ChocolateBet: December 30, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
6 pieces
Teuscher
Ginger (dark chocolate covered)
Very Good
Wt.: ~.8 oz.
Calories: ~108 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: Teuscher store, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: December 29, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Teuscher
Orange Slice (Milk Chocolate Covered)
Good +; nice orange flavor
Wt.: ~ .6 oz.
Calories: ~ 87 calories (estim.)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: Teuscher store, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: December 28, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

4 pieces
R.M. Palmer
Double Crisp Santas 'n Snowmen
Good
Weight: .66 oz./ 2 oz. (56 grams) in total pkg.
Calories: 97 calories (estimate) in 4 pieces
Cost: $ 0.50 for 2 oz. package (12 pieces)
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

ChocolateBet: December 27, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:
7 squares
Seeds of Change
Santa Catarina (dark chocolate with mango, toasted coconut, and cashews) 61% cacao; organic
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: 70 grams/3.53 oz. (100.1 grams) total bar
Calories: ~ 403 calories in 7 squares (70 grams)
Cost: $0 (gift/share)
Purchased from: N/A

Thanks Alec for sharing this bar.

ChocolateBet: December 26, 2008

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

1.) 1 item/snowman
Russell Stover
Chocolate Marshmallow Snowman
Good; a bit too sweet for me, but it might be nice dunked in some hot chocolate
Weight: 7/8 oz. (25 grams)
Calories: 100 calories for one snowman
Cost: $0.41
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

2.) 1 piece of Cheescake Factory flourless Peppermint (Chocolate) Cheesecake
topped with whipped cream and bits of peppermint candy - not counting this on my spreadsheet, but I will come back and try the other flourless varieties in the future.

Another two-fisted chocolate day this holiday week. I'm going to have to work hard at the gym this weekend - meaning more than my usual 15-minute workout.

ChocolateBet: December 25, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

parts of a homemade chocolate sports car
(Dagoba dark bar melted and used in chocolate sports car mold)
Very Good - Very Good +
Wt.: ~ .6 oz. (for cockpit and spoiler parts of small sports car)
Calories: 85 calories (estimate)
Cost: $0 (gift)
Purchased from: N/A

Thank you to Alec who became a chocolatier this last week and made some fun molded chocolate cars for the holidays using this 59% cacao Dagoba organic dark chocolate bar. (He visited a chocolate/candy supply store in Milpitas, CA and bought supplies, including bar and sports car molds, and experimented with various bars and molds until (bubble free)* cars were ready to roll off the assembly line to be displayed, and quickly eaten.)

*When making chocolate, trays and/or molds are often shaken or agitated to allow trapped air bubbles in melted chocolate to rise to the surface or dissipate. If making chocolate on a small scale, one can also prick visible bubbles with a toothpick.

ChocolateBet: December 24, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 nutcracker bar
Snickers (Mars)
Nutcracker
Good + - Very Good
Wt.: 1.0 oz. (28.4 grams)
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in one Nutcracker
Cost: $0.59
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

It is glorious to have a day off to relax. Today, I had a massage at Embody in Mountain View, CA. They were giving out small Monbana (70% cacao) squares. A nice touch. So, once again this week, it's a two-chocolate day. All this chocolate abundance helps me keep the bad media reports about the collapsing economy at a distance. Can you say chocolate-fueled denial? Happy holidays all.