chocolate, cocoa & culinary bliss

L'Artisan du Chocolat Madagascar sugar free 70%

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:42:50 GMT

Nutritional data: The package notes the 45g weight and the ingredients of cocoa beans, maltitol and cocoa butter. A small sticker on the bottom of the box's back records the best before date.

Source: L'Artisan du Chocolat, a chocolatier in every way gracious and good

Presentation: This bar is contained in a glossy white paperboard box with brown lettering and a photo of a chocolate bar bursting into pieces. (I know that sounds odd, but it's both true and aesthetically intriguing.) The top and bottom flaps of the bar contain the words "for cocoa and country" and the brown stripe down the left side of the box's front contains the words "break the mould" (presumably the inspiration for the photo).

The back of the box features Gerard's notes about the bar's origins. I can tell from reading this text that this chocolatier is serious about creating truly excellent chocolate. In my opinion, L'Artisan du Chocolat succeeds completely in its aim.

The bar itself is folded inside a clear, crisp plastic pouch fixed in position by tape. The bar is quite thin, but generously dimensioned in length and width for a 45g bar. Three rows and five columns divide the chocolate into 15 rectangular squares each with a sharp-edged raised border. Because the bar is quite thin, I expect it will snap with ease along its deep scores.

A medium reddish brown, the chocolate is glossy and enticing with slight waves on the bottom edges where the chocolate appears to have threatened to overflow its mould.

Scent: Mmmm, this has a lovely sour tang and grape scent swimming inside a cloud of sweetness and raisin and fruit leather. Rich and inviting.

Tactile: This feels creamy and wonderful to my fingers. It snaps with two large flakes and rough edges, but the snap is strangely softer than normal as if the bar is a little warm.

Sound: The sound of the snap is thin and dry and when the chocolate is allowed to stack on itself it gives off crisp clicks. Biting produces a low, soft thump.

Taste: Sweetness--oh my goodness is this ever sweet--precedes a mellow flowery flavor that is quickly followed by hard candy and then flows wonderfully into a tangy slightly sour berry note that I just plain love. It peaks with sweetness and then recedes on a gentle wave of butter.

This is so wonderful.

I don't typically gravitate toward sweet chocolate, but the maltitol that steps in for sugar in this bar allows me to defy my doctor's rules without imperiling my health. This is a wonderful thing! Darnit, I have to confess that I miss sweet chocolate. A 70% is supposed to be sweet and that essence should support the chocolate's qualities and mingle beautifully with it. Here it does exactly that.

I just plain love the hints of sour (almost yogurt-esque in flavor) that play with the sweetness and the berry. Yes, I must confess: I love this taste without reservation.

Texture: This is wonderful. It is creamy and smooth--a sheer delight. I would never have expected something this lovely from a 70%.

Aftertaste: Peanuts and sweetness linger. Strange. I didn't taste nuttiness in the bar and the berry notes seem to be absent in the aftermath. Peculiar, but nonetheless a good aftertaste.

Satiety: N/A

Overall: This is extraordinary chocolate. I would recommend it to any diabetic or low-carb dieter who can consume maltitol. Would I buy it? Absolutely. Though I don't frequently let my inner sweet-monster out to play, on those rare occasions when I feel it's okay to indulge, this would be the perfect treat.

I relished every last square.

Safely and Sweetly Impressed,
~L

Rococo Chocolat Extra Brut 85% Cocoa

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:33:37 GMT

I tried Rococo's pure bar some time ago and didn't love it--to my great dismay. I will not let that experience taint this one. The pure bar is a particular challenge to create, thus I don't base my opinion of any chocolatier on the success (or lack thereof) of that type of chocolate.

I'm copying much of this entry from the review of the Rococo pure bar simply because the packaging and presentation of both bars are nearly identical. Without further babble...

I've been hungering after Rococo's 85% chocolate since I first read of it on the Seventy Percent site. Knowing I could never have it unless I traveled to the UK left me hopelessly gloomy. I dreamed Seventy Percent might once again vend those chocolates and allow me access to them, but the chance seemed slim. Ohhh how those charming blue and white wrappers squeezed at my heart. It is a testament to my hopeless obsession that I continued to visit Rococo's site and drooled over their wares despite knowing I could never but never taste them.

And then one day new information appeared on the site--US customers could purchase Rococo from Miss Del's. I was ecstatic! I contacted Miss Del's immediately hoping to learn that they stocked the long-sought 85% bar only to find that, sadly, they did not. They could, however, order some and were expecting a new shipment in March.

Well, the shipment and order, through no one's fault, ended up being delayed. In the meantime, I learned that Rococo also made a 100% bar! Quelle surprise joyeaux! I contacted Miss Del's saying that if they could possibly add that precious bar to the order, I would be endlessly grateful.

They were gracious and patient with my giddy requests even as--I began to understand--it was getting a bit challenging for them to import the UK chocolates. This is no one's fault. Well--no person's fault. No one explained the obstacles to me, but from what I've gathered it is a monstrous hassle for people in the UK to comply with US regulations when shipping chocolate to the US. The difficulties of paperwork and cost make it scarcely profitable.

Sucks to be a US chocolate fiend, yes.

In any case, the amazing people at Miss Del's managed the impossible for me: they sent me both the 85% organic I'd so lusted after and the 100% I'd recently discovered existed.

I was giddy to see them in their soft nest of crinkled blue ribbon. I remain in swooning love today.

Today is, at long last, the lucky day I will taste the 85% chocolate I've dreamed and hungered after for so long. Wheeee!

Nutritional data: No data appears on the bar's packaging aside from the 85g bar size. I should note that, per Rococo, this bar is organic. (The pure bar is not.)

Source: Miss Del's went above and beyond the call of benevolent chocolate service to provide me with the Rococo bars. I am forever in their debt. Thank you!

Presentation: If there were a bar tailored just for me, it would be close to this: a softly textured true-white paper wrapper with slate blue illustrations encircles the bar that is folded within a foil that is pale green on the outside and silver on the interior. The white and blue paper looks like a wallpaper or hanging I would choose for my room. Ahhh, I have been in love with this wrapper from the moment I saw it on my computer screen. It is art on its own.

The green foil appears to be carefully folded by hand since the edges are not exact and the metal isn't sealed. I could be wrong, but it gives the bar an extra sense of care and quality to look so touched by human hands.

The chocolate itself is as lovely as its 100% sibling. Once again it is so glossy it almost looks melty from some angles. It is a darker slightly purplish brown and I see absolutely no flakes nor hints of bloom. There is no bubbling anywhere. Someone loved this bar. Sectioned into three rows and eight columns with a center rectangle with Rococo's name spanning four squares, this bar would theoretically provide 24 squares of chocolate, but the scoring is almost nonexistent. Each square has a raised ornate border. I shall try to snap off a single column, but I fear in this task I will fail...

Scent: Oh there's a wonderful tart scent here, almost like yogurt. There's also cherry and cigarette smoke and a hint of red wine. Surrounding all of this is a soft sweetness. I like this: A-

Tactile: This feels creamy to my fingers. It veers away from the score when I snap it and yields several large flakes.

Sound: This bar offers a clean treble-range snap with medium volume. It sounds dry. The sound of a bite is a lower, louder thumpish snap.

Taste: This is immediately quite sweet--sweeter than the average 85% by far. A few seconds later harsh over-roasted coffee flavor appears. This somewhat bitter taste remains but a nutty flavor eventually joins it.

Second bite actively chewed: This doesn't have a powerful flavor at first, but when chewed it does end with a nice slightly tangy cherry note.

Third bite: I'm going to try to let this melt. It defies my agenda for quite some time, stubbornly allowing only the barest traces of chocolate to separate from the square. This is extremely mild in flavor.

I'm now well into my fifth bite and this chocolate is growing on me. The flavor works well when you chew the chocolate. The introductory coffee and bitterness have receded. The sugar really brings out the cherry in this mix.

The fact that this bar isn't smacking me around with complex flavors may be due to a compromised sense of smell. I am a little congested today, darnit. Oh well, what can I say other than that I'll revisit on a day when my senses are not so impaired. For present? This is a nice, rich 85. It has some decidedly enjoyable moments: B+

Texture: This is creamy and thick, but there's a definite fine grittiness that could be sugar. When allowed to melt on its own very slow agenda, its texture improves vastly, but this requires a level of chocolate patience I do not possess. B

Aftertaste: Mild nuttiness and much harsher dark coffee. Not bad: B-

Satiety: N/A

Overall: Well, I enjoyed this much much more than the pure bar. Did it fulfill my dreams? No. I prefer its flavor to the Cluizel 85, but I still think (though it's been ages since I've had one) that I prefer the taste of the Lindt 85. This bar, however, does have a much better texture than Lindt's. The true question, really, is does this surpass G&B's organic or Vivani's? I recall absolutely adoring G&B's 85%, so I suspect not. As for Vivani, it's been too long since I've tasted it for me to compare the bars meaningfully. For present: B+

I do look forward to revisiting this soon with a fuller sense of taste and smell.

Organically Nourished,
~L

Teuscher Chocolate 99

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:43:16 GMT

Nutritional data: No nutrient data appears on this 3.5 ounce bar's packaging aside from its ingredient list of cocoa, cocoabutter, and 1% fructose.

Source: My amazing father and the rest of the family braved the congested curbsides of Beverly Hills to procure this beauty for me. It is, I am assured, indecently difficult to find parking in Beverly Hills. Per Dad's recollection, the corner shop was long and somewhat narrow and smelled divinely of chocolate. Dad and clan lovingly kept my treasure cool on its journey back from Southern California to Washington. I am ever so grateful.

If you don't have relatives traveling to sunny southern California, you can order teuscher online from the Beverly Hills shop.

Presentation: This bar is in a simple medium brown paperboard box decorated with a simple illustration of cocoa pods in neon pink. This is an odd color choice, yes. It doesn't imply the level of deliberate sophistication that so many other dark darks suggest with their packaging, but that's okay. It's what's inside that counts!

The bar itself is folded in paper-lined magenta/pink foil that is fixed with a sticker bearing the teuscher name.

The bar's configuration is not the same as the 88 I sampled earlier.

This is a dark matte purplish brown bar divided into two rows and eight columns. Each square is a flat rectangular platform with a raised oval bearing a single letter to spell out "teuscher" on both rows. The ovals holding t's and r's in the corners are slightly more elaborate with a pointy tip angled outward at each corner. The bar suffered some flaking and arrived to me split along its middle vertical score. The bottom is smooth, matte and flaky.

Scent: Hazelnuts, peanuts, smoke and a powerful almost caustic cleaner type scent (reminds me of carpet cleaners and dense cigarette smoke). There's also a whiff of sweet grape-like fruitiness, but overall the smoke, hazelnut and cleaner scents dominate. I am worried: C-

Tactile: This is smooth and hard to touch, not melty. It snaps easily with no flaking that I could see.

Sound: Light crisp snap when split with my hands. Deeper more satisfying snap from a bite.

Taste: Bite one: half an "r": ohhh this is deliciously sweet from the start. Very nice hard candy sweetness that I would never have expected from a 99, but several seconds in a cigarette taste rolls in then within seconds bitterness comes in with unusual intensity. Strangely, the wonderful sweetness remains. Wow, there's a honey flavor that arrives rather late, but is intense and lovely. Normally I don't like honey, but this is unusual and delightful in this context. Wow, wow, wow, it's making up for the initial problematic smoke flavor.

Thank you teuscher! I am shocked and impressed.

Second bite: the remainder of the r. I really am taken with the wonderful sweetness of this 99. It's just right for my palate. I taste coconut, some hints of sour cherry, and that honeyed flavor that so surprises. Yum! Didn't notice the bitterness this time.

Third bite: When chewed this becomes a gentle flow of flavors on my tongue. A lot of coconut and mellow chocolate numminess. I'm going to have to forgive the harsh introduction and admit that this chocolate tastes remarkable to me: A

Texture: Oddly, this 99 is not very creamy and thick, but is relatively smooth (little tiny bits of grit here and there) and more watery than average. Okay, yes, there are specks, but they're pretty rare.

Chewing significantly improves the textural experience. It becomes creamy and thicker and I don't notice the specks. B

Aftertaste: Hmm, pretty good. Coconuts and rich chocolate flavor. There is a hint of bitter, but it suggests a nice cocoa. I like it: A

Satiety: I could eat this all day. I am bad. It is not the chocolate's fault. I am a chocolate pig. C

Overall: Loved this so very much. I was worried from the scent and found the initial bite troubling for a few seconds, but as my palate adapted, this was just a beautiful chocolate experience. This is exactly what I needed today. A

Absolutely Joyous,
~L

My sister's take: She isn't as excited by this as by the Pralus Le 100%. It doesn't melt in your mouth. The texture is perfect. Requires a lot more chewing than an average 99, doesn't dissolve on tongue. Taste is really good, not bitter. It's not sweet at all.

Who am I to argue with a news report?

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:14:00 GMT

Pregnant women should eat dark chocolate daily.

Yeah, that's what I've been saying!

This report contains more good news for mums-to-be who indulge in this most wondrous of foods.

Seriously, though, I'm very concerned about the levels of lead in chocolate--especially dark darks. It's troubling.

But yeah.

To The Health Of All Babies!
~L

Lead and chocolate

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:17:41 GMT

Weighing the health benefits of chocolate against its high levels of lead.

This thread discusses lead in chocolate and suggests that having sufficient iron in your diet may protect against lead absorption through diet.

Worries me nonetheless. I will have to do some serious thinking on this.

Immediately. If not sooner. :(

~L

Teuscher Chocolate 88

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:34:39 GMT

Nutritional data: No nutritional breakdown appears on this 3.5 ounce bar's packaging. It does contain soy lecithin and sugar.

Source: Ohhh I am forever in debt to the world's best Dad. He and my sun-warmed family braved the congested madness that is Beverly Hills on behalf of my chocolate obsession. They were caravaning and only managed to snag a single parking spot two blocks from teuscher. The other half of the family gave up and drove on to their next destination.

Per Dad, the corner shop was long, narrow and heavily scented with chocolate. The people were friendly and helpful. I wish I could have visited too!

Dad took special care to keep my chocolate cool on its trip back to Washington state. (The stash of Dolfin 88 my sister and I had provided to him for the trip was not given equal attention and thus did not fare well. It ended, I am told, in a gooey brown mess... sad.)

Presentation: The bar's package is a simple matte medium brown paperboard box with a neon green illustration of two cocoa pods. Inside, the chocolate is folded in paper-lined green foil that is fixed with a sticker.

This is glossy dark purplish chocolate. The 3.5oz bar is divided into two columns and eight rows. Each portion is a long rectangle bearing the name "teuscher". Although the scores are deep, they're a little wider than average and might make it difficult to snap the chocolate evenly.

Scent: This smells very strongly of smoky sweet tobacco leaves. There's also a light powdery-blossomy scent (that hints at pencil shavings) mixed in with a cherries. This is extremely sweet. Although strong, this scent isn't my favorite. There's too much smoke in it: B-

Tactile: This is wonderfully creamy to my fingertips. It bodes well for texture! It doesn't snap evenly along the score because--as I feared--the score is a little too wide.

Sound: Nice tight medium-toned snap with good volume. Excellent. It yields a lower-toned snap when I sever the first square with my front teeth. Very nice.

Taste: This is immediately sweet, but contains as much smoky tobacco as its scent suggested. There's a wonderful coconut flavor here and a hint of mint. This, I suspect, would do very well as a mint chocolate base. Yes, lots of coconut.

Bite two: This is a pleasant level of sweetness and that is the first flavor that presents itself. Then the smoky aspect comes along and is followed by cherry notes. This segues into the milder coconut. The smoke returns, however. There are no bitter moments

Bite three, chewed rather than allowed to melt: This is sweet when chewed and the cherry dominates, but never quite reaches the zingy tang I love. The coconut falls to the background. There's still too much smoke here for my palate. This is neither overly flavorful nor unusual enough to invite excitement. This is merely good/okay. I love the coconut, but dislike the ashy/smoky flavor enough to avoid a return trip to this bar: B-

Texture: Immediately creamy, this nonetheless contains crystal-fine grit that I have to suspect is sugar because it melts into the mix as I consume the square.

This is firm enough that it's a bit difficult to chew. It becomes more watery than I'd expected, but there's still enough creaminess to enjoy the texture. There have been no specks of grit. It's smooth other than the textural presence of sugar: B+

Aftertaste: Sweet and smoke: C

Satiety: As promised, I've stopped entering this aspect for sub 90% bars.

Overall: Since the impression of smoke lingers in my mind as I contemplate this bar, I can only say this would be a terrific chocolate for fans of nicotine. The texture is better than average and there are, of course, good aspects to the flavor, but the overall effect wasn't something that works well for me. B-

Still Hopeful for the 99,
~L

Domori Cru cacao Sambirano

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:15:57 GMT

Ahh, yes, here were are at another work lunch break with fingers crossed that I'll have enough time to review this little square justly...

Nutritional data: There isn't nutritional data on the packaging for Domori's 8g Cru squares.

Source: Chocosphere

Presentation: Domori sells a box of eighteen 8 gram squares, six of each of their Cru chocolates. The box is glossy and dark with a dark rainbow's worth or color decorating the box. A stiff thick inner white cardboard box keeps the squares safe from crushing. Each square is in a sealed black plastic pouch and bears a bright band of color at the bottom that identifies its type.

The color circling the bottom of the Sambirano pouch is purple.

There's quite a bit of flaking on this light reddish brown square, but it is otherwise of the same shape and decoration as all the Cru squares.

Scent: Rich red wine, cherries, grape juice--and I have now almost certainly smudged my nose with chocolate at work. How embarrassing. I believe those are the only scents I'm currently finding in this square. Though not complex, they are wonderful: A

Tactile: Despite its flakey appearance, this square remains reasonably creamy to my fingers. It snaps with flakes

Sound: The snap has a dull, muffled quality to it.

Taste: Hmm, that red wine charges forward almost immediately and though the chocolate keeps touching at my tongue with hints of sweetness, I'm so overwhelmed by the wine that I can barely pay attention. Next a nice moment of sour flavor and--oh, now raspberry and peanut butter! I love it when these chocolates hint at pb&j sandwiches and this one does so beautifully. Domori seems to have that knack.

Bite two: Ohhh, I really really just love this. It's barely sweet at all, but so wonderfully flavorful. When chewed, the sour flavor comes forward in front of everything else. It's not exactly yogurty, just sour, but not unpleasantly. And then that swings toward a nice coffee and cheese and then the raspberries and the nuttiness. This is just a terrific play of flavors.

Texture: Stellar. Creamy, smooth. Okay, so I did find a large speck of grit, but that's okay. Overall this is magnificent: A-

Aftertaste: Not bad: some sourness, some dark espresso, some bitter. It's an okay aftertaste: B

Satiety: Does a good job, yes: A

Overall: In order to truly rank Domori's Cru I'd have to do direct comparisons. Several have quite similar qualities. Nonetheless, I can say without reservation that this one was wonderful to experience.

This was my last untested Domori Cru. I'm a bit sad to see these darling pouches of pleasure go. Oh I still have the duplicates to savor, yes, but it's not the same as forging into new territory and discovering a new chocolate.

Thank you, Domori. I was wrong when I flinched from your Puro ages ago. I have seen the light and mended my ways.

Gratefully,
~L

Edited to add on 6/22/08: Per Alex Rast at 70% this Domori Cru is organic though the company does not market it as such. I'm not sure I trust this information to be accurate longterm, but I have no doubt that with Alex's knowledge, this information was current when he conveyed it.

So this bar is possibly organic. I will probably try to contact Domori, but most chocolate companies blithely ignore my correspondence.

L'Artisan du Chocolat Carenero 100%

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:03:33 GMT

Oh what a long and bumpy path this beautiful chocolate traveled to reach me. And I was most unworthy of its arrival. In a moment of misunderstanding I made the assumption of negative intentions on someone else's part. This was not the case at all. I still feel like quite the idiot and I have every intention of trying to repay this kindness. I shall find a way.

That said, I am eager beyond belief to have this bar before me in all its fragile, cacao glory.

Nutritional data: The packaging states only that this bar contains no sugar, is made of 100% cocoa mass from a single plantation in Venezuela and that it is 45g.

Source: L'Artisan du Chocolat, an establishment whose workers are patient and kind beyond the call of duty. I am impressed beyond what words can express at how well I was treated despite my sending a rather terse email when I foolishly misunderstood their intentions. Wonderful people, beautiful chocolate. I remain touched by their efforts and for that reason I'm going to go ahead and issue a grade in this category today: A+

Presentation: This bar is folded within clear plastic pouch adorned with a simple pale mocha sticker that is fixed over the folded top of the packaging and keeps it securely closed. At the very top of the sticker brown lettering identifies L'Artisan du Chocolat; just beneath it, elegant golden script identifies the bar: Carenero. The label describes the bar as "Very bitter, sharp with notes of roasted nuts and coffee" and warns that the chocolate should be eaten within 3 months of purchase date.

Whenever this bar makes firm contact with its enclosing plastic, the effect is peculiarly alluring: an area of saturated rich brown appears as if rich liquid chocolate has just pooled up against the wrapper. It's not unlike a chocolate rendition of an Etch-A-Sketch. This strange effect never fails to amuse me. I realize it's an illusion, but it still suggests the chocolate within is so rich it's nearly melting before my eyes. Of course, the fact that it's a wondrous 77.5 degrees inside my house today hurts nothing.

The bar is slight of weight and slim in height. Since I favor slender squares in pure chocolate, this pleases me very much. There are three rows and five columns dividing the 45g of chocolate into fifteen squares of 3g apiece. Each rectangular square features a raised border with straight edges. Although the scores are not terribly deep, the chocolate itself is thin enough that I believe the scores will be perfect for allowing a neat parting of squares from the bar.

The chocolate is a darker than average reddish brown. It doesn't possess a shiny gloss, but rather it possesses a lower sheen that just radiates fresh creaminess. I can barely wait to eat my allotted squares...

Scent: This smells heavenly, a mix of maple syrup, red wine, hazelnuts, coffee, leather, chewing tobacco and raisins. It is intoxicating me: A+

Tactile: This began melting against me the moment I drew it gently from its plastic cradle. This is so fresh and moist and lovely I think badly-managed poetry might start spewing from my desperate fingers at any moment. This is a veela bar of chocolate, yes it is. It inspires madness. Ohhhhh my goodness, it's so warm in this room that the three squares came off with no flakes, just a soft, creamy separation.

This chocolate might kill me. My family is going to come home to find me a very happy corpse.

Sound: It is now 77.9 degrees in my house. This lovely bar of fresh pure chocolate did not snap so much as it oozed away from itself in creamy detachment. It bites with equally silent ease.

Taste: Okay, I confess a tiny speck from the package fell out when I took out the bar. I snuck that to my mouth despite knowing better. It was a spark of sweetness and rich cocoa flavor that promised me I would not be disappointed.

Ohhh, I am not at all disappointed.

This is incredible chocolate. It is not overly sweet. Certainly it doesn't pounce with sugary feet all over my senses. Instead it just suggests sweetness at its background while allowing its many flavors to shine in the forefront. As the label promised, this does indeed have a coffee note, but it is thankfully of the type that is mellow and warm and satisfying. There are also, oddly enough some flowery--nearly lemon blossom--notes in the mix.

This has just the right amount of teasing gentle sweetness as it begins to melt on my tongue. There's a soft, subtle hint of nuts that mixes well with the ever-present mild coffee that segues into a brief moment of supremely mild cheese at the end.

This is so good. Oooooh this is so good that it's killing me.

It's so good I'm breaking off another three squares because what if I died tomorrow? What would have been the sense in holding back from this incredible chocolate.

On bite four I experience a moment that feels like eating a chocolate rendition of creamy peanut butter, it's rich and nutty--but also fully cacao. It is so wonderful!

There is not an off note in this entire glorious cacao song.

My only lament: my six squares are gone. I am alone with the memory.

Obviously: A

Texture: This is amazing. It begins to melt the very second it enters my mouth, relaxing into the smoothest most luscious and satisfying cream. It is true. I have died and find myself delivered to heaven. A+ (though do remember this could be benefiting from the heat inside my home today)

Aftertaste: Okay, if it has a weakness, it is that the aftertaste features that flowery/lemon blossom aspect more prominently than anything else. There is a lingering nuttiness and the memory of the lovely bitterness of cacao. As the minutes pass this does evolve into a better, richer cocoa taste. A-

Satiety: You know, I've actually only eaten 18g of the chocolate and though it's quite late in the day, it handled my hunger quite nicely. And honestly, though I loved it to bits, I'm not actually tempted to eat more right now. Yes, this did the job brilliantly: A

Overall: In all honesty, I did not expect this. Though I'd been wanting to try this bar for quite some time and finally took the costly plunge and ordered it, it never occurred to me it would be this delicious. This is how true dark chocolate is meant to be. This is the natural, beautiful intended destiny of the cocoa bean. It doesn't need sugar to be a creamy, subtly sweet journey of rich flavors. Heaven, I tell you. This bar may be The One. A

Communing with Theobrama,
~L

Edited half an hour later to add: Merely touching this chocolate as I did during the review has given my fingers the lingering scent of pure, delightful chocolate. I cannot believe how much pleasure six simple squares of pure chocolate can bring! I cannot stop bringing my silly fingers to my face to inhale... I am lost!

Revisited on 2/8/09: My sweet heavenly patron saints of chocolate, how you do destroy me with this rare bliss. This is what chocolate should be. This is what God had in mind when he set into play the events that birthed this strange universe and the cacao within it. It is all to make This One Perfect Thing. Well, okay, I may be exaggerating, but this truly is the best pure chocolate I've had the delight to place upon my tongue. It is rich, creamy smooth and just bursting with all the right flavor notes and none of the harsh or sour ones. This is without a doubt my "bestest". Unfortunately it is also far too dear to procure on a regular basis--especially during these troubled economic times. No longer can I justify the expense of shipping these darlings across the ocean. Ahh well. Someday perhaps I will be able to revisit these joys regularly. For now, I must partake of them only on rare occasion. My supply quickly dwindles.

Seriously. This is the most wonderful pure chocolate on the earth.

So Deeply In Love,
~L

Michel Cluizel Grand Noir 85% Revisited

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:29:00 GMT

I'm in the mood for a hint of sugar. I know. This does not happen often. And my endocrinologist thanks me kindly for that.

I finished transferring the chocolate reviews (those that I could find anyway) from my diet journal to this one yesterday evening. I came across my pitifully brief assessment of this chocolate bar and since I happened to have one in my box at the moment I thought I would go ahead and indulge my sweets craving today. I'm displeased with my urge for sugar--especially when I have some wonderful pure chocolates to try out--but cannot pretend it's not there. I fear trying to evaluate a 100% chocolate today would only frustrate me and lead to an unreasonably low assessment of its merits.

So. Have I excused my foolishness sufficiently? No, for there is no excuse for sucrose. Nevertheless...

Nutritional data: For 7 squares (around 40g) of this 100g bar you recieve 230 calories 20g fat 17g carb with 6g fiber for a net of 11g and 4g protein. (I'm assuming the fiber was prededucted, so I added it back in.)

Source: Chocosphere

Presentation: The box remains the same as it was in my last review. The golden foil around the chocolate is still easy to unwrap, with the seals slight and without residue.

The chocolate is still arranged in six rows and three columns for eighteen perfect squares bearing Michel Cluizel's name and signature. The scores are wonderfully deep.

This is a dark slightly purplish brown with little gloss and some flaking.

And it turns out the seven squares I've detatched have weighed in at 41g.

Scent: Peanuts, chewing tobacco, even a hint of hard candy and a whiff of cigarette smoke all mingle here above a coconut base. I don't like the smoke, but the nuts and chewing tobacco smell lovely: B

Tactile: It's not smudging my fingers and though it doesn't feel overly dry, I wouldn't say it's creamy either. It breaks beautifully along its score.

Sound: The firm, deep snap isn't terribly loud, but it is satisfying to here. The snap is brighter between teeth.

Taste: Oh to my shame, I am really enjoying the sugar that bursts over my tongue the moment the bite reaches it. Darn me! It is soon joined by a rather harsh espresso note that happily mellows when a cherry flavor turns up beside it. Next coconut swirls in and makes me ever so happy. All the while my tongue is doing the Lissa-caved-and-gave-me-sugar-cha-cha-cha dance of silliness. Yes, tongue, yes: I know this is sweet. Calm yourself. Let me concentrate.

Bite two: This is much more mellow: sweetness and coffee and hard candy and halfway through I'm so hungry I begin to chew instead of allowing a slow-paced melt. Darn me! I have no control today whatsoever. Chewing brings out the zing of cherry and also allows a sharp but not unpleasant bitterness to spread over the back of my tongue and touch the top of my throat.

Bite three: I am now chewing on a whole darned square. When actively chewing an ample portion like this, you really get the cherry tang and the lovely sweetness while the coffee fades to the background. Ohhhh beautiful luscious chocolate. For your delights you merit at least a: B+

Texture: This is absolutely smooth, but not as thickly creamy as I'd recalled. It melts rapidly and almost thinly. No, perhaps this bar wasn't as well-treated as my last Cluizel 85 because I really do think that one was creamier.

Then again, I've been eating almost nothing but 100% bars lately. Next to those, anything with something as gritty as sucrose is not going to feel as creamy. Yeah, could be that...

Still, I have to assess based on my current bar and current experience. While very good, this isn't as perfect as it could be and as I'd like. Smoothness it has, without any cocoa nib grit. I'd just prefer it a little creamier, so: B+

Aftertaste: There's quite a bit of honey flavor floating around in the aftermath of this chocolate and stale coffee and the whiff of cigarette smoke in the scent are also in the aftertaste. Strange. I can't say I like this: C

Satiety: I'm no longer issuing letter grades for this category unless the chocolate is at least a 90% because it's simply not fair to ask such a thing of a medium dark bar. I could eat this forever and ever until I burst and died. This is my failing, not Cluizel's.

Overall: You know, this still has harsher espresso notes that I'd really prefer, but there's so much to love about this bar: smoother than a mirror's surface, that special cherry zing, the moments of coconut. And let me be utterly clear, this texture blows most other 85%'s away. I suppose that is at the heart of its appeal. And I realize it's unfair to compare the texture of an 85% to high solid chocolates, but you can only approach the chocolate in your hand with the senses you currently possess. I know intellectually this is a fine bar, nonetheless I don't think I'll be returning to it often. For whatever reason, its finest traits don't seem to be enough for me to overlook those aspects that I find less appealing.

My sister loves this bar and has made it her current staple. I would honestly rather sit and linger happily over MC's Noir Infini.

Hmmph. I asked for sugar and when I got it, I balked. I'm nothing but trouble today. Stupid Liss, you know full well this is your fault. Now go forth and be fair.

Okay. Truly: this is very good chocolate and it probably deserves at least a: B+

The truth is, my sister's assessment is probably a better reflection of reality. Please disregard the conflicted mewlings of my sucrose-eschewing self and read on for a simple, brief and accurate review of Cluizel's 85% gem.

Glumly,
~L

My sister's take on this bar:

Perfection.

Not too melty not too brittle.

Not too sweet not too bitter

Full bodied compared to the Hachez 88.

Satisfying.

Definitely her favorite chocolate.

--------

6/14/08: brief work break revisit

sweetness like honey, cigarette smoke, licorice. There's honestly just too much cigarette smoke scent in this for me. It smells like a room in which someone is smoking, but in which there's also a huge bouquet of flowers giving off a honey-sweet scent. This may be why my sister loves this bar and I don't. She has fond memories of nicotine. I loathe everything about it.

Taste: hard candy sweetness, then some rather harsh espresso notes, then baking soda, then cherries. The aftertaste is the unhappy espresso and a bit of cigarettes.

The texture remains the most compelling aspect of this chocolate.

I have to stand by my underwhelmed earlier response. This is, for my personal palate, good but not great.

Rococo Plus Noir Que Noir 100% Cocoa

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:40:37 GMT

I've been hungering after Rococo's 85% chocolate since I first read of it on the Seventy Percent site. Knowing I could never have it unless I traveled to the UK left me hopelessly gloomy. I dreamed Seventy Percent might once again vend those chocolates and allow me access to them, but the chance seemed slim. Ohhh how those charming blue and white wrappers squeezed at my heart. It is a testament to my hopeless obsession that I continued to visit Rococo's site and drooled over their wares despite knowing I could never but never taste them.

And then one day new information appeared on the site--US customers could purchase Rococo from Miss Del's. I was ecstatic! I contacted Miss Del's immediately hoping to learn that they stocked the long-sought 85% bar only to find that, sadly, they did not. They could, however, order some and were expecting a new shipment in March.

Well, the shipment and order, through no one's fault, ended up being delayed. In the meantime, I learned that Rococo also made a 100% bar! Quelle surprise joyeaux! I contacted Miss Del's saying that if they could possibly add that precious bar to the order, I would be endlessly grateful.

They were gracious and patient with my giddy requests even as--I began to understand--it was getting a bit challenging for them to import the UK chocolates. This is no one's fault. Well--no person's fault. No one explained the obstacles to me, but from what I've gathered it is a monstrous hassle for people in the UK to comply with US regulations when shipping chocolate to the US. The difficulties of paperwork and cost make it scarcely profitable.

Sucks to be a US chocolate fiend, yes.

In any case, the amazing people at Miss Del's managed the impossible for me: they sent me both the 85% organic I'd so lusted after and the 100% I'd recently discovered existed.

I was giddy to see them in their soft nest of crinkled blue ribbon. I remain in swooning love today.

And today is the day my palate will meet Rococo's pure dark. The much-yearned-for 85%? That I'm saving for a time when I can eat only organic chocolate. (Crossing fingers, hoping, praying, pleading...)

Nutritional data: No data appears on the bar's packaging aside from the 85g bar size. I should note that, per Rococo, this bar is not organic. The 85% is organic. Just wanted to be clear on that.

Source: Miss Del's went above and beyond the call of benevolent chocolate service to provide me with the Rococo bars. I am forever in their debt. Thank you!

Presentation: If there were a bar tailored just for me, it would be close to this: a softly textured true-white paper wrapper with slate blue illustrations encircles the bar that is folded within a handsome textured foil that is black on the outside and silver on the interior. The white and blue paper looks like a wallpaper or hanging I would choose for my room. Ahhh, I have been in love with this wrapper from the moment I saw it on my computer screen. It is art on its own.

The black foil appears to be carefully folded by hand since the edges are not exact and the metal isn't sealed. I could be wrong, but it gives the bar an extra sense of care and quality to look so touched by human hands.

The chocolate itself is lovely. It is so glossy it almost looks melty from some angles. It is a darker slightly purplish brown and I see absolutely no flakes nor hints of bloom. There is no bubbling anywhere. Someone loved this bar. Sectioned into three rows and eight columns with a center rectangle with Rococo's name spanning four squares, this bar would theoretically provide 24 squares of chocolate, but the scoring is almost nonexistent. Each square has a raised ornate border. I shall try to snap off a single column, but I fear in this task I will fail...

Scent: Coconut, alcohol, mint, cigarette smoke: I love the strong mint here, but the cigarette aspect is not my favorite. B

Tactile: This is as creamy/melty a chocolate as I've ever touched. As feared, the bar wouldn't snap along its score and it separated with a few large flakes along a veering diagonal over squares.

Sound: This is a low soft thump of a snap bearing testament to, I suspect, a high butter to solids ratio. Likewise the snap between my front teeth is muffled and low.

Taste: Instead of spicing my tongue up with sweetness, this immediately presents a fairly mellow espresso flavor. After a few seconds honey--yes, I swear it is honey--arrives. Another few seconds and a rather harsh bitter feeling flows over the back of my tongue. Next a hint of raspberry comes, but quickly flies away. It ends with baking soda.

Hmm.

Second bite: the introduction remains mellow but is followed by an increasingly unlikeable burned espresso taste. Darn. Normally my palate acclimates to these harsher notes and can learn to like a second bite more than a first, but I'm afraid this chocolate is not my cup of tea. There's nothing here to entice--no fruit, no nut, just harsh espresso and baking soda and fleeting moments of honey. (These would be nice, I suppose, for most; I just happen not to like the flavor of honey.)

Third bite actively chewed: No, I'm just not falling in love with this flavor. Mind you, it isn't awful, but it's not something I would yearn to return to. C-

Texture: Strangely, this is rather thick and pasty with suggestions of superfine grit. Happily there are no large specks, but I can't say I'm overjoyed. The glossy promise of the bar's beauty didn't make it to the texture. Darn darn darn. This isn't bad, but it's not overly good. Actively chewing makes the thick pastiness even more apparent. Alas: C+

Aftertaste: Cream cheese and honey and burned espresso bitterness: C-

Satiety: Late though it is in the day, this managed to make me disinterested in eating more chocolate despite the scent of cocoa hanging in the air. A

Overall: The pasty thickness does little to compensate for the harsher-than-average burned espresso flavors in this bar. It's noteworthy for the mint in its scent and the honey in its flavor sequence, so I'm grateful for the experience. Nonetheless, I won't be returning to this bar for enjoyment. Sadly, this is going to have to be relegated to my ingredient bag. Don't be sad, beautiful bar. You're joining the likes of Domori and Giraudi. There is no shame in your destiny of dark flavored mint chocolate. If shame exists it is my own: I feel I should like a chocolate of such earnest origin and obvious effort. My palate has failed, I suspect. I am peculiar that way. C

Saddened,
~L

La Maison Du Chocolat Coro 100% de cacao

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:28:13 GMT

Today I am tackling a bar that cost me a pretty handful of pennies and broke my heart and spirit many a day since that original expenditure. I am, as you probably know, as committed to my health as I am to chocolate. I believe they enhance each other. With my problems with insulin, I dare not take in carbs in great concentrations without mitigating them with ample fat and protein. Dark chocolate generally embodies a near perfect ratio of carbs/protein/fat for my physiology. The darker the chocolate, the more healthful its ratios. Pure chocolate is my perfect food.

Except La Maison's Coro bar claims the following for a 33g serving: 120 calories, 3.5g of fat, 25g of carbohydrate with no fiber and 2g of protein.

For those not versed in nutritional science nor interested in diet and health, those figures are likely meaningless, but for anyone familiar with chocolate, nutrition and the typical makeup of an unsweetened chocolate bar, these numbers are ludicrous if not impossible. Were the bar crumbling into tiny heaps of cocoa powder in its clear plastic box, I might be persuaded that it is indeed that deficient in fat. But the bar is gorgeous: smooth solid and glossy. It has been begging me to take a bite since the day--weeks ago--of its arrival.

I have not allowed myself to press tooth to bar because, my goodness, if it's true this bar actually has that much carb content and so little fat, I dare not eat it. It would spike my blood glucose and send insulin raging through my body, slamming into my precious organs and generally behaving like a reckless bully. I guard my blood sugar vigilantly. No high glycemic junk food shall pass!

But unsweetened chocolate?!

I tried emailing La Maison, but it bounced back to me two days later with a note that--if I understand correctly--their inbox is full and can't accept more email. Okay, that's fine.

I then tried calling the New York store that kindly shipped me the bars. The lady I spoke to first seemed quite baffled by my question, explaining to me that the Coro bar is a very special bar that has no added sugar and that I shouldn't be surprised that its nutritional breakdown was so very low in fat and high in carbs. She was a nice, well-meaning soul, but I fear she doesn't understand that sugar is a carb and not a fat. She told me it would be best to direct the question to her manager. I've tried calling a few times since. At one point I spoke to a gentleman who took my fax number and said he would send me a copy of the data sheet from the lab that analyzed the bar. Unfortunately, I never received that fax.

I fear I am causing them difficulty. This is the last thing I wish to do. I have the warmest, brightest love in my heart for people who work in the chocolate industry and strive to deliver it to their fellow human beings. This is nearly sacred work in my estimation. I just want to give all of them a big hug.

But I also really need nutritional labels to be accurate. These factors have a direct impact on personal health. This is not a trivial matter and shouldn't be ignored. I feel really bad about calling them several times trying to get the correct information, but darn I also feel it's my obligation as a chocolate advocate and someone looking out for her own health not to just let this label remain so desperately wrong.

Anyway, that's the sad long tale of Liss and La Maison du Chocolat's Coro bar.

Luscious temptress, it's been sitting on my desk mocking me every day for so long... Today, I shall bite you and throw caution to the wind.

Nutritional data: The numbers on this bar's nutritional label simply are not possible in this universe unless some magic has been managed on the cacao beans. Nope. The bar with that little fat content would not hold. I'm entering this bar as generic unsweetened chocolate in my daily diet log. I hope to have the true numbers when LMDC faxes me the sheet on the bar's original analysis. (I suspect that someone made a simple human error and reversed the figures for fat and carbs, but who knows....)

Source: La Maison du Chocolat, who have been more patient to this loopy girl than anyone should ever have to be. Poor, good souls doing important work. I really do regret being such a trouble for them.

Presentation: Awww dang but this bar is a beauty. It would win modeling contests for chocolate, I assure you. The bar lounges on a blush-tinged golden cardboard back inside its clear plastic box. A light ruddy brown paperboard label is folded about the box's middle and identifies the chocolate as La Maison Du Chocolat Paris Coro 100% de cacao. This band does include a helpful best before date. The back shows a Nutrition Facts table. (And I wince...)

The bar is 95g in total. Two columns and six rows break the bar into twelve lovely squares with scores that are likely too shallow to help any attempt to snap them. Each rectangular division has a raised border and is embossed with LMDC's simple, stylish logo.

I cannot emphasize too much how smooth and flawless this bar appears through its plastic container and how much this creamy perfection has begged me to just take a bite already!

The bar is slightly darker than average with no flaking or bubbling. Sigh... this bar has perfect skin. This bar is the Marilyn Monroe of dark chocolates. The back is mirror smooth. If I were another chocolate bar, I would be so jealous.

Scent: The moment I lifted the lid I felt I'd stepped into a cafe with brewing pots of coffee and cocoa. This smells divinely sweet with lots of coffee and some espresso as well. Coconut and peanut and caramel all present themselves. This is just an intoxicating smell.

Once snapped, it also sends out a nice tangy sourness that intrigues me. I am so hopeful: A

Tactile: Oh me oh my nooooo there is nooooo way this bar is slight on the fat scale. Nope. It feels creamy to my fingers the moment I take it from its plastic cradle and clumsily attempt to capture its beauty with a camera lens. (Futile. My skills are lacking.) It snaps almost without flakes, and does so cleanly along its scores despite their shallow measure. So I must take back my words before: the scores are apparently more than adequate.

Sound: The sound is just average, neither loud nor overly quiet, nor especially assertive. It snaps unremarkably. (Contemplation of the Coro was just interrupted for vigorous Puggle play. I shall now attempt to refocus upon this most worthy chocolate.)

Taste: Oh my goodness this is sweet! This is sweeter than the Bonnat! Immediately it dances in sugared feet all over my tongue then an agressive dark coffee flavor nudges in to steal the stage. Mmmm, heavenly, this is mild and nutty and has a hint of strawberry. There's even a suggestion of mint. It ends with a graceful crescendo of coconut.

Oh my goodness, loveliness: when chewed it yields a nice tangy yogurt taste and an enduring slight sweetness that makes this nearly irresistible.

I am aggrieved by my love for this chocolate whose nutritional profile I can't begin to surmise. If it is truly as carby as its label claims, it is not to be allowed near my mouth.

Oh my woe is as great as my joy: A+

Texture: This is actually not a terribly smooth texture. It has a superfine grittiness, and the melt is more watery than creamy. Nonetheless, I am persuaded that it does indeed possess more fat than the label states. It could, however, be one of the carbier bars in my box. B

Aftertaste: Coffee, a trace of mint, and lingering cocoa: A

Satiety: I could eat this and eat it and eat it. You know, it may actually pack a hefty carb wallop. I begin to fear...

Overall: I loved the scent, the flavor, the aftertaste. The texture was not perfect and is indicative of a bar with less cocoa butter, but I still believe it must contain far more than its label suggests. The carb count.... well, let us just say that I am worried. Oh how I wish I could get LMDC to communicate with me about this. I don't want to be a pest, but this is so important. In anycase: A

Crying in elation, frustration and sorrow,
~L

Edited to add: This sent me scurrying back to a square of my Bonnat hoping it would console me. I love the Bonnat dearly still. Both are scrumptious. The Bonnat is certainly creamier, but I think I would have to give the nod to La Maison du Chocolat in flavor. What can I say? Texture is very important to me, so Bonnat remains my #1 (with Pralus trailing close behind, perhaps tied with the Coro). You know, it appears I am a lunatic for French chocolate... Shrug.

Domori Cru cacao Rio Caribe Superior

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 19:15:20 GMT

I am again on a work lunch break hoping it doesn't get super busy. Fingers are crossed...

Nutritional data: There isn't nutritional data on the packaging for Domori's 8g Cru squares.

Source: Chocosphere

Presentation: Domori sells a box of eighteen 8 gram squares, six of each of their Cru chocolates. The box is glossy and dark with a dark rainbow's worth or color decorating the box. A stiff thick inner white cardboard box keeps the squares safe from crushing. Each square is in a sealed black plastic pouch and bears a bright band of color at the bottom that identifies its type.

The color circling the bottom of the Rio Caribe pouch is blue.

Though an ample amount of tiny flakes escape the pouch when I take the square out, the square itself is in great shape: medium brown and glossy with no bubbling.

Scent: This has a strong tobacco/cigarette scent accompanying red wine and berry. It is not entirely unlike the Cru I had yesterday. If I were a smarter girl, I would A/B compare all of them, but no such wisdom grabbed hold of me before today. Perhaps some other occasion... There's also a strange dusty/carpet-back smell in here--I suppose you could call it earthy, but there's a chemical hint that prevents me from naming it that. Shrug. A little sour. It's a strong scent, but not one I love to pieces: B-

Tactile: Smooth and slightly melty to my fingers, this square requires some extra effort to snap.

Sound: The snap is muffled when separated. When bit, it's a much more deep and solid sound.

Taste: This is not sweet. I'm much accustomed lately to finding sweetness in my 100%'s, but this one is flavorful instead. It has a nice tangy berry, especially when pressed, and the java note that accompanies it is a milder nice coffee rather than a harsh espresso. There's a little hint of peanuts and a trace of nice sour yogurt-esque flavor. I really love that every time I touch this chocolate with the tip of my tongue, that nice teasing flame of berry comes forth, but still manages not to become sweet.

You know, I think this is the first time I can say concretely that even though a chocolate is vehemently not sweet, I'm also enjoying its taste tremendously. I think this is because the coffee/espresso is milder than most. For me, harsh espresso needs to be mediated by some spectacular berries and sweetness or my joy is utterly dashed.

This Rio Caribe is most enjoyable.

Okay, now I'm on to bite two: again the raspberry keeps nudging my tongue and the gentle coffee swims in and, yup, there's the peanutty flavor and, hmmm, a floral taste that I didn't note the first time. At the end, mild cream cheese.

Mmmm, yes, very nummy indeed.

On bite three I'll chew, but it seems a crime against the gentle creamy nature of this square to do so. Well, chewing brings out the red wine aspect strongly and makes the rest of the flavor sequence disappear into the vino.

Okay, big huge interruption there. I believe over 20 minutes have passed since chocolate was in my thoughts or mouth. I shall now attempt to return to the quiet contemplation of this luscious little square...

Last bite: Ohhh again the berry winks at me, the coffee rolls in, there's a nice hint of sour, but mostly mild and inviting soft cream cheese. The berry waxes and wanes at the end, trading flavor moments with the mild cheese. And then: finished. Darn.

A

Texture: My goodness but Domori makes its Cru textures fabulous. This is just smooth and creamy and perfectly melty in all the best ways. Grit free, this is just a texture to relish. (I should note that it does stand up to chewing nicely, but it's so much better when you allow it to melt that you really should not consider letting your teeth at this little beauty. Trust me.) A+

Aftertaste: Lots of nuts and coffee and a hint of cigarette smoke: A-

Satiety: Excellent: A

Overall: Okay, I am learning to love Domori where once I feared and hid my eyes. Such a positive, calming experience. I would recommend this highly, but don't expect sweetness. It's just pure smooth creamy joy: A

Oh Very Happy,
~L

Domori Cru cacao Carenero Superior

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:56:10 GMT

I am at work and taking my lunch break. With luck I will have time to ruminate on this tiny Cru...

Nutritional data: There isn't nutritional data on the packaging for Domori's 8g Cru squares.

Source: Chocosphere

Presentation: Domori sells a box of eighteen 8 gram squares, six of each of their Cru chocolates. The box is glossy and dark with a dark rainbow's worth or color decorating the box. A stiff thick inner white cardboard box keeps the squares safe from crushing. Each square is in a sealed black plastic pouch and bears a bright band of color at the bottom that identifies its type.

The color circling the bottom of the Carenero pouch is orange.

A few flakes tumble from the pouch when I cut it open, but for the most part this square is in excellent shape: glossy medium brown with no bubbling. As with the other small Cru squares, this shows Domori's name between two horizontal bars.

Scent: Oh this is rich and powerful: strong agressive red wine and berry. The red wine is strong enough to suggest to me I'm hovering over a goblet full of the real stuff. Interesting. I dislike wine--and red in particular--but I can typically accept it happily in the form of my cherished cacao. We shall have to see how this plays out in taste, but for scent: B

Tactile: This is slightly melty, but still smooth and glossy, to my fingers. It proves tough to snap, but severs with no flakes. It bites more easily.

Sound: Weak snap despite the enormous pressure required to break the square. The bite offers a deeper, louder snap.

Taste: While it smells floral/fruity, it doesn't taste sweet. There is powerful red wine almost from the start. Several seconds in the espresso aspect arrives and simultaneously rich red raspberry bursts in and is joined by a nuttiness that--as another Cru did--reminds me of peanut butter & jelly. This is just a berry, nut and wine fest of smooth creamy numminess! This is most enjoyable, indeed. Would it be improved with some sweetness? Oh yes, and it's too bad it misses that aspect, but it nonetheless has me giddy with cacao love: A-

Texture: This is amazing from the get-go: smooth and creamy and rich. Just wonderful. Whether allowed to melt at its own pace or hurried along by impatient teeth, this chocolate is flawlessly creamy and free of troublesome specks. I just absolutely love it! It coats my teeth with the thick texture of chocolate I crave. Stellar: A

Aftertaste: Strangely, that opening flavor of floral/fruitiness is very much present in the aftertaste. There's still a lot of raspberry here, but little wine or peanuts. Unusual with the blossom quality, but not necessarily my favorite: B

Satiety: I don't need more than 8g. A

Overall: I never expected to encounter another peanut butter & jelly chocolate. This one isn't as sweet as the other pb&j Domori Cru, but I believe its texture is superior.

Very Impressed,
~L

Domori Cru cacao Apurimac

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:34:48 GMT

Nutritional data: There isn't nutritional data on the packaging for Domori's 8g Cru squares.

Source: Chocosphere

Presentation: Domori sells a box of eighteen 8 gram squares, six of each of their Cru chocolates. The box is glossy and dark with a dark rainbow's worth or color decorating the box. A stiff thick inner white cardboard box keeps the squares safe from crushing. Each square is in a sealed black plastic pouch and bears a bright band of color at the bottom that identifies its type.

The color circling the bottom of the Apurimac pouch is green.

Quite a few flakes litter this square, but the bracketed Domori name is still easily discernible. This poor square shows more travel-wear than the last Cru--the Arriba--that I tried. I am still in love with the perfect size and shape of Domori's 8g Cru squares. They are the perfect portion of pure chocolate--who could possibly require more than 8g of this rich pleasure? And the shape and thickness are exactly what is required for two to three satisfying bites.

Scent: A sweet and tangy scent like fruit leather rises from this square. If I have to break it down, I suppose it's a bit of berry/grape syrup mingling with a mild tobacco. I really love this scent though it's not as strong as I'd prefer: A

Taste: This touches my tongue and yields a gentle sweetness almost immediately followed by that lovely berry/fruit that existed in the square's scent. Although a dark espresso is moving in to join the flavors, it's not so overwhelming that I can't continue to appreciate the lovely berry. As the chocolate continues to melt it becomes milder and ends with a gentle cheese flavor. This really was a treat.

When chewed actively there are still berry notes, but strangely there's also a bit of mint and the continued mild presence of cheese. Oh, but this is just lovely. I like this very much. It doesn't have as much sweetness and berry delight as some of my favorites, but it is nonetheless a beautiful flavor experience--especially in later bites. Wow, this was yummy: A-

Tactile: This is creamy to my fingertips. It snaps apart with some extra pressure

Sound: The snap is clean and bright and satisfying when separated with fingers. It's even more delightful when severed by front teeth.

Texture: Creamy and smooth, this square gives me no grit. It feels rich and creamily thick. Most wondrous. Actively chewed, it still becomes thick and creamy. It's satisfying to chew upon this chocolate. Ohhh, most excellent square! I can only award it an: A

Aftertaste: Oh, this is terrific: the lingering taste is one similar to a rich milkless cocoa. I really like this: A

Satiety: Yes, this little 8g square satisfied my theobromine beast quite nicely: A

Overall: Domori is so hit & miss for me that I never know what to expect. I always head into the experience with a shrug. This was an absolute hit. I would definitely invest in the Apurimac again and recommend it highly to others. This is superb chocolate: A

Mesmerized,
~L

Stainer 100 % Cocoa from the gourmet bar line

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:18:37 GMT

Today I'm doing an A/B Stainer's two 100% chocolates. I started with the Venezuela and am now facing the iguana bar with trepidation...

Nutritional data: Beyond ingredients of Cocoa Mass and the 50g bar size, this package does not provide nutritional data.

Source: Stainer Chocolates

Presentation: Stainer bars are only 50g and thus they're packaged in smaller than average boxes. The 100% cocoa bar is in a light brown box with gold metallic lettering announcing the cocoa percentage above a cute green iguana illustration.

Inside the box you find a chocolate bar sealed in a clear orange plastic pouch. The bar is divided into two rows and four columns to create eight softly domed squares.

This is a rather light reddish brown bar for a 100%. There's little flaking, but there are some foggy areas of bloom, alas.

Scent: This has a strong berry scent above a much more subtle peanut aroma and some red wine. Not bad: B

Tactile: Very melty, this snaps easily with several large flakes.

Sound: This separates with a soft, muffled thump.

Taste: This is nicely sweet with a berry aspect the moment it hits my tongue. Each time I tease at the chocolate it gives off a fresh burst of sweetness. Several seconds in it develops a strong sour component that reminds me of sour milk. It isn't bad, but it's not as nice as I'd like. Hmmm... this is not unlike a not-so-scrumptious rendition of the Bonnat 100% I love. Strange.

These two flavor components are not compelling, but they're not actually bad. They're just okay. Nothing exciting here, but nothing to appall: C+/B-

Texture: So far this is much better in texture than the Venezuela. Free of grit and smooth it becomes creamy rapidly. Yes, my teeth did find a big unpleasant speck of grit and another smaller one, but the rest of the square has been nice and thickly creamy: B+

Aftertaste: There is an okay bitterness of cacao lingering here with a little sour tang, not bad, not great: B

Satiety: I still don't want any more chocolate, so both Stainer 100%'s must have good satiety: A

Overall: This is much much better than the Venezuela, but still not good. If I had to eat another Stainer 100%, this would be the one, but there are many better pure bars available. There's nothing exemplary in taste or texture here. It was worth the variety of the experience and, as always, I encourage everyone to try everything for themselves. Palates are so terribly subjective. But for me this bar was edible, but that's it. I don't look forward to revisiting it: C

A Completist,
~L

Stainer Cocoa Selection Venezuela Origin 100%

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:01:59 GMT

Today I'm going to A/B Stainer's two 100% chocolates. It's probably foolish to begin with the Venezuela origin chocolate in the sophisticated black box since it's likely to be more "serious" than the whimsical iguana-decorated 100% Cacao chocolate from Stainer's Gourmet Chocolate Bar line, but one can never really predict how such things will play out on the palate...

Nutritional data: Beyond ingredients of Cocoa Mass and the 50g bar size, this package does not provide nutritional data.

Source: Stainer Chocolates

Presentation: Stainer bars are only 50g and thus they're packaged in smaller than average boxes. The percentage cocoa dark unflavored origin chocolates are in glossy black boxes with the cocoa solid percentage in bright gold lettering standing clearly out from the background. The bean's origin is noted in crimson.

Inside the box you find a chocolate bar sealed in a clear orange plastic pouch. The bar is divided into two rows and four columns to create eight softly domed squares.

This is a medium dark brown bar with some flaking, not much gloss, but happily no bloom.

Scent: This has a strong scent filled with butter and peanut, cigarette smoke, mint, pencil eraser and slight berry. I don't like the ashy smoke or eraser (rubber?) components, but everything else is enticing. I'm particularly intrigued by the strong peanut scent here: B

Tactile: This chocolate feels melty to my fingers. It snaps easily, without flakes.

Sound: Average, slightly soft snap when separated, a much louder, stronger snap when bit.

Taste: Caramel/hard candy is the first flavor and it lingers as the chocolate melts, then a harsh espresso arrives that lingers and is later joined by a hint of baking soda. The final swallow of the first bite is distinctly bitter. Didn't enjoy bite one.

When chewed, this does develop a bit of a cream cheese taste and hint of palatable tang, but no: this is not a taste I would leap to return to: C-

Texture: Fine grit throughout, abrasive against my teeth. This is decidedly below average in texture. Unfortunate. When chewed it is waxy, but you can still feel the distribution of grit. No, not good. D

Aftertaste: Eh, bitterness. I think my taste and texture disappointments might be influencing my lack of appreciation for this chocolate aftertaste, but still: C

Satiety: I don't want more, so probably good: A

Overall: This was not an enjoyable chocolate experience for me. I wouldn't buy another of these bars, though I always encourage others to experience everything for themselves. This might be perfect for someone else. I was mystified that there were so many rich scents in the bar and so few flavors--and no truly good ones--when the chocolate made its way to my mouth. Darn: C-

Underwhelmed,
~L

Slitti Super Novanta Amazzonia Cioccolato Puro Fondente Extra 90% Cacao

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:49:05 GMT

Nutritional data: None appears on the package beyond an ingredient list (including vanilla) and a size of 100g. The beans are from Venezuela.

Source: I believe I purchased this from Chocosphere.

Presentation: Same as last time I reviewed this bar...

Scent: The scent is just so-so: underneath a weak sweetness there is a mixed scent of alcohol and tobacco and a tiny bit of baking soda. Not really alluring: C

Tactile: It feels just slightly melty to my fingers, not as dry as I'd expected. It is very difficult to bite into.

Sound: As always, nothing snaps as bright and sharp and clear as a Slitti. A drummer would be proud of this clarity and tone. Another hard, loud snap comes with a bite.

Taste: At first touch to tongue: sweet. Then a moment of berry. Then some very dark coffee. And then a nice fruity sweetness. There's a definite citrus aspect to this chocolate.

When chewed, there's an addictive sour tang that comes alongside a muted zing of berry-esque cacao. Enjoyable. To this chocolate's great credit, it is not too sweet. In fact, it is probably the ideal level of sweetness for my present palate. (I wish I could say I preferred the pure bars, but I'm not there just yet.) I really like this: B+

Texture: There is a slight grit to this chocolate and the melt is watery rather than creamy. When chewed, the chocolate becomes a gritty paste rather than a smooth cream. Even after the chocolate is gone, a spread of grit remains in my mouth. Ahh well: C

Aftertaste: A nice rich hot cocoa flavor lingers in my mouth: A

Satiety: This is satisfyingly rich.

Overall: The flavor was enjoyable, but the texture is subpar. Since I am trying to ditch sugar completely, I'm unlikely to purchase this again, but I will relish the squares I have left. B+

Status Post Yummy,
~L

Super-short Revisit on 6/18: Not too sweet, with a lovely berry, nearly licorice, tang. Very dry. I can't imagine this would ever melt in a mouth, no matter how warm. Wonderful nuttiness. Poor texture, but nice pleasant mellow sweetness with satisfying flavor. Good stuff.

Domori Puro 100% Cocoa Mass Blend of 6 Cru

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:10:03 GMT

I first visited this bar last year (or was it even further in my chocolate past?) and did not find it to my liking. I vaguely recall being reminded of cream cheese and finding tastes that I didn't enjoy, but my palate has evolved. Then again, of the Cru I've tried, I've enjoyed only one. Perhaps I am ready for this. Or perhaps I will find that Puro will never work for me. I am open to either conclusion and look forward (though with some wariness) to trying this chocolate a second time.

Nutritional data: Other than the 50g bar size and ingredient list of 100% cocoa mass, no nutritional data appears on the Puro's box.

Source: Bittersweet Cafe -- and might I add this bar was hard to come by. I only found Bittersweet Cafe (which I've come to adore) because I was desperately searching for the Puro bar that appeared sold out everywhere.

Presentation: Domori's square Puro paperboard box is a mix of metallic gold, matte black and crimson. Within the box the chocolate is sealed inside plastic foil decorated with the overlapped letters of Domori's name in ruddy brown.

The chocolate is a glossy purplish dark brown and is divided into three rows and three columns. Every other square bears the Domori name stretched diagonally from bottom left corner to top right. The scores appear deep enough to be helpful. There is no flaking but there is evidence of bubbling on both the top and bottom of the bar. No bloom, thankfully.

Scent: This is wonderfully strong with a pleasantly tangy sour milky scent and red wine (stronger than I'd like, but still nice) and raspberry and musk and a hint of caramel. I really like this: A-

Tactile: This is melty to my fingertips. It snaps perfectly along its scores with just a few small flakes. This bites with satisfaction and just the right amount of pressure.

Sound: Brittle, light snap without much volume. When bit the snap is deeper and louder and clean and satisfying.

Taste: Sweetness touches my tongue first then almost immediately red wine arrives. Several seconds later a darker-and-more-acidic-than-I-like espresso arrives, but the subtle wonderful sweetness continues to just tease my tongue. The espresso dominance passes and baking soda moves to the forefront for just a moment and then is displaced by a nice sour tang and a hint of cherry (smelled like raspberry, but tastes like cherry). This is just sweet enough to be enjoyable.

Second bite: the sweetness remains faint and soothing beneath the flavors. I think I've learned that the shocking (rudely unpleasant) espresso notes in chocolate only attack and hurt me with the first bite. Once my tongue has acclimated to the chocolate, the second bite always gives me less of an acidic hassle. This is true for the Puro. The second bite doesn't include a moment of shock and near-disgust, only an appreciation for the red wine and the cherry and the subtle sour.

Third bite, and I shall chew: I must say I'm enjoying this so much I'd prefer to savor and allow a slow melt rather than chew, but in the interest of knowledge: and to be frank some of the charm is missing when you chew. The Puro is born for a slow melt.

Ohhh this just grows sweeter with every bite and I'm truly reveling in the red wine aspect. How marvelous. I now understand why this was sold out everywhere: A-

Texture: Ohhh, this is excellent in texture. Smooth, creamy, wonderfully easy and soothing on the tongue. This is a delight! With the second bite I find a small, tender speck, but it doesn't bother me.

When chewed this does have a thick cream cheese consistency that is satisfying, but not as nice as the slow melt you earn when you patiently let the chocolate proceed at its own pace unmolested in your mouth. A-

Aftertaste: Cocoa, a nice feel of lingering slight sweet, slight bitter. A

Satiety: Wow, I must give high marks. Though I'm really enjoying this chocolate, I don't feel the need to go beyond three squares. My goodness this is a great find! A

Overall: I am so glad I revisited this bar. Indeed my palate has evolved and I can now state concretely that I do love this bar. I would have to do an A/B comparison to my other favored pure chocolates, but I do believe this would be in my top five. Just stellar! A

I would recommend this absolutely to lovers of fine chocolate.

Dazzled,
~L

World Market All Natural Dark Chocolate 82% Cacao

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:15:29 GMT

Note: Revisiting this chocolate brought rather different impressions than my first experience. Please read the review in entirety, including the revisit, thanks.

Nutritional data: 43g (half the 85g bar) gives 220 calories 21g fat, 17g of carb with 6g of fiber and 4g of protein.

Source: World Market, of course! :)

Presentation: In neutral beige paper with the look of a textured mailing envelope (the identifying section is in the form of a large dark blush-colored postage stamp), this chocolate is folded inside silver foil that is wrapped flat with the outer paper so that peeling back the paper reveals the bar itself. Smooth matte dark brown with lovely marbling on the bottom, the top is divided into four rows and five columns. The twenty squares are simply two slightly raised borders which means there's precious little effective scoring to help the consumer detach a portion for enjoyment. Just as with the 99% bar, you must weigh the portion you end up with if you want to know how much chocolate you're consuming because the squares will not separate evenly.

Scent: Mmm! Coconut and mint and sweetness and chewing tobacco and, strangely enough, dust. Yes, dust. And a little bit of alcohol. Peculiar, but mostly very good: B+

Taste: This is immediately sweet, much too sweet. And then there's a caustic/cleaner note bordering on espresso acid. This isn't nice. It takes several seconds before the coconut flavor in the scent arrives. The mint comes along for the ride. And the sweetness sharpens. Toward the end there's a nuttiness that's enjoyable. My goodness, there's now the brightest, sharpest cherry flavor I've ever experienced in a chocolate. Where did that come from? I actually feel like I've placed a drop of cherry extract on the middle of my tongue. Goodness me... I'm not saying it's bad, it's just unexpected and strong. When chewed this becomes mostly about the sweet and the cherry, but there are nice moments of mint and some tobacco. There is also an unexpected taste of milk for just a moment--surprising and not unpleasant.

Yes, if you put cherry extract into a mild milk and added chocolate, it would taste a lot like this bar.

Bite #3: Lots of tobacco and then cherry and milk. The tobacco flavor is much stronger when I just casually grab and chew a square.

I suspect that it's easy to make a chocolate with this much sugar please a tongue, but I must say that (with the exception of the first square's opening notes which were rather off-putting) this was a pleasant and welcome series of flavors: A- (edited later to add: upon revisiting, I really hated this bar's taste...)

Tactile: This is ever so slightly melty/creamy to my fingers. It's not nearly as dry feeling as the 99%. As noted above, it doesn't separate evenly and it does generate several flakes.

Sound: This has a nice bright, strong snap when separated and an even stronger snap when bit.

Texture: This isn't thick and creamy, but neither does it have the superfine gritty pastiness of the 99%. It's more of a watery, thin meltiness--lots of sugar dissolving quickly on my tongue.

Okay, now I'm going to try chewing: There are a few grit chunks here and the texture is a bit grittier (of the superfine variety) than I'd noted when allowing the square to melt at its own pace. This is thick enough that it does provide a satisfaction in a swallow despite the high level of sucrose in the bar. Texture not bad: C

Aftertaste: Cherry and mint and sugar and milk, but there's also a bitterness: B

Satiety: This actually did a much better job than I'd expected of tamping down my hunger: B

Overall: This was much much better than I expected and the mint aspect was surprising and welcome. The texture is lacking, but the flavors are good. It's much sweeter than I'd consume on a regular basis, but it's enjoyable. Is it as enjoyable as the less expensive Lindt 85%? No. And it has more carbs, so I'd would only choose this bar on rare occasions when I was craving cherries. Nonetheless, it's a fairly good bar of chocolate for its price: B-/C+

One more note on 82%'s: I recall finding Scharffen Berger's 82% to be very sweet and berry-esque. I suspect this level of sugar really brings out the cherry/berry qualities in cacao. SB's 82% has the edge in flavor and texture, but it also costs an absurd amount. If given a choice between the two--unless someone else was buying--I'd conserve my cash and get the World Market bar.

Would I rec this to connoisseurs? Hmm, I think they'd find the texture subpar. And I couldn't advise dieters to consume a bar with this many carbs. This is for chocolate lovers on a budget and those who enjoy a variety of chocolate experiences.

Unexpectedly Minted,
~L

Revisiting 6/7/08: Trying to fit a break into my afternoon and revisit this chocolate before the forbidden theobromine cut-off hour of 5pm...

Hmm, this smells mostly like sugar with a whiff of chewing tobacco and some cigarette smoke and a powdery flowery scent. It feels dry and waxy and looks dry despite having a bit of gloss. Immediately it is sweet, has some grit to it and gets watery/sticky rather than creamy/melty. The taste is, eh, rather cigarette-smokey and has some caustic elements and a hard bitter chemical quality that makes me want to recoil a bit. Yikes, this is superfinely gritty. Finally when I chew it I can push aside some of the harsher chemical aspects--though now there's a baking soda taste present that I don't relish--and get to the sweeter raspberry within, but even now... Hmm. This is very harshly chemical tasting chocolate. I don't think I'd return to it even if it had a good texture. The only saving grace is, I suspect, it's chock full of sugar that attempts to tame the uglier flavor notes. My goodness, did I dislike this bar so much on my original try? I'm really disliking it this afternoon. I can find nothing to like here. The back of my tongue and the top of my throat are urging me not to continue this eating exercise at all, so unpleasant is the bitterness and the chemicals and the baking soda.

I got up and did some errands in the hopes that the bad taste would dissipate and leave me to enjoy the remainder of this chocolate in peaceful pleasure, but the aftertaste is actually worse than the chocolate itself.

As I noted, this chocolate has serious sugar in its corner. At 82%, it's 18% sucrose. My tongue, in all its naughtiness, can't help but respond to such temptation. But I can nonetheless tell it concretely: we're never going back to this bar again. It is bad. It is yucky. It tastes like an ashtray sprinkled with some cleaners and sugar crystals. I don't know what happened to these poor cocoa beans to create such a mingling of unfortunate flavors, but may it not happen again!

Goodness me. If I weren't terribly hungry and didn't require the cacao infusion and calories, I would actually stop eating this chocolate.

Let me revise my original review (because apparently I was on Cloud Bad-Palate that day) this has an unpleasant smell, an objectionable taste, a bad texture and a lousy aftertaste. At any price it would not be a bargain, but it's actually more expensive than the much superior Lindt 85%, so no: do not venture here again. This is just bad chocolate.

'Tis a pity.

Stainer Cocoa Selection Grenada Origin 80%

Fri, 30 May 2008 18:05:56 GMT

Nutritional data: Beyond ingredients, minimum cacao of 80% and 50g bar size, this package does not provide nutritional data.

Source: Stainer Chocolates

Presentation: Stainer bars are only 50g and thus they're packaged in adorably-sized paperboard boxes. The percentage cocoa dark unflavored chocolates are in black boxes with the cocoa solid percentage in bright gold lettering standing clearly out from the background.

Inside the box you find a chocolate bar sealed in a clear orange plastic pouch. The bar is divided into two rows and four columns to create eight softly domed squares. The chocolate is dark matte brown. No bubbling is evident, but there's a lot of flaking and some bloom. Darn. Same package as the other bars--different outcome.

Scent: This scent is stronger than the bar with nibs: alcohol, licorice, cherry and sweetness all rise up to greet me.

Tactile: Like the nibbed bar: Slightly soft, a little waxy. Bites softer than most darks, it crumbles into chunks that immediately begin to melt.

Sound: Bright light snap. With a bite, a lower snap.

Taste: This is not immediately sweet, but it arrives within a second. Then a strange citrus orange flavor comes in followed soon by a sour espresso that doesn't work well for me. I dislike orange and dislike the espresso here. Not working for me. In the final moments the cherry sweetness comes to the forefront, but it's too late the rescue the overall taste.

When chewed this is strongly orange-y with just a hint of the harsh espresso in the background. This is just not a flavor that works for me, but for those that delight in orange-flavored chocolate, this would be a treasure. For me: C

Texture: Creamy and melty and smooth. This is a very nice texture. A-/B+

Aftertaste: Orange and chocolate: C

Satiety: No.

Overall: The texture is excellent, but the citrus aspect of the taste prevented me from reveling in that nice creaminess. I would recommend this to those who enjoy sweet dark orange-flavored chocolates. I won't be returning, but do appreciate the opportunity and the lovely melty texture: C

In the wake of citrus,
~L

Stainer 80% Cacao Con Pepite

Fri, 30 May 2008 17:56:57 GMT

Nutritional data: Beyond ingredients, minimum cacao of 80% and 50g bar size, this package does not provide nutritional data.

Source: Stainer Chocolates

Presentation: Stainer bars are only 50g and thus they're packaged in adorably-sized paperboard boxes. Each flavored "gourmet" type is packed within a brown box with artwork on the front. The nib bar bears an illustration of a bird with an enormous orange beak. The connection to cacao nibs eludes me, but I'm sure Stainer understands it.

Inside the brown illustrated box you find a chocolate bar sealed in a clear orange plastic pouch. The bar is divided into two rows and four columns to create eight softly domed squares. The chocolate is dark matte brown. No bubbling is evident, but there's a lot of flaking and some bloom. Darn. Same package as the other bars--different outcome.

Scent: Licorice, sweetness, this has more of a sweet milk chocolate scent than dark chocolate.

Tactile: Slightly soft, a little waxy. Bites softer than most darks, with a soft give that is akin to milk chocolate.

Sound: Bright light snap. With a bite, a lower snap.

Taste: This is immediately sweet. Then a moment of harsh espresso comes in and doesn't dissipate. There's a brightly sweet note at the end that suggests cherry, but even then the unwelcome espresso remains. Not probably worth the calories and sugar.

When chewed, this does provide a lovely cacao tang, but the espresso remains underlying. Not complex, mostly sweet and mostly unexciting but nice: B-

Texture: Creamy and melty and smooth, but softer than I typically prefer. There is a nice distribution of crunchy nibs. Very good: B+/A-

Aftertaste: Sweetness, cocoa. Nice: A-

Satiety: No.

Overall: The texture is excellent, but the flavors are just okay. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys eighty percent chocolates, but it's too sweet for those who prefer nineties or darker. Without concrete nutritional data, it would be a gamble for any dieter. I'm happy to have tried it and bid it a fond farewell: B

Nibbled and Now Done,
~L

Recchiuti Feve 85% with Cacao Nibs

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:14:58 GMT

Nutritional data: 42g of this bar (a fraction less than a third of the bar) gives 240 calories 18g of fat 19g of carb with 3g of fiber and 3g of protein. I believe this bar, at 113g, is the biggest non-baking bar I've found. Recchuiti is generous indeed.

Source: The Meadow

Presentation: Ohh, but this bar is packaged in style. It's in a black paper pouch that is mostly matte but has glossy areas of print and decoration. A faux silver wax seal decorates the front of the pouch below the artfully lettered Recchuiti name. A simple crimson box holds the bar's identification: Feve 85% with Cacao Nibs. I don't see a best before date specified anywhere.

To gain entry to the pouch you have to rip the flap folded over the front at the perforated line above the crimson box. This reveals that the interior of the pouch is a silver plasticized foil and nothing else encloses the chocolate.

Oh no! It's too cruel to find that a bar this lovingly packaged is broken. It could bring tears. But courage! Onward then:

The bar is a glossy medium brown divided into four rows and seven columns. There is ample flaking at one end, but I don't see bloom. Yay! The scores are so shallow I expect they'll be less than helpful.

The bottom shows a thin scattering of nibs studding the chocolate. This isn't a nib-heavy bar if the bottom indicates the contents. Around the nibs, the chocolate is a little glossy and wonderfully smooth.

Scent: Berry, licorice, sweetness, chewing tobacco all mingle here. The predominant smell is the sweetness and raspberry. I worry it might taste this sweet and shock my tongue, but it isn't unwelcoming as a smell: B+

Tactile: The back is smooth and dry. It was difficult to separate and veered far from the barely-there score. It was easy enough to bite into.

Sound: Ohhh nice snap! Firm and deep and suggestive of depth and density. I really liked that sound.

Taste: Oh, this is extremely sweet and barely a second in I'm swarmed by a harsh dark espresso that is followed swiftly by sour milk. Seconds later this ripens into a delicious sweet raspberry. Wow, that final zingy raspberry note is so wonderful it makes it all but impossible to stop inhaling this bar like a fiend. I wish I didn't like this so much. Its level of sweet is downright unhealthy, but I must admit I like this taste: A-

Texture: Strangely, the texture isn't that great. It's finely-gritty (though without big specks) and more watery than creamy. There are also precious few nibs in here, no fun crunch, just a few small draggles after the chocolate has rushed water-like through its melt. It's not awful by any means, but I was expecting much better. There's really not enough nibs here to merit calling it a nib bar: C

Aftertaste: Rich raspberry tang, ohhhh and it makes me want more. Dangit. Also a hint of nuttiness. Nice: A

Satiety: I could not stop eating despite myself. No. This would be deadly to a diet: D

Overall: Dangit, this was so tasty it was like eating raspberry chocolate. It's very sweet for an 85% and just bursting with flavor. It definitely appears to be a mix of chocolate favoring powder over butter. In any case, I enjoyed the taste immensely, but the texture was just so-so at best, and a disappointment at worst: a bar with nibs should provide enough of the little buds of goodness to lend crunch. They are just barely there. Should other chocolate lovers try this bar? Sure, if they like sweetness and raspberry notes. If they're hoping for crunch, no. Dieters and low-carbers? No, I think they should probably seek their pleasures from other bars. Would I buy this again? No, I'd buy the 85% and then not feel so shortchanged on nibs. But it is a reasonably good bar: B

Under-nibbed,
~L

Lake Champlain African Blend 80%

Wed, 28 May 2008 01:59:07 GMT

I was vacillating just last week on placing a (late season) order for this chocolate bar from Lake Champlain (and opted to wait for cooler weather) then I stumbled happily upon a boxed assortment at our local chocolate shop. Luck too great!

Because the nutritional data for all the box's different square types is averaged on the box's nutritional label, I contacted Lake Champlain hoping they might be able to give me the data on the back of the full 80% bar. They replied almost immediately with the requested data. Though it perplexes me much (the 80% chocolate has a higher carb content than the "average" of the squares in the box, the majority of which are 54% chocolates... ) I am nonetheless most grateful for this stellar customer service. That person deserves a gold star A+. Go Lake Champlain!

Nutritional data: A 42g serving (which I assume is half of a typical bar) has 230 calories, 15g fat 24g of carbs with 3g of fiber and 3g of protein. As I said, this data puzzles me. It seems more the breakdown of a 60% chocolate. Still, it's better to err on the side of caution. I'll assume the data is correct and that this chocolate is just super-carby.

Source: The Chocolate Apothecary

Presentation: Folded inside paper-lined gold foil and encircled by a paper label with a dark green face proclaiming the variety to be African blend 80% cocoa, this 11g chocolate square came packaged with nine sibling squares in a slim Lake Champlain variety box called "Chocolate Journeys". The box is the color of chocolate swirled with dark caramel and the rainbow array of chocolate squares is adorable in the paperboard tray that nests them safely inside the outer paperboard box.

The chocolate is a matte medium brown with just a little flaking and no bubbling. The thick square has rounded edges and a double border around the Lake Champlain star-crowned elk and LCC designation.

Scent: Yikes. I'm worried. This smells as sweet as some of the sweetest low-carb candy chocolates I've tried that were terribly high in maltitol. I'm really worried that LC has taken the definition of 80% chocolate and stretched it a wee bit. Honestly all I smell is sweetener and a bit of raisin. Really disappointing. I fear I'm not going to be able to taste any chocolate in this at all... C-

Tactile: This feels creamy/sticky to my fingers. It finally breaks after I apply quite a bit of pressure and emits a little scattering of flakes. This really does have the look of a bar with lots of carb content and little fat. Que lastima!

Sound: Dull thud.

Taste: This is immediately and overwhelmingly sweet, but a nice licorice flavor arrives early on to tame that sugar rush and then some cherries and a pleasing zing of cacao come forth. Who can object to zing and cherries? Not me. This is not the complex flow of flavors I might dream of, but it definitely made my tongue very happy: B

Texture: This has a super fine gritty texture--it may be the sugar, not sure. It's not smooth, though there are happily no large grit specks coming to pester me. It's also waxy rather than creamy at the start. It does end up melting into a nicer cream as it sits in my mouth, but this texture is really only okay: C

Aftertaste: Sweetness and coffee. Not bad: B

Satiety: This would have me in my grave it would compel me to eat so much. No. A thousand times no. This is a high-carb reckless bit of naughtiness.

Overall: This was actually a really good-tasting bar (though not complex) with an average (or even sub-average) texture. I enjoyed it, but its incredibly high carb content means I cannot partake a second time. Nonetheless, muchly nummy. B-

Over-carbed,
~L

Blanxart 85% Dark Chocolate with Nibs

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:25:26 GMT

Nutritional data: Okay, the label on this bar actually says that the serving is the whole bar and has only 250 calories, 16g fat, 25g carb with 3g fiber and 2g of protein. This is impossible and absurd. I don't think it's likely a true 85% chocolate would have 25g of carbs, but I KNOW it's not possible a 100g bar of chocolate only contains 250 calories...

I am getting really annoyed with carelessly incorrect nutritional labels.

I'm going to toss caution to the wind and assume that this data is close to accurate for a more reasonable 40g serving.

Ohhhh my goodness my bitterness over nutritional label inaccuracies is going to make my spleen explode! Stop it, Lissa. Stop stop stop and instead take the precious time you have on this earth to inhale the chocolate... yes... that is the key.

Okay, now that we have that unpleasantness behind us.

Source: Casa Oliver vends this from their own site and from Amazon

Presentation: Blanxart wisely chose to present this bar to the world clothed only in clear plastic and a slim brown and beige wrap-around label that identifies the bar and offers its (erroneous) nutritional breakdown. The chunky nibs floating over the bottom surface of this bar just beg you to grab and munch. They promise such tender crunch and mischief. I am unable to resist. Blanxart has, you see, displayed the bar's nib-crusted bottom under the front side of the wrapper and relegated the bar's true top (with its three scored rows and six columns of wavy-line decorated squares) to the wrapper's backside. The mold for this bar seems to be the same as the one deBondt uses, though I could be wrong. Perhaps it's just coincidence.

The chocolate is a matte medium dark brown.

Scent: This bar has a heavy scent of alcohol and mocha (chocolate and espresso). It's also tremendously sweet, but not fruity. There is a bare hint of nuttiness here. It reminds me a bit of chocolate syrup: B+

Taste: At first there is nothing at all--not even sweetness--just a presence in my mouth. A moment passes and flavor arrives in the forms of smoke and espresso acid then mildew and next a note of harsh carpet cleaner. My eyes nearly cross. This harsh aspect does mellow out tremendously after a few unpleasant seconds, and some milder moments come into play, but overall this has much bitterness and no fruit or cacao zing. This is mostly the harsh slug of high-acid espresso and chemical cleaners.

In a later bite, my first taste is akin to freezer burn. And several seconds pass and, yup, there's that shocking carpet cleaner note again. And now mold. Are the nibs moldy?

When I chew it rapidly to just get past the experience, this is a mild chocolate overall with some atrocious peaks of flavor interspersed. D+

Tactile: Studded with nibs, this bar scratches my fingertips, but the bar chocolate top is creamy and melty. It separates fairly evenly along its score.

Sound: Dull soft bass-cleff thump.

Texture: The nibs scrape happily along my tongue and provide lovely crunch for my teeth. The chocolate around the nibs is creamy and appears to be grit free. (Hard to judge when nibs are in the mix.) Thickly creamy like I enjoy. Despite the unhappy sequence of flavors, I do have to give the texture an: A

Aftertaste: Surprisingly mild coffee and a hint of something like mint. Go figure: A-

Satiety: Want to eat more like crazy. No.

Overall: With the clearly wrong nutritional data and the bad flavors in the bar, this isn't one I'd revisit anytime soon, but chocolate joy is so subjective that I would still encourage others to try this bar and hope for a better experience than mine, which was a (generous): C

Not a happy nibbler,
~L

Revisited Cote D'Or 86%, waiting on a bar in good condition

Tue, 27 May 2008 00:08:14 GMT

Adding an introduction on 6/15/08: It's not really fair for me to evaluate this chocolate bar as I found it. It was so compromised by melting and reforming (bloom was everywhere) that it destroyed the texture and no doubt mangled the flavors. I know when I first tried this chocolate over a year ago, I did enjoy it. I tried to give this bar the benefit of what it "would" have been like in fresh condition. There is, however, no good way to guess that.

I can state concretely that the two squares I just ate were poor in taste and ghastly in texture--but that may not reflect the bar's original quality.

At present, the best I can say is that I will have to find a bar in good condition and revisit this chocolate. I'll try to do that soon. In the meantime, I'm leaving my notes up, but do please sprinkle them amply with salt. They are wishy-washy silly guesses...

On further reflection, it's possible that while the bar was still enclosed in its foil, some quality was retained, but when I broke that seal and let it linger nearly another month, whatever good remained in the chocolate evaporated completely. That would explain the differernce in my reaction today compared with my reaction and descriptions of several weeks ago.

Bottom line: need a bar in good condition. Will acquire one.

---------------

For my first review & subsequent revisit, please see this entry.

The Suchard 86% box reminded me so intensely of Cote D'Or's 86% (and both are owned by Kraft) that I immediately suspected they are the same chocolate bar in different boxes. For that reason I decided to procure a Cote D'Or 86% from World Market and A/B them directly. This is my revisit of the Cote D'Or.

Nutritional data: For 40g you get 270 calories, 22g fat, 14g of carbs with 5g of fiber and 3g of protein.

Source: World Market

Presentation: The dark paperboard box is embossed with gold lettering and the Cote D'Or logo at the top. The bottom shows the illustration of a chocolate square bearing the company's signature trumpeting elephant. The interior of the box is raw paperboard rather than bleached-white stiff paperboard. The box style is one that allows ease of entry--you need merely to peel back the top or bottom right corner and you can gently pull back the flap that creates the back of the box.

The chocolate itself is sealed within silver foil. When I rip through the foil, alas, I find a dusting of bloom covering the back of the bar. Oh this poor chocolate! The top, too, is covered with a mist of bloom that leaves Cote D'Or's charming elephant on each square evident only through an ivory fog.

The bar has two rows and five columns for ten squares of 10g each. The scores are very shallow.

Scent: This smells even sweeter and more "powdery" than the Suchard, though I'm not sure that's because they're different from the outset. These bars have not been treated equally in travel. That same cheap milk chocolate scent mixes with lots of sweetness. There aren't as many scents in this bar as were evident in the Suchard. Again--travel may have impacted this: B-

Taste: There is no immediate taste, just a mellow presence. Several seconds in a slight sweetness arrives and then a very pleasant mild coffee flavor moves in. The sweetness develops slowly, steadily, then some nice zinging tangy chocolate notes come in alongside a tiny hint of baking soda. There's a delightful cherry finish. This is not as sweet as the Suchard unless I'm much mistaken.

Mm, I am quite relishing this combination of mild intro then building to more flavor, never too sweet, then the berry crescendo. Do like! B+

Upon revisiting a few weeks later, I found this to be fairly bad tasting chocolate, but I suspect I cut it huge slack on the original day of this review because the bar had clearly been damaged in transit. Argh, I don't know what I was thinking or how I could have tasted better flavors in this chocolate at that time. A more realistic taste grade would be C-

Tactile: Like the Suchard, this bar is immediately creamy to my fingers despite the bloom. It snaps cleanly and crisply. This is a firmer, less melty bar than the Suchard. Added a few weeks later: but today it's dry as a bone. I don't understand this...

Sound: The snap is faint, but it is there when I separate two squares from the bar.

Texture: This is a completely different texture than the Suchard. This is dry. WHen I bite it to take a small piece, it crumbles into multiple parts immediately. I cannot necessarily lay blame for this crumbly texture on Cote D'Or when clearly the bar has been abused (not by me! I am zealously careful the moment I step out of a store with my precious chocolate.) It is without grit, but it is also sadly waxy/firm and not melty/creamy. When I chew it, yes, it will final yield to my demands and be a little less dry and hard, but this isn't chocolate the way nature intended no matter who is at fault.

Ohhh this just isn't right, this poor chocolate. I just can't bear how dry and waxy this is, clearly through no fault of that elephant's. The taste is satisfying, but the texture is just not good. D-

Aftertaste: Nice mellow nuts and berry: A-

Satiety: Do go on you jokester.

Overall: To my surprise (but bearing out the different nutritional data) the Cote D'Or and Suchard bars are different. The Cote D'Or 86% is just mildly sweet with some fun flavors, but the texture is just plain bad. (I blame transit.) I need to get a bar in good shape and do another A/B. It is possible that the bar was so damaged it shouldn't be used for an evaluation.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy this chocolate. I love variety. If I were eating in the eighty percent range, I would definitely include Cote D'Or in my happy mix. So: B

And yes, I later revisited this and must change my grade. Sorry cute elephant. I know it's not your fault the bar was in such lousy shape, but I'll have to give you at best a: C

Revisedly,
~L

PS: This chocolate is really on that thin edge between my chocolate-upon-foil icon and my health-food-is-served one. I don't like it well enough to say it's great, but it's not bad. It's just weakly a little more good than bad... Probably should switch the icon to the health-food-is-served, but instead I'm going to compromise and use different icons for the different two entries.

Revisiting again on 6/15/08: Another work break, another revisit. Two pitifully bloom-dusted squares of elephant-trumpeting Cote D'Or 86%. They smell nice and sweet like grape juice with just a hint of licorice. They are incredibly dry to my fingers--they don't snap so much as they break. Oh these poor squares of chocolate. And they taste pretty darn bad. Yeah, the bloom that makes the ill-treatment evident should have been ample warning. Just awful. The texture is like crayons and the taste is sourness with stale coffee, though it finishes with mild, agreeable nuttiness. Tragic mistreatment of the goods of the gods. I'm sure this bar, when fresh, is much better than this. Yikes.

Apparently I found this palatable last month. Strange. My mouth must have been taking a vacation from its sense.