Nobody knows the truffles I’ve seen…

Life’s stressors would not be so bad to take if they were chocolate covered, but unfortunately they are not. Well…perhaps in some ways they are, or perhaps I just attempt to create some chocolate-covered stress. I certainly find myself eating copious amounts of dark chocolate whenever life isn’t going as smoothly as I would like. Lately, this has amounted to the consumption and indulgence of many a bar.

So, in an attempt to redeem my gluttonous behavior, I thought I would lead my fellow dark-chocolate-lovers through a helpful review. Or lead you into temptation as the case may be! (Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself! 🙂 The following rating scale will be from 1-5; 5, of course, indicating the Lord of Chocolaty Darkness. Read on if you dare!

Lindt Excellence Thins 70% cocoa or Lindt Excellence Bar 70%
This truly is an excellent chocolate bar. It is priced well, has hints of orange and coffee, and is incredibly rich. I find myself being satisfied after a square…or perhaps two. Be forewarned: One may be tempted to dip the bar into peanut butter or marshmallow fluff in attempts to cut the richness; thereby, allowing one to indulge in more chocolaty goodness. (Hey, I am not the only one of my friends who has confessed to bar-dipping. It appears it is quite the common indulgence. You know who you are fellow bar-dippers!) I think I like the texture of the thins better than the bar, but I typically just buy whichever one is cheaper.

Lindt Creation 70% Cherry & Chile

Okay, stick with me here, because I am not a big fan of cherry cordials, and I prefer my chocolate to be free of spices; however, I tried these today on a whim and I loved them. (It should be noted that I do like Ghirardelli’s Squares and this bar reminded me of those. If you hate those gushy-filled squares, then you may want to pass on this experience.) The flavors in this bar seem to be time-released. First you taste the amazing dark chocolate, next the sweet but not overpowering cherry, followed by a warming finish of chili. Delightful!
Green & Black’s Organic Dark 70%

This company’s slogan is “As chocolate as humanly possible,” and I have to agree. This stuff rocks and gets extra kudos from Matt for having lots of Fair Trade options. I have tried numerous tastings of their other bars (the Hazelnut & Currant is very yummy), but just recently tried this particular bar. It is very similar to the Lindt bar but with a creamier texture. It is currently my favorite unadulterated bar! However, it is one of the more expensive bar’s as well.

Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate 70%

This bar was a little dry and slightly more bitter than my other favs. But it has some nutty undertones, which I liked, and it’s always fun to read a love poem while you nibble. (The wrapper has some famous love poems tucked inside for your reading pleasure.) Matt bought this one for me when I was having a particularly horrible day, so my review may be clouded by my amorous emotions!
Sam’s Choice Finest Belgian Chocolate

This stuff is great. It is cheap, huge, and yummy…but hard to find. Our Walmart is always out-of-stock. (Probably because it costs half of what the others do and yet is very satisfying.) The chocolate is not quite as rich as the Lindt or Green & Black, so I find myself wanting to eat more than just a square. The taste is not as complex and does not seem to have any other hints to it. It’s just good, dark chocolate…at a Walmart price ;).
Dove Extra Dark Chocolate 71%

I guess they thought they would try to get a leg up on the competition by adding that extra 1%! I’m not sure it worked. This bar lives up to your typical creamy Dove experience, and I would gladly eat one of these at any given moment. However, the creamy texture seems a bit cheap compared to the other bars. This bar is less expensive and less gourmet. It’s like your “table wine” variety of chocolate…”table bar”.

Trader Joe’s Pound Plus 72% Dark Chocolate

I heart Trader Joe’s. Since we moved, I haven’t stopped complaining that we used to have 4 stores within reasonable driving distance and now the nearest location is at least 2 hrs away. This is a fantastic store with fantastic deals on gourmet foods. But I really don’t like most of their chocolate products. The prices are so good, that I’m always sucked into trying another, but typically I end up disappointed. For a pound of Belgian chocolate, this is your place. But expect it to be dry, brittle, slightly bitter, and more suited for baking and melting than for nibbling.

Starbucks Dark Chocolate

Starbucks coffee is by far my favorite, so I was excited to see they had begun dabbling in another bean. Come to find out they have teemed up with the folks at Hershey’s to produce these not-so-special bars. These are certainly better than munching on a Hershey’s Special Dark…but not much better. The chocolate is waxy and not particularly rich or satisfying. This may, however, be a good bar to start with if you are just beginning your venture from milk chocolate to the dark side. This bar is way overpriced (one of the most expensive) which is why it has received only 2.5 bars.

Oh my goodness, I’ve really eaten a lot of chocolate lately! For those who haven’t seen me in awhile, do not fear. I have not packed on the pounds as one may be lead to believe when totalling the calorie count of this entry! (Hmmmm….one of my next blogs will need to be about some of my favorite low-cal foods. This is how I get away with eating all this chocolate!)

If you have a favorite bar not mentioned here, please feel free to let me know in my comments section. (Even if you don’t know me…come on, don’t be shy!) I’m always up for trying something new. Okay, that is not at all true; I’m always up for eating chocolate! Very true.

Comments

Melanie S says

July 23, 2008 at 12:28 pm

I’m so glad you liked the Green and Black’s – yum!!! We are kindred spirits – I never quite understood how to be friends with someone who doesn’t like chocolate. 🙂
Christianne Page says

July 16, 2008 at 4:19 pm

I had no idea! I mean, I knew you liked chocolate (who doesn’t), but I had no clue you were harboring a small fortune’s worth of gourmet chocolate in your cupboard!

I fully expect you to share the wealth when you come to meet your new niece. (Although, to tell you the truth, I am no connoisseir of dark chocolate. I’d rather eat a cookie.)
Beth Crabtree Hunter says

July 16, 2008 at 1:32 pm

I just realized that I left out a very notable bar. The Endangered Species Chocolate collection are fantastic. I’d give them 4.5 bars. They are ethically traded, have organic options, and very unusual chocolate combinations. The wrappers are way cute too and keep the boys entertained!
Michaela says

July 16, 2008 at 9:03 am

Green and Black (any flavour) gets my vote! It is the closest to English chocolate that you can get here in the US. Since it is a little pricey – I had to make do with a butterfinger last night instead of the good stuff.
Linda Crabtree says

July 15, 2008 at 11:03 pm

Shortly after Dad’s diagnosis of cancer, a good friend asked how I was coping? My answer was “naps and chocolate.” Apparently you inherited my genes in this area as well as others! (I have gone back to milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate–less caffeine to interfere with my naps! My vote in that category is Hershey’s Bliss.)
Love,
Mom