5 World-Class Vices for Less Than $5 43 Comments

Written by Tim Ferriss Topics: Filling the Void, Uncategorized

The problem with people who have no vices is that, generally, you can be sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.
-Elizabeth Taylor

vices-001-wince.jpg
Dolfin 88% cacao Belgian dark chocolate — the best in the world and incredibly inexpensive

In life, as in relationships, the small things are the big things. The good life isn’t the result of milestone Lamborghinis and Caribbean trips, but the little adventures and small indulgences we all too often miss along the way.

Some of you already know that Saturday is a “free” day on my diet, and I take this freedom to eat (and drink) whatever I want seriously. I’m not one for the monastic life.

World-class luxuries need not be expensive, and many aren’t. Here are five of my favorites for less than $5, listed in order of preference:

1. Dolfin 88% Pure Cacao Belgian Dark Chocolate
Few chocolates can pull off more than 70% cacao (cocoa) without tasting like chalk. I was told that Dolfin 88% was “the best dark chocolate in the world” by the current master of the famous It’s It ice cream empire. He might just be right.

2. Blue Fin 2005 California Chardonnay
I’ve never been a white wine person, but the Rombauer 2005 Chardonnay, tasted at the legendary Brix of Napa, changed all of that. It opened my eyes to a world of buttery, antioxidant-rich goodness. The Blue Fin Chardonnay, at a whopping $3.99, matches most $30-40 whites. Truly amazing.

3. Valrhona Le Noir Amer 71% Cacao Dark Chocolate
71-72% is my preferred cacao level these days — perfect for truffle making — and Valrhona is just about on par with my favorite E. Guittard chocolates. E. Guittard would have been on this list were it not for their bulk $12.99 cooking chip packages.

4. Original Flavor with Almonds Bumble Bar
These bars, which at first glance look like glorified bird seed cakes, are unbelievable. My mother turned to them after food allergies forced her to forsake wheat, and I promptly ate her entire stash. These are compatible with my diet and a great snack for when the inevitable sweet tooth strikes during the week. Just don’t eat the entire box.

5. La Famiglia 2001 Sangiovese (Mondavi)
I love this grape. Sangiovese, “the blood of Jove” as legend names it, is a very flexible varietal that pairs well with everything from pizza to lamb. Trader Joe’s carries this wine and dozens of others at up to 70% off of retail. My absolute favorite wines? These days, I would have to vote Argentine Malbec first and Gamay a close second.

Great doesn’t have to mean expensive. In fact, you can often have the best in the world for next to nothing. Anyone have other affordable world-class recommendations to add to the list?



Posted on May 12th, 2007

43 Responses to “5 World-Class Vices for Less Than $5”

  • Mike May 13th, 2007
    10:54 pm

    For people in the UK looking for a nice bottle of bubbly, Tesco Premier Cru champagne is only £14.24 per bottle, and won the 2005 International Wine Challenge, I don’t drink anything else.

  • andre nosalsky May 13th, 2007
    11:36 pm

    Thanks, I’ve ordered the Dolfin chocolates and will have to test them out on the girls.

  • Paul Klipp May 14th, 2007
    12:46 am

    If you like Agentine Malbecs, explore South African Pinotages for more hidden values. I have my favorites, but I have found that in general, most Pinotages are underpriced.

  • Dean Jackson May 14th, 2007
    6:31 am

    If you like Cacao…then you’ll love Sweet Riot. They’re very good. My favorite is the 65.

    http://store.sweetriot.com/002.html# Dean

  • Darren May 14th, 2007
    9:48 am

    Great list! I’m doing your diet and looking forward to trying those wines and Bumble Bars during the week. Have you ever had Michael Recchiuti Chocolate from San Francisco? It’s the best in the world. http://www.recchiuti.com

    Chocophilia in my hometown is making world class chocolate as well. http://www.kerstinschocolates.com/ The Ecuador bar is amazing.

  • Alexander Becker May 14th, 2007
    12:39 pm

    … and at 16g carbs/50g, the darker chocolate is even weekday-compatible with ck- or slow-carb diets. When you stayed here — in Berlin that is — did you try the Rausch 40g-bars, or Lindt Schokolade? Also, did you read about the anti-oxidant properties of chocolate? The darker the better.

    Ansonsten, schöne Grüße aus Berlin, Alexander

  • Tim Ferriss May 14th, 2007
    3:04 pm

    Hi All,

    I love it! All sorts of goodies to try 5 days from now. My favorite chocolate in Germany is Kinder, which some people will laugh outloud at, as it’s available in any drug or convenience store (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinder_Chocolate).

    Darren, Recchiuti chocolates from SF are amazing. America still has bad coffee almost everywhere, but the chocolate in a few places like SF can compete with the best. Both E. Guittard and Scharffen Berger (http://www.scharffenberger.com/) are made in SF and blow my mind, especially when paired with a good (not necessarily expensive) wine.

    I’m counting the hours until next Saturday :) Pinotage and Recchiuti are on the list thus far. Tim

  • David Ledoux May 14th, 2007
    4:39 pm

    Tim, I told my subscriber list of 30,000 that your book is MANDATORY READING for anyone serious about time and financial freedom. It’s easily one of the most significant business books written in the past decade!

    I’ve been taking BodyQUICK for about a year for my MMA training. Kudos on another world class product with your book!

    Keep leading wisely

  • Tiabla May 14th, 2007
    6:46 pm

    I’d also suggest Extreme Dark Chocolate from Endangered Species Chocolate:

    http://www.chocolatebar.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=2&idproduct=35

    Personally, I think it’s better than Dolfin.

  • Deyl May 14th, 2007
    6:50 pm

    where do you find the Blue Fin? great post!

  • mobmash blog » Blog Archive » links for 2007-05-15 May 14th, 2007
    7:21 pm

    […] 5 World-Class Vices for Less Than $5 (tags: cool food) […]

  • Colleen Francis May 15th, 2007
    8:26 am

    Hi Tim,

    Raj Shahani introduced me to your site and its great! Thanks for this terrific information. I will be referencing you a great deal on my blog as our readers need access to your great informtion.

    Colleen http://www.colleenfrancisblog.com

  • kapit May 15th, 2007
    8:35 am

    Deyl - you can find Blue Fin at most Trader Joes. I grabbed some last night, ate with a fillet. Delicious.

  • Tim O'Dell May 15th, 2007
    11:20 am

    Tim,

    If you talk trader joes and wine you gotta mention 2 buck chuck (Charles Shaw) Possibly the most undervalued wine in America

    Tim

    PS:
    I love the book - I am about 1/2 way through and have already recaptured an hour of my day

    (Is that thee David Ledoux up there?)

  • tanya May 15th, 2007
    11:52 am

    I just had the Bumble Chai with Almonds bar - great! One of the best tasting bars I’ve had and I have reviewd MANY!

  • Trish Oleary May 15th, 2007
    3:46 pm

    Another decent wine at Trader Joes is a merlot from Charles Shaw for an unbelievable $1.99. It is or atleast was a first class wine on American Airlines. Very tasty:) I will have to try out the one you suggested as well. Thanks for the great tips!!

  • anon May 15th, 2007
    6:55 pm

    For chocolate, I recommend Scharffen Berger, located in Berkeley, CA. Their dark chocolate is amazing. They differ from many others in that they are chocolate makers (they go from bean to bar) as opposed to chocolatier (who remelt other’s chocolate).

    If you live in the Bay Area, they have tours on the weekends…

  • Liam May 16th, 2007
    7:27 am

    “My favorite chocolate in Germany is Kinder,”

    Kinder is unbelievable! SO delicious and addictive… I could eat a hundred of those tiny finger bars… It’s everywhere here in Ireland…

  • Jay May 17th, 2007
    6:48 pm

    Anybody looking for great chocolate owes it to themselves to try Teuscher… It’s only available in their retail stores, and it is flown in weekly from Zürich, Switzerland. The Dolfin chocolate is good, but Teuscher is un-frickin-beleiveable. It’s also very expensive - close to $70/pound. Worth every penny.

    I’m on a vegan variation of your diet, and I make a point of going to Teuscher every Saturday.

  • Cabernet Logic May 20th, 2007
    7:17 pm

    Vacation Posts…

    Admittedly I have taken a few days off from writing in order to enjoy a brief time with family, but today I am reading my favorite blogs to begin shaking the hangover effects and return to some Cabernet Logic. Here…

  • Matthew Cornell May 20th, 2007
    9:03 pm

    Appreciated your including the chocolates. I’m a fan of home-made drinking chocolate (simple recipe here: http://ideamatt.blogspot.com/2005/04/how-to-make-ultimate-cup-of-hot.html) and have it every day. You remind me of a quote I heard a while back about chocolate vs. wine. It went something like this: To buy the best chocolate bar in the world you’ll pay between $6 maybe up to $12. For wine? $100s !

    Looking forward to reading your book (being delivered from Amazon).

  • Sean May 20th, 2007
    9:38 pm

    Hey Tim,

    Did you ever try Trumpeter Cabernet Sauvignon while you were in Buenos Aires? I know it’s not under $5($8.99 from geatcorks.com), but it was definitely the best wine I tasted down there.

    I finished reading your book and immediately put the elimination tactics to use. I work in IT, and I was spending a couple hours a day focusing on the input, trying to stay up with as much as possible(an absolute waste of time). I immediately unsubscribed from all the mailing lists I was on, and now only check my email twice daily.

    Thanks for all the great info.

  • Christina Thompson May 24th, 2007
    1:55 am

    Hello Tim

    I Love Chocolate Martini’s
    and I will enjoy reading your book.

  • Abhey May 24th, 2007
    1:24 pm

    Green and Blacks dark chocolate is extremely good and readily available in the UK.
    Try using almond milk in drinking chocolate, it gives it a whole different flavour.

  • Deborah May 25th, 2007
    8:42 am

    Since no one mentioned it yet, I’ll step forward in favor of Dagoba chocolate bars - lavendar and roseberry are favorites of mine. Tne Endangered species dark chocolate bars are also quite good -

  • Mark May 28th, 2007
    10:17 am

    Tim,

    Enjoying the chocolate talk, however in regards to your comment on generally poor coffee in the US - and I fully agree - I would suggest you try the Scharffen Berger of coffee (mail order from Chicago)

    http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com

    Might cost a bit more than your $ 5 limit but it is really worth it. Personal favorite is the Tres Santos from Colombia.

  • J May 28th, 2007
    1:21 pm

    Love the book. I’m with Deborah on Dagoba chocolate, but the prefer the Xocolatl with cacao nibs, chilis, maca, vanilla and nutmeg. Very low/slow carb for a chocolate bar. Definitely a must try for those on the lookout for a new chocolate experience. Especially if you like mole’…

  • jonah May 28th, 2007
    11:10 pm

    Sorry, bud. Somebody lied to you. Scharffenberger is the best chocolate in the world, hands down.

  • davida June 5th, 2007
    5:35 pm

    I just discovered Argentine Malbec wines last month and they are my new favorite, too! Trader Joe’s carries some great ones.

  • Chris White June 8th, 2007
    8:57 pm

    Picked up one of the Vairhona Le Noir Amer 71% Cholates and it was exceptional. However, I couldn’t find either of the two wines you mentioned, I’ll have to look closer next time.

  • Lisa Braithwaite June 13th, 2007
    12:26 am

    For truffles, definitely Recchiuti, Teuscher, Richart and Charles Chocolates - all fabulous.

    I was talking with the Swiss owner of a new chocolate shop here in Santa Barbara, and her opinion is that Europeans do safe and traditional chocolate well, but the American chocolate makers are more adventurous, taking it to a whole new level.

    For bars, try Plantations, single origin chocolate bars that go all the way up to 90% and 100% cacao - and even at maximum cacao are not even remotely chalk-like. They use heirloom cocoa varietals and work with the Rainforest Alliance to protect the environment and create a sustainable product. And all of their bars are under $5.

    Good quality loose-leaf tea is another affordable luxury. A few ounces go a long way, and something like the $12 50-gram size bag of a lovely, delicate Wen Shan Bao Zhong from Rishi Tea will last three weeks if you drink it every day.

  • Ryan Rodenbeck June 25th, 2007
    7:12 pm

    Tim, Great book. I am recommending it to everyone. This book has really spoken to me. I own a real estate and property management company in Austin, TX and I already knew I was miserable. Now I am in the process of selling the whole business and I know that my next business will be modeled after your teachings.

    I bought your book because I thought it was about consolidating time and being more efficient (which it is at first) and I realize now that it is about much, much more than that. It is about living your life and accomplishing your goals and letting go of your fears. I can not tell you how much your book has affected me. I am very moved by it and I thank you for writing it. I am 32 years old and I don’t want to waste another second of my life. I am getting my wife and friends to read it as well. I am not loaning it out, because I want to keep it as a bible. We are working on several ideas to bring in passive income.

    If you are ever in Texas, let me know. I would love to have dinner with you, on ME!! Again, thank you,

  • Paul Horne July 10th, 2007
    11:37 am

    Such an impactful book — I’m also recommending it to everyone around me (who are clearly getting tired of my “have you read it?” IMs). I bought the audio version on iTunes, but then it got so information dense at the end I had to go buy the print version (you can add that marketing trick to your next book - add so many resources at the end of your book that hapless audiobook listeners will be forced to buy the print version as well).

  • Mike Volpe July 10th, 2007
    7:45 pm

    Hi Tim,

    I LOVED your book I learned so much that I can never go back now. Thank you for showing me another way to get to the “other side”.

    Your friend always,

    Mike Volpe

  • Glenna August 9th, 2007
    1:06 am

    The very best chocolate in the world is Casa Don Puglisi Pure Chocolate from Modica which comes in Classic, Chili, Coffee, Cinnamon, Ginger, and Vanilla flavors. The Classic and Chili are the best. A warning though—it’s different than any chocolate you’ll ever try. It’s a very tactile experience, from unraveling the string-wrapped package to letting the grainy texture entertain your mouth—and not cheap. But worth every penny!

  • Dahveed September 19th, 2007
    3:17 pm

    Santander chocolate from Colombia reminds me of how Willy Wonka chocolate bars would’ve tasted had you won the “Golden ticket”. It’s got a complex taste that is quite addictive. 70% cacao dark and 36% milk wacks you full of chocobamm. A must try that’ll get you hooked. http://www.chocolatesantander.com/english/index.html

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  • Emina February 14th, 2008
    10:33 pm

    I have to say that “Toblerone” would have to be one of the best chocolates I’ve tasted… amazing here’s the site: http://www.toblerone.com/

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  • aarwenn March 26th, 2008
    12:31 am

    I worked for wine bars at many years, and though I can taste the difference between merlot, zin, and cabernet sauvignon, I still happily drink 2-buck chuck. Nothing wrong with that wine, and it has that sucker punch to the palate that I love. In fact, most people would be happy with drinking two-buck chuck, were they told it was 50-buck chuck (if there could be such a thing) according to this article:

    http://mr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR13091.html

    Fascinating, and what I always thought while serving wine.

    Two suggestions: I also love Malbec, but for daily drinking (a little with lunch and dinner) I like organic red wines in a box. I can find four bottles’ worth for $16.

  • Angie Violinzeta March 26th, 2008
    12:51 pm

    I agree that Toblerone is amazing and I recently became hooked to Teekanne Tea in Walderbeeren while in Prague last week. It has the strongest raspberry flavor of any fruit tea I’ve tried and the scent is intoxicating. I am trying to figure out a way to have it shipped to my US address.

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