Today I Celebrate Three Years of Chocolate

Today, I celebrate my birthday, and three years of eating chocolate. On September 11, 2006, I started eating a different kind of chocolate every day. I thought I would run out of different chocolates after six or seven months. Not so. There are at least 2,000 chocolates out there today, and I should be able to eat my body weight in chocolate by mid-2012. This is a testament to all those who are creating wonderful new chocolates every day in the U.S. and elsewhere.

This weekend is a busy weekend for celebrating chocolate. Apparently, Chocolate Day is Sunday, Sept. 13, and Chocolate Milkshake Day is tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 12). I can find online references to this 'shake-related holiday going back to 1996; but I'm not sure how it actually got started. (FYI, Milton Hershey was born on Sept. 13, 1857.) I may research the intersection of Chocolate Milkshake Day with other holidays or events to help choose a flavor to mix into a chocolate milkshake. (Chocolate monkey (banana) milkshake day perhaps? -- Sept. 12, 1966, the singing group, the Monkees made their television debut. Chocolate + banana is a better fit than combining it with National Pet Memorial Day, which apparently also falls on Sept. 12. Who knew? I hope you're up there watching Big Purr. (Big Purr, my childhood cat, only liked the occasional plain cake doughnut, and not chocolate.)

Chocolate Covered, a shop in the Noe Valley area of San Francisco, carries a great selection of chocolates from around the world. I'm hoping to drive there to buy some chocolate from the middle east (made with camel's milk). And, on the same trip, I'm planning to attend a chocolate festival at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. After that, a long walk -- or any activity that doesn't involve sitting behind a computer and letting all those chocolate calories settle in undesirable places -- would be good.

ChocolateBet: September 10, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 cup
O (Organics)
Reduced Fat Chocolate Milk
Very Good
Weight: 1 cup (240 mL)/1/2 gallon (1.89 L)
Calories: 170 calories in 1 cup
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Safeway

A chilled glass of this chocolate milk was very refreshing after a long walk on a warm day. Reducing the fat a few percentage points seemed like a good idea. It was like drinking a low-fat liquid chocolate milkshake. I considered this a practice run for National Chocolate Milkshake Day (really), which is the day after tomorrow (Sept. 12, '09).

Given the focus on shakes this week, I felt it was appropriate to launch Day #1 of Chocolate Beverage Theme Week for 2009.

ChocolateBet: September 9, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/3 bar
Gnosis Chocolate
Cool Peppermint bar
Good +
Weight: .66 oz. (18.66 g.)/2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 99 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, New York City, NY

Smell is such an important part of taste. This morning, before I tried this raw, organic chocolate "Cool Peppermint" bar from Gnosis (NYC, NY), I enjoyed sticking my nose into a bunch of fresh cut lavender from my front yard. I like strong herbs like fresh peppermint and lavender that can stand up to dark chocolate.

On a related note, I am planning to unearth some recipes for home spa treatments that involve chocolate in some way. These may be featured in a(nother) chocolate theme week soon.

ChocolateBet: September 8, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Gnosis Chocolate
Slow Food Fast Children bar
("Special Cause Bar" to help school nutrition programs)
Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56 grams)
Calories: 300 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate, New York City, NY

Yesterday I watched Morgan Spurlock's 2004 documentary, Super Size Me, in which he ate nothing but fast food from McDonald's restaurants in New York City (and other U.S. cities) for one month. The decline in his own health helped to underscore the points he was making. Among them, don't eat fast food too often, and adults and children in the U.S. are not eating well, and not getting enough exercise.

Today's raw, vegan, and gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free chocolate bar was designed to help address one of these issues, with 35% of the proceeds going to "schools across the country who are implementing child nutrition programs," according to the label.

The title of today's (raw) chocolate bar was the inverse of fast food and slow children. The Slow Food Fast Children bar was handmade (in New York City), vegan, and free of gluten, dairy, soy and refined sugar. I've noticed that I can eat a whole 2-oz. Gnosis bar and still feel pretty good. There are other chocolates where I wouldn't even attempt to eat this much. OK, I'm sold on healthier/raw chocolates, based on trying several different bars over time.

ChocolateBet: September 7, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 square
Russell Stover
Mississippi Mud Truffle
(American Classics Assortment; Private Reserve)
Good+
Weight: .56 oz. (16 g.) / 6.2 oz. (176 g.) total package/bag
Calories: 95 calories for 1 individually-wrapped square
Cost: $3.48 for total package
Purchased from: Walmart, in Mountain View, CA

This morning I did some hiking out in the Baylands, and the tide was out. There were large areas of bay mud glistening in the sun. So, these Mississippi Mud truffle squares from Russell Stover seemed like an appropriate chocolate for today.

Many months ago, I bought a package of Mississippi Mud Truffle squares to try. However, my daughter and others ate them before I had the chance. So, I "re-bought" these last night when I saw them, even though they were only available in a larger assortment package that contained three Russell Stover American Classic flavors (I sampled the other two flavors quite awhile ago). I opened the 6.2 oz. package and found just one Mississippi Mud square. Yikes, $3.48 was a lot to pay for just one square. Oh well. This square was good, but it was too sweet for me.

ChocolateBet: September 6, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 squares
Ghirardelli Chocolate
Milk and Peanut Butter
Very Good
Weight: 1.03 oz. (29.3 g.)
Calories: 160 calories in two squares
Cost: $2.84 in total bag
Purchased from: Walmart, in Mountain View, CA

These individually-wrapped milk chocolate squares with crunchy peanut butter filling from Ghirardelli Chocolate (San Leandro, CA) were very good.

I may try melting these on (wheat-free) toast - for a chocolate and nut-spread effect. (This may seem odd unless you've tried Nutella, or similar knock-off chocolate and nut spreads.) I can't have wheat, but if I could, I might trip slipping one of these inside a croissant and microwaving it for 10+ seconds.

ChocolateBet: September 5, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Gnosis Chocolate
"Surthrival Choc" bar
Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 300 calories (guesstimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Gnosis Chocolate

This morning, as part of a 1,000 mile walk, I woke up early to hike a segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail, through a dicey neighborhood. (For more about this silly walking the bay business, see: www.walking-the-bay.com). I had to pump myself up for this walk.

So, in keeping with facing my fears and just doing it...I ate a "Surthrival Choc" raw chocolate bar from Gnosis Chocolate (made in New York City, NY). This Gnosis bar was chock full of interesting ingredients (e.g., goji berries, horny goat weed, Yohimbe, Lion's Mane Mushroom, Passionflower), and many adjectives. It was: handmade, raw, vegan, and was made without refined sugar, cholesterol, gluten, dairy or soy.

The word "Invincibility" is printed next to a purple-clad super hero-ess. Founder Vanessa Barg (aka Chocolate Girl) is young, energetic, and committed to making it happen. And, she's committed to inspiring herself, and others, to thrive and to attain dreams and goals.

Oh, and did I mention that part of the proceeds from this bar go to the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation?

Speaking of chocolate-related adventures, and facing your fears, check out Solomon Jones's entertaining account* of his trip to Hershey's Park:
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20090905_Solomon_Jones__Chocolate__B-stings__nausea_make_a_Hershey_staycation.html

*Postscript: Sorry, this story is not longer available on philly.com