Alex Rast wrote:
About a month ago I got asked on Hershey's Extra Dark 60%. At that
point I
hadn't tried it so my response was only able to be conjectural at
best. So
now, the actual results.

Hershey's Extra Dark 60% is really quite good, borderline excellent,
indeed. Considering its manufacturer's past results, it's a
spectacular
success. They've managed to extract considerable fruity flavour -
cherry in
the initial taste, not to mention blueberry in the aroma, and it's
got a
nice chocolatey main flavour to it. The only disappointment is a
very flat
finish, and without this negative the bar would *definitely* be
excellent
if not great. Texture, too, is on a par with high-end chocolatiers,
very
smooth and creamy. I note that they're also using natural vanilla
and in
general the ingredient label contains nothing commonly seen as suspect
among the chocoscenti. "Extra Dark" is perhaps a misnomer
(typically that
would be more of an 85%-class bar) but we may pardon them for that
label in
view of the chocolate's appeal. Good value considering it's $1.99
for a
100g bar, although I have to note that there are cheaper chocolates
for the
same size, some of them with equivalent quality. All indications
are that
Hershey's is taking the quality chocolate market seriously.

In a larger sense, indeed, the whole chocolate industry is moving
upscale.
Commodity brands like Hershey's and Lindt are producing excellent
chocolate
and boutique brands are exploring new sources and showing off single
varietals.

I wonder how much of this is being driven by the political
instabilities
and infamous work conditions now so publicly exposed in the Ivory
Coast,
the traditional major cocoa source for large producers?

I noticed something else. Some of the large Chain Drug Stores, Rite
Aid in this particular case, are starting to carry more dark chocolate
items. Dove used to be the only ones until now, but yesterday I saw a
whole bin filled with packages of Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses for
Valentine's Day. Hershey's Special, their dark chocolate is available
in all the stores now, something that was not so just a short time ago.

Is this happening only in the New York City area or did others notice
it in their stores?