Madecasse - Cinnamon and Sakay bar - March 26, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Madecasse
Cinnamon and Sakay bar
Good +
Weight: .435 oz. (12.5 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) total bar
Calories: 65 calories (estimate) in 1/6 bar
Cost: $7.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Scream Sorbet, in Oakland, CA


Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Spicy Pepper Theme Week.

I was looking for a chocolate that might bridge these two theme weeks, and this Cinnamon and Sakay (bar) from Madecasse Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY), had a foot in both camps.

Made "in country" -- that is, from bean-to-bar in Madagascar --  this 63% cocoa bar base had a fairly robust flavor, with very subtle hints of cinnamon and a sakay pepper* finish. Madecasse founders took their Peace Corps volunteer experience in Madagascar and decided to make bars in the country where the beans were grown to help local people.

I found this bar at Scream Sorbet in Oakland, CA, a store with the best sorbet flavors I've yet tasted -- chocolate flavors included. Each flavor is carefully crafted and has the freshness of a sorbet with the rich satisfaction of an ice cream or gelato.

*The sakay pepper is found "in almost every home and restaurant on the island."

Michel Cluizel - Crispy Pearls with Cinnamon bar - March 25, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Michel Cluizel
Crispy Pearls with Cinnamon bar
Good +
Weight: .891 oz. (25 g.)/ 2.70 g. (76 g.) total bar
Calories: 129 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $8.25 total bar
Purchased from: Draegers, in San Mateo, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week.
Today's Crispy Pearls and Cinnamon (pareve) chocolate from Michel Cluizel (Paris France/Michel Cluizel USA - West Berlin, NJ) could have been breakfast in a bar.

The chocolate bar base had a darker roasted flavor than the 55% cocoa would have indicated, with a hint of coffee. Pressed into the back of the bar was a small cup's worth of puffed, lightly sweetened rice cereal that looked a bit like puffed wheat to me; but the ingredient list did say puffed rice. The cinnamon flavor was evenly present throughout the bar without being too overpowering.

Cafe-Tasse - Noir Cannelle bar - March 25, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Cafe-Tasse
Noir Cannelle
Good +
Weight: .99 oz. (28.05 g.) / 2.99 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 148 calories
Cost: $4.00 total bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA

This 54% cocoa Cinnamon bar from Cafe-Tasse (Belgium) had a relatively smooth milk + soy lecithin mouth feel, and an authentic cinnamon flavor.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week.

Mars - Cinnamon M and Ms - March 23, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mars
Cinnamon M and M's
Good +
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 9.9 oz. (280.7 g.) total bag
Calories: 75 calories (estimate)
Cost: n/a
Purchased from: n/a

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week. Mars M and M's have been appearing in special flavors in recent years. Some flavors debut and then disappear -- such as these Cinnamon M and M's ("made with real milk chocolate").

The Cinnamon flavor made an appearance this past winter, and I haven't seen them since. Fortunately, I bought a bag before they disappeared.

Despite the added lactose and some artificial ingredients that I could do without, these crunchy classics with a twist had just about the right amount of cinnamon flavor.

Chocolate Visions - Cozy Cinnamon bar - March 22, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolate Visions
Cozy Cinnamon bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .353 oz. (10 grams) / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 53 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ info not available
Purchased from: Chocolate Visions, Scotts Valley, CA

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

And, today's bar delivered a cloud of finely chopped, toasted pecan pieces and cinnamon enveloped in a smooth 32% Belgian milk chocolate base. This Cozy Cinnamon bar was from Chocolate Visions (Scotts Valley, CA).  

Nourish Your Soul Nutrition - SF Truffles - March 21, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nourish Your Soul Nutrition
SF Truffles
Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 108 calories (estimate)
Cost: $ N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift from Ramona B., Nourish Your Soul Nutrition


Sometimes I receive wonderful chocolate surprises by mail. Today's homemade, hand-wrapped SF Truffles were waiting for me when I arrived home a few nights ago.

The chili, cinnamon, clove, and other natural flavorings in these hand-rolled truffles were very subtle. I detected just a hint of spice and nut (walnuts). These chocolates were lightly sweetened with maple sugar and agave, and also contained small quantities of lacuma, hemp hearts and bee pollen.

The consistency provided just enough texture to indicate some other ingredients were mixed in, but smooth enough to avoid any graininess.

Unfortunately, I don't believe these SF Truffles are available in any markets for sale. But, you might inquire at Nourish Your Soul Nutrition.

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week.

Thank you to Ramona Beville for sending this package of healthy truffles to Chocolate Banquet.

Antica Pasticceria Muzzi - Madagascar 75% bar, Bianco e Cannella bar - March 20, 2012

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Antica Pasticceria Muzzi
Madagascar 75% bar
Good+
Weight: .696 oz. (20 g.) / 2.11 oz. (60 g.) total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $8.99 total bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Antica Pasticceria Muzzi
Bianco e Cannella bar
Good +
Weight: .696 oz. (20 g.) / 2.11 oz. (60 g.) total bar
Calories: 107 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $8.99 total bar
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Leather Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cinnamon Theme Week. After today's two entries, we bid adieu to bars clad in leather-like skins and labels from Italian-based Antica Pasticceria Muzzi, and move on to cacao mixed with the aromatic powdered tree bark, otherwise known as cinnamon.

The Madagascar 75% dark bar had the most complex and interesting flavor arc of the "a pelle" line of bars that I tried this week, although it did have a very slight bitter after-taste.

And, while technically I don't count white chocolate as one of my daily chocolates, I used today's Bianco e Cannella (white chocolate and cinnamon) bar to add some spice. I thought I was snacking on a smooth batch of cinnamon cookie dough with plenty of (cocoa) butter. Life is strange without cocoa solids.