ChocolateBet: May 7, 2009

Chocolate(s) of the Day:
13 pieces
Holl's Chocolates
(for images, see: http://www.holls.com/flavor_guide.asp)
1.) Mint Julep Truffles (3) - Very Good + - Yum
2.) Strawberry Truffles (2) - Very Good + - Yum
3.) Triple Sec Truffles (3) - Very Good - Very Good +
4.) Irish Cream Truffles (shamrock-shaped) (2) - Very Good
5.) Kahlua Caramel (1) - Very Good +
6.) Milk Chocolate Raspberry Truffles (heart-shaped) (2) - Very Good +
Weight: 6.5 oz. (184 g.)/8 oz. (226.4 g.) in total 16-piece box
Calories: ~ 975 calories in 13 pcs.
Cost: $15.00 for total 16-pc assortment box (+ shipping)
Purchased from: Holl's Chocolates, in Vienna, West Virginia

I do not recommend eating 13 pieces of chocolate at one sitting, in lieu of breakfast and lunch; however, these chocolates (from West Virginia) were very tasty. I enjoyed all six flavors in this custom-assortment box very much. I look forward to trying other Holl's chocolates in the future.

ChocolateBet: May 6, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
2 bars
zotter Schokoladen Manufaktur, GmbH (Austria)
Labooko series - 2 bars packaged together (Organic, Fair Trade)
1.) Goat's Milk (50% cacao) - Good + - Very Good
2.) Cheeky Goat (60% cacao) w/ mint - Very Good
Weight: 2.47 oz. ttl (35 g + 35 g = 70 g) ttl for 2 bars pkgd together
Calories: ~ 371 calories in both bars (estimate)
Cost: $
Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery Coop., in San Francisco, CA

I like the carefully crafted and clever packaging for this double-bar offering, and the imprinting on the bars themselves. A note to those who may have concerns about goat milk flavor...I could barely taste the goat milk used in the first bar (Goat's Milk). And I detected not a hint of goat in the second (Cheeky Goat) bar -- that was a bit darker with a touch of mint.

ChocolateBet: May 5, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 squares
Maramor Chocolates
Dark Chocolate Squares with Omega-3 (70% Cocoa)
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .7 oz. (19 grams) in total package of 2 individually-wrapped squares
Calories: ~ 100 calories
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Fish oils are good for you, and I can rest easy knowing I just ate some, without having to actually taste them. The dark chocolate in these squares concealed any hint of anchovies, sardines or tilapia that may have contributed to this healthy treat.

ChocolateBet: May 4, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece, 1/2 bar
Nestle
Butterfinger BUZZ bar (Limited Edition)
Good +
Weight:
Calories:
Cost:
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

This bar (with caffeine added) looked like the right choice for a Monday morning lift. I'm sensitive to caffeine, so I only had half of this large, limited edition candy bar. (Theobromine, the close relative to caffeine found in cacao/chocolate, does not bother me.) It was a productive Monday today; however, to avoid a possible caffeine-withdrawal headache later, I'll ingest a tinier dose of caffeine tomorrow. One benefit of eating chocolate every day: no danger of getting a chocolate-withdrawal headache.

The Butterfinger BUZZ looks like it was tailor-made for busy folks with big appetites working in front of their computer systems and/or gaming systems, sipping an occasional energy drink. OK, I admit it, I sort of fit into this target audience, although I hate to admit it. And even though I do eat my fresh fruits and vegetables, and try to avoid unhealthy foods, seeing this bar on the shelves seemed to capture what people are buying and eating today so well, this just had to be included on my blog.

ChocolateBet: May 3, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 pieces
Route 29 Caramels & Sweets
Almond Butter Toffee
Good +
Weight: 1.33 oz. (37.7g.)/2 oz. (57 g.) in total box
Calories: 160 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $7.50 for total package/box
Purchased from: Sugar Shack, in Menlo Park, CA

Nice quasi-retro packaging. Route 29 is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ChocolateBet: May 2, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 large piece
Blue Frog Chocolates
FEMA Approved Blue Roof House from New Orleans
Good +
Weight: ~ 1.25 oz. (35 g.) serving/7.25 oz. (~205 g.) total house
Calories: ~188 calories for 1.25 oz.
Cost: $12.00 (plus shipping)
Purchased from: Blue Frog Chocolates, in New Orleans, LA (online order)

I thought this house from New Orleans was very clever. And this chocolate dwelling came packaged with an upbeat phrase printed on a blue ribbon that read: "Rebuilding New Orleans," referring to home restoration activities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I'm happy to support any part of the proceeds going to help this cause.

Unfortunately, the chocolate house was quickly rendered structurally unsound -- by a few large bites taken out of the right side. The rest may be melted down to use as blue fondue for some fresh strawberries.

-----------o--------------o---------------o---------------
Chocolate Candy & Kentucky Derby Horse Race
I was rooting for the horse named "Chocolate Candy" in the Kentucky Derby race this weekend; however, another long shot horse won this race.

Chocolate Gravy
And now for something different, I would like to give a shout out to a reference to chocolate gravy and biscuits from Arkansas: http://open.salon.com/blog/aunt_shelle_stormoe/2009/03/11/chocolate_gravy.

ChocolateBet: May 1, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

2 large squares/pieces
Queen Bee Gardens
Honey Essence Almond Bark (dark chocolate)
Very Good
Weight: ~ 2.9 oz. (82 g.)/ 16 oz. (1 lb.)(452 g.) in total bag
Calories: 425 calories (estimate)
Cost: $17.35 for 1-lb. bag of square pieces (plus applicable shipping)
Purchased from: Queen Bee Gardens, in Lovell, Wyoming (online order)

In my quest to try chocolates from every state in the U.S., I did some online research about chocolates I might order from Wyoming. I decided to try these Queen Bee chocolates.

This almond bark with honey was gluten-free, and had a pleasant, subtle honey taste to it.