essential chocolate desserts: red velvet ding dongs

stunning, gorgeous, delicious, and moist. i have had my share of nouveau ding-dongs and i am awarding essential chocolates the ding-dong trophy until someone can prove me wrong. the rich moist velvet cake with the vanilla creme center is just perfect - - - not overly sweet and the cake is magnificent.

it is enrobed in dark chocolate and dusted with red velvet cake crumbs.

they also sell mini ding-dongs (to die for) for 2 dollars.

definitely order these for your sweetie or visit essential chocolate desserts at 10868 washington in culver city, ca.

charles chocolates: crystallized ginger pieces in 65% bittersweet chocolate

there is precious diamond dust inside this chocolate bar! small crystallized bits of ginger crackle and meld into the bittersweet chocolate.

i recommend always having this bar on hand.

bon bon bar: orange caramel ● pecan nougat

this is definitely not your ordinary mars bar... i wish that all grocers had this bar at the point of check out... the bon bon bar is incredibly delightful with a scent of orange. it is full of caramely-gooey-wonderfulness - - - i am sure that when candy bars were first made, they were made like this.

the bar may seem a bit steep at five bucks a pop ... but you can definitely tell that the company is not skimping on good and real ingredients... you can taste the rich butter and delight your buds with the candied oranges.

I will have to do a better scan of their cute logo! i just love that the company is based in LA - - - that rocks!

jade chocolates: dragon's breath 65% cacao

beijing, the year is 1916 and you are a guest of the imperial family in the forbidden city... you pass through the gate of supreme harmony and look below to see puyi, the last emporer, riding his bicycle. the eunuchs in their beautifully embroidered robes are desperately trying to catch up to him. you discreetly pass the troupe and reach the gate of earthly tranquility. to the left are residences where concubines turn to fantasy worlds in their opium dens. you continue your quest until you reach the jagged paths of the imperial palace gardens. there, you enter the hall of imperial peace and find a red package that is left for you on the altar table - - - it is jade chocolate dragon's breath bar.

you gently open the lotka paper wrapper and you immediately become surrounded by heady aromas. a single bite is earthy and then it turns meaty... lapsang souchang flavors are well noted. the texture is punched with roasted sesame seeds and once the chocolate melts, gentle fireworks ignite from the spice of the chili peppers.


jadepromo

starbucks: chocolate tasting squares

okay starbucks! the jig is up!

starbucks mocha dark chocolate
the mocha dark chocolate tastes exactly like the scharffen berger mocha dark chocolate.... it has the same density, texture, snap, and crunch. the coffee beans are even crushed the same. hmmm, the chocolate wrapping shows that the mocha dark is created with starbucks® guatemala casi cielo®... but is it really that different from what scharffen berger is using? why don't they just come out and state that this is scharffen berger's chocolate? but again, i could be totally wr-wr-wr-wrong...

starbucks dark chocolate
the dark chocolate is smooth and not that complex. there is a sweet berry finish.

starbucks milk chocolate
the milk chocolate reminds me of staking out waffle shops in brussels and stopping at chocolate shops along the way. it is very much of a smooth belgian-y chocolate.

side note: okay, i may be a bit hypocritical in judging their copywriter. sure i have stated that i have been kidnapped by samurai or that i have been left on island with pirate's booty... but really, who came up with these registered statements on a 3x4.5 inch box of chocolate?:

• bite-size excursions to new realms of chocolate and coffee
• the cacao pod and coffee bean come from distant lands and they have the power to take you away. care to join us in a little excursion?
• when coffee dreams, it dreams of chocolate.®

starbucks: chocolate tasting squares

okay starbucks! the jig is up!

starbucks mocha dark chocolate
the mocha dark chocolate tastes exactly like the scharffen berger mocha dark chocolate.... it has the same density, texture, snap, and crunch. the coffee beans are even crushed the same. hmmm, the chocolate wrapping shows that the mocha dark is created with starbucks® guatemala casi cielo®... but is it really that different from what scharffen berger is using? why don't they just come out and state that this is scharffen berger's chocolate? but again, i could be totally wr-wr-wr-wrong...

starbucks dark chocolate
the dark chocolate is smooth and not that complex. there is a sweet berry finish.

starbucks milk chocolate
the milk chocolate reminds me of staking out waffle shops in brussels and stopping at chocolate shops along the way. it is very much of a smooth belgian-y chocolate.

side note: okay, i may be a bit hypocritical in judging their copywriter. sure i have stated that i have been kidnapped by samurai or that i have been left on island with pirate's booty... but really, who came up with these registered statements on a 3x4.5 inch box of chocolate?:

• bite-size excursions to new realms of chocolate and coffee


• the cacao pod and coffee bean come from distant lands and they have the power to take you away. care to join us in a little excursion?


• when coffee dreams, it dreams of chocolate.®

new tree: forgiveness with lemon and 73% cocoa

this was a strange combination of pine sol and good chocolate. i did not quite know how to forgive this bar, but then i remembered that they created the lavender bar.

valrhona: le noir noisettes

this was quite delicious for valrhona. the crispy hazelnuts were quite bewitching and they insistently teased me.

new tree: tranquility with lavender

this is a dreamy bar that transports me to provence. a nip of the bar and i am surrounded by lush lavender fields.

new tree: vigor

a bitter dark chocolate that does not talk back to me. rich, sweet, and burnt coffee are the aromas that linger. i feel as if i had a quick shot of espresso followed by a brick of chocolate.

scharffen berger: mocha

if champagne were chocolate and coffee combined, this is it.