Product Review: Chuao Potato Chip Chocolate Bar - 3 STARS

I've been curious for a while about trying a chocolate bar made with potato chips and recently, thanks to a much-appreciated gift, I was able to explore some new chocoholic territory.  Chuao is an award-winning, premium chocolatier that uses all natural ingredients, free of hydrogenated fats and artificial preservatives, colors, flavors or sweeteners.

This particular bar is made with 41% cacao milk chocolate so it has the richness and very slight bitterness of a mild dark chocolate bar.  The potato chips are crushed into fine granules so they really don't taste like potato chips but I really like the salty aftertaste left behind on my tongue as the mildly sweet chocolate melts away.

However, when it comes to "stuff" in my chocolate, I prefer a chunkier texture--I like my nuts almost whole rather than in tiny pieces--and I'm not a fan of chocolate "crisps" with crispy rice.  So the gravelly crunch between my teeth was a little off-putting.  I would not buy this again myself, but if you like crisps, you'll most likely enjoy this.  Nevertheless, my house was devoid of chocolate when this gift arrived and despite not being my favorite, it kept my chocolate withdrawals at bay and it is made with premium chocolate which in itself invokes a sense of luxury and indulgence.

Product Reviews: Chocolate & Raspberry Flavor Combo

One of my favorite flavor profiles is chocolate with berries and I recently tasted two products that feature this delectable combo of fruit and cocoa.

Magnum Double Raspberry Ice Cream Bar - 5 STARS

Can an ice cream bar really be so exceptional that it merits five whole stars?  I assure you, this one can!  In fact, if you don't live in isolation, this frozen treat has the potential to endanger your relationship with anyone who also develops a taste for it because it will make you greedy about sharing.  Ever since Magnum's products filled supermarket freezers, they have set a new standard for individual ice cream novelties but this particular variety has to be their most extraordinary creation yet.  

The filling is a mellow, raspberry-flavored ice cream.  It's encircled by two layers of mild dark chocolate and sandwiched between those two chocolate layers is a thin coating of raspberry sauce with a more intense berry flavor.  The double chocolate layers crack and splinter as you bite into the bar and then as they melt on your tongue, your taste buds get a shock of the raspberry syrup oozing out from between the chocolate chunks.  The berry flavor in the ice cream is very mild, so it not only creates a base on which the more intense sauce builds--it also continually refreshes your palate after each bite of the rich chocolate and berry coating.  I really can't imagine any way to make this better, and hence the five stars.  The double layers do seem to make it a little messier to eat, but seriously, it's worth it.

Pepperidge Farm Raspberry-Flavored Chocolate Milano Cookies - 4 STARS

Pepperidge Farm's curvy Milano cookies have a smooth exterior that caresses your tongue, a texture which is an unexpected contrast to the crispness your teeth are met with as they penetrate that exterior.  In between two layers of this outer crisp is a thin layer of chocolate.  Pepperidge Farm has expanded the Milano line to include multiple flavor varieties, one of which is raspberry.  The berry flavor is actually infused into the chocolate but it is very mild so your buds first perceive the chocolate flavor and then the berry aftertaste comes a second later and lingers only briefly on the tongue.  The diversity of textures and layers of flavor provide lots of stimulation for your palate so it's a memorable tasting experience.  My only beef is that I would like to taste more of the raspberry-flavored chocolate filling, but that's only because I want a little more of a good thing.  Otherwise, this has become a household favorite and is a cookie that I'm keeping regularly stocked in my snack drawer.

Product Review: "Hunger Games" Chocolate Bars by Vosges

"Hunger Games" Chocolate Bar Box

When I read that chocolatier Vosges Haut-Chocolat and its sister company Wild Ophelia were releasing a series of chocolates to complement the movie, "Hunger Games: Catching Fire," inspired and named after districts and characters from the story, I was instantly intrigued.  And when I came across the District chocolate bars at my local grocery store, I knew immediately I had to buy one of each and told myself it was necessary for research and review.  :>)  Secretly, the curiosity and novelty of chocolate with a story was impossible to resist.  Ironically though, the varieties that I was most fascinated with--that sounded the most exotic--actually were not as satisfying and elegant in their flavor profiles as those that deceptively appeared at first glance to be too simple to be interesting.  While there are a dozen varieties in total, my store only had six and this review reflects only those varieties.

Let's start with my favorites.  The bar dedicated to District 12, the Mining district, is called Mined Salt and Milk Chocolate. Despite its simplistic title, this bar's mild sweetness and creamy texture are punctuated with little surprising and random spikes of salt granules.  Because the salty crescendos are random and unpredictable, the experience is of a complex flavor and textural profile, like an exhilarating adventure in chocolate.  District 6's variety, Crunch Runner Peanuts in Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate (aptly named for the Transportation District), has the creamy-salty flavor and texture of a peanut butter cup accented with crunchy peanut crumbles.  It has the comforting flavor of a familiar childhood favorite elevated by the texture of crunchy nut pieces which are neither whole nor crumbs, just the right size to provide a very satisfying few bites as the creamy chocolate melts away.

"Hunger Games" District Chocolate Bars by Wild Ophelia (Vosges)

For the Power District (District 5), Wild Ophelia created a Crispy Crunchy Caramel Corn and Dark Chocolate which unfortunately sounds a lot more fun than it actually is.  Far from a carnival in my mouth, the bitterness of the dark chocolate is almost overwhelming and the texture is a combination of crispy rice ending with a crunch that sticks to your teeth like the remainders of peanut brittle.  While the first two bars felt like a flight of fancy, this one kind of fell flat for me.  Technology District's (Distrct 3) Arabica Coffee and Crystal Salt with Dark Chocolate also missed the mark despite its alluring aroma of freshly ground coffee beans that permeated the air as soon as I opened the foil packaging.  Perhaps true coffee afficionados will appreciate the bitter taste and acidity of strong coffee in the chocolate, but the densely granulated texture creates an experience of swallowing a spoonful of coffee grinds mixed with sea salt.  Not a pleasant bite.

"Hunger Games" Truffle Collection by Vosges

There were two bars which I was most eager to try but which, I am sorry to report, were extremely unpleasant and which I can not recommend.  The Smoked Chipotle Chili and Milk Chocolate bar, inspired by  the Lumber District (District 7), while very promising with its creamy texture and hazelnut overtones, ends with a spicy aftertaste that burns the back of your mouth and throat and makes you feels like you're experiencing the acid reflux of heartburn before you've even swallowed the bite.  The final variety, Beef Jerky and Smoked Mesquite and Milk Chocolate bar created for the Livestock District (District 10), exudes its smoky aroma right out of the foil and has a matching savory aftertaste to match.  The chocolate is creamy but has pieces of stringy jerky mixed in it which you're left chewing long after the creaminess has melted away.  It gave me the distasteful experience of finding eggshells or fish bones in my food, something that wasn't meant to be there or to be consumed.

"Hunger Games" Katniss Chocolate Bar

The bars which I have not yet had the opportunity to try are:  Agriculture (District 10): Harvest Cherry and Dark Chocolate;  Grain (District 9): Milled Oats and Vanilla Hemp Seeds in Dark Chocolate; Textiles (District 8): Caramelized Crispy Rice and Dark Chocolate; DISTRICT 4 - Fishing (District 4): Sea Salt and Coconut in Dark Chocolate; Masonry (District 2): Caramel and Pecan in Milk Chocolate; and Luxury (District 1): Rare Harvest Cashews and Milk Chocolate.  Vosges has also created a truffle collection and a series of exotic chocolate bars which are named after the characters of Katniss, Effie and President Snow.

Normally, I would say that individual tastes differ so, despite my experience, others may enjoy chocolates that I didn't.  However, the $4.99 per bar price tag (Southern California prices) might make some chocolate lovers conservative about which bars they choose to try.  See my star ratings below:

5 STARS (out of 5):

• Mining: Mined Salt and Milk Chocolate

4 STARS (out of 5):  

• Transportation: Crunch Runner Peanuts in Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate

2 STARS (out of 5):  

• Technology: Arabica Coffee and Crystal Salt with Dark Chocolate
• Power: Crispy Crunchy Caramel Corn and Dark Chocolate

1 STAR (out of 5): 

• Lumber:  Smoked Chipotle Chili and Milk Chocolate
• Livestock: Beef Jerky and Smoked Mesquite and Milk Chocolate

Review: Del Taco's Warm Brownie Crunch Bites

5 STARS! (OUT OF  5)

Between this dessert's name and description, I expected to taste something between a brownie and molten chocolate cake.  I'm not a fan of molten chocolate cake so I hoped it would be more like a brownie.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was neither.  While definitely all chocolate, the super-crunchy exterior is more akin to a donut hole or churro so it must be deep-fried.  Inside that crispy shell is a creamy chocolate filling with a texture somewhere between a pudding and frosting, not to thick, not too watery.  Served perfectly warm, the contrasting textures made for a treat as satisfying as a gourmet truffle.  Highly recommended!  These don't appear yet on the restaurant chain's menu and I have read that they are only available for a limited time, however I hope this is not true and that their popularity will garner them a permanent spot on Del Taco's menu.  So get out there and do your part to keep these around!

Review: Lindt Pistachio Chocolate Bars

4 STARS (out of 5)

This sounds like another chocolate bar with nuts but it's not.  These bars have "bubbles" filled with a light cream filling and the pistachio is in the center of it all.  So when you bite into a section, you get the sweet, smooth flavors of the milk chocolate and cream, but then you finish with the briny, soft crunch of the pistachio.  The combination is amazingly delicious.  For people who don't like their treats too sweet, this fits the bill perfectly and satisfies thoroughly.  They are often difficult to find in stores, but I found them online so now you can buy them by clicking on the images below or in the Chocoholics Boutique!

Review: Trader Joe's Powerberries

5 STARS! (OUT OF 5)

I can only give 5 stars to a product that I could not imagine to be any better than it is and that exceeds my expectations every time.  That would be Powerberries from Trader Joe's.  These are not pieces of berries dipped in chocolate but rather a "candy" made from the juices of acai, blueberry, pomegranate and cranberry and which is then dipped in dark chocolate.  The reason this is so different is that you don't have the seeds and inconsistent texture of actual berries, and the multiple layers of  flavors are always perfectly balanced in each bite (not too sweet and not too tart).   This snack is such a party-in-my-mouth that I eat only one at a time to get the full experience which lasts a good long time. That means I don't finish the bag in one sitting (like some other snacks), and I feel good about eating them because they are full of antioxidants!  I love win-win!

If you don't have a Trader Joe's store near you, you can purchase by clicking on the image below or in the Chocoholics Boutique!

Review: LOL Hot Chocolate Mixes

Land o' Lakes Cocoa Classics Instant Premium Hot Cocoa Mix
(4 STARS OUT OF 5)

What does the company that makes butter have to do with hot chocolate?  Only that they make the best, most indulgent hot cocoa mixes on the market.  No, I'm not exaggerating.  In fact, I could not find it in my local markets so I ordered three cartons online and had them shipped to my house.  The mixes contain actual pieces of chocolate in them and even made with water, they make the best instant hot chocolate you have ever had.  Just pour into a mug and add hot milk or water; when I'm feeling especially lazy, I actually just microwave soy milk in a mug and then add the mix.  LOL Cocoa Classics come infused with a variety of flavors but my favorites are:  French Vanilla, Caramel and Hazelnut.  If you are new to the brand, I recommend buying a variety pack so you can try them all and find your own favorites.  French Vanilla is a great light hot chocolate for anytime, smooth and refreshing.  Caramel is amazingly luxurious and indulgent and best saved for dessert or late-night treats.  Hazelnut is perfect for those rainy, gloomy days because it reminds me of Vienna at Christmastime.  Just how good are they really?  I am traveling in Italy and I brought every single packet I owned with me.  Yeah, that good...

Note:  These appear sporadically in higher-end grocery stores and never with all the varieties, so I buy them online.  You can purchase them by clicking the images below or in the Chocoholics Boutique.

Review: Camille Bloch Chocolates

Mousse Chocolat:  4 STARS (out of 5)

Wow!  I didn't expect this to be this good by looking at it but it was very nice surprise.  This is a Swiss Milk Chocolate Bar with Chocolate Mouse Filling inside each "bubble" section of the bar.  Melts in your mouth like butter, and while the filling and the outer coating aren't really distinguishable, the overall smooth texture feels and tastes very luxurious--the kind of chocolate you want to close your eyes while eating!

 If you can't find these near you, you can purchase by clicking on the image below or in the Chocoholics Boutique!

Review: Ice Cream Treats w/ Chocolate

It's summertime--yay! And it's way too hot--boo! But chocolate and ice cream go so well together--yay! Here are my picks for cooling off with chocolate:




Twix Minis Ice Cream Bars - 4 STARS (out of 5)
A sliver of cookie and caramel on top of a vanilla ice-cream square which is then dipped in milk chocolate--mmm! So simple yet so delicious, this has just enough variety of flavors and textures to fascinate the palate without overdoing it. And the mini size allows you to limit calories (only 90 each) while awakening your taste buds!




Snickers Minis Ice Cream Bars - 3 STARS (out of 5)
A true illustration of "more is not always better" mantra, this mini treat has a lot going on but it's a little too much. I prefer the simple flavors and textures of the Twix Minis, but in the absence of Twix-ies, these are still pretty good.


Haagen Dazs Banana Split Ice Cream - 5 STARS!! (out of 5)
This ice cream flavor by Haagen Dasz is not always easy to find but it is pure heaven and worth traveling for! The second the flavors of this treat hit my mouth, I literally begin to smile from ear to ear. It can transform the worst day into a good one--it's that good. There are little bits of maraschino cherries and banana swirled in ice cream and fudge. Unbelievable, manna from heaven, I can't say enough!


Trader Joe’s Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls - 4 STARS (out of 5)
I've read a not-so-great review about these and I totally disagree. These mini ice cream sandwiches are sooo refreshing and just the right size to cleanse your palate after a meal. The only problem is that it's really hard to eat just one! Only available at Trader Joe's stores.







Edy's Dibs Bite Size Ice Cream Snacks - Mint w/ Milk Chocolate Coating - 4 STARS (out of 5)
Can't get enough of these itty-bitty bites of cool mint and frozen ice cream that have been a godsend during the recent heat wave to help me cool down. Here's a tip though: it's tempting to eat them right out of the little bucket but your Dibs will start melting quickly and turn into soup if you do this--pour a few in a small bowl and go back for more if you need to. The large grocery chains area all over these so they should be easy to find unless your store has sold out...it happens...

Review: Chocolates by Strauss Group

Pesek Zman Milk Chocolate Fingers - 4 STARS (out of 5)

Made by Strauss Foods in Israel, this delectable treat will remind you of Kit Kat but only barely--because it's sooooo much better! These wafer cookies are topped with hazelnut cream and then covered in a thick, creamy milk-chocolate coating. Mmmmmmm...heavenly! The packaging is written entirely in Hebrew so I'm including a picture to help you find these bars and/or the brand (try the local Kosher market). Mine had a band of blue on the left-hand side of the packaging. 



Cow Chocolate Strawberry Cream Bars - 4 STARS (out of 5)

Cow Chocolates is another brand by Strauss Group in Israel and it feautures strawberry cream in each milk chocolate block. The chocolate is so smooth and creamy that it is hard to keep firm, but that's fine with me because it just melts even more easily in my mouth. Again, the wrapping is all in Hebrew but the cow picture should give it away!




Cow Chocolate Bars with Chocolate Cream - 3 STARS (out of 5) 

Not as great as the strawberry version because the strawberry cream is actually creamy like pudding while this is not like cream at all--just a layer of dark chocolate within milk chocolate--yeah, not sure what the point is. But still creamy milk chocolate on the outside makes for a decent treat.


If you can't find these chocolates near you, you can purchase by clicking on the image below or in the Chocoholics Boutique! 

Review: klik Chocolates

klik is a brand of chocolates made by Unilever in Israel and certified as Kosher Dairy. I picked up a couple at the local kosher market (a great place to find imported chocs, btw):

klik In - 2 STARS (out of 5)
This is like a Pirouette cylindrical wafer cookie filled with milk cream and coated with a layer of white and then a layer of crispy milk chocolate. Sounds amazing but tastes just okay, not sure why. The cream is not that creamy, and the crispy texture of the outer chocolate layer is kind of yucky. Not horrible but it's not something I'll be buying again or craving.

klik choco-kid - 4 STARS (out of 5)
I really thought I'd like the IN bar better than this one, but surprisingly, CHOKO-KID is much better. It has a similar idea--milk cream inside--but has a thicker, smoother layer of milk chocolate outside and no crispy texture. It feels like a little bit of heaven in your mouth. Would buy this again even though it's not my favorite-favorite.  
If you're having trouble finding these near you, you can purchase them by clicking on the image below or in the Chocoholics Boutique!