ChocolateBet: June 3, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Ashdon Farms/Girl Scouts
Chocolate Toffee Almonds
Good
Weight: .724 oz. (20.5 g.) / 11 oz. (312 g.) total container
Calories: 105 calories in 1/2 serving (5.5 pieces)
Cost: $7.00 cash
Purchased from: Girl Scouts troop table, in front of Safeway supermarket, Menlo Park, CA

I remember being a girl scout, working to earn merit badges for various crafts and activities, and selling Girl Scout cookies door-to-door in the neighborhood. Too bad they didn't give out badges for chocolate eating. I don't remember that one being mentioned in the handbook.

I don't eat wheat/gluten (cookies) anymore, but I was able to support the local Girl Scout troop by purchasing a container of Chocolate Toffee Almonds. Made by Ashdon Farms (Waukesha, WI) for the Girl Scouts, each plump, very sweet, egg-shaped piece had at its core a roasted whole almond, which was coated with layers of toffee and chocolate, and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.

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

ChocolateBet: June 2, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

CJ's Toffee and Toppings LLC

Toffee Talk - Red Walnut Toffee

Very Good 

Weight: 3 oz. (estimate)

Calories: 450 calories (estimate)

Cost: $ N/A - sample

Purchased from: N/A - CJ's Toffee, at an event in San Francisco, CA

Yesterday I enjoyed a substantial amount of Almond Toffee from CJ's Toffee (San Francisco, CA). Today I managed to put away almost a whole bag of the company's Toffee Talk - Red Walnut Toffee. Chock full of the aforementioned festively red colored nuts, this toffee shared the same buttery taste and crunch as the Almond version. Both were made from a short list of quality ingredients, such as real butter, and no corn syrup.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Toffee Theme Week. 

ChocolateBet: June 1, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

CJ's Toffee and Toppings LLC
Toffee Talk - Almond Toffee
Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 420 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - CJ's Toffee

Have you seen people light up when they take a bite of something they really like? Their eyes widen and sparkle, and they become wondrously child-like for a split-second. This might happen to you if you try a piece of Toffee Talk Almond Toffee -- a rich, buttery, crunchy toffee with large chunks of almond, from CJ's Toffee and Toppings (San Francisco, CA).

Food with fewer ingredients really does taste better. The list for this Almond Toffee: butter, sugar, almonds, chocolate and water. No preservatives or additives. Well done Toffee Talk.

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

ChocolateBet: May 31, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amy's Kitchen Inc.
Andy's Candy - Crunchy bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.)
Calories: 220 calories
Cost: $2.79
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Amy's new Crunchy English Toffee with Almonds in Dark Chocolate bar was part of a new line of Andy's Candy bars. (According to the label, the name was a tribute to Amy's father, Andy.) The package contained two smaller bars or pieces, making it easy to share -- assuming you share chocolate.

The dark chocolate coated bar(s) were filled with a thick section of crunchy toffee with small bits of almond. It was good, and crunchy as advertised, although a little sweeter than what I prefer these days. It will be just right for someone with a sweet tooth who enjoys toffee or caramel.

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

ChocolateBet: May 30, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 


Earthsource Organics
Righteously Raw
Rose Bar - Maqui
Good +
Weight: .77 oz. (22 g.) in 1/3 bar / 2.3 oz. (66 g.) total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $5.79
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

A bite of this Righteously Raw Rose Bar from Earthsource Organics (San Diego, CA), revealed layers of flavor -- first, red raspberry powder, then a hint of roses, as part of an interesting truffle "superfood" filling that contained maqui berry powder.

The Rose Bar was gluten, soy and dairy free with no refined sugar; it was sweetened with agave nectar instead. The bar's taste and rosey pink color (brightened a bit by red beet powder) came from rose hips, pink rose powder and Palma Rosa oil. Other organic ingredients included brown rice powder and coconut oil. 

ChocolateBet: May 29, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Sacred Chocolate
India Sunset
Good +
Weight: 1.44 oz. (40.8 g.) total bar
Calories: 216 calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.95 (estimate)
Purchased from: Rosie's Roses, in San Francisco, CA


Today's 61% cacao, heart-shaped "India Sunset" bar, wrapped in shimmering orange, was made by Sacred Chocolate (San Rafael, CA). This smooth, stone-ground, raw and organic chocolate had hints of coconut, maple and saffron.

I found this bar at Rosie's Roses, in San Francisco, CA.

ChocolateBet: May 28, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Schar
Chocolate Dipped Cookies
Good
Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) total package of 16 cookies
Calories: 50 calories in 1 cookie per label
Cost: $4.99 total package
Purchased from: Raley's in Newark, CA

Today's gluten and wheat-free Chocolate-Dipped Cookies came from Schar (Germany/New Jersey). Imprinted with an image of a rising sun on the top, and coated with chocolate on the underside, these preservative free cookies still tasted fresh even though I'd purchased them several months ago. I had kept them sealed in my chocolate vault.