The very fact that there is any dark chocolate available on the island at all is a cause for celebration. That there is a choice, even if at times that means going slightly out of one’s way, is the stuff of jubilation. Is it a sign of our newfound European-ness and sophistication or are we all on a diet? Whatever, we are still far from chocolate heaven, where they sell Dolfin au poivre rose and Chocolat Bonnat from Malagasy cocoa beans.
Lindt Excellence
I used to count myself lucky. This was a good compromise, I’d thought, a decent chocolate fairly widely available in Cyprus (albeit with a propensity to shortages). As time has gone by and this has become a daily staple, however, its true character has shone through, proving there is little exaggeration in the name. I never tire of being surprised by this perfect chocolate experience, from first impact to lingering, more-ish after-effect.
Cocoa: 70%
Price: £1.35 for 100g
Neuhaus
Once upon a time (until last summer) inside the Hilton newsagent’s fridge there lay different types of Neuhaus dark belles, their exquisite beans hailing from exotic lands – at a reality-check price of £4. On a Sunday morning, it bore all the exhilarating characteristics of a childhood treat. Now the fridge is gone, the bars have shrunk and migrated to the checkout and – inexplicably – to the health section of Alpha Mega. Still, the taste is drawn-out and languorous, even if the colza oil (ok, full of omega 3s but what’s it doing in a bar of chocolate?) adds something slightly bogus to the bar’s sensuality.
Cocoa: 73%
Price: £1-£1.50 for 45g
Marks & Spencer Dark Swiss Chocolate
Nothing jars, nothing niggles in this smooth chocolate encounter, but then there is not much that is memorable about it either once its effect wears off the tongue in a few quick minutes. The Husband pronounced it, much like the Neuhaus, a little too chunky (as opposed to Lindt’s sleek, thin tablet) and a bit fondant. There is also an added, unidentified ‘flavouring’. Still, very good value for money and small enough to slip discreetly into a handbag or trouser pocket.
Cocoa: 70%
Price: £0.50 for 50g
Bournville
‘The Original Plain Chocolate’? Hm. This harks back to student days when nothing else was available and, as I had not returned to it since, I needed to jolt the taste buds. Oh dear. So little cocoa, so little point. It is indeed plain and only dark in so far as it contains no milk, but there is so much sugar your fillings hurt. Not even sure I would cook with it now that Nestle’s Dessert chocolate at 52% cocoa solids is available. It sure is cheap though – and so it should be.
Cocoa: 39%
Price: £1 for 200g
Hachez Cocoa d’ Arriba
Seduced by the 77% cocoa promise on the wrapper, I bit into this with gusto only to find my mouth stuck together. There are no aftertaste tsunamis here, no story-telling of far-flung places, just a quick reaching-out for a glass of water that only accentuates the bitterness on the tongue.
Cocoa: 77%
Price: £1.80 for 100g
Valhrona Manjari
Have you ever measured the dimensions of your happiness? Right now, mine adds up to a square of 3.4×3.4cm, made from Madagascar cocoa beans and promising “a deliciously refreshing flavour reminiscent of red fruit”. And you know what? It delivers it, smoothly, elegantly, by releasing delicate hints of raspberry that dance about at the back of your mouth. Founded by a French pastry chef in 1922, Valhrona, the Rolls Royce of chocolate, achieves a masterly balance of aromas and flavours much like fine wine. I know it doesn’t come cheap but please, please buy a lot of it so that its importers may be encouraged to bring it in the 100g bar format!
Cocoa: 64% cocoa
Price: £7.50 for 18 squares (plus 18 squares of Jivara Lait 40% cocoa), 180g
Duc d’ O
This was bought in the departure lounge at Larnaca Airport and chomped through on a flight to Dubai. Is it the compressed cabin air at 39,000 feet or is this Belgian chocolate really good? Sugar levels are just so, there is a huge aftertaste and silky, melt-in-the-mouth texture, with a strong undertone of coffee that binds lips, tongue and inner cheeks together in delicious complicity.
Cocoa: 76%
Price: £1.25 for 100g
