Bare Foods - Chocolate Coconut Chips - July 5, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Bare Foods Inc.
Chocolate Coconut Chips
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (79 g.) in total package
Calories: Approx. 200 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Chocolate Coconut Chips from Bare Foods Inc. (San Francisco, CA) pare down the combination of chocolate and coconut to the very basics. The company* makes preservative-free, Non-GMO fruit and veggie baked snacks.

This simple, baked snack had mild roasted coconut aroma with nutty, cocoa notes. The crunchy, cocoa-colored coconut shavings were sweetened with coconut nectar and were not too sweet (thank you)!

The cocoa was uniformly applied and the product was a balanced melding of cocoa and coconut.

At 19 carbs for one (1/2 cup) serving these were not a low carbohydrate snack (although 6 grams of that was fiber); but they were still relatively healthy, based on the following reasoning:

 1.) This snack had only three ingredients: coconuts, coconut nectar, and unsweetened cocoa. There were no additives, preservatives or refined white sugar(s) added. (Coconut nectar is lower on the glycemic index than beet or cane (white) sugar.)

2.) These were baked, not fried. There were no palm oils or other vegetable oils that had been heated or processed along with these three ingredients. Therefore, no worry about trans fats either.

3.) This product was not organic, but it was Non-GMO Project Verified, along with being gluten free.

4.) For those who are looking for roughage, there was 6 grams of dietary fiber in 1 serving (1/2 cup).

Note: I am assuming the cocoa powder is not alkalized cocoa--that is lower in health benefits (polyphenols/anti-oxidants) and still relatively high in phosphorus (for those with kidney issues watching their phosphorus-calcium balance).

*In 2018, PepsiCo announced it was acquiring Bare Foods.

Square Organics Inc. - Chocolate Coated Coconut Organic Protein Bar + 4th of July Sundae - July 4, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Square Organics Inc.
Chocolate Coated Coconut Organic Protein Bar
Good
Weight: 1.69 oz. (48 g.) / 20.3 oz. (576 g.) in total box of 12 bars
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 box of 12 bars
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

So Delicious
Chocolate (Coconut) Frozen Dessert (No Sugar Added)
(with blueberries, red plum sauce, white coconut topping)
Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (85 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week. Today we celebrate the 4th of July Independence Day holiday in the U.S. I enjoyed two coconut and chocolate items. One was a red, white and blue sundae in honor of today's holiday.

Chocolate Covered Coconut Organic Protein Bar
The first of today's chocolate items was the Chocolate Coated Coconut Organic Protein Bar from Square Organics Inc. (Oakland, CA).

This individually-wrapped, chocolate covered protein bar was semi-sweet with oat-y and coconut palm sugar (think slightly caramelized, brown sugar) flavors. (It also contained other forms of coconut.) The slim, filled bar had a soft chew and was a relatively satisfying snack.

"So Delicious" Chocolate Coconutmilk Sundae - Happy 4th
Today's holiday sundae was made with So Delicious* Chocolate Coconutmilk Frozen Dessert (No Sugar Added). I topped this dairy free dessert with organic blueberries, homemade red plum sauce and (white) coconut cream.

The underlying non-dairy (also certified gluten-free and vegan, and Non-GMO Project Verified) chocolate frozen dessert was fairly creamy due to its coconut milk base.

This no sugar added dessert was sweetened with monk fruit and erythritol, and it wasn't too sweet. Nor did it taste like it was artificially sweetened (Thank you on both counts.)

Alkalized cocoa made the chocolate flavor less exciting (less acidic/strong); but this is not unusual with ice cream/frozen dessert and hot cocoa market offerings. Some prefer smoother, more predictable cocoa flavor.

*So Delicious Dairy Free (founded in Oregon in the 1980s) was acquired by The WhiteWave Foods Company (Denver, CO) in 2014. And in 2017, Danone S.A. (Paris, France) became the parent company of WhiteWave Foods.

**The company also offers versions of this dessert with sugar, which I have featured on Chocolate Banquet in past years.

Lindt - Lindor Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffles - July 3, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lindt and Sprungli

Lindor - Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffles (Limited Edition)

Good

Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 6 oz. (168 g.) in total package of 14 truffles

Calories: 230 calories in 3 truffles (1 serving)

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week. 

I'd be remiss if I left out strawberries in the the red fruit line-up. This red berry blends so effortlessly with chocolate, they seem made for each other. Both cacao and strawberries originated in the Americas; however, strawberries were found further from the Equator in North and South America.

Today's Limited Edition Lindor Strawberry Dark Chocolate Truffles were manufactured in the U.S. by Lindt and Sprungli (USA) Inc. (Stratham, MA). Lindt and Sprungli is a large chocolatier based in Switzerland in business since the mid-1800s.

Like other members of Lind't Lindor truffle family, today's strawberry truffles were individually-wrapped orbs swaddled in a decorative jacquard-patterned outer wrappers.

Inside, were relatively soft rounds--sweet and creamy hollow chocolate balls injected with creamy smooth pale pink strawberry flavored fillings. Each chocolate orb yielded a consistent sweet chocolate and strawberry aroma, and had a soft, creamy smooth melt and texture throughout the tasting experience.

Culinary Tours - Cherry Belgian Dark Chocolate (bar) - July 2, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Culinary Tours Foods
(Product of Belgium, distributed by Topco Associates)
Cherry Belgian Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 280 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week.

Happy July and summer to you all. Remember the aroma, flavor and creamy texture of cherry  chocolate chip ice cream?

Today's 57% cocoa Culinary Tours Cherry Belgian Dark Chocolate bar (made in Belgium and distributed by Topco Associates LLC in Elk Grove, IL) captured this summer frozen treat experience with its cherry ice cream aroma and flavor and a smooth, creamy* dark chocolate melt and mouthfeel.

The combination of dried sour cherries and cherry flavoring (cherry with a hint of almond extract) seemed to be the same combination that perfumed chilled cherry desserts from childhood. This bit of nostalgia and virtual time travel thrown in for free was a welcome thing, as health concerns related to the Corona virus (Covid-19) have made "real" chocolate and culinary travels difficult this 4th of July holiday weekend.

Ingredients: Chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, butterfat,* dried sour cherry pieces, soy lecithin, natural flavor.

Mindo Chocolate Makers - Special Edition Raspberry Chocolate Bar - July 1, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

Mindo Chocolate Makers 
Special Edition Raspberry Chocolate Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 193 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.75 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Mindo Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Limited Edition Raspberry Dark Chocolate bar was from Mindo Chocolate Makers (Dexter, MI). The cacao beans used to make this Mindo bar was grown in an Ecuadorian cloud forest, and the chocolate was crafted in Michigan. (Mindo Chocolate also has a small chocolate demonstration tasting/making facility in Ecuador.)

This rich, smooth 67% dark chocolate bar had very faint malt and earth notes and genuine, tart sweet red raspberry fruit flavor from bits of freeze-dried raspberries.

The challenge with concentrated, freeze-dried red fruit flavor inclusions? Their boldness dazzles and delights, but can overshadow possible fruit notes that were present in the cacao/base chocolate. In a balanced bar, this isn't really a problem; but if you want to ferret out chocolate notes at the micro-level, you may find it difficult.

This three-ingredient* bar had a lingering, faint tart sweet fruit finish (and a few lingering raspberry seeds between my teeth that provided proof of genuine fruit content). All in all a satisfying bar.

*Ingredients: cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, freeze-dried raspberries

SmashMallow - Dark Chocolate Dipped Raspberry - June 30, 2020

Chocolate of the Day:

SmashMallow, LLC
Smash Mallow Dark Chocolate Dipped Raspberry
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 4.5 oz. (128 g.) in total package
Calories: 120 calories in 1 serving (4 pieces)
Cost: $1.99 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week.

Today's package of Dark Chocolate Dipped Raspberry (marshmallows) was produced for SmashMallow, LLC (Sonoma, CA).

If one is going to have a sugary snack, then make it a good one. This slightly healthier (gluten free, Organic/GMO-free cane sugar) version of a marshmallow was light and lofty, velvety and delicious. Having grown up tasting half-stale, hot cocoa-ready marshmallows, it's always a revelation to taste the fresh, home-made or artisan variety.*

As the package was opened, a natural raspberry aroma wafted out. The partial dark chocolate dip/coat added rich flavor and balanced nicely with the sweet marshmallows--that had an impossibly light, pillowy texture. These seemed to vanish in one's mouth after chewing, leaving a clean finish, with less sugary residue than I feared. 

They might make a tasty filling for a summer campfire s'more.

However, like many sugary sweets, these could invite over-indulgence that you'd regret. So beware. (The company's suggested 4-piece serving is plenty; and the package was resealable.)

Ingredients: Organic cane sugar, tapioca syrup, invert sugar, dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla), (Kosher) gelatin, water, natural raspberry flavor, fruit and vegetable juice for color, sea salt, tapioca starch. (Made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa.)

*Marshmallows were once made with a flowering plant from the mallow family that grew near marshes, thus the name marshmallow. Mallows (used medicinally by many cultures) have a naturally occurring, slightly gooey (some would say slimy) texture, which can be whipped up with sugars. 

According to the Wikipedia page for marshmallow, this confection's history may date as far back in 2,000 B.C. with the Egyptians. Early recipes might have included boiled marshmallow root and honey.

Modern day marshmallows are created with sugar, syrup, gelatin and precision machinery. Not much left to offer in the medicinal/nutritional department, but they'll satisfy a sweet tooth.

Theo Chocolate - Peanut Butter and Jelly 55% dark chocolate cups - June 29, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Theo Chocolate

Peanut Butter and Jelly (raspberry) 55% dark chocolate cups

Good ++

Weight: 1.3 oz. (36 g.) in total package

Calories: 200 calories in 1 package of 2 cups

Cost: $2.39 for 1 package

Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Markets, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Red Fruits Theme Week.

Today's Organic Peanut Butter and Jelly (raspberry) 55% dark chocolate cups were from Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

Theo Chocolate was one of the first chocolate makers to offer certified fair trade, organic chocolate bars and other chocolate offerings in North America. 

Today's heart-shaped, gluten and soy free, dark chocolate "cups" had a rich dark chocolate and home-ground roasted peanut butter aroma.

Inside, well-balanced strata of creamy peanut butter above, and bright red fruit raspberry jelly (with a seed or two, if I'm not mistaken, for authenticity) below. This was a perfect layering of high-quality flavors. All this without being ultra sweet (thank you!).

By looking at the Theo website, I was able to easily see that the Fair Trade for Life cocoa used to make this chocolate came from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and that the peanut butter came from the U.S.

Theo Origin Story -- meshes with growing desires for more product transparency

Founded in 2005, Theo Chocolate produced their first organic chocolate in early 2006--six months before I started Chocolate Banquet. There weren't that many high-quality, organic options back then in California or elsewhere then. And fair trade was a new concept that consumers were trying to understand. 

Improved vendor transparency though--about ingredients, source and supply chains--was quickly becoming a product differentiator. After all, to "sell" people on paying a premium for bean-to-bar, craft chocolate, you need to talk about and celebrate your great ingredients.

I remember being happy to find Theo chocolates at a few leading edge small chocolate shops.* Theo has also continued to offer new and tasty flavor combinations. Happily there are more organic and fair trade options today, and Theo is still among them!

*Sunita de Tourreil, founder of The Chocolate Garage (now closed) (Palo Alto, CA) and Elana Turchon, owner, SweetE Organics (Mill Valley, CA) were a few of the innovative retailers in the San Francisco Bay Area who helped introduce people to Theo and other organic and other craft chocolate options. (It's difficult to name them all, but Chocolate Covered, Fog City News, Bi-Rite Market, Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco and a few shops in the East Bay and South Bay that are no longer open, also were and/or continue to be instrumental.) High-end grocery stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Markets, etc. joined in as well.