chocolate review

Brookside Dark Chocolate Goji & Raspberry

The Easter Bunny was very generous to me this season.

As the Easter Bunny walked through her warehouse of candy treats (which looked an awful like the neighbor market), rows and rows of sweets began to call me. I mean images of Bryn spring to her mind and she thought, "yes, Bryn would surely love to try this," and, "this is just perfect for Bryn," and, "hey, this is new, I bet Bryn would find this interesting!"

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Martha’s Gardens Chocolate Covered Dates

Improve the Date Eating Experience – Cover Them with Chocolate!

I recently had the pleasure of taking a tour of Martha’s Gardens Date Farm in Yuma, Arizona. The farm overlooks the beautiful Gila Valley and is home to over 8,000 date palms.

The majority of dates grown there are the Medjool variety, 2½ times the size of a common date but with the same small pit.

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Beverly Hills – A Chocolate Tourist’s Dream Destination

Two hours, seven chocolate shops. This is the promise of Great Food Tours’ chocolate tour in Beverly Hills, California.

A premise that begs many questions: What kind of chocolate? What is the dress code? Will there be hillbillies? Can I eat chocolate for two hours and still fit in my pants? Among others.

And as is the case with all adventures, the only way to get answers is to go out and find them.
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Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Peppermint BarkHere's another holiday favorite by Ghirardelli!  A few weeks ago I blogged about the dark chocolate version of this seasonal chocolate.  The milk chocolate variety is equivalent in deliciousness.
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Ghirardelli Eggnog

Ghirardelli EggnogAmong the seasonal Ghirardelli chocolates, Eggnog is my least favorite. Don't get me wrong, I do like a unique and interesting flavor in the confectionery arena.

But the chocolate tasting square is white chocolate and extra sweet, which it has to be to offer such a balanced flavor profile between the sweet nature of eggnog and chocolate.
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Ghirardelli Pumpkin Spice Caramel

Ghirardelli Pumpkin SpiceThis seasonal holiday chocolate is as delicious as the name!  It is coated in milk chocolate with a soft, gooey center of pumpkin spice flavored caramel.
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Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark with Dark Chocolate

Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark with Dark ChocolateYum!  I really enjoy this seasonal chocolate from Ghiradelli.

I like how the dark chocolate is strong enough to come through the peppermint.  The texture is fantastic, as the crunchy pieces feel like tiny peppermint bits, and that just adds to the enjoyment.
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Malie Kai Chocolates

Did you know that Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. where cacao can grow?

Cacao has been grown in very small amounts in Hawaii since the 1850s. Most of it was grown on the Big Island.

Malie Kai Milk ChocolateMalie Kai Chocolates is a small company producing chocolates grown on Oahu, specifically, the famous North Shore.
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Equal Exchange Very Dark Chocolate

The Equal Exchange brand Very Dark Chocolate (71% Cacao) is organic and uses 100% fair trade ingredients. Equal Exchange Very Dark ChocolateThe chocolaty richness of this bar is absolutely excellent. I love the fruity notes that come right away at the beginning and the soft, vanilla cocoa that lingers in the finish. This is one of my favorite chocolates and at 71%, is the best in that percentage range.

This bar is made from cacao from farmer owned co-operatives in CONACADO, a famous cocoa growing region in the Dominican Republic, and CACVRA, in Peru.
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Theo Chocolates and Jane Goodall

What Do Theo Chocolates and Jane Goodall Have In Common?

Jane Goodall - Good For AllAccording to the Theo Chocolates website, "The partnership between Theo and Jane Goodall is inspired by 'Cocoa Practices,' a ground breaking Theo Chocolate initiative that brings together small scale cocoa farmers, larger producers, and non-governmental organizations from the world's cocoa producing regions."

Jane Goodall is a United Nations Messenger of Peace. She puts her stamp of approval, "Good For All" seal , on products she feels reflects her personal commitment to supporting the environment, and high quality, ethically produced products from the developing world.
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