ChocolateBet: February 12, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Jokerz (candy bar)
Very Good
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Jokerz. Good name for a band, or a candy bar. This vegan, dairy-free bar contained a mix of caramel, peanuts, and nougat, and was coated with a "rice-milk chocolatey coating." I liked it. On the wrapper there were four icons (representing the four suits in a deck of cards): heart, club, diamond, and spade. It so happens that the heart symbol is appropriate for Valentines Day, and more heart-related chocolates are in the plan in the few days between now and then.

ChocolateBet: February 11, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1 candy bar
Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Buccaneer (candy bar)
Very Good
Weight: 2.0 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Yesterday, I bought four different Go Max Go Foods candy bars to try.  I felt a little pirate-ish today, so I chose the Buccaneer. This dairy-free, vegan, no trans fat, no cholesterol bar with a "chocolatey nougat filling" was covered in a "rice-milk chocolatey coating." (I checked, and it does have real cocoa powder in it.)

Despite the long list of ingredients the label claimed were omitted (no cholesterol, no hydrogenated fats, no trans fats and nothing artificial), the end product was jolly roger good.

ChocolateBet: February 10, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Martina 
Very Good
Weight: 1.55 oz. (44 g.)/7 oz. (198 g.) total box of 9 pieces
Calories: 232 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $19.99 for total box of 9 pieces ($4.44 for two pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

No more chocolates left in this nice red box (pictured). This evening I consumed two "Martina" pyramid-shaped chocolates (filled with a rich praline ganache) for the cause. I ate them to help refuel -- after driving around the San Francisco Bay Area to attend an auction, a lunch, and to walk a bit of the Bay Trail in the Tiburon area (http://walkingthebay.blogspot.com), and take some pictures. Life is good.

ChocolateBet: February 9, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.55 oz. (44 g.)/7 oz. (198 g.) total box of 9 pieces
Calories: 232 calories for 2 pieces (estimate)
Cost: $19.99 for a total box of 9 pieces ($4.44 for 2 pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Knipschildt's "Julianne" chocolates had a marzipan and lemon ganache (filling). Very nice, except I wished these were a little less sweet.

ChocolateBet: February 8, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Eleanor
Very Good
Weight:1.55 oz. (44 g.)/7 oz. (198 g.) total box of 9 pieces
Calories: 232 calories (estimate)
Cost: $19.99 for total box ($4.44 for 2 pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

I'm continuing to work my way through the four different flavors in this Valentines assortment box. Not that I needed an excuse to indulge, but the Eleanor's mocha ganache (filling) helped give me energy for hiking today.

ChocolateBet: February 7, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Knipschildt Chocolatier
Vivianne
Very Good
Weight: 1.55 oz. (44 grams) in 2 pieces
Calories: 232 calories (estimate)
Cost: Approx. $4.44 for 2 pieces ($19.99 for total box of 9 pieces)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

It's Valentines Day chocolate season. Even if you're not celebrating the holiday, this time does present opportunities to try new chocolates. Little red packages and ribbons are everywhere.

These dome-shaped chocolates were filled with black currant ganache, and were part of a red assortment box from Knipschildt Chocolatier.

ChocolateBet: February 6, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece/sheet
Claudio Corallo
Chocolate with Ginger
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.)/3.527 oz. (100 g.) total package
Calories: 132 calories (estimate)
Cost: $?
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, Berkeley, CA

A thin sheet of this chocolate (embedded with pieces of crystallized ginger), from the island nation of Sao Tome e Principe (Africa), was good a la carte. And, it would be an enjoyable addition to a vanilla or chocolate ice cream sundae too.