The Man and I toodled over to Surfas in Culver City yesterday in search of some spices and other goodies.

I wanted to pass along the deal that I stumbled up on there. Valrhona chocolate bars for $2 a piece. Before you go saying, chocolate bars for $2 is no deal! Let me explain that Valrhona bars go for as much as $6 each (though I think they’re far less at Trader Joe’s).

The caveat is that the bars are expired. I bought an assortment and found that they were just as tasty and fresh as others I’ve bought.

The selection was good, with 9 bars representing their Gran Cru, Single Origin and Organics lines. They had quite a few left, in addition to the displays, full cases below on the shelves. Some of the expirations were from last November, but others expire tomorrow. It’s not like they’re eggs and become toxic once past their prime, as long as bars are stored properly they’re good for 18 months.

If you have a passion for real chocolate, be sure to tell the FDA “Don’t Mess with My Chocolate“.