OmNom Chocolate - "Ram" and "Octopus" Chocolate Ice Cream desserts - Dec. 12, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day

OmNom Chocolate
"Hruturinn" (Hrutur = Ram) Ice Cream dessert

Good ++ 

Weight: Medium cup (weight unknown)

Calories: (unknown) 

Cost: 1190 ISK (Icelandic Krona) (about 145 ISK = $1 USD)

Purchased from: OmNom Chocolate Factory and Ice Cream Shop, Reykjavic, Iceland

OmNom Chocolate

"Kolkrabbinn" (Kolkrabbi = Octopus)

Good + - Good ++

Weight: Medium cup (weight unknown)

Calories: (unknown)

Cost: 1190 ISK (Icelandic Krona) (about 145 ISK = $1 USD)

Purchased from: OmNom Chocolate Factory and Ice Cream Shop, Reykjavic, Iceland

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

This evening's two fantasy ice cream desserts were created by OmNom Chocolate (Reykjavik, Iceland). (Together these ice cream desserts formed the second of two chocolate items featured today. See previous post for the morning chocolate.)

OmNom Chocolate (in the Reykjavik Harbor/Marina area) expanded their bean-to-bar chocolate factory offerings when they added special ice cream treats and festive yellow outdoor picnic tables during the Covid pandemic. Their creative ice cream desserts tie in with their chocolate bars. (Most of their chocolate packaging features stylized illustrations of different Arctic animals/wildlife.)

Side note: More reasons to like Iceland...People in Reykjavik like chocolate, and they also have no problem enjoying ice cream in December, a month when the sun is visible for only 4-5 hours per day. (I agree; ice cream is great any time of year, even if you're eating it inside, while peering out a window at the icy cold and dark outdoors.)

Hruturinn (Ram)

Hands down my favorite. The Ram sundae-style dessert contained ice cream and the classic (candy bar) elements of chocolate and nuts (peanuts, almonds) and caramel aroma, texture and flavors.

Toasted and caramelized peanuts were covered in Madagascar milk chocolate. And it also contained almond butter.  This flavorful dessert was likely inspired by the OmNom Sea Salted Almonds bar (adorned with the same geometric illustration of a ram).*

Kolkrabbinn (Octopus)

The "Octopus" dessert leveraged the OmNom Lakkris (licorice) and raspberry white chocolate bar's strengths. Outstretched (very edible) creamy, raspberry licorice octopus "arms" extended beyond the cup's outer edges making for a fun presentation. 

This licorice and red berry flavored dessert was further enlivened by sweet and tart chewy raspberry gummy candy pieces.

Ingredients: (No ingredients were listed on dessert cups, but helpful staff answered questions, and the list(s) may be available upon request.)

Allergen-related information: Both these desserts contained dairy, but were gluten free.

Note: The post for these desserts was delayed due to international travel in Iceland.

*There are many sheep in Iceland, approximately 1.2 sheep for every 1 person. Iceland is one of several countries in the world with more sheep than people. (Quick fun fact: Mongolia has 4.5 sheep for 1 person.) And yes, Australia and New Zealand have more than their share as well. Wales clocks in at 3 sheep per person. Source: Jan. 2022 article on  https://www.entegra.com.au/which-country-has-the-most-sheep/

Dogpatch chocolate field trip - April 17, 2013

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Chocolate Lab
Ice-Cream Sundae
Very Good
Weight: unknown
Calories: unknown
Cost: $9.00 for 1 sundae
Purchased from: Chocolate Lab, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Spirits Theme Week. A friend and I took a field trip to San Francisco today to search for good food, interesting places, and chocolates in this category.

We went to Dogpatch (east of the Mission District and adjacent to Potrero Hill), a relatively small neighborhood in San Francisco with a very high chocolate Intelligence Quotient (IQ), thanks to a long list of creative entrepreneurs and establishments.

I chose two chocolate + spirits items, from 1.) Michael Recchiuti (Chocolate Lab and Little Nib), and 2.) Ian Flores and Annabelle Topacio (aka the ice cream power couple behind Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous).


Other notable chocolatiers and chocolate makers in the up-and-coming Dogpatch area include Poco Dolce, Kika's Treats, Alter Eco, and the ghosts of Joseph Schmidt (which disappeared after Hershey's bought them several years ago) and Dandelion Chocolate (moved to the Mission District of San Francisco); and the list goes on.

Not Just Any Ice Cream Sundae
The "Ice-Cream Sundae" at the Chocolate Lab was not your typical ice cream sundae. Three small scoops of Burnt Caramel ice cream were topped with an assortment of Recchuiti chocolate covered hazelnuts, almonds and peanut butter pearls, and house made (lightly roasted) marshmallows. The sundae was served with a little white pitcher of extra bitter chocolate sauce to pour over the ice cream.

I also asked for a tiny side of Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters (the type used in cocktails), that (in very small doses - 1 drop at a time) was an interesting complement to the sundae. (This chocolate hued flavoring agent contributed some extra "spirits" to this already complex and wonderfully flavorful sundae.) Thank you to the Chocolate Lab staff, once again, for humoring me and enabling small tasting experiments.

And, Even More Ice Cream
We couldn't leave Dogpatch without a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous, a high-end ice cream (and baked goods) shop that opened in 2010 with a fresh, creative twist -- including a few ice creams with alcohol, spirits or liqueurs. The closest flavor with both chocolate (or something with a cacao origin) + spirits on today's menu: the ice cream version of the "Pink Squirrel" -- a cocktail made with Creme de Cacao, Creme de Noyaux (think bitter almonds, or Amaretto) and cream. This Pink Squirrel ice cream was a delicate pastel pink (from the Creme de Noyaux) and had a smooth, almond kernel flavor.

Ali'i Kula Lavender - Lavender Chocolate Sauce - December 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ali'i Kula Lavender/The Lavender Farm, Inc.
Lavender Chocolate Sauce
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 Tablespoon or .5 oz. (14.25 g.) / 9.5 oz. (266 g.) total jar
Calories: 80 calories in 1 Tb. serving
Cost: $ info no longer listed
Purchased from: Ali'i Kula Lavender (AKL Maui) site

Today we bid Aloha to Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week, and continued with the second day of Chocolate and Lavender Week. The bridge between these two weeks was a lovely Lavender Chocolate Sauce from Ali'i Kula Lavender farm (Kula, Hawaii) on the island of Maui.

This sauce could be used to dress up almost any dessert, from poached pears to panna cotta, or to make a lavender ice cream sundae.

The lavender chocolate sauce was not overly thick, but it was a cold day. So, I warmed and stirred a small dish of sauce first, for easier spooning over ice cream. I used a healthy scoop or two of Three Twins Madagascar Vanilla ice cream for this sundae. Lappert's ice cream (Hawaii) would also be a great tropical island ice cream alternative.

ChocolateBet: June 6, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Grindstone Bakery
Chocolate Crispy Almonds cookie
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total cookie
Calories: 229 calories in 1/2 cookie
Cost: $2.51 total cookie
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Toffee Theme Week.

If I had to make my favorite chocolate and toffee ice cream sundae, I might start with organic ingredients from all Northern California companies.

I might (and did) line a glass cup with crumbled pieces of this brownie-like, wheat-free, Chocolate Crispy Almonds cookie from Grindstone Bakery (Rohnert Park, CA). I then added Caramel Toffee Crunch ice cream from Straus Family Creamery (Petaluma, CA); and topped this with more cookie crumbs, and a square of Dark Coconut Toffee bar from Alter Eco (San Francisco). After mixing in a few organic almonds, I had my chocolate and toffee sundae.

This generously sized, vegan, wheat-free* chocolate cookie, made with extra virgin olive oil (no olive taste was detectable), and was relatively moist and crumbly. The cookie had a rich chocolate smell and taste.

*Note: While the Grindstone chocolate cookie was wheat free, it did contain some stoneground barley, meaning that it wasn't gluten free. (Grindstone makes both wheat free and gluten free baked goods.)