Unreal Brands - Chocolate Caramel bar - November 29, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal 5 - Chocolate Caramel Nougat Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.09 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Miki's Farm Fresh Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week, and today's chocolate covered caramel came in bar form.

A relative newcomer (2010) to the chocolate candy market, Unreal Brands is based in Boston, MA. The company's Chocolate Caramel Nougat Bar looked like an ordinary candy bar, but the company refers to their offerings as "Unjunked" -- made without artificial ingredients, preservatives, GMOs, hydrogenated oils and corn syrups frequently found in store-bought caramels and candy bars.

I enjoyed getting less of a sugar/corn syrup buzz with this Unjunked bar, as I have from other Unreal bars. My favorite Unjunked item so far has been Unreal's caramel bar with peanuts (similar to a Mars Snickers bar), but that may have more to do with my love of nuts, and preference for Snickers bars (over other bars without nuts) when I was young. I still eat a handful of nuts to help balance out sweet items.

Chocolaterie Robert - Caramelo - November 28, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolaterie Robert - Madagascar
Caramelo
Good - Good +
Weight: .8 oz. (22.6 g.) in 2 pieces/ 16-piece assortment box
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $ N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift (Madagascar)

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

A big thank you to Toni and Paul for this assortment box of chocolates from Chocolaterie Robert - Madagascar (Antananarivo, Madagascar).

In cacao-growing regions, cacao beans are often shipped to other countries (like Europe or the U.S.) to be made into chocolate. Therefore, it was wonderful to taste some finished chocolates made and sold in Madagascar. Chocolaterie Robert cacao is from the Sambirano River region in Northern Madagascar.

This assortment box contained several flavors, including today's Caramelo (soft caramel with Madagascan Bourbon vanilla pod and cashew nut pieces coated with dark chocolate). Other pieces contained praline, nougatine, ginger, tamarind, brandy, and other flavors.

In sampling this chocolate, and chocolate bars, from Chocolaterie Robert (originally founded by a French couple between 1937 and 1940), I couldn't help but notice what a difference a good quality vanilla makes. Madagascar is known for its vanilla, a member of the orchid family. The sweet, floral flavor of a great Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beats the heck out of lesser substitutes. 

Happy Goat - Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramels - November 27, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Happy Goat
Goat Milk + Chocolate with Sea Salt Caramels
Good
Weight: .57 oz. (16.17 g.) in 2 pieces / 4 oz. (113 g.) total package
Calories: 84 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift


Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week. These individually wrapped chocolate caramels with sea salt, from Happy Goat (San Francisco, CA), were made in copper kettles and had a bit of taffy chew. However, their most unique attribute was: they were made with goat milk. I detected a very slight goat milk/goat butter taste, but nothing too objectionable.

For a bit of an exotic or tropical twist, try Happy Goat's Goat Milk Caramels flavored with coconut and hint of lime juice (no chocolate in these).

Why goat milk you ask? Sometimes goat milk is easier to digest than cow's milk. The company uses "Grade A goat milk that is Kosher certified," and growth hormones or antibiotics are not allowed. Milk comes from free range goats raised on small California farms.

At the bottom of the "About Us" Happy Goat web page, readers are asked what makes them happy. Today's answer: Eating Happy Goat caramels on a boat on the San Francisco Bay this afternoon.

Thank you to Sunita for gifting me these caramels to feature today. Thank you to Ken for the boat ride.

Smitten Truffles - Vanilla Caramels - November 26, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Smitten Truffles
Vanilla Caramel and Tahitian Vanilla Bean Sea Salt
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .8 oz. (22.6 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $24 (estimate) for 12 pieces (custom box)
Purchased from: Smitten Truffles, at Fall Chocolate Salon in San Francisco, CA

This week features some great salt caramels. From relative newcomer, Smitten (Artisan) Truffles (Portland, OR), came today's Vanilla Caramel and Tahitian Vanilla Bean Sea Salt chocolates, filled with sweet, vanilla bean flavored liquid gold, balanced with sea salt, and covered in dark chocolate.

Today was Day #3 or Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week.

Lillie Belle Farms - Lavender Sea Salt Caramels - November 25, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lillie Belle Farms
Lavender Sea Salt Caramels
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) total 4-piece container
Calories: 225 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $12.00
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

I've been looking forward to featuring these lavender-infused, chocolate covered caramels, topped with fleur de sel salt from Lillie Belle Farms (Central Point, OR).

If you like lavender, you'll probably find these were delicious as I did. Just the right balance of goo and chew in the caramel center, usually the result of carefully made small batches.

Thank you to Sunita at The Chocolate Garage (Palo Alto, CA) for carrying these. Otherwise, I might have been tempted to drive 10 hours north to pick some up.

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

Monique's - Fleur de Sel Caramels - November 24, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Monique's Chocolates
Salt/Fleur de Sel Caramels
Good+
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 116 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $2.00 each (estimate)
Purchased from: Monique's Chocolates, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Caramel Theme Week. In the last several years, there has been an increase in the number of chocolates and caramels with salts from every corner of the globe.

Today's salted caramels from Monique's Chocolates (Palo Alto, CA) were substantial, chewy gems, topped with just the right amount of coarsely ground salt crystals for added taste and texture.

I bought a few of these caramels "to go." They were cleverly packed in a small, customized Chinese restaurant-style take-out container.

World Market - Sweet Curry and Salt bar - November 23, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

World Market/Cost Plus
Milk Chocolate Indian Sweet Curry with Pink Himalayan Sea Salt bar
Good+
Weight: .75 oz. (2 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 114 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) in 1 bar
Purchased from: World Market/Cost Plus, Reno, NV

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Sea Salt Day. Most of this week has been dedicated to World Market's exotic collection of chocolate bars with sea salt. Today's Milk Chocolate Indian Curry bar was a rich, roller coaster ride of a tasting experience, alternating between sweet milk chocolate, Indian spices and sea salt.

I shared this bar on a hike today and it disappeared quickly, before I had a chance to photograph the unwrapped chocolate bar. Ah well, that occasionally happens with chocolate.