ChocolateBet: January 30, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 syringe
Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man
Chocolate Syringe
Very Good
Weight: 50+ mL
Calories: 200 calories (estimate)
Cost: $5.00
Purchased from: Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man shop, The Forum Shops, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate (and) Surprise Theme Week. I was surprised and amused when I saw this large syringe filled with chocolate at the Max Brenner shop in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The instructions: microwave for 10 seconds, and then squirt the liquid chocolate into your mouth. Easy enough for me. Novel chocolate delivery mechanism, and pretty tasty as well.

Pictures show the syringe -- from starting point (wrapped with an orange bow) to finish. When I put the syringe in the microwave oven for the recommended 10 seconds, a bit of chocolate started to ooze out, so be careful not to leave the syringe in the oven for even a few seconds of additional time, as you'll lose precious chocolate content.

ChocolateBet: January 29, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Seattle Chocolates/Seattle Chocolate Company
Rainier Cherry - Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar
Good +
Weight: .625 oz. (7 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) total bar
Calories: 95 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $ N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift (shop near Pike Place Market), Seattle, WA

After eating more than 1,500 chocolates, it's always delightful to be surprised -- by an unexpected package and note in the mail; a creative new interpretation of an old (chocolate) favorite; or chocolate in some form or combination that I never would have imagined. That said, today is Day #1 of Chocolate and Surprise Theme Week.

I received this Seattle Chocolates slightly creamy textured, dark truffle bar (with praline pecan and cherry bits) in the mail from friends who were visiting Seattle and spied this bar in a chocolate shop near Pike Place Market. Thank you to John and Colleen.

ChocolateBet: January 28, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Cachet
Lemon and Pepper bar
Very Good
Weight: .437 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 145 calories in 2 squares
Cost: $4.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Today was the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. The Cachet Lemon and Pepper bar contained a dark chocolate (57% cocoa solids) base that was flavored with just the right amount of lemon and black pepper zing, and was made by Kim's Chocolates in Belgium. According to information printed on the packaging, the bar was also "made with 100% renewable energy," with "20% coming from our own solar panels."

ChocolateBet: January 27, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1/4 bar
Dagoba Organic Chocolate
Lemon Ginger bar
Very Good
Weight: .5 oz (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) total bar
Calories: 62 calories
Cost: $2.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. Today's Dagoba Lemon Ginger bar combined rich, Organic dark chocolate (68% cacao), with very subtle accents of lemon flavoring and crystallized ginger. I tend to enjoy stronger natural flavor additions, but here the focus was on the dark chocolate -- as it should have been.

ChocolateBet: January 26, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 piece
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Lemon Jelly
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 69 calories (estimate)
Cost: (part of larger fruits and jellies assortment box)
Purchased from: Sweet Earth Chocolates, in San Luis Obispo, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week, and I chose a Lemon flavored chocolate from a  Sweet Earth Chocolates' assortment box of fruits and jellies (Lemon, Berry, Orange) -- all dipped or coated in organic dark chocolate.  The company's Lemon Jelly had a soft, glistening yellow gel center that somehow looked more naturally fruit-like than most. It almost glowed in the sunlight. Or maybe I've just grown used to looking at solid chocolate for too long.

ChocolateBet: January 25, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
1 bottle
Anthon Berg
Danzka Citron Vodka of Denmark
Good +
Weight: .55 oz. (15.6 g.) / 8.8 oz. (250 g.) package of 16 bottles
Calories: 80 calories (estimate)
Cost: $14.99 total package of 16 bottles/pieces
Purchased from: BevMo, in Mountain View, CA

Anthon Berg, is a Danish maker of chocolates flavored with popular brands of spirits; and today's chocolate choice was a small chocolate bottle, with Danzka Citron Vodka of Denmark.

The little foil-wrapped bottle was quite stylish. It's a bit tricky to peel off the foil label/covering in one piece, but once you do, you'll be able to take a bite of the chocolate bottle inside. However, you might want to carefully bite off the top first, as there is a liquid center inside.

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: January 24, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:
2 pieces
Sweet Earth Chocolates
Lemon Earl Grey Tea Truffles
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .84 oz. (23.7 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 126 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.99 for 2 truffles in 9-pc. box
Purchased from: Sweet Earth Chocolates, San Luis Obispo, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Lemon Theme Week. A sip of hot Earl Grey tea flavored with lemon on a winter morning may have been the inspiration for this Lemon Earl Grey Tea Truffle from (San Luis Obispo, California-based) Sweet Earth Chocolates.