ChocolateBet: October 1, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Shokolaat (restaurant, chocolatier, patisserie)
"Asylum" (dark chocolate, w/ fruit layer)
Very Good - very nice layered flavors
Wt.: ~.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 75 calories
Cost: $2.00 (estim.)
Purchased from: Shokolaat, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: September 30, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
Chukar Cherry Company
Dark Chocolate Cabernet Cherry (Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries)
Very Good +
Wt.: 43 grams/ 8 oz. (227 grams) in total package
Calories: 180 calories
Cost: $10.99 for total 8 oz. package
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolatos, in San Francisco, CA

Nice rich chocolate and cherry flavors

ChocolateBet: September 29, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 servings
Tuxedos Black Tie Brand, Promotion In Motion Inc.
Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds
Very Good
Wt.: ~2.857 oz. (80 grams)/ 5 oz. (142 grams) total package
Calories: 440 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $ 2.99
Purchased from: Paradies Shops, in the John Wayne Airport, in Santa Ana, California.

I couldn't find any chocolates that were specific or local to Southern California in this little airport shop; however, I found these milk chocolate-covered almonds to eat for dinner before flying back home.

ChocolateBet: September 28, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 piece/ball
Surfin' Ass Coffee/Keoki Chocolate Factory
Keoki's Big Island Donkey Balls, Half Ass ("20 Layers of Milk, 20 Layers of Dark")
Good + - Very Good
Weight: ~ .8 oz. / 8 ounces (227 grams) in total package of ~ 10 pieces
Calories: 120 calories (estimate)
Cost: $11.95 for total package/bag
Purchased from: Lava Java (Coffee Roasters), in Kehei, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii

This (1/2 milk and 1/2 dark) chocolate flavor was good, although I liked the all-dark chocolate flavor a bit better.

These Donkey Ball chocolates came in several flavors; I bought one package of almost every flavor I could see/find to try. So, two flavors down, about 4-5 more flavors left to try I think. Thanks again to Lava Java for shipping a box of these back home. My suitcase was already bulging at that point. But I didn't want to leave Hawaii without bringing some of these home. While I wasn't able to ask anyone at Surfin' Ass/Keoki's about how they came to create Donkey Balls, I get the feeling they had fun along the way.

The packaging contains the customer-flattering statement "Chocolate People Sure Are Smart!" OK, now I don't feel so foolish about buying chocolate donkey balls.

ChocolateBet: September 27, 2008

Chocolate of the Day
1 square/serving
Tahoe City Chocolates
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Square
Good+ - Very Good
Wt.: ~ 2.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 300 calories
Cost: $ ?
Purchased from: Tahoe City Chocolates, in Tahoe City, CA

This square/piece is good for someone who wants something a little more substantial than a small chocolate truffle. Tahoe City (the town) is located on the shores of Lake Tahoe, a large lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which attracts a lot of vacationers. The town sits about 6,200 feet above sea level. The Tahoe City Chocolates label (shown at right although hard to see) incorporates a pine tree and mountain design.

ChocolateBet: September 26, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Tahoe City Chocolates
Almond Raisin
Very Good
Wt.: ~ .5 oz.
Calories: ~ 75 calories
Cost: $ ?
Purchased from: Tahoe City Chocolates, in Tahoe City, CA

Fruit and nut chocolates are tough to make work. This one works.

ChocolateBet: September 25, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Tahoe City Chocolates
(Dark) Honeycomb
Very Good + - very nice taste and texture
Wt.: ~.5 oz.
Calories: ~ 70 cals.
Cost: $ ?
Purchased from: Tahoe City Chocolates, in Tahoe City, CA

Very nice honeycomb chocolate. Thank you again to Mike at Tahoe City Chocolates for making some good suggestions, and for letting me taste a few different chocolates before buying some. This is a nice old-fashioned chocolate, candy and ice cream shop, hidden in a small mall down toward the lake shore/boat marina.