Trek Mix - September 22, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Trader Joe's
Just a handful of Simply Almonds, Cashews and Chocolate Trek Mix
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in 1 bag / 15 oz. (425 g.) in total package of 10 bags
Calories: 260 calories in 1 bag
Cost: $5.49 in total package of 10 bags
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's "Just a handful of Simply Almonds, Cashews and Chocolate Trek Mix" from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA), helped power my day.

Nuts and chocolate are natural bedfellows when it comes to trail mix, or in today's case -- trek mix. I happen to be a hiker, so I'm fond of packing a small bag of trail mix when I depart on a day trek, photo safari, or just a local amble around town.

This package of 10 individually-wrapped single servings was designed for grab-and-go convenience, and may also help limit consumption. (It's all too easy to reach into a large plastic bag and grab an overly large handful of of toasted, lightly salted almonds and cashews and semi-sweet chocolate chunks.)

SunRidge Double Nutz mix - Sept. 21, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

SunRidge Farms
Double Nutz and Coconut Chews (bulk mix)
Good - Good +
Weight: 3 oz. (84.9 g.) / 6.88 oz. (.43 lbs.)(194.7 g.) in total bag
Calories: 435 calories (estimate) in 3 oz. (84.9 g.) serving
Cost: $4.04 total cost of bulk bag
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

I scooped up a bag of Double Nutz and Coconut Chews (bulk trail/snack mix) from a local market. This mix was likely from SunRidge Farms (Royal Oaks, CA), a company specializing in organic and natural food (fruit, nuts) products. This Double Nutz mix contained cashews, almonds, dried cranberries and cherries, and generous dark chocolate covered chewy coconut squares.

TCHO - Cashews - Sept. 20, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

TCHO
Cashews Drenched in Dark Chocolate
Good+
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 200 calories (estimate) in 1/2 package
Cost: $4.99 in 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

I enjoyed these Cashews Drenched in Dark Chocolate from TCHO (San Francisco, CA).
The flavor of the cashew nut is delicious, sweet and subtle -- and it is to TCHO's credit that these honey roasted, whole cashew nuts were not drowned out by the dark chocolate covering.

I always feel the temptation to add a little extra salt (applewood smoked salt worked nicely) to savory-sweet treats like this that err on the sweet side. But, I believe most people will like these mild, crunchy "TCHO2GO" nuts with flavorful dark chocolate as is.

Charles Salty-Sweet Cashew bar - Sept. 19, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Charles Chocolates
Salty-Sweet Cashew Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/3 bar - 1.3 oz. (37.3 g.) / 3.9 oz. (112 g.) total bar
Calories: 195 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the first day of Chocolate and Cashew Theme Week. Frankly, it's about time that the cashew nut is being honored with its own theme week here on ChocolateBanquet.com. Almonds seem to hog the spotlight when it comes to nuts blended with chocolate.

This Salty-Sweet Cashew Bar from Charles Chocolates (San Francisco, CA) highlighted this special nut. First, rather than incorporate shards of nut (shrapnel bits) into their 41% milk chocolate bar base, chocolatier Chuck (Charles) Siegel used freshly roasted, whole cashew nuts that were coated in both salty and sweet flavors.

I found myself wanting more salt after the first few bites of this "salty-sweet" bar. However, when I re-tasted this chocolate later, I could taste more salt, which helped balance the sweetness of the milk chocolate.

One Planet Granola - Sept. 18, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

One Planet Granola
Chocolate Jubilee Organic Granola
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup / 12 oz. total bag/package
Calories: 120 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $6.98 (sale price)
Purchased from: Raley's supermarket, Incline Village, NV

I needed a breakfast this morning that would fuel my planned mountain hike. This called for... chocolate granola! -- paired with some strawberry rhubarb yogurt.

The Chocolate Jubilee organic granola mix was introduced by the mother-daughter team at One Planet Granola (Larkspur, CA) at their Ross, CA, cafe.  This chocolate flavor, one of several flavors in their granola line-up, contained dark chocolate; large, whole dried cherries; almond bits; oats; coconut; and other ingredients.

This crunchy, flavorful cereal paired well with the smooth, creamy strawberry rhubarb yogurt (also available in blueberry) from Noosa yogurt. I used this yogurt instead of milk. Happily this granola was not overly sweet, nor was it overly chocolatey -- making it easier to enjoy the individual constituents in the mix.

And, the granola-powered hike was a great success.

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

Note: This post was delayed (posted a day late) due to out-of-state travel and limited Internet access.

Super Red Chocolate Bar - Sept. 17, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier, Inc.
Super Red Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $5.49 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

This Super Red Chocolate Bar from B.T. McElrath Chocolatier (Minneapolis, MN) contained 15% fruit -- dried tart cherries, strawberries and raspberries -- in 70% dark chocolate.

There are several bars I've tasted that contain crystalline bits of berry fruit. These, often colorful, berry bits seem a bit sweeter and more concentrated than mere chewy shreds of dried fruit; and they are occasionally more crystalline in texture as well. In any case, the berry pieces were a bit sweet, but were just fine for this bar.

Note: This entry was posted late due to out-of-state travel, and lack of Internet access.

Pacari - Andean Blueberry bar - Sept. 16, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pacari Chocolate
Andean Blueberry bar
Good +
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ N/A - sample
Purchased from: Pacari Chocolate, (event)

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Berry Theme Week, and the chocolate of the day was a 70% dark chocolate bar from South America, with wild Andean Blueberries, native to Ecuador.

The Andean Blueberry bar, from Pacari Chocolate, was part of an Andean flavors bar series. It was slightly crunchy, with a flavorful, natural blueberry note that harmonized well with the dark chocolate.

Pacari Chocolate (a family owned company based in Quito, Ecuador) makes a line of organic chocolate bars and chocolates -- combining Ecuador Arriba cacao with herbs, fruits, spices and other flavors in-country, via partnerships with local/regional farmers. Some of their chocolates have slight floral notes which I like. Most have a very pleasant tasting arc.

This dairy, soy and gluten free, dark bar ("Chocolate Fino Organico con Mortiño") was also made tree-to-bar, in Ecuador. (Cacao beans are often grown in one country, and processed or made into chocolate in another country.)