ChocolateBet: October 11, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/3 bar
Mazet
Bitter Sesame (bar)
Very Good
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33.3 g.)/ 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 173 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

First, a big belated thank you to Jasmin U. for this Mazet Noir Sesame bar (made in France) with a wrapper suitable for framing.

This Bitter Sesame dark chocolate had a nice hard snap to it, followed by a pleasant melt into a creamy, nutty texture and taste.

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Sesame Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: October 10, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/4 bar
Feletti 1882 S.R.L.
Extra Dark Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.)/ 3.53 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 130 calories (estimate)
Cost: not known
Purchased from: not known

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Sesame Theme Week. After a small nibble, I made some Cioccolato Extra Fondente (70% cacao) fondue out of this Feletti dark bar from Italy. I then dipped gluten-free sesame pretzel rings and also a very tasty sesame seed candy "bar" from Greece into this melted chocolate.

Later in the week, I will go out hunting/shopping at a local international market to find some chocolate and vanilla halva(h), a popular blend of chocolate and sesame seed paste from the Middle East/Mediterranean region.

ChocolateBet: October 9, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1/2 bar
Lydia's Organics
Cacao Crunch Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 80 calories
Cost: $2.59 total bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

Chocolate can be mixed successfully with almost every food and drink category, including fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Today was the first day (Day #1) of Chocolate and Sesame Theme Week.

Today's raw, gluten-free, organic and vegan Cacao Crunch Bar from Lydia's Organics (Fairfax, CA), was a healthy, satisfying bar made from sprouted buckwheat, sprouted sunflower, sesame seeds, sprouted quinoa, agave nectar, cinnamon and Himalayan sea salt. Good for a light snack on the go.

ChocolateBet: October 8, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
SOMA chocolatemaker
A La Taza (Drink of the Gods)
Very Good - Very Good +
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) (estimate) total package of dry mix
Calories: 384 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.75 (estimate)
Purchased from: SOMA chocolatemaker, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada


I routinely fail to follow food preparation directions and recipes. However, I highly recommend making SOMA's A La Taza drinking chocolate the proper way: on the stovetop (or even microwave) with lots of patient stirring. By resisting the temptation to take a short-cut, I was rewarded with a very smooth, thick, almost fluffy, hot drinking chocolate (seasoned with cinnamon and vanilla). I felt like I was sipping warm, dark chocolate mousse with my cinnamon toast (Rudi's gluten free Cinnamon Raisin bread).

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: October 7, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

2 wedges/pieces
Taza Chocolate
Chocolate Mexicano - Cinnamon
Good - Good +
Weight: .34 oz. (9.6 g.)/ 2.7 oz. (77 g.) total package of 2 discs
Calories: 50 calories (estimate)
Cost: $4.95
Purchased from: Info not available

This Mexican style, stone ground, organic chocolate from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) can be patiently stirred and made into hot chocolate or drinking chocolate.

Or, a small wedge can be eaten by itself if you're impatient. It tastes a little gritty, but fresh and flavorful, this way. And breaking off a small segment or two from one of the two circular discs per package is certainly allowable and enjoyable.

This chocolate is also gluten, soy and dairy free.

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: October 6, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

1 package
Planters
Flavor Grove Almonds - Cocoa Cinnamon
Good +
Weight: 1.48 oz. (42 g.) total package
Calories: 230 calories
Cost: $0.99
Purchased from: Walgreens, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week. And, even better, this bag of "Flavor Grove" Almonds from Planters featured Mr. Peanut -- the company's beloved monocle- and top hat wearing legume. No other peanut in the shell that I've seen wears white gloves and carries a black cane. Mr. Peanut is one classy nut.

The cocoa and cinnamon almonds in this single serving bag were not too sweet -- which I liked.

ChocolateBet: October 5, 2011

Chocolate of the Day:

2 donuts
Kinnikinnick Foods Inc.
1.) Chocolate Dipped Donuts - Good +
2.) Cinnamon Sugar Donuts - Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.9 oz. + 1.6 oz.
Calories: 170 + 220 = 390 calories for 2
Cost: $6.49 x 2
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week. Those who follow this blog know that I avoid wheat/gluten, which means I am largely cake, cookie and donut-deprived. It's probably better that way; however, I do miss some of these items occasionally.

So I was thrilled to find these bad boys -- Gluten Free Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipped Donuts from Kinnikinnick Foods (Alberta, Canada). I heated these up for a few seconds, and enjoyed one of each flavor with a mug of hot tea.