ChocolateBet: August 27, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
PeaceWorks Inc.
Sesame and Peanuts with Chocolate bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 grams) in one bar
Calories: 230 calories in one bar
Cost: $2.99 + ~8.8% NYC sales tax = $3.25 total
Purchased from: Cibo Market, JFK Airport, New York

This gluten-free and Non-GMO, KIND Sesame and Peanuts bar (topped with diagonal chocolate stripes) looks like it was made by a group with an international design and marketing perspective. (The bar itself was made in Australia, by a company based in New York City.) Peanuts, puffed rice and sesame seeds and gave this bar some nice crunchy texture.

As mentioned previously, airports are often good places to buy local chocolates. I bought four different bars with chocolate in them at JFK airport on the way back from a short vacation trip to Manhattan/New York City earlier this month -- along with a big apple that I ate on the plane.

Someone recently asked me: "Do you have a chocolate stash at home so you don't run out of chocolates to try?" The answer is: Yes, I generally have a week's worth of new chocolates in my stockpile. And, if you have suggestions for chocolates you think I have not tried, please let me know.

ChocolateBet: August 26, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Weil by Nature's Path (Organic)
Chocolada Walnut
Good +
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.)
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.58 ($3.29 + NYC tax)
Purchased from: Cibo Market, JFK Airport, New York

The Chocolada Walnut bar label stated that it was organic, vegan, and had no added sugars or artificial ingredients or GMOs. This bar from Nature's Path (Blaine, WA), co-branded/adorned with a photo of health guru Andrew Weil, certainly tasted healthy.

The faint, not unpleasant, fermented fruit flavor I tasted may have resulted from my traveling with this bar across country during hot weather, or it could have been the natural flavor of the dried fruit. I couldn't taste the walnuts; the almond and walnut bits were finely chopped and well mixed into this dark cocoa-colored bar.

ChocolateBet: August 25, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bowl/serving
General Mills
Chocolate Chex Gluten Free cereal
Very Good
Weight: 3/4 cup (32 grams); 14.25 oz. (403 grams) in total box
Calories: 130 calories + 40 calories for milk = 170 calories total in 1 bowl/serving
Cost: $3.79 for 1 box (sale)
Purchased from: Safeway, in Sunnyvale, CA

I was very happy to find out that General Mills started making gluten-free Chex (Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Chocolate Chex, and Strawberry Chex). I liked that this cereal was not ultra-sweet, and that it included some whole grain rice. These healthy attributes may be canceled out, however, when I use these new Chex in an old Chex Party Mix recipe I have (basically sauteed Chex cereal with butter, Worcestershire sauce, peanuts, gluten-free pretzels,...that kind of thing).

ChocolateBet: August 24, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2/3 bar
Divvies LLC
BingGo Benjamint Crunch
Very Good
Weight: ~1.5 oz. (42 g.) in 2/3 bar / 2.25 oz. (63 g.) total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 2/3 bar
Cost: $3.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

This BingGo Benjamint Crunch bar from Divvies (South Salem, NY) was quite good. The bits of organic peppermint crunch candy added a nice mint sparkle to this chocolate bar.

The bar was also memorable for what it carefully left out. Because it was labeled "no nuts, no dairy" (made in a dedicated facility that is peanut-free, tree nut-free, milk-free and egg-free), I could split this with my daughter (who is allergic to most nuts).

To divvy up something is to divide or share an item. It is not always easy to share foods you really like; and to illustrate this point, Divvies divided this bar into two unequal parts (see image above). It may be hard to read, but the much larger part is labeled "Mine," and the much smaller part is labeled "Yours." Guess which part my daughter received? Ah well, she understands my commitment to chocolate.

ChocolateBet: August 23, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
BonBonBar
Cherry Bar
Very Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 grams) in one bar
Calories: 210 calories (estimate) in one bar
Cost: $6.37 per bar (estimate including shipping, handling)
Purchased from: BonBonBar via foodzie.com

This high-end, dark chocolate, Cherry Bar candy bar from BonBonBar, with a vanilla almond nougat center, was topped with dried cherries.

Alas, this was another case where, in my eagerness to try this bar, I forgot to capture an image of the whole bar in the wrapper first. (So the image you see above is just the smaller label and not the whole bar.)

ChocolateBet: August 22, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:



1 bar
BonBonBar
Peanut Butter Bar
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 grams) in one bar
Calories: 240 calories (estimate) in one bar
Cost: $6.37 per bar (estimate, including shipping, handling)
Purchased from: BonBonBar, via foodzie.com

This BonBonBar was inspired by a "favorite peanut butter sandwich," and combined peanut butter (made with organic peanuts), raw honey, organic strawberries, and caramel, in such a way that I tasted peanut butter and jelly/jam in some bites, and peanut butter and honey in other bites.

I really enjoyed this result, as it allowed me to toggle back and forth between childhood memories of two popular lunchtime sandwiches.

ChocolateBet: August 21, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
BonBonBar
Caramel Nut Bar
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: 1.75 oz. (49.6 grams) in one bar
Calories: 262 calories (estimate) in one bar
Cost: $6.37 per bar (estimate including shipping, handling)
Purchased from: BonBonBar, via foodzie.com

This BonBonBar Caramel Nut Bar contained a delicious mix of nuts, cacao nibs, and salted caramel --  and it was a winning candy bar in my book.

I liked it as much, or maybe a bit more, than BonBonBar's single malt scotch candy bar (my previous favorite).