ChocolateBet: December 31, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 chocolate cups
Dobla B.V.
Cordial and Toasting Cups
Very Good
Weight:  .32 oz. (9 g.) for 2 cups/1.9 oz. (54 g.) for 12 cups
Calories: 45 calories
Cost: $3.99 for a box of 12 cups
Purchased from: T.J. Maxx, in San Francisco, CA

Happy New Year's Eve to all. And what better way to usher in a new decade than to toast 2010 with some brandy in tiny Dark Belgian Chocolate Cordial and Tasting cups from Dobla (The Netherlands).

ChocolateBet: December 30, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

2 pieces
Alegio Chocolate
1.) Ecuador - 90%
2.) Venezuela - 72%
Weight: .8 oz. (22 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 120 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, in Manika Jewelry, Maiden Lane, San Francisco, CA

These were two very nice, rich dark chocolates from Berkeley, CA-based Alegio Chocolate -- purchased in their newest location at Manika Jewelry near Union Square in San Francisco.

My favorite was the 90% cacao from Ecuador (shown with the hummingbird decoration above). However, on a different occasion, it might be the Venezuela (with the girl and butterfly), which today was just a nano-measure too sweet for me.

Such is the nature of food, wine and chocolate. I know I like something on the first try; however, the finer points of flavor preference are easily influenced by other factors, such as how hungry I am or what I've just eaten; my surroundings and/or mood; the freshness of the chocolate; etc. It's a great problem to have, trying to decide between two fine chocolates.

ChocolateBet: December 29, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Xocolatl de David
72% Ecuadorian Chocolate with Black Truffle and Sea Salt
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) in 1 small, square bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.00 (need to verify)
Purchased from: Far West Fungi, in the Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

Fungi and dark chocolate. It was so much better than it sounds. Then again, I like savory flavors and salt melded with chocolate.  I'm going back for more next time I head into downtown San Francisco.

ChocolateBet: December 28, 2009

Chocolate(s)  of the Day:

1.) Clarine's Florentines
1/2 cookie, Florentine
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: Approx. .5 oz. (14.1 g.)/5.5 oz. (155 g.) total pkg.
Calories: 75 calories (guesstimate)
Cost: $8.99
Purchased from: Bi-Rite Market, in San Francisco, CA

2.)  Nestle Butterfinger pieces in milk chocolate
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
1 serving, medallion
Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) total package
Calories: 160 calories
Cost: $
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

One round, flat chocolate item does not equal another. It is unfair to compare these two chocolate items; however, I will. They both involve chocolate and nuts in some combination, and were holiday treats.

The Butterfinger medallion, stamped with Santa's jolly face, was good. However, I tend to favor dark chocolates made with a smaller number of high-quality ingredients.

Clarine's Florentines were the run-away winner here. These thin almond and chocolate confections were a hit with my extended family. In fact, I had to hustle to save half a Florentine to eat later (today). They were disappearing very quickly at our table. These Florentines were also gluten free, pleasing the non-wheat eaters.

ChocolateBet: December 27, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

3/4 bar
Starbucks
Dark Chocolate and Caramel bar
Very Good +
Weight: .9 oz. (26 g.) in 3/4 bar/1.2 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.45 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Starbucks Coffee, in Mountain View, CA

Today was a big movie intake day, with a walk over to Starbucks in between ("Avatar" and "Invictus"). This dark bar, manufactured for Starbucks (by a company not mentioned on the label) served as a great palette cleanser and lift, between films, and between popcorn and dinner.

ChocolateBet: December 26, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) Palmer - Santa's Coal
1 piece
Good - Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.125 g.)/4 oz. (113 g.) total mesh bag of 8 pieces of "coal"
Calories: 75 calories for one piece (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

2.) Reese's - Reese's Peanut Butter Snowman
3/4 snowman
Very Good
Weight: 3.75 oz. (105.7 g)/(5 oz. (141 g.) total
Calories: 540 calories for 3/4 snowman
Cost: $4.99
Purchased from: CVS/pharmcy, in midtown Palo Alto, CA

3.) Sweet Time - Red Reindeer Noses
1 serving
Good
Weight: 0.70 oz. (20 g.) total package - chocolate round shell + red pieces inside
Calories: 100 calories
Cost: $0.59
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was a post-Christmas chocolate windfall -- from chocolate coal, to snowboarding peanut butter and chocolate snowmen and a chocolate clown nose -- no wait a minute, there were little mini red shelled chocolate candies inside this little chocolate nose orb (see image above).

ChocolateBet: December 25, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

3 pieces
Enric Rovira
Bombolas de naranja con chocolate negro
(Pieces or orange with dark chocolate)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .8 oz. (22.64 g.) (estimate) / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total package/box
Calories: 120 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, in Manika Jewelry location, San Francisco, CA

Today marked the end (Day #7) of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week.

These orange chocolate pieces from Spanish chocolatier Enric Rovira ended this week on a high note. I was happy to be able to share these with family after presents were opened, and as part of a Christmas pre-lunch snack.