CocoTutti - Pumpkins, Leaves - November 11, 2012

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

CocoTutti
1.) Pumpkins with raspberry ganache - Good + - Very Good
2.) Dark chocolate autumn leaves - painted different colors - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) (estimate) for 3 truffles and 6 leaves /(total box contained approximately 12 pieces)
Calories: 300 calories for approx. 3 truffles and 6 leaves
Cost: $19.00 (+ tax, shipping) for Autumn Leaves Chocolate Collection box of 12 pieces
Purchased from: sneakpeeq.com

Today was Day #11 of Chocolate and All Things Orange.

It's not every day that one gets to eat specific chocolates and then stroll into The Fall Chocolate Salon in San Francisco, to visit the maker and thank her for these same chocolates.

Earlier in the morning I'd enjoyed a few Pumpkins with raspberry ganache and some realistic looking dark chocolate leaves, painted in beautiful fall colors, from CocoTutti's Autumn Leaves Chocolate Collection, that also included the company's Chocolate Orange Caramels (very nice, and previously featured on this site). Wonderful, natural orange flavors in these caramels -- and the Orange Confit chocolates.

So, I had a chance to thank Elyce Z. at CocoTutti in the afternoon, and re-sample some of CocoTutti's other very tasty house made caramels. (More about the Fall Chocolate Salon in San Francisco in the next post.)

Newman's Own - Orange bar - November 10, 2012

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

1.) Newman's Own Organics, Inc.
Orange Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.07 oz. (30.36 g.) / 3.25 oz. (92 g.) total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $2.99 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

I bought, and ate, this Newman's Own Organics Orange Dark Chocolate (54% cocoa) bar today; however, it had bloomed a bit and was somewhat brittle. That said, it was still good, and the natural orange flavor was very pleasant. I usually salvage good chocolate with bloom* by melting it and pouring it on ice cream, or making hot chocolate with it. Both options worked with this bar -- made with organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa.

*A bar that gets too hot or too cold on the way to your table may result in cocoa butter separating from the cocoa solids resulting in whiteish coloring/spots.

A big toast to Day #10 of Chocolate and All Things Orange Theme Week. The toast, in this case, was a plate loaded with toasted, gluten free whole grain bread, with a variety of orange-related spreads, jams and preserves.

This plate included: a delicious, not-to-sweet Organic Sicilian Orange Fruit Spread from bionaturae (made in Italy); a Provencale Tomato - White Nectarine Jam from Blue Chair (Oakland, CA); a Dalmation Fig Orange spread; and a kumquat, chocolate and coffee spread from Lemon Bird Design (Wrightwood, CA). See below for details on the latter.

2.) Lemon Bird Design
kumquats with dark chocolate and coffee
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 6 oz. (169.8 g.) in 1 jar

Calories: 65 calories (estimate) in 1 Tablespoon
Cost: $12.00 for 1 jar
Purchased from: Golden Gate National Park Conservancy, Land's End Lookout, San Francisco, CA

This exotic spread tasted like breakfast in a jar. The tart sweet strip-lets of orange kumquats imparted a citrus note (similar to orange marmalade) to a rich, dark pesto of dark chocolate and strong coffee flavors. This spread made an interesting sandwich spread with nut butters, and also a filling for small homemade chocolate cups* with a splash of Cointreau (or homemade orange liqueur).

*Chocolate cups are very easy to make. Melt chocolate in a microwave oven for a minute or two, until it can be stirred. Once softened, spread/brush the chocolate into a small silicone candy cup forms, covering all sides of the cup. Set aside to cool/harden. Gently remove chocolate cups from cup forms. Fill with desired fillings -- pudding, fresh fruit, liqueurs, jams, lemon curd, nuts, ice cream, sorbet, whipped cream, etc.

ChocolateBet: November 9, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Florida Tropic/SweetWorks, Inc.
Milk Chocolate Orange
Good
Weight: .19 oz. (5.5 g.) in 1 piece / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) total bag
Calories: 28.3 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $3.99 total package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today's Milk Chocolate Orange (A L'Orange Chocolat Lait) chocolates were from Florida Tropic/SweetWorks (Buffalo, NY). I don't associate Buffalo, NY, with the tropics this time of year, but the brightly colored orange packaging and the little palm tree logo were enough to suspend disbelief.

These festive, shiny orange foil-wrapped, gumball-sized, milk chocolate orbs were smooth in texture and naturally orange flavored. One chocolate ball was quite satisfying, and a caloric bargain at only 28 calories per citrus "fruit," making it easier to justify carefully unwrapping and eating a small handful if you're hungry.

Today was Day #9 of Chocolate and All Things Orange.

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.