[chinds85]

I love dark chocolate. No special kind. No filling. Just pllaaaainnn dark chocolate. I think that "sweet candy" stuff is for sissies. Give me BITTER highly concentrated chocolate.

[Suzanne]

If I had unlimited $$$$$, for plain chocolate I'd mainly go with Scharffenberger, the darker the better. Or a Russian brand I've only tasted at food shows, which is very smooth and very rich. Or if I wanted bonbons, Chocolat Moderne, which has some really great fillings and flavors.

But for everyday, I find that bars of Perugina Bittersweet are just fine.

[Nick.Shu]

sometimes lindt but definitely the callebault retail lines - so smooth.

[gonefishin]

I'd still love to experience some of the worlds better chocolates.

My favorite bar so far? Lindt

We have a Polish grocery store that I drive to sometimes...and they have a decent selection of imported foods...including imported chocolates.

They've also got some nice sausages. But my favorite is their beef, pork, chicken, lamb and veal. They've got a good selection of different lamb and veal cuts(and bones) throughout the year.

dan

[shroomgirl]

Ijust read that Scharffen burger has been sold....it'll be interesting to see if the quality is maintained.

[amcardon]

Chocolate - proof enough for me that there is truly a God that loves us...

I grew up with a Mother that would horde and hide chocolate. In her home right now I could guarantee that there is chocolate hidden in every single room, no joke. Last year for Christmas my Dad bought her over 50lbs of chocolate. She will pretty much only eat milk chocolate and loves a hint of mint. I started a website selling my Father's caramels CardonCaramels.com and will soon be selling some homemade chocolate bars. One of them I created for my mother, Mother's Mint. It is not milk chocolate, it's a 53% from Callebault (in my opinion the best chocolate you can buy...) with mint oil, dried mint flakes, and macadamia nuts. Sounds weird but even I like it and I usually cannot stand nuts. She loves this chocolate bar and if it weren't such a pain to balance out she'd have a larger stash of them...

Personally I love a dark chocolate, around 73%, again only from Callebault. One of my favorites has the addition of lavender oil, dried lavender blossoms and freeze dried raspberries. This bar will also be sold on the website soon. This combination in particular is one of the most soothing and truly enjoyable treats I have ever enjoyed. It is delicate with the lavendar, the raspberry adds a contrasting texture and surprise, but the whole experience is wonderful.

Like I mentioned, I will be selling chocolate bars on my website soon. If any of you would like to suggest truly gourmet chocolate bar recipes feel free, and please use your imaginations. The first time I heard of dark chocolate with chopped up chiles in it I about gagged, but I was addicted at the first taste. Incredible combo that I most likely would never have paired in my mind.

suggestions@cardoncaramels.com

[knightdo]

Scharffenbarger makes those little dark bars with cacao flakes. Great for hiking, climbing, etc.

Having said that, the best bar of chocolate I ever had was Valrhona.

[Chowderhead]

When at home, any dark chocolate bar that easily breaks off into small pieces when refrigerated, so I can open the refrigerator door, snap off a little piece, smoosh the foil back around the bar, and be on my way with a quick chocolate fix. Lindts does this nicely.

When on the road for business, grabbing a good cup of coffee, returning to the hotel room where I have stashed a package of Le Petit Ecoliers (70% cocoa, sinfully dark) is just the ticket to make it a bit more like home.