WineLovers Discussion Group

The Chicago Tribune did a taste testing of bittersweet chocolate. Six tasters ranked them:

1. Droste Pastilles, 72% chocolate liquor
7.1 points

2. Trader Joe's Pound Plus, 72%
7 points

3. Scharffen Berger 70%
6.8 points

4. Valrhona 71%
6.8 points

5. E. Guittard Bittersweet Chocolate

6. Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate (tie)

7. Ghirardelli Extra Bittersweet Chocolate

8. Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate (tie)

(The cheapest was TJ's, at 23 cents/ounce.)

Now, the trick would be to find out which chocolate manufacturer makes TJ's brand for them. It might even be one of the competitors in this judging.

I work in the packaging machinery industry and have occasion to wander into food processing and packaging plants almost on a daily basis. It's surprising (and also usual tippy top secret) which products all come out of the same pot but end up in different wrappers.

By the way, if you do happen to get near Berkeley, the Sharffen Berger factory tour is pretty good.