My winter hiking partner has turned me into a chocolate snob! Every week, she brings something new for us to try when we stop for a climbing break. Eating this stuff in sub-zero weather on an isolated peak in the White Mountains is heaven. It’s also good in the car on the way home, but lacks the same atmosphere.
We’re taking our first hike of the winter this weekend and I want to boost my credibility! So, I just went out to Whole Foods and got some of my favorites brands – Dagoba, Taza and Noi Sirius Icelandic Chocolate. I really just learned how to enjoy dark chocolate last year.
What’s your favorite brand or style of chocolate for hiking and backpacking? Hoping our international friends will contribute some “different” suggestions.
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I'm a big fan of valrhona for baking; should work for hiking.
Would there be an advantage to, say, truffles for hiking, vs straight chocolate?
I typically go for the semi-sweet or one of the high density super chocolates out there, as you have pictured. I am really not that fussy,'slong as it's chocolate.
I'm lucky enough to live near a Wegmans store, and their store brand, 72% dark chocolate bars are the best. They also make a 64% dark bar with almonds, but the plain, extra dark is my favorite!
Lindtz intense orange. tons of flavor in a quality chocolate. I like the truffles too! stay soft -also good and easy to share with a group. 3 are a legal serving low carb-
I get my fix from Trader Joe's store brand. They have a Belgium or a Swiss milk and dark chocolate. But that Wegmans stuff is pretty good too!
Snickers or peanut M&M's. Obviously I'm not a chocolate aficionado.
It has to be Galaxy. But how I love a chocolate called Dagoba! Strong in the force, is it…?
Hershey's Special Dark bars are the best deal out there. Cheap, high quality and taste great!
I have a strong preference for dark chocolate and hardly bother with popular choices anymore. I love Lake Champlain dark chocolates. They have a range of choices. I use Ghiardelli dark choc chips when I make gorp. I even make my own cocoa from either brand unsweetened cocoa and add just a touch of sugar or agave.
Michel cluizet, specially concepción farm or madagascar "millesimes". Valrhona is a nice choice if I can't find the good stuff.
Green & Blacks! I'm partial to the to Toffee, but my partner loves the Maya Gold. It's the smoothest, richest, best chocolate I've found that readily available in the States!
Trader Joe's dark is very good, Green & Black is very good, Lake Champlain is great when I can afford it, but the Icelandic that you mention is my all-time fave.
@mark these look familiar. I may have to dig around in the kitchen for some to try tomorrow. http://espace-pro.valrhona.com/produits/liste/650…
@kate I like the icelandic too. It's disappearing as I write.
Surveys have shown that fourteen out of every ten people like chocolate.
I just grab a bag of store brand semi sweet chocolate chips before I hit the trail. I divide them into snack bags for each day–otherwise they'd all be gone by the time I went to bed the first night.
If it's summer, I like Valrohna Noir Amer (68%?), because it's pretty hard/snappy and thus resists melting a little better.
Cold weather, I love those Vosges bars (especially the curry/coconut Naga, and the salty, smoked almond Barcelona), because they are thin and soft and therefore easy to break and eat.
Sometimes I'll bring plain dark chocolate and eat a piece with a bit of Mint Cake!
I'm with Revlee- I will stick with Snickers and Peanut M&M's!! Where would I be at 10am without "Snickers Time" on a hike?
Another vote for Peanut M&Ms. They don't melt and they taste great. They are a perfect snack to eat while walking.
I work in the same building as Taza chocolate. On Thursdays the smell of roasting coca beens fills the building.As soon as the smell hits me I start to salivate.Taza is now one of my favorite brands of Mexican chocolate,and it will be in my pack often.
Green and Blacks. 70% cocoa. Top stuff.
I like the Ritter Sport milk chocolate.
Another vote here for Green and Black's Maya Gold! It's not just for hiking, either, says she nibbling while on the computer. (Now I have to go out and do a long hike to work it off!)
I like a wide range of chocolate but I will admit I have a thing for cheap chocolate – though not Hershey's (that is NOT chocolate to me). Too dark/bitter and it just doesn't do it for me either. I like a semi-sweet the most.
And yeah, Trader Joe's makes some of my favorites overall.
I think if I had to pick a favorite it would still be Toblerone or Lindt's Mike Chocolate in those bars you get at the airport. Dark chocolate is interesting, but I still like milk chocolate the best.
I'm afraid mine is good old Cadbury's fruit and nut!
Now this is popular. I am sorry but as much as chocolate is good, I recon Kendal Mint Cake is the way to go for walking. Sugary, minty, doesn't melt and does not leave me as thirsty.
I know Hersheys got dissed here, but for our winter climbing and snowshoe outings we take the big blocks of Hersheys with Almonds. Sugar for quick energy, fats for long-lasting energy, and inexpensive, which is good ’cause we need a ton of it for winter.
My other fav is the Mayan Spice blend by Indulgence Chocoatiers. Dark chocolate, semisweet, with cinammon and cayenne pepper. Nice!
By the way, I’m with Benji on Kendal Mint Cake – I really like it. I can’t FIND it in the States however. Last time I had any was the stuff we brought home from a trip to Wales a few years ago..