ChocolateBet: October 12, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bon bon/piece
South 'n France
Cafe Au Lait
Very Good
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. (estim.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0
Purchased from: South 'n France, in Wilmington, NC

Several years before Hurricane Katrina, I remember drinking a cafe au lait and eating a beignet (think doughnut + croissant), with my friend, Ginger, at the Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. South 'n France's Cafe Au Lait flavor, brought back this fond memory; and while a bit sweet for my taste now, it is very good. Also, this bon bon is gluten-free.

ChocolateBet: October 11, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bon bon/piece
South 'n France
Fudge Brownie
Very Good +
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. (estim.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0
Purchased from: South 'n France, in Wilmington, North Carolina

Thank you again to South 'n France for allowing me to sample such a fine collection of bon bons. I am happily working my way through all seven flavors. Today's choice was the Fudge Brownie, which was in equal parts: brownie and chocolate bon bon. A very nice mix. This particular flavor is probably not entirely gluten-free (although others are), but I am making a small exception this week. As mentioned yesterday, I like the little inserts that help you tell one flavor from the next (see image above). In this case the color of the foil wrappers is coordinated to match the different bon bon flavors.

Chocolate Bet: October 10, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
2 bon bons/pieces
South 'n France
"Peanut Buttah"
Very Good + - these are very nice, hearty bon bons
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. x 2 = 2 oz. total (estim.)
Calories: ~ 150 calories x 2 = 300 calories total (estim.)
Cost: $0
Purchased from: South 'n France, in Wilmington, North Carolina

South 'n France offers bon bons that combine the best of the South with French panache and technique, and more than a dash of fun. (www.southnfrance.com). Founders Charlene Dupray and Pascal Siegler met in Paris, and the later married. Their compay is based in North Carolina. I received a generous sample tin from South 'n France, with different flavors to try.

Today's choice was Peanut Buttah' (second from left in image above). This flavor was very good, and is, I was told, based on an old family recipe. Lots of interesting bits/flavors mixed in with the peanut butter filling. These bon bons are shipped cold, and while I had some reservations about eating chilled chocolates (as I can often taste more flavors at room temperature), these bon bons were excellent cold. I'm looking forward to trying another flavor tomorrow.

I really appreciate package inserts that list all the flavors in an assortment box/tin -- all the better to remember what you liked best, so you can re-order more later. And the card (image above) that South 'n France includes, showing the cut-away view of these bon bons, is even more helpful. (This certainly beats what my younger siblings used to do to find fillings they liked when we were young kids -- actions that resulted in occasionally finding chocolates with a small hole drilled in the bottom.)

These bon bons can be ordered from the South 'n France web site, and you can choose a customized assortment of flavors.

Note to those who watch their wheat/gluten intake: about half these flavors are also gluten-free, which is nice.

ChocolateBet: October 9, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
ethel's chocolate (Mars)
"Sweet Rose"
Very Good + - this has a nice authentic rose flavor (& the amount of flavoring was just about right for me - not too weak, not too strong)
Wt.: ~ .5 oz. piece
Calories: ~ 75 calories
Cost: $0 - free sample in store
Purchased from: ethel's chocolate lounge/store in the C concourse of the Las Vegas Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, NV

This rose-flavored chocolate is part of ethel's relatively new tea-flavored chocolate series; I look forward to trying more from this collection in the future. The ethel's brand was created by Forrest Mars, and ethel's chocolates lounges/stores can be found in Las Vegas and Chicago.
www.ethelschocolate.com

ChocolateBet: October 8, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 oz.; 1/2 bar
E. Guittard
"Quetzalcoatl" (72% cacao - bar)
Very Good - tasted fairly light and sweet for such a dark bar
Wt.: 1 oz. (28.3 grams)/ 2 oz. (56.7 grams) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99
Purchased from: Z. Cioccolato, in North Beach area of San Francisco, CA

This bar warmed up a bit sitting in the sun before I ate it. At some point, I'll have to do a side-by-side taste test where I eat different pieces of the same chocolate, at different temperatures.

In the past, I've noticed that other dark chocolates can have a hard waxy taste; and sometimes they benefit from a few minutes in the sun...But, you have to be careful you don't end up with fondue.

ChocolateBet: October 7, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 servings; 2 ounces
Living Intentions
Gone Nuts! - Raw Cacao Almonds and Raisins
("Raw, not roasted; air-dried")
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56 grams)/4 oz. (113 grams) in total package
Calories: 206 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $? (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: Piazza's in Palo Alto, CA (need to double-check this)

Raw chocolate. It's getting better. These Gone Nuts! Raw Cacao Almonds and Raisins from Living Intentions (SF/Richmond, CA) kind of grew on me; they tasted better as I ate more of them. These were also vegan, gluten-free, with no GMOs or trans fats.

ChocolateBet: October 6, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

2 srvgs. (1 cup)
ConAgra Foods
Poppycock - Peanut Butter and Chocolate
Very Good
Wt.: 60 grams in 1 cup/ 8.5 oz. (240 grams) in total package
Calories: ~ 280 in 2 servings (1 cup)
Cost: $? (need to find receipt)
Purchased from: ? (need to find receipt)

Poppycock indeed. These peanut butter glazed popcorn clusters were drizzled with milk chocolate; and they were somewhat addictive the same way that so many other sweet and salty snacks are. The nutty flavor only increased the appeal.