Tumalo Lavender - Lavender Milk Chocolate bar - December 19, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Tumalo Lavender
Lavender Milk Chocolate bar
Good - Good +
Weight: .83 oz. (23.1 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) total bar
Calories: 125 calories (estimate) for 2/3 bar
Cost: $N/A
Purchased from: Tumalo Lavender, Tumalo, OR

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

Lavandula (more commonly known as lavender) -- a group flowering plants, made up of 39 species, and part of the very large mint family -- has been cultivated for many centuries, for gardens, cooking and scented oils. Lavender blooms in summer, but I also enjoy its soothing, floral smell in the winter. (Try a pot of water with lavender buds on the stove, on a low heat setting for an hour or two, being careful to add more water if it evaporates too quickly. Much better than artificial air fresheners.)

I once associated lavender with Provence in Southern France -- fields bursting with purple rows of French lavender; and I thought lavender was limited to areas with a Mediterranean climate, such as California. In fact, there are species grown around the world. (Given my love for lavender, it's hard to believe that this plant with the fragrant purple flowers is considered a weed in parts of Spain and Australia.)

I later learned of other varieties being grown in cooler areas. This purple flower can grow in the U.K. (Lavanda angustifolia, or English Lavender), and in the United States in cool mountainous areas of the Northwest. Tumalo Farms (Tumalo, OR) near the town of Bend, Oregon, has cultivated (and sells) lavender that can grow near the slopes of the Cascade Mountains (Zone 5), where it snows in the winter.

Tumalo Farms organic lavender oil is incorporated into many of the company's offerings. Today's Tumalo Farms Lavender Milk Chocolate bar (a seasonal item) was very pleasantly scented with this oil. In fact, I think my favorite part of this 33% cocoa milk chocolate bar was the lavender. Thank you to Gordon, at Tumalo, for sending one of the few bars left from this past year's summer harvest. I'll have to wait try the dark chocolate version of this bar until next year; but I look forward to featuring Tumalo lavender jelly (in combination with chocolate) tomorrow.

Hedonist - Lavender Truffles - December 18, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates
Lavender Truffles
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .78 oz. (22 g.) (estimate) for 2 truffles/ 3.9 oz. (110 g.) for box of 10
Calories: 117 calories (estimate) for 2 truffles
Cost: $20.00 for box of 10 truffles
Purchased from: Hedonist Chocolates (site)

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Lavender Theme Week.

In centuries past, flowers (such as lavender, violets and roses) were more commonly used to flavor and decorate edibles. I'm happy to see them making a cuisine comeback. I love the taste of lavender, and incorporating lavender flower buds into desserts and other dishes. So, no surprise that I liked these Lavender Truffles from Hedonist Artisan Chocolates (Rochester, NY).

The sweet, white chocolate, lavender infused ganache (centers) were enrobed in bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder. The box of 10 Lavender Truffles -- individually wrapped in purple foil -- was tied up with a pretty purple ribbon.

ChocolateBet: December 17, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Wholesome Chow
Chocolate Lavender Cake Baking Mix
Weight: 1/2 cup of dry mix (94 g.) / 11.7 oz. (331.6 g.) total package
Calories: 340 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: $5.99 total package of mix
Purchased from: Abe's Market, (online)

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

Can you make an organic, gluten free chocolate cake that tastes really great? You can if you start with Wholesome Chow's Organic, Gluten Free Chocolate Lavender Cake and Baking Mix.

This certified gluten-free mix was wheat, egg, dairy, casein and nut free. I was a little nervous about making this cake (that I planned to take to a holiday party), given so many "withouts" -- including no eggs, no butter, no refined sugar. This mix required that I add oil and milk (or milk substitute) -- that was it.

The results? Fabulous. I added an extra tablespoon or so of coconut oil into this mix, and topped this chocolate lavender cake with whipped cream, lavender sugar and dried lavender flower buds -- adding some slightly crunchy textured bits with bright floral bursts.

This mix would be great for cupcakes as well. Wholesome Chow (Los Osos, CA) also offers frosting, which I look forward to trying in the future.

Ali'i Kula Lavender - Lavender Chocolate Sauce - December 16, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ali'i Kula Lavender/The Lavender Farm, Inc.
Lavender Chocolate Sauce
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1 Tablespoon or .5 oz. (14.25 g.) / 9.5 oz. (266 g.) total jar
Calories: 80 calories in 1 Tb. serving
Cost: $ info no longer listed
Purchased from: Ali'i Kula Lavender (AKL Maui) site

Today we bid Aloha to Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week, and continued with the second day of Chocolate and Lavender Week. The bridge between these two weeks was a lovely Lavender Chocolate Sauce from Ali'i Kula Lavender farm (Kula, Hawaii) on the island of Maui.

This sauce could be used to dress up almost any dessert, from poached pears to panna cotta, or to make a lavender ice cream sundae.

The lavender chocolate sauce was not overly thick, but it was a cold day. So, I warmed and stirred a small dish of sauce first, for easier spooning over ice cream. I used a healthy scoop or two of Three Twins Madagascar Vanilla ice cream for this sundae. Lappert's ice cream (Hawaii) would also be a great tropical island ice cream alternative.

Ali'i Kula Lavender - Lavender Dark bar - December 15, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Ali'i Kula Lavender/The Lavender Farm, Inc.
Lavender Dark Chocolate Bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.)/ 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total bar
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.50 total bar (plus any applicable online ordering costs)
Purchased from: Ali'i Kula Lavender/Sweet Paradise Chocolatier, Hawaii

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Lavender Theme Week.

I had the privilege to visit the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm in Kula, in the "up-country" -- on the slopes of Mount Haleakala, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii -- about a year and half ago. It was a beautiful place, and I remember sampling some chocolate gelato with lavender in their small shop during the visit. I made a mental note at the time to, at some point, plan a Chocolate and Lavender Theme Week for this site. So, many months later, this is it.

I'm happy to kick off this theme week by featuring the Lavender Dark Chocolate bar from Ali'i Kula Lavender (also known as AKL Maui, and The Lavender Farm, Inc.), Kula (Hawaii). The 55% cocoa bar was infused with organic lavender oil. I could smell the lovely fresh lavender scent the moment I unwrapped the parchment lined gold foil wrapper. For someone who likes floral smells and tastes, as I do, this bar was a treat.

Hava Kava Hut - Coconut Ginger Kava bar - December 14, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

Hava Kava Hut
Dark Chocolate Coconut Ginger Kava bar
OK+ - Good
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) total bar
Calories: 187 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00
Purchased from: Sweet Paradise Chocolatier, Hawaii

Today at lunch, I drove to the San Francisco Bay shore. It was the week of "King" tides in California, the highest of the high tides this year (2012). Some paths, benches and signs at the water's edge were temporarily underwater.

It was cold and gray. Even so, I imagined that this seawater might be flowing toward us from Hawaii. Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week. As I contemplated this notion, I nibbled on a Dark Chocolate Coconut Ginger Kava bar from Hava Kava Hut (Kailua Kona, Hawaii), available through Sweet Paradise Chocolatier (Hawaii).

I cannot tell a lie, this bar tasted like it might have come from a soapy flavored plant made into a soda, and then infused into a 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar. Kava root is often ground up and served in half coconut shells, and is thought to create a mellow state of mind (and to help counter motion sickness). Kava flavor has been described as "dirty dishwater" and worse. Visitors to Hawaiian kava cafes often order their kava with POG (pineapple, orange and guava juice). The organic dark chocolate, ginger, coconut and vanilla in this Hava Kava chocolate bar helped cover up this taste.

So, did I feel more relaxed? Not that I could tell. But, the bar, made with kava from Vanuatu (an island nation in the south Pacific ocean), did help me enjoy a walk in the baylands, and a trip to a local zoo after that, where I visited with a happy bobcat and a peacock (not in the same cage). OK, maybe I was more relaxed.

World Market - Coconut Black Lava Salt bar - December 13, 2012

Chocolate of the Day:

World Market/Cost Plus
Milk Chocolate Coconut Flakes with Black Lava Salt bar
Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.)/ 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 113 calories (estimate)
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for total bar
Purchased from: World Market, Reno, NV

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week.

Part of a new line of flavored sea salt bars, this milk chocolate coconut flavored sea salt* offering from World Market/Cost Plus was an intriguing cross between sweet and savory.

I visualized how it might taste as part of a sauce (with sauteed onions and  for chicken or vegetables, over rice -- a southeast Asian or Indian version of mole sauce. I look forward to experimenting with this concept.

*The Hawaii connection with this tropical themed bar was the black lava sea salt.