ChocolateBet: March 31, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
De Brito Chocolate Factory
Butter Almond Toffee (Dark)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~ 1 oz. (28.3 grams)/4 oz. (113.2 g.) in total pkg.
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.33 for total package
Purchased from: De Brito Chocolate Factory (store), in Hollister, CA

ChocolateBet: March 30, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2/3 bar
TCHO Chocolates
Dark Chocolate "Nutty" - Peru - 65% cacao
(fair trade beans)
Very Good
Weight: ~1.4 oz. (~40 g.)/2.12 oz. (60 g.) ttl bar
Calories: 220 calories (estimate) for 2/3 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cowgirl Creamery at/in Tamales Bay Foods, in Point Reyes Station, CA

This dark chocolate bar had a nice smooth flavor throughout. TCHO has selected cacao from different areas of the world that highlight different aspects of natural chocolate flavors - much like you would see in certain wines.

This bar was "nutty" (the light brown segment in the TCHO wheel pictured above). TCHO also has produced chocolate with citrusy, earthy, floral and other flavor profiles.

ChocolateBet: March 29, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 scoop in a cup
Three Twins (Organic Ice Cream)
Mint Confetti ice cream
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: ~2.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.50 for 1 scoop/cup
Purchased from: Cowgirl Creamery in Tomales Bay Foods, in Point Reyes Station, CA

A friend and I enjoyed a drive up to Point Reyes, CA, and lunch at Cowgirl Creamery. (The green hills and wildflowers north of San Francisco, CA, will be "golden" brown in just a few weeks, but they looked great today in the March sunshine.) In between lunch and cheese tasting, we had some Three Twins organic ice cream, which was very nice.

ChocolateBet: March 28, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
De Brito's Chocolate Factory
"Earthquake" (dark chocolate, crisped rice, peanut butter)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~1.2 oz. (33.96 g.) for 2 pieces
Calories: ~ 180 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.33 for total package of ~ 8 pieces
Purchased from: De Brito's Chocolate Factory, in Hollister, CA

Today, a friend and I visited De Brito's Chocolate Factory as part of a beautiful Spring Saturday drive-and-hike day. Green hills, wildflowers, and (of course) stops for chocolate...Hollister, CA, is in earthquake country, south of San Jose, CA, with a major fault closeby - thus (I'm guessing) the name for the "Earthquake" chocolates. Each piece was decorated with a jagged white "fault" line on top. In additions to chocolates, De Brito's offers more than 30 different flavors of caramel apples. Some of these apples probably weigh more than 2 pounds by the time they're rolled in a variety of ingredients. I'll have to come back at a later time to try one of these.

ChocolateBet: March 27, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Maglio
Messico - 40% cacao
Good +
Weight: ~ 1.77 oz. (5o grams)
Calories: ~ 265 calories
Cost: $5.00
Purchased from: Caffe del Doge, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: March 26, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving (banana)
Trader Joe's
"Gone Bananas - chocolate dipped bananas" (frozen)
Good +
Weight: ~ 2.75 oz. (78 grams)/11 oz. (312 g.) for total pkg. of 4 bananas/bars
Calories: 160 calories for 1 banana
Cost: $1.99 (a relative bargain for 4 servings)
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, in Mountain View, CA

These frozen bananas are a good value. Also, 160 calories for one serving of a frozen dessert is not bad if you are trying to watch your weight.

ChocolateBet: March 25, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 container
Trader Joe's
Mocha (European Style Lowfat Yogurt)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 5.3 oz. (150 grams)
Calories: 130 calories
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, in Mountain View, CA

I think I like their Chocolate flavor a bit better than the Mocha, but both flavors are pretty tasty.