FLIGHT

let's talk about chocolate. I actually want to get really into this, and do experiments, because I've been pretty intrigued about it lately. I'm a total chocoholic, and DO get into moodswings depending on if I've had chocolate that day or not (about a handful of straight chocolate chips)

What are some of your favorite chocolates? why? I'm talking about the "straight" chocolate - the purer, darker stuff with higher cocoa content, without stuff mixed in it (milk chocolate, nuts, cramel, etc.) I'm talking about chocolate chips that come in bags, or fine chocolate that come in bars - where you taste the REAL chocolate, rather than the truffle filling or orange zest or whatever.

there are many factors that might go into WHY you like that brand of chocolate:

texture
consistancy
flavor/subflavors
smell
ingredients
useability in cooking
even political reasons (fair trade, profits going to various causes, etc)
also - PRICE - some chocolates arn't that extra wonderful for the extra money you pay...
ETC.

Of course, there are SO MANY DIFFERENT BRANDS of chocolate... So it's hard to compare, but I think this would be inetersting!

_________________
http://www.semihemisphere.com

One of my favorites is Guittard - They're cheap, but very versetile. They have a very smooth texture, melt well, and are very good for baking/cooking. They have a very strong vanilla subflavor and smell. (I've noticed that a lot of "fine" chocolates have a fruity subflavor to them, i.e. Giradelli, scharfenberger)

Since I am such a choco-whore, I guess I can pretty much say that I've never met a chocolate I didn't like (although some are cheapie, and some are too pretencious)

I like the Trader Joes's Dutch-Process Chocolate chips. They're VERY different from Guittard, these are very dry, have a chalky consistancy, don't melt as well.. but actually that's enjoyable in it's own way...

I feel similarly about Giradelli and Scharfenberger - I feel like there's a lot of buzz about Scharfenberger, and I think it's wondeful that they're becoming successful, but I don't really see what's so special about them... I guess maybe that's not fair, because my experience with them is limited to a summer of eating two cardboard box full of partially melted then solidified again Scharfenberger (shared among a large group of friends, mind you) that we acquired.

_________________
http://www.semihemisphere.com

My favorite at the moment is Trader Joe's "San Tome reserva chocolate" 72% cacao. It's fruity, has a nice acidity and a wonderfull rich chocolate taste.

I know techincally it isn't like what you specified, but the Trader Joe's Chocolate Cat's Cookies. Man...you have not tasted addiction like this.