ChocolateBet: March 22, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces
Caffe del Doge (Il Caffe di Venezia)
(Made by Tavoletta)
Grue - Il Cioccolato line (dark chocolate pieces covered with cacao nibs)
Very Good +
Weight: ~1.17 oz. (33.3 grams) in four pieces/2.8 oz. (80 grams) in total package
Calories: ~ 175 calories (estimate)
Cost: $9.00 for total package
Purchased from: Caffe del Doge, in downtown Palo Alto, CA (the other location is in Venice, Italy)

These dark chocolates are great with a coffee and/or shot of steamed milk. And the coffee drinks and hot chocolate flavors here are pretty wonderful at this cafe too. This may be the closest I get to Venice (at least this year).

ChocolateBet: March 21, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Jade Chocolates
Genmai (35% cacao milk chocolate bar with roasted brown rice, green tea, jasmine tea)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (58 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.95 (estimate - check this)
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, in Menlo Park, CA

Jade Chocolates (San Francisco) offers several Eastern-inspired flavors. I found this carefully and artfully wrapped Genmai bar (one of three different Jade bars on display) at Draeger's, a high-end local market with a large collection of fine foods and higher-end chocolates.

ChocolateBet: March 20, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small package
Britt chocolates
Dark chocolate covered passion fruit jelly
(Jalea de maracuya cubierta de chocolate oscuro)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: 142.8 calories
Cost: 750 colones (Costa Rica)
Purchased from: shop in San Jose area of Costa Rica

Dark chocolate tends to overwhelm many fruit flavors. The good news is that I could detect a hint of passion fruit flavor inside the dark chocolate coatings.

ChocolateBet: March 19, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small package
Britt chocolates
Dark chocolate covered guava jelly
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 grams)
Calories: ~134.4 calories
Cost: 750 colones (Costa Rica)
Purchased from: gift store in San Jose, Costa Rica area

These were similar to the Leaves-n-Trees chocolate-covered guava pieces that I tried on Feb. 27, 2009. While tasty, if I were blind-folded I would have had a hard time guessing these had a guava filling. Dark chocolate's strong flavor masks any fruit not strong enough to stand up for itself.

ChocolateBet: March 18, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 small package
Britt chocolates
"Dark chocolate covered gourmet Macadamia Nuts"
Very Good
Weight: .9 oz. (26 grams)
Calories: ~156 calories
Cost: $2.00
Purchased from: store in San Jose area of Costa Rica

I'm still working on my chocolate stash from Costa Rica. There were some nice chocolates there. My apologies to Britt. I've flattened their triangular-shaped pouch to scan the packaging. It's much nicer looking than this.

ChocolateBet: March 17, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Schurra's Fine Confections
Brandied Cherry Cordial (milk chocolate)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~.6 oz. (16.98 grams) (estimate)
Calories: ~ 90 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Schurra's store in San Jose, CA

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all of you with a bit of Irish in you. No chocolate shamrocks this year, but maybe I'll find one to try next year.

ChocolateBet: March 16, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
3 pieces
Leonidas
1.) Coconut Cup (dark choc.) - Good + - Very Good
2.) White Pearl Praline Truffle - Pistache Choc. Cream filling - Good +
3.) Lingot - Milk Chocolate Vanilla Hazelnut Paste (rectangular shape) - Very Good
Note: I am pretty sure that #3 was a Lingot and not a Manon (mocha hazelnut paste)
Weight: ~ 1.3 oz. (36.79 grams) in 3 pieces
Calories: ~ 195 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: ~ $3.30 (guesstimate) for 3 pieces
Purchased from: Leonidas - Chocolate Cafe, in Pasadena, CA