Sibu Chocolate - Costa Rica 82% Cacao Extra Dark bar - Aug. 2, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Sibu Chocolate

Costa Rica 82% Cacao Extra Dark (ORO) Chocolate bar

Good + - Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 70 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar 

Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Costa Rica Theme Week.

True, the largest exports from Costa Rica are bananas, pineapple and coffee, but Costa Rica also has all the right conditions for growing cacao, including temperate rainforests and proximity to the Equator (9-10 degrees North).*

Today's Costa Rica 82% Cacao Extra Dark Chocolate (ORO) bar was from Sibu Chocolate (San Isidro, Heredia,  Costa Rica).  This was the first of four Sibu bars to be sampled this week.

This three-ingredient** bar had a pleasing dark chocolate aroma with quiet, but lush, green notes. The flavor was very smooth and slightly sweet for an extra dark bar, with a very slight fermented milk note and a hint of balanced coffee in the aftertaste. Great flavor for little sugar.

The cacao used to make this bar was sourced from a Rainforest Alliance Certified Cacao farm and single estate in Guacimo, Limon (located on the Atlantic/East coast side of) Costa Rica.

*Cacao grows in a band 20 degrees north and south of the Equator. In the U.S., Hawaii, is sometimes referred to as the north pole of cacao growth—located between 20-22 degrees north of the Equator. It is the only U.S. state where you're likely to see cacao grown commercially.

**Ingredients: organic cocoa mass, organic cocoa butter, organic sugar

Potomac Chocolate - Upala Costa Rica 85% bar - Aug. 1, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Potomac Chocolate

Upala Costa Rica 85% bar 

Good ++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 132 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.00 (estimate) for 1 bar

Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Costa Rica Theme Week.

Today's Upala Costa Rica 85% bar was crafted from bean-to-bar in Potomac Chocolate (Woodbridge, VA). The company offers a line of single origin bars and some with carefully-selected inclusions.*

This single origin, ultra-dark bar had dark chocolate, green, caramel, fruit (cherry plum, nectarine, grapefruit) and coffee aroma and flavor notes. It had a hint of bitterness one might expect with a very high percentage (85% cacao) bar, but was also surprisingly sweet.

The cacao used to make this bar was grown by Finca La Amistad, a small farm in northern Costa Rica.

The maker's description read: "...rich and earthy with notes of coffee, nut and red fruit."

Potomac Chocolate - Upala Costa Rica 70% Dark + Nibs bar - July 31, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Potomac Chocolate

Upala Costa Rica 70% Dark + Nibs bar 

Good +++

Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 132 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $11.00 (estimate) for 1 bar

Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate and Costa Rica Theme Week.

Today's Upala Costa Rica 70% Dark + Nibs bar was made by Potomac Chocolate (Woodbridge, VA).

Ben Rasmussen (chocolate maker and owner, Potomac Chocolate) produces a line of hand-crafted single origin bars in a "small workshop" in Woodbridge, VA—a small town (or, more accurately, a census-designated place) about 20 miles south of Washington, D.C., surrounded by the Potomac and Occoquan Rivers. Rasmussen was one of the the first bean-to-bar chocolatemakers in the Wash., D.C. area.*

This Upala 70% bar with nibs was made from cacao grown on Finca La Amistad, a small farm in northern Costa Rica. The two-ingredient bar (organic cacao and organic sugar) had a pleasing rich, dark aroma with a hint of dried fruit; and deep, true chocolate and red fruit (dark cherry, plum) flavor notes. The cacao nibs added a slight earthiness and crunchy texture.

The maker's description of this bar (Batch 11610) read: "Rich and earthy with notes of chocolate, caramel, nut and red fruit."

*We're not counting chocolate that was made from scratch in colonial days (e.g. in Williamsburg, VA), because much of that chocolate was in beverage or rougher, confection-like form.

This Bar Saves Lives - Chocolate Chip bar - July 30, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Bar Saves Lives
(This Kid Saves Lives)
Chocolate Chip bar
Good
Weight: 1.1 oz. (32 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.00 for 2 bars
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate Chip Week.

Just when we were ready to move on to Costa Rica Theme Week, we stumbled on another chocolate chip item. Often happens. As we live in an abundant chocolate world.

Today's Chocolate Chip with a cause* bar was from This Bar Saves Lives (Culver City, CA). It was a chewy, granola-style bar with mini chocolate chips, and coated with chocolate on one side.

*The company is helping to combat childhood malnutrition with small nutrition packs that can be given to children and families in need in Haiti and Africa.

Enlightened - Black Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream - July 29, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Beyond Better Foods, LLC

Enlightened 

Black Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream 

Good

Weight: 1/2 cup (72 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container

Calories: 90 calories in 1/2 cup serving

Cost: $2.99 for 1 container

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate Chip Week.

Today's Enlightened Black Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream, from Beyond Better Foods, LLC (Bronx, NY), was part of a line of low-fat ice cream pints and bars containing less sugar and more protein and fiber. Today's pint clocked in at only 360 calories (90 calories per 1/2 cup serving).

Granted, the list of ingredients was longer than some other favorite brands, but it could have been worse. Except for the carob and guar gums it looked relatively appealing. And, did I mention it included less sugar?*

The texture, taste and finish of this ice cream was quite good.

*That's a plus. It would be interesting to taste ice cream without any sweeteners. This ice cream was sweetened with erythritol and a wee bit of cane sugar.

Nature's Path Foods - Dark Chocolate Chip waffles - July 28, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Nature's Path Foods Inc.
Dark Chocolate Chip Gluten Free and Wheat Free (waffles)
Good
Weight: 3.7 oz. (105 g.) / 7.4 oz. (210 g.) total box of 6
Calories: 330 calories in 3 waffles
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 box of 6
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate Chip Week.

Today's (frozen) Dark Chocolate Chip Gluten Free waffles from Nature's Path Foods Inc. (Blaine, WA) made for an indulgent Saturday morning breakfast.*

Heated in a non-stick pan, and finished with a topping of melted chocolate (sauce), chopped almonds (and fresh peach slices on the side), these organic waffles provided a quick, delicious breakfast fuel for an adventure with friends.

*Apologies to Nature's Path. This box was squished into a full freezer; and, sadly, the box became a bit compressed at both ends.

Van's - Chocolate Chip Snack Bars, Waffles - July 27, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Van's 

Chocolate Chip chewy baked whole grain snack bars

Good

Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) in one bar

Calories: 150 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $ part of a larger box

Purchased from: missing information 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate Chip Week.

Today's Chocolate Chip chewy baked whole grain snack bar from Van's International Foods (Vernon, CA) helped power a nature walk in the baylands and a busy day at work.

Van's has offered both conventional and gluten free items (including waffles, pancakes and snack bars—some with chocolate) for many years.
  
Today's sweet, cookie-like bar was a blend of warm oat, fig and chocolate flavors with a hint of vanilla. The fig paste and concentrate added flavor and helped bind the ingredients together.