In keeping with my recently reinstated quest to translate all my waffling chocolate tasting notes into blog reviews so that I can justify buying and eating more chocolate (more chocolate! more chocolate! ‘Muricah!), here are four chocolate treats I was generously given way, way back in that place called Australia.
Rococo Basil and Persian Lime Organic Dark Chocolate
If I turned the packaging for this Rococo Basil and Persian Lime Organic Dark Chocolate into wallpaper, I’d likely have nightmares six nights out of seven. And the seventh would only be dream-free if I self-medicated with bottles of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum right before bedtime. That aside, this fancypants UK chocolate was sent to me by my friend Jessica, who also kindly gave me these Gin & Tonic and Lime Zest & Black Pepper chocolate blocks. Thank you Jess!
The aroma of Rococo’s dark basil and lime chocolate was deeply herbal, almost potpourri-like, and reminded me a little of ylang ylang essential oil. The chocolate snapped crisply, and the strongest initial flavour was definitely dried basil, with cocoa coming in softly afterwards.
The chocolate had vanilla and ice cream notes, neither smoky nor tangy. The lime wasn’t particularly strong, but did provide balance against the basil. A lovely chocolate, all told.
Perfection Chocolates Dark Peanut Clusters
My lovely former colleague Vicky gave me these Dark Peanut Clusters for my birthday back in May, and they proved supremely satisfying whilst pushing through my final deadlines and handover documents at work. Perfection Chocolates is a Sydney-based chocolatier specialising in handmade chocolates, and these stupendously fresh-crispy roasted peanut clusters bound together with sweet dark chocolate were a wonderful snack to have hidden in my office desk drawer.
Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate with Raisins and Pecans
Despite the fact that I’m now in the U.S., both of today’s Trader Joe’s chocolates came to me courtesy of my brother, who brought them back to Australia for me in January. It’s just as well he did, for I would never have chosen a bar filled with squidgy raisins myself. The squelch factor! The squelch factor!
I do adore pecans, though, so tried to approach the sweet 57% dark chocolate creation with an open mind. The aroma was subtle, with perhaps a hint of wine. The nuts were big and plentiful (go ahead, Amber, giggle), and the chocolate sent forth mellow caramel, caster sugar, and woodsy notes with a redcurrant aftertaste. The pecans were fresh, soft, and lovely, and the raisins weren’t utterly unbearable in their squelchy squelchiness. That’s a win, surely?
Trader Joe’s 70% Dark Chocolate Bar with Toffee, Walnuts and Pecans
Dark chocolate with toffee, walnuts, and pecans? Oh yes, this is far more my style. I liked this chocolate from the moment I breathed it in and found that it reminded me of my Raw Vegan Brownies with Icing of Pure Amazingness. Deep cocoa, the earthy smokiness of walnuts… I took a bite and the crispy cleaving salty toffee combined with the soft crunch of the walnuts and pecans was scrumptiousness indeed.
The toffee was buttery and salty which, set against the creamy, vanilla-permeated, and not-particularly-strong dark chocolate, made me think of the crispy edges of buttery chocolate chip cookies. Very tasty, and very easy to eat. Thanks brother-man!
Question time: Have you tried any of these chocolates? What did you think?
Ooooooooooh… Definitely got my eyes set on that Basil and Lime. Sounds interesting! And yay for more chocoalte product reviews. Hey hey, been meaning to ask… Since you’ve eaten SO much chocolate in the past (I meant that in the nicest way possible!), have you had any chocolate combo/flavours that were just way off and didn’t work at all? Haha
Bahahaha! Oh, mercy. More seriously, I personally detest orange in chocolate so I can never get behind anything in that regard. I definitely have had chocolates where the flavours don’t quite “gel” for me, but I often don’t review chocolates that I can’t find any merit in. I’m more likely to be disappointed by insipid-tasting chocolate than by a wacky combination that doesn’t work, because at least there’s evidence of effort in the latter!
P.S. You may have noticed from the above that the honest truth is I’m very tired and can’t remember, off the top of my head, any particularly bars I shied away from
I would love to try that basil-lime! Have you tried the salt and pepper chocolate from TJs? So good!
I don’t think I’ve even seen that one! Or is it the rebranded Taza chocolate? I hear they’ve started selling those under their own label. What does it look like?
It’s re-branded Taza – much cheaper and just as tasty.
It kind of scares me that I knew that despite never, ever having seen them in a Trader Joe’s at all. How did I know that?!
In truth, I’ve never fallen for Taza as I find them too sweet, but I could be convinced to try any chocolate with pepper throughout!
Mmm…looks good
dark chocolate, toffee, walnuts, pecans … TJ’s is going to get soooo much of my money …
You must get: Speculoos Cookie Spread, Chocolate Covered Candy Sunflower Seeds (that’s not the exact name), Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Chocolate Almonds, the Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce, and maybe the dark chocolate covered edamame, because I still haven’t tried those yet and want to know what they’re like. Oh, and the freeze dried pineapple and bananas, and the peanut butter cereal, and…
Damn that lime basil flavour sounds exotic, would love to try it!
Great review
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I love the wrapping on the first chocolate – I want that wallpaper for my retro kitchen – though I would even have it in my bedroom (but then I would have to call it my pad!)
And want the trader joes chocolate – sounds much yummier than the chocolate caramel bar I had yesterday which was far far too chewy
I love that you want the wallpaper, whereas I wrote that it would give me nightmares!
I think the last one sounds divine…. but I LOVE chocolate with squidgy raisins… the more squidge the better!!
Also, I’m strange but I reckon wallpaper made from the Basil Chocolate would be super groovy
You and your squidge and sludge!
Johanna agrees with you on the groovy wallpaper front. I’m comin’ around.
The basil lime chocolate sounds awesome but I’m distracted by the awesomeness of the Trader Joe raisin pecan chocolate.
ps. I will never look at a squidgy raisin the same way ever again.
It’s the way raisin skin is all tight or dry but then they goes PLOOP with gooeyness… *shudder*
All this just makes me feel that I should change vocation. Can I be a chocolate blogger when I grow up?
I’m still trying to find a way to make a living in that capacity…
Anything that reminds you of your raw brownies must be good indeed. I think I’d take all of these, but your mention of the top one being English may have me looking out for it over the next 10 days
Definitely look for Rococo! Have you been to the Whole Foods in London yet? Oh, the wall of chocolate!
I’ve never seen those chocolate let alone tried them! But I am the current owner of a 1 kilo block of Amedei Chuao and I’m pretty chuffed about that!
Dear. Holy. Bucket. How?? How did you get your hands on such magic? I WANT.
I think I could do a lot of damage with those peanut clusters. It looks like it would be quite possible, on a bad day, to eat an entire packet. I would like to try the lime chocolate as I think lime and chocolate work really well together – not sure about the basil but would like to give it a test xx
I ate the whole packet in one day. But hey, it was mostly nuts, healthy healthy nuts, right?
Basil and lime dark chocolate?! I would never have thought up such a thing! Woweee – nor would I pick it off the shelf – I should be more adventurous. But my friend who is a chocolatier makes green curry truffles! If you can believe they are quite good! I’d go for the toffee with pecans
Mmmm.
I’ve tried several different curry chocolates (Vosges, Theo) and they were wonderful, so I absolutely believe your friend’s truffles would be wonderful! I always go for the insane-sounding flavours, actually
I have never tried ANY of these. Once again, so much chocolate in the world, so little time. I like to live it through you. Although would much rather some of that toffee, walnut and pecan chocolate in real life. Yep. Want.
Heidi xo
Just like I’m living octopus deliciousness through you.
Wow, out of context that sentence of mine sounds insane.
You know what, I love the packaging – and can enjoy that even if I can’t taste the chocolate. (But, I’m not much of a one for squelchiness either.)
Dirty things! Dirty things!
Woah…I feel like I’ve just eaten a bar of chocolate just by reading this post! Mind you, I still have some ice cream I need to stick my face in after I type up this comment to my dearest S.T
Traveling whilst eating chocolate. You have definitely got your priorities down pact.
Just wait until you see the first road trip post, S.T.! I would’ve loved to have you by my side at Askinosie
And, speaking of ice cream, I think I know what I want for breakfast now…
Every time I see a Rococo bar, my eyes and heart light up. They are so pretty, so refined, they make me think of a stylish Parisian salon, and people in wigs, and so on and so forth.
Or, you know, wallpaper and nightmares. Which makes sense too, because I recently watched a Doctor Who episode featuring nightmarish robots, Parisian salons, and wigs.
Oooh, that’s a David Tennant episode, right? David Tennant is the only Time Lord of my heart!
YAY UK products! Love it when bloggers review stuff I’ve had but gotta say I wasn’t so impressed by the Basil and Lime Rococo stuff – I loved the idea but thought in practise it was so-so. If you ever get the chance to have more Rococo definitely go for the cardamom it’s amazing, or the rose or arabic spices if you like a stronger flavouring or the violet if you ever had parma violets as a kid!
Hope America’s going good – next up come to London!
x
I’ve never had parma violets, but I adore cardamom, florals, and spices in my chocolate, so your recommendations sound like wonderment
I’m off to Canada next; London would be lovely but I may have to pause and find a job for a bit first 
Lol story of my life – I’m interning and totally fantasising about travelling but I havent even managed to move out of my mums yet!
Cardamom is my favourite spice, i sprinkle it on EVERYTHING so cardamom chocolate is my fave thing in the world (although my second fave is the hemp oil/pumpkin seed one I sent Gena – totally loved being featured in her post!)
I went through a phase of adding cardamom to everything too. Have you tried putting it in with ground coffee beans when brewing coffee?
Yes yes! Done and love it! I was introduced to it at a middle eastern cafe in brick lane where they do the same with cinnamon as well. yummmmmm. I love it sprinkled on berries or banana spread with peanut butter or tahini
I had a rental house with wallpaper like that- except the colours weren’t so nice! Brown, orange and silver from memory and there was a glorious spot where it met up with the red splashback in the kitchen and the blue and white obliquely stripped wallpaper above. You know I couldn’t make this stuff up.
That sounds like the best thing to have around when tipsy but the worst when drunk.