient in a miniature, smokey chocolate almond cake (see below).

The smooth tasting, bittersweet dark chocolate (72% cocoa) had visible bits of almonds embedded into the bar, and contained just a hint of sea salt. This bar was Certified Gluten-Free, NonGMO Verified and Rainforest Certified.

Endangered Species donates 10 percent of their net profits to species conservation efforts. Each of their bars features a bird or animal that has been impacted (generally by humans). Today's Sea Salt and Almonds bar features a Eurasian Eagle Owl, one of the largest owls in the world. Thankfully populations of these owls, after experiencing a significant decline, have rebounded somewhat, in part due to better forest management and greater awareness around pesticide use.

Smokey Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

How does one infuse smoke into chocolate cake or brownies? One excellent way to do so is to add "Smoke Infused Extra Virgin California Olive Oil" made with early harvest Arbequina olives grown in the Capay Valley.

This flavorful "Turbo" olive oil from enFuso (purchased at The Olive Press in Sonoma, CA) was the closest thing to barbecue by the spoonful I've tasted (outside of liquid smoke or smoked salts. It was a wonderful replacement for butter/oil in a miniature (gluten-free) chocolate cake. I grated part of today's Endangered Species Sea Salt and Almonds bar into this single-serving cake, and topped the cake with almonds and a sprinkle of smoked sea salt. Done, and eaten in short order.

Hagensborg - Italy bar - July 25, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hagensborg Chocolates
Wild B(o)ar - Italy bar
Good ++
Weight: 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar
Calories: 380 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.95 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Jacksonville Mercantile, Jacksonville, OR

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Italy Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate, Smoky and Savory Theme Week.

This Wild B(o)ar "Italy" bar from Hagensborg Chocolates (Burnaby, BC, Canada) was the perfect chocolate to straddle the fence between these two theme weeks. A happy convergence indeed.

The reference to Italy came from the Ritrovo rare black truffle salt (i.e. Italian black truffle, salt and olive oil), sprinkled on roasted pieces of (California) almonds, that were incorporated into an organic* milk chocolate (39% cocoa) bar base.

However, as yummy and authentically truffle-flavored this chocolate was, what really made me smile was the bar's design. A satisfied cartoon pig reclined with a full belly, and above the pig floated words such as "chomp gobble munch" Also a few "bites" were taken from the edges as part of the design.

This Wild Boar Hagensborg Italy bar was made with "85% organic ingredients."

Nut 'n Bean - Mandarin Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter - May 20, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nut 'n Bean
Mandarin Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in 1 jar
Calories: 190 calories (estimate) for 2 Tablespoon serving
Cost: $8.00 (estimate) for 1 jar
Purchased from: Nut 'n Bean table, at Palo Alto Farmer's Market, Palo Alto, CA

This Mandarin Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter from Nut 'n Bean (Hayward, CA) proved to be a very versatile spread (and another great Farmer's Market find).

Flavored with mandarin orange infused olive oil, one could drizzle this chocolate "butter" over a fruit salad -- an orange and avocado salad with roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds in this case.

I also used this chocolate seed butter as a dunk for three Natural Decadence (gluten-free) citrus shortbread squares, and as an accompaniment for a Flax4Life carrot raisin muffin (also gluten free).

This Nut 'n Bean butter (made with dairy-free, semi-sweet chocolate) fared well with salad and sweets, and it would be worth trying with other dessert items (in a crepe, over ice cream, on a croissant or toast, etc.).

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Fruit Salad Theme Week.

Dude, Sweet EVOOC - July 28, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dude, Sweet Chocolate

1.) Extra Virgin Olive Oil - hickory and cocoa nib infused - Good +
Weight: 1/2 teaspoon / 8.5 oz. (241 g.) total bottle
Calories: 18 calories (estimate) for 1/2 teaspoon
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bottle
Purchased from: Dude Sweet Chocolate, Dallas, TX

2.) Break Up Potion Chocolate Sauce - Good +
Weight: 1/8 teaspoon / 4 oz. (113 g.) total bottle
Calories: 3 calories (estimate) for 1/8 teaspoon
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bottle
Purchased from: Dude Sweet Chocolate, Dallas, TX

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Cacao Nib Theme Week. Cacao nibs (pieces of unsweetened cacao bean) can be used for sweet or savory dishes. Today's two items from Dude Sweet Chocolate (Dallas, TX) were sweet but could also be incorporated into savory dishes.

I drizzled both carefully over a small sundae (coffee and butter pecan ice creams in a shotglass*).

Let's start with the Dude Sweet Chocolate extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). The oil was infused with hickory smoked cacao nibs, cinnamon and vanilla bean to make "EVOOC." And the Break Up Potion Chocolate Sauce was made with Breckenridge Distillery Bourbon and agave. (The latter was not technically 100% gluten free, but I allowed myself a delightfully flavorful drop or two.) Both complemented the ice cream flavors, and were packaged simply, in sturdy, brown glass bottles.

*A shotglass typically holds between 1 1/2 oz. and 2 oz. of liquid content. I've found using a shotglass is a great way to exercise portion control for richer dessert items.

Three Twins - ice cream sundaes - February 1, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Three Twins (Organic Ice Cream)
1.) California Cliche Sundae - Very Good
2.) The Crunchy Sundae - Very Good
Weight: unknown
Calories: 1,600 calories (estimate) for 2 sundaes
Cost: $14.00 for 2 sundaes
Purchased from: Three Twins shop, Marin Country Mart, Larkspur, CA

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

The Three Twins (sign and logo) may have influenced me to return to the company's scoop (ice cream) shops (in Larskpur, CA) for a second, or "twin," sundae with cacao nibs today.

Located in the good food-friendly Marin Country Mart (a shopping center across the road from the Larkspur Ferry terminal), this Three Twins shop offered four sundaes, made with the customer's choice of ice creams. Two caught my eye:

First, was the California Cliche - 2 scoops of ice cream (vanilla, salted caramel); caramel sauce; pistachio nuts; sea salt; olive oil; whipped cream; plus I requested some nibs

Later, after a walk, I returned to the scene of the crime and ordered: The Crunchy sundae - 2 scoops of ice cream (chocolate peanut butter, dad's cardamom); chocolate sauce; nibs + cashew pieces; and whipped cream (no granola for me)

Both lovely, luscious sundaes were laden with very authentic flavors -- fresh, real whipped cream, fresh nuts, organic ice creams with natural flavors such as cardamom. The nibs added crunch. I bit down a little hard on one or two nibs that were a bit too firm, but this wonderful combination of fresh flavors and textures was well worth it. I really liked not being taken out of the experience by tasting too much sugar or something a bit artificial.

ChocolateBet: April 13, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Xocolatl de David
Olive Oil bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.) total bar
Calories: 330 calories (estimate)
Cost: $8.95 total bar
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA

Chocolate is highly mixable. Olive oil is another great mixer. Combine the two, and what do you get?

The result may not quite as popular as peanut butter + chocolate, but it's still smooth and satisfying. Xocolatl de David (Portland, OR) has blended a darkish chocolate 68% cacao (Bolivia) bar with extra virgin olive oil, and a touch of butter and fleur de sel (salt). What's not to like?

Now, if only the company's Chicharrones bar wasn't out of stock...

ChocolateBet: June 5, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Poco Dolce
Olive Oil Sea Salt Bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.763 oz. (50 g.)
Calories: 264 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.00
Purchased from: Poco Dolce

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Mediterranean Theme Week. Olives are a prominent culinary motif in Mediterranean countries. Olives were often cured in salt water from the sea. Given the tsunami of chocolate flavor pairings, mixing chocolate or cacao with olives, or more commonly olive oil, was inevitable.

Today's Olive Oil bittersweet chocolate bar from Poco Dolce  (San Francisco) was flavored with a feather-light sprinkle of tiny crystals of grey sea salt (embedded in the underside of the bar). Poco Dolce, in English, translates as just a little, or not too sweet. This bar was very smooth, almost buttery -- likely a result of the olive oil, in addition to cocoa butter and soy lecithin.

I wish I had saved some of this ultra-smooth bar to melt down to make an Ouzo-flavored fondue. Maybe later. Visions of chocolate cakes with almond flour, orange, and olive oil swam around in my head today as well.

Other possible Mediterranean-inspired savory side dishes to experiment with: an olive tapenade (flavored with either cacao nibs, or a dash of unsweetened chocolate) on gluten-free toasted bread; or maybe an eggplant, mushroom and olive dish with nibs over rice or polenta. 

ChocolateBet: August 9, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 brownies + savory walnuts
Pamela's Products Inc.
Ultra Chocolate Brownie Mix
Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) of mix / 16 oz. (454 g.) in total package of dry mix
Calories: 360 calories in 2 brownies (prepared with olive oil)
Cost: missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Olive Theme Wk. It is more time-consuming to prepare chocolate items from scratch, or assembling them from a variety of ingredients. However, this week's olive theme seemed to call for it. Fortunately, mixes exist -- and gluten-free ones at that, such as this chocolate brownie mix from Pamela's Products. I incorporated Star extra virgin olive oil into this mix; and I ate the finished brownies with some savory walnuts I made (with rosemary, Italian herb mix, olive oil, and salt).

In the future, I hope to make other chocolate and savory items, e.g. a (gluten-free) olive oil and herb bread, with some chocolate chunks; or a chocolate mousse made with olive oil and sea salt. As always, there seems to be endless possibilities with chocolate.

ChocolateBet: August 4, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 oz. serving
Enric Rovira
Crema de Chocolate con aceite de oliva Arbequina
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 8.8 oz. (250 g.) in total container
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1-oz. serving
Cost: $60.00 (yes, you read that correctly)
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, in Berkeley, CA

Day #2 of Chocolate and Olive Week found me enjoying this creamy chocolate and Arbequina olive oil spread from Enric Rovira (Spain), that was made even better with the addition of a little salt. (The container came with a packet of salt.) Note: This spread is expensive -- the most I've ever paid for a single chocolate item. So, you can bet I will enjoy the other seven servings in this container.