OCD - Irish Caramel Bomb - March 10, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Obsessive Confection Disorder
Irish Caramel Bomb
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) (estimated) for 1 piece
Calories: 74 calories (estimate) for 1 piece
Cost: $1.95 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Green Theme Week. And, for the next few days, the "green" tie-in will be with Ireland and St. Patrick's Day.

Obsessive Confection Disorder (Fairfax, CA) makes great caramels. The company's Irish Caramel Bomb was a crunchy caramel center (on a sucker stick) made with sugar and coconut butter, flavored with Jameson Irish whiskey and vanilla bean, and covered with bittersweet chocolate.

This never really had a chance as a sucker. It was devoured in a few delectable bites by leprechauns.

Thank you to Melodi Brooke Donahue, the force behind OCD's vegan caramels and other treats.

Montezuma's Sea Dog bar - March 9, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Montezuma's Chocolate
Sea Dog bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.165 oz. (33 g.) in 1/3 bar; 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 174 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $5.00 for 1 bar (part of a larger order)
Purchased from: Abe's Market (online order)

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

Limes were brought aboard ships and eaten by sailors to provide Vitamin C (to avoid scurvy) during long voyages at sea. Lime and other citrus flavors, when blended skillfully with chocolate, can be wonderful. A light sprinkle of sea salt can also be very nice with chocolate. I had not, however, had both of these flavor additions together, in one bar, until today.

The Dark Chocolate "Sea Dog" bar with lime (oil) and sea salt from Montezuma's Chocolate (West Sussex, UK) was made with 70% Peruvian Cacao. The dark chocolate flavor was smooth, and the very subtle hints of lime and salt were just right for me. (The innovative British company, founded by Helen and Simon Pattinson in 2000, also makes a milk chocolate bar with lime and chili, as well as a large assortment of other flavored dark and milk bars.)

Talenti - Mediterranean Mint gelato - March 8, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Talenti
Mediterranean Mint gelato
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/4 cup / 1 Pint container
Calories:  100 calories (per label) in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $6.79 for 1 Pint container
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, San Mateo, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Green Theme Week. I enjoyed seeing green scenery in San Francisco today, thanks to some late winter rain, including green grasses, flowers and members of the mint family.

Fresh green mint and chocolate pair famously well together in desserts, hot or cold.

This evening, I enjoyed another cold, mint chocolate treat --  a small scoop of refreshing Mediterranean Mint gelato from Talenti (Minneapolis, MN). Flecks of bittersweet chocolate were swirled into a creamy mint-flavored base.

Powell's - Bavarian Mint Gelato - March 7, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Powell's Sweet Shoppe (Gelato Classico)
Bavarian Mint Gelato
Good - Good +
Weight: 4 oz. (estimate) - 1 scoop in cup
Calories: 240 calories (estimate)
Cost: N/A - sample ($2.99 for 1 scoop in cup)
Purchased from: Powell's Sweet Shoppe, San Jose, CA

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

The small raft of green leprechauns and shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day were almost lost in the crush of chocolate rabbits, eggs and other Easter candy.

Powell's Sweet Shoppe in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, CA, had a small Irish green display area conveniently located in front of their gelato counter. Walking inside this shop may trigger visions of sugar overload, but, thankfully, Powell's gelato and sorbetto that we sampled were not overly sweet.

It didn't take much to convince me to try the Bavarian Mint gelato, made for Powell's by Gelato Classico (Concord, CA). Soft flowing ribbons of chocolate wound through a base of creamy, pale green, natural mint tasting Italian-style ice cream.

Thank you to Alex for your great counter help!

Cocopotamus - Blimey - March 6, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

NYDC Chocolate, LLC
Cocopotamus
Blimey - Key Lime Caramel Fudge Truffles
Good
Weight: .494 oz. (14 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in 1 box of 5 pieces
Calories: 55 calories in 1 piece (per label)
Cost: $10.50 for 1 box of 5 pieces
Purchased from: NYDC Chocolate, online order

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate and Green Theme Week.

What is a green theme week? Think green limes, spring green grass and flowers, Saint Patrick's Day, four-leaf clovers and leprechauns, maybe an Easter bunny or two excited about Earth Day next month, and you've got it.


Today's gluten-free "Blimey" Key Lime Caramel Fudge Truffles were part of the Cocopotamus caramel line from NYDC Chocolate (Albuquerque, NM), and contained a subtle hint of natural key lime extract. A lively creamy caramel fudge inside was coated in dark chocolate and marked with a pale lime-lemon colored cross-hatch of frosting (a la hot cross bun).

Claudio Corallo - 73 1/2 percent with nibs - March 5, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Claudio Corallo
Chocolate soft 73 1/2% com nibs de cacau
Good +
Weight: .44 oz. (12.5 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) total package
Calories: 66 calories (estimate) in 1/4 package
Cost: $12.00 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Alegio Chocolate, Palo Alto, CA

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

Claudio Corallo (Plantacao de Terreiro Velho, Sao Tome e Principe) has his own way of making chocolate. Based on a small island off the coast of Africa, Corallo crafts chocolate from the bean, direct from the plantation, and has cultivated a unique flavor profile.

The taste conjured images of a jungle, or tropical forest molds that may have been introduced after the cacao fruit has been harvested and beans are being fermented, dried or undergoing the earlier stages of chocolate making.

Some people will love this flavor, others may not, or may not want to pay the higher price for this specialty item. But, a true chocolate aficionado will enjoy at least giving this a try. The fact that this chocolate is sold only through shops (like Alegio Chocolate) where proprietors have a sophisticated understanding and can explain the virtues of various chocolates to customers, tells something about the maker himself. He is particular in his craft and labeling. The cacao percentage is not 70% or 73%, but rather a precise 73 1/2 %

Thin sheets of Corallo's soft chocolate were slightly pliable -- the thin sheets making the flavors more accessible. Forget thick chocolate bars that are so hard that it takes a small hammer to break. This chocolate will slowly melt in your mouth. Small flecks of cacao nibs added a bit of crunch.

Taza - Raspberry Nib bar - March 4, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Taza Chocolate
Raspberry Nib bar
Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) total bar
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

This Factory Limited Raspberry Nib bar from Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA) was slightly gritty and crunchy, having been made with stone ground chocolate and cacao nibs; however, that same lack of processing meant this 65% dark bar sparkled with natural tasting raspberry and chocolate flavors (i.e. the flavors weren't ground down to blandness).

The Taza Raspberry Nib bar was one of three Factory Limited bars I bought. (I will also feature the Hazelnut Butter and Belize bars in the future.)