Hotel Chocolat - Zombie - Oct. 23, 2015

Chocolate of the Day:

Hotel Chocolat
Zombie
Good ++
Weight: 1.015 oz. (28.7 g.) / 4.06 oz. (115 g.) in total box of 16 pieces
Calories: 152 calories (estimate) in 4 pieces
Cost: 10 British Pounds (approximately $15 US)
Purchased from: Hotel Chocolat, UK (online order)

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Halloween Cocktail Theme Week.

I admit it, we're devolving into less and less serious territory by the week here in October. But, it's Halloween.

I ordered a box of "Choose Your Poison" Halloween cocktails with a shot of liquor, from Hotel Chocolat (UK). This spooky assortment of chocolate cocktails included the Black Cat Martini, Corpse Reviver, Green Fairy and the Zombie.

What do I love about this company? Their creative and original chocolates, classy packaging—and the thought that I might one day visit their hotel and plantation on the island of St. Lucia.

Today I had all 4 Zombie* chocolates. And they did indeed taste like tiny boozy zombies—if zombies had creamy centers and were covered in chocolate. Fortunately, I wasn't planning to drive anywhere this morning.

*Hotel Chocolat describes their Zombie chocolates as having "a glug of white rum with orange and passion fruit. 

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Swanton Strawberry Truffle, Harley Farms Pumpkin Truffle - Oct. 22, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Swanton Berry Farm
Strawberry Truffle
Good
Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for 1 truffle
Calories: 60 calories (estimate) in 1 truffle
Cost: $2.00 for 1 truffle
Purchased from: Swanton Berry Farm, Davenport, CA

Harley Farms Goat Dairy
Pumpkin Truffle - Good
Double Chocolate with Macadamia Nut Truffle - Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) (estimate) in 2 truffles
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 2 truffles
Cost: $6.00 for 2 truffles
Purchased from: Harley Farms Goat Dairy, Pescadero, CA


Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and The Great Outdoors Theme Week. I experienced the wide open spaces today by visiting two farms close to the Pacific Ocean. Both happened to be selling chocolate truffles.

The Strawberry truffle from Swanton Berry Farm (Davenport, CA) was likely made with Swanton strawberry jam. There was no one to ask because the shop was operated on the honor system. Customers left their cash in the till and picked their own produce, jams, chocolates or dessert items.

After a drive up the coast, from Davenport to Pescadero along Highway 1, we made our way to a local goat dairy.

The Pumpkin and the Double Chocolate with Macadamia Nut truffles were from Harley Farms Goat Dairy (Pescadero, CA) and contained ganache style fillings that were made with goat cheese. The goat milk was provided by a herd of American Alpine goats on the property.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Mighty Leaf Tea - Chocolate Mint Truffle - Oct. 21, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Mighty Leaf Tea Company
Chocolate Mint Truffle
Good
Weight: .106 oz. in 1 pouch (tea bag)
Calories: 0 calories (estimate) in 1 bag
Cost: $2.75 (estimate) for 1 cup of hot tea
Purchased from: Shoreline Lake American Bistro, Mountain View, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and The Great Outdoors Theme Week.

Early this morning, I drove across town to The Great Outdoors. I visited Shoreline Park (in Mountain View, CA) that had hiking trails and a lakeside bistro*.

Dew glistened on the pumpkins that were set up for Halloween. I sipped a cup of steaming hot tea, and the sun levitated upward in the blue sky.

The Chocolate Mint Truffle tea was from Mighty Leaf Tea Company (San Rafael, CA); and each "pouch" or tea bag contained cacao nibs, mint leaves and rooibos tea.

Absorbing warm autumn sunshine and scenery was a beautiful way to start the day. And after the sun warmed things up, it was time for chocolate-covered ice cream bars. That's the thing about The Great Outdoors, you have to adjust to the weather.

*The Shoreline Lake American Bistro will pack picnic baskets for customers to enjoy in the park, or paddleboating, too. What a great idea. Lunch and chocolate al fresco.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

McSteven's Inc. - Redneck Cafe Bacon Hot Chocolate - Oct. 20, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

McSteven's Inc.
Redneck Cafe - Bacon Hot Chocolate
Good
Weight: .62 oz. (21.9 g.) / 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total packet
Calories: 65 calories in 1/2 packet
Cost: $1.49 for 1 packet
Purchased from: Bass Pro Shops - Outdoor World, Rocklin, CA


Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and The Great Outdoors Theme Week.

I like chocolate; and I like bacon. Both were part of my favorite outdoor camp breakfasts. So heck yeah, I'll try this Bacon-flavored Hot Chocolate. As it turns out, that sentiment was nearly identical to the tagline printed on the package of today's hot chocolate, which read: "Heck Ya...I'll Try That." I do like to try new things.

Created and distributed by McSteven's Inc. (Vancouver, WA), this single-serving packet of hot chocolate mix was convenient to "heat and eat" outdoors. Just add hot water, and stir.

McSteven's sells a variety of hot chocolate and beverage mixes (some creatively packaged for Halloween this week). And scenes of people fishing in beautiful outdoor places adorn some of their coffee packaging.

How did this "redneck" hot chocolate taste? Better than I thought it would. The bacon flavor was subtle, and a bit like the soy bacon bits I remember eating on buttered sourdough toast as a child that had a slight smokey and salty flavor. And the texture was smooth. When you're out in the great outdoors, in the cool, clean, crisp autumn air, everything seems to taste a little better.

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Uncle Buck's - Dipped Peanut Crunch - Oct. 19, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Uncle Buck's
Dipped Peanut Crunch
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 14 oz. (397 g.) in 1 container
Calories: 140 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) serving
Cost: $7.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Rocklin, CA


On the fourth day of Chocolate and The Great Outdoors Theme Week, I opened up a can of Uncle Buck's* Dipped Peanut Crunch (distributed by Bass Pro Shops, Springfield, MO).

Small squares of sweet peanut brittle confection had a chocolate layer on the bottom (or top, as you prefer). These gluten-free squares were cut to just the right size to enjoy a small piece or two without getting hands, pans or plates sticky in the process.


Packaged in a container with a pull-off metal tab and a resealable plastic lid, these would be convenient for a family camping trip or other adventure in The Great Outdoors. They're also a suitable small snack if you're stuck indoors—although I hope you won't be.

*The Uncle Buck's brand is apparently modeled after a real person. This may be a picture of him (right); I'm not sure about that. Bass Pro founder, Johnny Morris, has talked fondly about growing up fishing in the Ozarks with his dad, mom, and mom's brother Uncle Buck. 

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Uncle Buck's Trail Mix and Chocolate Peanuts - Oct. 18, 2015

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Uncle Buck's
Sweet and Nutty Premium Trail Mix
Good
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.)/22 oz. (623 g.) in total bag
Calories: 280 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $7.99 for 1 large bag
Purchased from: Bass Pro Outdoor World, Rocklin, CA

Uncle Buck's
Double Dipped Chocolate Peanut(s)
Good
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.)/9 oz. (255.1 g.) in total bag
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 serving (7-8 pieces)
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Bass Pro Outdoor World, Rocklin, CA


Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and the Great Outdoors Theme Week.

Let's begin with a visit I made to an indoor outdoor world that I didn't know existed.

Recently I visited a Bass Pro Outdoor World Store in Rocklin, CA. If Walt Disney had teamed up with a natural history museum display builder to design a store for hunting, fishing and outdoor living, this might have been the result. Taxidermied animals depicted in re-creations of their natural habitats hung on every well, under a vaulted ceiling painted sky blue with clouds.

When I wandered over to hunt for some chocolate in the food section, I saw books on how to filet and cook wild game, I knew I was outside the big city and closer to the Great Outdoors, which has always accommodated a wide variety of pastimes. Me, I'm a tree hugger, a bunny lover, a hiker, and a hypocrite. I buy packaged chicken and fish to eat, but I'd find it hard to kill anything.

So, please forgive me if I just eat some Uncle Buck's* Sweet and Nutty trail mix as part of a Bay Trail walk, along with a few Uncle Bucks' Double Dipped Chocolate Peanut(s), and chocolate pudding flavored Jelly Belly beans (in camouflage packaging). The only ducks I plan to shoot today would be with my camera.

The Uncle Buck's Sweet and Nutty trail mix contained MandM's chocolate candies, raisins, peanuts, almonds and cashews. And the Uncle Buck's Double Dipped Chocolate Peanut(s) were, as advertised: peanuts generously coated in chocolate. The chocolate melted a little in the heat, but these peanuts were still tasty on today's hike.

*Uncle Buck's is a Bass Pro brand. Uncle Buck's Sweet and Nutty trail mix was manufactured for Bass Pro Shops by Kar's Nuts (Madison Heights, MI). Since I've already had a similar Kar's trail mix, I'm also including Uncle Buck's Double Dipped Chocolate Peanuts, distributed by Ruckers Wholesale (Bridgeport, IL).

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Pamela's Products - Chocolate Grahams; s'mores - Oct. 17, 2015

Chocolate of the Day: 

Pamela's Products, Inc.
Chocolate Grahams - Gluten-Free Graham Style Crackers
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 7.5 oz. (212.6 g.) total box
Calories: 180 calories in 2 pieces
Cost: $N/A - gift (Thank you John)
Purchased from: N/A - gift

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and the Great Outdoors Theme Week.

S'mores are arguably our favorite outdoor chocolate treat in the U.S.A. A s'more is a graham cracker sandwich filled with a warm, gooey (and occasionally charred) campfire-roasted marshmallow and a square of warm, melting chocolate.

I find s'mores almost too sweet now, but we fantasized about them as young, campfire smoke-scented campers.

For this reason, I was happy to receive a gift of a box of gluten-free Chocolate Grahams graham style crackers from Pamela's Products, Inc. (Ukiah, CA), that allowed me to re-create a sweet campfire memory. These chocolate grahams, glistened with sugar crystals, and smelled and tasted like "real" graham crackers.

First I made an "grown-up"* version of a s'more—an open-faced version with single origin dark chocolate square, a toasted marshmallow, and toasted chopped almonds (that helped balance the high sugar level). My original overly ambitious plan was to make the marshmallows from scratch (using a mallow plant/flowers). Maybe next time.

The open-faced s'more was good, but required a plate and fork. It resulted in fingers covered with melted chocolate. I was reminded why s'mores are eaten sandwich-style. Adding another graham on top reduced the chocolatey fingers "problem."

*Grown-up (or indoor) versions of something can be boring or pretentious. I could have poured brandy on this s'more and lit it on fire, but a flambeed s'more seemed over the top—even for a chocolate mad scientist, and a bit dangerous if you're near dry grass. 

The content and images on this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.