ChocolateBet: February 28, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
5 pieces
Recchiuti Confections
Key Lime Apples
Very Good +
Weight: 1.66 oz. (47 g.)/4 oz. (113 g.) in total box of 12 pieces
Calories: 198 calories for 5 pieces (estimate)
Cost: $23 total for box of 12 pieces
Purchased from: Recchiuti store, in Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

These ultra thin, crispy slices of Granny Smith apples were covered in bittersweet chocolate. The texture and flavor mix was just right.

And, if you're in the San Francisco area and you enter the Ferry Building, I dare you to go in there and buy just one item -- of anything. Hang on to your wallet; it's a foodie paradise.

ChocolateBet: January 27, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 chocolate cigar
Thompson Candy/Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) for 1 cigar
Calories: 150 calories (+ 75 calories for cherry preserves, fondue ingredients)
Cost: $ (lost price info)
Purchased from: (lost purchase info)

The occasional chocolate cigar probably can't hurt -- especially when it's part of a decluttering-my-room celebration. (Thank you to Vicky for getting the ball rolling on this front.)

Since this was also the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week, I combined part of this cigar with some Hero Black Cherry Swiss Preserves, since I couldn't find a chocolate cherry cigar. More specifically, I melted down the "butt" end of this hollow milk chocolate stogie with the cherry preserves and a few drops of wine. The results: a micro-batch of chocolate cherry fondue to eat with fruit and nuts. (Bowl with happy spoon pictured at right.)

ChocolateBet: February 26, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
1.) Luca Chocolate - Orange Pistachio Nougat (3 pieces)
Good +
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) for 3 pieces (estimate)/ 4.2 oz. (118 g.) total box (estimate)
Calories: 135 calories (estimate)
Cost: $16.95 total for 12 piece assortment box (3 different flavors)
Purchased from: Luca Chocolate via Foodzie.com

2.) Cella's Confections  - Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries (2 pieces)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 2 pieces/8 oz. (226 g.) in total box of 16 pieces
Calories: 130 calories in 2 cherries
Cost: $3.99 for a box of 16 chocolate cherries
Purchased from: Paradise Foods, in Corte Madera, CA

There's always cause to celebrate with chocolate. And if I find the occasion lacking, I visit sites like holidayinsights.com, to inspire a real chocola-ganza.  For example, Friday, January 26th was National Pistachio Day, a great fit for Luca Chocolate's Orange Pistachio Nougat chocolates.  Unfortunately the nougat seemed to have leaked out a little, but they were still just fine.

Jan. 26th was also Day #6 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2). Cella's dates back to 1864. Any company that started during the (U.S.) Civil War era, and is still in business, deserves some praise. I had no problem with cherry seepage with Cella's dark chocolate version of their chocolate covered cherries. The dark chocolate shell was quite thick, to encase the "100% liquid center" accompanying the cherry. I prefer dark chocolate, and a few notches down on the sweetness meter, so these dark cherries were a good choice.

ChocolateBet: February 25, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 bar
Dagoba
beaucoup berries
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g)/2 oz. (56 g.) total bar
Calories: 125 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.49 for total bar
Purchased from: Paradise Foods, in Corte Madera, CA

Dagoba's beaucoup berries bar contained pieces of cranberries and cherries in (74% cacao) dark (organic) chocolate, with a little vanilla. When I first tried this bar (outside), it had a slight hard, waxy texture, but this seemed to go away later, when I was in a spot (inside) that was warmer. (I didn't have the patience to hold the first piece in my mouth for 30 seconds.) Just goes to show, once again, that the same piece of chocolate can taste differently under different circumstances. I liked that this chocolate wasn't overly sweet.

Day #5 of Chocolate and Cherries Day (#2).

ChocolateBet: February 24, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 shake
Wendy's (of Marin)
Chocolate Fudge Frosty Shake (with topping and cherry)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 5.85 oz. (114 g.)/11.7 oz. (328 g.) total small shake
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 shake
Cost: $2.49 for total (small) shake
Purchased from: Wendy's (of Marin), in San Rafael, CA

After my salad for dinner, I somehow justified adding a chocolate shake, because: 1.) I walked a stretch of the Bay Trail; 2.) I only drank half of a small size; and 3.) last, but not least, the shake was topped with a cherry. Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2).

ChocolateBet: February 23, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 bar
Chocolate Moderne LLC
Moderne Chocolate and Toffee Bar - Red Fruits
Very Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.)/3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for total bar
Purchased from: The Candy Store, in San Francisco, CA

This saucy dark chocolate bar (65% cacao) from New York was embedded with pieces of toffee infused with cherry, raspberry and strawberry. A big thumbs up from my daughter who shared this bar with me.

Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2).

ChocolateBet: February 22, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 package
Chase Candy Company
Chase's Cherry Mash
Good
Weight: 2.05 oz. (58 g.) in 1 package/bar
Calories: 285 calories
Cost: $1.95 (guesstimate)
Purchased from: The Candy Store, in San Francisco, CA

Happy George Washington Birthday, celebrated on Feb. 22 in the U.S.  As school children, we all dutifully learned that George was a brave young man, admitting: "I cannot tell a lie; I chopped down the cherry tree," when questioned. So, somehow the whole cherry and chocolate theme this week made sense. This is Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week (#2).

I purchased this Chase's Cherry Mash at The Candy Store in San Francisco (Russian Hill area). This store specializes in candy, but thankfully the owners have stocked a small, but very impressive array of chocolate items as well. 

Postscript: Thanks for all who commented on Chase's Cherry Mash! It's a privilege to write about small businesses making chocolates for this long. The Cherry Mash has been around for several decades -- enough time to create lots of good memories and tips (like adding one to a vanilla milkshake).