We’ve been choosing our favourite bars over the past few months, and for December’s ‘Pick of the Month’, we’d like a little help.
Leave a comment below (or e-mail us at marianne [at] kerstinschocolates [dot] com) telling us why your favourite bar should be December’s feature. We’ll pick the most passionate response and give the winner their favourite bar on the house.
There are a couple caveats:
Firstly, no Porcelana.
Secondly, we like to use the monthly features to highlight some of our single origin/imported selections that people might not normally pick up. So no Chocophilia bars, please.
Other than that, any bar in the shop is game. We’ve now received all our Amedei, Amano, Madécasse, Askinosie, Bonnat, Michel Cluizel and François Pralus, so there’s lots to choose from. Happy tasting!
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Edit: Here’s a list of bars currently at the shop. Madécasse has been left out since they were featured in our November pick.
Amano – Ocumare 70%, Ocumare 30%, Dos Rios, Guayas, Morobe, Cuyagua (Limited Edition), Montanya (Limited Edition)
Domori – Lattesal, Biancomenta, Cappuccino, Latteamaranth, Peperoncino, Biancoliquiriquia
Amedei – ‘9’, Chuao, Toscana Black 70%
Michel Cluizel – Los Anconès, Concepcion, Vila Gracinda
Bonnat – Madagascar 75%, Asfarth (dark milk), Surabaya (dark milk), Java (dark milk)
François Pralus – Indonesie, Tanzanie, Trinidad, Colombie
Askinosie – Del Tambo, Tenende Tanzania, Nibble-bar
TAZA – 60%, 70%, 80%
Patric – 75% Madagascar, PBJ OMG, Mint OMG, Mocha OMG, Cappuccino
December’s feature chocolate bar should be Amano…one of my favorites. When you put it under the Christmas tree, it’s like giving someone TWO presents…a gorgeous miniature picture of a painting graces the front of the package, while the inside holds a delectable, mouthwatering silky smooth chocolate. Anyone who is lucky enough to be on my ‘exquisite chocolate list’ will be getting one of these bars for Christmas!
A suggestion from ‘Anonymous’:
“While there are too many excellent and delectable chocolate bars to choose from, my suggestion for December’s chocolate bar is the Zotter “Bacon Bits” bar. There is something uniquely warming about this bar. Maybe it’s that sudden feeling of childhood rushing over me as I open up the lovely gold wrapping, feeling like Im going to find a golden key! (Yes, Kirstin’s is my Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory). I long for this bar (probably more often than I should. My hips hate me.)… for the rich texture of the dark chocolate that envelopes the most wonderlfully soft, truffle-like filling. And just as it starts to melt over your tongue, and you wonder what that taste is (cinnamon perhaps?), you’re treated to the most deliciously interesting “crackly” suprize! If I could happily be married to a cholocolate bar, this would be my pick.
For those reading who have never ventured to try this bar, put it on your bucket list :-)”
I know I’m too late for the December Bar of the Month, but I still want to say a little bit about one of my favourites. If I had to choose one bar out of the whole shop it would be the Bonnat Surabaya. I think of it as very dark milk chocolate (65%), and it combines the rich flavours of a dark chocolate with the buttery, creamy texture of a milk. It is, by far, the smoothest chocolate I have ever had – it’s like biting into really fantastic butter. It has a smooth, caramel-y sort of flavour with a darker, smokier edge underneath. I’m not very good at describing the bars I love, but I think it’s the perfect choice for anyone who wants to know why good quality chocolate is worth the extra expense.
p.s. My husband loves the Barre Infernale Noire by Pralus (I do, too!), and says it’s the perfect balance of pure “bar” and confection.