ChocolateBet: December 5, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Hotel Chocolat
Caramel Chocolate (Christmas tree in coconut snow)
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $N/A - evaluation sample
Purchased from: N/A - evaluation sample from Hotel Chocolat

It was a dark and stormy night. But, up ahead, a majestic evergreen tree stood in the snow. The tree was made of chocolate, and the snow that swirled all around it was made of coconut. Well, if you live in California and you're looking for a white Christmas, sometimes you have to use your imagination.

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

ChocolateBet: December 4, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1/2 cup serving
Luna and Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss
Naked Almond Fudge
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1/2 cup serving / 1 Pint (473 mL) total container
Calories: 240 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.49 for 1 Pint container
Purchased from: Sprouts, in Sunnyvale, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. What is Naked Almond Fudge? Well, it's a coconut milk-based, gluten, dairy and soy free, frozen dessert that looks and tastes like vanilla-coconut ice cream, with an organic chocolate swirl and some almond pieces. Phew, that was a mouthful.

I've always been partial to this flavor combination (coconut, chocolate and nuts), so I enjoyed it. What does the collage I made in the background have to do with Coconut Bliss? Absolutely nothing, other than it brightens up a black background.

ChocolateBet: December 3, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Ethel M Chocolates
Coconut Delights (Dark)
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Ethel M Chocolates, in Henderson, NV

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. This piece -- from the Ethel M (also known as the Mars Retail Group) store and cactus garden near Las Vegas, NV -- was a classic take on dark chocolate with a sweet, shredded coconut filling.

On a recent visit to the Ethel M facility in Henderson, Nevada, we took the short factory tour available there. Outside the Ethel M building in the cactus garden were inflatable holiday figures. Don't get too close to those cactus spikes Mr. and Ms. M&M!

ChocolateBet: December 2, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Gateau et Ganache
Le Noix de Coco
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.3 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $15.99 for total box of 8 bonbons
Purchased from: Piazzas, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Gateau et Ganache's coconut bonbon (far right, front row) is a skillful combination of coconut flavors and textures, combining coconut with coconut liqueur, covered in dark chocolate, and topped with a dusting of finely shredded coconut pieces.

ChocolateBet: December 1, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1/5 sample box
Jelly Belly Candy Company
Chocolate Dips - Coconut
Good +
Weight: .83 oz. (23.2 g.) / 4.15 oz. (117 g.) total box of 5 different flavors
Calories: 87 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - sample evaluation box
Purchased from: N/A - from Jelly Belly Candy Company

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. I feel warmer and more tropical already. That's a good thing, because my house is very cold right now.

Jelly Belly Candy Company, has come out with a new offering -- Chocolate Dips. These dark chocolate covered jelly beans arrived in an assortment box; there were five different flavors. I ate all the coconut ones in this sample box. Other flavors included orange, raspberry, strawberry and very cherry. Chocolate Dips are guaranteed to please those who like both jelly beans and chocolate. (I also liked that flavors and colors listed included natural sources, such as carrot.) Chocolate Dips are available this week (Dec. 6, '10) at www.JellyBelly.com/Shop.

ChocolateBet: November 30, 2010

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece
The Hershey Company - Reese's
Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Pumpkin
Very Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 grams)
Calories: 170 calories
Cost: $?
Purchased from: ?

I celebrated the last day of November, and Day #7 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week, with a Reese's Milk Chocolate, Peanut Butter filled pumpkin. For those on the creative side, you can design your own jack-o-lantern face on the blank milk chocolate surface.

And, yes, I do count the different Reese's novelty/seasonal items as different chocolates. This rule has allowed me to enjoy the classic Reese's peanut butter cup formula in different guises (trees, bunnies, pumpkins, etc.).

Tomorrow we slide into December and colder weather. Snow has arrived in the mountains further east. My reaction to this news was to schedule a chocolate and coconut theme week, starting tomorrow. I see coconut as the tropical equivalent of white snow. This helps me imagine that I'm on a warm island with palm trees and cacao trees, somewhere a bit closer to the equator.

ChocolateBet: November 29, 2010

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
2 pieces
Moonstruck Chocolatier/Moonstruck Chocolate Co.
From 6-piece Flavors of Fall Collection box

1.) Maple Walnut Mousse Truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) total 6-piece box
Calories: 75 calories

Cost: $16.99 for total 6-piece box

Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

2.) Pfeffernusse Spice Truffle
Good
Weight: .515 oz. (14.6 g.) / 3.09 oz. (88 g.) total 6-piece box
Calories: 75 calories
Cost: $16.99 for total 6-piece box
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

The Maple Walnut Mousse Truffle was very attractive -- a perfect half walnut, perched on top of a molded chocolate, realistic-looking walnut half shell. And the maple filling blended well with both of these other elements.

I was less sure about the Pfeffernusse Spice Truffle. This acorn-shaped, all-chocolate truffle, was decorated with tiny chocolate pieces (dark vermicelli) at one end; and the chocolate filling was flavored with a spice combination that may have included cloves and black pepper. However, I am not familiar enough with Pfeffernusse items to judge whether it tasted "authentic" or not.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Fall Flavors Theme Week.