ChocolateBet: May 31, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
3 oz. (89.9 g.)
Trader Joe's
Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits
Very Good +
Weight: 3 oz. (84.9 g.)/ 7 oz. (198 g.) total package
Calories: 450 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.99 for total package
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, in Menlo Park, CA

These bite-sized, dark chocolate coated nut nuggets were crisp, light and delicious -- and not too sweet (an added bonus). The "nutty bits" ingredients included: almonds, cachews, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, sweet toffee, a dark chocolate coating, and "just a touch of Fleur de Sel."

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: May 30, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 bar
Jade Chocolates
Terracotta (bar) (41% cacao)
Very Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (58 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Jade Chocolates, in San Francisco, CA

This (new) Terracotta milk chocolate bar from Jade Chocolates, with tamari almonds and pink sea salt, came carefully swaddled in handmade lokta paper from Nepal. The salt mixed in with the chocolate was very subtle, but it was enough to qualify this bar as today's choice for Day #3 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

The story behind the mixture of chocolate, tamari almonds and sea salt (the salty and the sweet) is discussed on the back of the wrapper: "The legacy of the terracotta warriors is a tribute to China's first emperor who united the feuding states as one country. To honor him, the opposing flavors of salty and sweet come together in harmony."

ChocolateBet: May 29, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 cupcake
Kara's Cupcakes
Chocolate Velvet (gluten-free) cupcake
Very Good
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70.75 g.) (estimate) in 1 cupcake
Calories: 350 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.25 for 1 cupcake
Purchased from: Kara's Cupcakes store in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week -- and, also, a big, double-milestone birthday celebration (for my dad and my daughter); so there was a lot of and eating, music, dancing, and general family fun. On the dessert menu this evening were some gluten-free cupcakes. Thank you to Kara's Cupcakes for offering this non-wheat option. I ate this Chocolate Velvet cupcake with some slivered almonds and just a hint of salt, along with some fresh strawberries and a little bit of ice cream.

It was a good thing I got up early this morning to go walking up in Napa wine country. Even so, as I write this, I feel as if I'm about to drop off into a food coma right...about...now.....

ChocolateBet: May 28, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

2 tiles/pieces
Poco Dolce
Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.45 g.)/6 oz. (170 g.) total 8-pc. box
Calories: 225 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ (could not find receipt)
Purchased from: Poco Dolce, in San Francisco, CA

Chocolate, almonds and a hint of salt. It's hard to go wrong with this combination. I've been working my way through this variety box (4 flavors).  I'm saving the ginger tiles for last (for ginger theme week).

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Salt Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: May 27, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
.3 oz.
Jade Chocolates
Krakatoa bar
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .3 oz. (8.49 g.)/ 2 oz. (58 g.) in total bar
Calories: 44 calories for .3 oz. (estimate)
Cost: $5.50 for total bar
Purchased from: Jade Chocolates, tasting event, in San Francisco, CA

Sometimes you just have to eat truffles for dinner. Tonight was such an occasion. I attended a Jade Chocolates truffle tasting event, held at Leland Tea Company, in San Francisco this evening. Samples of new Jade chocolate bars were also available. The Krakatoa bar (63% cacao, bittersweet), flavored with black pepper and lemongrass, was one of these new bars (shown above right).

My favorite Jade Chocolates truffle was the Jasmine Tea truffle. I am a sucker for good jasmine chocolates. The other truffle flavors (passion fruit; mint; peanut butter mango; pandan; and several others) were also quite good. Unfortunately, these truffles are not available for sale in stores at this time.

ChocolateBet: May 26, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
Alaska Jack's (manufactured for)
Polar Bear Smooch
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 112.5 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ 0.60
Purchased from: Alaska Wild Berry store, in 5th Ave. Mall, downtown Anchorage, Alaska

The Polar Bear Smooch contained "two types of chocolate" and had a peppermint center (shown).

This was the last chocolate I took home with me from a recent trip to Alaska. I found more chocolates there than I thought I would; however, I was not surprised. I have yet to travel to a destination where chocolate is not present in some form.

ChocolateBet: May 25, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 1/2 pieces
Alaska Jack's
Bear Berry Clusters
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.125 oz. (31.8 g.) for 1.5 pieces / 6 oz. (170 g.) total box/package of 8 pieces
Calories: 150 calories for 1 1/2 pieces
Cost: $12.95 for total box of 8 pieces
Purchased from: gift shop in Ted Stevens airport, Anchorage, Alaska

These dark chocolate clusters, with caramel, small bits of pecan and dried cranberries were an Alaska Jack creation. I didn't care for the hydrogenated palm oil, but the Alaska Jack Harper story was interesting. Apparently he got the idea for adding cranberries by watching grizzlies in Denali eat them. I didn't see any live bears in Alaska when I was there earlier this month, but I made up for that by eating quite a few chocolate bear chocsimiles (chocolate facsimiles).