Chocolate

[qazwsx]

on 3rd avenue

[fadetogrey]

Thomas Haas?

[MJRH]

^chocolate arts, i presume? i haven't made it in there yet, they as good as they look?

[DudleyGray]

So in an effort to buy only organic/fair trade foods, I've been rewarded with the discovery of better chocolate. God, who knew chocolate had such fruity notes? I've only tried Whole Foods/Trader Joe's stuff so far, Madecasse has so far been my favorite, but I'm sure there's a whole world out there that I don't know about. So I'll be checking out the bars in this thread but bumping to see if anyone has any new recommendations.

[zen dog]

Dudley, there is a whole world out there, enter it at your financial peril

Here is a place I like http://www.chocolatemaya.com/products/bars/
That said, I think you live on the east coast and can find at least the bars and a substitute for the confections only because you don't want chocolate traveling in the heat. Or wait until fall and/or express ship. It is a good shop, worth supporting, I just want you to taste a product not compromised by heat and time.

[DudleyGray]

Oh, that's great advice and gives me an excuse to leave my suburban cocoon, as I can't find much motivation to leave my area anymore. Chocolate is especially exciting to me right now, since I love decadent things like liquor/coffee/tea/tobacco/Rick, but I don't like being drunk/wired/cancer/sweatshops. You gotta have something, though.

[bukka]

Want me to send you some from Switzerland?

[DudleyGray]

PM sent. Also, stumbled across this article during a search for good resources on chocolate, it seems fitting:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-artisan-chocolate-20150228-story.html

EDIT: for any nerds as curious as me about this

http://www.seriouseats.com/chocolate

[DudleyGray]

Came across a place called Louisa's Chocolate while hanging out with my parents at the shore and came away with this:



Only tried the virgin chocolate so far, but it's so good. Kind of gritty mouth feel, some fruity hints.

[MoFiya]

Anything in London, UK?

[ahn]

I'm coeliac by diagnosis and follow a paleo diet by choice so I prefer my chocolate refined sugar, gluten and soy free.

I do consume dairy in small quantities and prefer 80% or higher cacao solids (partially because the sugar content is guaranteed to be lower but also for the taste).

In Melbourne we have three companies who produce delicious raw/organic chocolate so I suppose we're quite spoiled.

Liefje would be my favourite, they're also the smallest company - http://www.liefje.com.au/products
Their smoked salt chocolate is heaven and the cacao content is about 80% across the board.

Pana is made around the corner from me, but the brand is getting quite well known around the world - http://www.panachocolate.com/online-shop-66.html
These guys primarily sweeten with agave though (too high in fructose for my preference) so I won't buy unless I know for certain the particular product I'm considering is one of the few sweetened with coconut nectar. If agave doesn't bother you the chocolate tastes exceptional and comes in a myriad of flavours. Most of the chocolate isn't particularly high in cacao solids (between 50-70% but they do have one 80% product).

Loving Earth also do loads of different flavours of chocolate as well as other products - https://lovingearth.net/our-products/raw-chocolate.html
Some products are sweetened with agave and some with coconut sugar, it's a good balance throughout their range, there's something for everyone. Generally though their products are much lower in cacao solids than the others, even their 'dark' chocolate is only 72%.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Lindt Excellence above 85% cacao is gluten free and for a fairly inexpensive chocolate fix their 90% is my favourite. We always have some in the house.
It's sweetened with cane sugar but because the cacao content is so high the sugar content is negligible. I also like their 99% but it's definitely in a different category at that stage. It even comes with a warning on the packet

[DudleyGray]

I'm not entirely convinced that sugar is even necessary for a chocolate fix. I mean I'm sure it is and I'm just ignorant to whatever, but a chocolate craving and a sugar craving are not the same for me.

Also, a good list of ethical companies:

http://www.foodispower.org/chocolate-list/

[ahn]

I'm not entirely convinced that sugar is even necessary for a chocolate fix. I mean I'm sure it is and I'm just ignorant to whatever, but a chocolate craving and a sugar craving are not the same for me.

Also, a good list of ethical companies:

http://www.foodispower.org/chocolate-list/

You could be low in magnesium if you're craving chocolate for chocolate's sake.

I started this ritual where I'd have two squares of 90% after dinner, and then I stopped because I felt that it had become a weird addiction. It certainly wasn't harmful but I didn't like how much I "needed" my little chocolate fix after dinner. I'm fairly certain it was the sugar even at such a low quantity. They say sugar produces the same reaction in the brain as cocaine.

[DudleyGray]

That's pretty much my ritual, a small piece after lunch or dinner. My life revolves around little rituals, like changing into loungewear after work or handrolling a cigarette before bed. Stuff that keeps me moving forward from one mundane moment to the next, I find a lot of comfort in routine pleasures.

[MoFiya]

They say sugar produces the same reaction in the brain as cocaine.

I lol'd