Uncle Buck's - Dipped Peanut Crunch - Oct. 19, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Uncle Buck's
Dipped Peanut Crunch
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 14 oz. (397 g.) in 1 container
Calories: 140 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) serving
Cost: $7.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Rocklin, CA


On the fourth day of Chocolate and The Great Outdoors Theme Week, I opened up a can of Uncle Buck's* Dipped Peanut Crunch (distributed by Bass Pro Shops, Springfield, MO).

Small squares of sweet peanut brittle confection had a chocolate layer on the bottom (or top, as you prefer). These gluten-free squares were cut to just the right size to enjoy a small piece or two without getting hands, pans or plates sticky in the process.


Packaged in a container with a pull-off metal tab and a resealable plastic lid, these would be convenient for a family camping trip or other adventure in The Great Outdoors. They're also a suitable small snack if you're stuck indoors—although I hope you won't be.

*The Uncle Buck's brand is apparently modeled after a real person. This may be a picture of him (right); I'm not sure about that. Bass Pro founder, Johnny Morris, has talked fondly about growing up fishing in the Ozarks with his dad, mom, and mom's brother Uncle Buck. 

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Uncle Buck's Trail Mix and Chocolate Peanuts - Oct. 18, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Uncle Buck's
Sweet and Nutty Premium Trail Mix
Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.)/22 oz. (623 g.) in total bag
Calories: 280 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $7.99 for 1 large bag
Purchased from: Bass Pro Outdoor World, Rocklin, CA

Uncle Buck's
Double Dipped Chocolate Peanut(s)
Good
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.)/9 oz. (255.1 g.) in total bag
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 serving (7-8 pieces)
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Bass Pro Outdoor World, Rocklin, CA


Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and the Great Outdoors Theme Week.

Let's begin with a visit I made to an indoor outdoor world that I didn't know existed.

Recently I visited a Bass Pro Outdoor World Store in Rocklin, CA. If Walt Disney had teamed up with a natural history museum display builder to design a store for hunting, fishing and outdoor living, this might have been the result. Taxidermied animals depicted in re-creations of their natural habitats hung on every well, under a vaulted ceiling painted sky blue with clouds.

When I wandered over to hunt for some chocolate in the food section, I saw books on how to filet and cook wild game, I knew I was outside the big city and closer to the Great Outdoors, which has always accommodated a wide variety of pastimes. Me, I'm a tree hugger, a bunny lover, a hiker, and a hypocrite. I buy packaged chicken and fish to eat, but I'd find it hard to kill anything.

So, please forgive me if I just eat some Uncle Buck's* Sweet and Nutty trail mix as part of a Bay Trail walk, along with a few Uncle Bucks' Double Dipped Chocolate Peanut(s), and chocolate pudding flavored Jelly Belly beans (in camouflage packaging). The only ducks I plan to shoot today would be with my camera.

The Uncle Buck's Sweet and Nutty trail mix contained MandM's chocolate candies, raisins, peanuts, almonds and cashews. And the Uncle Buck's Double Dipped Chocolate Peanut(s) were, as advertised: peanuts generously coated in chocolate. The chocolate melted a little in the heat, but these peanuts were still tasty on today's hike.

*Uncle Buck's is a Bass Pro brand. Uncle Buck's Sweet and Nutty trail mix was manufactured for Bass Pro Shops by Kar's Nuts (Madison Heights, MI). Since I've already had a similar Kar's trail mix, I'm also including Uncle Buck's Double Dipped Chocolate Peanuts, distributed by Ruckers Wholesale (Bridgeport, IL).

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Pamela's Products - Chocolate Grahams; s'mores - Oct. 17, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pamela's Products, Inc.
Chocolate Grahams - Gluten-Free Graham Style Crackers
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 7.5 oz. (212.6 g.) total box
Calories: 180 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $N/A - gift (Thank you John)
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and the Great Outdoors Theme Week.

S'mores are arguably our favorite outdoor chocolate treat in the U.S.A. A s'more is a graham cracker sandwich filled with a warm, gooey (and occasionally charred) campfire-roasted marshmallow and a square of warm, melting chocolate.

I find s'mores almost too sweet now, but we fantasized about them as young, campfire smoke-scented campers.

For this reason, I was happy to receive a gift of a box of gluten-free Chocolate Grahams graham style crackers from Pamela's Products, Inc. (Ukiah, CA), that allowed me to re-create a sweet campfire memory. These chocolate grahams, glistened with sugar crystals, and smelled and tasted like "real" graham crackers.

First I made an "grown-up"* version of a s'more—an open-faced version with single origin dark chocolate square, a toasted marshmallow, and toasted chopped almonds (that helped balance the high sugar level). My original overly ambitious plan was to make the marshmallows from scratch (using a mallow plant/flowers). Maybe next time.

The open-faced s'more was good, but required a plate and fork. It resulted in fingers covered with melted chocolate. I was reminded why s'mores are eaten sandwich-style. Adding another graham on top reduced the chocolatey fingers "problem."

*Grown-up (or indoor) versions of something can be boring or pretentious. I could have poured brandy on this s'more and lit it on fire, but a flambeed s'more seemed over the top—even for a chocolate mad scientist, and a bit dangerous if you're near dry grass. 

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Bear River Valley - Cocoa Campsite Crunch cereal - Oct. 16, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bear River Valley
Cocoa Campsite Crunch
Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 22 oz. (1 lb., 6 oz.) (623 g.) in total package/bag
Calories: 120 calories in 3/4 cup serving
Cost: $ 2.99 (estimate)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

This summer I featured five weeks worth of different single origin dark bars—chocolate in its purest and most wonderful form. Now I'm headed back into less serious territory. Last week I highlighted chocolate items with grains and grasses. Today marks a transition from cereal grains to the Great Outdoors.

So, welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and the Great Outdoors Theme Week!

Today's generously-sized, resealable bag of Cocoa Campsite Crunch cereal from Bear River Valley* (distributed by MOM Brands* (Lakeville, MN)) would probably be great for large group camping trips, or at least the ones I remember from childhood.

I remember stumbling out of a tent into the cold morning air, slightly dampened with dew, with my hair sticking up in every direction and adorned with a few white downy feathers that had escaped a down jacket or a sleeping bag. The smell of a campfire meant breakfast, hot cocoa, oatmeal with chocolate chips, or cold cereal like this.

So, I tried my best to re-create this experience. I got up very early on a damp morning, poured myself a bowl of Cocoa Campsite Crunch cereal, and ate it with a purple camping "spork" in the backyard. These cocoa-colored puffed corn balls were light and crunchy, sweet and chocolatey, and gluten free.

*This Bear River Valley cereal was distributed by MOM Brands (Lakeville, MN). I'm assuming "MOM" was derived from Malt-O-Meal, which was bought by Post.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Amy's - Gluten Free Chocolate Biscotti - Oct. 15, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amy's
Chocolate Biscotti
Good ++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total box
Calories: 170 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $6.79 for 1 box
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Greetings, and welcome to the final day of Chocolate, Grains and Grasses Theme Week.

When I was small, my pediatrician thought I was too thin. "You need to eat more cookies and cake," she advised.

I'm no longer underweight, but today I'm belatedly honoring the good doctor's advice as I sample the last of several chocolate cookies, cakes, cereals and other items this week.

Earlier this year I ran a similarly themed Chocolate, Grains and Grasses Theme Week, which also included gluten-free chocolate items made with rice, corn, oats and quinoa (instead of wheat or barley). This was a fun part two.

I can't think of a better way to conclude this week than with a trio of gluten-free Chocolate Biscotti (cookies) from Amy's (Santa Rosa, CA).

These crunchy, gluten-free biscotti (cookies) were chocolatey good. Embedded almond pieces added pleasant nutty flavor and texture. And a blend of organic brown rice flour, organic oats, almond flour, butter and other ingredients did a fine job of replacing traditional wheat-based flour.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Haagen-Dazs - Chocolate Caramelized Oat ice cream - Oct. 14, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Haagen-Dazs
Chocolate Caramelized Oat ice cream
Good++
Weight: 1/4 cup (52 g.) /14 oz. (414 mL) in 1 container
Calories: 150 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $1.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate, Grains and Grasses Theme Week. Although this week could just as well be called "Chocolate and Fattening Up for Winter Theme Week." Cakes, cookies, ice cream. Sounds fun, but I try to enjoy small tastes of these items when possible.

Today's Chocolate Caramelized Oat ice cream was from Haagen-Dazs (Oakland, CA/Minneapolis, MN*). This flavor was part of the Haagen-Dazs Artisan Collection, and contained pieces of chocolate oat treats from local Bay Area chocolatier—Claire Keane, founder of Clairesquares, based in San Francisco, CA. Claire's recipes are based on her Irish heritage. Go Claire!

The caramel ice cream was creamy and flavorful; and the chocolate pieces were crunchy and satisfying with hints of caramel and oat. Nice combination.

*Haagen-Dazs is an ice cream with a complex history that exemplifies our rapidly evolving world. Once upon a time, back in 1961, in the Bronx (New York, NY), a couple invented the Haagen-Dazs name, and opened their first ice cream store in Brooklyn, NY. Later this brand became part of Pillsbury (1983). General Mills bought Pillsbury in 2001, and still owns the brand, but licenses it to Nestle. Dreyer's is a Nestle subsidiary based in Oakland, CA, that makes this and other ice creams. The End...for now. 

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Lundberg Family Farms - Milk Chocolate Rice Cakes - Oct. 13, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lundberg Family Farms
Sweet Dreams Organic Milk Chocolate rice cakes
Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 3.17 oz. (90 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 2 rice cakes
Cost: $3.79 for 1 package of 6 rice cakes
Purchased from: Sprouts, Mountain View, CA


Today was Day #5 of Chocolate, Grains and Grasses Theme Week.

These Sweet Dreams, Organic Whole Grain Rice Cakes Enrobed in Milk Chocolate were from Lundberg Family Farms (Richvale, CA). They followed on the heels of yesterday's Sweet Dreams Dark Chocolate rice cakes, from the same Lundberg product line.

Coated with milk chocolate (38% cacao content) on the top side, these gluten-free cakes could still be grasped on the uncoated, rice side for easy handling and eating. Thankfully, they weren't overly sweet either—a quality I always appreciate.

As with most (rice) cakes, they're best bought and eaten when fresh, light and crunchy.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.