Congo Vanilla Nib bar - March 14, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Theo Chocolate
Congo Vanilla Nib bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1/3 bar / 3 oz. (84 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 133 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

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

Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) produced this Congo Vanilla Nib dark chocolate (65% cacao) bar as part of an Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI). (Bar packaging included a word from ECI founder, Ben Affleck.) Part of the proceeds of this bar go toward supporting farmers and sustainable farming practices in this large, but conflict-affected nation that is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Theo Chocolate and ECI teamed up with Congolese cocoa farmers to make this fair trade chocolate offering. The resulting bar included roasted cacao nibs, and ground vanilla bean pieces from the Rhenzori Mountains in Eastern Congo.

The bar was a mix of smooth dark chocolate and crunchy textures (from the roasted cacao nibs and the vanilla bean pieces), with creamy and smoky flavor notes.

The vanilla taste was partially obscured by the dark chocolate, but added a mellow complement to this richer, slightly more acidic base. There were a few crunchy bits that were roughly textured (not as coarse as particles in stone-ground chocolate, but getting there); however, overall the flavors and textures were fairly well balanced.

Theo Pink Salt Caramels - March 13, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Theo Chocolate
Pink Salted Vanilla Caramels
Good - Good +
Weight: .228 oz. (6.5 g.) / 1.83 oz. (52 g.) total package of 4 pieces
Calories: 26 calories for 1/2 piece
Cost: $8.95 for 1 package of 4
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today's dark chocolate covered lovelies from bean-to-bar maker, Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA), were filled with vanilla-infused caramel. This caramel was, according to information on the Theo website, crafted in small batches, in copper pots, and hand-stirred. Each chocolate-covered, rectangular caramel was decorated with a diagonal stripe of pink sea salt crystals.


After a first bite, the very smooth vanilla caramel flowed ever so slowly out onto a plate. Just the right texture for a fresh caramel filling. If I'd waited too long to eat this, this caramel may have become tougher and chewier -- more dense, but probably not as fresh and flavorful.

Chocolate and vanilla: two classic, elemental flavors in the periodic table of sweets. These caramels were sparkled up with the right amount of pink sea salt.

Salt Crystals: Size Matters

Salt crystal size matters. Theses pink salt crystals were large enough to stay intact (smaller, finer crystals can melt into the chocolate creating overly homogeneous salty patches); and the crystals were small enough to provide interesting flavor bursts throughout the tasting experience without being too overpowering.

Today was the first Day of Chocolate and Vanilla Theme Week. 

Lemon Mint bar - March 12, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Heidi Grand'Or
Dark Chocolate Mint and Lemon bar
Good
Weight: .705 oz. (20 g) in 1/4 bar / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) total bar
Calories: 110 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week.

Embedded in this 50% cocoa dark chocolate Mint and Lemon bar from Heidi Grand'Or (Produced by S.C. Chocolat S.A.; Product of Romania) were crunchy flecks of candied lemon. The hint of mint was quite mild and refreshing, and harmonized well with the other flavors.

This bar was softened after being exposed to sunlight this morning. The daffodils are in bloom, and the sun is bright enough in my office to melt chocolate -- sure signs that spring is right around the corner. However, despite the heat, the bar retained its shape and flavor rather admirably.

Nuttyness Lemon Ginger bar - March 11, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 
Nuttyness, LLC
Lemon Ginger bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.5 oz. (71 g.) total bar
Calories: 322 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - Nuttyness

Today was the 6th Day of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week.

This Lemon Ginger, chocolate covered, marzipan bar from Nuttyness, LLC (Oakland, CA) was a great bar to pack up for lunch today.

Founder and "Chief Nuttyness Officer," Kristian Salvesen, grew up in Norway, and had fond memories of marzipan from childhood. After living in California for some time, he realized that he could create his own high-quality version of the almond fragranced candy with flavors (such as lemon and ginger).

The marzipan in this bar was made from blanched almonds (from California) ground into a paste with a bit of bitter almond oil. (I liked that this marzipan was not overly sweet.) Lemon zest and organic ginger were added to this doughy almond mixture that had a texture that was just right: not too dry, and not too syrupy. And the bar was wrapped in a smooth coat of dark chocolate.

Chocolate, lemon and ginger sounded like a nice triad of flavors -- dark chocolate and ginger pair well together, as do chocolate and lemon. The dark chocolate and nutty almond flavors in this bar were made more interesting by a sparkle of tart/sweet lemon and a warm zing of ginger. For those who are sensitive to foods like ginger and cilantro, you may experience a very slight soapy flavor note.

This chunky bar could be sliced, and served on a small plate for a lunch, after school, holiday or picnic dessert; or it could be eaten right out of the wrapper, anytime. 

Luscious Lemon bar - March 10, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolate Visions, Inc.
Luscious Lemon bar
Good - Good+
Weight: 1.17 oz. (33 g.) in 1/3 bar / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 165 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Fog City News, San Francisco, CA

Today's "Luscious Lemon" bar from Chocolate Visions (Scotts Valley, CA) was made with a 61% bittersweet chocolate base. The chocolate itself was good, albeit a bit flat. The flavor additions were the main attraction. They included a well executed blend of handmade candied Meyer Lemon peel, Applewood smoked almonds, and lemon oil.

I also enjoyed a piece of this bar with a few grains of smoked salt on the side.

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

Goodbody Cookie Bites - March 9, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Goodbody Baked Goods

1.) Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites
Good - Good +
Weight: .49 oz. (14 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) total package
Calories: 63 calories in 2 cookie bites
Cost: $16.49 (estimate) for 5 pack assortment
Purchased from: Abe's Market/Goodbody (online order)

2.) Lemon Blueberry Walnut Cookie Bites
Good +
Weight: .4 oz. (11.5 g.) / 5 oz. (140 g.) in total package
Calories: 57 calories in 2 cookie bites
Cost: $16.49 (estimate) for 5 pack assortment
Purchased from: Abe's Market/Goodbody (online order)

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week.
I celebrated today (Day #4 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week) with a small plate of gluten-free cookie bites.

Both the Almond Butter Chocolate Chip and Lemon Blueberry Walnut (vegan) cookie bites tasted fresh, and had a slightly oily, but satisfying, freshly-baked-in-the-oven taste to them. Gluten-free, low glycemic and grain free (they were made with almond flour), these made great bite-sized snacks; and they were well-suited for packing up to take on a hike or for a lunch away from home.

These two items, from Goodbody Baked Goods (Boulder, CO), were part of a cookie bite product line -- with at least five different flavors. (Other flavors included mint chocolate chip, vanilla coconut and chocolate brownie.)

Coconut Caramel bar + Lemon - March 8, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Bissinger's
Coconut Caramel with Red Hawaiian Sea Salt bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.75 oz. (49.5 g.) in 1/2 bar / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories (estimate) for 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Miki's Farm Fresh Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Butter Theme Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week...and a Shotglass Dessert Day as well, where I squeeze tiny amounts of sweet things into a little glass. Portion control and good, creative fun, in equal measures.

The first thing I noticed when I opened the packaging for today's milk chocolate, Coconut Caramel bar from Bissinger's (St. Louis, MO) was the back side of the bar, which was adorned with (sulfite-free) toasted coconut shreds.

I broke off a piece, and saw pocket of soft caramel center, made with real butter and palm sugar. The Red Hawaiian Sea Salt combined with the coconut and caramel reminded me of a sweet coconut curry I'd had once, and it made me want to melt part of this bar down with a savory/spicy peanut sauce to use as an Asian dipping sauce or fondue.

Bissinger's used cacao beans from Africa in this gluten-free bar. The company also teamed with the Rainforest Alliance to support sustainability programs that are "good for farm families, the community, the environment and wildlife."

A company statement on the packaging read "Bissinger's uses 100% African cocoa beans, for a richer, more satisfying chocolate taste." It's harder to taste the pure flavors of cacao with milk chocolate and where there are additions to bars, but I'll look forward to sampling Bissinger's plain, dark chocolate in the future with this in mind.

Shotglass Dessert - "Love on a Lemon Coconut Cloud" 
The foundation, or bottom, layer for this shotglass dessert was a Lemon Burst cookie (chopped; with no wheat or gluten, but a bit of butter) from WOW (With-Out Wheat) Baking Company (Kent, WA).

On top of the crumbs, I gently pressed in some coconut milk frozen dessert (you could also use ice cream). I sprinkled a few more Lemon Burst cookie crumbs on top of that; topped with bits/shards of Coconut Caramel bar from Bissinger's (St. Louis, MO); and garnished with a fresh Meyer lemon peel.