ChocolateBet: January 26, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
M and M's/Mars
Mocha - mocha-flavored milk chocolate
(Premiums line)
Good +
Wt.: 1.5 oz. (42 grams)/ 6.0 oz. (170.1 grams) in total package
Calories: 230 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ ? (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: January 25, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
Old Kentucky Candies, Inc.
Bourbon Cherries
Very Good + - Yum
Wt.: ~.88 oz. (25 g.) for 2 pcs/ 8 oz. (226 grams) for total box
Calories: ~ 133 calories for 2 Bourbon Cherries
Cost: ~ $14.00 (online order + shipping)
Purchased from: Old Kentucky Candies (online order)

You will definitely be able to taste the Jim Beam in these dark-chocolate coated bourbon cherries. Although I'd rather have these than a shot of bourbon. I suppose you could also throw one or two of these into a glass of bourbon too. Or, perhaps more intriguing, I'd like to try stirring a whole 8 oz. box (18 pcs.) of these into a brownie mix. Yum.

ChocolateBet: January 24, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

4 small squares
Dolfin
1.) Chocolat Citron (dark chocolate with lemon peel) - Good + - Very Good
2.) Chocolat Noir Cumin (dark chocolate with cumin) - Good + - Very Good
Wt.: .626 oz. (18 g.) for 4 small squares (2 Citron, 2 Noir Cumin)/ 3.76 oz. in total package of 24 small squares
Calories: 94 calories (estimate) in 4 small squares
Cost: $? Canadian (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: store in Montreal, Quebec (last year)

I like Dolfin's flavored chocolates. The different flavors and combinations are bold, creative and nicely blended. And the smaller sized squares and bars allow one person to try a few different chocolates without having to buy large quantities. They're convenient to include in a packed lunch or a nice high-end snack on the go. The only downside: these Belgian chocolates may be hard to find in the U.S.

ChocolateBet: January 23, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces
Old Kentucky Candies
Bourbon Truffles
Very Good + - Yum
Wt.: ~1.88 oz. (~53.18 g.)/ 8 oz. (226 grams) in total box
Calories: ~ 282 calories (estim.) in 4 pieces
Cost: ~$14.00 (online order + shipping)
Purchased from: Old Kentucky Candies (online order)

It is great to sample some chocolates from Kentucky. And, if in the future I happen to attend a Kentucky Derby celebration party, I would certainly enjoy a small dish of these bourbon truffles - alongside a mint julep and a view of the horses. A short list of quality ingredients make for some very nice chocolates - and you can really savor the real Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon flavor in these.

ChocolateBet: January 22, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
3 pieces
Schakolad Chocolate Factory
1.) Almond toffee crunch - Good Plus - Very Good
2.) Dark Hazelnut Cluster - Very Good
3.) Dark Coconut Cluster - Very Good +
Wt.: ~ 1.2 oz. (estim.)
Calories: ~ 165 (estim.) cals. for 3 pieces
Cost: $ 3.93 for 3 pieces
Purchased from: Schakolad Chocolate Factory, Plano (Dallas area), TX

Thank you to the staff at Schakolad in Plano for taking a few minutes to talk about their operation, and letting me taste some cacao nibs straight from the pod (from Ecuador). I don't eat wheat/gluten; however, if I did, I would have tried their cake truffles - Red Velvet, German Chocolate and Dark Chocolate. Also worth noting were a variety of chocolate molds & shapes in their store - special orders are possible.

The Schakolad story began in Florida. There are now several locations. This particular store I visited is in the Plano (Dallas) area in the "Legacy" development - an upscale combination of shops, hotel, movie theater and condominium units from what I could see.

ChocolateBet: January 21, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces/squares
Dolfin
Chocolat Orange (Dark chocolate with orange peel)
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: .313 oz. (9 grams) for 2 small squares/3.76 oz. (108 grams) for total variety pk of 24 squares
Calories: ~ 47 calories
Cost: $ ? CAN (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: (store in Montreal, Quebec, in Canada in 2008)

ChocolateBet: January 20, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 container
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker
Chocolate Covered Zante Currants (Bittersweet Drk Choc.)
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: 2.25 oz. (63.5 grams)/ 4.5 oz. (127 g.) in total container
Calories: ~ 349 calories in 2.25 oz.
Cost: $ ? (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: (need to find receipt)