ChocolateBet: November 8, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolove
Peach and Pecan in Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.03 oz. (28.7 g.) in 1/3 bar / 3.1 oz. (87 g.)
Calories: 159 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $2.89 total for 1 bar
Purchased from: New Leaf Community Markets, Santa Cruz, CA

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and All Things Orange. With all the orange fruit and vegetables vying for one's eye and attention, peaches are sometimes overlooked. They have a regal beauty and are wonderful to eat fresh, in season. However, their flavor is not as bold as the apricot, orange and tangerine, or even the persimmon with its almost glowing orange, sometimes gooey pulp. The peach is easily overwhelmed by chocolate.

Today's Peach and Pecan in Milk Chocolate (33% Cocoa Content) bar from Chocolove (Boulder, CO) was made with Belgian chocolate and studded with nice pecan pieces; but, consistent with comments above about the gentle flavor of peach, I couldn't really taste the freeze dried peach pieces in this bar. I did enjoy eating this bar with a bowl of peaches and yogurt with a little cinnamon.

Chocolove supplies an added bonus with its bars: a love poem printed on the inside of the wrapper. Today's bit of poetry was taken from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet...The last line read "Tempering extremities with extreme sweet." Words fitting for chocolate as well.

ChocolateBet: November 7, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Arctic Zero, Inc.
Frozen Desserts
Chocolate Dipped Bars - Orange Cream flavor
Good
Weight: 2.1 fl. oz.  in 1 bar / 8.4 fl. oz. (248 mL) total box of 4 bars
Calories: 85 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.39 in 1 box of 4 bars
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and All Things Orange. Normally this would be the last day of a theme week. However, this week will be extended by a few more days, as there were too many chocolate + orange items to include in a conventional 7-day week.

I went with a healthy version of a frozen dessert bar today, despite the cooler weather. The relatively light and low calorie (85 calories per bar), gluten free, chocolate dipped orange cream bar from Arctic Zero, Inc. (Escondido, CA) contained a mild, relatively natural tasting orange frozen center. And the chocolate coating was made without milk. (The orange filling did include some whey protein. The product was labeled "Lactose Intolerant Friendly.") Happily, this bar was also made without artificial colors, flavors or artificial sweeteners.

Speaking of sweeteners, this bar had a touch of organic cane sugar, boosted with monk fruit concentrate. It was just about the right sweet level for me, although it may lack a little of the zippy sugar buzz that comes with most frozen sugary desserts on a stick. Monk fruit is a naturally sweet, green melon-shaped fruit from Asia, also known as luo han guo (Siraitia Grosvenorii).

This box of 4 frozen items included 2 Strawberry and 2 Orange Cream chocolate dipped bars. I tried both; but featured just the Orange Cream bar (my favorite of the two) today.

ChocolateBet: November 6, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Artisan du Chocolat
Orchid and Orange Blossom (bar)
Very Good
Weight: .95 oz. (27 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 140 calories (estimate in 3/5 bar
Cost: $6.00 total bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

I'm enamored with floral flavors, so it was no surprise that I loved today's Orchid and Orange Blossom dark chocolate bar from Artisan du Chocolat (London).  This limited edition bar was originally created for the Chelsea Flower Show Gala in 2010; and thankfully it is still available.

Surprisingly, this bar made from a dark (72% cocoa) blend of "bitter" Venezuelan and "slightly acidic" Mexican cacao beans, did not overpower the floral notes from infused natural orchid and orange blossom extracts. The makers import their distillates of exotic flowers from Grasse, in the south of France -- a region known for its scented flowers that are also used in French perfumes.

My only regret: not having Artisan du Chocolat's Carnation and Orange bar  to taste alongside this one today. Look forward to featuring it in the future.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and All Things Orange Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: November 5, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Splendid Specialties/Torn Ranch
Orange Blossom Tea Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .25 oz. (7.125 g.) / 1.5 oz. (42.75 g.) total container
Calories: 35 calories (estimate) in one piece
Cost: $4.50 for total container of 6 pieces
Purchased from: The Candy Store, Tiburon, CA

When I opened today's chocolate -- a small container of Splendid Specialties (Novato, CA) Orange Blossom Tea Chocolate, I enjoyed the subtle scent of fragrant orange.

These semi-sweet, European chocolate discs (6 in all) infused with orange and black tea came individually wrapped in Orange foil.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and All Things Orange.

ChocolateBet: November 4, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Patric Chocolate
Anya Apricot Bar
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz.
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and All Things Orange Theme Week.

Apricots and plums (prunes) were farm crop royalty back in the days of "The Valley of Heart's Delight" where I live. Today this area is largely paved over, and better known as the Silicon Valley. The old apricot trees are all but gone, but thankfully this sweet orange fruit with a zing still shows up in jams and confections -- and in bars like today's Anya Apricot Bar from Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO).

Fortunately, a few months ago, I squirreled away this seasonal bar, made with Anya apricots that were meticulously placed on a base of subtley salty milk chocolate. While this milk chocolate was better than most available, I still found myself missing the flavor arc in Patric's slightly darker bars.

I was inspired, to at least think about, other chocolate and apricot combinations; e.g., pairing lightly infused apricots (with orange blossom water or brandy) with one of Patric's salty signature 70% bars, alongside a small bowl of toasted, very lightly salted, marcona almonds and hazelnuts. Once again, the combinations with chocolate are almost endless.

ChocolateBet: November 3, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Trader Joe's
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. (113 g.) / 16 oz. (454 g.) in 1 cake
Calories: 450 calories in 1/4 cake
Cost: $8.25 (estimate)
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Menlo Park, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and All Things Orange.

And, nothing says orange like a basket full of ripe, organic persimmons: 1.) big, juicy, bright orange Hachiya; and 2.) small, slightly crisper, Fuyu persimmons.* Pop a ripe Hachiya persimmon in the freezer, and the frozen fruit pulp can be eaten like sorbet. Just scoop out the insides with a spoon. Fresh fruit is a good complement to chocolate, or chocolate cake.

Drum roll please, as we move on to the cacao-based star of the day: a Flourless Chocolate Cake from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA). This dense, moist, chocolatey cake was the perfect, gluten-free fuel for a pre-hike lunch.

*Note: My only regret: not being able to find some "chocolate" persimmons (with brown flesh inside), in time for today's entry. 

ChocolateBet: November 2, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Vosges Haut Chocolat
Crispy Carrot Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in 1/2 bar/ 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 (plus any applicable taxes, shipping)
Purchased from: www.vosgeschocolate.com

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and All Things Orange. There are so many potential chocolate "inclusions" that are the color orange -- and not just the citrus fruit.

Today's chocolate, the Crispy Carrot Bar from Vosges (Chicago, IL) featured a subtly crunchy carrot confit, Valencia oranges in deep milk chocolate (45% cacao), with hints of carrot puree and carrot cake. Brava to Katrina and her team for continuing to experiment with original and lively sweet and savory combinations. Extra points for a successful bar with carrots -- I'm sure this wasn't the easiest blend.

Vosges also was celebrating the Day of the Dead (El Dia de Los Muertos) this week with flavored Skull Lollipops.