ChocolateBet: February 18, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
12 pieces
Luca Chocolate
Chocolate Dipped Bacon
Very Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) (estimate)/2 oz. (56.6 g.) total for 16 pieces (estimate)
Calories: 290 calories (guesstimate)
Cost: $16.95 total for bacon box assortment
Purchased from: Luca Chocolate (North Carolina) via foodzie.com

I'm not a big meat eater, but I was so excited to get my Luca Chocolate bacon box that I ordered...OK, those who find this disgusting need read no further, and to others, please continue... that I forgot to photograph and weigh the chocolate dipped bacon pieces before eating them for brunch this morning. These crispy bacon pieces, covered in just the right amount of dark chocolate, were relatively small and light (2-3 inches long). I enjoyed being able to really taste the bacon. Tomorrow, I'll try the bacon caramels.

Luca Chocolate is based in Ramseur, North Carolina, and is one of many small businesses that Foodzie brings together on their site, for our eating pleasure. (Luca is the name of a lovely brown horse.)

ChocolateBet: February 17, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Twilight (candy bar)
Good +
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

I ate this vegan, dairy-free Twilight bar with a handful of almonds. While I think this bar might have been a little less sweet than many bars (a good thing), at more than 2 oz., some raw nuts and water helped to balance out the sugary taste.

Note: This is a delayed post due to an all-day power outage in my neighborhood yesterday.

ChocolateBet: February 16, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Go Max Go Foods, LLC
Mahalo candy bar
Good +
Weight: 2.0 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.99 (sale)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

This Hawaiian* themed, dairy-free, vegan candy bar contained coconut, almonds, and had a "rice-milk chocolatey coating." (*The Hawaiian word Mahalo signifies gratitude, respect, and/or admiration.) The packaging also assured me that there was no trans fats, hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, and "nothing artificial."

ChocolateBet: February 15, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

9 pieces/truffles
Socola Chocolatier, LLC
Aphrodite's Delight Assortment box
1.) Burnt caramel and dark chocolate w/ sea salt truffles - Very Good +
2.) Raspberry pate de fruit w/ champagne ganache truffles - Very Good +
Weight: 3 oz. (84 g.) (estimate) for 9 pcs./3.996 oz. (113 g.) total box of 12 pcs.
Calories: 426 calories (estimate) in 9 truffles
Cost: N/A - Valentines Day gift from Alec
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Thank you to Alec for this very nice box of truffles for Valentines Day. It was a good thing he had three truffles from this box, otherwise I might have eaten all of them myself. Both flavors were very good.

ChocolateBet: February 14, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
1/2 sucker
Lake Champlain Chocolates
Heart Pop
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.)
Calories: 150 calories (estimate)
Cost: $6.99 for 1 sucker
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Happy Valentines Day all. February 14 is one of the big chocolate holidays in the U.S. This heart-shaped milk chocolate sucker decorated with white chocolate lace-like decoration was great eye candy, and perfect for the occasion.

Chocolate strawberries from Cafe Madeleine (San Francisco) also beckoned, and a few of these were added to the Valentines chocolate allowance today. (After all, there is a healthy fruit underneath.)These were very good.

ChocolateBet: February 13, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
BonBonBar LLC
Bourbon Candy Bar
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.) for 1 bar/total of 4.5 oz. (127 g.) in box of 3 bars
Calories: 217 calories (estimate)
Cost: $15.00 for box of 3 candy bars
Purchased from: Foodzie site, based in San Francisco, CA

If you're into good food, you'll find lots to choose from at foodzie.com.  High-end, adult candy bars from BonBonBar are one example. Thank you to Nina for continuing to generate interesting flavored bars. The Bourbon Candy Bar was very rich, and had just the right blend of chocolate, caramel, (George T. Stagg) bourbon, and just a hint of salt and pepper. The box (pictured above) held three individually-wrapped bars. The picture of the candy bar is from the Foodzie website (www.foodzie.com or http://bonbonbar.foodzie.com/bourbon-candy-bars.html). Thank you to Nanette and Judy for assistance in taste testing these.

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.