ChocolateBet: June 29, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wild Ophelia
Smokehouse BBQ Potato Chips
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 150 calories
Cost: $5.25 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, in San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Backyard Barbeque Theme Week.

I loved the concept of putting BBQ potato chips and chocolate together. Sadly, not everything tastes wonderful drenched in chocolate. I could barely taste any BBQ flavor or discern any chip texture in this 70% cacao bar from Wild Ophelia (Chicago, IL). To be fair, it's almost impossible to balance these flavors to please all palettes.

The dark chocolate overwhelmed the few pieces of Russet Burbank potato chips from The Billy Goat Chip Company (St. Louis Missouri) embedded in the bar. Being a potato and potato chip lover, I'd be curious to try these chips with a very light dusting of cocoa and spices.

Note: Photos delayed this week due to camera being replaced.

ChocolateBet: June 28, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wild Ophelia
Beef Jerky Milk Chocolate Bar
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 300 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, in San Mateo, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Backyard Barbeque Theme Week.

As we approach the 4th of July holiday in the U.S., I recall many delightful summers growing up in California. I remember working, playing, biking and swimming until it was time to refuel. And there was lots of food on or near smokey metal barbeques: grilled steaks, charcoal-flecked hamburgers with cheese and bacon strips, hot dogs, potato chips, corn on the cob, green salad, homemade peach and black raspberry ice creams, lemonade, fruit pies, and sliced watermelon, and more. We ate outdoors on red-checkered tablecloths; roasted marshmallows and ate s'mores over beach bonfires; and filled little bags of summer snacks to take on trail hikes.

Whew, that was a long list of food items.  My backyard grill of choice today is more likely to be a solar cooker, or set of set kebob skewers and a broiler, often because I'm out of charcoal briquettes.

Times have changed, but my love of good food outdoors has remained.

This week I plan to incorporate chocolate into as many of the examples cited above as possible. I thought this Wild Ophelia* Beef Jerky Milk Chocolate Bar fit right into this summer outdoors in the West theme and Independence Day timeframe. As the packaging states, "This is not your momma's chocolate bar."

This bar was flavored with bits of beef jerky and smoked paprika, adding a slight smokey and salty flavor to a smooth, 44% cacao, milk chocolate base.

*The Wild Ophelia collection of bars was created by Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut Chocolat (Chicago, IL).

ChocolateBet: June 27, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Premier Organics - Artisana Foods
Organic, Raw Cacao Bliss - Raw Chocolate Coconut Butter
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 Tbsp. (32 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) total jar
Calories: 177 calories in 2 Tablespoon serving
Cost: $11.59 total jar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #10 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

I enjoyed a coconut ice cream sundae, topped with today's chocolate -- a raw, organic cacao and coconut butter from Premier Organics (Oakland, CA). The texture of this spread was more like traditional butter or a nut butter than chocolate sauce, but was quite good; and it would likely smooth out and melt if heated or spread on a warm croissant or piece of toast.

ChocolateBet: June 26, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Turtle Mountain, LLC
"So Delicious" Chocolate (non-dairy) frozen dessert
Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup (42.5 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) total container
Calories: 75 calories in 1/4 cup
Cost: $6.99 (estimate)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #9 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

This organic, non-dairy, soy and gluten free, frozen dessert from Turtle Mountain (Eugene, OR) was made from coconut milk. This variant on chocolate ice cream did have an authentic taste and something of the smooth texture of fresh coconut.

Note: My apologies for a delay in posting pictures this week, due to a camera replacement taking place.

ChocolateBet: June 25, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Zing Bars
Chocolate Coconut bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

This gluten, soy, corn and dairy free, Chocolate Coconut treat from Zing Bars (Seattle, WA) supplied energy to power a hike I took. Actually it helped get me to the hike departure point. I ate this bar for breakfast to help fight the morning commute traffic. I arrived just in time to catch the group van out to the Pacific Ocean. Thank you Nancy. It was a beautiful, sunny, clear day -- great for a walk.

ChocolateBet: June 24, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pamela's Products, Inc.
Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut bars
Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 7.05 oz. (200 g.) total box of 5
Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar cookie
Cost: $4.99 total box of 5 bars
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

These gluten-free, non-dairy, chocolate chip coconut bar cookies from Pamela's Products (Ukiah, CA) came in a box of five bars.

These individually-wrapped "Whenever Bars" were slightly soft and chewy. Chia seeds provided some additional texture. I took two bars and made an ice cream sandwich, with coconut ice cream in the middle. For those eating wheat-free, I'd recommend these as a variation on traditional ice cream sandwich theme.

ChocolateBet: June 23, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

SunSpire
Coconut Almond Milk Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 260 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.59
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

The sweet, slightly chewy coconut center was the dominant flavor in this bar from SunSpire (a division of inSpired Natural Foods, San Leandro, CA).

I couldn't really taste the almond bits.