Prrrreeeeeesentingggggggggggg, the Lindt Excellence Wasabi Dark Chocolate! Yes, you heard that right. There's WASABI in chocolate, and only Lindt & Sprüngli AG could have pulled this off so beautifully. Apparently KitKat in Japan has a Wasabi version too, but it isn't dark, so it doesn't count.
OK, and for those who aren't quite sure what Wasabi is, it is a plant belonging to the family of cabbages, mustard and horseradish. Authentic Wasabi is found mostly in Japan. It has a strong flavour and is pungent in the way mustard is. Sold in root, powder or paste form, Wasabi is used as a condiment in many culinary preparations.
My favourite chocolate makers have brought these unlikely bedfellows together for a divine union, resulting in a product as fine as their Chilli chocolate. However, unlike Chilli, Wasabi is a harder, unusual, and takes-time-to-get-used-to flavour and may find fewer takers. That doesn't make the chocolate less perfect, though.
I spotted the Wasabi variety at a local shop, and was intrigued. I tried to imagine how that fiery taste would meld with the dark-bittersweet chocolate all the way home. But nothing quite prepared me for the ecstasy and surprise of the first bite. I was like 'How, HOW do they do this?' The balance of the opposite flavours is fine, with the pungency of Wasabi coming through mildly and consistently. The dark chocolate is, as usual, smooth and rich with 47% cacao.
I am not a fan of flavoured chocolates, and Mint chocolates I especially despise; but Lindt's unique masterful combinations are slowly helping me cross over. The Lindt Excellence Wasabi Dark Chocolate is truly a work of culinary art, and one doesn't mind shelling out INR 230 for a 100 g pack. Because, once you have tasted it, all you want to do is...
It's interesting that you despise Mint Chocolate, as it's one of my favorites (mint dark, anyway), alongside orange (dark) chocolate. In fact, mint chip is my goto ice cream flavor along with coffee when I'm not feeling adventurous.
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