ChocolateBet: July 18, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolat Moderne
Peach Persimmon
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.)/ 2.5 oz. (70 g.) total set of 5 pieces
Calories: 75 cals. (estimate)
Cost: $15.95 (estimate)
Purchased from: Fog City News, in San Francisco, CA

Today was Day #11 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

The Kimono Collection from Chocolat Moderne (New York, NY) was a box of five different, attractively stenciled, blossom-shaped, Japan-themed chocolates that I picked up during a recent trip into downtown San Francisco (from Fog City News).

The soft, almost caramel-like center of the Peach Persimmon piece that I selected for today contained very subtle hints of peach and persimmon fruit puree flavor. The dark chocolate shell tasted a bit waxy or reinforced -- as molded chocolates often are, to keep their shape.

My favorite chocolate of the five-piece set was the Soy - Miso chocolate. The salty/umami flavored ganache was a flavorful complement to the dark chocolate. I hope to include this flavor in a future post if it's still available.

ChocolateBet: July 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Safeway Select
Super Premium Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (236 mL) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 260 calories in 1/2 cup
Cost: $2.50 (estimate - sale price)
Purchased from: Safeway, in Palo Alto, CA

Happy National Ice Cream Day, and Day #10 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week here on Chocolate Banquet. To celebrate, I enjoyed a small bowl of Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream from Safeway (Pleasanton, CA).

A ribbon of chocolate flowed through a base of strawberry ice cream studded with ripe strawberry fruit bits. Garnished with a few fresh strawberries, this ice cream became a great warm summer evening dessert -- eaten slowly while listening to crickets chirping outside in the backyard garden.

ChocolateBet: July 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Julie's Organic
Gluten Free Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich
Good - Good +
Weight: 3.5 fl. oz. (103 mL) in 1 sandwich/ 14 fl. oz. (414 mL) total container
Calories: 200 calories in 1 sandwich
Cost: $6.99 total container of 4 sandwiches
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

Today was Day #9 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week. Julie's Organic, gluten free ice cream sandwiches -- petite rounds made with Glutenfreeda (Burlington, WA) gluten free, organic chocolate cookies -- tasted cheesecake-rich, but only tipped the scale at 200 calories each. A trace of organic cherry sauce was swirled throughout the cheesecake ice cream filling.

ChocolateBet: July 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Maison Bouche
Pomme d' Amour - Noir (bar)
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) (estimate - no weight list on label)
Calories: 74 calories (estimate - no calorie information listed)
Cost: $4.95 (estimate)
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

This "Apple of Love" candied apple flavored, dark chocolate (55%) bar from Maison Bouche (Oakland, CA) was unique. The dark chocolate bar base was smooth and pleasant, and I always enjoy Maison Bouche's pretty label designs.

I enjoy trying new flavored bars; however, I couldn't tell whether this apple flavoring came from natural or artificial sources. It could have been either one. Mixing apple with chocolate can be a challenging combination.

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: July 14, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Good Bean LLC
Chocolate Berry! bar
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 140 calories
Cost: $1.39 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Los Altos, CA

Bon Bastille Day to my French friends, and Happy Day #7 of Chocolate and Fruit Theme Week!

This gluten and nut free, Chocolate Berry! bar (made with white-ish beans, and red and blue berries), from The Good Bean LLC (Berkeley, CA), was the closest chocolate I could find that matched both today's French holiday (or at least the colors of the French flag) and this week's chocolate and fruit theme.

If you don't mind chickpeas with your chocolate, this bar may offer you a good, high fiber alternative to other protein bars. 

ChocolateBet: July 13, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wild Ophelia
Southern Hibiscus Peach Milk Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 300 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.99 total bar
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

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

This summer afternoon was pretty close to ideal. I took a break and sipped peach iced tea and nibbled on a Southern Hibiscus Peach Milk Chocolate (44% cacao) gluten free bar, from Wild Ophelia (Chicago, IL). As I'm typing this, I'm looking outside at the branches and flowers swaying slightly out in the sun. Getting sleepy. Need to find a hammock.

ChocolateBet: July 12, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wild Ophelia
Sweet Cherry Pecan Milk Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (estimate)
Published from: Cost Plus World Market, in Mountain View, CA

I've been enjoying the fresh cherries that are in season. So I thought I might like this Sweet Cherry Pecan milk chocolate (44% cacao) bar from Wild Ophelia (a collection created by Vosges Haut Chocolat founder, Katrina Markoff). This sweetness of this bar overwhelmed the taste of the small cherry bits embedded in the milk chocolate; although the pecan bits were a little easier to identify.

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