ChocolateBet: September 19, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Al Nassma
"Dates" (camel milk chocolate) bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 70 grams (2.46 oz.) in 1 bar
Calories: 369 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, in San Francisco, CA

Last week, one little fresh, yellow date (four cents worth) rolled down the black grocery check-out strip, along with my other groceries/chocolates. I wanted to try one date, before buying a large cluster of them. It was very good.

When I lived in Santa Barbara years ago, a friend from Indio (known as the date capital of the U.S. at one time) got me hooked on date milkshakes with a dash of nutmeg. Heavenly. So, it was with these fond date-related memories in mind that I bit into this unique Al Nassma camel milk chocolate bar, from halfway around the world (Dubai, United Arab Emirates). It was well-made and quite tasty. I imagined sitting in the shade in my own little oasis, eating this Dates bar with toasted walnuts and fresh orange slices. It probably wouldn't be half bad in a date milkshake either.

Change of subject...

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept. 19).

Tomorrow's chocolate will be B.T. McElrath's Salty Dog Chocolate Bar, in honor of this day. Also, this weekend is the Austin Chocolate Festival in Texas, with Fat Turkey Chocolates and others, and proceeds going to Susan G. Komen organization. (O.K. I have to try a Fat Turkey chocolate; the name is too good.)

ChocolateBet: September 18, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

3/4 bar
Vosges
Mo's Dark Bacon Bar
Very Good
Weight: 2.25 oz. (63.75 g.)/ 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 172.5 calories (estimate) for 3/4 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, in San Francisco, CA

As the days have grown shorter, I've become more interested in heartier food, such as bacon and eggs for breakfast or brunch; bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches or salads for lunch; and bacon with chicken and vegetables for dinner. Sensing a pattern here, today I decided to try the dark (62% cacao) version of Mo's Bacon Bar from Vosges (Chicago, IL), with Applewood smoked bacon, Alderwood smoked salt, and dark chocolate.

Both the original milk and the dark chocolate versions of this Vosges bar are quite good. However, it was easier to taste the bacon in the Mo's Milk Chocolate Bacon Bar, a plus for me.

ChocolateBet: September 17, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Al Nassma Chocolate LLC
Arabia bar (camel milk chocolate, spices)
Good +
Weight: 35 grams (1.23 oz.)/70 grams (2.46 oz.) total bar
Calories: 184 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, in San Francisco, CA

If the label hadn't disclosed this milk chocolate was made with camel's milk, I wouldn't have guessed.

It was good, although (like many milk chocolates I've tried) it was a bit sweet. The spices used were subtle. In addition to honey and vanilla, I thought I tasted just a little bit of coffee, cardamom and cinnamon. But, I could be wrong.

Twelve dollars sounds like a lot to spend on a few ounces of chocolate; but, it is much less expensive than flying to Dubai (part of the United Arab Emirates). Al Nassma apparently maintains their own camels adjacent to their facility that they use to make camel milk chocolate products.

What an interesting chocolate field trip this would be.

ChocolateBet: September 16, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Fudge is my Life
Dark Chocolate Sauce - used to make...
A Chocolate & Vanilla Soda (homemade)
Very Good
Weight: 8 fl. oz. + ice
Calories: ~175 calories in one serving
Cost: $?
Purchased from: (Piazzas, in Palo Alto, CA?)

I decided to make my own chocolate soda, with Fudge is My Life's Dark Chocolate Sauce, Monin's Vanilla syrup, seltzer water, and ice. It wasn't bad. The chocolate sauce was definitely tasty. So, this (Day #7) entry concludes Chocolate Beverage Theme Week 2009. (The next chocolate beverage theme week will be (or probably should be) chocolate diet or reduced calorie drinks.)

ChocolateBet: September 15, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving - 1/2 bottle
Yoo-hoo (distributed by Motts)
Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink
Good +
Weight: ~ 7.7 fl. oz. (229 mL)/15.5 fl. oz. (458 mL) in total bottle
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bottle
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Yoo-hoo was my choice for Day #6 of Chocolate Beverage Theme Week 2009. I may have tried a Yoo-hoo many, many years ago; however, I couldn't remember what it was exactly. Carbonated chocolate milk perhaps? It was better than I expected it to be.

The label advised me to "Shake It!" and so I did. I mean, who would resist such instructions? The Yoo-hoo name evokes great nostalgia* for many baby boomers. Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink debuted in the 1920s, and the fun name has helped keep the product afloat since then. Technology company names, like Yahoo!, and even Google (with its catchy mathematical origin), probably owe this company an indirect debt of gratitude. The Yoo-hoo brand may have undergone changes over many years, but the name has stayed.

*Yoo-hoo is definitely on my chocolostalgia list.

ChocolateBet: September 14, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 milkshake
Rick's Rather Rich Ice Cream and Fudge
Fudge Marble Ice Cream => Milkshake
Very Good
Weight: ~ 16 oz. (regular size)
Calories: ~800 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.50
Purchased from: Rick's Rather Rich Ice Cream & Fudge, in Palo Alto, CA

Thanks Alfredo for your help in reviewing chocolate ice cream flavors that might make good milkshakes this week. I've been working my way through the list of Rick's ice creams (with chocolate in them). I justified having a milkshake for two reasons: 1.) I walked to Rick's from my house, 2.) it's Day #5 of Chocolate Beverage Theme Week 2009.

ChocolateBet: September 13, 2009

Chocolate of the Week:
1 small cup
Boomerang (Australian Vodka) & Ghirardelli Chocolate Syrup
Chocolate Martini
Very Good
Weight: ~ 2 oz.
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: ~$1.33 for this sample (1/15 of $20 sample package)
Purchased from: Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival organization

This was Day #4 of Chocolate Beverage Theme Week 2009. Today's chocolate (syrup) was shaken, in a cocktail shaker with ice and Australian vodka. (The image above is scanned from a Boomerang Australian Vodka hand-out.)

With apologies to those old Master Card ads, I'll sum up our chocolate adventures today with the following:
Tasting Package for Chocolate Festival at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco: $20.00.
Price of gasoline to drive to San Francisco: ~$10.00.
Parking in high-traffic tourist area of San Francisco: $14.00.
Eating 20 different chocolates in one hour and getting a sugar, chocolate and tiny-martini buzz: priceless.