Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Almonds 65% Belize - Aug. 8, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Dick Taylor 
Chocolate Coated Almonds 65% Belize
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 6 oz. (171 g.) in total container
Calories: 330 calories in 1 container
Cost: $12.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Nugget Markets, Tiburon, CA

Welcome to Day #21 of Chocolate and Almonds Week(s).

Today's Chocolate Coated Almonds 65% Belize were made by Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA). 

This exquisitely packaged, high-end take on a chocolate covered classic used traditional coating pans to build up the layers of single origin 65% Belize chocolate coating around organic California almonds. 

Instead of a shiny, confectioners glaze top coat, these almonds were dusted with/in cocoa powder giving them a luxe, deep brown powdered velvet look. 

The aroma: malty, roasted almonds and rich, high-end dark chocolate milk/cocoa notes.

The Belize chocolate contributed a layered tasting experience not usually found in chocolate covered confections. The chocolate had balanced bittersweet, fruit (citrus, dark ripe berry), very faint earth notes that complemented the milder, rounder, nuttier, woodier, hand-roasted almonds--that had their chance to shine after the dark chocolate was chewed into and melted away.

These were carefully crafted, with a deftly balanced complexity. They weren't overly sweet (thank you), allowing quality ingredients to be fully enjoyed.

Ingredients: "Organic almonds, organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic cocoa powder"

Allergen-related information: "Contains almonds. Processed in a facility that also uses milk, tree nuts, wheat and peanuts."

Wholesome Bakery - Fudge Brownie - Aug. 7, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Wholesome Bakery
Fudge Brownie
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in one container/brownie
Calories: 160 calories in 1 brownie
Cost: $6.50 for 1 brownie
Purchased from: Zombierunner, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #20 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week(s).

Today's vegan and gluten-free Fudge Brownie was from Wholesome Bakery (San Francisco, CA). The women-owned bakery, founded by Mandy Harper in 2009, offers high-quality, allergen-friendly and plant-based bakery items.

This brownie was lower-glycemic (sweetened with organic coconut sugar) and was made with 74% dark chocolate, coconut milk and almonds (almond meal).

The paleo-friendly brownie was sweet, moist and dark chocolate-y. (The coconut flavor was very subtle.) The brownie managed to have, simultaneously, a soft semi-velvety and nutty texture and chew. It was very satisfying, and didn't leave me with a sugar buzz. (Thank you.) Although I did find myself wanting to eat another one. 

Ingredients: "Organic, fair trade 74% dark chocolate, coconut cream, raw almond meal, organic coconut sugar, tapioca flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, sea salt, pure vanilla extract."

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that works with nuts. Produced in a dedicated gluten free, vegan and soy free facility."

Siete Foods- Grain Free Mexican Chocolate Cookies (with almond flour) - Aug. 6, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Siete Foods

Grain Free Mexican Chocolate Cookies - made with almond flour

Good - Good +

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4.5 oz. (127.8 g.) in total package of approx. 20 cookies

Calories: 150 calories in 5 cookies (1 serving)

Cost: $4.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Bienvenidos a (welcome to) Day #19 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week(s).

Today's Grain Free Mexican Chocolate Cookies (made with almond flour) were from Siete Family Foods, a Garza family business (based on seven (siete) family members), based in Austin, TX.

The small, light and crunchy cookies made with almond flour (and a blend of other gluten-free flours) had an inviting light cinnamon churro and chocolate (mild cocoa) aroma and flavor with a very slight earthy/mineral note. They tasted rich (fresh tortilla/cassava chips, corn flour cookies (coricos, champurradas) but were not at all oily or greasy. 

A hint of salt and a judicious amount of coconut sugar prevented them from being overly sweet. (Thank you.) 

In the future, I plan to make tiny ice cream sandwiches with these cookies (filled with homemade vanilla, Mexican chocolate, rose petal and/or vanilla with hibiscus and orange peel ice cream(s)).

Ingredients: "Grain free flour blend (almond flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, chickpea flour, cassava flour), coconut oil, coconut sugar, avocado oil, alkalized cocoa powder, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, sea salt, baking soda, jasmine tea extract."

Allergy-related information: "Contains coconuts, almonds."

Novi Cioccolato - Nero Nero (Extra Dark) 70% Cacao with Raspberry, Almonds (bar) - Aug. 5, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Novi Cioccolato
Nero Nero (Extra Dark) 70% Cacao with Raspberry, Almonds (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.6 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 221.2 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ N/A - no information (free, from neighbor)
Purchased from: N/A - no information

Benvenutu a (welcome to) Day #18 of Chocolate and Almonds Week(s).

Today's Novi Cioccolato Nero Nero (Extra Dark) 70% Cacao with Raspberry, Almonds (bar) was from Elah Dufour S.p.A./Novi Ligure (AL) (Italy). 

This bar was a surprise find. It was courtesy of a neighbor who was moving (and left a give-away box). I find new chocolates in many places including: stores, online, gifts from friends, at chocolate events, and unexpected places as well.

The initial aroma of this chocolate was very raspberry forward (real raspberries but perhaps enhanced a bit with natural flavours), with fainter dark chocolate notes. 

The smooth dark chocolate base flavor was relatively mild initially, but shifted to a slightly darker/bolder profile with faint roasted, bittersweet earthy notes. The tiny almond bits were eclipsed by raspberry and chocolate ingredients, yet still helped round out/mellow fruit, cacao and sugar elements a bit.

Ingredients: "Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, fat-reduced cocoa, freeze-dried raspberries (3%), almonds (3%), natural flavours. Cocoa: 70% minimum in extra bitter chocolate."

Allergen-related information: Contains almonds. "May contain traces of milk, hazelnuts and soya."

 

Fresh to Market - Almonds with sea salt Milk Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 4, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresh to Market 

(Nugget Market, Inc.)

Almonds with sea salt Milk Chocolate (bar)

Good +

Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar

Calories: 450 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $3.99 (.50 off) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Nugget Markets, Tiburon, CA

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week(s). In truth, one could easily go a whole month featuring chocolate and almond items. It's a great and versatile pairing. 

Today's Fresh to Market Almonds with sea salt Milk Chocolate (bar) was distributed by family-owned Nugget Market, Inc. (Davis, CA) and carried in their chain of Nugget Markets.

This chocolate had a pleasing sweet milk chocolate and roasted nuts aroma. 

And smooth creamy milk chocolate surrounded crunchy, salty nut (almond) bits.

Nuts and salt helped level out the sugar buzz. The result was an addictive, but balanced blend of sweet and salty chocolate.

Ingredients: Milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, whole milk powder, soy lecithin, vanilla flavor), roasted almond bits, sea salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy and almonds. May contain wheat, peanuts and other tree nuts."

Flour Craft Bakery - Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie - Aug. 3, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Flour Craft Bakery

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie

Good - Good +

Weight: 4 oz. (112 g.) (estimate) in 1 cookie

Calories: 385 calories (estimate) in 1 cookie

Cost: $3.00 for 1 cookie

Purchased from: Flour Craft Bakery

Welcome to Day #16 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week(s).

Today's Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie was from Flour Craft Bakery (and Cafe) in Mill Valley, CA.

This generously-sized, gluten-free chocolate chip cookie had a slight saltiness, but not the full savory tang of many sourdough breads). The cookie had a satisfying, crunchy, semi-soft chew.

I sampled today's Flour Craft cookie with a handful of toasted almonds and with an Almond Ball from Health Lab (also gluten free, made with dates and almonds). 

Ingredients for Flour Craft chocolate chip cookie: unknown. Made with a gluten-free flour blend.

Coracao Chocolate - Berkeley Bars and Almond Butter Bars - Aug. 2, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Coracao Organic Chocolate

Berkeley Bars

Good +

Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in total package of 2 small bars

Calories: 340 calories in 1 small bar

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package of 2 small bars

Purchased from: Flour Craft Bakery/Cafe, Mill Valley, CA

Almond Butter Bars

Good + - Good ++

Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in total package of 2 small bars

Calories: 300 calories in 1 small bar

Cost: $5.99 for 1 package of 2 small bars

Purchased from: Flour Craft Bakery/Cafe, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Almonds Week(s). 

Today I sampled two different small bars from Coracao Organic Chocolate (Berkeley, CA). The company creates healthy chocolates using "certified organic cacao from biodynamic farms" and "farmers are paid Fair Trade wages or above." 

Berkeley Bars

The aroma of this chocolate bar included slight green floral, molasses/brown/maple sugar, tart green (lemon herbs like sorrel, sour grass/oxalis), very faint fruit (red apple, berry), nutty and very faint savory notes. 

There were two layers inside these Berkeley Bars: a soft (lucuma and maca) nougat layer on top and a caramely-crunchy nutty (with lightly salted almond) layer on the bottom pieces. And the entire bar was coated with 81% dark chocolate. 

Ingredients: Organic almonds, organic agave, organic cacao, organic cashew butter, organic coconut sugar, organic lucuma, organic yacon syrup, organic cocoa butter, Himalayan salt, organic maca and organic vanilla bean.

Allergen-related information: Contains almonds and cashews. Made in a factory processing other tree nuts. May contain pit or shell fragments.

Almond Butter Bars

The aroma of this small bar coffee toffee, followed by almond molasses brittle, sweet and slightly savory notes

The rich, ultra-dark (81% cacao) chocolate flavor had very faint earth, balanced light bitter and tart green (lemony herbs like sorrel, sour grass/oxalis) notes. The nutty notes (in the form of smooth substantial almond butter filling) showed up a few chews later.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic stone ground almond butter, organic coconut sugar, organic cacao butter, organic vanilla bean and Himalayan salt.

Allergen-related information: "Contains almonds. Made in a factory processing other tree nuts." (organic, vegan)