Zotter - Wild Berries with Vanilla (filled bar) - Jan. 15, 2023

Zotter
Wild Berries with Vanilla (filled) bar
Good +
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: zotter.com, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Wild Berries with Vanilla (filled) bar was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

The company offers a wide variety of filled bar (with a range of layered flavors) as well as bean-to-bar, single origin bars (their "Labooko" line), using organic, fair trade ingredients.

Aroma notes for today's sweet, winter warmer filled bar included: sweet red berry (red currant, strawberry) jam, vanilla and chocolate.

A thin chocolate coating enveloped two (fruit and vanilla) soft, internal layers. 

Relatively thin, layered, flavors like this can have an advantage over chocolates where distinct flavors everything thoroughly blended. Each complementary berry fruit flavor was able shine.

The overall flavor was rich in berry jam notes (strawberry, red raspberry and tart currant, and faint blueberry). Rich cocoa (dark milk chocolate) and warm vanilla notes made me feel like I was eating a sweet, complexly sophisticated dessert. 

Speaking of dessert, yes, this bar was very sweet. (Organic, fair traded sugar was the number one ingredient; and it also contained honey and glucose syrup.) A few confection-sized bites made for a fun treat. 

I plan to share the rest of this attractively layered bar with a few people and/or cut it up and display the pieces on a dessert/fruit plate.

Ingredients: Organic, fair traded cane sugar; organic, fair traded cocoa butter; organic, fair traded cocoa mass; dry whole milk; milk; dry skim milk; honey; organic glucose syrup; organic strawberries; organic blue berries; organic dried raspberries; organic almonds; organic cranberry concentrate; organic redcurrant concentrate; organic dried strawberries; organic dried blackcurrants; organic dried blueberries; dry sweet whey; organic dark brown cane sugar; organic soy lecithin; organic vanilla bean powder; salt; organic lemon powder (organic lemon juice concentrate, organic corn starch, organic sugar); organic cinnamon; organic rose petals; (78% organic)

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, almonds, soy. Manufactured on equipment that processes other tree nuts, peanuts, eggs and sesame." 

Zotter - Currant 'n' Chili (filled bar) - Jan. 14, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Zotter
Currant 'n' Chili (filled) bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (sale) for 1 bar
Purchased from: zotter.com, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Currant 'n' Chili (filled) bar was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

The company offers a wide variety of filled chocolate bars with thinly layered creative flavors, as well as single origin chocolate bars.

The relatively complex aroma of today's Currant 'n' Chili bar included: dark chocolate, roasted coffee (there was no actual coffee), slightly savory chili powder and salt, and very faint dried fruit (dark berry) and vanilla.

Soft layers revealed many flavors. The relatively thin, outer envelope of smooth dark chocolate had brownie and very light and balanced earth notes, and contributed a steady taste "center," while a cast of different, complementary, flavors took the stage: rich brown sugar, tart sweet berries (with imagined sweet, tart berry lemonade), very subtle chili blend with warm spice + very faint salt.

I enjoyed the layered, complex flavors in this Zotter filled bar. It was almost jammy fruit sweet, but the dark chocolate and chili-salt balanced out the sweetness. Bold, skillfully orchestrated, festive flavors in this creation offered a unique and delightful variation on the chocolate, berry and vanilla blends often found in bars and confections.

Ingredients: Organic, fair traded cane sugar; organic, fair traded cocoa mass; organic, fair traded cocoa butter; organic redcurrant concentrate; milk; organic glucose syrup; dry skim milk, dry whole milk, organic dried blackcurrants; dry sweet whey; organic, fair traded dark brown cane sugar; organic soy lecithin; organic vanilla bean powder; salt; organic chili ("bird's eye"), organic cinnamon. (85% organic)

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy. Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, eggs and sesame."

Javier Confectionery - 5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 13, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Javier Confectionery
5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.4 g.) / 3 oz. (84 g.) in total bar
Calories: 232 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Sweet Shop, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate, Berries and Vanilla Theme Week.

Berries are adding color and flavor to a rain-soaked January. Dark chocolate adds depth to bright sweet berries. And vanilla adds a warm baked-goods flavor. The blend of all three offers the perfect antidote for our unusually long stretch of gray, wet weather.

Today's 5x Very Berry All Natural Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Javier Confectionery (Burlingame, CA). The company offers a range of bars and confections; and this Very Berry bar was part of the company's All Natural Dark Chocolate Bar Collection.

Aroma notes for this very berry dark bar included: cocoa, vanilla and very faint spice and barely detectable dried fruit.

This bar had a handsome look: rich ebony color off-set with burgundy and berry fruit gem tones. The relatively thick chocolate had a creamy melt and texture, interspersed with chewy dried fruits. 

Hearty but smooth dark chocolate flavor complemented the bright dried fruits: berries (goji, raspberry, blueberry), raisins and cherries. Flavors were well balanced; and this 63% cacao chocolate bar was not overly sweet (thank you).

Ingredients: 63% bittersweet chocolate (cacao beans, pure cane sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla beans), dried goji, raisins, raspberry, blueberry and cherries.

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that also makes products containing milk, soy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat."

Patricia's Chocolate - Spartan Bar - Michigan Cherries, Pistachio Nuts - Jan.12, 2023

Chocolate of the Day 

Patricia's Chocolate 

"Spartan Bar" 58% Cacao + Michigan Cherry, Blueberry; Pistachio Nut; Fleur de Sel

Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) in total piece

Calories: 158 calories (estimate) in 1 piece

Cost: $4.25 (estimate) for 1 piece

Purchased from: Patricia's Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 58% cacao dark chocolate "Spartan Bar" with Michigan cherries and blueberries, pistachio nuts and Fleur de Sel (sea salt) was from Patricia's Chocolate (handmade in Grand Haven, MI). 

This Spartan Bar was one of three in a Michigan-shaped bar series (created in 2010) from this company--all in the shape of (lower, mitten-shaped) Michigan. This one was embellished with a small, hand-piped green heart candy (for the Michigan State University Spartans; green is their school color). 

The back of this chocolate was "embedded with Grand Traverse dried cherries and South Haven blueberries, pistachio nuts, and Fleur de Sel, from Brittany."

Aroma notes included: sweet dark chocolate, marshmallow and vanilla.

The texture was a blend of smooth (chocolate), chewy (cherries) and crunchy (nuts).

Flavors: smooth, almost creamy, sweet dark chocolate was interspersed with dried cherry, subtle blueberry, crunchy pistachio nuts, and tiny sparkles of sea salt. I enjoyed the mixture of flavors. The fleur de sel sea salt was a nice touch; it helped balance the sweetness.

The base chocolate had--from what I could pick out among the other flavors--upticks of vanilla and gentle earth, and very faint menthol notes.

This Michigan-shaped bar was a higher quality chocolate offering than most novelty chocolates. I also enjoyed the fact that the cherries in today's entry were linked to the origin/creation location. While California (where I live), Washington and Oregon are leaders in sweet cherry production, Michigan is the number one producer of tart cherries in the U.S.--and number four in sweet cherry production. Go Michigan and Patricia!

Ingredients: 58% Dark Non-GMO Couverture Chocolate (Certified Fair Trade cacao bean, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin and vanilla bean), Michigan cherries, Michigan dried blueberry, pistachio nut, fleur de sel sea salt.

Allergen-related information: (Contained pistachio nuts.) No other information listed on small label for this novelty chocolate piece shaped like the State of Michigan.

Ben & Jerry's - Cherry Garcia (Non-dairy, almond milk) frozen dessert - Jan. 11, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Ben and Jerry's 
Cherry Garcia (non-dairy, almond milk) frozen dessert
Good - Good +
Weight: 2/3 cup (140 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 230 calories in 2/3 cup serving
Cost: $6.49 (sale) for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Cherries Theme Week

Today's Cherry Garcia Non-dairy frozen dessert was from Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc. (Burlington, VT). 

This flavor variation on a dairy ice cream classic --and other recently announced non-dairy frozen dessert flavors--reflect an increased demand for non-dairy (and vegan) offerings. 

Aroma notes for this almond milk based frozen dessert included: cherry, vanilla, almond and subtle dark chocolate.

The melt and mouthfeel was a blend of smooth and creamy with pieces of cherry fruit and both soft, small (thin) fudge flakes and (larger) "crunchy" dark chocolate fudge pieces.

The flavor was similar to the original Cherry Garcia Ice Cream. The fudge flakes that yielded sweet, dark chocolate flavor, and the texture and flavor of the cherries were similar. The touch of vanilla was also there. 

The differences between this non-dairy frozen dessert and the original: it did not have the dairy cream flavor and texture (although it was close), and had a fairly distinct, sweet almond flavor. 

It seemed sweeter (or at least slightly sweeter than expected). (Sugar(s) featured prominently in the ingredients. See below.)

Ingredients: Almond milk (almonds, water), liquid sugar (sugar, water), cherries, sugar, coconut oil, corn syrup, cocoa processed with alkali, pea protein, sunflower lecithin, fruit and vegetable concentrates (color), guar gum, natural flavor (coconut), lemon juice concentrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, vanilla extract, locust bean gum, citric acid, water. 

Allergen-related information: Contains almond, coconut, and soy.

*Today's non-dairy frozen dessert was a(n almond milk) frozen dessert variation on a classic Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor (Cherry Garcia ice cream). The original Cherry Garcia ice cream was first unveiled in the U.S. on February 15, 1987. And, as I write this in Jan. 2023, it is still described as a long-time, best selling flavor on the company's website.

Ben and Jerry's is a Unilever brand, acquired in 2000.

Chocolates of the World - Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 10, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Cost Plus - Chocolates of the World
(Manufactured for Cost Plus by Astor Chocolate Corp.)
Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 225 calories in 1/2 bar (150 cals. for 1/3 bar or 1 oz.)
Cost: $2.54 (after 15% discount) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Cost Plus World Market (store), Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Cherries Week.

Today's Sour Cherry Dark Chocolate (bar) was made for Cost Plus Inc. by Astor Chocolate Corp. (Lakewood, NJ).

Aroma notes for this bar included: sweet, lightly fruit-spiced, dark chocolate, and very, very faint wood (pulp), menthol, and cherry flavored cold syrup.

The flavor was less complicated than the aroma. The relatively smooth dark chocolate had the taste and mouthfeel of an upbeat, bubbly cherry soda, in chocolate form.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla flavor), freeze-dried tart cherries, citric acid, natural cherry flavor.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: soy. May contain milk, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts.

 

Woodside Chocolate Company - Dark chocolate with almonds, cherries - Jan. 9, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Woodside Chocolate Company
Dark chocolate with almonds, cherries (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g. ) (estimate) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) (estimate) in total bar
Calories: 273 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00+ (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Village Bakery, Woodside, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Cherries Week.

Today's dark chocolate with almonds and cherries (bar) was from Woodside Chocolate Company in California.

The aroma notes for this relatively thick bar included: dark chocolate (bittersweet, very faint smokey vanilla), toasted almonds and dried cherries.

I enjoyed this blend of balanced, complex and harmonious flavors: hearty dark chocolate, crunchy almonds, bursts of chewy, tart-sweet cherries, and tiny sparkles of salt.

Ingredients: (none listed on packaging) Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla flavor), freeze-dried tart cherries, citric acid, natural cherry flavor.

Allergen-related information: (none listed on packaging)