Trader Joe's - Caramelized Sunflower and Sesame Seeds bars - Dec. 13, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Trader Joe's
Caramelized Sunflower and Sesame Seeds bars
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) / 12.72 oz. ( 360 g.) total box of 12
Calories: 340 calories in 2 mini bars
Cost: $9.99 for 1 box of 12 bars
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week.

These two Caramelized Sunflower and Sesame Seeds bars from Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Portfolio—a box of 12 individually wrapped mini bars (2 each of 6 different flavors).

These were crunchy, flavorful and sweet, without being too sweet. And the caramelized seeds provided some crunchy texture which I really enjoyed.

Dagoba - Lemonberry Zest bar - Dec. 12, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dagoba Organic Chocolate
Lemonberry Zest bar
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Seeds Week.

Today's Lemonberry Zest bar (dark chocolate, lemon essence, blueberries and crystallized ginger) was made by Dagoba Organic Chocolate (Ashland, OR).

The 68% cacao dark chocolate bar (made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Cacao) had refreshing, natural-tasting lemon, berry and ginger flavor notes, and was good eating all by itself.

I also thought this chocolate was great with (chopped up in, or grated on top of) pancakes. I enjoyed this chocolate with both regular and lemon poppy seed pancakes—with a little Tillamook Huckleberry yogurt.

*Dagoba Organic Chocolate is a division of The Hershey Company (Hershey/Derry Township, PA).

Trader Joe's - Raises the Bar Granola Bar - Dec. 11, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Raises the Bar - Chewy Granola Bar
Good
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 6.2 oz. (175 g.) in total box
Calories: 140 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.79 for 1 box of 5 bars
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Seeds Series.

What is a seed? Grains, beans, nuts and seeds can all be considered seeds. So the distinction between grains and seeds can be a confusing one.

Today's "Raises the Bar" Chewy Granola Bar with oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and dark chocolate chunks from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA), contained grains, "pseudo-cereal grains" and seeds. Regardless if some of these ingredients are more seed or "pseudo-cereal grain," than grain, this mix resulted in a bar with high fiber: "16 g. of whole grains."

This gluten free, slightly chewy granola bar was relatively lightly sweetened (tapioca syrup, cane sugar, honey, molasses). Dark chocolate pieces, while also containing sugar, helped balance the sweetness a bit.

Yves Thuries - Milk Chocolate Passion Fruit, Pumpkin Seeds bar - Dec. 10, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Yves Thuries
Milk Chocolate Passion Fruit and Pumpkin Seeds bar
Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) in 1/4 package (3 pieces)
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Seeds Series.


Today's Milk Chocolate Passion Fruit and Pumpkin Seeds bar was the creation of French Chef Yves Thuries.*

This 34% cacao milk chocolate bar came nestled in a plastic tray with 12 compartments that contained 12 separate pieces, or micro bar shaped bites.

I liked the design and packaging. Having pre-molded pieces made this easier to share (there was no need to break off pieces with your hands) and more attractive to display on a plate (with each neatly finished piece bearing its own sprinkling of seeds and fruit).

The milk chocolate itself (made with cacao beans from Ecuador**) was sweeter than I prefer, but the pumpkin seeds gave the bar a pleasant, natural crunchy texture that complemented the smooth, sweetness. I couldn't taste the sweetened fruit pieces with passion fruit as I believe they blended in with the overall, relatively high sugar level. But, some with a sweet tooth may enjoy this bar.

 *This Product of France was distributed by SALPA Inc., Greenwich, CT.
**The packaging read that the chocolate was made from "Quality cacao from our farm in Ecuador." What a great story. I would have loved a higher percent cacao so that I could have tasted the chocolate a bit more.

Endangered Species - Dark Lemon Poppy Seed bar - Dec. 9, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Endangered Species
Dark Chocolate with Lemon Poppy Seed bar
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $missing information
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Cupertino, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of the Chocolate and Seeds Series.

Today's bar was a Dark Chocolate with Lemon Poppy Seed bar from Endangered Species (Indianapolis, IN).

This 60% Cocoa bar was flavored with lemon zest, organic poppy seeds and "natural flavors." The lemon flavor kicked in a few seconds after the first bite. And the bittersweet chocolate seemed to get progressively sweeter during the tasting experience.

The finish was accompanied by a very subtle crunch from the tiny poppy seeds and some acidity.

Charm School Chocolate - 2 Coconut Milk bars - Dec. 8, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Charm School Chocolate

Dark Coconut Milk Ecuador with Cocoa Nibs bar
(Limited Release)
Good+++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 159 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Black Sesame Bar with Sour Cherries
Very Good
Weight; 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 159 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today is a chocolate transition day—between a Chocolate and Coconut Series and Chocolate and Seeds Series.

And I can't think of a better chocolate maker to feature on this day than Charm School Chocolate (Reisterstown, MD). They make vegan chocolate bars using coconut milk; but you won't necessarily know that by tasting their bars.

The first of today's two Charm School bars, a Dark Coconut Milk (64% cacao) Ecuador (bar) with Cocoa Nibs, was created as a Limited Release, for The Chocolate Garage (Palo Alto, CA). It had a complex aroma with hints of dried fruit, spice and sweet cocoa. The flavor changed slightly as I re-tasted this bar over a period of several hours, but it was always good, and the flavors and textures (smooth dark chocolate and a generous smattering of crunchy nibs) were always very nicely balanced.

Fortunately, the Garage is across town from me and I was able to pick up both this bar, and a Charm School Black Sesame Bar with Sour Cherries.

The black sesame seeds and cherries bar had a pleasing slightly smoky sesame and fruit aroma, a creamy buttery melt and texture, and a unique and pleasing flavor with the concentrated tart sweet chewiness of dried Montmorency cherries.

While not technically a traditional chocolate bar (it contained cocoa butter but no cocoa solids), this second bar was a tasty example of a non-dairy (vegan) 40% cacao white chocolate bar, that (due to the color imparted by dark seeds) could fool people.

Probar - Fuel Coconut Dream bar - Dec. 7, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Probar LLC
Fuel - Coconut Dream bar
Good
Weight: 1.8 oz. (51 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: REI, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of this week's Chocolate and Coconut Series.

Today's Fuel - Coconut Dream bar from Probar LLC (Park City, UT) was designed as an energy bar for active folks on the go.

I tried mine out on a walk across town, and it did the trick.

The packaging is practical and is durable enough to protect the bar from breaking open if it sinks to the bottom of a bag.

This bar had a slight coconut aroma and a very slight chemical smell to it, although the bar was made with all natural and organic ingredients. (Ingredients for this bar: date paste, coconut, cashews, almonds, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chia seeds, natural vanilla flavor and sea salt.) And the predominant flavor was dates and coconut, as one might expect, with nut bits adding some additional interest.

The texture of this compressed bar was slightly soft and chewy and the date paste held all the ingredients together nicely.

The Organic Coconut Dream energy bar was was gluten and dairy free, and vegan.