Valentine’s Day was a few weeks ago, which meant chocolate was on sale everywhere. With Swiss Lindt chocolate half-price at the grocery store, I couldn’t resist getting a selection. According to Mimi Sheraton on pages 331 – 332 in 1000 Foods to Eat Before You Die, only the plain dark chocolate bars and those with sea salt are worth buying, as are the liquor-filled batons the company makes. Flavored bars and especially milk chocolate are not, apparently. But for the ultimate chocolate experience, the super-dark 90 or 95 percent cocoa bars are the most complex, if you can get past the bitterness.
Personally, I disagree. No matter how complex and interesting, barely-sweetened chocolate doesn’t taste good. The bitter flavor is unbalanced on its own. It needs enough sugar to counteract it. The idea isn’t to overwhelm the chocolate, but to create a sweet-bitter harmony. Milk chocolate adds another layer of complexity, being sweet, bitter, and creamy. It is no better or worse than dark chocolate, just different.
I also disagree about the flavored bars and confections. The Lindt dark chocolate with sea salt does taste good, but so does the dark chocolate orange and dark chocolate chili. The milk chocolate is delicious with chopped hazelnuts. And the chocolate truffles are spectacular, with a crunchy shell and smooth, creamy filling. My personal favorite are the dark chocolate ones (in the dark blue bags), but the milk chocolate and a few of the flavored varieties are also worth trying. A bowl full of Lindt truffles, color-coded in brightly-colored wrappers, would be great fun at a holiday party.
Adults might also enjoy the batons. As far as I can tell, current varieties are filled with kirsch, plum brandy, or orange liqueur. The fruit flavors sound like they would work with the chocolate, but I worry about the alcohol overwhelming the taste. Since they’re only available online in the US and are quite pricey, I didn’t bother. Not when Lindt truffles are easy-to-find.
During the 19th Century, Swiss confectioners were among the first to produce solid chocolate, and they are still among the best. I would hold off on the chocolate sandwich, though. Supposedly, alpine skiers sometimes snack on a piece of chocolate between two pieces of sourdough bread. If it was a baguette or ciabatta, sure, but not sourdough. And between trips down the bunny hill, not world-class slopes.
Rating: 10/10 for the truffles, 9.5/10 for the various chocolate bars
Feasting Through Time 