1 September 2011

Mr Simms Chocolate Bars: Cocoa Cola / Rhubarb & Custard / Mint With Dark Chocolate Chips [By @cinabar]


If we all think back to our first experience of chocolate we put aside thoughts of cocoa percentages and origins of bars and just enjoyed the sweet melt in the mouth treat in front of us. Chocolate used to be simple and fun, not serious and Mr Simms seems to be trying to recreate that. Aficionados will declare the substances in the bars here confectionary not chocolate, and they may well have a point - but no one can argue that the tastes and flavours really are quite something.

Mint With Dark Chocolate Chips
This is the green bar. I haven’t eaten a lot of green chocolate, but I wouldn’t worry about eating peppermint green ice cream so I’m not going to let this bother me! The mint base has dark chocolate chips in it which is a fun idea. The bar is sweet and has lovely tones of both refreshing mint and chocolate. The green part seems to be a minty sweet white choc, as there is a creaminess about it too. The bar has a lovely texture, fairly firm to break but gives easily when bitten and melts pleasingly in the mouth. It’s very easy eating and if you like peppermint choc chip ice cream you'll live this, I did!

Cocoa Cola
I love the name! I don’t know if they named it after they made it or whether they made it because someone thought of the name, but either way it is genius and made me laugh. There are giant jelly cola bottles decorating this one which makes it difficult to break up and share, but they do look the part. The flavour is quite something. There is lots of cola taste, but also the smooth flavours of both white and milk chocolate. It’s very different and a curious combination but it worked. I have a sweet tooth and I think you'd need one for this bar. Cola is sugary but the cola’s citrus and warm flavours shone through too. It’s hard to describe the taste as I’ve never had anything like it before, but the closest thing I can think of is Caramac and that doesn’t do it justice, but probably gives you a sweetness guide. I loved this bar, but I would like it without the jellies as although they looked pretty they were a tad chewy and broke up the texture.

Rhubarb & Custard
This bar is a bright pink and yellow in colour, and reminds me of the classical sweets. It is very vibrant to look at. There are sweets decorating it too, but thankfully they are lovely and soft and not at all chewy. The base flavour is gorgeous, there are wonderfully creamy tones of custard, and a fabulous zingy flavour from the rhubarb. The flavours changes with each bite, and brings a different ratio of custard and rhubarb flavours. It worked surprisingly well as a bar and the white chocolate tones helped the smoothness of the custard too. I loved the unique nature of the concept, and the strength of flavours was very impressive.

In short these bars are fun, creative and tasty and really do tick all the boxes. Enjoy them for what they, different and flavoursome and when you eat them let them take you back to being a kid when chocolate was just a fun treat.
By Cinabar

1 comment:

Ana said...

The mint one looks scary (that green reminds me of the sludge monster), but the other two are beautiful :) Especially the Coca-Cola one...