ChocolateBet: August 21, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Zingerman's Candy Manufactory
ZZang! Candy Bar (Original flavor)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.875 oz. (53.25 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) total bar
Calories: 225 calories in 3/4 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Heath Ceramics, in Sausalito, CA

Thank you to the staff at Heath Ceramics (Sausalito, CA) for recommending this ZZang! Original bar from Zingerman's (Ann Arbor, MI). Tucked away near the cash register in Heath's gift store (a shop that carried ceramic dishes and tiles), this high-end candy bar looked intriguing.

The first bite of this bar was enough to detect higher quality ingredients than those in many mass-marketed, popular candy bars. The ZZang! bar was stuffed with satisfying layers of "butter roasted peanuts, caramel and peanut butter honey nougat" -- and dipped in dark chocolate. Hard to go wrong with this winning combination of flavors and textures.

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: August 20, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal Peanut Butter Cups
Good +
Weight: .53 oz. (15 g.) in 1 cup/ 6.3 oz. (180 g.) total package of 12 cups
Calories: 75 calories in one cup
Cost: $5.39 (estimate) for total package/bag
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Yesterday I tried my first "unjunked" candy bar offering from Unreal (the company's caramel with peanut nougat bar).

Today I sampled an Unreal Peanut Butter Cup, similar to a Reese's peanut butter cup with the sugar dialed back ever so slightly. Like other Unreal candy, this individually wrapped cup was sweetened with agave and contained some inulin fiber. And it was made without corn syrup, GMOs, and ingredients that some might find less desirable.

Today was the first day of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: August 19, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal Chocolate Caramel with peanut nougat
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in 2 bars/ 8.5 oz. (240 g.) total package
Calories: 200 calories in 2 bars
Cost: $5.39 total package of 9 bars
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Great concept. Take popular chocolate candy bars and subtract what some may find less desirable ingredients, such as corn syrup, preservatives and extra added lactose. And add agave syrup and other ingredients instead. Less sugar rush than, say, a Snickers bar, although just as good. Unreal Brands was doing just that, with their "unjunking" philosophy.

One shiny, pink and black Unreal (bag) contained nine individually wrapped, snack sized, chocolate caramel with peanut nougat bars.

Note: Information and photos were delayed this week due to travel.

ChocolateBet: August 18, 2012

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates
1.) Fleur de sel caramel
Good +
Weight: .3 oz. (8.49 g.) (estimate for 1 piece)
Calories: 45 calories (estimate for 1 piece)
Cost: $1.50 each
Purchased from: Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates, Sacramento, CA

2.) Grapefruit fennel pollen caramel
Good +
Weight: .3 oz. (8.49 g.) (estimate for 1 piece)
Calories: 45 calories (estimate for 1 piece)
Cost: $1.50 each
Purchased from: Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates, Sacramento, CA

It was 103 degrees (F) in Sacramento, CA today -- and I trotted from the air conditioned Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates shop back to the car to photograph and eat these two caramels before they melted and slid out of my grasp.

The fleur de sel caramel was well balanced: not too sweet, not too salty. The salt caramel filling was very soft, which I liked.

The grapefruit fennel pollen caramel, also well balanced, was a tiny symphony of citrus and herbal flavors. The caramel filling was less free flowing and a bit stiffer than the fleur de sel caramel -- probably better for this hot day.

Today was Day #12 of Chocolate and Caramel and Toffee Theme Week(s).

Note: While the chocolate eating continued, posting of information and images were delayed this week, due to travel.

ChocolateBet: August 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates
Vanilla Bean Toffee Almond Dessert Bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.15 g.) piece/ 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1/2 oz. piece
Cost: $7.95 total bar
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA

The (70% cocoa content) Vanilla Bean Toffee Almond bar from Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates (Sacramento, CA) was a tiny symphony of caramelized butter, sugar, Tahitian vanilla beans and toasted almond bits in bittersweet chocolate. This dessert bar was a treat by itself, and also paired with a small mocha, gluten-free brownie square and a mini-scoop of high-quality, vanilla ice cream.

Today was Day #11 of Chocolate and Caramel and Toffee Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: August 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolats Genevieve Grandbois
Caramel a la fleur de sel
Very Good
Weight: .39 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 58 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $ N/A - gift/share
Purchased from: N/A - gift/share

Today was Day #10 of Chocolate and Caramel and Toffee Theme Weeks.

I've enjoyed chocolates during the past few weeks that have run the gamut between caramel and toffee. Sometimes a caramel was like a toffee, and a toffee was like a caramel. Both involved fusions of sugars and usually some fat or butter. Caramel in the U.S. is often gooey, and toffee is often more like a crunchy brittle. Both can be made lovely by a dark chocolate covering and a little fleur de sel. And such was the case today.

Today's thin, Caramel a la fleur de sel from Chocolats Genevieve Grandbois (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) was, despite the simple plastic bag enclosure, elegant, and also well balanced and satisfying. Not too sweet, not too salty. Just the right textures -- a crunchy caramel layer, a smooth, dark chocolate covering, with just a hint of crispness from a few, well placed, tiny shards of sea salt.

Thank you to Sunita for bringing back this chocolate from Montreal to share.

ChocolateBet: August 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amy's Kitchen Inc.
Crispy bar - Andy's Dandy Candy
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total package
Calories: 200 calories for 2 pieces
Cost: $2.79 total package (2 bars/pieces)
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

If you're in the mood for a higher quality candy bar, you might want to try the Crispy bar, part of Andy's Dandy Candy bar line from Amy's Kitchen Inc. (Petaluma, CA). The product line moniker was inspired by Amy's father, Andy -- who was the son of a candy maker.

Today I enjoyed both Crispy bars (there were 2 bars in one package), part of the relatively new organic Andy's Dandy candy bar product line. Organic and gluten free, the Crispy bar contained rice crisps and almonds for a bit of texture, caramel, and a milk chocolate coating. The tiny amount of sea salt used was barely detectable, but was enough to enhance the caramel. Also notable: no high fructose corn syrup, preservatives or GMOs.

Today was Day #9 of Chocolate and Caramel and Toffee Theme Weeks.