Cappuccino Swirl - July 23, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.
Almond Dream
Cappuccino Swirl non-dairy frozen dessert
Good
Weight: 1/4 cup (39 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) total container
Calories: 70 calories in 1/4 cup
Cost: $4.19 for 1 Pint
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

For those looking for a lighter, non-dairy alternative to ice cream, today's Almond Dream, Cappuccino Swirl non-dairy frozen dessert, from The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Melville, NY) might be something to try. At only 140 calories in 1/2 cup serving, compared to 250 calories for a fuller fat ice cream, I could enjoy this along with some fruit for lunch.

The coffee + cocoa swirls, running through a a fairly creamy base (made from almonds), boosted the flavor a bit more than plainer flavors. 

Vanilla Bean Espresso bar - July 22, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Haagen-Dazs
Vanilla Bean Espresso (ice cream bar)
Good
Weight: 1 bar / box of 3 bars
Calories: 280 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.99 (estimate) for 1 box of 3 bars
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

I don't normally eat ice cream for breakfast; however, my morning meal this summer morning was a Vanilla Bean Espresso ice cream bar from Haagen-Dazs (Oakland, CA (Dreyer's)). This bar helped to fuel a 7-mile+ hike today in the redwoods, in the nearby coastal mountains. (It worked.)

At this ice cream bar's core were strips of espresso (and cocoa) running through vanilla bean ice cream. This center was dipped in (covered by) a milk chocolate coating.

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

Coffee Toffee Dark bar - July 21, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Bissinger's
Coffee Toffee Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: .583 oz. (16.4 g.) in 1/6 bar / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 90 calories (estimate) in 1/6 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Miki's Farm Fresh Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the third day of Chocolate and and Coffee Theme Week. I love the taste of coffee, but caffeine makes me hyperactive. So, much as I've loved tasting chocolate + coffee items the past few days, I've already needed to take a few deep breaths and slow down.

Despite the challenges of being in a state of perpetual caffeination this week, my chocolate research continues...with today's Coffee Toffee Dark Chocolate bar from Bissinger's (St. Louis, MO).

Bissinger's used "100% African (cocoa) Beans" to make this (gluten free) dark chocolate bar, that was decorated with a festive shower of toffee pieces pressed into the bar's backside. The coffee in this bar came from Rainforest Alliance* Certified farms.

The dark chocolate base as deep, almost impenetrable thicket of darkness. Brighter fruit notes (often found in chocolate made with Madagascar beans) might have added some interesting notes. But, interesting isn't always better if you have a lot of different flavors interacting already. In this case, the rather homogenous dark chocolate in this bar did blend seamlessly with the dark coffee flavor.

*The Rainforest Alliance is an organization that focuses on teaching sustainable practices -- that are "good for farm families, the community, the environment and wildlife."

Madecasse Arabica Coffee Bar - July 20, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Madecasse LLC
Arabica Coffee (bar)
Good - Good+
Weight: .44 oz. (12.5 g.) in 1/2 bar / .88 oz. (25 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 65 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: part of a larger package of 5 mini bars
Purchased from: (online order)

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

Madecasse (with locations in Brooklyn, San Francisco, Ambanja and Antananarivo) is a bean-to-bar company that sources cacao from Madagascar. More important, the company also makes their chocolate in Madagascar. Most chocolate companies buy cacao beans from farmers or co-ops that have been grown in developing countries and ship them to manufacturing plants in developed countries (such as the U.S. or Europe). The coffee in today's bar also was also grown in Madagascar.

This rich and pleasant Arabica Coffee bar was made with 44% cacao milk chocolate and was studded with Arabica coffee nibs (bits of bean) on the back of the bar. The coffee beans imparted a strong flavor, making the bar taste darker than 44% cacao. The chocolate was smooth, although milk powder and soy lecithin gave it a certain characteristic mouth feel (slightly gummy texture). A hint of vanilla and sea salt helped round out the stronger cocoa and coffee flavors.

Almond Brittle - July 19, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

G. L. Alfieri LLC
Almond Brittle - Dark Chocolate Coffee
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total package
Calories: 45 calories (estimate)
Cost: not available
Purchased from: G.L. Alfieri table at San Francisco Ferry Building, SF, CA

Today was the first day of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

This dark chocolate covered, crunchy almond brittle* infused with coffee flavor, from G.L. Alfieri (Ripon, CA), was well balanced, with a good mix of rich flavors and textures.

Alfieri Farms are located in the central valley of California -- an area known for farms and agriculture, about 90 miles inland from the San Francisco Ferry Building (where I bought these). The third-generation family owned business specializes in premium nuts and fruit(s); and almonds were the first ingredient listed in this brittle.

*Note: Chocolate products may not be available in the summer/hot weather months. 

Sea Salt Escape bar - July 18, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Sea Salt Escape bar
Good
Weight: .875 oz. (25 g.) in 1/4 bar / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 125 calories (estimate) for 1/4 bar
Cost: $4.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: de Young Museum (museum store), San Francisco, CA

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

The Sea Salt Escape bar from Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (San Leandro, CA), seemed like the perfect choice for today's ramble around San Francisco Bay.

First, Ghirardelli history in the City by the Bay (San Francisco) runs deep. Second, I'll be spending time by the waterfront looking at boats (America's Cup, boatbuilding), thus a tie-in with "sea salt escape" reference. Third, I'll be walking the SF Bay Trail, and will be bird watching. And last, but not least, it's chocolate and almond theme week.

Earlier this year, I picked up a specially packaged edition of this milk chocolate bar with almond pieces and sea salt, at the de Young (art) museum in San Francisco. As part of promotion of the Dutch painting exhibit in town at that time, this Ghirardelli bar was packaged in a second/outside wrapper that came adorned with "The Goldfinch," a painting of a bird from 1654, by Carel Fabritius. I've only seen one goldfinch in my area, but maybe I'll get lucky and see another one in my walk around the Bay.

NibMor Almond bar - July 17, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

NibMor Group Inc.
Organic Dark Chocolate with Almonds (bar)
Good
Weight: .366 oz. (10.3 g.) in 1/6 bar / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 43.3 calories in 1/6 bar
Cost: $5.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Nibmor Group Inc. (Huntington, NY) makes organic chocolate bars that are notable for what they contain and what they don't.

Today's NibMor Almond bar contained no refined sugar. It was, instead, sweetened with organic agave nectar. Also absent: "dairy, gluten or GMO." This dark chocolate (65% cacao) bar was vegan and kosher, and was "crafted at low temperatures to minimize the loss of valuable nutrients and flavanols."

The bar's texture and consistency gave it an almost rustic style. When I broke off a piece, the bar's snap was clean, but lacked a hard snap sometimes present in bars with a sophisticated tempering process (that requires heating chocolate to higher temperatures first before cooling). The consistency was smooth (helped by cocoa butter and sunflower lecithin), even though particle size seemed relatively large, again likely due to more minimal and low temperature processing to preserve nutrients.

The bar itself had dark richness, and was not too sweet (thank you). The dark cocoa flavor was interspersed with small almond bits.

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