Crystal Creamery - Cherry Chocolate Chunk ice cream - Jan. 7, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Crystal Creamery
Cherry Chocolate Chunk ice cream
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (68 g.) / 1.75 Quarts (1.65 L) total container
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $5.49 for 1 container of ice cream
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the last day (Day #7) of Chocolate and Cherry Theme Week.

This past week I suffered a robbery. I came home to find the front door wide open. Nothing had been touched, except a chocolate bar. All that remained of a 3 oz. bar was an open wrapper on the floor.

The entire chocolate bar (intended for some friends) that once occupied this wrapper was missing without a trace. After surveying the crime scene, evidence pointed to a possible squirrel burglar. I thought that was the extent of it, until I noticed that a Cherry Almond chocolate originally intended for today was missing as well (small box and all).

Fortunately, I located a replacement for the latter: today's Cherry Chocolate Chunk ice cream from Crystal Creamery (Hayward, CA)*. This California dairy supplier has been around since 1901, and produces a variety of dairy products, including ice creams.

This fairly light and fluffy cherry ice cream with small chocolate chunks was a perfect foundation for a sundae with toasted walnuts and a Bing cherry.

*Crystal Creamery owns and operates five dairy farms in Central California near the company's manufacturing facility in Modesto, CA.

L'Amourette - Cherries and Almonds Dark bar - Jan. 6, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

L'Amourette Chocolatier
Cherries and Almonds Dark Chocolate bar
Good +++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 2/5 bar (4 squares)
Cost: $N/A - part of a gift basket
Purchased from: N/A - part of gift basket

Greetings and Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's dark bar from L'Amourette Chocolatier (San Francisco, CA) contained tart sweet,  dried Bing cherries and salted California almonds—suspended in 72% cacao dark chocolate made from Venezuelan Trinitario cacao beans.

Rich, smooth and not too sweet, this flavorful bar was a treat, and apparently also a favorite of L'Amourette chocolatier, Andre V., who suggests pairing this with warm white or green jasmine tea.

Torn Ranch - Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries - Jan. 5, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Torn Ranch
Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 2 oz. (56.6 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) total package
Calories: 180 calories (estimate) for 1/2 package
Cost: $N/A - part of a gift package
Purchased from: N/A - part of a gift package

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Torn Ranch (Petaluma, CA) has been producing chocolate, fruit, nut and sweet items in the Napa-Sonoma area of Northern California for 4 decades now. They offer several organic and gluten free items, including today's Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries.

People often ask me: "Aren't you running out of chocolates to try after 10 years?" The short answer: "No, I'm not. Not even close." For example, I just noticed that Torn Ranch also makes Black Cherry Dark Chocolate Cognac truffles, that could also have been included in today's cherry theme week. I "discover" new chocolates like this every week. Companies are always thinking of new chocolates. So, I'll just add those Cognac truffles to my "to try in the future" list.

Back to today's dark chocolate covered cherries...The organic chocolate coating was darker (72% cacao), a bit richer, and not as sweet as some other similar offerings. (All plusses for dark chocolate lovers.) And the organic tart cherries were lightly sweetened and naturally flavorful.

Queen Bee Gardens - Classic Cherry truffle - Jan. 4, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Queen Bee Gardens
Classic Cherry truffle
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (39.6 g.) in 1 truffle
Calories: 205 calories (estimate) in 1 truffle
Cost: $3.00 (estimate) for 1 truffle
Purchased from: Beekind, Sebastopol, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Inside the sweet milk chocolate shell of today's Classic Cherry truffle from Queen Bee Gardens (Lovell, WY) lay a sweet secret.

The filling was honey-based. The texture was somewhere between a chewy caramel and a soft, creamy milk chocolate ganache; and it was accented with pieces of dried sweet-tart cherry.

Queen Bee Gardens makes a unique line of honey-based caramels, toffee, truffles and other confections.

I've considered putting a beehive in my backyard, but my neighborhood has become more dense, with bigger houses crowding in on each other. And, sadly, there are also fewer flowers and trees left.

I was fortunate to find this truffle at Beekind (Sebastopol, CA), a bee-themed store where you can experience side-by-side honey tastings or buy honey and other bee products/gifts as well as beekeeping supplies. And they even had a few hives in the backyard.

*While not certified gluten-free yet, Queen Bee Gardens "carries no products that contain wheat or gluten."

Trader Joe's - Chocolate Liqueur Cherries - Jan. 3, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Trader Joe's
Chocolate Liqueur Cherries
Good +++
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 14.1 oz. (400 g.) in total box
Calories: 160 calories in 3 pieces
Cost: $5.99 for 1 box
Purchased from: Trader Joe's, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Liqueur Cherries from Trader Joe's (Monrovia, CA) were an example of a higher-quality product in this category than is often available; and they brightened up a dreary winter day considerably.

The box-style package contained 33 chocolate cherries (11 servings), individually wrapped in gold foil, neatly lined up in shimmering rows.

At the center of each 49% dark chocolate shell was a pitted Morello cherry grown in Hungary, and liqueur containing sugar, cherry juice and alcohol.* As with all such liquid-filled cherries, bite into these with caution to avoid mischievous drips on your favorite shirt.

*These chocolate liqueur cherries were a product of Hungary and contained a maximum alcohol content of 4.4%. The cherries, as far as I could tell contained no wheat/gluten, artificial colors or preservatives.

Chukar Cherry Co. - Pinot Noir Cherries - Jan. 2, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chukar Cherry Co., Inc.
Pinot Noir Cherries
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 7.5 oz. (213 g.) in total package
Calories: 176 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $11.50 for 1 package
Purchased from: Sonoma Cheese Company, Sonoma, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week.

Today's Pinot Noir Cherries from Chukar Cherry Company, Inc. (Prosser, WA) were made with dried Bing cherries surrounded by dark chocolate and "the rich essence of Pinot Noir (red) wine."

This slightly chewy, sweet rounds delivered authentic cherry and chocolate flavors, without preservatives, sulfites, trans fats, gluten or artificial flavors/colors. The red wine flavor was very subtle.

Chukar also makes other chocolate covered cherries, including Cabernet Cherries.

SOMA Chocolatemaker - Cherry Bomb - Jan. 1, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

SOMA Chocolatemaker
Cherry Bomb
Good +++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70.7 g.) (guesstimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 335 calories (guesstimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $10.00 for 1 piece
Purchased from: SOMA Chocolatemaker, Toronto, ON, Canada

Happy New Year, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week!

Today's Cherry Bomb kept the holiday celebration going into the New Year (2017). This bright red foil-wrapped cherry-filled confection from SOMA Chocolatemaker (Toronto, ON, Canada) was big!

The rich, thick milk chocolate shell—with cocoa nibs, roasted coconut and pecans—contained a cherry center bathed in Kirsch (cherry liqueur liquid interior). I was unable to slowly eat this filled Cherry Bomb in two bites without making a mess.

I'd suggest eating this Cherry Bomb over a plate to capture any of the spirited cherry ambrosia that tries to escape.