Shekoh Confections - Peanut Butter (filled chocolate) - April 6, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections

Peanut Butter (filled chocolate)

Good ++

Weight: .4 oz. (11.32 g.) (estimate) for 1 piece

Calories: 62 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $4.86 for 1 piece (part of a 5-piece box)

Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Peanuts Theme Week. 

Today's Peanut Butter filled chocolate was from Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

The aroma for this confection was relatively complex and sophisticated with faint green, lemon herb (oxalis), spice, nut/seed and cocoa notes.

The smooth dark chocolate, domed shell surrounded a filling with tiny, crunchy sparkles (of sugar I'm assuming) amidst the ground peanuts, creating textural interest. However, this confection was not overly sweet (thank you!). Sometimes tiny bits of sugar and/or salt can create more (layered) flavors than fully incorporated/more processed ingredients. I tend to like and appreciate these choices, as I like tasting individual ingredients even if they're blended together.

Authentic dark chocolate/cacao and peanut flavors lightly lingered into the finish along with a faint flickering earth note at the very end.

Shekoh chocolates sampled thus far have been high-end, skillfully made confections with complex and fresh-tasting, authentic flavors, made without preservatives.

Ingredients: (no information)

Allergen-related information: (contained peanuts)

Happy Cow - 55% Cacao - Dairy-Digesting Chocolate - Apr. 5, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Happy Cow
55% Cacao - Dairy-Digesting Chocolate
Good - Good +
Weight: .2 oz. (6 g.) in one piece
Calories: 28 calories in 1 piece
Cost: $ N/A - gift from family member
Purchased from:  N/A - gift from family member (thank you David!)

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week. 

Today's 55% Cacao Dairy-Digesting Chocolate was from Happy Cow (Mar Vista, CA). It was a snack with a purpose; it contained lactase enzyme--that can help those sensitive to dairy digest milk sugar (lactose).

The small square of chocolate had a pleasant, smooth dark chocolate flavor with a bit of vanilla. 

Happily I can eat dairy products; so I wasn't able to evaluate the effectiveness of this chocolate enzymatic supplement. (I had cheese as part of a spring picnic outdoors this afternoon, and I likely would have had no ill effects either way.)

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin and natural vanilla flavor) and lactase enzyme.

Allergy-related information: (None listed on small, individual serving size packet.) 

Base Culture - Chocolate Chip Brookie - Apr. 4, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Base Culture
Chocolate Chip Brookie
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (57 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $0.99 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week. 

Today's "Chocolate Chip Brookie" was manufactured by Base Culture, LLC (Clearwater, FL). The company offers a variety of gluten-free, grain-free and "pure paleo" products.

This refrigerated, gluten-free, snack (with 5 g. of protein and made with paleo ingredients) was part cookie and part brownie bar--thus the name "brookie".

The square-shaped snack had a baked brownie and chocolate chip cookie aroma when opened, and featured the textures and flavors of both treats. 

The texture of this brookie was satisfying/substantial and relatively soft and moist (given it was bought in the freezer section). 

Overall, this combination snack was clever, tasty and relatively complex--with layered flavors. Some bites had more brownie flavor, and other bites tasted more like chocolate chip (cookie). I also could pick out some cacao flavors (faint earthiness in the dark chocolate, from either the brownie batter portion and/or the chocolate chips). 

And, last but not least, this honey-sweetened snack was not overly sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: Honey, eggs, cashew butter, unsweetened chocolate, coconut flour, coconut oil, soluble tapioca fiber, coconut sugar, almond butter, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, sea salt, baking soda.

Allergen-related information: "Contains egg, almond, cashew, coconut. Manufactured in a facility that also processes: pecans. May contain nut shells, pieces or bits."

The Healthy Energy Bar - Mexican Coffee House bar (cookie) - Apr. 3, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

The Healthy Energy Bars

Mexican Coffee - Coffee House bar

Good - Good +

Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in 1 bar

Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $1.75 (sale) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Mexican Coffee - Coffee House bar was from The Healthy Energy Bars/The Healthy Baking Co. (Lafayette, CA). 

The aroma of this heart-shaped, bar/cookie was oat-forward, with some plant (botanical, seed, hemp seed), sweet, and warm vanilla spice notes.

This wholesome snack had a thick, oaty chew with faint hints of sweet coconut, seed(s), chocolate (chips), and very faint (almost undetectable, perhaps imagined) almost fruity, coffee notes. 

I appreciated the sweetness level, which is to say it wasn't too sweet (thank you!).

Ingredients: Brown rice syrup, organic unsweetened, unsulfured coconut, organic whole oats, 

organic hemp seed, rice bran, semi sweet chocolate (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, dextrose), sunflower lecithin, freshly ground local artisan coffee, vanilla, cinnamon.

Allergen-related information: Contained tree nuts (coconut). No preservatives.

Mami's Crunch - Power Ball - Apr. 2, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Mami's Crunch
Power Ball
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .61 oz. (17.2 g.) (estimate) for 1 ball
Calories: 62 calories (estimate) for 1 ball
Cost: $2.00 for 1 ball
Purchased from: Mami's Crunch, Thursday Marin Farmers' Market, San Rafael, CA

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Power Ball snack was mindfully created with organic ingredients by Naomi Tomoda and Mami of Mami's Crunch (Novato, CA). 

The colorfully-wrapped ball (seated in an inner, green paper cup) had subtle chocolate, coconut and mild nut aroma notes.

The first bite revealed a satisfying and substantial soft chew, and smooth, authentic cacao and (finely shredded) coconut taste and texture. While you can finish this ball in one bite, I suggest taking a few bites slowing down to enjoy the pure, light, well-integrated flavors. 

Unlike many snacks, this health-conscious Power Ball was not too sweet (thank you!). Date, fig, maca and coconut ingredients provided natural sweetness and/or moistness. 

Ingredients: "Dried date, dried fig, almond better, raw cacao powder, maca, coconut cream, coconut oil, coconut flake."

Allergen-related information: Contained tree nuts (almond, coconut).

 

NibMor - Organic Dark Chocolate Tart Cherry pieces - Apr. 1, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

NibMor

Organic Dark Chocolate Tart Cherry pieces

Good ++

Weight: .92 oz. (26 g.) / 3.26 oz. (92 g.) in total package

Calories: 120 calories in 3 pieces

Cost: $ missing information

Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Organic Dark Chocolate Tart Cherry snack-sized pieces were manufactured (made in Canada) for NibMor, Inc. (Kennebunk, ME). The company offers a line of packaged "snackable chocolates."

These organic, gluten-free dark chocolate pieces were two-bite sized snacks, with aroma notes that included: cherry fruit and almond (almond paste, blossom) and cherry chocolate chip ice cream.

Each tiny bar-shaped, smooth, 72% cacao dark chocolate piece was accented with small bits of chewy, dried sweet-tart cherry.

The chocolate had a pleasing warm (vanilla and) chocolate (dark chocolate cake) flavor and finish with "clean"/authentic tart cherry and light floral notes. 

Throw a handful of these pieces into a bag with almonds and/or other nuts and seeds and you'd have a tasty hiking/trail mix. I could also see chopping up these versatile snacks and incorporating them into other desserts (brownies, cakes, puddings, ice creams, etc.).

Ingredients: Organic chocolate liquor, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, tart cherries (rice flour, sunflower oil), organic soy lecithin (an emulsifier), organic vanilla, natural cherry flavor.

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk and soy."

Shekoh - Le Noir and Burnt Caramel filled chocolates - Mar. 31, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Shekoh Confections
Le Noir filled chocolate - Good ++ - Good +++
Burnt Caramel filled chocolate - Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: .8 oz. (22.64 g.) (estimate) for two pieces
Calories: 124 calories (estimate) for two pieces
Cost: $8.90 (estimate) for 2 pieces (part of a 5-piece box)
Purchased from: Shekoh Confections, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Le Noir and Burnt Caramel filled chocolate confections were created by accomplished Chef Shekoh Moossavi, who recently opened Shekoh Confections (Palo Alto, CA).

To call these high-end chocolates a "snack" sells them short. At over $4.00 (USD) each, these skillfully-made and attractive filled chocolate confections were a luxury item, fit for any special occasion. (OK, yes, a very special, satisfying snack.) 

Le Noir

This piece smelled like sweet, smooth dark chocolate; and then started to dazzle after the first bite, over-delivering on texture and taste. 

A thin dark shell covered a very smooth, dark and velvety ganache (filling). This chocolate was loaded with authentic cacao flavor notes that included: true chocolate (fresh-baked brownie) and rich caramel--and a very slight earthy forest note toward the finish.

Burnt Caramel

Today's Burnt Caramel domed, filled chocolate confection was "painted" with the same sunny yellow as the classy signature color and decor featured in Shekoh Confections (retail shop).

Aroma notes for this Burnt Caramel piece: subtle, almost fruity, chocolate, and nutty caramel notes.

The textures were just right. The freshly made, soft flowing caramel interior had a faint buttery taste (vs. a corn syrup flavor and/or overly stiff or overly liquid texture in less expensive chocolate covered caramels). 

The sweet caramel interior was complemented by the earthy dark chocolate, an earthiness (loamy, forest) that lingered a bit into the finish. It was a pleasure to experience authentic cacao flavors like this in a confection. Sadly, the dark chocolate in bulk confections can be bland and over-processed. Not the case here. 

Shekoh does not use preservatives, so enjoy while fresh and store these chocolates in a cool, dark place.

Ingredients: (None listed on small box)

Allergen-related information: (None listed on small box)