Maison Rustique
06-26-2007, 04:21 PM
(http://www.otwa.com/community/showthread.php?t=17911)
Ms. Chocolate Sep-07-04 11:28 PM
A Dark Chocolate Dilemma
So... I need to pick a new chocolate supplier before we open our store, I've got many wonderful samples to choose from, and I'm very, very stuck.
You see, like 70+% of US consumers, I prefer MILK chocolate. And that makes it hard to pick just the right DARK chocolate. I can tell the difference between good & bad dark chocolate, but have a harder time choosing the best of several good dark chocolates.
However IME most dark chocolate lovers have discriminating tastes, at least where chocolate is concerned. And I remember from an earlier poll that OTWA has a high proportion of dark chocolate fans.
So if you prefer your chocolate dark, help me out here... please tell what your favorites are, and as best you can, describe what makes them so good.
:tasty:
(I am sorry but this time we do not have enough of the chocolate to send samples... :( )
Ms. C.
mepDave Sep-08-04 03:46 AM
I don't know if I can be of much help here, but...
I prefer Dove brand over anything else. To make a comparison, I'll use what I consider to be a "not so good" one - Hershey's Special Dark. Dove is very creamy without being too soft, and it's not bitter, whereas Hershey's SD is chalky and bitter tasting. A good dark will not be "plasticy" if you know what I mean. It should melt smooth in your mouth just like a good milk chocolate. In case it means anything, I'm not easily tempted by sweets but I simply cannot resist Dove chocolate, whether milk or dark. A second runner up I guess would be the kind used on Mound's bars, but it could be their coconut formula that gets me on those... hmmmm.... I suddenly need a snack :D
fraidycat Sep-08-04 04:52 AM
Ms. C -
I love Dove chocolate, and prefer the Symphony bars over Hersheys, but I don't think that's what you have in mind. :) These are only person's opinions, but there is some good info there -
http://www.hhhh.org/cloister/chocolate/reviews/
Always in search of a chocolate rush!
ThreeOs Sep-08-04 04:53 AM
heh
LOL. To make you more confused, I am a dark chocolate only eater and hate the Dove because it's too creamy! I love the Hershey Special Dark because it has bite rather than a creamy texture.
goodworks1 Sep-08-04 08:17 AM
Ghirardelli's
fraidycat Sep-08-04 08:19 AM
Quote:
it's too creamy
I know, I like a crisp chocolate too, and especially for cooking/baking uses, but for out of hand eating, you can savor the creamy ones and just let them slowly melt in your mouth!
Mag Sep-08-04 08:52 AM
I'll second Goodworks1; Ghirardelli's, but, I do love any of the dark Godiva's too...
My in-laws brought me some wonderful dark chocolate from Holland, but I can't remember the name. Anyway, those are my favorites.
bocafossil Sep-08-04 02:30 PM
I agree with ThreeOs. Dove is too rich for my taste - too high a fat content. I prefer Hersey's Special Dark with its semi sweet bite and have never found it chalky. Ghirardelli's is good too but pricier.
jennykarl Sep-08-04 02:47 PM
I love chocolate - any kind! My fav dark chocolate is Lindt followed by Vollahrona (?).
The more intense chocolate taste the better. :tongue:
Whimsy Sep-08-04 10:36 PM
I am very, very picky about my Dark, and insist on the best. Nobody has beat Scharffenberger yet!! They are expensive, but to DIE for. http://www.scharffenberger.com/
Down with milk chocolate!!!! :D
Ms C, put me down for 6 bags of dark bark please.
Ms. Chocolate Sep-09-04 09:51 AM
Thank you everyone!!! This is all really good info & helps tremendously!!!
I know people either love or hate Dove because of its extra-creamy mouthfeel... I'd have to rule it out for our use just because a fat content that high would make the chocolate coating too thin for our centers.
fraidycat thanks for the link! That person does a wonderfully job describing the different chocolates... I could almost taste them!
Whimsy, if you haven't tried it, I've heard the Scharffenberger tour is really good, and it's in Berkeley which probably isn't too far away from you. :) And before you write off all milk chocolate, be sure to try Scharfenbergers... they introduced it recently and the taste is amazing, very intense for milk.
Ms. C.
Whimsy Sep-09-04 11:05 AM
You inspired me to surf their site last night. They won't allow kids on the tours who aren't at least in 5th grade. :( So I guess that rules out carrying my toddler in.
Too bad!! I would love a tour!
My friend Jason had a job there for a year. He now has launched his latest biz "A Taste of Chocolate". He sells kits so that people can hold chocolate tasting parties, much like wine tastings. He's compiled a set of some of the finest chocolates. He loved working at Scharffenberger, it really inspired him.
maison rustique Sep-09-04 09:10 PM
Peeking in from between my fingers...
Did you get what you wanted Ms. C? I can't look because that "c" word isn't allowed on my diet. :(
goodworks4music Sep-10-04 08:59 AM
Lindt and Ghiradelli are good and you can find them "easily" in the US, but there are lots of other dark chocolates in Europe (at least in Holland, Germany, and Switzerland) that are also very good. I could look up my old wrappers for brand names if you need them... oh, for a little walk down memory lane... :cool:
jennykarl Sep-11-04 05:04 PM
If you're ever in Baltimore try Kirschmeyer Chocolates. He is a Swiss chocolatier who relocated here and his chocolates are divine! :)
likearock Sep-12-04 02:03 PM
I love dark chocolate but I'm on Atkins. For a low carb chocolate bar I like the Pure De-Lite bars best with X Carb running second. I've tried the Russell Stover but didn't like it, same for the Hershey's low carb. I've yet to try one of the more expensive bars, at $1 a bar the two I buy are expensive enough.
Ms. Chocolate Sep-12-04 11:04 PM
likearock, can you say what's GOOD about Pure De-Lite and X-carb, and what's BAD about Hershey's and Russell Stover? (Like true chocolatey flavor, pleasant mouth feel, fresh texture, etc.) Thanks!
Ms. C.
Ms. Chocolate Sep-12-04 11:07 PM
goodworks4, it sounds like you prefer European-style chocolate... is it more intense, creamier, are there additional flavors at work...?
Ms. C.
goodworks4music Sep-14-04 09:38 AM
The chocolate flavor IS more intense. Once I tried it I was hooked... now I prefer a bit of good chocolate to a month of other chocolate... I guess the cost probably evens out somehow...
Also, I'm allergic to milk so even the thought that it is "creamy" makes me kind-of sick! lol! But perhaps "creamy" IS the right word. To me, Hershey chocolate usually makes me think that I am chewing on/eating parafin or wax, you know those Halloween wax lips? There is probably some link between these likes/dislikes.
I would never make a good taste tester because I don't know how to describe this preference other than what I've written... Hope it is somehow helpful to you!
Thanks for allowing me to journey back through dark choco land!
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Ms. Chocolate Sep-07-04 11:28 PM
A Dark Chocolate Dilemma
So... I need to pick a new chocolate supplier before we open our store, I've got many wonderful samples to choose from, and I'm very, very stuck.
You see, like 70+% of US consumers, I prefer MILK chocolate. And that makes it hard to pick just the right DARK chocolate. I can tell the difference between good & bad dark chocolate, but have a harder time choosing the best of several good dark chocolates.
However IME most dark chocolate lovers have discriminating tastes, at least where chocolate is concerned. And I remember from an earlier poll that OTWA has a high proportion of dark chocolate fans.
So if you prefer your chocolate dark, help me out here... please tell what your favorites are, and as best you can, describe what makes them so good.
:tasty:
(I am sorry but this time we do not have enough of the chocolate to send samples... :( )
Ms. C.
mepDave Sep-08-04 03:46 AM
I don't know if I can be of much help here, but...
I prefer Dove brand over anything else. To make a comparison, I'll use what I consider to be a "not so good" one - Hershey's Special Dark. Dove is very creamy without being too soft, and it's not bitter, whereas Hershey's SD is chalky and bitter tasting. A good dark will not be "plasticy" if you know what I mean. It should melt smooth in your mouth just like a good milk chocolate. In case it means anything, I'm not easily tempted by sweets but I simply cannot resist Dove chocolate, whether milk or dark. A second runner up I guess would be the kind used on Mound's bars, but it could be their coconut formula that gets me on those... hmmmm.... I suddenly need a snack :D
fraidycat Sep-08-04 04:52 AM
Ms. C -
I love Dove chocolate, and prefer the Symphony bars over Hersheys, but I don't think that's what you have in mind. :) These are only person's opinions, but there is some good info there -
http://www.hhhh.org/cloister/chocolate/reviews/
Always in search of a chocolate rush!
ThreeOs Sep-08-04 04:53 AM
heh
LOL. To make you more confused, I am a dark chocolate only eater and hate the Dove because it's too creamy! I love the Hershey Special Dark because it has bite rather than a creamy texture.
goodworks1 Sep-08-04 08:17 AM
Ghirardelli's
fraidycat Sep-08-04 08:19 AM
Quote:
it's too creamy
I know, I like a crisp chocolate too, and especially for cooking/baking uses, but for out of hand eating, you can savor the creamy ones and just let them slowly melt in your mouth!
Mag Sep-08-04 08:52 AM
I'll second Goodworks1; Ghirardelli's, but, I do love any of the dark Godiva's too...
My in-laws brought me some wonderful dark chocolate from Holland, but I can't remember the name. Anyway, those are my favorites.
bocafossil Sep-08-04 02:30 PM
I agree with ThreeOs. Dove is too rich for my taste - too high a fat content. I prefer Hersey's Special Dark with its semi sweet bite and have never found it chalky. Ghirardelli's is good too but pricier.
jennykarl Sep-08-04 02:47 PM
I love chocolate - any kind! My fav dark chocolate is Lindt followed by Vollahrona (?).
The more intense chocolate taste the better. :tongue:
Whimsy Sep-08-04 10:36 PM
I am very, very picky about my Dark, and insist on the best. Nobody has beat Scharffenberger yet!! They are expensive, but to DIE for. http://www.scharffenberger.com/
Down with milk chocolate!!!! :D
Ms C, put me down for 6 bags of dark bark please.
Ms. Chocolate Sep-09-04 09:51 AM
Thank you everyone!!! This is all really good info & helps tremendously!!!
I know people either love or hate Dove because of its extra-creamy mouthfeel... I'd have to rule it out for our use just because a fat content that high would make the chocolate coating too thin for our centers.
fraidycat thanks for the link! That person does a wonderfully job describing the different chocolates... I could almost taste them!
Whimsy, if you haven't tried it, I've heard the Scharffenberger tour is really good, and it's in Berkeley which probably isn't too far away from you. :) And before you write off all milk chocolate, be sure to try Scharfenbergers... they introduced it recently and the taste is amazing, very intense for milk.
Ms. C.
Whimsy Sep-09-04 11:05 AM
You inspired me to surf their site last night. They won't allow kids on the tours who aren't at least in 5th grade. :( So I guess that rules out carrying my toddler in.
Too bad!! I would love a tour!
My friend Jason had a job there for a year. He now has launched his latest biz "A Taste of Chocolate". He sells kits so that people can hold chocolate tasting parties, much like wine tastings. He's compiled a set of some of the finest chocolates. He loved working at Scharffenberger, it really inspired him.
maison rustique Sep-09-04 09:10 PM
Peeking in from between my fingers...
Did you get what you wanted Ms. C? I can't look because that "c" word isn't allowed on my diet. :(
goodworks4music Sep-10-04 08:59 AM
Lindt and Ghiradelli are good and you can find them "easily" in the US, but there are lots of other dark chocolates in Europe (at least in Holland, Germany, and Switzerland) that are also very good. I could look up my old wrappers for brand names if you need them... oh, for a little walk down memory lane... :cool:
jennykarl Sep-11-04 05:04 PM
If you're ever in Baltimore try Kirschmeyer Chocolates. He is a Swiss chocolatier who relocated here and his chocolates are divine! :)
likearock Sep-12-04 02:03 PM
I love dark chocolate but I'm on Atkins. For a low carb chocolate bar I like the Pure De-Lite bars best with X Carb running second. I've tried the Russell Stover but didn't like it, same for the Hershey's low carb. I've yet to try one of the more expensive bars, at $1 a bar the two I buy are expensive enough.
Ms. Chocolate Sep-12-04 11:04 PM
likearock, can you say what's GOOD about Pure De-Lite and X-carb, and what's BAD about Hershey's and Russell Stover? (Like true chocolatey flavor, pleasant mouth feel, fresh texture, etc.) Thanks!
Ms. C.
Ms. Chocolate Sep-12-04 11:07 PM
goodworks4, it sounds like you prefer European-style chocolate... is it more intense, creamier, are there additional flavors at work...?
Ms. C.
goodworks4music Sep-14-04 09:38 AM
The chocolate flavor IS more intense. Once I tried it I was hooked... now I prefer a bit of good chocolate to a month of other chocolate... I guess the cost probably evens out somehow...
Also, I'm allergic to milk so even the thought that it is "creamy" makes me kind-of sick! lol! But perhaps "creamy" IS the right word. To me, Hershey chocolate usually makes me think that I am chewing on/eating parafin or wax, you know those Halloween wax lips? There is probably some link between these likes/dislikes.
I would never make a good taste tester because I don't know how to describe this preference other than what I've written... Hope it is somehow helpful to you!
Thanks for allowing me to journey back through dark choco land!
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:19 PM.
To adjust your timezone, visit your MyOTWA Control Panel.
Forums powered by vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2007, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.