Guittard, Extra Dark Chocolate Chips, 63% Cacao

So sweet, so small,
they do declare, and make thy call
Thou shall not deny this wonder.

When my wife was nursing our son Cecil, her diet was restricted to non-dairy items. So, while I would have my chocolate at night, she found some Semi sweet chocolate chips from Trader Joe's that were ok to eat.

A few months later, I ran into Guittard chocolate chips in the baking aisle. I like the E Guittard chocolate bars and found the Guittard Chocolate chips to be incredibly well put together.

The chocolate chips themselves are a true dark chip and the vanilla is clear and present - all in all, great chocolate. These chips respond well in baking too -- try them in pancakes for a bittersweet add to a hearty oatmeal based-cake.

I've linked to the Guittard site here, however, you will need to search these chips out -- some supermarkets carry them. The Guittard bars are also terrific -- the bard will be back to review aald.
At-a-glanceForm: Chip
Cacao: 63%
Variety: Dark Chocolate

Raaka, Bourbon, cask aged, 83%

To put thou together
No matter or whether
a vice in hand
lends pleasure to man


The bourbon is clear and present. The chocolate is pure. The combination is natural. This bar separates itself from other 80%+ bars that may be bold, but fall flat. The cask aged bourbon picks up the strength of the chocolate, and makes this an extremely edible and incenting chocolate. The packaging notes strong caramel, vanilla and oak -- I would put them in the opposite order, and they are right on.

Good snap, and immediate, lasting flavor. Of the Raaka bars I've had, this is the strongest to date. Well done.

At-a-glance
Form: Bar
Cacao: 83%
Variety: Dark

Vosges, Smoke and Stout Caramel, 70%

Your armour reveleeth a chink
But from thou midst cometh a flow
so, the cost of luxe and the play on the buds
will keep thine from playing the crow

First off, I purchased this bar from their in-airport shop in O'Hare - and after throwing in my bag on the run, I wound up with a broken bar when I finally unsealed it. Of the handful of Vosges bars I've had, a few have been cracked -- so beware while buying and handle with care. Great broken chocolate is still great chocolate.

The smokey flavor from the stout is clear and present -- it is the driver of this bar. It's often difficult to judge quality of filled bars, like this caramel oozing one -- especially when they are this thin. The chocolate really runs through each Vosges that I've had and this bar is the standard for their terrific flavor.

Good snap, good shine. The salt is difficult to get a strong taste of, but subtly is found in the aftertaste and enhances the taste depth. I was surprised that the caramel was as sweet as it was - had expected something more bittersweet, but it is a good foil for the dark bar.

Overall, one of the messier bars, but in all the right ways. You'll love the taste of this bar.

At-a-glance
Form: Filled Bar
Cacao: 70%
Variety: Dark
Origin: tba