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7:26 pm
August 19, 2003
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bobvilax2000
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Seville, USA
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posts 128
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I just found some Chocolove at a health store near where I live and picked up the Rich Dark based on a review from Seventypercent. For those of you that are keeping up with my chocolate quest, my first “real” bar was a 60% Feodora, which was good, but I was told that it’s not exactly the best. So now I try this Chocolove, and I do like it better. More flavor to it than the Feodora and I enjoy the aftertaste a lot more. Feodora tended to have bitter stages afterwards while Chocolove stayed more pleasant after eating. I’m not good at putting names on the different flavors, but the review here seems to do a good job at it. Btw, is it odd that I’m keeping the labels of chocolate bars that I buy? They’re just so unique… Yes, I am a packrat.
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9:32 pm
August 19, 2003
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Martin Christy
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London, United Kingdom
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posts 614
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I have way too many labels here that I can’t really give a reason for keeping – even the ones I can get more of easily! It comes with the territory I think. One thing I like about the site is all the wrappers on display.
Chocolove is definitley a step up from Feodora, its surprisingly good for a repackaged product. Just for reference the site review is at http://www.seventypercent.com/chocop/bar_detail.asp?ID=68.
Has anyone tried their organic bars yet?
Martin Christy
Editor
http://www.seventypercent.com
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Martin Christy
Editor
www.seventypercent.com
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3:51 am
August 20, 2003
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Hans-Peter Rot
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USA
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posts 1462
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No, it is not odd to save the wrappers. I do the same; in fact, I flatten them out and put them in a photo album to keep track of the different chocolates I’ve tried. Chocolove is indeed a good brand; I’ve tried their organic 73.5% bar (which, btw, does not contain vanilla or lechitin), and it has a slight fruitness to it that is not quite so pronounced as it is with Valrhona or Scharffen Berger. Perhaps the ratio of African beans to Caribbean beans – and the additional cocoa butter – is the contributing factor to this. The right balance of African beans keeps the fruitiness of the Caribbean beans in check, while not being too overpowering itself. My only complaints are enumerated thusly:
slightly bitter aftertaste
short lingering chocolate flavor
Very few chocolates are perfect, however, and this one really shouldn’t disappoint.
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4:01 am
August 20, 2003
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bobvilax2000
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Seville, USA
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posts 128
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They did have quite a few other Chocolove bars, but I only bought the rich dark today because I was pretty sure that it would be good based on the review here, and I don’t want to overwhelm myself with to many chocolate flavors this early. I want to slowly develop my tounge to know different chocolates. Though I think they did have some organic bars there, so I’ll pick one up next time.
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4:31 am
August 20, 2003
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Hans-Peter Rot
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USA
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posts 1462
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That is a good idea. Slowly develop your palate and find what you like the best. However, keep in mind that there are many factors that may contribute to your preference. For example, your mood affects how you taste chocolate, so one day you might prefer a certain bar over another. Chocolate also tastes different after eating certain foods, so you might want to wait about 20 minutes or so after a meal or snack. Also, don’t jump into a high percentage without easing your way into it first. You’re currently in the 60% range, so I wouldn’t exactly recommend you try a 85% or 100% quite yet.
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8:54 pm
August 20, 2003
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bobvilax2000
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Seville, USA
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posts 128
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Yeah, I think that I would fit into the range of 70% now, but I’m not sure if I could handle 80% or above. It’s like in my cocoa thread, you reccomended half a teaspoon of sugar for three tablespoons of cocoa. That’s a bit intense for me yet. I know that it’s not exactly the same since (as far as I understand) cocoa butter adds flavors, but it’s the same principle.
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4:26 am
August 21, 2003
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Hans-Peter Rot
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USA
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posts 1462
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Well, even if you don’t like the higher percentages at first, don’t turn away from them for good. It might take a while to become accustomed to the intensity, but eventually you’ll develop a palate for it. When I first tried 100%, I didn’t like it that much, but after further consumption, I grew to love it.
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9:21 pm
August 22, 2003
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bobvilax2000
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Seville, USA
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posts 128
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Well, I just bought Chocolove’s 77% bar, and I love the strong chocolate flavor. As the review says here, it is a little bit gritty, but I don’t mind that since the taste is really good. Since Chocolove is the best chocolate that I can find in a store around here, 77% will be the highest that I can try for now since Chocolove’s line doesn’t go any higher. I COULD, of course, try some baking chocolate if I want 100% since you say that it can be eaten, but 100% may be a bit strong for me. I mean, that’s 23% higher than where I’m at now.
Unfortunently, they did not have the 73% organic bar. Chocolove’s site says that they’re out of stock. Too bad.
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3:57 am
August 23, 2003
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Hans-Peter Rot
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USA
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posts 1462
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I wouldn’t try Baker’s chocolate if I were you. If you want to try unsweetened chocolate, then get Domori’s Puro or Cluizel’s Noir Infini. Since 100% is so strong, you should get the best so that you experience the full sensation (and satisfaction) of what a good 100% chocolate tastes like.
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3:36 am
September 7, 2003
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theobroma
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MIlwaukee, USA
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posts 89
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Hi Bob
It’s nice to read about your journey into the world of chocolate. I’m eager to see what you make of the really good stuff, so maybe you should order some online… If you’re near edinburgh, there’s a place that sells domori…
Oh, and about saving wrappers: I do it too! I feel like a fetishist! My girlfriend and I play a game with chocolate (and no this isn’t dirty): The object is to guess the chocolate, from a wide range of chocolates. We have maybe 6-12 bars of different chocolate to choose from. Fir example, I close my eyes; she breaks of a piece and holds it up for me to smell. I try to guess it. Then she puts it in my mouth and I reconfirm my guess or change it, depending.
Normally I can guess correctly by the smell, especially with the best flavor chocolates, which are quite fragrant.
This is a really fun exercise in taste and smell, and you could play by yourself if you broke up the chocolate beforehand to disguise the normal shape of a piece (which would give it away).
ciao
Kyle
Oh no! My Agustus!
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1:19 am
September 11, 2003
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Martin Christy
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London, United Kingdom
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posts 614
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Do you know the details of the shop in Edinburgh that sells Domori theobroma? We can add it to our sources list in The Pod.
Martin Christy
Editor
http://www.seventypercent.com
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Martin Christy
Editor
www.seventypercent.com
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