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?

--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

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?


Alex, Thank you. I am the one who asked you about the new Hershey's
Extra Dark 60% chocolate. Since then I also tasted it, but unlike you
I did not like it.

As you pointed out to me at a previous time, it is the fruitiness that
I do not like and which seems to give me nothing but an unpleasant
taste sensation, as was the case with Scharffen Berger. I have been
using the "new" 60% Ghirardelli and I like it very much. So much so,
that I have a problem not "tasting" too much of it, while I prepare
the batter for the oven. ( You are the one who suggested to stick
to Ghirardelli for all my day-to-day baking and I want to thank you
for that suggestion.

Most of all, your pointing me to Guittard chocolates for special
desserts and for eating has proven invaluable to me. Thank you, I
wish their products were more easily available in New York City.

Happy New Year and once more, thank you for your help and advice which
you so generously give me, Margaret

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?

"Margaret Suran" wrote in message
...


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?


Alex, Thank you. I am the one who asked you about the new Hershey's Extra
Dark 60% chocolate. Since then I also tasted it, but unlike you I did not
like it.

As you pointed out to me at a previous time, it is the fruitiness that I
do not like and which seems to give me nothing but an unpleasant taste
sensation, as was the case with Scharffen Berger. I have been using the
"new" 60% Ghirardelli and I like it very much. So much so, that I have a
problem not "tasting" too much of it, while I prepare the batter for the
oven. ( You are the one who suggested to stick to Ghirardelli for all
my day-to-day baking and I want to thank you for that suggestion.

I, too, don't care for Scharffen Berger chocolate (too fruity and
unpleasant) but their cocoa is A-1 tasting for me, but it is not always
readily available and the price is outrageous.

For chocolate-bar type chocolate for eating I have been cutting a piece of
semi-dark Ghiradelli chocolate. A little is very satisfying after dinner.
The milk chocolate Ghiradelli is too sweet for eating and leaves me ill. DH
and I both dislike it.

I bought an 8 oz. container of "Organic Trader Joe's Cocoa Poweder for
drinking and baking USDA Organic" "USDA Organic." The price seemed right
for organic. I've not tried it yet. On the label it says, "This organic
cocoa powder is made from South American beans that grow within the Peruvian
jungle along the Andean Mountains. A high percentage of criollo and
trinitario beans create a low acidity and distinct flavor characteristic
that makes this cocoa powder perfect for all applications." "This is
non-alkalized, gluten-free product." Has anyone tried it yet?
Thanks,
Dee Dee

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 08:51:33 -0500, Margaret Suran
wrote:


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?

It is available in more areas, according to my travels. Granted, I am
not traveling to the hinterlands much, just the major metros.

I think part of it is driven by the broad success of higher priced
brands such as Dove & Scharffenberger in groceries and partly by the
Atkins craze, as darker chocolates have less sugar & seem to be the
"sneak treat" of low-carbers.

Boron

Dee Randall wrote:

I, too, don't care for Scharffen Berger chocolate (too fruity and
unpleasant) but their cocoa is A-1 tasting for me, but it is not always
readily available and the price is outrageous.

For chocolate-bar type chocolate for eating I have been cutting a piece of
semi-dark Ghiradelli chocolate. A little is very satisfying after dinner.
The milk chocolate Ghiradelli is too sweet for eating and leaves me ill. DH
and I both dislike it.

I bought an 8 oz. container of "Organic Trader Joe's Cocoa Poweder for
drinking and baking USDA Organic" "USDA Organic." The price seemed right
for organic. I've not tried it yet. On the label it says, "This organic
cocoa powder is made from South American beans that grow within the Peruvian
jungle along the Andean Mountains. A high percentage of criollo and
trinitario beans create a low acidity and distinct flavor characteristic
that makes this cocoa powder perfect for all applications." "This is
non-alkalized, gluten-free product." Has anyone tried it yet?
Thanks,
Dee Dee


I do not know the TJ Cocoa Powder, there are none of those stores in
New York City. Alex Rast may be able to tell you, he is the rfc
Chocolate Guru.

I seldom drink hot chocolate (nor cold one), but I always have a
container of Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder at hand for baking.

It costs either $2.99 or $3.99 for a 10 oz. can, depending on where I
buy it. Finding a store with the lower price has become quite rare
now. It is a very nice cocoa powder.

On the rare occasion when I would like to drink a cup of hot
chocolate, I would want to go to one of Jacques Torres places. It is
a wonderful, fragrant chocolate served with a generous topping of
freshly whipped heavy cream. Heisse Schokolade Mit Schlag. )

Jason Tinling wrote:
The same thing is happening here in CA as well. I imagine it is in
part due to the increased findings on the benefits of anti-oxidants
available in dark chocolates. I put together a dark chocolate "gift
box" for my wife for Christmas, and neither of us were particularly
impressed with the Hershey's 60%. With Hachez, Vahlrona and others to
choose from, it didn't get a great deal of consideration past the
initial sampling.

My coworker will not eat milk chocolate, only dark, because of the
cholesterol. I don't know how a trace of milk in milk chocolate could
possibly throw off the cholesterol numbers myself. She will pass up
chocolate if there's no dark chocolate choice.

Karen

"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 08:51:33 -0500, Margaret Suran
wrote:


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?

It is available in more areas, according to my travels. Granted, I am
not traveling to the hinterlands much, just the major metros.

I think part of it is driven by the broad success of higher priced
brands such as Dove & Scharffenberger in groceries and partly by the
Atkins craze, as darker chocolates have less sugar & seem to be the
"sneak treat" of low-carbers.

Boron

I'm not a low-carber, and I don't sneak for my treats, but I think 'sneak
treat' is a cute phrase. Over a certain percentage of chocolate makes me
just as ill as the milk chocolate of about 58% to 64%. Certainly there must
be something in the processing. I can't figure it out.

Margaret, I buy from Costco or BJ's Ghiradelli's cocoa (unsweetened) in a
28oz size can. I agree it is delicious. As I recall, it is around $4.99 or
thereabouts.
Dee Dee

Dee Randall wrote:
I bought an 8 oz. container of "Organic Trader Joe's Cocoa Poweder for
drinking and baking USDA Organic" "USDA Organic." The price seemed right
for organic. I've not tried it yet. On the label it says, "This organic
cocoa powder is made from South American beans that grow within the Peruvian
jungle along the Andean Mountains. A high percentage of criollo and
trinitario beans create a low acidity and distinct flavor characteristic
that makes this cocoa powder perfect for all applications." "This is
non-alkalized, gluten-free product." Has anyone tried it yet?

No, but I think it would be fun to be a buyer working for TJ's.

Karen

"Alex Rast" wrote in message
...
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?

Likley more driven by that recent study that dark chocolate had health
benefits, and they are readying their products accordingly.



--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

"Dee Randall" writes:

For chocolate-bar type chocolate for eating I have been cutting a piece of
semi-dark Ghiradelli chocolate. A little is very satisfying after dinner.
The milk chocolate Ghiradelli is too sweet for eating and leaves me ill. DH
and I both dislike it.

We just bought a tin of Ghirardelli chocolates and I was really happy
with the 60% cocoa dark chocolate ones. The acidic taste you get in
some cheaper dark chocolates is almost completely gone, it's very smooth
and has a good consistency. The only problem is that the individual
squares are too big, it's too much to just nibble on.

Stacia

Dee Randall wrote:
I bought an 8 oz. container of "Organic Trader Joe's Cocoa Poweder for
drinking and baking USDA Organic" "USDA Organic." The price seemed right
for organic. I've not tried it yet. On the label it says, "This organic
cocoa powder is made from South American beans that grow within the Peruvian
jungle along the Andean Mountains. A high percentage of criollo and
trinitario beans create a low acidity and distinct flavor characteristic
that makes this cocoa powder perfect for all applications." "This is
non-alkalized, gluten-free product." Has anyone tried it yet?
Thanks,
Dee Dee

I like it, but I like my chocolate a little on the dark side (not too
dark). The 80% dark chocolates are too bitter for me - I like most
everything I have tasted in the 60-70% range excpet for Lindt. I have
used it for hot cocoa and brownies (which I only tasted but DH's
coworkers scarfed them up). I would be interested in what you think
about it. Oh, and I also make my hot cocoa with whole milk, a tad of
cream, and vanilla bean, so that will affect the chocolate flavors.
-L

at Tue, 10 Jan 2006 20:15:51 GMT in ,
(Dee Randall) wrote :


"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 08:51:33 -0500, Margaret Suran
wrote:

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. ...

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

I think part of it is driven by the broad success of higher priced
brands such as Dove & Scharffenberger in groceries and partly by the
Atkins craze, as darker chocolates have less sugar & seem to be the
"sneak treat" of low-carbers.

It's been pointed out also that there is the antioxidant "discovery". But
really, I think this is semi-marketing after the fact. The wave of dark
chocolates hitting the market actually started to happen before Atkins, and
before the determination of the better antioxidant properties, and I
suspect the research was in part carried out and indeed possibly even
funded in order to justify scientifically a market for dark chocolate. It's
a not-very-well-kept secret of science that much if not most of it is
marketing in disguise, going something like this: Large Company A has a new
product or line that they want to sell. As it stands there's no
particularly good reason why people might buy it, or perhaps there are
particularly good reasons *not* to buy it (e.g. possible health impacts,
environmental problems, resource overuse, whatever). So what the company
does is fund a lot of studies at various institutions in order to, in the
first place, come up with a good reason why the product should be used, or
in the second case, to refute the negatives. Then when the scientific
studies come out, these results naturally get high press, often in part
because the companies themselves prime the media, people catch on to the
findings, and it doesn't take long before you've got a new trend, backed by
scientific evidence. Now, the science itself isn't flawed, nor are the
investigators themselves carrying out their research in anything other than
an impartial manner. But it must be understood that the *motivation* for
that research is strongly biassed and has predecided conclusions in mind.
(This is coming from the companies, not from the scientists). Thus it's
usually no coincidence that scientific study, not to mention popular
appeal, often seems to coincide with new availabilities. Sometimes it's the
discoveries that drive the production, but more often than not it's the
other way round. It is therefore important to take such findings with a
very strong grain of salt.

Anyway, a lot of the recent increase in dark chocolate availability in the
USA I think has to do with what was starting to happen about 10 years ago -
the beginning of more widespread distribution of quality chocolate in the
country. With this new exposure, people started to appreciate how good
chocolate could be, stopped treating it as a commodity, and bought more
quality chocolate, increasing the size of the market, which brought still
more companies in... and you have the beginning of a strong upward spiral.

I'm not a low-carber, and I don't sneak for my treats, but I think
'sneak treat' is a cute phrase. Over a certain percentage of chocolate
makes me just as ill as the milk chocolate of about 58% to 64%.

High-percentage chocolate has more of the mood-altering chemicals
theobromine, phenyethanine, and caffeine. Like any strong stimulant these
lead to a quick high and a precipitous crash. In severe cases it will make
you dizzy, spacey, and paranoid. Unless you have a strong tolerance from
repeated high-percentage consumption, it's likely that in anything more
than relatively small amounts, the drugs will send you into orbit. It
doesn't help that most high-percentage chocolates are sold in 100g bars,
which, for the average person, is far too much. A new 50g size that's
becoming popular is more realistic. In any case, this is probably what's
making you sick.

--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

Alex Rast wrote:

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.

Lindt at least has had some pretty good dark chocolate for some time,
unlike Hershey's.

I guess I'm a little spoiled because there are enough stores around here
that carry really good chocolate that I don't have to settle for any of
the waxy generic crap that Hershey's, Nestles, and Girardelli sell for
the most part.

"ferret" wrote in message
...
Alex Rast wrote:

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.

Lindt at least has had some pretty good dark chocolate for some time,
unlike Hershey's.

I guess I'm a little spoiled because there are enough stores around here
that carry really good chocolate that I don't have to settle for any of
the waxy generic crap that Hershey's, Nestles, and Girardelli sell for the
most part.

Chocolate by-the-pound by Ghiradelli is pretty good IMO for the price of
$3.49#; particularly the semi-sweet; not the milk chocolate. I think it is
good value. If I am wrong, I would prefer an expert's opinion as to where
and how I am wrong.
Dee Dee