ChocolateBet: May 18, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Starbucks
Hot Cocoa - Salted Caramel (mix)
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 envelope/ 8 oz. (224 g.) in total box
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $5.99 for 1 box of 8 envelopes
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate Beverage Theme Week. I mixed up a packet of salted caramel, dark hot cocoa mix from Starbucks (with hot water), stirred, and enjoyed in the comfort of my own home.

Three years ago, I had tried Starbucks seasonal, Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate, made with milk, at a Starbucks location in San Jose, CA. This in-store version was made with 2% milk, and may have been just a bit better...or was that the whipped cream that they generously applied? Hard to remember that far back.

In any case, it was a testament to today's hot cocoa mix that it tasted rich and smooth, even made with hot water instead of the recommended hot milk.

ChocolateBet: May 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

CocoTutti
Hot Chipotle Chocolate
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.56 oz. (44 g.) (estimate) for 4 pieces
Calories: 239 calories (estimate) for 4 pieces
Cost: $10.00 for 8-piece box
Purchased from: Rockwall Wine Company, in Alameda, CA

Last week I brought home some new boxes of CocoTutti (cocotutti.com) chocolates.

And then, my apologies to CocoTutti, I made a terrible, rookie mistake a few days later -- after trying some of the company's wonderful pieces with liquid caramel centers, and lavender and lemon piece.

I left these on my dining room table under a skylight. And, just a few minutes later, the result was a partial meltdown (see image at right).

The solution: I melted three pieces of "Hot Chipotle Chocolate" (and one piece of "Raspberry - with housemade jam") chocolates in a small cup, and the result was a fantastic, rich drinking chocolate with just the right spicy chipotle kick. While I recommend enjoying these in unmelted form, it's good to know that good chocolates can be enjoyed in beverage or fondue form in an emergency.

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate Beverage Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: May 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Tea Room
Almond Caramel dark chocolate bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.8 oz. (51 g.) total bar
Calories: 280 calories
Cost: $n/a - sample
Purchased from: Rosie's Roses, in San Francisco, CA

In keeping with other tea infused bars, this relatively new Almond Caramel (organic) dark chocolate bar from The Tea Room (San Leandro, CA), was not oozing with caramel and nuts, but rather was lightly caramel and almond flavored.

I picked up the last Almond Caramel bar left in a beautiful arrangement of Tea Room bars in a basket at Rosie's Roses in San Francisco, CA.

ChocolateBet: May 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

CocoTutti
Vanilla Bean Caramel
Very Good
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 120 calories for 2 pieces (estimate)
Cost: $10 for an 8-piece box
Purchased from: Rock Wall Wine Company, in Alameda, CA

Today I picked two fresh vanilla bean caramels from my backyard garden and... Wouldn't that be great if I could do that? While that's not possible today, I did the next best thing, I enjoyed two Vanilla Bean Caramels from CocoTutti (cocotutti.com) based here locally in the San Francisco Bay Area, and powered by Elyce Zahn.

Normally I don't care for very sweet caramels, but I'm happy to make an exception to that rule if the chocolate involves wonderful, liquid caramel like this.

ChocolateBet: May 14, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sacred Chocolate
Immuno Mushroom bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.44 oz. (40.7 g.) total bar
Calories: 216 calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar (n/a - sample)
Purchased from: Rosie's Roses, in San Francisco, CA

Tucked away in Rosie's Roses (located in the Cannery building near the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco) is a peaceful oasis filled with unique and beautiful flowers and plants, gift baskets, and chocolates.

I picked up two heart-shaped bars from Sacred Chocolate. This evening I enjoyed the company's Immuno Mushroom bar -- which contained 10 different mushrooms and was dairy, gluten and soy-free. This raw bar (not heated above 115 degrees Farenheit) was sweetened with maple rather than cane sugar, and was very smooth in texture. If I'd been tasting this blind-folded, I'm not sure I would've guessed that it contained mushrooms. 

ChocolateBet: May 13, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

The Dead Fish
Super Sundae
Good + - Very Good
Weight: unknown - large sundae
Calories: 500 calories (guesstimate)
Cost: $n/a
Purchased from: The Dead Fish (restaurant) in Crockett, California

After a full day of hiking and sightseeing in the Carquinez Strait area of Northern California, I had dinner with friends at the Dead Fish (in Crockett, CA). This restaurant offered spectacular views of the Carquinez Strait bridge, and San Francisco Bay. And, in addition to serving up some tasty recently deceased fish, and garlic sage french fries, they offered a full dessert menu.

Last year I sampled The Dead Fish's Chocolate Bomb dessert, and this evening I tried their super-sized, Super Sundae, made with "old time vanilla ice cream, Ghirardelli dark chocolate sauce, walnuts and whipped cream." I gave it my best shot, but was unable to finish this massive sundae.

ChocolateBet: May 12, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

CocoTutti
Earl Grey
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .39 oz. (11 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 59 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $10.00 for 8-piece box
Purchased from: Serendipity, in San Carlos, CA

Nothing beats a nice glass of Earl Grey with lavender iced tea on a hot day, except perhaps this tea with a few individual Earl Grey chocolates from CocoTutti (cocotutti.com).