It all started a few months ago. A colleague at work brought a Dagoba Eclipse chocolate bar. It is 87% pure cocoa. For comparison, your regular Hershey’s chocolate bar contains around 35% cocoa. This thing was really dark. Too dark and bitter for him, and for most people he tried to unload the bar on.
Finally I got the chocolate and loved every bit of it. I always liked chocolate. I used to eat half a bag of Hershey’s Kisses every Friday. But this ultra-dark stuff is a whole new world.
I must have mentioned it to my dad, because he brought back from his last trip of Israel about ten bars of Cote D’Or Brute (86%) and Lindt Excellence (85%); neither Israeli brands, by the way.
On Wednesday I went chocolate hunting to the downtown Whole Foods Market. I bought two bars of Xocolatl (74% + chilies – the way the Aztecs liked it, sort of), one of Dolfin Noir 88% de Cacao and a single bar of Theo Venezuela Limited Edition Dark Chocolate (91%). The freaking bar was $7 USD!!! Better be incredibly good. I haven’t tried them. We’ll see.
I could not find any of the elusive Prima Materia (100%). That’s the next step. Maybe it’s time to do some online shopping.
Oh, and speaking of Venezuela: Have you joined La Polla America yet? Time is running out!
91% cacao means 9% sugar + other stuff, so the taste will be really strong and bitter. Cacao on it own is not sweet at all. BTW, that Theo Venezuela Limited Edition $7 bar is not made with the really famous Chuao cacao from the state of Aragua. It should be good, but not the best venezuelan cacao. Look for Chocolates el Rey if you want the real deal.
Funny how they say “remote regions of Barinas, Merida and Tachira” like they talk about the jungle where indians will eat you =). These places are not at all remote, really.