ChocolateBet: September 13, 2010

Chocolates of the Day:
2 pieces
Tecnoalimentos Caribe Mex. S.A. de C.V. (Cancun, Mexico)

1.) Cancun Chocolates - white and milk chocolate sea shapes (I had a seahorse)
Good
Weight: .34 oz. (10 g.) / 1.1 oz. (30 g.) total package/box
Calories: 52 calories (estimate)
Cost: $55.00 Mexican Pesos
Purchased from: Convenience store in Cancun Airport, Quintana Roo, Mexico

2.) Caribbean Chocolates - milk chocolates with tequila filling
Good
Weight: .45 oz. (12.5 g.) / 3.54 oz. (100 g.) total package
Calories: 74 calories (estimate)
Cost: $95.00 Mexican Pesos
Purchased from: Convenience store in Cancun Airport, Quintana Roo, Mexico

An assortment of milk chocolates from Tecnoalimentos Caribe were available in shops at the Cancun airport (in Mexico), ranging from the cute and funny to the more adult chocolates with tequila filling. Once again, an airport provided a place to buy local chocolates that I wouldn't have discovered during my short stay in an area far from home.

Note: Due to travel this month, photos and posts may be delayed.

ChocolateBet: September 12, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Museo Del Chocolate
Maria Cristina
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 grams)
Calories: 72 (estimate)
Cost: 40 cents (estimate)
Purchased from: NA

Today´s dark chocolate with honey, aged rum, and lemon peel was very good.

This was my second trip to The Museo Del Chocolate shop in downtown Havana. On the first trip we marveled at the chocolate drinks and molded chocolates, including a dark chocolate high-heeled shoe.

Today (Sunday) it was very crowded, and it was a welcome relief escape the heat and enter into their air conditioned space, after waiting in line outside. The name of this shop, translated into English, means The Chocolate Museum. To this end, there were posters hung on the painted green walls explaining the history of chocolate, and there were glassed-in display cases that contained chocolate making and drinking artifacts from the past.

Once inside, I waited behind a small mob of children standing on their tip-toes to peer at molded chocolate animals and different milk and dark chocolate truffles, with some clamoring for cold or hot chocolate drinks, so that I could obtain permission to take photos, and ask the staff about their chocolates.

ChocolateBet September 11, 2010

Chocolate of the Day
1 piece
Ah Cacao
72% dark chocolate bar
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) (estimate) for bar with 5 pieces
Calories: 70 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.95 U.S. Dollars
Purchased from  Los Cinco Soles (shop), in Cancun Airport, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Today´s dark bar was "Hecho en Mexico" (made in Mexico), and it was quite good.

Also, today I celebrated eating a different chocolate every day for the past four years. I still feel grateful that I'm able to incorporate chocolate into my life and travels. A big thank you to all the members of El Señor Ronaldo's photography group who helped celebrate this occasion on the road -- to Matt and Neeley for contributing a bottle of BV Creme de Cacao (from Spain), and to Bill for the rum. After some research, it was determined that both these beverages go well with chocolates.

ChocolateBet September 10, 2010

Chocolate of the Day
4 bones or pieces
Tecnoalimentos Caribe Mex. S.A. de CV
Good
Weight  .35 oz. (10 grams)  1.75 oz. (50 g.) total box of 20 bones
Calories  52.5 calories (estimate)
Cost  $60.00 Mexican Pesos
Purchased from  Convenience Store, Cancun Airport, Quintana Roo, Mexico

A jolly Caribbean pirate and a skull and crossbones helped explain the theme behind this box of 20 little milk chocolate bones.

Note  Due to travel this month, posts and photographs will be delayed.

ChocolateBet: September 9, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bonbon
Guama Bombones y Chocolates
Bombones con Anejo Rum
Good Plus
Weight: .5 oz., or 14 grams (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost  .40 (estimate for 1 piece)
Purchased from:  NA

The heat was such that this poor Guama chocolate truffle (with aged rum) almost suffered a meltdown between the time it left its refrigerated case and before being plunged back into an air conditioned dining environment down the street. Not to worry; it would have been fine melted over ice cream as well. Later in the evening the truffle insisted I pose it with some rum before being eaten. That you to Sharon for indulging its last wish.

Note: Due to travel this week, posts and photos will be delayed.

ChocolateBet: September 8, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces (1/3 bar)
Baracoa
Dark Chocolate "Tablets"-- Chocolate Fundante
Good - Good +
Weight: .59 oz. (16.7 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) total bar with six pieces
Calories: 83 calories (estimate)
Cost: $1.75 (estimate)
Purchased from: N/A - Refreshment/gift shop area of Hemingway Museum/House, on the outskirts of Havana

Much of the chocolate in Cuba comes from the Baracoa region (northeast part of the country). Baracoa also happened to be the brand name for this chocolate bar. After looking at Hemingway's house, outfitted with the requisite stuffed animal trophy heads, old typewriter, bottles and books, I made my way to the refreshments area. The man who handed over this bar to us did so with some hesitation. He was fairly sure we might not like this, because it was oscuro (dark) chocolate. Hah! We assured him, nothing could be further from the truth.

Note: Traveling in the Caribbean in the summer with chocolate purchases and/or gifts can be challenging. I've tried to shuttle any chocolates I've been carrying quickly from one air-conditioned space to another. Fortunately, I found a small refrigerator last night where my small bag of chocolates  could spend the night, which means that I wasn't looking at a puddle of fondue and wrappers this morning.

Note: Due to travel, posts and photographs may be delayed.

ChocolateBet: September 7, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Maya Gold
Chocolate - Chiapas style tabletop chocolate
Good +
Weight: .72 oz. (20 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) total package
Calories: 89 calories (estimate)
Cost: $75.00 Mexican Pesos
Purchased from: shop in Cancun airport, Quintana Roo, Mexico

More chocolate from Mexico today -- this time from Chiapas. Table style is an entire system of chocolate classification that I look forward to researching more in the future.

Note: Due to travel, posts and photographs may be delayed.