Baskin-Robbins - Jamoca ice cream bars - Sept. 2, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Baskin-Robbins
Jamoca ice cream bars
Good
Weight: 3 fl. oz. (89 mL) / 9 fl. oz. (266 mL) in total box
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ (lost information)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Leaves may be turning red, and kids may be back in school, but we're a long way from brisk fall weather. It was another hot day this morning. So, I reached into the freezer and chose a Jamoca ice cream bar -- made with "Jamoca Ice Cream Dipped in Dark Chocolate Flavored Coating" -- from Baskin-Robbins (Canton, MA).

It was like having a frozen latte with a little dark chocolate flavor whirled in for good measure -- a sweet, cool combination for very warm weather.

Baskin-Robbins, a large national ice cream store chain, is part of the Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. The ice cream-centered company has continued to bring out new flavors and products, even as the local ice cream shops maintain a timeless quality imbued with childhood memories for many of us. I may be less thrilled with the festively neon colors and the ice cream cakes than I once was; but I still enjoy seeing the bright pink, white and navy blue Baskin-Robbins logo when I pass by my local store(s).

Amy's - Mocha Chocolate Chip - September 1, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amy's Kitchen, Inc.
Mocha Chocolate Chip Frozen Dessert
Good ++
Weight: 1/2 cup (100 mL) serving / 1 Pint (473 mL)
Calories: 240 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $7.59 for 1 Pint container
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

September 1st, Labor Day, was a hot one. It was a perfect day for a dish of cool, refreshing Mocha Chocolate Chip frozen dessert from Amy's Kitchen (Petaluma, CA).

This organic, vegan, non-dairy (and gluten free) dessert was made with coconut milk, that imparted a subtle flavor to the mocha (coffee) flavored scoop that was flecked with a flurry of small chocolate chips. (It was also certified kosher.)

While this dish of frozen goodness was fine all by itself, I also enjoyed adding sliced almonds and a cherry halfway through.

Amazing Grass - Cafe Mocha bar - August 31, 2014

Chocolate of the Day:

Amazing Grass
Green Superfood - Cafe Mocha bar
Good
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 240 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.79 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

The Green Superfood - Cafe Mocha nutrition bar from Amazing Grass (Newport Beach, CA) was relatively high in protein (12 grams) and had more vitamins and minerals than most chocolate bars. The slightly chewy, chocolate covered "green" bar had a sweet, fruity flavor, with substantial texture (from rice protein, almonds, pumpkin seed butter, greens, organic flax, etc.). The chocolate and coffee flavors were relatively mild.


This bar helped revive me after a day of walking up and down stairs in San Francisco. Lovely, sunny day up for a decorative stairway and park-to-park hike, with a clear view across the Golden Gate to Marin County and Mount Tamalpais.

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

Lonohana - Cafe au Lait bar - August 30, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lonohana Estate Chocolate
Cafe Au Lait bar
Good + - Very Good
Weight: .766 oz. (21.6 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 115 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

The Cafe Au Lait bar from Lonohana Estate Chocolate (Honolulu, HI) was crafted from Hawaiian ingredients -- including Lonohana Estate cacao, and made in Honolulu.

Control over the whole tree-to-bar experience gives a maker the opportunity to coax flavors out at different points in the production cycle. It also is a daunting responsibility, in that there are so many points where things can go wrong.

Happily the milk chocolate bar -- made with Maui cane sugar, and adorned with a representation of the Hawaiian islands -- was smooth, rich and quite good, and was full of Ka'u coffee flavor. No coffee grit, but it tasted like finely ground coffee). A bit of Big Island vanilla rounded this out.

You could fly to the islands to pick up one of these bars. Fortunately, I was able to drive a few miles to The Chocolate Garage (in Palo Alto, CA) -- one of the few outlets to carry this line -- to pick one up!

Giraudi - Cremino al Caffe - August 29, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Giraudi
Cremino al Caffe
Very Good
Weight: .7 oz. (19.8 g.) (estimate) for 2 pieces
Calories: 105 calories (estimate) for 2 pieces
Cost: N/A - sample
Purchased from: Cafe Venetia, Palo Alto, CA


Today was Day #1 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

I don't drink coffee anymore; but if I did, it would taste like these heavenly Cremino al Caffe squares from Giraudi (Torino, Italy).

Cremino al Caffe is an Italian dessert -- a thicker, richer, creamier version of a latte -- with added egg yolks and cream. More whipped dessert than liquid beverage, it is also commonly infused with sweet nutty flavor of hazelnut.

Today's two-layered, Giraudi Cremino al Caffe chocolate squares, true to their name, embodied some of the same characteristics as this Italian dessert. Each square had a luscious, buttery melt and consisted of a wonderfully well balanced blend of chocolate, hazelnut and coffee flavors.

I can't decide which bright orange and royal blue color scheme I liked best today: this Giraudi foil wrapped square, or the beautiful sunset this evening. Both were beautiful.

Alter Eco - Dark Brown Butter bar - Aug. 28, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Alter Eco
Dark Salted Brown Butter bar
Good +
Weight: .564 oz. (16 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 91 calories in 1/5 bar
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market

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

This Dark Chocolate Salted Brown Butter bar from Alter Eco (San Francisco, CA*) was made with 70% organic, Fair Trade certified (Nacional Forastero) Ecuadorian cacao beans and sweet pastured butter.

It had a slight candy caramel corn aroma. It was, as expected, buttery and silky smooth, and a touch of fleur de sel de Guerande gave this chocolate helped balance the sweetness. I might even try this bar with some additional salt next time, in the form of toasted, savory (garlic rosemary or smoked salt) nuts.

The bar was soy free, gluten free, "No GMO" and contained no artificial flavors, and no emulsifiers.

*Made in Switzerland, Distributed by Alter Eco (Americas) 

Chocolat Bonnat - Equateur bar - Aug. 27, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chocolat Bonnat / Bonnat Chocolatier
Dark Chocolate Equateur bar
Good ++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 3.5 oz. (99 g.) in total bar
Calories: 174 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

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

This Equateur bar from Bonnat (Voiron, Isere, France) had a pleasing deep chocolate aroma, and the pieces broke off with a well-tempered, hard snap.

This three-ingredient (cocoa, cocoa butter and sugar) dark chocolate (75% cocoa) bar had an exceptionally buttery smooth texture and melt, and maintained a very consistent, well balanced acid-earth, classic dark chocolate flavor, with a light hint of floral honey, throughout the tasting experience.

Chocolat Bonnat is one of the oldest chocolate companies operating today in France. The company still produces its signature praline chocolates (as well as bars), and has been passed from "father to son since 1884" -- an impressive feat for any business.