Branson's - Hazelnut Bar - July 11, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Branson's Chocolates, LLC
Hazelnut Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 320 calories in 1 bar
Purchased from: Branson's Chocolates, LLC

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Southern Oregon Theme Week. I only scratched the surface of what was available in this part of the world during my brief visit to the Medford/Ashland vicinity. Once again, I was reminded that chocolate is everywhere!

The chocolate I selected for today was a Hazelnut Bar from Branson's Chocolates (Ashland, OR). This creamy milk chocolate bar was full of crunchy dry roasted hazelnuts from Hazelnut Hill (Corvallis, OR).

Lillie Belle Farms - Poppy Flower Buttercream - July 10, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lillie Belle Farms
Poppy Flower Buttercream
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .6 oz. (16.98 g.) in two pieces
Calories: 90 calories (estimate) in two pieces
Cost: $4.00 (estimate) for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Southern Oregon Theme Week.

This Poppy Flower Buttercream chocolate from Lillie Belle Farms (Central Point, OR) is one of the reasons why I've continued my quest for new chocolates.

I also love flowers in food. So this "poppy" chocolate caught my eye when I spotted it in Lillie Belle's glass display case at their store in Central Point, OR, this past week.


The white, creamy ganache inside this cacao pod-shaped chocolate was infused with coquelicot* preserves from France, made with a confit of red poppy petals.

The resulting lovely, subtle floral flavor was intriguing, and difficult to pinpoint if I'd not received a kind response (to an email) from Jeff (Sheperd) at Lillie Belle Farms, answering my question about its origin.

*Coquelicot is also the name of a shade of red in France; and this chocolate was daubed with tiny red spots -- not unlike the colors one might see on ripe cacao fruit/pods.

Branson's - Blackberry Bar - July 9, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Branson's Chocolates
Blackberry Bar - 58% cacao
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 cals. in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Branson's Chocolates, Ashland, OR

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Southern Oregon Theme Week.

This Blackberry bar from Branson's Chocolates (Ashland, OR) was made with 58% cacao semi-sweet chocolate and a dark berry preserve filling (Marion Blackberries, sugar, pectin, citric acid).

My advice: as with any chocolate, eat these bars as freshly made as possible -- when the filling oozes with fresh Oregon blackberry flavor. Filled centers tend to stiffen a bit over time.

Lillie Belle Farms - Margarita; Lemon Coconut - July 8, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Lillie Belle Farms

Margarita Cup
Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

Lemon Coconut Butter Cream
Good
Weight: .45 oz. (12.7 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece
Calories: 67.5 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $2.00 (estimate) for 1 piece
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Southern Oregon Theme Week.

These two bon bons from Lillie Belle Farms (Central Point, OR) -- part of a larger assortment box I purchased at the Central Point store -- seemed to radiate summer fun. The dark chocolate Margarita Cup was filled with a white chocolate ganache flavored with Don Julio tequila and fresh key lime and garnished with a rim of salt.

And the Lemon Coconut Butter Cream was a sweet, white chocolate beauty with a hint of tart lemon and toasted coconut flavor.

Lillie Belle Farms - Marionberry bon bons, Hazelnut Chews - July 7, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Lillie Belle Farms

Marionberry bon bon
Very Good
Weight: .35 oz. x 2 = .7 oz. (19.81 g. ) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 105 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $4.50 (estimate) for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

Hazelnut Chews
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .4 oz. x 2 = .8 oz. (22.64 g.) (estimate) in 2 pieces
Calories: 120 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $4.50 (estimate) for 2 pieces
Purchased from: Lillie Belle Farms, Central Point, OR

Today was the third day of Chocolate and Southern Oregon Theme Week.

Central Point is a relatively small town in Oregon (north of Medford, OR); but if you like chocolate, farm fresh food and cheese*, I recommend a stop here.

Today's berry and nut chocolates were part of a larger assortment box I purchased this week from Lillie Belle Farms, in Central Point, OR. The two flavors -- 2 filled, leaf-shaped, Marionberry bon bons, and 2 Hazelnut Chews, paired very well together.

What is a Marionberry? A Marionberry (sometimes called a Marion blackberry), is a popular Oregon berry; it is a blackberry cultivar that was developed in Oregon.

The Lillie Belle Marionberry bon bon was filled with very fresh, organic berry preserve filling (caution: do not eat over white clothes). The amazing berry flavor complemented the square-shaped, Hazelnut Chews very nicely. The chews had a beautiful, fresh hazelnut taste to them. (It's such a pleasure to buy and eat very fresh chocolates.)

*Note: next door to Lillie Belle Farms (chocolates) is Rogue Creamery, a place with some great Oregon cheeses. 

Branson's Chocolates - berry truffles - July 6, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Branson's Chocolates
Blackberry and Raspberry Chambord Truffles
Weight: .9 oz. (estimate) for 2 truffles
Calories: 135 calories (estimate) for 2 truffles
Cost: $2.25 x 2 = $4.50 for 2 truffles
Purchased from: Branson's Chocolates, Ashland, OR

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Southern Oregon Theme Week. Today I sampled two berry flavored truffles from Branson's Chocolates (Ashland, OR).

Popular local Oregon berries include Marionberry and Blackberry. However, my favorite Branson's truffle was the Raspberry Chambord Truffle -- made with Black Raspberry Chambord liquor in a semi-sweet ganache, hand-dipped in semi-sweet chocolate, and sprinkled with pinkish-red berry colored chocolate shavings.

Branson's Chocolates - Coconut bar - July 5, 2014

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Branson's Chocolates, LLC
Coconut Bar
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56.7 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 260 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.85 for 1 bar (discounted "Oops" bar)
Purchased from: Branson's Chocolates, Ashland, OR

Today was the last day of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week, and the beginning of a series of chocolates found in Southern Oregon this week.

I was in Southern Oregon for the 4th of July weekend -- primarily in the towns of Ashland and Medford, and was able to investigate some of the local chocolatiers. The first stop we made was Branson's Chocolates, LLC (Ashland, OR).

The good folks at Branson's had truffles, bars, fudge and other confections on display when I visited. Today's Coconut Bar was in the "Oops" pile of bars. I'm not sure why, as this bar -- made with 58% semi-sweet chocolate, and filled with a coconut cream filling -- looked and tasted perfectly fine.

Additional Fun in Jacksonville, OR 
We also drove to the historic town of Jacksonville, Oregon, northwest of Branson's Chocolates (Ashland) mentioned above.

In our stroll through town stopped at the Jacksonville Mercantile, where I purchased two Coconut Curry chocolates from Europe, and a Hagensborg chocolate bar (from Canada) for future consumption.

We concluded our walk with a stop at a local Saloon -- for a shot of local lovely berry infused "Wild Roots" vodka (made in Bend, Oregon) over ice. This would surely pair well with several dark chocolates.