TBird  
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Master of Wine
Posts: 10194
 | | 05-15-2004 06:34 PM |
| while i admittedly have no sweet tooth, my desire for "healthy" eating has led me to consuming a miniscule portion of dark chocolate 4-5 times a week. and i'm REALLY growing fond of it....    any other 70% cacao and higher dark chocolate munchers around and, if so, more recommendations? so far, i'm buying: scharffen berger 82% green & black's 70% le noir amer by valrhona 71% ocumare 71% but that is what my local store carries.... thx in advance | | |
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love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12605
| | 05-15-2004 08:14 PM |
| Like you, TBird, I cannot say that I have a sweet tooth. But, I love a good dark chocolate. Dark chocolate goes especially well with Cognac XO & tea.
Well, as far as cocoa % goes, we like 'em in the 50%-77% range.
Here are some of my fav producers:
Michel Cluizel
Domori
d'Orsay
Neuhaus
Hachez
Valrhona
The sad thing is that it isvery hard to find dark chocolates from small producers (i.e. mentioned above) in the USA. I really have a hard time, to the point where I pretty much gave up.
If any one knows of a web site that sells these, please post it. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 05-16-2004 05:33 AM |
| Whole Foods around here carries a brand called El Rey which is excellent. A really strong fruity/tropical nose and lots of flavor. Otherwise I love the Callabaut (sp?).
raybanz | | | |
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NorCalVinoLover
Barrel Sampler
Posts: 2202
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whiner
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
Wine Thief
Posts: 2875
| | 05-17-2004 07:52 AM |
| Scharffen Berger is what Future Mrs. Whiner and I eat, but it seems you have already discovered it. I love that chocolate. (FYI: They make a 67% and one in the 70's% as well)
a | | I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland.
-- Woody Allen | |
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ormbee
Barrel Sampler
Posts: 2397
| | 05-17-2004 03:40 PM |
| Quote:
Scharffen Berger is what Future Mrs. Whiner and I eat, but it seems you have already discovered it. I love that chocolate. (FYI: They make a 67% and one in the 70's% as well)
a
Same here, Whole Foods has a good selection. | | | |
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NorCalVinoLover
Barrel Sampler
Posts: 2202
| | 05-17-2004 04:31 PM |
| Scharffen Berger would have to be my second choice. They have a factory in Berkeley that offers tours, supposedly a very good tour of a chocolate factory.
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 05-17-2004 06:18 PM |
| Has anyone tried Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate (I think that is what its called)?
raybanz | | | |
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Randy Wigginton
Master of Wine
Posts: 10808
| | 05-18-2004 02:36 AM |
| | If you can find a local Peet's Coffee & Tea, they will have other choices in addition to a wide range of Scharfenberger. | | | |
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Carl
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 462
| | 05-19-2004 08:05 AM |
| Quote:
any other 70% cacao and higher dark chocolate munchers around and, if so, more recommendations?
My wife and I are chocoholics (dark only). Our absolute favorite is by Rausch, a German chocolate maker. It is called Tobago and is 75% cacao. Very rich, very smooth, very pure tasting. I am not sure anyone imports it into the US unfortunately.
Second favorite is Belgian: Cote d'Or Intense Dark 70%. I think that is imported.
Neuhaus and Hachez also make very good dark chocolate (as suggested above). | | | |
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KillerB
Barrel Racker
Posts: 1533
| | 05-19-2004 08:46 AM |
| | Right - I am agoing to have to look around for this Michel Cluizel chocolate. It's been mentioned too many times in these threads to go unresearched. Now all I have to do is find it! | | | |
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love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12605
| | 05-19-2004 04:40 PM |
| KillerB: I found some great Web-sites offering the chocolates that I mentioned (including Michel Cluizel) bases in UK. Unfortunately, for me, the shipping is not worth it @ all. For you, I would recommend. Search the Net (I forgot the name).
Anyway, dark chocolates bars are much easier to locate in Europe as people there appreciate it more. There is almost no market for it here in the States. So...
Michel Cluizel is considered one of the top makers/growers of cocoa. | | | |
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NorCalVinoLover
Barrel Sampler
Posts: 2202
| | 05-19-2004 09:55 PM |
| Quote:
Anyway, dark chocolates bars are much easier to locate in Europe as people there appreciate it more. There is almost no market for it here in the States. So...
Really? I've been talking about dark chocolates this entire time and I see quite a bit of dark chocolates out here in our neck of the woods.
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love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12605
| | 05-20-2004 04:58 PM |
| | I checked out the chocolates sites that NorcalVinoLover is talking about. I will keep the info & try those out. And, I am sure that they are great. But, not exactly what I was looking for. So, the search continues... | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11048
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TBird
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Master of Wine
Posts: 10194
| | 05-28-2004 03:44 AM |
| and with perfect random precision, i was scrounging thru the cupboards this evening and found a bar we bought in italy on our honemoon, two years ago.
slitti cioccolato artigianale gran cacao
100% cacao
senza zucchero aggiunto
massa di cacao pura
hand numbered and dated...can anyone shed some light on this?
thx!
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ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1210
| | 05-28-2004 03:59 PM |
| Quote:
If you can find a local Peet's Coffee & Tea, they will have other choices in addition to a wide range of Scharfenberger.
I have tried some schargenberger recently and liked the mocha version a lot. The bittersweet was a bit too bitter for my taste, although I do normally like dark chocolate.
Stupid question: How is bitterness controlled? Is it the amount of sugar or the % of cacao?
Amazon.com sells various Valhrona chocolates and other specialty foods now.. Anyone know how the pricing matches up? | | | |
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Linda
Grape Destemmer
Posts: 96
| | 06-01-2004 01:36 AM |
| | I am not sure of their web address but Dean and Deluca has a pretty good supply of the really good chocolates. Google them for the website. Or for those of you on the eastcoast they do have a great store in new york. | | | |
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love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12605
| | 06-14-2004 12:46 AM |
| | Tonight after dinner with High Grade Sencha Green Tea: Valrhona 56% Cacao Le Noir Semisweet Negro: Ahhh, beauty! | | | |
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KillerB
Barrel Racker
Posts: 1533
| | 07-08-2004 04:01 PM |
| I am currently letting a piece of Lindt Excellence 99% melt in my mouth. there is no point in chewing this stuff - you would miss it completely. It has a very pleasant effect even though it is neither bitter nor sweet. Apparently the remaining 1% is sugar - why? Can't taste it.
This chocolate thread is too classy - I'm going to start a junk one. Better do it in Random thoughts though - some people may object to the lack of pairing. | | | |
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