Wednesday, October 01, 2008

All Melted and Eaten: Divine Chocolate

Divine dark chocolateI tried to wait for the other taste testers before I opened the Divine Chocolate package, but it got all melted and eaten.

This sumptuous Fairtrade chocolate attracted every bug and pudgy child in a five mile radius at the splash park where I shot it.
Bang.
The Milk Chocolate Coins were quite tasty, made from the same drool worthy milk chocolate used in the Fairtrade Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar—Advent came early this year. The coins attracted insects even before I opened the foil. Unless it was me, I reeked of the bean.


chocolate coins and bugI still have some grubby pieces of dark chocolate nestled in mangled foil on my desk. I keep telling myself it's there as air freshener. That's how strong the smell of the 70% Dark Chocolate is, and it's surprisingly fresh and silky on the tooth after two weeks of abuse.
The Mint Dark Chocolate, 70%, is probably the same as the basic dark with peppermint crisp, but didn't make the same impression as the basic dark bar.
Interestingly enough, the Dark Chocolate has significantly more fiber and less calcium than the lackluster 27% Hazelnut Milk Chocolate. Maybe it's only interesting to me because I don't know much about chocolate.

Divine White DarkIf you want an informed opinion, Cybele is also writing about Divine Chocolate. My knowledge of chocolate is a lot like my knowledge of money: I can't tell you how to make it, but go through it quickly.
I pulled an Üter and ate most of the After Dinner Mints before the photo below was taken, then devoured all but the chocolate parts which touched surfaces. I was so stuffed with chocolate all I could do was sit there and read labels.

mintsThe After Dinner Mints, 58% cocoa, were one of my favs, and quite addictive. They were the first to be released from their holding cell in the fridge, and tasted even better warm and disgusting. Did I ask for 80º weather in September? No, I didn't, but I'm asking for it now—pleassseeee.

Melted MintThe White Chocolate With Strawberries contains no fiber or cocoa mass, but has real strawberries in the crisp. I found it too sweet, as white chocolate tends to be, and a little sexy.

White chocolate w/strawberriesI liked the Crunchy Milk Chocolate, 27% cocoa, best of all, and not being able to control my Caligulian appetite, barely took time to breathe as I scarfed it like a dog.
A dog I tell you.
I liked the Hazelnut Milk Chocolate, 27% cocoa, least of all, finding it dull and full of hazelnuts. But the calcium in this bar had a 10% daily value. Makes you reconsider your breakfast choices. (I wasn't kidding about not being able to do anything but read labels after feasting on the flesh of chocolate.)
A Ghanan cooperative is responsible for the aromatic and savory cocoa. The Divine story and more fairtrade information is on their Web site and inside their wrappers, do your own research. I've got bits of chocolate to lick off my desk.

26 comments:

  1. Is that a "male crab" next to the Milk Chocolate Coins?

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  2. Ooh, good one, James.
    I saw some sign about "Hippies Use The Back Door Only," today and almost got it for you.
    Don't think it's meant to be taken that way.
    You southern fried perv.

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  3. I haven't tried the White Choc + Strawberries ... as im allergic to the later! But I have tried the Divine plain white choc ... to me it tastes relatively flavourless! I infact remember liking it to 'sawdust' in its texture.

    I didn't particularly like their milk chocolate bar either ... which probably explains why the orange/milk choc and 70%dark choc have been patiently waiting for a review in my box of chocs for a verrrrry long time!

    Me and Divine never really hit it off I guess! Cheers for the reviews! Nice to see some bars that I can't review... get reviewed :)

    Jim

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  4. Hey Jim, it was weird I didn't like that Hazelnut Milk Chocolate since I prefer milk chocolate. Yeah, I'm one of those.
    But the Crunchy Milk Chocolate bar and the After Dinner Mints—slurp. The coins and calendar too, for that matter.
    I think the 70% basic dark would please dark chocolate lovers. C'mon, try the dark choc.
    Have to agree with you for the most part about the white chocolate, but I in turn liked it, then was put off.

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  5. Um, I've been here before (compliments of smartypants Jodi/Cup o' Noodles), but I didn't comment at the time because just poking my HEAD in put ten pounds on my body.

    ahem

    That said? Keep the Fairtrade chocolate at LEAST 20 yards away, okay? Me and bugs don't jiive.

    Okay, maybe bring it on. At least then I wouldn't eat the chocolate.

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  6. Look at you! You have so much dreamy chocolate!

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  7. YUMMMMMMMMMMMM...........droooool....ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga.....mmmmmmmmmm.......I want CHOCOLATE!!!

    I also want your mailing address so we can send you your truely tacky Niagara Fall Souviner...YOUR PRIZE!!!!

    email to me: olga@olgathetravelingbra.com

    xoxxoxo

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  8. I dunno, Jeanna (smartypants??? me? hey!) that white chocolate looks uber-sweet, but the strawberries look COOL! Maybe I'll get one and use it as air freshener, lol. I've never tried Divine chocolate. hmmm....

    orange/choc? my favorite.

    I have a bin of Trader Joe chocolate covered orange sticks on my desk.

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  9. Hey Unhinged, isn't Jodi a bad influence?
    I get laughs when I complain about weight loss not happening fast enough cuz of this blog.
    I gained 10 lbs. just from opening the damn box.
    I think I ate a bug or two when I shot this. Mmm, protein, that promotes weight loss, right?

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  10. Hey Lisa, I couldn't leave the driveway this morning because I parked outside and had no ice scraper. It was 80 degrees a week ago wasn't it?
    Let's have a cold weather photo contest, you think? Free chocolate for the winner?
    Hey, you should REALLY try to make it here for Freakfest, the day before or day of.

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  11. You got it, Olga. Hey, can I assume you're a dark chocolate lover because the chocolate mess is harder to detect?

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  12. Hey Jodi,
    I hear Trader Joe's is a good one to buy in bulk and use for candy making. I've seen chocolate bigger than my monitor over there.
    Mmm, chocolate covered monitor, wait, I've got one of those. Yeek.
    You're an angst ridden smarty pants, then?
    Yeah, the white chocolate was a little much, and except for the Badger Claw, it always is for me.
    So do you like that Terry's chocolate orange stuff?

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  13. Anonymous4:27 PM

    Oooh! That mint one looks awesome! I'll definitely be looking for that one.

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  14. Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!! CHOCOLATE!! Guess what!?!?! I finally was able to eat chocolate tonight! This was the first time in my pregnancy that chocolate hasn't made me sick!! HOOORAH!!! I cannot tell you how much rejoicing I did! I ate half a bar of Swiss milk chocolate nougat yumminess!

    I'll probably suffer later, but hell...it was goooooooooood!

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  15. Jodi is totally angst-ridden. And a smarty-pants. (Those are good things to be, dang it, don't feel bad, Cup. Better than being boring.)

    Pass the orange chocolate things.

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  16. Hey Erika, really, you like the mangled mint? I loved them, and I'm not always a mint or dark chocolate person.

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  17. Hey C., I hope not. Is Swiss or Belgian chocolate your favorite? You're a milk chocolate person aren't you?
    Congrats on that, the little linebacker is going to be a chocolate lover.

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  18. I saw some Lindt orange chocolate things today at Walgreens, Unhinged, but they turned out to be pumpkins.
    Feeling quite angst-ridden and unhinged myself tonight.
    Doesn't take much.
    Or does it?
    Just looking at the word angst-ridden makes me feel at loose ends not knowing where the world stands on hyphen use.
    I require sugar.

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  19. Jeanna Based on your recommendation I will give that 70% Dark Choc a try this week!! I'm praying it is better than the white!

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  20. Oh hey Jim, almost anything is better than white chocolate. I did more than nibble on this white choc though, but I felt all dirty afterwards.
    I still want to send you some Badger Claws.

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  21. Hey, Jeanna!
    Right you are! I am indeed a milk chocolate lover. As for the Swiss or Belgian...I'm do not discriminate ;) I love them both equally.

    Before I got pregnant, I used to LOVE white chocolate. Every Easter, my Dad would get me a white chocolate bunny (and not the cheap, hollow kind they sell for 99 cents for people who don't know their chocolate)! Now that I'm pregnant, the thought of white chocolate makes my teeth hurt. Weird.

    Have you ever had white hot chocolate? Seeing that Winter will be here in a few months (yeah, I realize I just glossed over Fall), all I can think about is how much I loved white hot chocolate (instead of just regular hot chocolate). There's just something so sinfully delicious and decadent about white hot chocolate. Or...ever try a half hot chocolate/half French vanilla? Sex in a coffee mug, I tell ya! It's soooooooo good!!!

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  22. Hey Chrissy, I don't remember coming across white hot chocolate mix, but easy enough to make: Melt white chocolate with milk and stir.
    Maybe I'll get some hot chocolate recipes up again soon. I came across some dark hot chocolate mix I'm going to try. Too bad it's in the seventies today. Not that I'm really complaining.

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  23. Oh, in that case, I'll throw in a box of white hot chocolate mix for you! You know...in that package that I have yet to send you! LOL! I knew there was a reason for my procrastination! ;)

    You don't want to use up your precious white chocolate...I'll just send you some white hot chocolate mix! XO

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  24. You are sweeter than white chocolate, C., but I was going to pick up some for you! You I like, white chocolate, not so much.

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  25. Ooooooooooh!!! Good thing you told me you're not a white chocolate fan. I almost sent you a winter's supply of white hot chocolate. If that doesn't give you elevated blood sugar levels, I don't know what will! ;)

    I guess I can send that package over to you asap then! XO

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  26. Morning C., it's the Badger Claw or nothing for me white chocolate wise. (Always open to trying new stuff though.)

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