Patric Lemongrass-Ginger bar - July 10, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Patric Chocolate

Lemongrass-Ginger bar

Good +

Weight: .575 oz. (16.25 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) total bar

Calories: 87 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar

Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

The minute I sliced open the plastic wrapper that enveloped today's bar, I was treated to the smell of good chocolate. I would happily try almost any Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO) bar for one reason: Alan 'Patric' McClure does such a masterful job crafting his chocolate, from bean to bar. Add a few high-quality flavors or "additions" to this already fine chocolate, and the stage is set for a great bar.

Authentic-tasting sparkles of ginger sugar dominated the first few bites of this Patric Limited Edition dark milk chocolate bar. The lemongrass essence was, initially, more diffuse and served as a fragrant backdrop until the latter part of the tasting arc. That was fine with me, as I was busy enjoying the ginger. Subsequent bites of this (soy and gluten free) bar see-sawed gently back and forth between lemongrass and ginger.

(Apologies: Pictures to follow later this week.)

Coconut Milk Ginger bar - July 9, 2013

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Madre Chocolate
Coconut Milk and Caramelized Ginger bar
Good +
Weight: 1.125 oz. (32.25 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) total bar
Calories: 169 calories in 3/4 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Madre Chocolate, Hawaii

Madre Coconut and Ginger bar
Today's Coconut Milk and Caramelized Ginger bar was handcrafted by Madre Chocolate (Oahu, Hawaii). The company constructed this bar from all-Hawaiian ingredients: 55% dark chocolate made from cacao beans hailing from the Hamakua Coast (on the Big Island of Hawaii); coconuts from Maui and the Big Island; and organic ginger from Hawaii.

Coconut milk and cocoa butter gave this bar an authentic, almost buttery soft and creamy texture. The smattering of candied ginger bits scattered throughout the bar provided chewy, spicy and sweet bits of complementary, natural Island flavor.

Ginger Lemongrass
Yesterday, I mentioned tasting other Ginger and Lemongrass chocolate bars this week. I did re-taste Artisan du Chocolat's (London) Ginger and Lemongrass milk chocolate (40% cocoa) bar, that had a pleasant, mild fragrant flavor. Tomorrow, I will sample Patric Chocolate's (Columbia, Missouri) Lemongrass-Ginger dark milk chocolate bar (sold through The Chocolate Garage, in Palo Alto, CA).

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

Thai Wonder bar - July 8, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Compartes Chocolatier
Thai Wonder bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 60 calories in 1/6 bar
Cost: $9.99 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Compartes Chocolatier, Los Angeles, CA

The attractively packaged Thai Wonder - Ginger and Lemongrass - bar I enjoyed today was part of the Compartes Chocolatier (Los Angeles, CA) World Series collection (Volume 01, Bar 06), that incorporated international flavor blends.

Today's dark chocolate (73% cacao) bar was infused with a very subtle blend of ginger and lemongrass. I broke off a small edge piece or two to try. These flavors may have been more intense in the middle of the bar.

Ginger and lemongrass combinations have become popular in the past year or two, and I look forward to trying another (new) bar with this blend tomorrow.

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

Ginger Papaya truffle - July 7, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Oakland Chocolate Co.
Ginger Papaya truffle
Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) in 1 truffle
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 truffle
Cost: $2.00 for 1 piece
Purchased from: The Oakland Chocolate Co., Oakland, CA

Today's Ginger Papaya truffle from The Oakland Chocolate Co. (Oakland, CA), was made from Jamaican chocolate. The dark chocolate ganache (filling) was infused with a faint ginger flavor and the truffle was crowned with a small piece of golden-orange, dried papaya.

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

Pear Ginger Chocolate - July 6, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lillie Belle Farms
Pear Ginger Chocolate
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .6 oz. (16.98 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 for 1 piece
Calories: 90 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

This week is all about Chocolate and Ginger. Ginger is one of my favorite food items to pair with dark chocolate.

Ginger stands up to, and still harmonizes with, dark chocolate. Many more delicate items are overwhelmed by chocolate, especially dark chocolate. For a simple shotglass dessert*, it's hard to beat a small scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream topped with dark chocolate sauce and candied ginger.

I recently visited the Rogue Valley in Oregon, home to wonderful pears (home to Harry and David, and many a pear orchard), and cheeses (Rogue Valley Creamery smokey blue cheese, and cheddars). Within a few dozen steps of the Rogue Creamery is the lavender colored building that houses Lillie Belle Farm chocolates (Central Point, OR). A few years ago, I featured a blue cheese chocolate truffle from Lillie Belle Farms (made in partnership with Rogue Creamery). Don't knock it, it's better than it sounds.

Where am I going with all this chocolate and cheese talk? First, pears and cheese and ginger (or quince paste or honeycomb) are natural companions on a cheese plate. And, why not roll these wonderful flavors into a chocolate? As it turns out today's chocolate does just this. Second, this is a good time to talk about an upcoming Chocolate and Cheese/Dairy Week, I'm planning a few weeks. (If you have ideas, let me know.)

Today's unique chocolate started with a fresh, flavorful and incredibly moist dried pear half, rolled around roasted/toasted almonds. Enrobed in dark chocolate, this rolled pear confection was then topped with a thin stripe of candied ginger.

*For more information, see my Shotglass Dessert Gallery, coming soon.

Chai Cocoa - July 5, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Cotton Tree Chocolate
Chai Cocoa
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 7 oz. (198 g.) in total bag
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) serving
Cost: $7.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Cotton Tree Chocolate, Punta Gorda, Belize


This was the last day of Chocolate and Chai Theme Week. I've enjoyed several combinations of cardamom and spiced chai (tea) blended with chocolate this week: truffles, caramels, bars, ice cream, and today -- a glass of cold Chai Cocoa from Cotton Tree Chocolate (Punta Gorda, Belize).

I mixed a few spoonfuls of this rich, slightly earthy, organic cocoa powder from Belize, into a cup of cold, 2% milk. The Chai Cocoa mix had hints of cinnamon, cloves and allspice. This flavorful and refreshing cold cocoa hit the spot on this hot July day.

Cotton Tree Chocolate, located on the Caribbean coastal town of Punta Gorda in Southern Belize, also has a line of bars with farm flavors that highlight endemic foods and spices -- such as Belizean coffee, coconut and black pepper.

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.