I give up! Really, I have no choice, and should have given up, on principle, years ago, but I fell in love with that smooth milk chocolate and refused to believe the experience was over. Alas, it is, and has been ever since Hershey’s bought Dove. The change in quality was marked and instantaneous, and it’s not going back. Dove is just another Hershey’s bar now, and I am in search of a new bunny.
This year, I decided to try Lindt chocolate bunnies. They’re actually a very cute little size, big enough to make me feel like I’m really getting to indulge my inner chocolate monster, but small enough not to give me a tummy ache. (The monster never seems to get a tummy ache, just me.)
Lindt is one of my new brands of choice. It’s not as smooth as the old Dove, but it’s rich and well textured. In fact, I recommend Lindt chocolate for s’mores. (For those who haven’t noticed, Hershey’s no longer melts when pressed against a hot, gooey marshmallow.)
Giradelli is another good brand, and the one I usually use for baking. (Nestle chocolate chips not properly melting when constant 350 degree heat is applied to them for 10-12 minutes straight. Seriously?) They also have some good candies. They don’t make bunnies (although you can buy a plush bunny from them in a basket with lots of their chocolates), but I did pick up a bag of milk chocolate and coconut eggs from them. WOW! Wait, it’s not Easter yet…um, well, you see, I had to try them to make sure they were okay. And just because I ate half the bag and now have to get another one…maybe I should wait until the day before Easter to buy another bag. 🙂
Godiva is another popular name in quality chocolate, but I’m afraid I find them a bit overrated. And overpriced. Lindt’s 3.5-oz chocolate bunny is $4.50 (I got it on sale for $3.50). The Godiva 9-oz bunny is $25, almost twice the price per ounce. Now, I haven’t tried their bunny, but I’ve certainly tried their chocolates, and they taste good. The trouble comes with value, because I don’t think they taste better than some of my more moderately priced indulgences.
So this year it’s Lindt bunnies, Giradelli eggs, Lindt chocolate carrots, coloring books, and toys. (Hey, even I know you can have too much of a good thing. My monster, on the other hand…)