Chocolate: Dark Spicy Aztec 55%

Everyone has their own chocolate tastes. I truly wish I had the skills of a real chocolate connoisseur, but I'm just a GIANT lover of chocolate - milk chocolate. (B likes dark chocolate so we usually divide the variety packs between us.) A real chocolat'er' knows way more than I do and tends to have eclectic tastes.

For example, I cannot stand fruit or walnuts in my chocolate. If I were a real chocolat'er' I would embrace all manner of chocolate just for the experience and range of knowledge. When I heard some time ago of people in specialty chocolate shops mixing their chocolate with hot peppers, my face matched those of people sucking lemons.

However, a friend (Hi, friend!) gave me two of Lake Champlain Organic Dark Spicy Aztec 55% squares of chocolate. They contain cayenne pepper. I foisted one on B first. He's such a guinea pig.

My first thoughts? The chocolate is melty. It dissolves creamily on the tongue. It is true to the dark chocolate taste. Heavy with bitter and slight sweet. But after is dissolves, it bites. The pepper coats the back of the tongue and throat. Then a hint of cinnamon saves hot at the last minute and you just have a little sting.

My second thoughts? I'm as fond of the sugar part of chocolate as I am the chocolate. So was it good? Yes. Will I eat it again? No. It just isn't my style.

BTW, the little squares are perfect for tasting.