ChocolateBet: June 21, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Grindstone Bakery
Coconut Chocolate Chips cookie
Good +
Weight: 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in 1 cookie
Calories: 498 calories in 1 cookie
Cost: $2.51 for 1 cookie
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. It was not difficult to find items for this week's theme, as coconut items, in general, have been enjoying a resurgence in popularity this year.

Grindstone Bakery (Rohnert Park, CA) makes wonderfully good gluten free, and wheat free breads and cookies. I've enjoyed all of the company's baked goods that I've tried thus far. This cookie used soaked whole grain barley and barley flakes, and was made with organic ingredients in a wheat-free facility.

While not gluten free, this Coconut Chocolate Chips cookie was filling and satisfying due to the whole grain and higher fiber content than what I've found in most gluten free items (that often incorporate rice, potato, tapioca and other "white" flours). Made with "extra virgin coconut oil," and non-dairy chocolate chips, in Sonoma, CA, this was a great (and substantial) breakfast cookie.

ChocolateBet: June 20, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Leslie's Organics
Mint Coconut Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.59 total bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. This past week was Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream Week. Today's entry, a "Coconut Secret" Mint Coconut Bar with Cacao Nibs from Leslie's Organics (Mill Valley, CA) helped me bid adieu to the refreshing flavor of mint, and to embrace the rich flavors of coconut. The cacao nibs provided a crunchy filling. This bar was gluten and dairy free.

Today, June 20th, was the first official day of summer. Hot weather summoned up images of coconut palm trees gently swaying in an ocean breeze, and the sound of surf. Unfortunately, that was just the sound of my dishwasher. But, it was nice to imagine eating this bar in a hammock on some enchanted isle.

ChocolateBet: June 19, 2012

 
Chocolate of the Day:

Turtle Mountain LLC
Mint Chip - Coconut Milk, non-dairy frozen dessert
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (85 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) total container
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 cup
Cost: $6.99 for 1 pint
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day # 7 of Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. This "So Delicious" brand from Turtle Mountain (Eugene, OR), was tied to a line of soy
free, dairy free, non-dairy frozen desserts made from coconut milk. The Mint Chip was one flavor in this line.

This Mint Chip had a bit of the taste and texture of fresh, frozen coconuts, or at least what I imagined they'd be like in this state. Lower in fat (and calories) than regular ice cream, this coconut milk-based dessert was a cross between a high-end sorbet and a traditional ice cream with butterfat.

ChocolateBet: June 18, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:


Laloo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream Company
Rumplemint Ice Cream
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (92 g.)/ 1 Pint (473 mL) total container
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $4.49 for 1 Pint
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream Theme Week.

I didn't specify what kind of milk or cream. So how about some Rumplemint ice cream, with chocolate chips, made with goat's milk?

Laloo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream Company is based in Petaluma, CA, in Sonoma County.

Today, Sonoma County is known more for grapevines than goats. But, if you drive around Petaluma in the winter or spring you'll see lots of green pastureland for cows, chickens, and goats too. (The rest of the year the grass is more golden brown.)

If I hadn't known this was made from goat's milk, I might not have guessed. It had a very, very slight taste difference, but nothing objectionable. This ice cream tasted rich and creamy like traditional ice cream, but was lower in fat (and calories).

The bits of dark chocolate in the ice cream were somewhat frozen and hard to taste (as was the case with most chocolate chips in frozen desserts, and most ice creams sampled this week); but, what I could taste seemed fine.

ChocolateBet: June 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Rick's Rather Rich Ice Cream
Mint Chip ice cream
Good+
Weight:
Calories: 250 calories (guesstimate) in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $7.50 for 1 Pint
Purchased from: Rick's Rather Rich Ice Cream, Palo Alto, CA

Rick's Rather Rich Ice Cream is a popular ice cream shop within walking distance of my house. However, I never seem to go there on foot. I tend to stop by there in the car, on the way back from errands, so that I can dash home with some ice cream quickly, before it melts. Today I picked up a quart of mint chip, and a quart of lavender honey ice cream. Both great summer flavors.

As promised, this Rick's ice cream tasted rich and creamy, and the mint flavoring tasted authentic. The chocolate chips were a little on the hard/frozen side (a common occurrence with some chocolate chips); but I could still taste a nice dark chocolate flavor. A little fresh mint for a garnish, and life was good. I managed to eat this just before it melted into a bowl of sweet mint soup.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream Theme Week. 

ChocolateBet: June 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Fiorello's
Mint Chip Artisan Gelato
Very Good
Weight: 1/2 cup / 1 Pint (473 mL - estimate) container
Calories: 190 calories (estimate)
Cost: $7.99 for 1 Pint
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream Theme Week. Warm weather once again called for some kind of frozen treat. I breakfasted upon a small bowl of delicious Mint Chip Artisan Gelato from Fiorello's (San Rafael, CA).

The Mint Chip gelato was flavorful, dense, creamy and satisfying without being too sweet or heavy. While price does not always correlate with better taste, this was a case where I paid more for a quality product, and I was happier with the result. I was also happy to see a natural, cream-colored gelato base. While I love colors, I can live without brightly or artificially colored (green) mint desserts.

As for the chocolate, instead of hard, frozen chips, this gelato was filled with small, grated pieces and flecks of chocolate, which tasted much better.

Last, but not least, below was a quote from Christine C.'s review of Fiorello's on yelp. Although this review was for the company's chocolate hazelnut gelato, I loved the idea that two flavors could high five each other. It made me smile.

"...Neither the chocolate nor the hazelnut overpowers each other. Instead, they high five each other and let each other shine."

Ditto for today's mint and chocolate flavors.

ChocolateBet: June 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mitchell's Ice Cream
Thin Mint Ice Cream
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (91 g.) (estimate)
Calories: 250 calories (estimate)
Cost: $3.50 for 1 cup
Purchased from: San Francisco Norman's Ice Cream and Freezes, San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Mint Ice Cream Theme Week. Given the warm, sunny weather we've been having, frozen desserts that combine chocolate and mint this week seemed like a good choice.

I had a great walk in the sunshine this afternoon through Maritime Aquatic Park, along the water, in San Francisco. On my way back to the car, I stopped at Norman's Ice Cream and Freezes shop in the Cannery. Norman and Priscilla, the very pleasant and helpful duo managing the shop, were serving Mitchell's Ice Cream (San Francisco).

And, when I arrived, Norman was chopping up a large block of Callebaut chocolate, to use for hot fudge topping for ice cream sundaes. I was offered a taste in the form of a chip off this block. A great chocolate melted down for a topping sounded much better than most prepared chocolate sauces. I skipped the hot fudge sundae today, but I'll be back to try this in the near future.

Thank you to Priscilla who scooped up some Mitchell's Thin Mint Ice cream in a cup for me.