ChocolateBet: September 13, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Sahagun Chocolates
Figalicious - "Calmyrna fig, Marcona almond, chestnut honey,...cardomom, Venezuelan choc..."
Good + - Very Good (This was good, however the fig was a little stiff/chewy for me)
Wt.: ~ .5 oz.
Calories: 75 calories
Cost: $ (not sure)
Purchased from: Sahagun Chocolates/Chocolate Shop, in Portland, OR

I forgot I had a small box of a few chocolates from my Portland trip last month. It's nice to find forgotten chocolates - as long as too much time hasn't gone by.

ChocolateBet: September 12, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 cookies
Arrowhead Mills
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Very Good - especially when right out of the oven
Wt.: ~60 grams for 2 cookies; Total box (dry mix) = 12.9 oz. (365 g.)
Calories: 250 calories (estimate) for 2 cookies
Cost: $5.59 for 1 package/box
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

These were happy birthday cookies baked last night -- and eaten as today's chocolate, for breakfast this morning with some fruit. (Hey, I had to throw in the "some fruit" part to sound somewhat healthy, eh? It was a peach actually.)

ChocolateBet: September 11, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces
Hilo Hattie
Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nut Toffee
Very Good - nice blend of crunchy textures
Weight: 38 grams for 4 pieces; 8 oz. (226 g.) total container/can
Calories: 220 calories for 4 pieces
Cost: $ (need to check receipt)
Purchased from: Hilo Hattie store, in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

There are several Hilo Hattie stores throughout Hawaii. We stopped by the Hilo Hattie store in Lahaina, on the island of Maui, to pick up some gifts to take back home to friends and family. In fact, the large Hilo Hattie's plastic shopping bag served as an excellent carry-on bag, for all the gift and chocolate items I picked up in Hawaii, during the journey home. (Of course the large bag also branded us as tourists - and fair game for other vendors in town trying to sell stuff. No doubt, we were visible as tourists from outer space.)

This Lahaina Hilo Hattie store also has a Maui Divers Jewelry pearl counter, where you can select a (real) oyster from a bucket and end up with your very own pearl. I was hoping for "chocolate" colored pearl(s). I selected a nice ugly (ugly is better they say) oyster, which they pried open for me. It contained two very nice matching, large white pearls. (There is no guarantee what color pearl you'll get.) I later bought a pair of chocolate pearls, at another Maui Divers location (at the Maui airport) which they drilled and made into earrings for me. My chocolate bet gets me into trouble...again.

Today marks the end of year #2 of the chocolate bet! I've been eating a different kind of chocolate each day for two years now. It looks like there are enough chocolate brands/items to keep eating chocolates for at least one more year. My new goal is to eat different chocolates for at least 1,000 days in a row. Only ~ 270 more days to go to hit this milestone (on or about ~ June 9, 2009).

ChocolateBet: September 10, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Kauai Chocolate Company, LLC
Pina Colada - pineapple shaped dark chocolate
Very Good
Wt.: ~.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 75 calories
Cost: $ (need to check receipt)
Purchased from: Kauai Chocolate Company LLC, in Ele'ele, Kauai, Hawaii

ChocolateBet: September 9, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Kauai Chocolate Company LLC
Dark Brick (layers - chocolate, macadamia toffee, other)
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: ~ 1 oz.
Calories: ~ 150 calories
Cost: $ (need to check receipt)
Purchased from: Kauai Chocolate Company, LLC, in Ele'ele, Kauai, Hawaii

I discovered the Kauai Chocolate Company, as it was in the same building as the Kauai sea tour outfit where we were booking a trip to Na Pali coast. (Ele'ele is between Poipu and Hanapepe on the South side of Kauai.) Also in the same building is a Hawaiian shave ice place, and a few gift shops.

Random observation: We were surprised to see the large number of wild chickens and roosters in Kauai - although I did note that there weren't any around this building or the marina/dock area in Ele' ele - that I could see at least. I didn't see any chicken or rooster-shaped chocolates; maybe this is an opportunity for a local chocolatier. However, I did see t-shirts, shot glasses and other items with chickens or rooster images printed on them. I even saw a bin of small stuffed chickens/roosters with little tiny faux leis around their necks at the airport, adjacent to the chocolate display.

ChocolateBet: September 8, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 scoop (in a cup)
Lappert's (ice cream)
Coconut Macadamia Nut Fudge ice cream
Very Good
Wt.: ~ 4 fluid ounces (oz.) in 1 scoop
Calories: ~260 calories (estim.)
Cost: $3.65
Purchased from: Lappert's (the original location in Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii)

It was fun to visit the original Lappert's roadside-stand location. I even bought a Lappert's t-shirt. If you find yourself in Hawaii (there is no Lappert's back on the mainland), I recommend trying their "Kauai Pie" ice cream (coffee ice cream base, macadamia nuts, cake/pie flakes, and maybe some chocolate - I can't remember). It is a popular local flavor. (However, for readers who want to avoid gluten or wheat, note the cake flakes probably have some flour in them.)

ChocolateBet: September 7, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
Surfin' Ass Coffee/Keoki's Big Island
Dark Chocolate Donkey Balls
Very Good+
Weight: ~1.32 oz. for 2 pieces /4 oz. (114 grams) total package
Calories: 200 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $5.95 total package
Purchased from: Lava Java*, in Kihei, Maui; Hawaii

We discovered these Donkey Balls after seeing a banner hanging outside Lava Java*, while vacationing on the island of Maui (Hawaii). These chocolates came in many different flavors, some with humorous names. Most were large (almost jawbreaker sized orbs) with a macadamia nut in the middle; some had a coffee bean in the middle.

The dark chocolate coating was rich, smooth and delicious; but it was a bit difficult to bite into. Better to be patient; but you could also (carefully) cut one in half with a knife I suppose.

*In the true spirit of Hawaiian entrepreneurship, Lava Java was selling coffee, chocolates, cigars -- and also Internet access. Thank you to Dan who helped ship an order of various flavors of Donkey Balls back to California.