ChocolateBet: May 20, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
The Tea Room
"Mate and Star Anis - Dark Chocolate Infused with Mate Tea, Star Anis and Nibs"
72% Cacao (Organic)
Very Good
Weight: .45 oz. (13 grams) in 1/4 bar; 1.8 oz. (51 grams) total/whole bar
Calories: 70 calories in 1/4 bar
Price: $2.99 total/whole bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

Given this is Day #5 of my Chocolate and Tea week, it is only right that I try some chocolate from a company called The Tea Room (based in American Canyon, California).

The star anis, cocoa nibs and mate ingredients in this organic dark chocolate bar were a bit crunchy and unevenly distributed, but the rich, earthy flavors were nice. I found I liked the second bite I had (later in the afternoon) better than the first bite I had in the early a.m. I think the bar was a bit warmer (less brittle) as well. Temperature and time of day do matter...

I plan on trying more Tea Room flavors this week.

ChocolateBet: May 19, 2008

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

3 small squares
Starbucks Chocolate
Chocolate and Tea Tasting Squares (Assortment)

1) Tazo Chai (Milk Chocolate)
Very Good - spicy
2) Tazo Passion (Dark Chocolate)
Very Good - strong citrus/hibiscus flavors
3) Tazo Citron (Dark Chocolate)
Very Good - nicely balanced citrus and floral flavors

Weight: ~.51 oz. (15 grams) for three small squares (1 of each kind in assortment); 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in total/whole box
Calories: 72 calories (estimate) for 3 small squares
Cost: $5.99 (for a whole box)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Today is Day #4 of Chocolate and Tea theme week. I am usually complaining about not being able to taste floral, herbal or tea flavorings infused in chocolates. (Worse yet are the ones that use artificial-tasting ingredients and are overpowering.) These Tazo co-branded chocolates (named for Tazo Chai, Passion and Citron teas) do not scrimp on the flavorings, and you actually get a pretty strong flavor punch. The Tazo Citron flavored dark chocolate was my favorite of the three. With well-balanced flavors, you could taste the citrus flavored tea and the dark chocolate.

Chocolate in the News:
And, now if I can segue from chocolate and tea - something that has the ring of civilization to it - to a chocolate-related story that falls...perhaps at the other end of the spectrum.

http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/news/article3945139.ece
This Times story from the U.K. makes me proud to be an American Citizen, and at the same time sparks thoughts of the downfall of civilization - all at the same time. The writer (Stephen Bleach) must be talking about Las Vegas. And indeed he is. (See clip pasted below.)

Two new chocolate extravaganzas in Las Vegas...(I must go visit next time I'm there.)
"Hot chocolate, sinful chocolate
They’ve done gambling, booze, sex, but the big new thing in Las Vegas is chocolate. Caesars Palace has installed a 13ft imitation-choc cuckoo clock that has melted chocolate running through it and dispenses free truffles when the birdie pops out. The Bellagio has gone one better. Its new 27ft, floor-to-ceiling chocolate fountain pumps two tons of the melted ooze at 240 pints a minute. Apparently, they won’t have to change the gloop for a year. We’ll have a salad, thanks."

ChocolateBet: May 18, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar

Chuao Chocolatier

Early Grey - Milk Chocolate (41% cacao) Bar Infused with Earl Grey Tea

Good+ - Very Good 

Weight: ~.7 oz. (20 grams) for 1/4 bar serving; 2.82 oz. (80 grams) total

Calories: 110 calories for 1/4 bar

Cost: $ 6.49 for total/whole bar

Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

For Day #3 of Chocolate and Tea theme week, I returned to a combination that I've tried before - Earl Grey tea-flavored chocolate. I admit, I'm not a huge milk chocolate fan; however the Earl Grey (bergamot) flavoring was catnip to me.

Related digression: I planted orange bergamot mint in my yard several years ago. Someone told me it was the flavoring for Earl Grey Tea. Not quite. Although the leaves from this herb (which is sold under several different names) do make a nice tea, Earl Grey tea flavor apparently comes from the rind oil of a citrus fruit (bergamot orange/lime). Now, I'm finding out whether I can grow this little tree in my yard.

ChocolateBet: May 17, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Marquise de Sevigne (France)
Jasmine Tea Dark - Jasmine Tea infused ganache (Dark version)
Very Good + - a bit sweet but the Jasmine flavor(s) were divine.
Wt: ~.4 oz.
Calories: ~ 80 calories
Cost: $1.25
Purchased from: CocoaBella Chocolates, in San Francisco, CA

This Jasmine-flavored chocolate is today's entry - for Day #2 of Chocolate and Tea theme week. I notice I've been eating the tea flavored chocolates in the morning (vs. after work in the evening). Since I tend to drink my tea in the morning; I guess this makes sense. Chocolate is a great way to start and/or end the day.

ChocolateBet: May 16, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Christopher Elbow
Russian Tea (Russian Tea-infused Dark Chocolate; dark ganache center)
Very Good
Wt: ~.4 oz.
Calories: ~ 80
Price: $1.50/piece
Purchased from: CocoaBella Chocolates, in San Francisco, CA

I hope I am not boring you to death with all these Chocolate Item related "theme weeks" on this blog. If I am, please let me know. Lately, I had seen quite a few chocolates with tea flavorings of some sort. So, welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Tea Week. Today I kicked this morning off with a Russian Tea, Christopher Elbow style, with nice decorations stenciled or applied across the top. (And it only left a few tiny chocolate smudges on my scanner when I captured this image. Hurray.)

ChocolateBet: May 15, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Oppenheimer
Chocolate Covered Cherries
OK - Good
Wt: 1/8 of a serving =~ 5 grams/5 oz. (142 g.) total container
Calories: ~21 calories in one piece
Cost: $4.99 for total container
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods in Palo Alto, CA

Chocolate and Cherry week concludes with today's Chocolate Covered Cherries from Oppenheimer (Jerusalem, Israel).

I think they lost a bit of their flavor in the long journey over here, but they were still OK. While this is really not their intended use, I am tempted to melt them down with some brandy and eat them with vanilla ice cream.

ChocolateBet: May 14, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Turtle Mountain, LLC
Purely Decadent - Cherry Nirvana (non-dairy frozen dessert)
Good
Wt: 1/2 cup (100 grams)/1 pint total
Calories: 190/serving
Cost: $4.29/pint
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

The weather is heating up around here. So, it made sense to go for something cold today, Day #6 of Chocolate and Cherry week.

This Cherry Nirvana was not bad for soy milk-based, dairy-free frozen dessert; but it is hard to beat the taste and "mouth feel" of the real thing.