Kosher Vegan Chocolate

When I run across two separate and totally independent articles coming out the same day both praising the same chocolate bars, I take it as a sign. Of course, a headline that reads Best frickin’ chocolate on the planet is a pretty good sign too.

Taylor Eason was the one who said this. Since he's not talking about the super-premium Swiss or Belgium chocolate that easily available these days he's probably talking through his hat, but hey, how many of those are kosher and vegan?

I’ve spent easily hundreds of dollars - and about two years of effort - finding the best dark heaven and uncovered it, not at some gourmet, hoity-toity place but at grocery stores in Tampa. The winner is:

Endangered Species Supreme Dark Chocolate… the one with the sad looking chimpanzee on the package. At 72 percent cocoa content, it's elegant and creamy and tastes like homemade bittersweet cocoa pudding. It coats the tongue, melting in your mouth (but also in your hands if you dilly-dally), leaving a slightly sweet yet bitter residue that keeps on giving like a well-structured wine.

Best of all, it's enjoyment relatively without guilt. Their website says:

"This 3oz. dark chocolate bar is made with all-natural, shade-grown, ethically traded supreme dark chocolate… The chimpanzee artwork from Judi Rideout is printed on recycled paper. The chocolate is ethically or fair traded guaranteeing the workers fair wages and humane working conditions. This product is also certified Kosher by Orthodox Union. On the inside of the label you can learn about the plight of the chimpanzee as well as additional information on Endangered Species Chocolate’s core value, Reverence for Life, conservation tips and coupons for other Endangered Species Chocolate products."

That website also notes that it's vegan and gluten-free.

Lisa Snyder of the Ventura County Reporter had similar praise in an article titled More than just a Valentine indulgence -- chocolate can be good for you.

I am partial to the Endangered Species line of chocolate bars, which are fair trade, mostly organic, and 10 percent of the net profits help support species, habitat and humanity. Try the organic smooth dark chocolate with the Karner blue butterfly on the outside of the wrapper, which is 70 percent cocoa, vegan and kosher.

There you are. Encomiums from coast to coast. What more can you ask for?