Hachez Cocoa D’Arriba Strawberry & Pepper

Posted by in Chocolate Reviews on November 19 2007 | Leave A Comment
Hachez Cocoa D’Arriba Strawberry & Pepper

It’s been a little while since I reviewed anything truly unusual (unless you count the remarkably different Conscious range) and I was beginning to wonder whether I’d find anything ‘odd’ when I was given – amongst other things – this delightfully strange sounding bar.

Now I’m a summer child and as a consequence I love strawberries. Real strawberries. I cannot abide anything that is ‘strawberry flavoured’, so I was relieved to find that this bar contains 1.5% strawberries. The other notable ingredient (aside from the 77% cocoa dark Equadorian chocolate) is Green peppercorns. You may have seen or tasted salads which combine strawberries or raspberries with things like rocket, so this combination would seem to have its origins in modern cookery (if salads can be classed as such). The question, as with all of these things, has to be – does it work?

Hachez Cocoa D’Arriba Strawberry & Pepper

When I opened this bar, I was immediately hit by just how powerful the strawberry aroma is. Considering that there’s only 1.5% freeze-dried strawberry, it packs quite a punch, and as you can see, the pieces of berry seem to be evenly distributed throughout the bar. There are also other inclusions – small islands of light green are dotted hither and yon. Yes, whole green peppercorns await the unwary taster.

Hachez Cocoa D’Arriba Strawberry & Pepper

When I popped a square into my mouth I was immediately aware of the peppercorn content. A warming feeling spreads across the palate as the chocolate begins to melt, and then the strawberry high notes join in, lending their citrussy tanginess to an otherwise dark and spicy set of flavours. As the chocolate leaves the palate you’re left with the strawberry flavour as a finishing note, and it’s a lovely cean sort of finish to a thoroughly enjoyable mouthful.

It’s quite unlike anything I have tried before in that respect – I’ve had ‘spicy’ bars like Hotel Chocolat’s Chilli and Pink Peppercorn bar, and ‘fruity’ bars like the Grand’or Limette bar, but nothing that took the two elements and mashed them together.

More good news; this was bought in the UK, so if you’re looking to try it, it is out there somewhere, and well worth tracking down, if only to scare your conservative relatives with at Christmas.

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Comments On This Post

  1. Dom (Chocablog Staff)

    Ok, I think I need some of that…

  2. I’ve seen this around and I’ve been meaning to try it. I’ve had the Hachez Blackberry bar and found it pretty good, so I’ll have to actually buy this one next time!

  3. To borrow from ‘The Life of Brian’ – “You lucky bastard!” (mean with all due respect, envy and drooling)

  4. I just found out about Hachez chocolate from Treasure island Sweets.

    Other flavours include: raspberry and balsamic vinegar, lemongrass and ginger, salted peanut, mango and chilli. They all sound rather yummy.

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