ChocolateBet: May 16, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Stirs the Soul
coconut chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) bar
Calories: 155 calories (estimate - no information listed)
Cost: $3.59
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. This past weekend I went on a chocolate with coconut hunt. This "Coconuts" restaurant (sign pictured at right) looked promising, but, alas, there were no chocolate items on their menu.

So, the search continued, until I stopped at Country Sun Natural Foods store a few miles away. Here I found today's coconut chocolate dark 74% cacao (and "100% raw") bar from Stirs the Soul (a company based in Portland, OR).

The texture of this stone ground, coconut chocolate was very smooth, and not overly sweet, with a faint hint of slightly waxy, coconut soap mouthfeel. The raw, agave-sweetened (low glycemic), fairly traded, vegan bar was also manufactured in a gluten-free facility.

ChocolateBet: May 15, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bar
Cacao Atlanta Chocolate Co.
Love Bar {Hispaniola}
Cinnamon Coconut (bar)
Very Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (50 g.)
Calories: 218 calories (estimate)
Cost: $10 (based on purchase of 2 bars for $20)
Purchased from: Cacao Atlanta booth, San Francisco International Chocolate Salon, San Francisco, CA

Trying to add flavorings to a ferociously dark 75% cacao chocolate like this is a bit like lightly placing a dainty bouquet of flowers, seeds and spices atop the back of a bucking stallion. While this analogy sounds far-fetched, the comparison is perhaps inspired by Kristen Hard (pictured), the founder of Cacao Atlanta. Hard may have roots in the genteel south, but she is passionate about her chocolate and takes pride in all aspects of cacao: from sourcing to artful presentation. Cacao Atlanta started making bean-to-bar chocolate in the company's chocolate laboratoire in 2009, and produces a line of single origin, high-quality bars -- this Hispaniola Love Bar being one of them.


The dark chocolate base (crafted from single origin beans from the Dominican Republic) had the powerful, but balanced astringency that I associate with fine espresso and monster red wines. Coming back to the flavorings in this Cinnamon Coconut bar for a moment...The cinnamon in this bar manifested as a glowing warmth, and the field of toasted coconut (coating the back side of this bar) -- normally a front-row star in less powerful chocolates -- was relegated to adding texture and subtle aroma.

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

ChocolateBet: May 14, 2011

Chocolates of the Day:

1.) Cafe Sophia 
Hot Chocolate
Very Good
Weight: 12 oz. (estimate)
Calories: unknown
Cost: $
Purchased from: Cafe Sophia, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Drinking Chocolate/Chocolate Beverage Theme Week; and for today's hot chocolate I consulted Sophia, of Cafe Sophia -- a neighborhood restaurant and coffee shop, serving Afghan cuisine, and hot mocha, chocolate, tea, and other beverages.

Sophia mentioned that she uses chocolate from Columbia for her hot chocolate mix, and customers can add cinnamon or other spices if desired. I enjoyed an oversized, 12-oz. cup and saucer of lovely, frothy drinking chocolate with a late lunch buffet plate of wonderful Afghan food that included kofta (meatball), chicken, a mediterranean salad, and rice flavored with sweetened orange peel and whole, green pistachio nuts.

2.) Homemade vanilla, coconut, chocolate chip yogurt shake
Very Good
Weight: 8 fl. oz.
Calories: 200 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ various ingredients from supermarket
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

As mentioned above, today was the last day of Drinking Chocolate Theme Week, but also the first day of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. So, this evening after dinner I whipped up a small yogurt dessert shake, using vanilla yogurt, Greek yogurt, coconut flavoring, and ground chocolate. It was quite tasty if I do say so.

ChocolateBet: May 13, 2011

Chocolate(s) of the Day:


1.) Starbucks
Mocha Coconut Frappuccino
Good +
Weight: 12 oz. (Tall size)
Calories: 375 calories
Cost: $3.85
Purchased from: Starbucks, in Oakland, CA


This week I'm getting island fever; next week I'll be in Maui, Hawaii, looking for new chocolates. Today (Day #6 of Drinking Chocolate/Chocolate Beverage Theme Week), I was inspired to search out chocolate and coconut cold drinks. I'm off caffeinated coffee; however, Starbucks Frappuccinos are now available with decaf coffee; hurray. And their new flavor just happened to be Mocha Coconut, topped with mocha syrup and toasted coconut flakes. That was lunch...

2.) Mistral Restaurant and Bar
Custom-made coconut rum, dark creme de cacao, milk/cream, soda water, over ice drink
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 10+ oz. (estimate)
Calories: 300+ calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.50
Purchased from: Mistral Restaurant and Bar, Redwood Shores, CA

This evening was spent at Mistral Restaurant and Bar, in Redwood Shores, CA. In addition to splitting a great salmon dish, salad and spring rolls with a friend (thank you Laurie), I put in a chocolate and coconut drink request at the bar. Thank you to Tamera for whipping up a great, custom-made drink with coconut rum and dark creme de cacao over ice.

ChocolateBet: May 12, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving

Sunny Side Organics

Satellite Organic Maya Chocolate (drinking chocolate)

Very Good

Weight: 3 Tbsp. / 8 oz. (227 g.) total bag

Calories: approx. 200 calories including hot milk, water

Cost: N/A - gift

Purchased from: N/A - gift

Today was Day #5 of Drinking Chocolate/Chocolate Beverage Theme Week. Chef Aaron runs the Sunny Side Cafe in Albany, CA, but also offers a line of Fair Trade, Organic Chocolate "Satellite" drinking mixes -- made with powdered cacao and chocolate shavings.

The Organic Mayan Chocolate (65% cacao) drinking chocolate,  was labeled "bittersweet" and was made with organic cacao powder, organic evaporated cane juice, nonfat dry milk, vanilla powder and beans, and Criollo cacao liquor. I found it to be a very nice blend with just the right amount of rich flavor and a hint of sweetness. I added hot milk and water.

ChocolateBet: May 11, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Hiram Walker and Sons, Co.
Kahlua Mudslide
Good +
Weight: 66 mL/200 mL in 1 small bottle /(total pack of 4 bottles)
Calories: information not listed on label
Cost: $7.99 for 4 bottle pack
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Drinking Chocolate/Chocolate Beverage Theme Week. And, I made a switch from high-end cacao-based drinking chocolates to a pre-mixed cocktail -- an area where chocolate often plays a supporting role. I am nothing if not a chocolate omnivore.

I liked these smaller sized bottles, as I am not a big drinker. A portion of one bottle, chilled, in a glass, was fine for me.  Of course, one could also splash some over vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. Mudslide!

And speaking of dirt and/or mud... I also was able to taste a good "dirt" bar today. Thank you to Sunita at The Chocolate Garage for allowing me to help test some chocolate bar samples, including one with strong dirt or earth notes. 

ChocolateBet: May 10, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 serving
Cocoa Rustica
(Madagascar)
Very Good
Weight: 2 tsp. (11 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 60 calories (estimate)
Cost: $varies
Purchased from: N/A - sample, Cocoa Rustica

In the world of sitting down with a hot beverage, there is coffee, which picks you up, and tea, which may relax you. And then there is drinking chocolate made from ground cacao beans. Rich in theobromine -- a molecular sibling of caffeine -- freshly ground cocoa is likely to give you a softer, more expansive lift than coffee, one conducive to conversation.

Mark Sommer (Arcata, CA) has developed his Cocoa Rustica offering in part to promote a thoughtful ritual around higher quality cocoa sipping -- suitable for a social occasion or enjoying a quiet moment by yourself. In Latin America you might see small cups of strong coffee (or cafecitos) being served to a guest. I would contrast this to a large cup of coffee to-go, on the run. Mark is replicating the former, not the latter experience.

I recently attended an informal, but cozy cocoa soiree at a neighbor's house (thank you to Michael for hosting), where Mark was telling guests about the history/story of cacao, showing a "block" of cacao (see photo above), and serving Cocoa Rustica (ground to a thick powder) -- with special cups, spoons, and spices, made by artisans for this purpose. Soiree attendees contributed fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and other items; and similar to the "stone soup" story, a very nice evening was created. Mark offers a basket with these items and also includes a small whisk for blending the cocoa powder with the desired amount of boiling water, sweeteners or other additions. Cocoa Rustica, from either Madagascar or Venezuela, was also available a la carte.

Today I tried the Madagascar cocoa (using my own cup from home). Store the cocoa in a cool, dark place and try to use it when it's fresh, to enjoy all the complex flavor notes. I recommend starting with a very small cup, tasting it unsweetened first, and then stirring in sweeteners and/or spices.

Today was Day #3 of Drinking Chocolate/Chocolate Beverage Theme Week.