Dick Taylor - Ginger Snap 55% Milk Chocolate Seasonal Release (bar) - Nov. 25, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Dick Taylor
Ginger Snap 55% Milk Chocolate Seasonal Release (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Holiday Spices Series.

Today's Ginger Snap 55% Milk Chocolate Seasonal Release (bar) was handcrafted by Dick-Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA).

Aroma notes for this bar included: flavorful milk chocolate, sugar cookie and warm spices.

Texture: creamy milk chocolate (made with organic A2/A2 whole milk powder) was blended with ginger snap cookies.

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes mentioned above only with a deeper luxurious dive into the creamy, flavorful dark milk chocolate that surrounded the ginger snap cookie bits.

Ingredients: Chocolate (organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic A2/A2 whole milk powder, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla bean) Ginger Snap Cookies (unbleached enriched all-purpose flour, butter (pasteurized sweet cream butter), molasses, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, allspice, white pepper, cayenne). (Cacao solids 55% minimum)

Allergen-related information: (Note: this bar was not gluten free.) Contains milk and wheat. "Made in a facility that also processes tree nuts and peanuts."

Nature's Heart - Churro Cacao Pecan Crunch - Nov. 24, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Nature's Heart

Churro Cacao Pecan Crunch

Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28.28 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package

Calories: 200 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $2.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate in the U.S. And, welcome to Day #7 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week, and Day #1 of a short Holiday Spice Series.

Today's Nature's Heart Churro Cacao Pecan Crunch was distributed by Terrafertil US, LLC (Torrance, CA). Nature's Heart was started by two brothers in Ecuador, and the company's offerings are inspired by South American flavors.

Aroma and flavor notes for this spiced pecan snack included: fruit (apple), warm spices (cinnamon), faint cacao/cocoa, and nut (pecan), and very light/faint (possibly implied) coconut milk vanilla spiced latte. 

The pumpkin seeds (pepitas), cacao nibs and toasted coconut adhered to the pecans added some soft crunch and textural interest to the blend.

These pecans were pleasant and complex, and not too sweet. Lighter on the chocolate side, they provided a great holiday spiced snack for Thanksgiving--a welcome treat and dessert plate item that was also less sweet and filling than pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and holiday spiced eggnog (rompope) and churro flavored items.

Ingredients: Pecans, Erythritol (natural sweetener), pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted coconut chips, roasted cacao nibs, inulin prebiotic fiber, ground flaxseeds, MCT oil, ground cinnamon, cassava powder, sea salt, rosemary extract, stevia extract (rebaudioside A), ground allspice.

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nuts (coconut, pecans). Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, egg and milk products.

Alter Eco - Organic Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Bombs - Nov. 23, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Alter Eco

Organic Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Bombs

Good ++

Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 3.8 oz. (108 g.) in total package

Calories: 240 calories in 3 pieces

Cost: $2.99 for 1 package 

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Bombs were made in Switzerland and distributed by Alter Eco Foods (San Francisco, CA). 

Aroma notes for these certified gluten free, individually-wrapped bombs included: smooth dark chocolate, very faint lemony green herb (oxalis, wood sorrel, sour grass), and nuts.

The outer chocolate shell was deep, dark and very lightly sweetened--allowing the relatively bold (for couverature) but nicely balanced dark flavor shine through. And the hazelnut butter filling was naturally nutty (not overly salty or sweet) and mild (a bit overshadowed by the dark chocolate).

These chocolates were as noteworthy for what they omitted as what they contained.

I loved the fact that these Hazelnut Butter "bombs" were not too sweet. (Thank you!) They contained a small amount of organic, raw cane sugar (6th ingredient listed). They did not contain sugar alcohols, low-calorie sweeteners or artificial sweeteners. 

At 2 net carbs per bomb/piece, these were labeled as Keto Friendly. A judicious amount of butter (organic butterfat) contributed to a feeling of fat-satisfaction (feeling full and satisfied), unlike many sweet and salty snacks that often trigger a desire for more.

Ingredients: *Organic cacao beans, *organic cacao butter, organic hazelnut butter, organic agave fiber, organic coconut oil, *organic raw cane sugar, organic butterfat, natural flavor, *organic vanilla beans.

*Fair for Life Fair Trade certified. Contains 61% Fair Trade ingredients."

Allergen-related information: "Contains hazelnuts, coconut, and milk. May contain almonds and soy. Individuals who are allergic to these should not consumer this product."

Canonica - Dark Chocolate with Nuts - Nov. 22, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Canonica Chocolate

Dark Chocolate with Nuts 

Good ++

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2.8 oz. (79.2 g.) in total package

Calories: 165 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) of slab/bar

Cost: $ (see receipt) or price unavailable

Purchased from: The Chocolate Market, Terminal 2, SFO (Airport), San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week. As so often is the case, interesting (international) chocolates are often found at large airports. Today's Swiss dark chocolate was found at a chocolate shop in the San Francisco's International Airport (SFO).

Today's Dark Chocolate slab with Nuts was made by Canonica SA (Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland). The company was founded in 1948 by Andre Canonica.

Aroma notes for this thick slab included: pleasing roasted nuts and smooth but flavorful dark chocolate with very faint, fleeting, tart (lemon) herb (oxalis, wood sorrel, sour grass).

The texture was hearty and pleasing with a generous helping of crunchy hazelnuts and pistachios.

The dark chocolate was high-quality and well balanced with the nut flavors, allowing the nuances of both to be identified and enjoyed (separately and, quite harmoniously, together).

Ingredients: (No ingredients label. Sold by the pound, individually wrapped, rectangular bar-shaped pieces.)

Allergen-related information: Contains nuts (hazelnuts, pistachios and possibly other nuts).

Ion S.A. - Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds (bar) - Nov. 21, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Ion S.A.
Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds (bar)
Good +
Weight: 9 squares / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 9 squares of bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Real Produce International Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds (bar) was made by Ion S.A. (Piraeus, Greece). 

Aroma notes for this milk chocolate bar included: sweet milk chocolate, nut, and very faint mineral (light clay).

Texture: smooth milk chocolate and crunchy pieces of almond. Flavor notes included: very sweet milk chocolate, and subtle flickers of nut.

This 31% milk chocolate bar was too sweet for me, but others with a sweet tooth may enjoy this chocolate. It was great to try two Ion chocolate bars from Greece this week.

Ingredients: Sugar, milk powder, almonds (17%), cocoa butter, cocoa mass, whey powder, lactose, emulsifier: soya lecithin, flavour: vanillin. Cocoa solids: 31% min. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of other nuts and wheat proteins."

Ion S.A. - Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts - Nov. 20, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Ion S.A.
Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts (bar)
Good +
Weight: 9 squares / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 9 small squares of bar
Cost: $1.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Real Produce International Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts (bar) was made by Ion S.A. (Piraeus, Greece).

Aroma notes for this milk chocolate bar included: sweet milk chocolate, nut, faint mineral (light clay), and very faint mint/menthol.

Texture: smooth milk chocolate with an extended (white chocolate) melt and crunchy large pieces of hazelnut.

Flavor notes included: sweet milk chocolate, very faint mineral (light clay), and hazelnut. 

The healthy dose of authentic hazelnuts were a highlight for me.

The milk chocolate was quite sweet (sugar was the number 1 ingredient); but it wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be. In part because the number two and three ingredients (milk, cocoa butter)-- as well as the nuts--helped balance the sugar. 

Ingredients: Sugar, milk powder, cocoa butter, hazelnuts (17%), cocoa mass, whey powder, lactose, emulsifier: soya lecithin, flavour: vanillin. Cocoa solids: 29.5% min. 

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of other nuts and wheat proteins."

Reel Chocolate - Handmade Fantasy Chocolate 70% with nuts, fruits (bar) - Nov. 19, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Reel Chocolate
Handmade Fantasy Chocolate
70% Belgian Dark Chocolate, Nuts, Freeze Dried Fruits (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4.06 oz. (115 g.) in total bar
Calories: 151.6 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift from a friend 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!)

Welcome to Day #2 of International Chocolate and Nuts Theme Week, featuring bars and blends of chocolate and nuts from around the world--including countries such as Greece, Slovenia and Serbia. Thank you to to traveling friend Toni, and local international markets.

Today's "Handmade Fantasy Chocolate" Wild Cabernet 70% dark chocolate with nuts and freeze-dried fruits (bar) from Reel Chocolate was made in Serbia.

This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap (at 65 degrees F. (18.3 C) room temperature); and the aroma notes included: smooth dark chocolate (dark fudge), and subtle, authentic nut and fruit(s). 

Flavors: smooth, rich dark chocolate, fruit (red/dark berries (blueberry), currants, faint dark dried cherry), and faint vanilla spice and nut. Very thin threads intermingled with fruits topping this bar added a very faint chili flavor.

Note: While I could smell nuts in the aroma, and the chocolate had a fruit + nut flavor, I couldn't detect what nuts might be present when I tasted the chocolate. I paired this with a handful of organic, California almonds. 

Suggested beverage (red wine) pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

Ingredients: liofilizovana nisnja; borovnica (blueberry), chili u vlaknima (chili in fibers/thin strands); cacao mass; sugar; cocoa powder (S.A. red, contains fat); emulsifier (soy lecithin); vanilla aroma. Contains at least 72% suvih kako-delova; at least 33% suvih namasnih kakao-delova. (Note: This is my attempted English translation of the ingredients list in Serbian. I apologize for any errors and omissions. The original ingredients list item names remain where translations were not available.)

Allergen-related information: Contains soy (lecithin).