Century Snacks - Snak Club Tajin Chil & Lime - Peanut & Corn Clusters - Feb. 18, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Century Snacks, LLC
Snak Club - Tajin Chili & Lime - Peanut & Corn Clusters
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (4 pcs) (30 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving (1/4 package)
Cost: $4.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: Midtown Safeway, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Lime Week and Day #1 of Chocolate and Peanut Week.

Today's Snak Club - Tajin Chili & Lime - Peanut & Corn Clusters in a chocolate-y coating were from Century Snacks, LLC (Commerce, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes included: mild chili powder mix, corn chip and chocolate.

Texture: snack-like blend of crunchy (toasted corn and dry roasted peanuts) and creamy (chocolate-y coating) texture.

I liked the fact the subtle (Tajin) chili and lime flavors and that these clusters were sweet and salty -- but not overly so in either direction. 

While I wasn't as fond of the long list of ingredients, and would have loved a little more dark or dark milk chocolate in this snack, it was fun to try.

Description: "Dry roasted peanuts and toasted corn in chocolatey coating and sprinkled with Tajin chili lime seasoning."

Ingredients: Milk Confectionary (Sugar, Vegetable Oil [Palm Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil], Cocoa Powder, Nonfat Dry Milk, Whole Milk Powder, Whey Powder, Soy Lecithin [an emulsifier], Salt, Artificial Flavor), Salt, Artificial Flavor), Peanuts, Corn (Corn, Canola Oil, Sea Salt), Tajin (R) Clasico Seasoning (Chili Peppers, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Contains 0.5% or Less of Dehydrated Lime Juice, Silicon Dioxide [To Prevent Caking]), Canola Oil.

Allergen-related information: Contains Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Wheat, Soy, Milk, and Sesame.

Caution: "Natural Products May Contain Pit, Shell, Stem or Other Fragments"

Jooliettes Date Nibbles - Blood Orange Dark Chocolate (covered diced dates) - May 22, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Jooliettes Date Nibbles 
Blood Orange Dark Chocolate (covered diced dates)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and Dates Theme Week(s).

Today's Organic Blood Orange (Organic) Dark Chocolate (Covered Diced Dates) snack was distributed by Joolies Superfruit LLC (Coachella, CA). 

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate, relatively strong citrus (slightly floral orange juice) and subtle dried fruit (date). 

Flavor notes included: tart, sweet orange; dark chocolate; and softly chewy date centers. There was a very slight graininess in the texture. They were sweet and satsifying.

This week I've enjoyed the sheer variety of date and chocolate combinations. And many of the dates have hailed from here in California. Medjool dates grown in the Coachella Valley are popular (in) snacks and treats.* 

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate* (Unsweetened Chocolate*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, Natural Vanilla Extract*), Dates*, Cane Sugar*, Rice Flour*, Orange Juice Powder*, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Tapioca Syrup*, Natural Flavor*. (* Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that also manufactures products that contain Milk, Wheat, Peanuts, and Tree Nuts."

*My favorite childhood, date-related memory: sampling a date + nutmeg + vanilla ice cream milkshake on a visit to Southern California on a hot day.) And the smell of freshly squeezed orange juice being made that same visit. It was probably too hot for chocolate. (No A/C in the family car back then.)

 

Good King - Arise Mocha Crunch Snacking Cacao - Oct. 6, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Good King
Arise Mocha Crunch Snacking Cacao
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving (1/2 package)
Cost: $6.00 (sale) for 1 package
Purchased from: Zak's Chocolate (Scottsdale, AZ), online order

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

Today's Good King "Arise" Mocha Crunch Snacking Cacao was manufactured by Cocoa Future, SPC (Seattle, WA). 

Aroma notes included: fruit, chocolate (cocoa), coffee, caramelized date/coconut sugar, and very faint, fleeting (almost there) whisp of sweet mushrooms sauteed in coconut milk and butter. 

Texture: There was a lot of fiber with each gently crunchy cacao bean and coffee based morsel. Happily, while while the cacao beans are fairly intact (in the original cacao bean form), these flavorful snack pieces weren't too dry or fibrous. 

Flavor notes for this 65% snacking cacao included: authentic, flavorful and well-balanced cacao (bean), with tasty coffee, caramel (and/or caramelized ingredients), coconut milk, cocoa butter and a tiny bit of salt. One of the best "coatings" for cacao beans I've tasted.

This was a perfect snack (and possibly breakfast); and I'd happily eat this again. Unfortunately, Good King offerings may be unavailable at the moment. I hope they return soon.

The ingredients used were thoughtfully sourced. The single origin, USDA Organic, Fair Trade  International (direct trade) cacao beans were from Coagricsal Co-op, Honduras. And the single origin, USDA Organic and Fair Trade for Life coffee was from Cafe Feminino, Peru.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Coconut Milk Powder*, Cacao Butter*, Coffee Beans*, Salt (* = Organic).

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Coconut" ("Vegan, Non-GMO, Dairy Free, Gluten Free")

 

Becca's Petites - Chocolat Noir Bouchees (Snack Mix) - Sept. 8, 2023

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Becca's Petites
Chocolate Noir Bouchees (Snack Mix)
Good ++
Weight: 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total package
Calories: 460 calories in 1 package
Cost: $7.75 USD for 1 package 
Purchased from: Napa Farms Market, SFO Airport, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week. 

Today's Becca's Petites "Chocolate Noir Bouchees" Snack Mix was manufactured by Gourmecca Kitchen LLC (Marin, CA). 

Note: This is the second of two dark chocolate items featured today. (See previous post for information on Equal Exchange's Organic 92% Cacao Total Eclipse Transcendently dark bar.)

The crunchy texture of these (gluten free, dairy free and vegan) small, granola-like, snack pieces--or bouchees ("mouthfuls")--was interspersed with upticks in creamy dark chocolate and slightly softer, rich nut bits.

This rich, almost crispy-crunchy mix had authentic, chocolate and very light coconut and nut flavors. It was satisfying, and slightly addictive--while only mildly triggering the "more-ish" sugar/salt snack threshold. (It was sweetened with coconut and apple juice; and very lightly seasoned with sea salt.)

Ingredients: Almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate (cane sugar, cacao beans*, cocoa butter*, sunflower lecithin, vanilla), almond butter, coconut chips, apple puree, apple juice concentrate, coconut nectar, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, sea salt. ("No GMOs.") (* Fair Trade)

"Allergen Warning: Almond, Walnut, Coconut. Made in a facility that handles milk chocolate."

Angies - Boom Chicka Pop - Dark Chocolate Drizzled Kettle Corn - Nov. 5, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Angie's Artisan Treats, Inc.
Boom Chicka Pop - Dark Chocolate Flavored Drizzled Sea Salt Kettle Corn 
Good +
Weight: 1.09 oz. (31 g.) / 5.5 oz. (156 g.) in total package 
Calories: 170 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh, online order (add-in to larger order)

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week, featuring chocolates with high umami flavor inclusions and chocolate pairings with umami foods.

Today's Dark Chocolate Flavored Drizzled Sea Salt Kettle Corn was distributed by Angie's Artisan Treats, LLC* (Osseo, MN). 

Aroma notes for this snack mix included: sweet/lightly candied popcorn and faint chocolate.

This kettle corn had a soft crunch and was, as advertised, drizzled with just the right amount of smooth (alkalized) dark chocolate (not too much, not too little). And the overall sweetness was not overwhelming (thank you!). You could still taste the lightly salted popcorn underneath.

Today's Kettle Corn was paired with two high umami snacks: 1.) homemade umami almonds (slow roasted with Worcestershire sauce) and 2.) homemade Parmesan cheese crackers. A satisfying sweet and salty (and umami) snack balance was achieved. 

Ingredients: Cane sugar, popcorn, sunflower oil, palm kernel and palm oil, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), whey powder, sea salt, soy lecithin, natural flavor.

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

*Angie's Artisan Treats (maker of popcorn and kettle corn snack products) was acquired by Conagra Brands in 2017. (Conagra brands include: Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, Hunt's, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher's.)

Base Culture - Chocolate Chip Brookie - Apr. 4, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Base Culture
Chocolate Chip Brookie
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week. 

Today's "Chocolate Chip Brookie" was manufactured by Base Culture, LLC (Clearwater, FL). The company offers a variety of gluten-free, grain-free and "pure paleo" products.

This refrigerated, gluten-free, snack (with 5 g. of protein and made with paleo ingredients) was part cookie and part brownie bar--thus the name "brookie".

The square-shaped snack had a baked brownie and chocolate chip cookie aroma when opened, and featured the textures and flavors of both treats. 

The texture of this brookie was satisfying/substantial and relatively soft and moist (given it was bought in the freezer section). 

Overall, this combination snack was clever, tasty and relatively complex--with layered flavors. Some bites had more brownie flavor, and other bites tasted more like chocolate chip (cookie). I also could pick out some cacao flavors (faint earthiness in the dark chocolate, from either the brownie batter portion and/or the chocolate chips). 

And, last but not least, this honey-sweetened snack was not overly sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: Honey, eggs, cashew butter, unsweetened chocolate, coconut flour, coconut oil, soluble tapioca fiber, coconut sugar, almond butter, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, sea salt, baking soda.

Allergen-related information: "Contains egg, almond, cashew, coconut. Manufactured in a facility that also processes: pecans. May contain nut shells, pieces or bits."

Mami's Crunch - Power Ball - Apr. 2, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Mami's Crunch
Power Ball
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .61 oz. (17.2 g.) (estimate) for 1 ball
Calories: 62 calories (estimate) for 1 ball
Cost: $2.00 for 1 ball
Purchased from: Mami's Crunch, Thursday Marin Farmers' Market, San Rafael, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Power Ball snack was mindfully created with organic ingredients by Naomi Tomoda and Mami of Mami's Crunch (Novato, CA). 

The colorfully-wrapped ball (seated in an inner, green paper cup) had subtle chocolate, coconut and mild nut aroma notes.

The first bite revealed a satisfying and substantial soft chew, and smooth, authentic cacao and (finely shredded) coconut taste and texture. While you can finish this ball in one bite, I suggest taking a few bites slowing down to enjoy the pure, light, well-integrated flavors. 

Unlike many snacks, this health-conscious Power Ball was not too sweet (thank you!). Date, fig, maca and coconut ingredients provided natural sweetness and/or moistness. 

Ingredients: "Dried date, dried fig, almond better, raw cacao powder, maca, coconut cream, coconut oil, coconut flake."

Allergen-related information: Contained tree nuts (almond, coconut).

 

NibMor - Organic Dark Chocolate Tart Cherry pieces - Apr. 1, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

NibMor

Organic Dark Chocolate Tart Cherry pieces

Good ++

Weight: .92 oz. (26 g.) / 3.26 oz. (92 g.) in total package

Calories: 120 calories in 3 pieces

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Tart Cherry snack-sized pieces were manufactured (made in Canada) for NibMor, Inc. (Kennebunk, ME). The company offers a line of packaged "snackable chocolates."

These organic, gluten-free dark chocolate pieces were two-bite sized snacks, with aroma notes that included: cherry fruit and almond (almond paste, blossom) and cherry chocolate chip ice cream.

Each tiny bar-shaped, smooth, 72% cacao dark chocolate piece was accented with small bits of chewy, dried sweet-tart cherry.

The chocolate had a pleasing warm (vanilla and) chocolate (dark chocolate cake) flavor and finish with "clean"/authentic tart cherry and light floral notes. 

Throw a handful of these pieces into a bag with almonds and/or other nuts and seeds and you'd have a tasty hiking/trail mix. I could also see chopping up these versatile snacks and incorporating them into other desserts (brownies, cakes, puddings, ice creams, etc.).

Ingredients: Organic chocolate liquor, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, tart cherries (rice flour, sunflower oil), organic soy lecithin (an emulsifier), organic vanilla, natural cherry flavor.

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk and soy."

Andy's Orchard - Chocolate Baby Crawford Peach, Apricot-Rum Butter Sandwich - Mar. 30, 2022

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Andy's Orchard

Chocolate Baby Crawford Peach
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) (estimate) in total package
Calories: Unknown
Cost: $2.75 for 1 package
Purchased from: Andy's Orchard, Morgan Hill, CA

Apricot Rum-Butter Sandwich
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.6 g.) (estimate) in total package
Calories: Unknown
Cost: $2.50 for 1 package
Purchased from: Andy's Orchard, Morgan Hill, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Baby Crawford Peach and Apricot-Rum Butter Sandwich chocolates were from Andy's Orchard (Morgan Hill, CA).

Chocolate Baby Crawford Peach

Sweet milk chocolate surrounding a wonderfully flavorful, moist, dried peach (think excellent, slightly tart, sweet peach jam). 

Many heritage varieties of fruit (including cacao) have more nuanced and delicate layers of flavors. You can almost pick out a faint/delicate floral, citrus or even tropical (mango) fruit notes in certain varieties of apricots and peaches.

The peach was the star of the show in this confection, and rightly so.

Ingredients: Not listed on label (includes dried Baby Crawford peach prepared with sulphur dioxide and chocolate)

Allergen-related information: None listed on small (1-piece) package label

Apricot-Rum Butter Sandwich

Slice this confection open and it looked similar to the above milk chocolate covered peach with a plump, golden-orange fruit center. However, this "sandwich" also had a caramel-colored layer. And it had a rich, caramel cookie aroma. 

The combined sweetness and chew of this generously-sized tart apricot fruit and caramel, stimulated the senses and jolted me awake.

I enjoy complexity within a single origin chocolate or a single heritage fruit, but too many multi-faceted flavors (and too much sugar) can make it difficult to enjoy higher quality ingredients with layered flavors, like today's tart-sweet Blenheim apricot. 

There was a slight rum-butter flavoring in this sandwiched confection, but I preferred to enjoying the pure, special flavors in the apricot, when I could enjoy that separately in one bite.

Again, the locally grown fruit (apricot)** stole the show today.

Ingredients: Dried Blenheim apricot prepared with sulphur dioxide, glace apricot, chocolate, caramel, and rum-butter flavor.

Allergen-related information: None listed on small (1-piece) package label

*Baby Crawford (freestone) peaches are relatively small peaches with fine-grained texture and fairly intense (heirloom) peach flavor.

**Apricots hail from Asia originally, but were spread west via trade routes, and eventually reached California in the 1800s. 

Plums, apricots and cherries were widely cultivated in the San Francisco (South Bay) Area in the 1900s, but eventually prime agricultural land and fruit tree orchards were paved over to make way for houses and technology companies--that would become Silicon Valley. 

Special thanks to Andy's Orchard in Morgan Hill, one of the few remaining operating orchards within an hour's drive (from where I live). Andy Mariani and team operate a small store on-site, where one can find wonderful varieties of fruits. Fresh fruits (including cacao fruit/pulp) are my favorite snacks, other than a well-executed, single origin/heritage variety chocolate.

 

B&R Farms - Dark Chocolate Apricot Bites - Mar. 29, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

B and R Farms 
Dark Chocolate Apricot Bites
Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 40 g. serving (per label)
Cost: $4.50 (estimate) total package
Purchased from: (farm store) in Santa Clara County, CA  

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Apricot Bites were from B+R Farms (Hollister, CA).

Take locally-grown Blenheim* apricot pieces and cover with Guittard dark chocolate. The results: a flavorful, tart-sweet wake up snack--with chocolate chip cookie and apricot jam aroma notes.  

The chocolate surrounding the fruit pieces had dark and smooth flavor and complemented the sweet fruit. The inner sun-dried apricot pieces looked and tasted naturally moist, plump and fresh (not sad and rubbery which can sometimes be the case with some store-bought dried apricots). These snack pieces had a uniquely apricot fruit flavor with vibrant, sweet, acidic notes.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (cane sugar, cocoa mass (processed with alkali), cocoa butter, butter oil, sunflower lecithin, vanilla), dried apricots (processed with sulfur dioxide), tapioca syrup, tapioca dextrin, confectioner's glaze.

Allergen-related information: "This product contains sulfites and milk and may contain wheat, peanuts and other tree nuts."

*Blenheim apricots have a sweet, aromatic flavor. They arrived in California in the 1800s. They were widely cultivated in the San Francisco (South Bay area, where I grew up) in the 1900s, until land values and development pressures increased and eventually led to orchards being replaced by homes and businesses--including a host of technology companies that became Silicon Valley.

Food Creation Nation - No Bake Protein Bar Mix - Mar. 25, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Made for Food Creation Nation
No Bake Protein Bar Mix
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 10.5 oz. (297 g.) in total package of mix
Calories: 200 calories in 4 prepared protein balls
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package 
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week, featuring chocolate in many forms including bars, bites, balls, squares, pieces and truffles. Sometimes these snacks are both sweet and savory/salty. Sometimes they're not as sweet, and may be part of a high-protein snack.

Today's No Bake Protein Bar Mix was made for Food Creation Nation (Calabasas, CA). This starter mix, helped me easily and quickly create my own snacks (with instructions on adding more or less of various fats and liquids/sweeteners to taste). 

This offering provided a great base for many different recipes. I made two different flavors (batches) of protein balls today: 1.) Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Banana, and 2.) Cacao Nibs, Cinnamon and Chili.  (Later I made other shapes and tried different spice, nut and fruit flavors.)

The base mix had an aroma with chocolate and subtle coconut and nut notes and had the appearance of a thick brown sugar with tiny bits of coconut.

Pea protein added satisfying heft--allowing me to eat a few balls without feeling a sugar high or cravings later. Unlike the first protein dry mixes, there was no overly gritty, grainy or powdery/dry texture. The mix was finely ground enough to provide a relatively smooth, substantial base. It had enough base flavor to be a compelling foundation for protein balls, bars or bites.

The flavor: nutty, substantial, coconut bit texture and flavor, true chocolate (like a brownie without being overly sweet, with a relatively clean finish.

The protein balls I made were fast and easy to make. It was easy to customize the flavors I wanted with this base. I chilled them in the refrigerator for a few minutes and really enjoyed them. For those on the go, this is a great way to get started making protein snacks (and children can help too).

sweetness level - totally adjustable, depending on option level you choose. Like Asian tea places you opt for the sweetness level that fits your taste. Great idea. Semisweet chocolate chips and monk fruit as well as the dried coconut in the mix provided the right level of sweetness for me. Others are invited to add agave, honey or maple syrup (with suggested quantity listed).

Ingredients: 

Allergen-related information: Contained Brazil nuts, coconuts. Certified GlutenFree; Non-GMO Project Verified; Certified Vegan; Keto Certified. 

Kind - Dark Chocolate Vanilla Cashew Clusters dipped - May 25, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Kind LLC 
Kind Clusters dipped - Dark Chocolate Vanilla Cashew
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 280 calories in 2 servings 
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and VWXYZ Theme Week, featuring chocolate items with origins and flavor inclusions that start with the letters V, W, X, Y and/or Z.

Today's Kind Clusters "dipped" Dark Chocolate Vanilla Cashew snack was from Kind LLC (New York City, NY). The company offers a growing line-up of bars, snacks, cereals and other offerings that include whole food ingredients: nuts, fruits, grains--and many items with dark chocolate.

These clusters offered great textural contrast, ranging from crunchy nuts (cashews and almonds) and quinoa, to a smooth dark chocolate base. (I admit, I have a soft spot for nuts and dark chocolate.) A touch of sea salt helped to balance out the sweetness (supplied by cane sugar and brown rice syrup).

And, once again this week, vanilla played a strong supporting role--adding uplifting, warm floral spice aroma and flavor that complemented nuts, dark chocolate and other ingredients.

Ingredients: Cashews, almonds, semi-sweet chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), cane sugar, quinoa, brown rice syrup, vanilla extract, natural flavor, sea salt, Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols for freshness). 

Allergen-related information: "Contains cashews, almonds and soy. May contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs and sesame seeds."

Rowe of Venice - Cacao Nibs superfood snack - Mar. 23, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Rowe of Venice 
Cacao Nibs superfood snack
Good ++
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in total package
Calories: 80 calories in 1/2 package 
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: FarmFresh to You CSA box, add-on item 

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and NOPQ Theme Week, in which chocolate items are featured with flavor inclusions and origins that begin with the letters of N, O, P and/or Q.

Today's organic, Cacao Nibs raw, vegan superfood snack squares were from Rowe of Venice (Los Angeles, CA).

Cacao nibs are the essence of cacao. They are pieces of cacao bean used to make chocolate. And as long as they are high-quality (well sorted) nibs, they are great a la carte too. They add true chocolate (brownie), almost nutty, and occasionally fruity/fermented flavor--as well as a soft, crunchy texture to any chocolate item. 

This was absolutely true for today's Cacao Nibs "superfood snack." The small squares were peppered with nibs, and offered a super-sized, substantial, satisfying tasting experience. (*The fact that they were made with organic ingredients was an added bonus.)

These squares had a rich, authentic cocoa and coconut aroma, and flavor. The nibs, together with cocoa powder, created divinely true cacao/chocolate flavor with very slight earth, cream and fermented flavor notes. 

*Ground almonds added protein. And nibs, nuts and coconut all contributed some natural plant fat/oils. A little fat and protein makes chocolate snacks more filling, and more satisfying than items that are high in sugars or carbohydrate content. For me, this holds true whether I'm on a walk in the hills, or sitting around indoors.

Last, but not least, these agave nectar-sweetened snack squares weren't too sweet (thank you!).

*Ingredients: "Organic almonds, organic unsweetened shredded coconut, organic cacao powder, organic raw blue agave nectar, organic raw cacao nibs, organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, Himalayan Pink Salt. Gratitude."

Rowe of Venice - Espresso organic gourmet snack - Feb. 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Rowe of Venice

Espresso organic gourmet snack

Good - Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28.1 g.) / 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) in total package

Calories: 160 calories in 2/3 package

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: FarmFresh to You CSA box delivery service, add-on order item

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and EFGHI Theme Week, where flavor ingredients and concepts beginning with the letters E, F, G, H and I are featured.

Cocoa and coffee are a time-honored pairing, and today's snack contained the unadulterated essence of both of these flavors. Finely ground Espresso coffee and raw cocoa powder offered some extra bean goodness and oomph without being overpowering.

Today's Espresso organic gourmet snack pieces were from Rowe of Venice (Los Angeles, CA). The company offers a line of refrigerated, raw, superfood snack offerings and flourless SOL bread mini loafs.

The small package of snack pieces were gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, and made from raw ingredients.

These petite snack squares had aroma and flavor notes of ground espresso, authentic coconut, nuttiness (almonds) and dark cocoa. The shredded coconut and ground raw almonds contributed a slightly soft, chewy crunchiness. 

Pre-packaged snacks often have a slightly addictive level of sugar and salt. Happily, these snacks contained low levels of both. The sweetness (raw agave nectar) level was just right for my taste, which is to say not too sweet. The Himalayan pink salt was barely detectable. 

Like many enjoyable nutrient-dense foods, one or two squares was enough. The almonds provided protein, slowing cravings that have led to snack gobbling  (more rapid consumption).

Ingredients: "Love, organic raw almonds, organic espresso, organic raw blue agave nectar, organic raw cacao powder, unsweetened shredded coconut, organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, Himalayan pink salt, Gratitude."

Nature to Go - Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut - Feb. 7, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Nature to Go
Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut 
Good  - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total package
Calories: 260 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $2.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. Happy Super Bowl Sunday to football fans in the U.S. This day is often celebrated with beer, guacamole (avocado) dip, and an assortment of savory snacks and desserts.

Today's Nature to Go Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut was produced in Vernon, CA, and distributed by Food Castle Inc. (Los Angeles, CA).*   

These large pieces had a fudgey dark chocolate aroma and smooth dark chocolate flavor. A relatively thick chocolate coating surrounded a generously-sized, chewy, dried coconut piece. I enjoy chewy and crunchy foods. (Just ask my dentist.) And I appreciated the texture of this less processed coconut.

The sweetness level was balanced and not overly sweet (thank you). This chocolate and coconut offering also had a more authentic taste than some of its chocolate-covered confection peers. 

For those with food sensitivities, today's product did have a shorter ingredients list than many comparable offerings. There was one reference to a "natural flavor" (in the chocolate), but no gluten, and no artificial flavors or artificial colors. (The coconut was treated with sulfur dioxide.)

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, butter fat, cocoa powder processed with alkali, soy lecithin, salt, natural flavor). Dried coconut (coconut, cane sugar, sulfur dioxide (for freshness)). 

*Food Castle, Inc., part of the "Food Wholesalers Industry," has specialized in dried fruits and nuts. Today's Nature To Go offering was processed/packaged in Vernon, California--an industrial area located south of downtown Los Angeles, CA. (The company's headquarters offices are located in Los Angeles, CA.)

Rowe of Venice - Coconut Organic Gourmet Super Snacks - Jan. 31, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Rowe of Venice
Coconut Organic Gourmet Super Snacks
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 1 package
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh To You CSA box delivery service, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Covid-19 has made travel to chocolate shops and destinations more challenging. So, I was happy to learn that my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm-to-home delivery service offered chocolate items, including craft (bean-to-bar) chocolate (from Theo Chocolate, Cru Chocolate and others) that I've featured previously, as well as several chocolate-related snacks.

Today's first of two chocolate and coconut snacks was from Rowe of Venice Super Snacks (Venice, CA/Los Angeles, CA). Rowe of Venice is the "nutritional love child" of Rowe Samieian, who, inspired by autoimmune issues, consulted with Ayurvedic, Chinese and other medical practitioners to create a series of natural snack offerings.

Today's Rowe of Venice's Organic Coconut Gourmet Super Snacks were vegan dairy free and gluten free. They had a refreshingly authentic, real coconut and almond aroma, flavor and chew with a rich carob flavor note, accented with a faint hint of Himalayan sea salt. Coconut oil and blue agave nectar provided cohesiveness, a touch of healthy fat (satiation) and bit of sweetness. (Note: do watch for nut shell fragments.)

There was one "missing" ingredient here...cacao or cocoa! 

Carob can be a good substitute for people wanting to avoid cacao. Understood. But clearly, Chocolate Banquet welcomes all things cacao. And, more to the point, to qualify for a daily chocolate entry on this site, an item must include some form cocoa solids. 

Thankfully, I'd ordered a second snack item from Farm Fresh To You (with cocoa solids). Both were from the L.A. area. And I've added this item (below). Close call. Cacao withdrawals avoided.

Ingredients: Organic raw almonds, Organic carob powder, Organic unsweetened shredded coconut, Organic raw blue agave nectar, Organic cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil, Himalayan Pink Salt. 

Foodstirs Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

Foodstirs
Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Good 
Weight: Portion: 2 small baked cookies / 7.94 oz. (225 g.) in total package of dry mix
Calories: Approximately 110 calories in 2 small cookies
Cost: $7.00 (estimate) for 1 package of mix + cost of additional, required ingredients
Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You, CSA box delivery service, online add-on

The second item sampled today was a finished cookie made from a Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie mix created by Foodstirs (Santa Monica, CA). The company, founded in 2015, sells baking kits, mixes and baked goods. One of the three founders was actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.

I added the required ingredients to this gluten-free cookie dry mix: a generous, lump of butter, almond milk and vanilla extract, and baked them in the oven. 

The resulting cookies didn't taste too sugary sweet which was a plus. There was, however, a noticeable non-sugar, sweetener flavor--from the erythritol used as a sugar replacement, that made the Keto label possible. (The mix also contained stevia, and a bit of organic cane sugar in the chocolate chips.)

The small chocolate chip cookies hung together and browned up fairly nicely (thank you butter). A cookie fresh out of the oven is a pleasure on a cold wintery day.

Ingredients: Organic almond flour, organic erythritol, organic pea protein flour, organic chocolate chips (organic cane sugar, organic cocoa liquor, organic cocoa butter), organic coconut flour, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sea salt, organic cacao powder, organic stevia extract, organic chocolate extract, organic vanilla extract.

Sahale Snacks - Cherry Cocoa Almond Coconut Snack Mix - Jan. 30, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Sahale Snacks 

Cherry Cocoa Almond Coconut Snack Mix

Good

Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 10.5 oz. (297 g.) in total box of 7 bags

Calories: 240 calories in 1 bag of snack mix

Cost: $3.99 for 1 box of 7 bags

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, where I've been featuring chocolate items with flavor inclusions starting with the letters A, B, C and/or D.

Today's Cherry Cocoa Almond Coconut snack item from Sahale Snacks, Inc.* (Seattle, WA) served as an alphabetic trifecta, and provided a lead-in to Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Week.

In recent years, chocolate and coconut snack items have multiplied and are easy to find in California. Many of these offerings reflect current food trends (organic, less refined sugar, keto, paleo, grain free, "healthier" snacks with simplified ingredients lists, fewer/no artificial ingredients, etc.). 

Sahale Snacks is known for trail mixes with "nuts, fruits and spices." Many of these, like today's mix, are glazed with a light layer of extra sweetness and flavor (e.g. cashews with a pomegranate coating, or a nut mix with a maple glaze).

Today's glossy snack clusters had a coconut candy aroma and a texture with uniform, optimal crunchiness--from the larger toasted coconut and almond pieces. 

Tiny cacao nibs provided a soft chewy crunch and faint rich flavor accent (although their cocoa flavor was all but eclipsed by other elements). And dried cherry bits added tart sweet fruit sweetness with a softer chew.

 

The flavors were fresh-tasting, sugar-sparkled, and naturally brightened further by a faint hint of citrus and vanilla. The ingredients were relatively high-end and thoughtful. (There were no artificial ingredients and preservatives.) 

However, the glaze that welded small bite-sized confection clusters together contained at least three sweeteners (cane sugar, organic invert sugar and tapioca syrup). The end result was too sweet for me, but this snack mix may appeal to those with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients: Toasted coconut, almonds, organic cane sugar, organic invert sugar, dried cherries (cherries, sugar, sunflower oil), organic tapioca syrup, cacao nibs, sea salt, cocoa, organic extra virgin coconut oil, dried orange peel, natural vanilla extract, pure ground vanilla beans.

*J.M. Smucker Company, a large food company, agreed to purchase Sahale Snacks, Inc. in 2014. The two men who founded Sahale were/(are) outdoor enthusiasts and mountain hikers/climbers who worked at NBC--and who, after an outing on Mount Rainier (a large mountain in Washington State), felt inspired to create a better trail mix.

Thrive Tribe - Cacao Nib Paleo Bites (with nuts + seeds) - Jan. 29, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Thrive Tribe (1908 Brands)
Cacao Nib Paleo Bites  

Good

Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total container

Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $2.99 for 1 container

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week.

Today's container of Cacao Nib Paleo Bites with nuts + seeds was from 1908 Brands (Boulder, CO).

These tasty, ebony-colored, cork-shaped bites had an aroma with coconut, dark chocolate (cacao nibs and cocoa powder), nut and seed notes--and a hard, but satisfying chew. 

Each piece was condensed chewy coconut, crunchy nut (almond) and seed (pumpkin and flax) flavor, texture and goodness. They would be great trail snacks, or snacks on the go. (Less likely to melt than a chocolate bar.)

The Paleo Bites were sweetened with a judicious amount of honey, date paste and vanilla powder. The cacao nibs and other ingredients helped to balance the sweetness, so they weren't cloyingly (overly) sweet. (Thank you!) 

Ingredients: coconut chips, honey, pumpkin seeds, almonds, ground flax, date paste, coconut oil, cacao nibs, cocoa (processed with alkali), water, vanilla powder (sugar, maltodextrin, natural flavor), salt.

Fazer Confectionery Ltd. - Nordi Dark Chocolate Lingonberry, Oat Crumble Almond Sea Salt Snacking Thins - Sept. 22, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Fazer Confectionery Ltd.

Nordi Dark Chocolate Lingonberry, Oat Crumble Almond and Sea Salt Snacking Thins

Good +

Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) / 4.02 oz. (114 g.) in total package

Calories: 320 calories in 2 servings

Cost: $1.99 (estimate) in 1 package

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Nuts and More Theme Week.

Today's Nordi Dark Chocolate Lingonberry, Oat Crumble Almond and Sea Salt Snacking Thins were from Fazer Confectionery Ltd. (Vantaa, Finland).

These dark chocolate, roundish snack thins were the wonderfully slim, making them very easy to consume. Smooth dark chocolate encased crunchy bits (almonds, oat crumble) and tart-sweet, ruby-colored bits of lingonberry.* 

The classic snack attractiveness formula calls for just the right blend of salt and sugar smoothness and crunchiness, and a bit of fat. And, these dark chocolate thins with nuts and other inclusions* from this large confectionery company--that produces baked goods, cookies and snacks in Finland--hits the addictive snack formula on the nose, and it manages to do so without artificial or extra additives, preservatives or colors.

*Lingonberries added something special, perhaps exotic, for U.S. snack fans who may not be familiar with this berry that grows wild in the Northern Hemisphere. It is probably the most popular wild berry in Finland where today's snack originated. (The average Finn harvests several pounds of wild berries each year, perhaps as much as 22 pounds (10 kg.) per year by one estimate.) Lingonberries are likely being picked in northern Boreal forests right now (fall) as I write this.

The round, red lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) looks and tastes like a smaller version of the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) with occasional notes of red currant and raspberry.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, reduced fat cocoa powder, natural vanilla flavor), oat crisp (oat flour, rice seminola, sugar, apple fiber, corn flour, salt), roasted almonds, dried lingonberry, sea salt.

Siren Snacks - Dark Chocolate Brownie Protein Bites - Feb. 17, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Siren Snacks Inc.
Dark Chocolate Brownie Protein Bites
Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total package
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Dates Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Brownie Protein Bites were from Siren Snacks Inc. (San Francisco, CA).

These snackable bites had the texture of a firm but soft-baked cookie, and were dairy, gluten, grain, soy and GMO free. The protein came from pea protein (#1 ingredient listed). Dates and coconut sugar provided some sweetness.

While not as chocolatey rich as actual brownies, the chocolate flavor in these small, cube-shaped protein bites was supplied by organic chocolate chips, Dutch cocoa and "Natural Chocolate Flavor."