The Dark Side of Chocolate

In this first chocolate review of 2011 (see previous posts here, here and here) I have decided to write a little about two chocolates with an quite unusual high percentage of cocoa (so fasten your seatbelts!):

Michel Cluitzel, who some of my long-time readers will remember from his excellent 65% Mangaro, has come up with a small (30g) bar with an astonishing 99% cocoa content. Very eager to find out whether such a 'high voltage' chocolate is actually edible I could not resist bringing one home. 

Cappuccino Challenge

I have never liked Starbucks. From the first time I've had a coffee there I have been unable to feel any appreciation for their coffee and hence have abstained from having it for a long time. However, not wanting to be labeled biased or perhaps even fundamentalist today I have given it another another try. As I had some time on my hands before meeting a few friends I first had a cappuccino at my preferred coffee outlet, Coffee Heaven followed by a cappuccino at Starbucks (which was conveniently on the way). 

Top Of The Chocs

Today I am continuing my series of chocolate reviews (see here and here) with a - at least to me - rather new discovery. During one of my most recent trips to Berlin I visited the chocolaterie of my choice and pampered myself with both old time favourites as well as new interesting delights.

Having tasted their 70% Toscano Black I hold the small chocolate manufacturer Amedei in very high esteem and hence did not hesitate to try out one of their blended chocolates called "9".

Swiss Surprise

Readers of my old entries from 2007 will remember my first chocolate post in which I promised to publish regular reviews of interesting and taste-worthy delicacies from the chocolate world. 

With a few years delay I have now decided to continue this series and would like to draw your attention to a chocolate which origins have surprised me as I have been a big and loyal fan of chocolates from Belgium, France as well as Italy and Läderach's Hazelnut chocolate is Swiss.

Chocolate Fans

Some of my readers might know that I am a big connaisseur of - especially dark - chocolate. During the "good old Zwackelmann days" we used to host "chocolate tasting sessions" at home - a tradition I have continued in India (importing the some of the most exclusive chocs from Europe) and recently revived here in Wroclaw.

For those who share my weakness for this sweet temptation I have decided to write regular reviews of some of my favourite chocolates. Although, as mentioned above, my preference lies clearly on the darker side, I will also feature some of the very delicious milk chocolates from time to time.

During my last visit to Germany I have accidentally come across a very nice little Chocolaterie, whose owner is not only very friendly, but also extremely knowledgable. Since this place has recently been opened and I was very pleased with the service, I would like to recommend it to those of you living in and around the Rhineland:

Chocolaterie "Desir Noir"
Luminaden
Wiesdorfer Platz 16
51373 Leverkusen
Germany
Phone: +49 1577 254 38 43

It was the owner of this little shop who recommended the chocolate I would like to write about today: Michel' Cluitzel's "Hacienda Mangaro"


With a 65% cocoa percentage it's not too dark, so it might be worth trying even if you're a "milky" (if you're sure you don't wanna try, there's a milk version with only 50% as well). Michel Cluizel's chocolate is manufatured in the south of the Normandy in France and from previous tastings I was somehow (don't ask me why ...) not a big fan of his chocolate and thus was initially quite reluctant to buy it. However going by the recommendation of the owner has eventually paid off: the cocoa beans used in this "single-plantation" chocolate from Madagascar have been grown on a plantation which was formerly a mango tree forest, so the beans inherited a "fruity" flavour from the earth. I think one needs to develop a taste for this special citric something, which actually gives this chocolate a very exotic and distinct flavour, but once you have acquired it, the Mangaro is an amazing experience to your tastebuds :-)

A perfect chocolate for a warm summer evening ...recommends
Memonji