For all my chocolate snobbery, I have a secret guilty pleasure that I try to keep to myself...
I try to act nonchalant around the candy dish at work, pretending to resist. And then, once nobody’s looking, I grab a handful. Darn those co-workers who bring in these tantalizing treats calling my name!
Alter Eco’s Dark Blackout is a single source Ecuadorian, 85% cacao masterpiece of chocolate.
Everything they say about this chocolate bar on the wrapper and on their website is absolutely true. When they say it’s deeply fruity and intense, it is.
The Theo vanilla nib dark chocolate bar is chocolatey and crunchy and, yes, vanilla-y. The crunch mostly comes from the roasted nibs, but I suspect that the ground vanilla bean contributes as well.
This bar is 65% cacao so it starts with a healthy dose of rich cocoa notes. The chocolate has some muted spicy and floral flavors that peak out after the vanilla dissipates. The chocolate is delicious.
Chocolaterie Ickx makes Belgian seasonal chocolate box novelties sold to high end department stores and chocolate shops. The company was founded in the 1970s, primarily making pralines. Eventually, the growth of the company led to the building of a new chocolate factory in Essen, Belgium.
My family received a box of Belgian Chocolate Pumpkins as a gift for Halloween. The autumn collection has four varieties: Salted Carmel (Milk Chocolate), Chocolate Crème (Dark Chocolate), Pecan Praline (White Chocolate), and Pumpkin Ganache (Spiced Confectionery Coating).
Wasabi and chocolate? I have to admit, my first thought was, “weird!” Putting wasabi and chocolate together is not something I would have thought to try.
I like wasabi, especially in microscopic amounts on my California Roll. I’m not that familiar with wasabi in terms of nuance flavors or tasting notes though, so how do I know if it pairs nicely with chocolate? Then again, how do I know it won’t?
Trader Joe’s grocery store started in the 1950s as Pronto Markets convenience stores. It wasn’t until 1967 that the name changed to Trader Joe’s, and they found their niche selling hard-to-find foods under their own brand name.
According to their website, www.traderjoes.com, one of their most important advantages over other stores is their commitment to value... Great product for a great price.
A couple days ago I found myself grabbing a chocolate to eat not realizing it was going to upset a status quo I’ve had for many years.
This chocolate came to me by way of a wedding anniversary present, and it was new to me. The chocolate, at 88% cacao, is a rare find because it’s such a high percentage. For some people, you might as well call it baking chocolate! No doubt my friend, Kathy, would make a scrunchy face if she had even a lick of this bar.
