Javier Confectionery - 5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 13, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Javier Confectionery
5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.4 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) in total bar
Calories: 232 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Berries are adding color and flavor to a rain-soaked January. Dark chocolate adds depth to bright sweet berries. And vanilla adds a warm baked-goods flavor. The blend of all three offers the perfect antidote for our unusually long stretch of gray, wet weather.

Today's 5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Javier Confectionery (Burlingame, CA). The company offers a range of bars and confections; and this Very Berry bar was part of the company's All Natural Dark Chocolate Bar Collection.

Aroma notes for this very berry dark bar included: cocoa, vanilla and very faint spice and barely detectable dried fruit.

This bar had a handsome look: rich ebony color off-set with burgundy and berry fruit gem tones. The relatively thick chocolate had a creamy melt and texture, interspersed with chewy dried fruits. 

Hearty but smooth dark chocolate flavor complemented the bright dried fruits: berries (goji, raspberry, blueberry), raisins and cherries. Flavors were well balanced; and this 63% cacao chocolate bar was not overly sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: 63% bittersweet chocolate (cacao beans, pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla beans), dried goji, raisins, raspberry, blueberry and cherries.

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also makes products containing milk, soy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat."

Patricia's Chocolate - Spartan Bar - Michigan Cherries, Pistachio Nuts - Jan.12, 2023

Chocolate of the Day 

Patricia's Chocolate 

"Spartan Bar" 58% Cacao + Michigan Cherry, Blueberry; Pistachio Nut; Fleur de Sel

Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) in total piece

Calories: 158 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $4.25 (estimate) for 1 piece

Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 58% cacao dark chocolate "Spartan Bar" with Michigan cherries and blueberries, pistachio nuts and Fleur de Sel (sea salt) was from Patricia's Chocolate (handmade in Grand Haven, MI). 

This Spartan Bar was one of three in a Michigan-shaped bar series (created in 2010) from this company--all in the shape of (lower, mitten-shaped) Michigan. This one was embellished with a small, hand-piped green heart candy (for the Michigan State University Spartans; green is their school color). 

The back of this chocolate was "embedded with Grand Traverse dried cherries and South Haven blueberries, pistachio nuts, and Fleur de Sel, from Brittany."

Aroma notes included: sweet dark chocolate, marshmallow and vanilla.

The texture was a blend of smooth (chocolate), chewy (cherries) and crunchy (nuts).

Flavors: smooth, almost creamy, sweet dark chocolate was interspersed with dried cherry, subtle blueberry, crunchy pistachio nuts, and tiny sparkles of sea salt. I enjoyed the mixture of flavors. The fleur de sel sea salt was a nice touch; it helped balance the sweetness.

The base chocolate had--from what I could pick out among the other flavors--upticks of vanilla and gentle earth, and very faint menthol notes.

This Michigan-shaped bar was a higher quality chocolate offering than most novelty chocolates. I also enjoyed the fact that the cherries in today's entry were linked to the origin/creation location. While California (where I live), Washington and Oregon are leaders in sweet cherry production, Michigan is the number one producer of tart cherries in the U.S.--and number four in sweet cherry production. Go Michigan and Patricia!

Ingredients: 58% Dark Non-GMO Couverture Chocolate (Certified Fair Trade cacao bean, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin and vanilla bean), Michigan cherries, Michigan dried blueberry, pistachio nut, fleur de sel sea salt.

Allergen-related information: (Contained pistachio nuts.) No other information listed on small label for this novelty chocolate piece shaped like the State of Michigan.

Ben & Jerry's - Cherry Garcia (Non-dairy, almond milk) frozen dessert - Jan. 11, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Ben and Jerry's 
Cherry Garcia (non-dairy, almond milk) frozen dessert
Good - Good +
Weight: 2/3 cup (140 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 230 calories in 2/3 cup serving
Cost: $6.49 (sale) for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week

Today's Cherry Garcia Non-dairy frozen dessert was from Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (Burlington, VT). 

This flavor variation on a dairy ice cream classic --and other recently announced non-dairy frozen dessert flavors--reflect an increased demand for non-dairy (and vegan) offerings. 

Aroma notes for this almond milk based frozen dessert included: cherry, vanilla, almond and subtle dark chocolate.

The melt and mouthfeel was a blend of smooth and creamy with pieces of cherry fruit and both soft, small (thin) fudge flakes and (larger) "crunchy" dark chocolate fudge pieces.

The flavor was similar to the original Cherry Garcia Ice Cream. The fudge flakes that yielded sweet, dark chocolate flavor, and the texture and flavor of the cherries were similar. The touch of vanilla was also there. 

The differences between this non-dairy frozen dessert and the original: it did not have the dairy cream flavor and texture (although it was close), and had a fairly distinct, sweet almond flavor. 

It seemed sweeter (or at least slightly sweeter than expected). (Sugar(s) featured prominently in the ingredients. See below.)

Ingredients: Almond milk (almonds, water), liquid sugar (sugar, water), cherries, sugar, coconut oil, corn syrup, cocoa processed with alkali, pea protein, sunflower lecithin, fruit and vegetable concentrates (color), guar gum, natural flavor (coconut), lemon juice concentrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vanilla extract, locust bean gum, citric acid, water. 

Allergen-related information: Contains almond, coconut, and soy.

*Today's non-dairy frozen dessert was a(n almond milk) frozen dessert variation on a classic Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor (Cherry Garcia ice cream). The original Cherry Garcia ice cream was first unveiled in the U.S. on February 15, 1987. And, as I write this in Jan. 2023, it is still described as a long-time, best selling flavor on the company's website.

Ben and Jerry's is a Unilever brand, acquired in 2000.

Chocolates of the World - Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 10, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Cost Plus - Chocolates of the World
(Manufactured for Cost Plus by Astor Chocolate Corp.)
Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories in 1/2 bar (150 cals. for 1/3 bar or 1 oz.)
Cost: $2.54 (after 15% discount) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market (store), Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherries Week.

Today's Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar) was made for Cost Plus Inc. by Astor Chocolate Corp. (Lakewood, NJ).

Aroma notes for this bar included: sweet, lightly fruit-spiced, dark chocolate, and very, very faint wood (pulp), menthol, and cherry flavored cold syrup.

The flavor was less complicated than the aroma. The relatively smooth dark chocolate had the taste and mouthfeel of an upbeat, bubbly cherry soda, in chocolate form.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla flavor), freeze-dried tart cherries, citric acid, natural cherry flavor.

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

 

Woodside Chocolate Company - Dark chocolate with almonds, cherries - Jan. 9, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Woodside Chocolate Company
Dark chocolate with almonds, cherries (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g. ) (estimate) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) (estimate) in total bar
Calories: 273 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00+ (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Village Bakery, Woodside, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherries Week.

Today's dark chocolate with almonds and cherries (bar) was from Woodside Chocolate Company in California.

The aroma notes for this relatively thick bar included: dark chocolate (bittersweet, very faint smokey vanilla), toasted almonds and dried cherries.

I enjoyed this blend of balanced, complex and harmonious flavors: hearty dark chocolate, crunchy almonds, bursts of chewy, tart-sweet cherries, and tiny sparkles of salt.

Ingredients: (none listed on packaging) Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla flavor), freeze-dried tart cherries, citric acid, natural cherry flavor.

Allergen-related information: (none listed on packaging)

 

Liofilizovana Visnja - Sour Cherry in Dark Chocolate - Jan. 8, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Liofilizovana Visnja
Sour Cherry in Dark Chocolate
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total package
Calories: 161.4 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!) 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend who purchased in Europe

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherries Series.

Today's Lio Sour Cherry (dragees) in Dark Chocolate were produced by ART IVAL d.o.o. (Republic of Serbia).

The company describes these chocolate coated, freeze-dried sour cherries as being "packed with sweet and sour power." 

First, the aroma...These confections (before putting it into my mouth) had a relatively subtle chocolate (dark chocolate cookie, hot cocoa with faint vanilla) aroma.

Things got much more interesting upon taking the first bite. There were bursts of contrasting textures (smooth + an unexpected crunchiness) and flavors (smooth, sweet chocolate and tart-sweet and sour cherry). 

I experienced more of a hard crunch in some pieces than others when I bit into them. When I held a piece in my mouth (for 20+ seconds), the crunchy freeze-dried fruit mellowed into a more tender texture.

These sour cherry chocolates were authentic-tasting, nicely balanced and enjoyable to eat. (And yes, I did enjoy the "sweet and sour power.")

Ingredients: "dark chocolate min. 87% (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavouring. Cocoa solids: 56% min.), freeze-dried sour cherry min. 10%." 

Allergen-related complexity: "The product may contain traces of milk and nuts. No(t) recommended for children under the age of 3, due to the size of dragees."

* What are dragees? Generally, they are sweet, bite-sized confections (with nuts or fruits at the center) covered by a (sometimes crunchy candy, sometimes softer chocolate) shell.

The French word dragee may have come from Latin or Greek. The Greek word tragema referred to a dried fruit or sweetmeat (confection, sweet food).

Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Cherries (65% Belize dark chocolate) - Jan. 7, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate 
Chocolate Coated Cherries - 65% Belize dark chocolate
Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total container
Calories: 260 calories in 1 (2 oz./57 g.) serving 
Cost: $16.00 for 1 container
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Belize Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cherry Week.

Today's Chocolate Coated Cherries from Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate (Eureka, CA) were a delicious intersection of these two themes.

It's a cold, rainy winter outside; but it's bright and fruity inside. Last week's New Year's lineup featured the almost magical fruit flavors/notes in six different single origin Belize dark chocolate bars. This week: a Chocolate and Cherry Series, will be followed by a Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla week. Winter seems less drab and gray with bright fruits, warm spices and chocolate.

Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Cherries

Aroma notes for these high-end chocolate coated cherries included rich dark cocoa, warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom) and very faint fruit and sweet cream/yogurt. 

Every mouthful was full of flavor. When I bit into a piece, there was a gentle crackling through the successive layers of thinly-deposited 65% Belize dark chocolate, into a chewy dried cherry fruit center. This chocolate had mild tart-sweet fruit notes. 

The tasting experience was both a reveal and a delightful ambush: that started with smooth and flavorful, layered dark chocolate followed by strong bursts of tart-sweet, organic cherry. 

Notes: Possibly addictive. I recommend not biting into these pieces right away. You'll get more of the chocolate experience that way. The authentic, concentrated cherry flavor tends to dominate once you bite into the center.

Maker's notes/description: "Organic dried tart cherries deliciously coated in layer upon layer of our award-winning 65% Belize dark chocolate. " 

Ingredients: Organic cherries, organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa powder, organic cocoa powder, organic sunflower oil (cherries).

Allergen-related information: (None visible on label. Check with Dick-Taylor if you have questions about these confections.) Note: the allergen-related language printed on the packaging of the last Dick-Taylor bar I sampled read: "Made in a facility that also processes milk, tree nuts, wheat and peanuts."