Coco Nutties - August 20, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wonder Food Co.
Coco Keeno - Coco Nutties
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total package
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $3.75 in 1 package
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

I like chocolate, nuts, and monkeys. So, I was drawn to today's Organic "Coco Nutties" -- roasted almonds covered in dark chocolate from Wonder Food Co. (Palm Desert, CA). The packaging was adorned with an illustrated golden lion tamarin monkey.

These Coco Nutties were part of the Wonder Food's Coco Keeno line of chocolates. (A loose translation of cocoa and quinoa, Coco and Keeno are also the names of the company's monkey mascots. Their real world (monkey) counterparts are South American rainforest canopy dwellers.) The company specializes in treats made with (or covered in) "organic cocoa from the rainforest."

The 70% dark chocolate coating enveloping the almonds was rich and complex in natural, undiluted/unadulterated flavor (which I liked); although the overall product seemed quite sweet. (Organic sugar was the first ingredient listed.) The roasted almond center(s), were nicely done, and crunchy.

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

Chocolate Almond Sorbet - Aug. 19, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Scream Sorbet
Chocolate Almond (sorbet)
Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. serving / 12 oz. total container
Calories: 150 calories (guesstimate)
Cost: $9.00 (estimate)
Purchased from: Scream Sorbet, Oakland, CA

Scream Sorbet (Oakland, CA) closed up shop, but a pint of their delicious sorbet, lives on in my freezer. Or, it did, before today.

Scream Sorbet made some of the finest "ice creams" I've ever tasted, loaded with high-quality, fresh-tasting ingredients. It was creamy and rich -- only there was no cream or milk in these sorbets, just pure flavor. I'm guessing there was some special equipment involved that helped create this silken smooth texture.

I savored every bite of the company's Chocolate and Almond sorbet this morning. It was made with "water, organic Inzana Ranch almonds, Ciranda cocoa powder, sugar and sea salt." Occasionally I'll get sucked into an intense tasting experience, where the rest of the world seems to fade away somewhere in the background. This was one of those times.

Thank you Scream Sorbet. Hope to see you again one day.

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

Almond Cluster - Aug. 18, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates
Almond Cluster
Weight: .6 oz. (16.9 g.) (estimate) for 1 cup/piece
Calories: 90 calories (estimate) for 1 cup/piece
Cost: $1.50 for 1 Almond Cluster
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Strawberry Village Shopping Center, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week, so this past week I was on the look-out for chocolate and almond items I haven't tried yet. (After eating more than 2,500 different chocolates, this is more challenging than you might think, but certainly not impossible.)

I knew I was in the right place to locate more almond-themed chocolates, when I paid a visit to SweetE Organic (Mill Valley, CA). Elana Turchon has lined her shelves with chocolates and candies that offer alternative choices for those looking for organic, gluten free, nut free, dairy free, or other alternatives. I quickly spotted (with Joy's help) today's Almond Cluster from Mama Ganache (San Luis Obispo, CA), that was individually wrapped in copper-colored foil.

Mama Ganache specializes in organic, fair trade confections. I bought two Almond Clusters, and ate one on the drive back home (for research purposes). The dark chocolate was rich in flavor, and embedded in the cup-shaped chocolate was a generous helping of chopped toasted almonds that seemed to have a sweet crunch to them.

Organic Almond Toffee - Aug. 17, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amy E's Bakery, LLC

Organic Almond Toffee

Good + - Very Good

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) total bag

Calories: 155 calories for 1 oz. piece

Cost: $8.95 total bag

Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

Breakfast this morning was on the sweet side: one tiny espresso cup of affogato (vanilla ice cream and coffee), with a hearty piece of Organic Almond Toffee from Amy E's Bakery, LLC (Coquille, OR/Moscow, ID).

Amy E's thick, buttery slabs of toffee were coated with organic dark chocolate and toasted almond pieces. Thank you to Amy Edwards for creating tasty, organic treats.

Donkey Balls - Almonds - Aug. 16, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Donkey Balls
Donkey Blitz - Chocolate Covered Almonds
Good - Good +
Weight: 4 oz. (112 g.) in total package
Calories: 600 calories (estimate) in 1 package
Cost: N/A
Purchased from: shop in Kailua-Kona, HI

What is a Donkey Ball you may ask? Donkey Balls (made and sold in Hawaii) are generally large and round chocolate spheres with whole macadamia nuts residing in the centers. But, today's "Donkey Blitz"bag from the Big Island were bite-sized chocolate covered almonds.

Keoki the Donkey is a cartoon character that appears on Donkey Balls chocolate mac nut packaging. He seems to be the source of two quotes that appear below him: "Nuts to you and chocolate too" and "Chocolate people sure are smart." Yes, Keoki, they certainly are. Smart enough to know that chocolate and almonds are a winning combination.

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

Dark Chocolate Almond Crisps - Aug. 15, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Good and Delish
(distributed by Walgreen Co.)
(Grand) Dark Chocolate Almond Crisps
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 5 oz. (142 g.) total package
Calories: 210 calories in 1.4 oz. serving
Cost: $2.99 (sale price)
Purchased from: Walgreens, Palo Alto, CA

I admit, my head is easily turned by clever packaging. When I spotted a magical nut (almond) sitting upright on a pink-cushioned, black laquered piano bench, poised to play a grand piano with a lid made of dark chocolate, I thought to myself: you don't see that every day.

So, I couldn't resist picking up a package of Good and Delish Dark Chocolate Almond Crisps (distributed by Walgreen Co.) from a local Walgreens store.

I carefully opened the silver, re-sealable pouch, to discover several slim sheets of dark chocolate studded with salted almond bits that were quite tasty. There were no pianos inside or magical piano-playing almonds. However, in fairness, there was a disclaimer in tiny print on the package that read:

"*c'mon, did you really expect each crisp to be shaped like a piano?"

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Music/Audio Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Almond Theme Week.

Note: There were so many great ideas and submissions for Chocolate and Music Theme Week, that I will surely have another similar theme week soon. I'm hoping someone will compose a short (20-second) piece inspired by a piece of chocolate. Ideas welcome.

Totally Tubular 80's chocolates - Aug. 14, 2013

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Imagine Chocolate/Imagine Flavor, Inc.
"Totally Tubular 80's" chocolate assortment box
1.) "Purple Rain" - OK+ - Good
2.) "Funky Cold Medina" - OK+ - Good
3.) "Thriller" - Good
4.) "White Wedding" - OK+
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in 1 box
Calories: 195 calories for 1/2 of 4 pieces
Cost: $5.00 for 1 box of 4 pieces
Purchased from: Imagine Chocolate/Imagine Flavor, Inc. (Studio City, CA)

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Music/Audio Theme Week.

"Purple Rain" (Prince) was represented as a milk chocolate lavender almond center covered in milk chocolate. I couldn't taste any floral (lavender) or almond flavor, but it was a pleasant, fudgy chocolate decorated with purple icing.

"Funky Cold Medina" was a 1989 rap hit performed by L.A. native, Tone Loc. The song appeared as a dark mint chocolate almond center in dark chocolate in this assortment. The mint flavor was pleasant.

"Thriller" (a hit by Michael Jackson) was my favorite 80's inspired hit and chocolate in this collection. The pumpkin spiced milk chocolate center in milk chocolate was infused with authentic tasting spices (cinnamon, nutmeg).

The fourth and final chocolate in this box was "White Wedding" (a reference to a ) Super creamy vanilla walnut (?) center in white chocolate, decorated with white sprinkles. If you like white chocolate, this one's for you.

These chocolates were a bit heavy on the sweetness, preservatives and additives for me, but I loved the concept and packaging.