Friday
Aug182006
Chocolate Review 1 - Cafe Tasse - Szechuan
Friday, August 18, 2006 at 08:36PM
There's a great cafe in Oakland called, Bittersweet. What a concept! Everything in this cafe is related to Chocolate and with this wall - it's a chocolate lover's dream.
I'm one of those chocolate lovers, and what I'm weak for is a good bar of dark chocolate. At this cafe, I can find dark chocolate from all over the world, and then order The Bittersweet. Let me break it down for you - it's crack for the chocolate connoisseur.
I could continue to gush about Bittersweet, but that's not the point of this post. Bittersweet is the inspiration of a series of reviews I plan write. Not sure how it will evolve and who will read it, but once again I'm inspired. So here goes!
Cafe-Tasse - Noir, Poivre de Szechuan
You have to taste this bar a few times to really appreciate it. My best advise - spread out your tastings by a day. First of all, Szechuan pepper mixed in chocolate? Yes, chocolate companies have been experimenting for a while.
The first time I tried it, I almost panned it. But I tasted it hungry and while hearing the pounding of my neighbor's contractor upstairs (she's getting new hardwood floors), and I thought that flawed my better judgement.
I broke off another piece a day later, after dinner. This time I really enjoyed the taste of the bar. The chocolate while not my ideal percentage of cacao (only 54%, I like mine around 70%-75%), was not lost to the pepper. I really found it interesting. There is no real "heat" or "spicyness", but you will notice a bite.
I tasted it again this evening and I felt a minty, refreshing flavor. Could I really have three different tasting experiences with the same bar? Am I emotionally eating? Am I merely trying to like this bar because it's my first review? I don't think so, but I may have to try this bar again in a few months to test my palate.
I have to say, I do not feel the need to rush out and buy this bar again. But I do recommend buying it once.
rating: 3 out of 5 cacao beans
I'm one of those chocolate lovers, and what I'm weak for is a good bar of dark chocolate. At this cafe, I can find dark chocolate from all over the world, and then order The Bittersweet. Let me break it down for you - it's crack for the chocolate connoisseur.
I could continue to gush about Bittersweet, but that's not the point of this post. Bittersweet is the inspiration of a series of reviews I plan write. Not sure how it will evolve and who will read it, but once again I'm inspired. So here goes!
Cafe-Tasse - Noir, Poivre de Szechuan
You have to taste this bar a few times to really appreciate it. My best advise - spread out your tastings by a day. First of all, Szechuan pepper mixed in chocolate? Yes, chocolate companies have been experimenting for a while.
The first time I tried it, I almost panned it. But I tasted it hungry and while hearing the pounding of my neighbor's contractor upstairs (she's getting new hardwood floors), and I thought that flawed my better judgement.
I broke off another piece a day later, after dinner. This time I really enjoyed the taste of the bar. The chocolate while not my ideal percentage of cacao (only 54%, I like mine around 70%-75%), was not lost to the pepper. I really found it interesting. There is no real "heat" or "spicyness", but you will notice a bite.
I tasted it again this evening and I felt a minty, refreshing flavor. Could I really have three different tasting experiences with the same bar? Am I emotionally eating? Am I merely trying to like this bar because it's my first review? I don't think so, but I may have to try this bar again in a few months to test my palate.
I have to say, I do not feel the need to rush out and buy this bar again. But I do recommend buying it once.
rating: 3 out of 5 cacao beans
Reader Comments