TCHO TCHIunky TCHOtella bar - March 16, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

TCHO
TCHunky TCHOtella bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) total bar
Calories:  240 calories for 2/3 bar
Cost: $7.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA


Our chocolate for Day #3 of Chocolate and Hazelnut Theme Week was... from TCHO (San Francisco, CA). TCHO is pronounced (cho); the "T" is silent.

Today's TCHunky TCHOtella bar -- made from Organic and Fair Trade milk chocolate, hazelnuts, hazelnut butter and sea salt -- attained a degree of rich, creamy smoothness that only certain gianduja (ground hazelnut spread with milk chocolate) chocolates can offer. Not overly sweet, this Italian-inspired bar was a great, well-balanced bar. Roasted Piedmontese hazelnut bits added texture and nutty flavor. 

Bixby Birdie bar with hazelnuts - March 15, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bixby and Co.
Birdie Chocolate Bar
Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.2 g.) / 1.5 oz. (43 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 70 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $ N/A - sample
Purchased from: N/A - sample

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

The Birdie Chocolate Bar from Bixby and Co. (Belfast, ME) was made with 72% dark chocolate (from Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa) and packed with hazelnuts, black currants, and a touch of sea salt.

The sepia-toned wrapper was adorned with an image of a woman in historic sportswoman attire about to putt in a golf ball into a hole for, presumably, a birdie -- a shot that earns the scorer one under par (a good thing).

This small, chunky, gluten-free, No GMO bar was also a good thing. It could be gently cut into slices and shared with friends or golf partners. 

Trader Joe's - Hazelnut chocolates - March 14, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Belgian Chocolate Shoppe assortment box
1.) Vanilla Mousse in White Chocolate with Chopped Hazelnuts
2.) Milk Chocolate with Crunchy Hazelnut Cream
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $ N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift

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

Nuts add fat and flavor to chocolates. Hazelnuts have a natural sweetness that can complement milk chocolate nicely.

Ground hazelnuts and hazelnut butter added both texture and a creamy sweetness to today's chocolate confections made in Belgium. I associate a traditional "Belgian style" with longer conch times and very smooth creamy chocolate. The "American style" has often meant adding more sugar.

The white and milk chocolates from this Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) Belgian Chocolate Shoppe assortment box were creamy and fairly high in sugar content, and the hazelnut helped contribute to both the smoothness and balance out the sweetness from the sugar.

The chopped hazelnuts added a hint of crunchy texture to the Vanilla Mousse in the first piece.

And, ground hazelnuts added a smooth richness to the second piece, a Milk Chocolate with Crunchy Hazelnut Cream. Tiny hazelnut flecks gave the center an almost wafer-like crunch.

Gosanko - Four-Leaf Clover - March 13, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Gosanko Chocolate Art
Four-Leaf Clover
Good - Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21 g.) in 1 piece
Calories: 112.5 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.95
Purchased from: Draegers, San Mateo, CA

My expectations are not always high for molded chocolates, as there can be added paraffin, wax, or other additives that help preserve/hold the shape of objects, that can make chocolates less tasty.

However, this four-leaf clover from Gosanko Chocolate (Auburn, WA) exceeded my expectations. Wrapped in shiny green foil, this solid milk chocolate clover was smooth, almost creamy, with no waxy mouthfeel. The relatively thin thickness allowed the chocolate to melt easily in my mouth and to access flavor that tasted like quality milk chocolate.

Gosanko Chocolate specializes in what I call "chocsimiles," facsimiles of animals, objects and other novelty items, crafted in chocolate; both art and technical skills are required. Gosanko uses chocolate from Guittard Chocolate (Burlingame, CA). And using quality ingredients does make a difference.

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Green Theme Week.

Butlers - Irish Whiskey Truffle bar - March 12, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Butlers Chocolates
Irish Whiskey Truffle bar
Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 2.64 oz. (75 g.) in 1/3 bar
Calories: 116.6 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $4.89 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Abe's Market (online order)

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

This Irish Whiskey Truffle bar from Butlers Chocolates (Dublin, Ireland) was infused with Jameson Irish Whiskey. When I opened the gold foil liner wrapping paper, a fragrant whiff of whiskey greeted my nostrils.

The dark chocolate covered truffle bar was easily broken into six segments; and it was filled with a smooth, creamy milk chocolate ganache center.

Cocopotamus - Kiss Blarney - March 11, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Cocopotamus
Kiss Blarney
Good +
Weight: .988 oz. (27.8 g.) in 2 pieces / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) total box of 5
Calories: 150 calories in 2 truffles
Cost: $12.00 for 1 box of 5 pieces
Purchased from: NYDC Chocolate, online order

Saint Patrick's Day is next week, when we celebrate all things Ireland. Rather than a solemn tribute to Saint Patrick, who was a Christian missionary and ambassador to Ireland in the 5th century, this holiday is more likely to involve being festively assaulted by the color green in stores, bars and restaurants.

In the U.S., St. Patrick's Day has become affiliated with saucy leprechauns wearing green derby hats and jackets, green beer, and green and gold chocolates, coins, and candies.

In the late 1900s, I remember watching green-tinted television commercials for Irish Spring* soap and Lucky Charms* cereal. If you crossed grandma's fudge with these two products, you might get something dark and sweet, refreshing and charming, and a bit whimsical, like today's Cocopotamus "Kiss Blarney**" peppermint and rum dark chocolate truffles from NYDC Chocolate (Albuquerque, NM). These creamy, hand-dipped fudge truffles were covered in dark chocolate, individually wrapped in handsome teal green foil, and were magically delicious (and gluten free).

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

*Colgate's Irish Spring soap was first marketed by Colgate-Palmolive in the 1970s. Lucky Charms is a cereal brand produced by General Mills.
** The Blarney stone resides in Blarney Castle in Ireland. Legend has it that those who kiss this stone will have the gift of gab (the ability to persuade, flatter or charm others with your speech)

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.