Milk Chocolate Chai Toffee - July 4, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cary's of Oregon
Toffee - Milk Chocolate Chai
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37 g.) in total package
Calories: 180 calories in total package
Cost: $2.25 for 1 package
Purchased from: Cary's of Oregon (online order)

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week.

Yesterday's and today's chai-flavored chocolates were/are from Oregon -- a fitting geographic origin choice, as I am visiting this state for 4th of July holiday this week. Cary's of Oregon (Grants Pass, OR) is known for their flavored toffees.

Today's milk chocolate chai toffee was crunchy and sweet, and infused with mild chai spice flavor. In addition to Cary's milk chocolate enrobed chai toffee, featured today, the company's gluten-free English Toffee is also available in toasted almond, espresso, hazelnut, and other flavors.

Happy 4th of July to all in the U.S.

Stirs the Soul - Chai bar - July 3, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Stirs the Soul
Spiced Chai and Currant Chocolate (bar)
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Sweetened with raw, dried dates, today's Spiced Chai and Currant* Chocolate bar, from bean-to-bar maker, Stirs the Soul (Portland, OR), was made with stone-ground raw (82% cacao) chocolate, that was also fairly traded, and sustainably grown, as well as cacao butter and chai spices (cardamon, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and pepper).

The bar was creamy smooth (added cocoa butter helped achieve this consistency), and the spices were pleasing, authentic (chai tea) tasting, and fairly mild.

And, best of all, this bar was not too sweet. I always prefer bars and truffles where the maker has exercised some restraint in this area. Too much sugar overpowers some of the subtle flavor complexities of other components in a bar (or confection). But, I suspect I will continue to feel the world is over-sweetened, as so many more people love a generous dollop of sugar with their desserts and their chocolate.

Why raw chocolate? Nutrient content can often be maintained if chocolate is not heated to a higher temperature during the chocolate making process. Temperature limits vary with different makers (often between 110 and 120 degrees Farenheit). Stirs the Soul controls the cacao grinding process so that temperature does not exceed 111 degrees (F.).

Good news for those with allergies. This bar was made in an dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut (except coconut), soy and gluten-free facility.

*Note: I didn't see currants listed as an ingredient in this bar, but it does appear in the name of the bar.  I can see why. The fruit bits embedded in this bar taste more like currants than dates.

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

Chocolate Sorbet + Chai almonds - July 2, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Double Rainbow Gourmet Ice Creams, Inc.
Chocolate Sorbet
Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup (50 g.) / 1 Pint (474 mL) total container
Calories: 60 calories in 1/4 cup
Cost: $ N/A
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

July is National Ice Cream month in the U.S. There's nothing like a bowl of rich and refreshing ice cream on a hot summer day. I searched for chai tea ice cream, a seasonal favorite that does show up from time to time (although usually in the fall or winter) in a few San Francisco shops. But, I had no luck finding it in stock in July. So, I made my own version of this creamy, spicy tea flavor.

I chose a lower fat, frozen, chai-flavored dessert -- Chocolate Sorbet from Double Rainbow Gourmet Ice Creams, Inc. (San Francisco, CA) and topped a small scoop with gluten-free, Chai Bliss Almonds from Olomomo Nut Co. (Longmont, CO); cardamom*; and a cherry.

At only 60 calories in a 1/4 cup serving, this sorbet had a rich chocolate taste without being too filling. The Olomomo Chai almonds and other ingredients helped spice things up and added some crunchy texture and fun microbursts of chai tea flavor, that paired nicely with the chocolate.

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

*Note: green cardamom pods look lovely, and have a bright, citrus spice flavor often associated with chai (tea). However, ground cardamom (powder) may be more practical (and enjoyable) dessert topping for all except the cardamom-obsessed. 

Masala Chai bar - July 1, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Artisan du Chocolat
Masala Chai bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .636 oz. (18 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) total bar
Calories: 96 calories (estimate) in 2/5 bar
Cost: $6.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week. It was too hot outside to brew up a pot of hot chai tea, so I made an iced version of said tea to accompany today's Masala Chai tea bar from Artisan du Chocolat (London).

Conched and refined in the company's Kent production facility, the milk chocolate (40% cocoa) was smooth, and infused with a masala chai tea flavor profile -- Assam black tea, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, in just the right proportions for my taste.

Chocolat Lily - Chai Truffle - June 30, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolat Lily
Chai Tea Truffle
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 truffle
Calories: 60 calories in 1 truffle
Cost: N/A
Purchased from: Chocolat Lily, Portland, OR

Chai Tea truffles never looked prettier than these two pieces from Chocolat Lily (Portland, OR). These were filled with a creamy, chai and vanilla-infused milk chocolate ganache.

Thank you to Anne Pattison, founder, Chocolat Lily, for her lovely understanding of flavors, and commitment to Belize chocolate.

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

Chai Tea Caramel - June 29, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sixth Course
Chai Tea Caramel
Good + - Very Good
Weight:
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 caramel
Cost: $15.49 for one 6-piece Caramel Sampler box
Purchased from: Buyer's Best Friend, San Francisco Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

I spent a blissful hour meandering through the Farmers Market outside the San Francisco Ferry Building this morning. Once in the Ferry Building I bumped into the Buyer's Best Friend retail shop/nook, and bought a few new chocolates, including a 6-piece Caramel Sampler from local chocolatier, Sixth Course.

Sixth Course has created a line of truffles and caramels. Many are artful combinations of sweet and savory flavors. Today's Chai Tea Caramel was flavorful and delicious -- described as "a tea party for your taste buds." I think I would agree with this statement.

Bite into this round milk chocolate (38%) covered beauty and experience lovely cardamom and chai tea flavors infused into a flowing caramel. Sixth Course used organic cream and butter, and partnered with local San Francisco Bay Area vendors for other quality ingredients, for example, Numi's Organic Golden Chai tea.

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week.

Chocolate, Chai and Ube - June 28, 2013

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Rick's (Rather Rich) Ice Cream
Ice Cream Sundae (with Chocolate Ice Cream + Ube Ice Cream)
Good - Good +
Calories: 525 calories (estimate) in 1 sundae
Cost: $4.49 for 1 single size sundae in a cup
Purchased from: Rick's Ice Cream, Charleston Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

Chocolate and Surprise Me Theme Week technically ended last night, with a bubble gum bar. However, it was a hot day today, and during a walk with a neighbor (thanks Margaret and Albert!), I couldn't resist stopping at the local ice cream shop, Rick's Ice Cream (Palo Alto, CA), to enjoy one last fun flavor.

I picked up an ice cream sundae. Underneath the whipped cream, nuts, cherry and chocolate sauce were small scoops of Ube ice cream and "plain" chocolate ice cream. The Ube ice cream, a popular Filipino dessert, was made with purple yam, and had a very slight yam-like texture. However, the added purple color brightened up the sundae.*

*Also, I can now say I've mixed chocolate with a food starting with a "U." Now I have only to find a food starting with "X" and I will have covered the whole alphabet.

The "plain" chocolate ice cream (one of several chocolate ice creams offered at Rick's) was anything but plain. It was all that I'm generally hoping for in a chocolate ice cream -- rich, authentic, creamy chocolate flavor and texture.

- @ - @ - @ - @ - @ -

Peet's Coffee and Tea
Iced Chai Latte with a shot of mocha/chocolate syrup
Good - Good +
Weight: 12 oz. in 1 small Iced Chai Latte
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) for 1 latte + shot
Cost: $3.49 + shot
Purchased from: Peet's Coffee and Tea, Charleston Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

Today's Iced Chai Latte from Peet's Coffee and Tea was a variation on a traditional Indian spiced milky tea. It was constructed with a blend of Peet's teas and spices (don't forget the cardamom), and 2% fat chilled milk. No whipped cream today; it was too hot. This flavorful, satisfying cold tea latte kept me from over-heating on the walk back home.