“I’m sending you some chocolate.” – has there ever been a more wonderful message? “It’s 85% cocoa.” – maybe not so much? I don’t like dark chocolate over 75%. That’s what I’d tell people. All of the chocolate I’d had over my arbitrary percentage line was gritty, bitter, and left a weird taste in my mouth.
Til now.
Alter Eco has mastered the art of making crazy-high cocoa content chocolate tasty as hell. Dark Blackout is smooth, but with just enough of a dark chocolate kick to drive home the fact that this ain’t your kid’s Trick-or-Treat nibble. No way. This is high-toned chocolate excellence that adults will hoard, telling their little ones that it’s not something kids would like. These adults would be lying through their teeth, but hey. More for us, right? Correct.
There really isn’t anything this chocolate won’t pair well with. I’ve had it with:
- Beer: A lovely stout or porter would be best, though a citrusy IPA wouldn’t kick it out of bed)
- Wine: Obviously red would be the rule of the day, but champagne was made for this chocolate, and even the syrupy-sweet moscato a friend gifted me turns into a treat with the solid heft of this chocolate’s flavor
- Oatmeal: Yes, I crumbled a piece into my morning oats. Yes, it was delicious. Maybe next time I’ll add sliced bananas into the mix.
- Cheese plate: Goes well with the usual cheese, apples and pears, dried fruits and salami*. It’s a nice ending note…if you can wait ’til you finish the rest. If you can’t wait and just dig in, there’s no judgement here.
If this is the kind of stuff Alter Eco puts out, I’m eager to try more. Maybe even their 90% cocoa Super Blackout. Hey, since I’ve broken my 75% ceiling, why not?
*Dark Blackout is vegan, so if that’s your jam rest easy, and leave the salami at the store.
