Toblerone - Swiss Milk Salted Almonds bar - June 10, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Toblerone*
Swiss Milk Chocolate with Salted Caramelized Almonds and Honey and Almond Nougat
Good
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $0.97 (estimate) (sale price)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Toblerone Swiss Milk Chocolate bars come in several flavors, including today's big Toblerone bar with the big (or at least long) name: "Swiss Milk Chocolate with Salted Caramelized Almonds and Honey and Almond Nougat" (bar).

The unique triangular shape of the Toblerone bar was developed in Berne, Switzerland, more than 100 years ago. The bar's resemblance to mountain peaks reminded me of the Swiss Alps when I was younger.

Note: The Toblerone brand is part of Kraft Foods.

Valor Chocolates - Almond creme squares - June 9, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Valor Chocolates
Doblones Puro Rellenos Creme de Almendra - Cacao 52%
Good
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) (estimate) in 2 squares
Calories: 38 calories (estimate) in 2 squares
Cost: $N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Toni!)
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend

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

A friend kindly donated an assortment of individually wrapped squares from Valor Chocolates (Alicante, Espana) to me. She'd purchased them while on a recent trip to Spain.

I tried the two, bite sized almond creme filled squares this afternoon. Sweet and chocolatey on the outside, the almond creme layer in the center of these 52% cacao chocolates was subtly flavored.

Dandelion Chocolate - Cacao fruit smoothie - June 8, 2015 (bonus post)

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Dandelion Chocolate
Cacao Fruit Smoothie
Good ++
Weight: 10 oz. (estimate)
Calories: unknown
Cost: $7.00
Purchased from: Dandelion Chocolate, San Francisco, CA

I would be remiss if I left out a beverage made with real cacao fruit pulp on the last day of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Week.

Cacao fruit or pulp surrounds a core of perhaps two dozen large cacao "seeds" found in each cacao pod.

Dandelion Chocolate (San Francisco, CA) is the only place I know of in the San Francisco Bay Area where one can buy such as thing.

Dandelion's cacao fruit smoothie is light-colored, sweet and fruity. It's described as having a "tropical lychee" flavor. And it was a great refreshing cold drink to have on a hot day.

I was at Dandelion Chocolate to listen to a presentation about the company's cacao sourcing trip to Cuba, and to see if there were any new chocolate items I might have missed. I walked away with four new single origin bars to try, and some interesting facts about cacao production in Cuba.

Cacao from Cuba
This evening's speakers talked about their exploratory trip to Cuba. Most of cacao grown in Cuba is used domestically; a small portion of high grade cacao is exported -- or I should say could be exported to the U.S. if relations between the two countries continue to improve. The government currently pays farmers roughly $9/month for their cacao and controls exports.

Most cacao in Cuba is grown in the western end of this island nation that is Cuba, in the Baracoa area. This means a bit of a trek if one starts the trip in Havana.

Unlike chocolatiers, who can buy blocks of chocolate others have made, chocolate makers need to develop relationships with farmers who are growing or producing cacao. Knowing what crops might taste like from year to year, what the local fermentation conditions exist, and what would be a fair (or over market) price for good quality beans are typically part of this relationship. This last consideration may be handled differently in Cuba, as the government controls prices.

Traveling to the country of origin has other benefits as well. First, even if trade is not open yet between the Cuba and the U.S., it pays to learn about and develop relationships with people who produce quality beans. Those contacts may help jump-start business once the governments of both countries are ready to move forward.

In the meantime, the few single origin Cuba bars that are available come from a small number of (mostly European) chocolate makers such as Francois Pralus (France), Benoit Nihant (who hails from Belgium), and Bean and Goose Chocolate (Wexford, Ireland).

Bridge Brands - Got Milk? chocolate drops - June 8, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Bridge Brands Chocolate
Got Milk? Chocolate - Milk Chocolate Drops
Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total container
Calories: 155 calories in 1 oz. (28.3 g.) serving
Cost: $2.49 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #14 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

Bridge Brands Chocolate makes a variety of different milk and dark chocolate drops for different clients. They are sold under different brand names, and each disc-shaped drop I've tasted so far seems slightly different (There 31% and 38% cacao milk chocolate versions, and at least one organic milk chocolate.)

Some seem slightly sweeter or more "chocolatey." Regardless, today's Got Milk? Chocolate - Milk Chocolate Drops were quite good.

In answer to the question: Got Milk? Yes, in fact, I did have milk with my milk chocolate.

Chocolate Encore?

And, just in case these drops were a duplicate (from the same batch or formulation) as previous Bridge Brand made drops, I'm planning to enjoy another chocolate this evening, at Dandelion Chocolate (San Francisco).

I'm hoping Dandelion Chocolate will have an ice cold, cacao fruit smoothie, because it promises to be the first really hot day of spring. 

Nature's Plus - Spiru-tein Chocolate Meal - June 7, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Natural Organics Laboratories, Inc.
Nature's Plus
Spiru-tein Chocolate High Protein Energy Meal
OK + - Good
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / .99 oz. (28 g.) in 1 packet
Calories: 48 calories in 1/2 packet
Cost: $ lost info
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #13 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

Nature's Plus Spiru-tein Chocolate High Protein Energy Meal was packaged as a powder that could be mixed with either water or the milk (or filk*) of your choice. The Nature's Plus line of "energy supplements" and vitamins is manufactured by Natural Organics Laboratories, Inc. (Amityville, NY).

The plusses: This mix was formulated with a Non-GMO Protein complex with spirulina and gluten-free, proteins (rice protein, pea protein and Non-GMO soy protein), and was vitamin and mineral enriched. It contained Dutch cocoa and was vegetarian and yeast free.

I mixed this powder up with water, and it tasted better than some other protein mixes I've had; although don't expect that it will come close to a chocolate milkshake in terms of flavor or texture.

*The word filk is a shortened version of "fake milk," referring to non-dairy "milks" - such as nut milks, coconut milk, soy milk, hemp milk, oat milk, etc.

World Market - S'Mores Cocoa Mix - June 6, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

World Market/Cost Plus, Inc.
S'Mores Cocoa Mix
Good
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total packet
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 packet
Cost: $ unknown - lost info
Purchased from: World Market/Cost Plus, Inc. store

Today was Day #12 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

What are S'Mores?
S'mores are a popular campfire dessert treat, often tinged with childhood memories that date back to the late 1920s (possibly earlier). I recall assembling S'mores on picnic tables or atop an unsteady plate on my lap in lantern-lit darkness. A graham cracker was topped with a piece of chocolate bar, a gooey hot, freshly campfire-roasted marshmallow (carefully pried off a stick), then topped with another graham cracker, to be eaten sandwich style.

These were so good, it was explained to me, that you'll doubtless want "some more," thus the name s'more.

I tried a gluten-free version of a s'more with fancy dark milk chocolate a few years ago, and it was too sweet for me. But, roasting marshmallows and putting these little desserts together with friends around a campfire was great fun.

S'Mores Inspired Cocoa 
Long ago, I purchased today's cheery red packet of S'Mores Cocoa Mix from a World Market/Cost Plus store, intending to use it for a theme week around s'mores or hot cocoa. But, that week never arrived, and this packet sat in my chocolate vault. Until now.

It tasted like packaged hot cocoa, with some subtle flavor additions. I think adding marshmallows on top, and serving with a side of graham crackers might create a more authentic flavor match, but good for them for trying to include all this in a mix.

S'Mores Inspired Tea
In the spirit of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Week, I concocted a "tea" version of this hot cocoa mix that contained cocoa/chocolate, vanilla, mallow flowers, and coconut palm sugar. I must admit I feel more comfortable with beverages with fresh, natural flavors (although the word "natural" seems to have drifted away from its original meaning when it comes to food additives over the years). When I added a tiny splash of milk and took a sip...I was a little surprised that the tea tasted not too different than the cocoa mix. The mallow plant/flower gave this hot tea a bit of marshmallow texture which was fun too. Add a drop of smoky campfire, and I'm there.

Rocket Fizz - Bacon Chocolate Soda - June 5, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shops
Lester's Fixin's
Artificial Bacon Soda with Chocolate
Good
Weight: 4 oz. (118.3 g.) / 12 oz. (355 mL) in 1 bottle
Calories: 75 calories (estimate) for 1/3 bottle
Cost: N/A - gift
Purchased from: N/A - gift (Thank you Megan!)

Today was Day #11 of Chocolate Tea and Beverage Theme Weeks.

My daughter supplied me with two unique chocolate sodas. I wrote about the Chocolate Soda yesterday. Today's item was a bit more complicated.

This Lester's Fixin's Artificial Bacon Soda with Chocolate from Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shops, LLC (Camarillo, CA) made a fun base for a bacon and salted caramel chocolate milkshake.

Garnish with a slice of bacon and you have, arguably, a meal in a glass, if you're willing to forgo fruit and vegetables for the occasion.