Weiser Classic Candy Grizzly Bear Paw & Sjaak's California State Bear Dark (bar) - June 12, 2026

Chocolate(s) of The Day

Weiser Classic Candy
Grizzly Paw Soft Caramel 
Good ++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70.75 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) in total package/box
Calories: 387 calories (estimate) in 1/2 serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package/large bear paw (+ other bonus items)
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Sjaak's Organic Chocolates
California State Bear Dark Chocolate Almonds (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: Missing information
Purchased from: Missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week, featuring two bear-themed chocolates.

Grizzly Paw Soft Caramel with Cashew "Claws"

This chocolate coated Grizzly (bear) paw was from Weiser Classic Candy (Weiser, ID).

Weiser Classic Candy is a family-run store (and deli) serving: fudge, caramel (and chocolate) confections, and ice cream. The small-batch chocolatier also produces chocolate confections that are carried in several other small businesses. (They use local ingredients including sugar from local sugar beets and dairy from local cows.)

This bear paw caramel-filled confection was big enough to share with two other people. It was filled with a soft, gentle sea of caramel. The sweetness of the caramel was vast, but balanced by the impressive claws (whole, salted cashews).

I enjoyed the salty claws (whole, salted, jumbo cashews) on this generously-sized grizzly claw. I also was tickled to find two bonus items...

...Under the chocolate caramel claw were a smattering of chocolate-covered raisins (chocolate bear scat) and a small bell (a reference to bear bells often used to let bears know you may be in their area and/or that you're headed their way).

A short printed bear story included information about bears being reintroduced in Idaho (and suggestions about possible human-bear interactions).

Ingredients: Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Soya Lecithin, Vanillin (an artificial flavor), natural & artificial flavorings, butter corn syrup, evaporated milk, tenox, sucovert, paramount crystals, cashews

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy, Nuts (Cashews). "These products are produced in a facility that uses major allergens: peanuts, soy beans, milk, eggs, fish, tree nuts, and wheat"

California State Bear Dark Chocolate (bar)

Today's California State Bear Dark Chocolate Almonds bar was from Sjaak's Organic Chocolates.

This bear bar was a marvel. It was six years old, and looked and tasted brand new. The well-tempered dark chocolate (no cacao % listed on the label) was smooth-textured and smooth-flavored with a balanced chocolate-y taste. Tiny almond bits added a bit of texture and authentic nut (almond) flavor.

Sadly, the chocolate maker is no longer in business. (Sjaak's Organic Chocolates was based in Petaluma, in Northern California and closed up shop in November 2023 after an almost 20-year run.)

Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (organic cocoa paste), organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla), organic almonds. 

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds. "Sjaak's Organic Chocolates is a vegan facility. Equipment shared with peanuts/tree nuts. Ingredients suppliers may share equipment that could result in trace amounts of dairy protein."

Cluizel Paris - Ourson Guimauve Orange & Cannelle Marshmallow Bear - June 7, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Cluizel
Ourson Guimauve Orange & Cannelle Marshmallow Bear
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bear
Calories: 191 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bear
Cost: $16.00 for 1 bear
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week. 

Today's Ourson Guimauve Orange & Cannelle (Orange & Cinnamon) Marshmallow Bear was from Cluizel (Paris, France).

This little French bear was last seen (in one piece) in my house in California this morning. By evening, only the memory of chocolate, bergamot orange and cinnamon remained. Quel dommage. (What a shame.)

Aroma and flavor notes for this dark chocolate coated marshmallow confection included: subtle dark chocolate, very slightly bitter (bergamot) orange and warm cinnamon and sweet marshmallow.

Texture: a thin layer of smooth dark chocolate surrounded a fluffy, very slightly chewy marshmallow filling 

Ingredients: Sugar, Cocoa Bean, Water, Glucose Syrup, Inverted Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Setting Agent (bovine gelatin), Orange for decoration, Bergamot Powder, Emulsifier (rapeseed lecithin), Cinnamon, Bourbon Vanilla Pod. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of shelled tree nuts, milk, gluten"

Shekoh Confections - Teddy Bear Honey Marshmallow chocolate - Feb. 6, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Teddy Bear Honey Marshmallow chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .6 oz. (16.9 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece/bear
Calories: 88 calories (estimate) for 1 bear
Cost: $4.50 for 1 bear 
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Honey Theme Week.

Today's Teddy Bear Honey Marshmallow chocolate was created by Chef and chief chocolatier, Shekoh Moossavi, at Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

This cute Teddy had appealing dark chocolate aroma and flavor notes. A thin, well crafted and flavorful chocolate shell contained a soft, light spongy honey marshmallow interior. 

It was an elegant, endearing chocolate novelty bear. Enjoyable by itself, I can also see this as a sweet addition to a birthday or dessert plate as well.

No information on ingredients or allergen-related information accompanied this "to go" item purchased in the Shekoh Confections retail shop. (Weight information and calorie amounts are only my estimates.)

  

Triangle Roasters - Dark Rye Whiskey 70% Nicaragua (bar) - Apr. 5, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Triangle Roasters
Dark Rye Whiskey 70% Nicaragua La Colonia (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .85 oz. (24.05 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48.11 g.) in total bar
Calories: 132 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Nicaragua Theme Week.

Today's Dark Rye Whiskey 70% Nicaragua La Colonia (bar) was from Triangle Roasters--a small batch coffee roaster and chocolate maker in Philadelphia, PA. 

Years ago, when I led chocolate tastings with beverage pairings, people assumed wine would be the beverage of choice. They were surprised to hear my preference was usually whiskey.

So, I was excited to taste today's Whiskey bar. The trick was how to eat this bar slowly, when it had such a seductively subtle, clear, sweet chocolate and whiskey aroma. 

The sophisticated tart, fruity, dark chocolate blended perfectly with the Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey.* This craft chocolate + craft distiller collaboration bar offered the best of both worlds.** 

The base chocolate (insofar as it could be separated from the whiskey) provided bright, sweet fruit flavor, but also offered satisfying glimmers of light earth, umami, and the textural luxury of rich cocoa solids and smooth cocoa butter. 

The finish was lovely and lingering.

Ingredients: Cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter, rye whiskey

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility with nuts and dairy

*Dad's Hat is distilled and bottled by Mountain Laurel Spirits, LLC (Bristol, PA).

**This chocolate reminded me of a whiskey cocktail with a cherry and a twist of orange and chocolate bitters I had years ago after a long walk along San Francisco Bay. (I don't drink alcohol that often, and a good drink is memorable.)