re: #218 freetoken

Epicurean thought for the day: Comparing extra dark (72% or 73%) chocolate:

Trader Joe’s Organic 73% Dark vs. Endangered Species Chimpanzee, Supreme Dark

The TJ O73D has a rather “pure” chocolate flavor, while the ES Chimpanzee has some complex overtones, almost flowery but perhaps a bit more earthy also. Some attribute the latter to the use of beet sugar in the mix, though I’d point out that purified beet sugar is just sucrose (like cane sugar). Perhaps ES uses an unrefined beet sugar?

For snacking I think I prefer the ES Chimpanzee to the TJ O73D as the more complex flavor and milder after taste is better for stand-alone eating; however, the Almond variant of the TJ is more amenable to the palate than either, as the almonds add some sweetness and nuttiness to counter act the strong chocolate flavor.

The TJ chocolate is a bit less expensive, which gives it the edge.

Have you ever considered you might have a “problem” with the cocoa bean?