ChocolateBet: May 3, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
Route 29 Caramels & Sweets
Almond Butter Toffee
Good +
Weight: 1.33 oz. (37.7g.)/2 oz. (57 g.) in total box
Calories: 160 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $7.50 for total package/box
Purchased from: Sugar Shack, in Menlo Park, CA

Nice quasi-retro packaging. Route 29 is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ChocolateBet: May 2, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 large piece
Blue Frog Chocolates
FEMA Approved Blue Roof House from New Orleans
Good +
Weight: ~ 1.25 oz. (35 g.) serving/7.25 oz. (~205 g.) total house
Calories: ~188 calories for 1.25 oz.
Cost: $12.00 (plus shipping)
Purchased from: Blue Frog Chocolates, in New Orleans, LA (online order)

I thought this house from New Orleans was very clever. And this chocolate dwelling came packaged with an upbeat phrase printed on a blue ribbon that read: "Rebuilding New Orleans," referring to home restoration activities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I'm happy to support any part of the proceeds going to help this cause.

Unfortunately, the chocolate house was quickly rendered structurally unsound -- by a few large bites taken out of the right side. The rest may be melted down to use as blue fondue for some fresh strawberries.

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Chocolate Candy & Kentucky Derby Horse Race
I was rooting for the horse named "Chocolate Candy" in the Kentucky Derby race this weekend; however, another long shot horse won this race.

Chocolate Gravy
And now for something different, I would like to give a shout out to a reference to chocolate gravy and biscuits from Arkansas: http://open.salon.com/blog/aunt_shelle_stormoe/2009/03/11/chocolate_gravy.

ChocolateBet: May 1, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 large squares/pieces
Queen Bee Gardens
Honey Essence Almond Bark (dark chocolate)
Very Good
Weight: ~ 2.9 oz. (82 g.)/ 16 oz. (1 lb.)(452 g.) in total bag
Calories: 425 calories (estimate)
Cost: $17.35 for 1-lb. bag of square pieces (plus applicable shipping)
Purchased from: Queen Bee Gardens, in Lovell, Wyoming (online order)

In my quest to try chocolates from every state in the U.S., I did some online research about chocolates I might order from Wyoming. I decided to try these Queen Bee chocolates.

This almond bark with honey was gluten-free, and had a pleasant, subtle honey taste to it.

ChocolateBet: April 30, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Gnosis Chocolate (handmade raw organic chocolate)
Cashew Goji Cherry
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.)
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, in New York City, NY (online order)

Nice, fresh, healthy ingredients make this a tasty bar. The only goji berries I'd tasted up until now had been dried. These tasted closer to fresh, however, it was hard to tell whether I was tasting the goji or the cherry in some bites.

ChocolateBet: April 29, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Gnosis Chocolate (handmade raw organic chocolate)
Coconut Almond
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.)
Calories: ~ 300 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, New York City, NY

This bar is a very satisfying combination of chocolate, coconut and almond (one of the chocolate taste trifectas in my mind). The coconut tastes fresher than that found in most commercial chocolate bars, and the healthier ingredients mean I don't feel as guilty for eating the whole 2-oz. bar.

ChocolateBet: April 28, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Gnosis Chocolate (handmade raw organic chocolate)
Simplicity
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56 oz.)
Calories: ~ 300 calories in 1 bar (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, in New York City, New York (online order)

This bar was a little sweet (although I like the agave nectar being used as a sweetener); but it's very good otherwise. Gnosis chocolates have quite a nice taste and texture. I ate part of this bar with some raw walnuts and a dash of cinnamon on a small plate, which I also enjoyed. My guess is that these chocolates would mix very well with some organic vanilla ice cream as well.

ChocolateBet: April 27, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Bedre Fine Chocolate
Crisps - Dark Chocolate (covered potato crisps/chips)
Good +
Weight: .88 oz.(25 g.) for 2 Crisps/5 oz. (142 g.) in total container
Calories: 180 calories for 2 pieces
Cost: $4.75 for 1 container (+shipping for online order)
Purchased from: Bedre Fine Chocolate, Oklahoma (online order) owned by Chickasaw Nation

I like chocolate and I like potato chips, so I have tried several combinations of these two ingredients. (I also like chocolate and nuts, chocolate and bacon, and salt chocolate caramels -- so salt seems to be another common theme here.) Anyway, I've found it's tough to get the right balance with chocolate-covered chips - often the chocolate seems to overwhelm the chips. These Crisps tasted like they were made from high-quality chocolate, and they were good. Note: these are not gluten-free, as they do have some wheat/starch in them.