ChocolateBet: May 10, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

3 servings
Yosemite Country Foods
Milk Chocolate Trail Mix
Very Good
Weight: 3 oz.(84.9 g.)/ 12 oz. (339 g.) total pkg.
Calories: 570 calories (estimate) in 3 servings (3/4 cup)
Cost: $4.29 for total package
Purchased from: Pine Tree Market, near Chilnaulna Falls/Wawona, in Yosemite National Park, CA

I found this Yosemite Country trail mix at the Pine Tree Market, a little store, on a little road, a few days ago, on the way back from a hike up to Chilnualna Falls. It was a great time to visit , as the waterfalls in Yosemite were full and roaring down into the valley.

ChocolateBet: May 9, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
1 drink
Wawona Hotel (bar), Yosemite National Park
Truffletini (from Specialty Martini list) - Dark Creme de Cacao, Chambord, Bailey's, and Half and Half (with chocolate syrup and cherry syrup decoration swirls on inside of glass)
Very Good
Weight: ~ 7 oz. (198 grams)
Calories: ~ 400 calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.75
Purchased from: Wawona Hotel (bar), in Yosemite National Park, CA

Note: This post was delayed due to a trip to Yosemite National Park, where I was out of Internet range for a few days.

I wish I had taken a photo of this drink. Yes, it was attractive; but I also will remember the setting. I very much enjoyed this Truffletini (which could have also counted as dessert), while sitting out on the porch at the old Wawona Hotel in Yosemite National Park. I was able to visit the base of four different waterfalls in the park this weekend, and earlier today enjoyed the view of the Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point. It was a great end-of-the-day treat to be sipping this chocolate martini with friends, as the sun was setting behind the pine trees in the distance.

ChocolateBet: May 8, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Coco-luxe Confections
"Spumoni" (white chocolate with dried cherries, pistachios and cocoa nibs)
Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (17.69 g.) in 1/4 bar/2.5 oz. (70g.) in total bar
Calories: ~94 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.50 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Sugar Shack, in Menlo Park, CA

Note: This posting was delayed due to a trip to Yosemite National Park (out of Internet reception range).

I don't normally eat white chocolate (items made from just cocoa butter), but this bar contained cocoa nibs (from cacao pods, and the source of cocoa solids - which I do count as chocolate). And this Spumoni bar sounded like a fun combination of flavors.

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.