ChocolateBet: February 29, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
MarieBelle (New York)
1 Buckwheat and 1 Caipirinha
Very Good - Buckwheat: what taste like little pieces of buckwheat kernels help give it some nice texture and flavor; nice combination.
Very Good + - Yum - Caipirinha - taste like a very nice light citrus drink you might enjoy at a tropical vacation spot.
Wt. ~ .8 oz.?
Calories: 145?
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: Red Envelope/MarieBelle (New York)

Very nice 25-piece assortment box/gift - shared with folks at work. (Thank you Susan!) Nice artwork on each piece and accompanying sheet that described what flavor each chocolate was.

ChocolateBet: February 28, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces (1 serving)
B. T. McElrath Chocolatier
B.T.'s Ginger Toffee
Very Good
Wt.: 42 grams in 1 (4-pc) serving; 4.0 oz.
Calories: ~210 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ 10.99 for a 4 oz. bag (pricey if you only want a single serving)
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

These chocolate covered buttercrunch toffee squares were very good, but the ginger flavoring seemed to be a bit uneven - undetectable in first bite or two, then registering only as a hot taste. It was only in the last piece or two that I could finally taste a "ginger" taste that helped balance out the hot sensation.

ChocolateBet: February 27, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Theo Chocolate - 3400 Phinney bar series
NiB Brittle - Dark Chocolate (65% Cacao)
Good+ - Very Good
Wt: 2 oz. (57 grams)
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ 3.99
Purchased from: Andronico's Market in Palo Alto, CA

This NiB Brittle bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) was almost too sweet, but not quite as much as other two Theo 3400 Phinney bars/flavors I tried earlier this week. (The other two were milk chocolate bars with coconut curry and chai.)

Overall the quality of chocolate was quite good, but the taste throughout the bar was slightly uneven. For example, there was an almost burnt nib taste in one bite, but not in other parts of the same bar.

ChocolateBet: February 26, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Theo Chocolate - 3400 Phinney
Chai Tea
Milk Chocolate 40% Cacao
Good+ - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.)
Calories: 300 calories in one bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

This milk chocolate (40% cacao) Chai Tea bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) was Organic and Fair Trade Certified. It was a bit on the sweet side for me, but still quite good.

ChocolateBet: February 25, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 bar
Theo Chocolate - 3400 Phinney
Coconut Curry - Milk Chocolate
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.)
Calories: 310 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: Andronico's Market, in Palo Alto, CA

This milk chocolate (40% cacao) Coconut Curry bar from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA) was good, albeit a bit sweet for my taste. Perhaps the chocolate-maker felt it needed to be this sweet to balance out the spices. Regardless, this quibble didn't stop me from eating a whole bar. This bar was also Organic and Fair Trade Certified.

The exotic-looking and colorful paintings/artwork adorning the 3400 Phinney* bar series wrappers were fun.

*3400 Phinney is the street address for Theo Chocolate, in Seattle, WA

Chocolate in the News 2/25/2008

SF Gate (San Francisco, CA)
Parapsychology researcher looks at effects of chocolate being blessed by monks
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/02/25/findrelig.DTL

ChocolateBet: February 24, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 cookies
Edna's
(Gluten and Casein Free)
Peanut Butter (chocolate chip) cookies
Very Good for gluten-free cookies; a little bit dry and crumbly, but not bad.
Weight: 4.5 oz. (estimate) for 2 cookies
Calories: 400 for 2 cookies
Cost: $7.99 (for total container of 6 cookies)
Purchased from: Andronico's market, in Palo Alto, CA

I ate these cookies while trying to cram in the last bit of Academy-nominated-movie-watching before the Academy Awards ceremony this evening. I watched "American Gangster" this afternoon, a movie that just became available on DVD a few days ago. I am sure there must be chocolate at an Oscar party, or two, somewhere this evening.

Below are a few are some examples...

1.) Oscar (sculpted) cake from Patisserie Parmentier (from previous year)
http://www.jpdesserts.com/details_Oscar.html

2.) Globeandmail.com story about Oscars 2008 (Nominated Animators and chocolate foscas)
"Animators relish comaraderie, chocolate" - Feb. 24, 2008
Story by Pamela Chelin (dateline Los Angeles, CA)
(Animators attend the 18th annual Chocolate Fosca party in honor of the Oscar nominees for Best Animated Short Film.)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080224.woscarchoco0224/BNStory/oscars2008/home

3.) And for those looking for chocolate party favors...
6 1/2 inch Solid Chocolate Oscar statues from The Obsession Box Company (Campbell, CA)
http://www.theobsessionboxco.com/6sochstor10o.html

4.) Associated Press Story - "Hollywood Abuzz with Oscar Preparations" - Feb 24, 2008
(Oscar Bleacher Bling - bags include chocolate granola bars, donuts, and more)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHgKVsVOR2R9gCNQE60yIRsOIf1gD8V0VTV01

ChocolateBet: February 23, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 serving
Red Lotus
Chocolate Tartufo
Weight: ~2.5 fl oz. serving
Calories: 250 calories (estimate)
Cost: ~ $4.00? for total dessert
Purchased from: The Red Lotus (restaurant) in Portola Valley, CA

Split this Chocolate Tartufo frozen chocolate dessert with a friend.

I liked this Asian restaurant's logo, and some of their "fusion" cuisine items. I hope the place will be successful.