Torn Ranch - Caramel Macchiato Almonds - June 8, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Torn Ranch
Caramel Macchiato Almonds
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) in total package
Calories: 220 calories in 1 package
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA

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

Today's chocolate comes in the form of chocolate covered almonds with just a hint of coffee flavor.

These Caramel Macchiato Almonds from Torn Ranch (Petaluma, CA) were covered with flavored milk chocolate that complemented the crunchy almonds nicely.

Torn Ranch - Cafe Au Lait chocolate - June 7, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Torn Ranch
Cafe Au Lait chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .3 oz. (8.5 g.) (estimate) in 1 piece
Calories: 45 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $N/A - free with previous purchase
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA


Bonjour and welcome to the first day of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Cafe Au Lait chocolate was the last of a 4-piece assortment from Torn Ranch (Petaluma, CA). Torn Ranch, based north of San Francisco, sells a variety of dried fruit and chocolate items.

The Cafe Au Lait chocolate had a coffee ganache made with rich cream, was enveloped in a milk chocolate shell and decorated with threads of dark icing, and had a sweet coffee and milk flavor.

Endangered Species - Dark Chocolate Blackberry Sage 60% bar - June 6, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Endangered Species Chocolate
Natural Dark Chocolate with Blackberry Sage 60% Cocoa bar
Good+
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $2.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Nob Hill Foods, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate with Blackberry Sage 60% Cocoa bar was from Endangered Species Chocolate (Indianapolis, IN).

This last day of Chocolate and Berries week contained berries in name only. The 60% dark bar was flavored with dried sage and "natural flavor." (What? No real blackberries? Apparently not.) However, the sage was great, the blackberry flavoring was not bad and the dark chocolate was smooth and even.

This dark chocolate bar with inclusions was Non GMO Project Verified, certified gluten free, fairtrade and vegan.

Endangered Species chocolate bars and barks each feature an animal, bird or natural setting on their packaging. Today's bar wrapper had a picture of a Peregrine Falcon—a bird of prey that has resorted in some locations to nesting on top of city skyscrapers as tall trees* disappear. The company donates 10% of net proceeds to supporting habitat and wildlife conservation programs worldwide.

*Birds of prey like eagles, hawks, falcons and owls nest in tall, mature trees. 

L'Amourette Chocolat - Raspberry 72% Cacao bar - June 5, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

L'Amourette Chocolat
Chocolat Noir - Raspberry 72% Cacao bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (per label) in 1/4 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Ava's Downtown Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Today's Chocolat Noir - Raspberry 72% Cacao bar was from L'Amourette Chocolat LLC (San Francisco, CA).

The base 72% chocolate was made from Trinitario (variety)* cacao beans, and it had bold dark, but smooth, even chocolate flavor (with very faint green, coffee, molasses and bittersweet notes).

Dried raspberry bits provided subtle bright berry notes in the background.

*The three primary varieties of cacao grown are Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario. Criollo generally is more delicate, subtle and flavorful and Forastero more resilient with bolder flavor. Trinitario (believed to be a cross between Criollo and Forastero from the island of Trinidad) has been described as having spice, earth and fruit notes. 

Sunfood Superfoods - Raw Organic Superfood Smoothie Mix - June 4, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sunfood Superfoods
Raw Organic Superfood Smoothie Mix
Good
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories in 1 (3 TB) serving
Cost: $7.99 (guesstimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Today's Raw Organic Superfood Smoothie Mix from Sunfood Superfoods (El Cajon, CA) contained so many berries (maqui, goji, acai, banana*) that it single handedly supercharged this berry theme week.

And, yes, along with many other ingredients (brown rice protein, chia seed powder, lucuma powder, camu camu (fruit) powder, organic vanilla powder, pink Himalayan salt, etc.), this mix contained organic cacao powder.

The powered form provided a convenient way to ingest berries and cocoa. Next time I'd probably boost this smoothie mix (made just with water today) with some fresh berries/fruit to make life more interesting. As the package suggests, this blend can be used as a base for other inclusions and/or milks of your choice.

However, in case you just want to shake up some mix with water to drink on the go, the chia seed powder helped provide some binder that held the smoothie components together, preventing residue from coating the glass and making cleanup a breeze.

This smoothie mix was gluten free, organic, Non GMO, raw, vegan and kosher.

*Bananas are technically berries

TCHO - Triple Berry bar - June 3, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

TCHO
Triple Berry bar
Good+++
Weight: .83 oz. (23.3 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $5.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA

Greetings and a berry good day to you all. Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

This Triple Berry bar from TCHO (Berkeley, CA) had robust but smooth 64% dark chocolate and berry fruit flavor—supplied by a blend of tiny berry bits (freeze-dried strawberries, freeze-dried raspberries and freeze-dried blueberries).

The Triple Berry bar had the complex cacao aroma of a much darker bar, but it was more friendly (less harsh) than anticipated, without being too sweet or watered down. A better than expected bar with well-balanced flavors and textures.

Today's bar contained no wheat or gluten ingredients and was made with 55% Fair Trade Certified ingredients. The cacao beans, cocoa butter, cane sugar and vanilla beans were organic. (Cocoa butter and soy lecithin were added to this bar.)

Dilettante Chocolates - Chocolate Covered Blueberries - June 2, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Dilettante Chocolates
Chocolate Covered Blueberries
Good
Weight: .706 oz. (20 g.) / 8 oz. (227 g.) in total package
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 serving
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Greetings and welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Berries Theme Week.

Today we're returning to blueberries—Chocolate Covered Blueberries from Dilettante Chocolates (Kent, WA). The company has a long family history in chocolate, and has continued to create new chocolates in the last few decades.

These milk chocolate covered berries used dried blueberries from the Pacific Northwest. The finished shiny round pieces were fairly sweet with a hint of earthy blueberry flavor.

For those with food sensitivities, these berry confections contained no wheat/gluten ingredients (that I could see). They contained milk and soy, and artificial food coloring.