NibMor - Dark Chocolate Bites with Tart Cherries - May 4, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

NibMor Inc.
Dark Chocolate Bites with Tart Cherries
Good
Weight: 1.8 oz. (51 g.) / 5.4 oz. (153 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 1 serving (6 pieces)
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Bites with real Tart Cherries were manufactured for NibMor Inc. (Kennebunk, ME). NibMor, short for Nibble More, had its start in a New York City kitchen. Eventually the company moved to Maine.

These NibMor small rectangular bites (think mini bars but without the extra packaging of individually-wrapped chocolates), were an easily consumable and shareable size.

They had a fairly strong cherry/cherry almond aroma* and bits of authentic tart, sweetened cherries complemented the sweet 52% cocoa dark chocolate.

Sugar was the first ingredient listed*. We would love to see a 70% cacao dark version to take down the sweetness a bit. But, we understand many people do like sugar.

*Ingredients: Sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, natural cherries, natural cherry flavor*, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), vanilla.

Marich Confectionery - Milk Chocolate Cherries - May 3, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Marich Confectionery Co.
Milk Chocolate Cherries
Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 2.3 oz. (64 g.) in total package
Calories: 265 calories in 2 oz. (56.6 g.) serving
Cost: $2.49 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

These generously-sized Milk Chocolate Cherries were from Marich* Confectionery Co. - Marich Pancrafted Chocolates, based in Hollister,  CA.

At the center of each large, muted red**, glossy confection was a chewy, sweet dried cherry. The surrounding chocolate***—made with fair trade certified cocoa—helped balance the sugar-sweetened fruit.

*Marich Confectionery (pronounced Mahr-ich) was established in 1983 by Marinus van Dam (creator of the Jelly Belly Jelly Bean).

**The company, now run by the second generation of family, has moved toward natural fruit and vegetable colorings over the years, as well as improving plant efficiency (energy conservation). (Thank you.)

***Marich uses chocolate from Guittard Chocolate Company, another large, family-owned and operated (since the 1850s) chocolate company based up the peninsula in Burlingame, CA. Guittard makes chocolate from scratch and supplies many high-end chocolatiers with the base chocolate they need for their bars and confections.

Open Nature - Dark Chocolate Cherry fruit and and nut bar - May 2, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Open Nature
Dark Chocolate Cherry - fruit and nut bar
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Open Nature Dark Chocolate Cherry fruit and nut bar was distributed by Lucerne Foods, Inc. (Pleasanton, CA).

The flavorful bar was chewy, sweet and fruity (dried cherry and cranberry bits) blended with chocolate and nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts).

The label called out that the bar contained: "Vitamins A, C and E."

Sanders Candy - Milk Chocolate Cherry Almond Caramels - May 1, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sanders Candy - Sanders fine chocolatiers
Milk Chocolate Cherry Almond Caramels
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in total package 3 pieces
Calories: 120 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package of 3 pieces
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Menlo Park, CA

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

Today's Milk Chocolate Cherry Almond Caramels were made by Sanders Candy (Clinton Township, MI).

Yes, these milk chocolate confections were sweet, but the chewy, chocolate-covered caramels were full of cherry and almond bits which helped slow down the sugar rush. And they were substantial and satisfying after a long hike.

The Madelaine Chocolate Company - duets double-filled chocolate truffles Chocolate Cherry - Apr. 30, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Madelaine Chocolate Company
duets - double filled chocolate truffles - Cherry and Dark Chocolate Truffle
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 5 oz. (142 g.) in total package of 11 pieces
Calories: 140 calories in 2 servings (pieces)
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package of 11 pieces
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Menlo Park, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's duets - double-filled chocolate truffles - Cherry and Dark Chocolate Truffle hailed from The Madelaine Chocolate Company, a family-owned company in (Rockaway Beach, NY).

These individually-wrapped chocolate orbs contained two flavors (fillings) in one chocolate: a chocolate truffle filling in one half and a more liquid, cherry filling in the other half.

You might want to have a napkin handy if it's a warm day for the cherry filling. Yes, these were sweet, and also quite tasty.

Tru Fru - Whole Cherries freeze-dried in Dark Chocolate - Apr. 29, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tru Fru, LLC
Whole Cherries freeze-dried fresh and immersed in Dark Chocolate
Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup (30 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Whole Cherries freeze-dried fresh and immersed in Dark Chocolate* were distributed by Tru Fru, LLC (South Jordan, UT).

These glossy dark chocolate rounds were filled with airy, freeze-dried concentrated authentic cherry flavor.

More chocolatiers are adding freeze-dried, real fruit and/or freeze-dried fruit powders to their chocolates to add a bit of natural fruit zing. Let this trend continue! The results are much better than processed fruit pieces or manufactured flavors.

*Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor); Tart Cherries; Tapioca Dextrin; Confectioners Glaze

Tony's Chocolonely - Meringue Cherry Dark Chocolate bar - Apr. 28, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Tony's Chocolonely
Dark Chocolate Meringue Cherry bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 6.35 oz. (180 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving (1/6 bar)
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

This Dark Chocolate Meringue Cherry bar was made in Belgium and distributed by Tony's Chocolonely Inc. (Portland, OR/Netherlands). The company's vision is 100% slave free chocolate (starting with their own company).

This thick, dark chocolate (51% cacao dark chocolate) bar was studded with pieces of light, sweet meringue and freeze-dried cherry. It was a bit on the sweet side but the chocolate was of better quality than many commercial dark chocolates.

Note: This was a special bar made for Valentines Day earlier this year; so it's unlikely you can find this bar on store shelves near you.

Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, meringue (sugar, egg white, corn starch), cherry, soy lecithin.