Chocolate Almonds - July 14, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sunbiotics
Chocolate Almonds
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 180 calories in 1 package
Cost: $ N/A
Purchased from: N/A

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

These Chocolate Almonds from Sunbiotics (Glenview, IL) were made with health-conscious consumers in mind -- from whole organic, sprouted raw almonds that were coated with organic, raw cocoa powder, and organic coconut sugar -- and a hint of probiotics. (The soaking and sprouting process was used to make the almonds more digestible.)

The chocolate played a secondary role to the almonds in this organic, raw, gluten free and dairy free offering, which was nice for a change. And these chocolate almonds were not overly sweet (something else I liked). There was no detectable taste to the probiotics (live bacteria, similar to what you might find in yogurt and soy yogurt, that may confer health benefits).

Almond Crunch truffle - July 13, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Almond Crunch truffle
Compartes Chocolatier
Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) in 1 piece/truffle
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $25.00 for 1 box of 10 different truffles
Purchased from: Compartes Chocolatier, Los Angeles, CA

Today's Almond Crunch Truffle from Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA) -- adorned with a stylish yellow plaid pattern across the top -- was part of a 10-piece Jonathan's Signature Truffles assortment box. The not too sweet almond crunch filling (made with finely chopped roasted almonds and crunchy wafer bits*) was surrounded by dark chocolate.

Note: I discovered after I ate this truffle that the "crunch" in the Almond Crunch came from wafer bits, i.e. wheat. The truffle was still good, but I don't eat wheat. I'll have to check the ingredients list more closely next time.

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

Almond Ginger bar - July 12, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Almond Ginger - Dark Chocolate 70% bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 116 calories (estimate) in 3/4 oz. (21.2 g.) piece
Cost: $9.99 (estimate) for 7-bar tasting pack
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Palo Alto, CA

Several months back I spotted a Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) tasting pack of seven different bars -- all made with a 70% cacao dark chocolate base, with added flavors.

Today's Almond Ginger bar, from Trader Joe's "Takes Flight" dark chocolate tasting collection, sparkled with bits of crystallized ginger. Tiny flecks of almond added some crunchy texture; and a bit of salt helped round out and balance the sweetness.

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Almond Week.

Lemon Ginger Immunity bar - July 11, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Good Superfood LLC
Lemon Ginger Immunity (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) piece / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total bar
Calories: 146 calories in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) serving
Cost: $5.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

I'm partial to chocolate bars made with fewer than five ingredients. However, I am interested in trying chocolates with a health/nutrition focus -- where cacao quality is high (and extra ingredients don't include preservatives, fillers, artificial flavors). I'm not sure I benefit directly from extra plant foods in my chocolate, but extra anti-oxidants probably don't hurt.

Today's Lemon Ginger Immunity 72% dark cacao bar from Good Superfood LLC (Boise, ID) fits in this health and nutrition category. Raw, single origin Ecuadorian cacao was mixed with 16 "superfood" substances, including Peruvian lucuma and maca, and Brazilian Cupuacu, African Baobab, Madagascar Vanilla, and "170 million-year old Jurassic Sea Salt." I couldn't taste any of these exotic items. However, bits of crystallized ginger imparted a pleasant flavor, as did the lemon zest.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

Patric Lemongrass-Ginger bar - July 10, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Patric Chocolate

Lemongrass-Ginger bar

Good +

Weight: .575 oz. (16.25 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar

Calories: 87 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar

Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

The minute I sliced open the plastic wrapper that enveloped today's bar, I was treated to the smell of good chocolate. I would happily try almost any Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO) bar for one reason: Alan 'Patric' McClure does such a masterful job crafting his chocolate, from bean to bar. Add a few high-quality flavors or "additions" to this already fine chocolate, and the stage is set for a great bar.

Authentic-tasting sparkles of ginger sugar dominated the first few bites of this Patric Limited Edition dark milk chocolate bar. The lemongrass essence was, initially, more diffuse and served as a fragrant backdrop until the latter part of the tasting arc. That was fine with me, as I was busy enjoying the ginger. Subsequent bites of this (soy and gluten free) bar see-sawed gently back and forth between lemongrass and ginger.

(Apologies: Pictures to follow later this week.)

Coconut Milk Ginger bar - July 9, 2013

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Madre Chocolate
Coconut Milk and Caramelized Ginger bar
Good +
Weight: 1.125 oz. (32.25 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total bar
Calories: 169 calories in 3/4 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Madre Chocolate, Hawaii

Madre Coconut and Ginger bar
Today's Coconut Milk and Caramelized Ginger bar was handcrafted by Madre Chocolate (Oahu, Hawaii). The company constructed this bar from all-Hawaiian ingredients: 55% dark chocolate made from cacao beans hailing from the Hamakua Coast (on the Big Island of Hawaii); coconuts from Maui and the Big Island; and organic ginger from Hawaii.

Coconut milk and cocoa butter gave this bar an authentic, almost buttery soft and creamy texture. The smattering of candied ginger bits scattered throughout the bar provided chewy, spicy and sweet bits of complementary, natural Island flavor.

Ginger Lemongrass
Yesterday, I mentioned tasting other Ginger and Lemongrass chocolate bars this week. I did re-taste Artisan du Chocolat's (London) Ginger and Lemongrass milk chocolate (40% cocoa) bar, that had a pleasant, mild fragrant flavor. Tomorrow, I will sample Patric Chocolate's (Columbia, Missouri) Lemongrass-Ginger dark milk chocolate bar (sold through The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA).

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week. 

Thai Wonder bar - July 8, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Compartes Chocolatier
Thai Wonder bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 60 calories in 1/6 bar
Cost: $9.99 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes Chocolatier, Los Angeles, CA

The attractively packaged Thai Wonder - Ginger and Lemongrass - bar I enjoyed today was part of the Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA) World Series collection (Volume 01, Bar 06), that incorporated international flavor blends.

Today's dark chocolate (73% cacao) bar was infused with a very subtle blend of ginger and lemongrass. I broke off a small edge piece or two to try. These flavors may have been more intense in the middle of the bar.

Ginger and lemongrass combinations have become popular in the past year or two, and I look forward to trying another (new) bar with this blend tomorrow.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.