Tag Archive: milk chocolate

Trader Joe’s Swiss Milk Chocolate

It’s Monday and time for another review of a store brand chocolate bar.  This time I chose Trader Joe’s Swiss Milk Chocolate.

Trader Joe’s started out as a small chain of convenience stores in the 1950s under the name of Pronto Markets. In 1967 they changed the name to Trader Joe's.

I like the line up of chocolates under the Trader Joe’s label.  They are made in the European style but have a price tag of American value.

The Swiss Milk chocolate bar I bought was only $1.99 for 100g.  The bar was smooth and creamy, with a balanced chocolatey baseline highlighted by caramel flavor notes.  The lingering finish was a very pleasant soft buttery taste.
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Chocolate Tasting Interview

A few weeks ago I was interviewed for an article with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper.  That article appeared in the print version yesterday and online the day before.

There's some great information about tasting chocolate as well as pairing chocolate and wine.  Click this link for the full chocolate and wine article.
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Chocolate and Cheese Pairings

I found a great article from the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) offering guidelines for chocolate and cheese pairings. 

With all my pairings, I consider matching flavor profiles from the chocolate’s perspective...

Since dark chocolates offer a complex set of flavors, it makes sense that the best matches would be complex, aged cheeses.
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Store Brand Chocolates

Often “store brand” food items are thought of an economical and perhaps an inferior version of its name brand counterpart.  While many times I think that ends up being true, I’m still open to give unknowns a try, especially if it costs me less.  I do get disappointed but sometimes I also get surprised.

I plan on writing a flavor review of different store brand chocolate bars; some available only in the US and some available only overseas, each Monday for as many Mondays as I have chocolates.  On this journey I know we’ll discover the good and the bad but either way we’ll have fun and eat chocolate.  Isn’t that the meaning of life anyway?
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Chocolate and Cocoa Substitutes

Have you ever discovered you were out of an ingredient?  Of course that always seems to happen right in the middle of making something!

When the recipe calls for chocolate, cocoa powder, or unsweetened baking chocolate, using the correct substitution can mean your crisis is avoided.  And no emergency trip to the grocery store!
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Carol Widman’s “Chippers”

OMG!  Home of the Famous Chocolate covered Potato Chip, “Chippers”.  That’s what Carol Widman’s Candy Company proudly boasts.  And I completely agree!

Carol Widman’s Candy Company is located in Fargo, North Dakota.  They’ve been making quality chocolates for four generations.  I’m not sure when they started making chocolate covered potato chips, but they have perfected them.  They come covered in milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, peanut butter, and white almond. 

It really doesn’t matter which coating you choose, so pick your favorite.  No matter what, the Chippers are down right addicting.
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Villars Swiss Milk Chocolate

Although I prefer dark chocolate, I do enjoy a good Swiss milk chocolate from time to time.  My son turned me on to Villars Chocolat au Lait Suisse when he brought a bar home from Switzerland.

This Swiss milk chocolate has bold toffee notes coming through a light, slightly nutty, chocolate flavor with a smooth and creamy texture.  Even more delightful is the milk chocolate version with added hazelnuts.
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Allergic to Chocolate?

Is there such a thing as a chocolate allergy?

An allergy to cacao is possible but rare. It would be more likely that someone has an allergy to one of the ingredients in chocolate or experiences a food intolerance, which is not really an allergy at all.

Only 1 – 2% of American adults and 5 – 8% of children have a true, immunological food allergy. Among those, 90% are allergic to the “big 8”; milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, or shellfish.
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Arko: Marc De Champagne Chocolate

Arko is a German company specializing in premium coffee and fine chocolates.

When Arko began 60 years ago, customer satisfaction was at the center of their thoughts and actions.  That habit continues to the present.
According to the Arko website, they are the brand for discerning connoisseurs.

Wondering how I got my hands on their chocolate?  Once again, I was given a gift from a fellow chocolate lover/world traveler.  Oh yes, my friends know what I like!
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Novi Cioccolato

Novi chocolate is an Italian made chocolate from the province of Piedmont. 

My in-laws recently traveled abroad and brought back a Novi milk chocolate bar for me.

This chocolate, called Novi Al Latte Classico, is an extra fine milk chocolate with a cacao content of 30%.
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