My husband has a new passion–extremely dark chocolate.
I’d like to get him some for Christmas, but I’d like it to be something he can’t get at the supermarket.
I’m hoping to put together something of a sampler of the extremely dark stuff.
Ideas?
Lindts 100% dark chocolate? But that may be just like eating baking chocolate…
go for the 85% one, or theres this website http://www.chocolatetradingco.com/browsecategory.asp?ID=42 I always browse this when I feel like eating chocolate and I don’t have it!
It’s expensive, but Endangered Species Chocolate is ethically traded, and very high cocao content. I like their Dark Chocolate with Deep Forest Mint flavor, but he might like Extreme Dark Chocolate, orDark Chocolate with Cocao nibs.
Some friends had a chocolate tasting which they documented here. I think the Michel Cluizel is some amazing stuff and agree that too much cocoa in a bar is not a Good Thing.
I bought my dad some of the Lindt 99% dark chocolate for his birthday this year… it was basically compressed powder, and had a gritty texture to eat. It tasted OK, but the texture was not so good. In the end, I actually think he ended up grating into a chocolate sandwich!
Which was an excellent idea.
I agree however, that the 75% and 85% Lindt chocolates are awesome. But you can get them in supermarkets over here… I assume the same thing is true in the US, so it might not be as exotic as you’d like.
Simple answer: Head to your nearest Whole Foods or gourmet food store and buy him some bittersweet chocolate. Either Valrhona or Scharfenberger. Don’t go for extremely high percentage novelty stuff, as darker is not better after a point. Something in the 70s would be ideal, and anything by either maker I listed above will thrill your husband.
Try some in the 70s and some in the 80s, so he can try out both. Even I, and I know of no living being who adores dark chocolate more than I, don’t like the 99% stuff.
My ex-husband used to bring me back amazing dark chocolate from Germany when he went on business trips. Yeah some of the 90s stuff was too intense for me but the 70s and 80s was teh yum.
He has had 72, 75, and 85, and liked them all. I told him he was insane once when he was eyeing a 99 bar, so he hasn’t tried that.
I know it’s not all chocolate but has he tried dark chocolate covered coffee beans? They’re quite intense.
If you have a cost plus world market nearby they now have a range of “Vintage Plantation” chocolate bars that range fro 65% up to 100%. I have a bar of 90% with me at the moment, and it is very good. Also look out for Green and Black’s Maya Gold chocolate bars for something different.
Dolfin specialist chocolate bars are available in some places in America, their Noir au poive rose is excellent.
Seconded. Mr. S and I are dark chocolate snobs as well. I love Valrhona Noir and Extra Noir. I don’t find the Lindt extra darks as good as you would think they would be.
Scharffen Berger’s 82% is very good, and he also might like their cacao nibs if you can find them (pieces of cacao bean).
I also like Droste’s 75% and Equal Exchange (fair trade) dark chocolates.
And, for a quick but cheap dark chocolate fix, Dove Dark Chocolate Promises are wonderful, even if you CAN get them at any grocery store. We keep a silver tin full of them.
Cost Plus/World Market usually has a nice selection of chocolate, if there’s one near you.
May I present Euphoria Chocolate Company? He’s likely to be unfamiliar with their fine, fine products.
That’s because Lindt cut their teeth on, and are famous for, their milk chocolate.
Am I the only one so far who as bought Endangered Species Chocolate and enjoyed it? A health food store I visit sometimes sells it, and it’s good! The Deep Forest Mint has bits of cocao nibs in it, but not as much as the one that says it has nibs in it. Mmmmm!
I came in here to make a black-man-long-penis-fellato joke, but you might not find it in good taste.
:rimshot:
No, I like it too. Both the Chimpanzee and Panther bars are gorgeous, pure dark choc.
Dagoba organic chocolate. Their 87% Eclipse is lovely.
Plus, it’s kinda like Yoda’s jungly planet, so if he’s a Star Wars buff, there ya go…
Does Hershey’s still make Hershey’s Dark chocolate bars? I used to love those.