Romanze Rice + Hazelnut bars - Jan. 25, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Romanze Luxury Chocolate
Milk Choco with Rice + Hazelnut (bar)
OK+ - Good
Weight: .265 oz. ( 7.5 g.) / 5.8 oz. (165 g.) total package of 15 small bars
Calories:  40 calories
Cost: 170,000 Vietnamese Dong (VD)
Purchased from:  small shop in Danang Airport, Vietnam

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate, Nuts and Rice Theme Week.

These bite-sized Romanze "Milk Choco" with Rice + Hazelnut bars were a bit like a Nestle Crunch bar, but with tiny bits of hazelnut added.

I've been trying chocolates from Vietnam this past week. Many of the ones I've found in small shops and mini marts have actually been from Malaysia.* Today's set of 22 diminutive Romanze bars were manufactured in Malaysia for LB International Ltd.

*Note: The exception so far has been Marou Chocolate (Ho Chi Minh City) single origin, bean-to-bar chocolate bars from southern Vietnam.

Taza - Peanut Crunch bar - Jan. 24, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Taza Chocolate
Peanut Crunch bar
Good
Weight: .85 oz. (24 g.) in 1 mini bar
Calories: 127 calories (estimate) for 1 bar
Cost: $2.25 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate, Nuts and Rice Theme Week.

The Peanut Crunch mini bar from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) was just the right size for a snack. Made from stone ground, dark chocolate and punctuated with crunchy texture from peanut and crisp rice bits, this bar was organic and gluten free as well.

Note: Due to travel, photos will be delayed. 

Happy Zoo, MaxCrisp bar - Jan. 23, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Network Food Industries

1.) Happy Zoo Milk Choco
OK
Weight: .35 oz. (8 g.) in 2 pieces
Calories: 52 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: 48,000 VD
Purchased from: Mini Mart Van Toan; Hoi An, Vietnam

2.) MaxCrisp bar
OK+ - Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) for 1 bar
Calories: 214 calories in 1 bar
Cost: 10,000 VD
Purchased from: Mini Mart Van Toan, Hoi An, Vietnam

Today was the first Day of Chocolate and Nuts Week, with some rice thrown in for good measure.

I had to buy the Happy Zoo (the first of two chocolates listed above). The cute animal faces printed on the individually-wrapped chocolates made me do it. The chocolate inside was nothing to write home about, but the concept and the animals were fun.

Hoi An (city in Central Vietnam) was bustling with activity. I dodged motor scooters and sidewalk vendors to get to the local Mini Mart today to check out local chocolates in Hoi An; so, feeling grateful to have survived the trip, I picked up a few extra chocolate items to celebrate.

The second chocolate, a MaxCrisp "Milk Choco" bar, contained bits of almond, and rice. It wasn't bad.

I believe both the Happy Zoo and the MaxCrisp bar may have come from Malaysia. (It was difficult to tell from the packaging.)

Note: Due to travel, photos will be delayed.

Royal Foods - Cashew Nut bar - Jan. 22, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Royal Foods / Asia Pacific Corporation
One Royals - Cashew Nut with Dairy Chocolate bar
OK+
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1/2 oz. piece
Cost: $1.85 (estimate)
Purchased from: co.op mart (grocery store) in Hue, Vietnam

Today was Day #22 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Weeks.

Yesterday, I was happy to find a Vietnamese Cashew Nut bar (from Royal Foods/Asia Pacific Corporation based in Hanoi, Vietnam) in Hue (in central Vietnam).  Even though cacao does grow in Vietnam (I did find cacao fruit at a roadside stand, shown below right),
many chocolate brands on store shelves were made with cacao from (or produced in) other countries.

The cashews I've had this week in Vietnam were very good, so I was hoping that the mild, sweet flavor of these nuts would not be overwhelmed by the chocolate. However, there were only a few bits of cashew in the bites of bar I had. The chocolate had slightly waxy mouthfeel to it (consistent with lecithins used), and while it had about the right level of sweetness for my taste, there seemed to be a slight artificial aftertaste.

Where's the coconut you might ask? I ate this bar with a small handful of toasted coconut pieces.

Note: Due to travel, photos will be delayed.

Granola Cacao bar - Jan. 21, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Love Force LLC
Granola Cacao bar
Good
Weight: 3 oz. (84 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 441 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #21 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Weeks.

Today's Gluten-Free, Rawganic Vegan Energy Bar from Love Force LLC (Cincinnati, OH) contained raw organic walnuts, coconut and cacao (beans). It was sealed in plastic, was fresh-tasting, and had just the right amount of moist, chewiness to it. Raw, organic raisins and dates added sweetness, and sunflower and flax seeds added a bit of texture and heft.

"Raw" was defined (on the bar's label) as ingredients not being heated beyond 110 degrees Farenheit.

Note: Due to travel, photos will be delayed.

Que Dua Coconut Candy - Jan. 20, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Que Dua
Coconut Candy with Cacao
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 9.89 oz. (280 g.) total package
Calories: 70 calories (estimate)
Cost: (Approximately) $1.80 USD
Purchased from: Outside of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Today was Day #20 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Weeks.

I watched this Que Dua Coconut Candy (Vietnam) with bits of cacao being hand-made in southern Vietnam, Mekong River delta area (where both cacao and coconuts are grown).

For this candy, fresh coconuts were split open, shredded and stirred by machine in large stainless bowls with natural palm and rice sweeteners until the mixture looked like ivory-colored coconut taffy. Bits of cacao were incorporated. The candy was rolled out and hand cut into pieces and wrapped in edible rice paper, and then outer paper and plastic wraps.

On the boat ride back, we drank fresh coconut water, and ate fresh coconut meat. And, later, at lunch, I bought a cacao pod (yellow and red fruit) and enjoyed some coconut and taro ice creams. I did see some interesting Vietnamese chocolates, but it was too hot outside; they wouldn't have survived travel this week without air conditioning. It doesn't get more authentic than this.

Note: Due to travel, photos will be delayed.

LUNA Chocolate Coconut Bar - Jan. 19, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Clif Bar and Company
LUNA Chocolate Dipped Coconut bar
OK + - Good
Weight: 1.69 oz. (48 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Today was Day #19 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Weeks.

This Chocolate Dipped Coconut "Nutrition Bar for Women" from Clif Bar (Emeryville, CA) was loaded with different ingredients and added protein, fiber and vitamins, and a good choice for breakfast on the go.

Both the chocolate coating and the coconut were supporting players in the overall flavor mix. And the texture of this barely sweet bar was slightly chewy, and slightly crunchy.

Chocolate was not the primary focus, but it was relatively filling, and kept me satisfied until lunchtime.

Note: Due to travel, photos will be delayed.