ChocolateBet: November 5, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Splendid Specialties/Torn Ranch
Orange Blossom Tea Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .25 oz. (7.125 g.) / 1.5 oz. (42.75 g.) total container
Calories: 35 calories (estimate) in one piece
Cost: $4.50 for total container of 6 pieces
Purchased from: The Candy Store, Tiburon, CA

When I opened today's chocolate -- a small container of Splendid Specialties (Novato, CA) Orange Blossom Tea Chocolate, I enjoyed the subtle scent of fragrant orange.

These semi-sweet, European chocolate discs (6 in all) infused with orange and black tea came individually wrapped in Orange foil.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and All Things Orange.

ChocolateBet: November 4, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Patric Chocolate
Anya Apricot Bar
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz.
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and All Things Orange Theme Week.

Apricots and plums (prunes) were farm crop royalty back in the days of "The Valley of Heart's Delight" where I live. Today this area is largely paved over, and better known as the Silicon Valley. The old apricot trees are all but gone, but thankfully this sweet orange fruit with a zing still shows up in jams and confections -- and in bars like today's Anya Apricot Bar from Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO).

Fortunately, a few months ago, I squirreled away this seasonal bar, made with Anya apricots that were meticulously placed on a base of subtley salty milk chocolate. While this milk chocolate was better than most available, I still found myself missing the flavor arc in Patric's slightly darker bars.

I was inspired, to at least think about, other chocolate and apricot combinations; e.g., pairing lightly infused apricots (with orange blossom water or brandy) with one of Patric's salty signature 70% bars, alongside a small bowl of toasted, very lightly salted, marcona almonds and hazelnuts. Once again, the combinations with chocolate are almost endless.

ChocolateBet: November 3, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Trader Joe's
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. (113 g.) / 16 oz. (454 g.) in 1 cake
Calories: 450 calories in 1/4 cake
Cost: $8.25 (estimate)
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Menlo Park, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and All Things Orange.

And, nothing says orange like a basket full of ripe, organic persimmons: 1.) big, juicy, bright orange Hachiya; and 2.) small, slightly crisper, Fuyu persimmons.* Pop a ripe Hachiya persimmon in the freezer, and the frozen fruit pulp can be eaten like sorbet. Just scoop out the insides with a spoon. Fresh fruit is a good complement to chocolate, or chocolate cake.

Drum roll please, as we move on to the cacao-based star of the day: a Flourless Chocolate Cake from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA). This dense, moist, chocolatey cake was the perfect, gluten-free fuel for a pre-hike lunch.

*Note: My only regret: not being able to find some "chocolate" persimmons (with brown flesh inside), in time for today's entry. 

ChocolateBet: November 2, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Vosges Haut Chocolat
Crispy Carrot Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in 1/2 bar/ 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 (plus any applicable taxes, shipping)
Purchased from: www.vosgeschocolate.com

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and All Things Orange. There are so many potential chocolate "inclusions" that are the color orange -- and not just the citrus fruit.

Today's chocolate, the Crispy Carrot Bar from Vosges (Chicago, IL) featured a subtly crunchy carrot confit, Valencia oranges in deep milk chocolate (45% cacao), with hints of carrot puree and carrot cake. Brava to Katrina and her team for continuing to experiment with original and lively sweet and savory combinations. Extra points for a successful bar with carrots -- I'm sure this wasn't the easiest blend.

Vosges also was celebrating the Day of the Dead (El Dia de Los Muertos) this week with flavored Skull Lollipops.

ChocolateBet: November 1, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sunflower Food and Spice Company
Sunny Seeds - chocolate covered sunflower seeds
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) total container
Calories: 260 calories in 1 container
Cost: $4.29 for 1 container
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Happy Day(s) of the Dead all! This holiday, celebrated in the Americas, spanning today and tomorrow, is an opportunity to remember those who have departed our world, and to enjoy good food and drink in their honor. I did not make or buy the traditional sugar skulls, but I did buy a festive, skull shaped container filled with chocolate covered sunflower seeds from the Sunflower Food and Spice Company (Riverside, MO), and ate these with orange-colored "Tangerine Tickle" candy-coated sunflower seeds -- a previous purchase from the same company.

Because of so many great "orange" related themes this past month, we're extending the love affair beyond chocolate and pumpkins (last week's theme week) to all things Orange -- including orange fruits, vegetables and other items.

Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and All Things Orange Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: October 31, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Unreal Brands, Inc.
Unreal 54 - Candy Coated Chocolates with Peanuts
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) total package
Calories: 200 calories in 1 package/bag
Cost: $1.00
Purchased from: CVS Pharmacy, Mountain View, CA

Trick or Treat. This week has been filled with treats. If you're going to eat Halloween candy, may I suggest "unjunked" chocolate candy choices from Unreal Brands (Boston, MA).

Today I enjoyed Unreal's Candy Coated Chocolates with Peanuts, No. 54 in their candy series. What does unjunked mean? Answer: Among other things, it means: "no artificials, no hydrogenateds, no corn syrups, no preservatives, no GMOs." Unreal, and much appreciated.

I also enjoyed a pumpkin sundae with Double Rainbow Pumpkin and Dulce de Leche ice creams, topped with a chopped Unreal caramel bar, that I'll write about later.

This week was brought to you by the color Orange. This was the last day of Chocolate and Pumpkin week (lots of orange and brown, and piles of pumpkins from everywhere in town).

San Francisco buildings have been lit up orange; and today the city held a welcome home parade for the San Francisco Giants baseball team (orange and black) to celebrate their World Series Championship win -- on Halloween day (more orange and black), no less.

I've added a skeleton, and a few flowers and candles today to celebrate this great Orange day. Happy Halloween to all who celebrate pumpkin day, and a great day for chocolates as well.

Lake Champlain - Caramel Pumpkins, Pumpkin Pop - Oct. 30, 2012

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Lake Champlain Chocolates

1.) Dark Chocolate Caramel Pumpkins
Very Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 5 oz. (141 g.) total package/bag
Calories: 118.8 calories in 2 caramel pumpkins
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

2.) Pumpkin Pop
Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (39 g.) in 1 pop
Calories: 220 calories in 1 pop
Cost: $5.99 for 1 pop
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA


I found two different pumpkin-shaped offerings from Lake Champlain Chocolates at my local grocery store. What's scarier than a dark chocolate pumpkin oozing with caramel? Maybe a milk chocolate pumpkin with a few bites out of its jack-o-lantern face?

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Pumpkin Theme Week. Happy day before Halloween to you all.