ChocolateBet: October 15, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces
Droste (Holland)
Pastilles - Milk/Orange Chocolate
Good +
Weight: .71 oz. (20 g.)/ 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total package
Calories: 115 calories in 4 pieces
Cost: $3.99 total package
Purchased from: Piazzas Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today's choice for (Day #2 of) Chocolate and Orange Theme Week came from Europe. Holland-based Droste's smooth, round chocolate pastilles are available in different flavors. These pastilles were milk chocolate with "natural orange" flavoring.

Thank you to those who helped evaluate these with me at the BlogWorld Expo show. It's always fun to make new chocolate/travel friends.

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

ChocolateBet: October 14, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1/3 bar
Alter Eco
Dark Chocolate Twist - Crystallized Orange Peel (bar)
Very Good +
Weight: 1.17 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 192 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.19
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, in Cupertino, CA

Today marked the first official day of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week. However, the celebration started earlier -- last night to be precise -- when I enjoyed an excellent Grand Marnier souffle with chocolate sauce. (See yesterday's 10/13/2010 post for more details.)

This fair trade dark bar from Alter Eco (El Ceibo Cooperative, Bolivia), was very good. The small bits of orange peel added just the right amount of flavor, without being too sweet or too bitter.

Note: I am traveling this week; photo posts will be delayed.

ChocolateBet: October 13, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) Bissinger's Naturals
Dark Chocolate Covered Molasses Puffs
Good +
Weight: .39 oz. (11.25 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) total package
Calories: 45 calories in 1 piece, or puff
Cost: $8.99 for total package
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today is Day #7 of Chocolate and Air Theme Week. These puffs were similar to chocolate-coated honeycomb pieces, and were described as "light, airy puffs of molasses covered in Bissinger's Dark Chocolate." This product was also gluten-free.

----------------------

Postscript: Later in the day, I flew East for Chocolate #2 of the day...


2.) The Eiffel Tower Restaurant
Grand Marnier Souffle with chocolate and Grand Marnier sauces
Very Good + - Yum
Weight: 4 oz. (estimate) for 1 serving
Calories: unknown (sometimes it's better not knowing)
Cost: Approximately $15.00 + tax, tip
Purchased from: Eiffel Tower Restaurant, Paris, Las Vegas, NV

To celebrate the end of Chocolate and Air Theme Week, and the beginning of Chocolate and Orange Theme Week, there was really only one choice: fly directly to Paris, where the souffles are magnifique.

High atop the city, in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, I enjoyed a Grand Marnier Souffle, expertly finished with chocolate and Grand Marnier sauces by Noel at the bar. Does it matter that I was in Paris, Las Vegas, instead of France? No, not one bit.

This souffle was excellent, and the view was too.

ChocolateBet: October 12, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 Whif
ArtScience Labs/ LaboGroup International
Le Whif - Chocolate Mint
Good - Good +
Weight: 0.03 oz. (0.9 g.) in 1 Whif
Calories: 0 calories
Cost: $7.49 for a 3-pack (3 different flavored Whifs)
Purchased from: NewLeaf Chocolates, in MA

Today is Day #6 of Chocolate and Air Theme Week. In honor of this day, here's a chocolate math test question for you: How many whifs in a Whif? Answer: There are approximately eight whifs/puffs for each Le Whif -- a small, lipstick-sized unit that dispenses chocolate, inhaler-style. (For those not used to chocolate in this form, instructions are included.) Today's Le Whif flavor was Chocolate Mint, which I purchased as part of a Le Whif 3-pack (with three different flavors).
------------------

Greetings to those who celebrate chocolate festivities and holidays. Chocolate Week in the UK (October 11 - 16), will be coming to a heady peak this weekend with "Chocolate Unwrapped" (October 16 - 17) in London; this event sounds like a mix of chocolate feast, art exhibit, talks by experts, and general fun. I'm sorry I can't be there to sign the chocolate wall. Meanwhile I plan to engage in some chocolate-hunting adventures while at BlogWorld Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

ChocolateBet: October 11, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Nestle
Aero bar - "Made with Real Peppermint"
Good +
Weight: 1.44 oz. (41 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 220 calories
Cost: $2.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA

Have you felt the bubbles melt? (Laissez fondre les bulles?) This is the question posed on the Nestle Aero Peppermint bar wrapper. Despite my best efforts to feel these bubbles melting, by eating an entire bar, I'm not sure I can answer this question. However, I can say that this bar's bubbly green center (pictured at right) enveloped in milk chocolate, did taste relatively light, minty, and refreshing, compared to the all milk chocolate Aero bar.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Air Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: October 10, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
1/2 bar
Nestle
Love (Milk Chocolate) bar
Good +
Weight: .74 oz. (21 g.)/1.48 oz. (42 g.) total bar
Calories: 110 calories
Cost: $?
Purchased from: ?


This Nestle Love bar was waiting in my chocolate vault, for just the right occasion. Today (Day #4 of Chocolate and Air Theme Week) was a good match; but, even more appropriately, today we attended a wedding. Perfect opportunity to share the Love -- bar, that is. This Love bar seemed very similar to Nestle's Aero milk chocolate bar, but I'm counting this as a different product/chocolate.

Chocolate of the Day, #2:
Just in case the Love bar formula was too close to a regular, milk chocolate Aero bar, I also enjoyed a teaspoon of chocolate frosting from a chocolate and salt/fleur de sel cupcake at the wedding reception. (These cupcakes could have been from Kara's Cupcakes; but I can't be 100% sure.)

ChocolateBet: October 9, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 Whif
ArtScience Labs - Le Labotoire
Le Whif - Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: 0.01 oz. (0.3 g.) / 0.03 oz. (0.9 g.) total package of 3 different Whifs
Calories: 0 calories
Cost: $7.49 for 3-pack (plus cost for shipping if ordered online)

Purchased from: NewLeaf Chocolates, based in Arlington, MA (online order)

Today's chocolate was perfect for Day #3 of Chocolate and Air Theme Week. It was not only "as sweet as chocolate (and) as light as air," but this product also delivered its organic chocolate payload via an inhaler size tube, known as a Le Whif. I followed the instructions, and upon gently inhaling I did detect an authentic chocolate taste. I give the inventors of Le Whif points for clever design and packaging. The novelty value to calorie ratio is high, even if the calorie ratio to price is not. There are not many zero calorie chocolate products you can have guilt-free fun with if you're watching your weight.

The NewLeaf Chocolates site was stocked with interesting (primarily organic) chocolates, and this LeWhif product arrived very quickly after I ordered it.