Ticket Chocolate - Easter Egg Hot Chocolate Bomb - Mar. 7, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Ticket Chocolate
Easter Egg Hot Chocolate Bombs

Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (39.5 g.) / 2.8 oz. (79 g.) in total package of 2
Calories: 200 calories (estimate) in 1 serving (1 egg)
Cost: $12.99 for 1 package of 2 eggs
Purchased from: FarmFresh, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Outdoors Theme Week, featuring granolas, trail mixes, tree-shaped chocolates and other outdoor-loving treats. 

Today's Easter Egg Hot Chocolate Bombs were from Ticket Chocolate (Loomis, CA). This egg came nestled in some shiny green "grass"--a great tie-in with the greener-than-green (pre-Easter/Spring) grassy hills right now in northern California.

These were pretty (Belgian) chocolate eggs, decorated with very thin stripes of white chocolate and colored dot sprinkles. 

Aroma notes included: rich hot chocolate (cocoa), marshmallow and vanilla.

When put into a cup of hot water (and gently stirred), this egg "bomb" magically transformed into a cup of hot chocolate--with (voila!) a marshmallow floating on top--in seconds. (The marshmallow was inside the egg. And, when the outer chocolate egg shell melted, the generously-sized marshmallow bobbed up to the top.) 

The texture was smooth and creamy, and the marshmallow was fresh, soft, sweet and light.

Flavor notes included: pleasing, rich, smooth and creamy hot chocolate with marshmallow, and subtle warm vanilla.

I loved the Easter egg/spring holiday themed transformational (egg to hot chocolate) aspect. It was a well-executed, clever concept; and an attractive, sweet, creamy, cocoa winter warmer. (If you want to skip the artificial colors, you can scrape off the festive round candy confetti, before blending the chocolate egg with hot water.)

Ingredients: Milk & white couverture chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor), Vanilla marshmallow (cane sugar, invert sugar, water, brown rice syrup, gelatin, powdered sugar, rice starch and/or tapioca starch, natural vanilla flavor, vanilla extract, marshmallow flavor, salt, vanilla beans), Confetti sprinkles (sugar, rice flour, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn starch, cellulose gum, carrageenan, soy lecithin, titanium dioxide, yellow 5, red 3, yellow 6, artificial flavor, blue 1), cocoa mix powder (sugar, whey, nonfat dry milk, cocoa powder [Dutch process], creamer [coconut oil, corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate], natural flavors, guar gum, salt). 

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, coconut (and soy). "Crafted in facilities that also process wheat, peanuts, tree nuts and sesame."

Thousand Oaks Acorn Co. - The Acorn Bar (Coffee, Chocolate, Cinnamon) - Mar. 6, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Thousand Oaks Acorn Co.
The Acorn Bar - Gluten Free - Coffee, Chocolate, Cinnamon
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.75 oz. (49.6 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar (part of a $30 pack of 6 bars)
Purchased from: Thousand Oaks Acorn Co., online order

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

Today's Gluten Free Coffee, Chocolate and Cinnamon Acorn Bar was from Thousand Oaks Acorn Co. (Thousand Oaks, CA).

Where I live (California), we're surrounded by several varieties of oak trees; however, we rarely get the opportunity to try an edible acorn product, much less one with chocolate.

Aroma notes included: coffee cookie, chocolate/mocha, oat cookie/cereal, and very faint coconut, spice and dried fruit.

Texture: All the ingredients were fully incorporated/blended; and the bar had a hearty, chewy texture, with a very slightly stone-ground meal/seed mouthfeel (pea protein, flaxseed meal, acorn flour). It hung together well and was not crumbly. 

Flavor notes included: an attractive, aromatic blend of mocha (coffee + chocolate brownie bar), along with several "back seat" flavors: brown sugar and oats; warm spice (ginger); coconut; and faint dried fruit (apricot).

I enjoyed: 1.) the rich aroma and flavors; 2.) trying a bar with acorn meal (thank you!); 3.) the fact that this was brown sugar sweetened, but wasn't overly sweet or gooey; 4.) that it was substantial and filling--making it great as a fuel for outdoor treks. I will be taking these on future hikes.

Ingredients: Oats, Brown Sugar, Vegan Butter Oil Blend (Palm Fruit, Canola, Flax and Olive), Water, < 2% Salt, Natural Flavor, Pea Protein, Sunflower Lecithin, Lactic Acid (To Protect Freshness), Annatto Extract (Color), Water, Flaxseed Meal, Acorn Flour, Organic Ginger Chips, Coconut Flakes, Apricots.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Acorn." "Made in a Facility on Shared Equipment That Also Processes Soy, Peanuts, and Other Tree Nuts, and Fish (Marine Collagens).

*

 

Maya Chocolates - S'mores 65% Dark Chocolate Marshmallow and GF Graham Cracker (bar) - Mar. 5, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Maya Chocolates
S'mores - 65% Dark Chocolate Marshmallow and GF Graham Cracker (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62.4 g.) in total bar
Calories: 341 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $4.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Outdoors Theme. It's still too cold for a campfire to make old fashioned (original version) of s'mores; fortunately, this chocolate bar rendition of this childhood/camping favorite was on hand.

Today's S'mores Chocolate (bar) was from Maya Chocolates (Pinole, CA).

Aroma notes included: sweet dark chocolate, faint vanilla icing, and very faint nut/seed cookie.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate that broke with a snap, topped with soft, fluffy marshmallows, crunchy roasted almonds and light crumbly-crunchy graham cracker pieces.

Flavor notes included: authentic, rich and sweet dark chocolate--accented with vanilla, marshmallow and graham cracker flavors and textures.

This was a fun and slightly addicting bar. I appreciated the dark chocolate; and I found myself eating more to get to the marshmallows and larger sections of (gluten free) graham cracker--chasing childhood memories all the way. The sprinkling of roasted almond pieces were a nice addition, and complemented/balanced (the sweetness of) the classic s'mores flavor trio. 

Ingredients: Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Butter (Milk), Soy Lecithin, Marshmallow, Ghram (sic) Cracker, Roasted Almonds

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of milk and other tree nuts."

Bearclaw Kitchen - Mt. Rosemary Trail Mix - Mar. 4, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Bearclaw Kitchen 
Mt. Rosemary Trail Mix 
Good ++ 
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in total package
Calories: 310 calories in 1 package 
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: FarmFresh, online order

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

Today's Mt. Rosemary Trail Mix was from Bearclaw Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA). 

The company was founded by a "pastry chef with a big appetite" who urges us to "Please Devour and Claw On."

Aroma notes for this trail mix included: herb (rosemary); spice (ginger); seeds and nuts; diffuse (dried) fruit; and very faint chocolate.

This rich textural blend included crunchy, softly crunchy, chewy (coconut, dried fruit) and smooth (chocolate chips) elements.

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes (rosemary, ginger, seeds, nuts), but with more pronounced coconut, nut and dark chocolate.

I liked the aromatic and flavorful rosemary glazed cashews, and ginger. These flavors harmonized well and elevated this trail mix.

Ingredients: Pumpkin Seeds, Rosemary-Candied Cashews (Cashews, Sugar, Rosemary), Salted Almonds (Almonds, Salt), Dried Cranberries (Cranberries, Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Chocolate Chips (Cacao Beans, Sugar, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Crystallized Ginger (Ginger, Sugar), Coconut Flakes, Grapeseed Oil. 

Allergen-related information: "Contains Tree Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Coconut). Baked In A Facility That Handles Milk, Eggs, Soy, Wheat & Peanuts."

Grandy Organics - Dark Chocolate Coconola Grain-Free Granola - Mar. 3, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Grandy Organics
Dark Chocolate Coconola Grain-Free Granola
Good ++ 
Weight: 1/4 cup (30 g.) / 9 oz. (255 g.) in total package
Calories: 160 calories in 1/4 cup (1 serving)
Cost: $10.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Outdoors Theme Week, featuring granolas, trail mixes, tree-shaped chocolates, and other treats enjoyed outside. 

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Coconola Grain-Free Granola was made by Grandy Organics (Hiram, ME) and was part of a day full of alternating rain and sun 

Aroma notes for this granola included: coconut, sweet green, subtle seeds and nuts, and chocolate.

This granola had a pleasing, satisfying crunchy, baked texture. Crunchy coconut clusters were balanced by the seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and sesame) and nuts (pecans, cashews); enriched by smooth dark chocolate chips/pieces; and seasoned with maple syrup. 

I liked the texture (crunchy, without being too hard); the addition of the sesame seeds to the seed and nut blend; the fact that it was Organic and grain-free; the dark chocolate; and that it was sweetened with sugars that were relatively lower on the glycemic* index (and more flavorful).

Ingredients: Organic Unsweetened Coconut*, Organic Coconut Nectar, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Dark Chocolate* (Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Liquor, Organic Cocoa Butter), Organic Sesame Seeds, Organic Pecans, Organic Cashews*, and Organic Maple Syrup. (* = Fair Trade Certified (tm) by Fair Trade USA (R); 33.9% Fair Trade Ingredients.)

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Coconut, sesame, pecans, and cashews." "Allergen Advisory: Created in a bakery that uses peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and sesame."

*The Glycemic Index Scale (0 to 100) measures how much a food raises blood sugar. (Pure glucose is at the top of this scale with a score of 100. Sucrose (sugar) is scored at approximately 68.) Pure honey: 58. Coconut sugar: 50 - 54. Maple syrup: 54.

Nu-Trail - Cacao Nut Granola - Mar. 2, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Nu-Trail 
Cacao Nut Granola
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 160 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $10.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Outdoors Theme Week -- including granolas, trail mixes, tree-shaped chocolates, and an outdoor spring egg hot cocoa experience.

Today's (gluten-free and keto certified) Nu-Trail Cacao Nut Granola was manufactured for Snacks Generation Inc. (Miami, FL).

Aroma notes for this "no sugar added" granola included: sweet coconut, cacao and very faint (barely detectable) sweet green, botanical extracts, nuts and seeds.

Flavor notes for this crunchy granola included: coconut, nut, cacao/chocolate, seed, and nut.

Ingredients: Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut, Erythritol, Pecans, Almonds, Butter (Pasteurized Cream, Natural Flavor), Unsweetened Chocolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Salt, Natural Flavors, Monkfruit Extract

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Milk, Tree Nuts (Almond, Coconut, Pecan)." "Processed in a Facility That Also Processes Dairy, Wheat, Tree Nuts, Sesame, and Soy."

The Granola Guru - Cacao Almond Butter - Mar. 1, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

The Granola Guru
Cacao Almond Butter 
Good ++
Weight: 1/4 cup (28 g.) / 10 oz. (283 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Outdoors Week--a week that includes granolas, trail mixes, tree-shaped chocolates, and an outdoor mug of spring egg hot chocolate. 

Growing up and spending a lot of time outdoors, we often made their own granolas--inspired by Muesli-style oat cereals from Europe--and trail mixes.

Today's Cacao Almond Butter granola from The Granola Guru (Oakland, CA) was made with gluten-free oats. Company founder, Ayana K., has created a "dairy free, vegan-friendly...nourishing superfood snack...with no refined sugars."

Rich aroma notes for this outdoor-friendly granola included: authentic cacao; maple and brown/unrefined sugars; grains, oats, and faint malt; and nuts (almonds).

The ebony-hued granola was full of rich, authentic cacao and nut (almond) flavors. And the use of quality ingredients, oils and sweeteners created a better tasting experience. This was a dark chocolate lovers granola!

Ingredients: "Gluten Free Oats, Almonds, Maple Syrup, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Olive Oil, Almond Butter, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Coconut, Organic Cacao Nibs, Water, Organic Flaxseed Meal, Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, Vanilla Bean"

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Almond, Coconut. Manufactured in a facility that also processes: tree nuts, wheat, soybeans, peanuts, and dairy."