March 13 -- Chocolate Conundrum
13In my house, Chocolate is a hotly debated subject. Mostly, it is around who stole whose chocolate 
One kid likes milk or white chocolate, the other loves dark chocolate. The hubby and I am dark chocolate lovers. 
What type of chocolate is your favorite and why? Do you like it in bar shape or wafer or something else? Are you the purist who likes it without any add-ins or do you like your chocolate chock full of nuts and crunchies??
Have a great day!
- 23 comments, 80 replies
- Comment
Well, since you mentioned ‘crunchies.’ My current favorite bar… I loooove sponge candy.
I tend to prefer milk chocolate but would likely kill someone over a white chocolate covered pretzel. (Yeah, yeah - it’s not real chocolate. We’ve all heard it before.)
@cinoclav I love crunchies… Cadbury from other countries is sooo much better.
@mikibell Agreed. I should’ve bought more since I was just in Canada. Or I should’ve stayed there for four years and enjoyed their candy and politics…
I prefer dark chocolate. But I’ll eat any kind, just not with oranges in it. Chocolate and orange do not mix.
@lisaviolet
Sorry. Love Orange Chocolate.
@f00l
@lisaviolet I knew you were my sister-from-another-mother… I agree wholeheartedly!
@lisaviolet those chocolate oranges around Christmas make me sad because a lot of people buy them and offer me some, but I hate the flavor.
I know they made a raspberry in the same orange shape, but that’s silly.
/image orange chocolate raspberry
@lisaviolet
@mikibell
@RiotDemon
Please send all your Orange Chocolate this way. I will find good homes for all of it.
@lisaviolet @f00l
/image Sweet’s Chocolate Orange Sticks
Also available in dark chocolate, and with cherry, raspberry, or blueberry filling.
@duodec
@lisaviolet When my birthday rolls around my wife makes me an orange cake with dark chocolate frosting. Mmmmmm!
@duodec Why does she hate you?
@lisaviolet I dunno, just incredibly lucky, I guess!
@duodec Horrible. Just horrible. A crime against nature, I say.
@lisaviolet
IDIC. Nature’s bounty provides infinite diversity in infinite combinations. There are infinite recipes not yet discovered, infinite flavors to be savored or disliked, but not rejected (someone somewhere will eat and appreciate the most incredible things)…
chocolate and orange, such a simple suite yet so complementary, so elegant, so suited to various expressions from a simple Hershey square and Brach’s orange jelly double-bite, to my wife’s delightful cake, to Sweet’s Orange Sticks, orange Jaffa cakes, chocolate coated orange wafers and Terry’s chocolate oranges (Mom’s favorite) and doubtless so many others.
To call such a diverse and unctuous pairing a crime is a truly sad commentary on the appreciation of diversity in nature’s awesome flavors and combinations
@duodec The combination of orange and chocolate is a crime against nature. An abomination. Like Cadbury eggs.
@lisaviolet
Sigh…
@duodec Orange and chocolate…
@lisaviolet
People who think fine seafood is nasty…leave more for people with discerning palates. People who think prime steak perfectly cooked is nasty leave more for people with refined tastes. People who disdain two of nature’s finest flavors in combination in favor of bland uniflavors… leave more orange chocolate for me! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
@lisaviolet
/image delicje orange
@duodec @lisaviolet hurls and YOU are cleaning up the mess, Mister!
@duodec You are bound and determined to make me puke, aren’t you.
@duodec those same cookies, but raspberry, are delicious.
@mikibell @lisaviolet I sought only to illuminate with this marvelous European confection and cookie in one, to bring joy, diversity, succulence, and capital NOM! to an apparently benighted sense of taste. As you can see, even now @RiotDemon has shown appreciation of the concept, if not the specific application. Try some of her preference as a gateway, if you wish; you’ll feel better with open heart, mind, and palate!
Or you could just be like this guy…
@duodec Raspberry and chocolate is a good thing.
@lisaviolet Raspberry and chocolate is a also good thing
@duodec Well, yes. Chocolate and strawberries. Chocolate and blueberries. Chocolate and coffee.
But nyet to the oranges. Nope. Nope. Nope.
@lisaviolet
/image sad orange
@duodec Dear Sad Orange,
You’re so awesome by yourself that there’s not much in this world that can make you taste better.
Your friend,
lisaviolet
@lisaviolet
"No chocolate for me
Alone I’ll always be…
those berrys get the life
I’m missing…
A uniflavor fruit
And no-one gives a hoot
that my chocolate combo they
are dissing…
There will come a day
Freshness goes away
And a sad marmalade
awaits me
When that end comes I know
They’ll spread me on some toast
Chocolate goes on
Without me
'Cause I ain’t got no chocolate
No chocolate, no chocolate there for me
I’ll be alcoholic
just a lonely, alcoholic
’Cause no sweet sweet chocolate
will come take a chance with me…
who knew it was a fan of Louis Prima…
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate.
Dark Chocolate is best. The purer the better. Love the stuff from Trader Joe’s.
Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate are also excellent.
Free Chocolate is the very best. Because Free Chocolate costs no $, has zero calorie or negative health consequences, and involves zero decision processes other than looking stupid and greedy.
Even if said Free Chocolate comes on top of a donut. Or many donuts. Or perhaps it comes inside many many cookies or brownies.
If someone didn’t see me eat it, I didn’t eat it.
For your chocolate truffle needs, may I recommend:
http://www.sweetshopusa.com/shopping/category/40/FudgeLove
@f00l we didn’t see you eat it, but the proof is in the pudding!
@mikibell
The Sweet Shop used to be here in FW. They had an incredible factory store.
Then the city took away all the land in order to create a town lake or something. This lake is still in progress and I haven’t bothered to check it out yet.
So The Sweet Shop moved to Mount Pleasant, Texas, about two hours east of Dallas.
Much or most of the production is sold to other high-end chocolatiers and re-branded. They make an astonishing % of the chocolate truffles sold by US chocolatiers.
The thing to do is call the retail outlet (Mon-Fri, 9-5 CT) and ask them to send you bags of seconds. They have seconds in everything they make, usually it means tiny variations from ideal appearance.
If you are ordering seconds in truffles, they will have a kind of random flavor selection that varies by the day. The seconds taste great, look great, and are way way cheaper. And since they come in a plastic bag instead of a fancy box, obviously, you need to eat them that much faster. Obviously.
You can’t order seconds off the web site. You have to call.
Neiman-Marcus carries their retail line. The brand for the truffles sold under The Sweet Shop name is “Fudge Love”.
I wonder if they do factory tours …
If you want to know if these are any good, ask @Hollboll. They made a righteous bribe.
@f00l Do the seconds get melty in the mail on their way from TX?
@PantHeist
Not Oct thru April. They are pros. They have fancy shipping protocols.
I’ve only shipped from them in winter, so I don’t know what they do in summer.
@f00l awesome and tempting…
@f00l Yes, I am thinking @hollboll needs to bribe the current goat, once she recovers from her journey!! (no nuts, @hollboll, until we figure out what makes me itchy!)
@shawn why does this happen??? Obviously, I read what I wrote!
@mikibell
I am sorry to tell you that the bribe was the other way 'round.
I’m sure @Hollboll would be willing to receive more.
; )
@f00l @PantHeist well at least recently they came in a box with a 1" Styrofoam and one of those one time use cold packs with the chocolate on top. When they arrived at my house (in the deep south where it was been in the 70’s and occasionally 80’s - don’t remember the temp when it arrived but for sure not cold) the cold pack was still pretty cold and the chocolate was in good shape. PS they were a present from someone and I only have ONE mint one left (which will be eaten tomorrow and then they will be gone -sigh) - it was very, very good. In my opinion the mint were marginally better than the pure chocolate ones. Not a heavy mint taste but the inside chocolate was a bit smoother.
I prefer milk chocolate. Not Hershey’s, bleh. Except their Cookies and Cream.
If I’m going to purchase one it’s usually
/image Cadbury fruit and nut
Lindt is good too.
Ferrero rocher and the coconut ones are awesome.
@RiotDemon Have you tried Raffaellos? They are made by Ferrero Rocher. White chocolate, coconut, cream, cookie shell and a blanched almond.
@RiotDemon Ollies had tiny Cadburys fruit and nut cheap. I bought a few bags. Bonus- the kids hate them so I don’t have to hide them.
@moondrake yeah, that’s what I meant when I said the coconut ones. I couldn’t think of their name. Love those things.
Dark chocolate for me. I’m fine with most mix-ins (coconut can bite a dong), but I will kill people for dark chocolate with a raspberry filling.
@Nuurgle ohh… duh, that picture didn’t interest me, because I thought the wrapper was white chocolate… those look good on second look
@Nuurgle Years ago, a friend gave me and Mrs. G some chocolate covered raspberries. They were awesome.
Depending on my mood, white chocolate or very dark chocolate are my favorites. I generally prefer them with no inclusions. I like white chocolate because of the incredibly rich and smooth texture and flavor. It’s like butter made into a candy. Good quality white chocolate is hard to find, but fortunately Lindt still offers the good stuff. I like dark chocolate for it’s assertive, complex flavor. Because of it’s healthful properties, good quality dark chocolate is abundant. Lately this is the one I favor. Strong, smooth Belgian chocolate and no parafin.
@moondrake those look good!
I’ve been so bummed at Wendy’s, you can’t just order a Frosty, and get chocolate, you have to tell them what kind now.
@cranky1950 I love that they have tiny cups for frostys…
@mikibell I usually get the regular small though. I figure that if I’m gonna blow my diet, I might as well do it right.
In answer to what kind of chocolate I like, the answer is YES. I like it. Chocolate is necessary for the sustainment of life…well, after coffee, anyway. Here’s a nice and easy (and delicious) fudge recipe (very low calorie, I swear):
Fudge
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
4 1/2 tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt in saucepan. Add milk; bring to boil, stirring frequently. Cook to 232 degrees (soft ball stage). Remove from heat, stir in butter. Cool to 110 degrees (lukewarm); add vanilla and beat until thick. Pour into buttered pan, and cut in squares when cool.
(You can also eat some with a spoon before it’s cool, but be careful, or you’ll burn your mouth.)
@Shrdlu love fudge… yummmmyyy
@mikibell
@shrdlu
Stop making me think about fudge!!!
I have things to do today that don’t involve fudge! And my “jogging for newbies” project (for the umpteenth newbie time) does not mention anything about fudge!
@f00l Someone gave the kid a fudge kit for Christmas… maybe I will have to make it with her tomorrow when we are under 6 feet of snow!!
@Shrdlu If you eat it with your eyes shut I was told, from a
alternative factreliable source that they then have no calories. You have to be able to see the calories for them to exist.I blame our goat that you’re being a dessert tease
@CaptAmehrican yup… I love dessert… thus why I am as big as a house!!!
http://shirt.woot.com/offers/essential-element
http://shirt.woot.com/offers/purrpetrator
(The artist did a followup sketch when I mentioned that cats and chocolate don’t mix.)
I prefer milk chocolate but no longer eat it. I eat two squares of >72% dark chocolate every day.
I like chocolate +coconut, +bananas, +nuts
I’m ambivalent about chocolate +berries.
I’m very much against chocolate +citrus fruit.
If you like chocolate and raisins, I’m not sure we can be friends.
@huja You and I are besties…
@huja Sorry to hear that. Nestle’s Chunky and chocolate covered raisins - nomnomnom.
I tend to like dark chocolate, plain or with something spicy in it. I get nostalgic for skor bars though, since my mom used to sometimes give me one as a treat.
/image skor bar
@PantHeist yummmy… I remember those on top of death by chocolate… Think I have to skip them now
@PantHeist Skor vs. Heath. Who knocked off who?
@huja I always thought Skor was slightly more buttery.
@huja I like skor better, but heath is the original. Hershey makes em both now anyway
@PantHeist they both suck compared to a daim. The chocolate is just so bad… I wish someone like Lindt or Cadbury made a version here.
/image daim bar
@RiotDemon Never had one.
@RiotDemon You’ve made me think of kindereggs … drool
@Pantheist I miss kinder eggs. Those are a good mix of white and milk chocolate. Way better than the chocolate in the toy eggs/balls you can buy here.
/image dark chocolate non pareils
@cattylaq My son LOVES these… I can take them or leave them!!! Just wish I could stop finding the little white beads all over the rug!!! (his grandmother and that darn dollar store!!!)
@mikibell Its called what goes around comes around.
@mikibell A dog should take care of the sugar beads or maybe a goat.
@cattylaq no. and don’t remind my children!
@cranky1950 but I haven’t made anyone insane yet???
@mikibell I got confidence in you.
@cranky1950
There is a Pangburns factory around here somewhere. Or there used to be. Hmmmm.
Not really a chocolate fan, but I’ll eat it if I have to. Is semi-sweet the same as dark chocolate?
Eta:
@KDemo
Are you a genetic mutation away from pure Homo sapiens or something?
/giphy chocolate
@f00l
Outlook good
/8ball Am I a genetic mutation away from pure Homo sapiens or something?
@KDemo I on the other hand love chocolate (and coffee) but had to give up both about 5 years ago due to a caffeine intolerance that built over years (noticed in teens as 4 Cokes causing shortness of breathe but by 40s 1/2 cup decaf was causing migraines). Yet I am torturing myself reading through this whole thread.
When I could eat it: 1. dark chocolate plain, 2. Milk chocolate w mixins (Reese’s cups and Butterfingers and Skor were favorites) 3. dark w mixins 4 plain milk chocolate 5. White chocolate with mixins 12. Plain white chocolate.
Why am I torturing myself?!
KDemo: You should eat more to balance out my lack.
/image butterfingers
@mollama - Sorry to hear of your great misfortune.
Tell you what - you can have my kiwifruit! I’m allergic.
locally made dark chocolate - single origin preferred
but really good truffles from them too
http://www.parliamentchocolate.com/
I had some bulk chocolate from that place in frisco back in the late '80s, and it was pretty good. Not as much of a fan of their packaged chocolate. I wonder if they’re still decent.
It ain’t cheap, but it’s good.
@Pixy Meh. There are better high end chocolates.
I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I do like Flake, along with nearly any kind of chocolate.
Dark chocolate covered coffee beans…
@nasman6
No. Those are all for me. You don’t get any.
@nasman6 Try dark chocolate covered cocoa nibs.
I can tell you snowdrop confections in Maine makes a mean dark chocolate covered pretzel. Kid’s grandma/pa brought them back for him, and he donated them to me
Years ago, I lost a lot of weight. One change: switching from candy bars to high-quality chocolate. 1oz of really great chocolate (French, Belgian, Swiss, it’s all good) is far more satisfying than a big-ole mass-produced candy bar.
Anyone here had chocolate with bacon? Shredded bacon in a chocolate bar? Bacon rasher dipped in chocolate? Possibly then battered and fried?
@duodec chocolate and bacon, I can enjoy that…battered and fried, that might just kill me…
Bacon on a maple glazed donut…yummmmyyy
@duodec I tried slicing a raw piece of bacon this morning with a butter knife against my right thumb this morning.
Butter knives can break the skin. I know this because I saw blood on the bacon.
@lisaviolet seriously…you need a vacation!
@lisaviolet Chocolate would be better than butter knife induced hemorrhaging as a bacon enhancer.
@mikibell Agreed (on both counts). The nearby doughnut shop does maple bacon now and again and I always try to get one in the morning (they sell out…).