Gold Emblem - Kona Coffee Flavored Macadamia Nuts - Dark Chocolate - Aug. 30, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Gold Emblem

Kona Coffee Flavored Macadamia Nuts - Dark Chocolate

Good + - Good ++ 

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4.5 oz. (127 g.) total package

Calories: 150 calories in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) serving

Cost: $2.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Missing information

Aloha, and welcome to the last day (Day #11) of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Nut Theme Week.

Today's Gold Emblem Dark Chocolate Kona Coffee Flavored Macadamia Nuts were distributed by CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (Woonsocket, RI).

The aroma for these glossy chocolate covered confections included: aromatically nutty, sweet dark chocolate, and sweetened coffee notes.

These generously-sized rounded pieces offered three layers of texture: 1.) a thin shiny outer coating; 2.) a thick, creamy and substantial chocolate "mantle;" and 3.) a crunchy macadamia nut center at the core.

The chocolate (fudge brownie-like) and authentic macadamia nut flavors harmonized well together. The macadamia pieces were large enough to enjoy the mild, subtle creamy/buttery flavor (with a very faint, fleeting earthy note). The nuts also helped balance the overall sweetness level. 

There were also faint, slightly buttery coffee and vanilla flavor notes. (There was some butter and milk in the dark chocolate, but no added vanilla.) The coffee flavor was relatively smooth and not too acidic.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, butter fat, cocoa [processed with alkali], soy lecithin [emulsifier], salt, natural flavor), macadamia nuts, natural Kona coffee flavor.

Allergen-related information: "Contains macadamia nuts, milk, soy. Made on equipment that is also used for other tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts), wheat, milk and eggs."

Haagen-Dazs - Coffee Chip Ice Cream - July 18, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Haagen-Dazs
Coffee Chip Ice Cream
Good ++
Weight: 14 fl. oz. (414 mL) in 1 container 
Calories: 890 calories in 1 container
Cost: $2.50 (sale) for 1 container (2 for $5.00)

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week(s).

Today's Haagen-Dazs Coffee Chip Ice Cream was distributed by Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Inc. (Oakland, CA).

This ice cream offered subtle, smooth and creamy coffee flavor and smooth dark chocolate chunks (chips) with true chocolatey (rich cocoa) flavor.

Years ago (and hundreds of chocolates ago), I tasted the "light" version of this ice cream. I have to admit, I really liked the full fat version (i.e. number one ingredients was cream, and this also contained egg yolks and butter oil). 

Ingredients: Cream, milk, sugar, powdered sugar (sugar, corn starch), egg yolks, coconut oil, coffee, cocoa processed with alkali, butter oil, soy lecithin, natural flavor, milk.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, egg, and soy ingredients."

Belvie Chocolate - Good Morning Vietnam 70% Coffee (bar) - May 13, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Belvie Chocolate Maker
"Good Morning Vietnam" 70% Cacao Coffee Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225.2 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

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

Today's "Good Morning Vietnam" 70% cacao Coffee Chocolate (bar) was made in Vietnam by Belvie Chocolate Maker (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam). 

Belvie Chocolate offers a variety of chocolate bars made with (Trinitario) fine cacaos, purchased from cacao farmers located in different regions of Vietnam. Some of these bars, like today's highlight local, specialty flavor inclusions, like coffee.

Belvie Chocolate's description read as follows: "This bar is a perfect combination of the two local specialties from Lam Dong province in Vietnam. Our flavorsome chocolate from Lam Dong 70% single terroir and the K'HO Arabica coffee grown by the K'Ho tribes on the Langbiang mountain, one of the best coffee(s) in South East Asia."

The aroma and flavor of this single terroir bar included complex dark chocolate and coffee notes. It had almost a spicy sweet aroma; and the amounts and varieties of the coffee and cacao were nicely balanced to allow the nuances of both to come through. 

The relatively bold chocolate had a very faint, fleeting savory vegetable (potato) note at the beginning, followed by true chocolate with a bit of fruit, and loamy earth notes.

The coffee was flavorful with a moderate amount of fruit acidity and perhaps a bit of natural bold, roasted sweetness (grilled/caramelized pieces of chocolate cake) and a trace of sweet nuttiness (although the subtler nuances were difficult to distinguish from the chocolate). The coffee notes were most present in the first few bites, but yielded subtle flavor(s) throughout the tasting experience.

Ingredients: "Cacao and cacao butter 70%, cane sugar 30%"

Allergen-related information: "Gluten free; Dairy free; May contain traces of nut"

*Vietnam is the world's second largest coffee exporter, and most of the country's coffee is grown in the Cental Highlands of southern Vietnam (near where cacao is grown). 

The K'ho people are an ethnic minority living primarily in the Lam Dong province in the Central Highlands of southern Vietnam, known for its coffee. While most coffee grown in Vietnam is Robusta, the coffee the K'ho tribe cultivates is more typically Arabica--the variety featured in today's "Good Morning Vietnam" chocolate.