Valor - Doblones Rellenos, Mint - Aug. 23, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Chocolates Valor, S.A.
Doblones Rellenos Negro 70% - Crema de Menta
Good - Good +
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) (estimate) in 1 square
Calories: 37 (estimate) calories in 1 square
Cost: $ N/A - gift from a friend
Purchased from: N/A - gift from a friend

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

There was a lot of goodness packed into this small square. It was from a package of Doblones Rellenos (filled chocolates) with five different flavors from Chocolates Valor, S.A. (Alicante, Espana).

The thin, filling layer in the middle of this Crema de Menta (mint cream) piece had a balanced, natural-tasting mint flavor; and the surrounding 70% cacao chocolate was smooth and rich.

A friend traveling in Spain brought back a package of individually-wrapped Valor squares earlier this year. (Thank you Toni!)

Foxy's Pash - Wild Berry and Chocolate, with Basil - Aug. 22, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Foxy's Pash
Sneaky Pash - Wild Berry and Chocolate Flakes frozen yogurt
Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (67 g.) / 1 pint (473 mL) in 1 container
Calories: 110 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $2.49 for 1 pint container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

The Lamiaceae family encompasses a large family of flowering, aromatic mint plants, including spearmint and peppermint, as well as herbs like basil, rosemary, sage and lavender.

Basil is found more in savory dishes than sweet desserts; however it can provide a great flavor accent in (or atop) sorbets and fruit-flavored ice creams. And, like most members of the mint family, it harmonizes well with chocolate. A few tiny, fresh basil leaves helped balanced out the sweetness of today's frozen Wild Berry frozen yogurt.

This Sneaky Pash Wild Berry and Chocolate Flakes frozen yogurt was from Foxy's Pash (Ventura, CA). Foxy's packaging featured fun -- black and white photos of cheery people, reminiscent of 1950's product advertisements. And these happy, slightly frisky snaps were framed with pleasing pastel colored graphics.

Dove - Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream - Aug. 21, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dove
Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (69 g.) / 15.10 fl. oz. (447 mL) in total container
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $ (unknown)
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Frozen Desserts Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

Today's pretty, pastel-green Dove Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream (distributed by Mars Chocolate North America (Hackettstown, NJ)) was flecked with small pieces of Dove chocolate.

Haagen-Dazs - Peppermint bark bar - Aug. 20, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Haagen-Dazs
peppermint bark ice cream bars
Good - Good +
Weight: 3 fl. oz. (84 g.) / 9 fl. oz. (266 mL) for 1 box of 3 bars
Calories: 280 calories for 1 ice cream bar
Cost: $2.29 for 1 box of 3 bars
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Due to an abundance of chocolates with overlapping inclusions, some chocolate theme weeks flow into the next. Today was one of those days. Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Frozen Desserts Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

Today I enjoyed a refreshing peppermint bark ice cream bar from Haagen-Dazs (distributed by Nestle Dreyers Ice Cream Company, Oakland, CA).

A core of white chocolate ice cream was dipped in dark chocolate and peppermint candy pieces. The chocolate and mint flavors were well balanced -- neither too sweet or too minty.

These Limited Edition individually-wrapped peppermint bark ice cream bars came packaged 3 to a box.

Tillamook - Tillamook Mudslide Ice Cream - Aug. 19, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Tillamook
Tillamook Mudslide Ice Cream
Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (70 g.) / 1.75 quarts (1.66 L) in total container
Calories: 190 calories for 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Summer wouldn't be summer without ice cream and frozen refreshments.

With a long history in the dairy business, the 100 farm families that make up the Tillamook dairy co-op (in Tillamook, Oregon) -- as well as the cheese and ice cream makers there -- know a thing or two about ice cream.

Over time, Tillamook has expanded their ice cream and ice cream bar offerings. Today I tried the company's Tillamook Mudslide Ice Cream. It was laced with broad ribbons of chocolate and chunks of fudge, in a base of creamy chocolate ice cream.

This ice cream was made with "extra cream." I'm not sure what made it extra (beyond having 13.5% butterfat), but I found it noteworthy that the company plans to transition next year to a recipe that is "even creamier than our current recipe while eliminating Carageenan, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Mono and Digyclerides, and Polysorbate 80." That sounds like a good thing to me.

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Frozen Desserts Theme Week. 

The Piping Gourmets - Chocolate Raspberry Whoopie Pies - Aug. 18, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Piping Gourmets
Chocolate Raspberry Whoopie Pies
Good - Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 8 oz. (226.8 g.) (per label) for 1 box of 4
Calories: 210 calories for 1 pie
Cost: $7.99 for 1 box of 4 pies
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Frozen Dessert Theme Week.

Yesterday, I tried a Double Chocolate Whoopie Pie from The Piping Gourmets (Miami, FL). Two rounds of moist chocolate cake (sandwiched together) held a chocolate frosting filling. Today I tried the company's Chocolate Raspberry flavor (chocolate cake with raspberry frosting).

Both these Whoopie Pies were made with gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate cookie-shaped cakes -- and were surprisingly good given what they'd left out or artfully substituted. The vegan raspberry "cream" frosting filling was not too heavy or sweet, which I liked.

Whoopie and moon pies in the U.S. are "hand pies" that have the frosting on the inside, making cake suitable for eating fork-free, with your hands. And these were very nice eaten cold, like an ice cream sandwich, as well.

While technically not meant to be a frozen dessert, like yesterday's Double Chocolate flavor, I ate this individually-wrapped Chocolate Raspberry Whoopie Pie right out of the freezer. It was great treat to beat the heat.

These pies were certified gluten free, vegan and kosher, and were Non GMO Project verified.

The Piping Gourmets - Chocolate Chocolate Whoopie Pies - Aug. 17, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Piping Gourmets
Whoopie Pies - Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
(Double Chocolate)
Good+
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) / 8 oz. (226.8 g.) in total box of 4 pies
Calories: 210 calories in 1 pie
Cost: $7.99 for 1 box of 4 pies
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Frozen Desserts Theme Week.

On a hot August afternoon, there's nothing like a tall glass of ice water and some ice cream. A close second might be an ice cream sandwich. Or, today's chocolate -- a frozen chocolate Whoopie Pie.

The first Whoopie Pies probably originated with the Pennsylvania Amish, and are round cake-like sandwiches filled with a creamy filling.

Today's frozen "Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting" Whoopie Pie was from The Piping Gourmets (Miami, FL). Co-founders Leslie Kaplan and Carolyn Shulevich developed a gluten-free and dairy-free version of what looks a bit like a cookie ice cream sandwich.

Sold frozen, and packaged in boxes of 4 individually-wrapped sandwiches, these Whoopie Pies were technically not a frozen dessert. They were meant to be thawed and eaten at room temperature. However, I thought they were good right out of the freezer, especially on a hot day.

Today's Double Chocolate flavor was one of a half dozen different flavors sold by the company. Each individually wrapped Double Chocolate cookie-cake sandwich was filled with chocolate frosting.

The Piping Gourmets Whoopie Pies were made in a dedicated gluten-free facility and were also Non-GMO, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, and Kosher.