snarfed.org

Ryan Barrett's blog

chocolate

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 [comments (4)] [history] [rdf] [raw]

I like chocolate. I like it a lot. This page has my notes on chocolate and where to get it. Also see wine, beer, and other lists.

/space/redfirebar.jpg/space/recchiuti_bar.jpg/space/lindt_gold_bar.jpg

Of the domestic artisan makers, Michel Cluizel, Recchuiti, Donnelly, and Green & Black's are my favorites. Of the international makers, Domori, Amano, Venchi, and Amedei are all great. You can't go wrong with any of them. Valrhona, Dolfin, and Galler will do in a pinch too.

White chocolate isn't really the same thing, but when I do eat it, Green & Black's is my favorite by far, but El Rey and Lindt are also quite good.

Exotics and flavored chocolates are more hit and miss, but there are still many worth trying. Dolfin and Vosges bars tend to be good across the board. Zotter has a ton of flavors; most are very weird, many are good, and some are great. On the other hand, I'm not a fan of Dagoba, NewTree, or Charles, among others. I also stay away from ginger, regardless of maker. I haven't yet found a ginger chocolate I'd recommend.


Pralus
Republique Dominicaine Trinitario 75% ok, Equateur 75% ok, São Tomé 75% ok

Askinosie Davao, Phillipines Trinitario 77%

Pralus
Mélissa 45% ok

denis daubos (no web site) guinea 70%

Amma good

Pierre Marcolini Ghana 75%

Mälarchocolaterie

Christopher Elbow
No. 1 70% ok, No. 14 85% ok

Domori
Carenero Superior 70% good good, Puertofino 70% (Criollo) good good, Porcelana 70% (Criollo) good good, Apurimac 70% good, Sur Del Lago 70% good good, Puro 100% ok, Sambirano good

Rausch
Arriba 70%

Blanxart
Chocolate Negro 62%, Chocolate Ecologico Leche 34%

Maglio
Santo Domingo 70% Equador 70%

Pacari
Raw 70% bad, Organic 72% bad

Neuhaus
West Africa 73%

Pralus
Ghana Forastero 75%

Coppeneur
Venezuela Ocumare) 72%

J.D. Gross
Ecuador Edelcacao 70%

Original Beans
Cru Virunga 70% Beni Wild Harvest 68%

Valrhona
Le Noir Amer 71%, good, Guanaja 70%, ok, Ampamakta 2005 64%, Caraibe 66%, Gran Couva 2002 64%, good, Jivara 40% good, Tanariva 33%, Abinao 85%, Alpaco 66% good

Rogue
Hispaniola 70% good, Rio Caribe 70%, good, Sambirano 70% good

Green & Black's
70%

Teuscher
Praline, 66%, 88%

Venchi
Cuor Di Cacao 75%, Mister O'Brown 56%

Lake Champlain
Tanzania 75%

Frango
62%

Cote D'Or
Fondant Puur 48%, Noir De Noir 54%

Claudio Corallo
75%

Bernard Castelain
Macaibo 70%, Tradition 71%

Santander
36%

Amano
Madagascar 70% Ocumare 70% Montanya 70%

Xocoa
Negro 90%

Plantations
Arriba (Ecuador) 75%

Veritas
True Flats 54%

Michel Cluizel
Maralumi 47% good, Maralumi 64%, Los Ancones 67%, Concepcion 66%, Mangaro 65%, Vila Gracinda 67%, Los Ancones 67%, Tamarina 70%, Amer Brut 72%, Noir Infini 99%, Noir De Cacao 72%, Chocolat Grand Amer 85%

Dolfin
88% good good

Malagasy
Sambirano 75%

Baratti & Milano
Cioccolato Extra Fondente 70%

Giandujotti
Cioccolato Fondente 60%

Droste
Barettini Extra Dark 72%

Lindt
Excellence 85%, Surfin

Galler
Noir 85% good

Moonstruck
68%

Slava
75%

A. Korkunov
50%

Konditevskaya Fabrika
Loristi 65%

Amedei
9 75%, 70%, Toscano Black 70%, good, Chuao 70%, ok, Grenada 70% good

El Rey
Apamate 73.5% Gran Saman 70%

Dagoba
New Moon 74%, Dark 59%

Sprungli
Lait Dunkle

Fauchon
Intense 77%

Cafe-Tasse
Extra Noir 77%

Pernigotti
Black

E. Guittard Quetalcoatl 72%

Chocolat Bonnat Puerto Cabello 75% Porcelana 75%

Scharffen Berger Kumasi Sambirano 68% Extra Dark 82% Finisterra 10th Anniversary 72%

Moser Roth Edel Bitter 70%

Recchuiti
Bittersweet 85% good

Chocovic
Ocumare 71% Guaranda 71%

Chocolove
Rich Dark 65% good

Mischer

Hachez
Cocoa De Maracaibo 55.5% Cocoa D'Arriba 77%

Newtree
Pleasure 73% bad

Dove
Rich Dark bad

Hershey's
Cacao Reserve 65% Pure Dark 60%


Baratti & Milano Cioccolato Bianco

Lindt
White

El Rey Icoa

Green & Black'S Vanilla

Vintage Plantations 75%

Galler
Blanc Absolu

Moonstruck
Ivory

ile de re ok


Xocoa
Tiramisu Te Verde (Green Tea) 52%

Chuao
Chinita Nibs (With Nutmeg) 58%

Green & Black'S Maya Gold (Orange, Spices) 55%

Newtree
Renew (Blackcurrant) 73% Vigor (Coffee) 73% Tranquility (Lavender) Milk

Lake Champlain Dark Chocolate With Almonds

Calcagno Tornio Cioccolato Fondente Extra Con Peperoncino 56%

Vosges
Goji (Goji Berries, Pink Salt) 41% Barcelona (Almonds, Grey Sea Salt) 41% Gianduja (Almond And Hazelnut Praline) 41% Oaxaca (Guajillo And Pasilla Chiles) 75% Red Fire (Ancho And Chipotle Chiles, Ceylon Cinnamon) 55% Creole (Espresso, Nibs, Chicory) 70% Woolloomooloo (Macadamia Nuts, Coconut, Hemp Seeds) 41%

Zotter
Sunflower Seeds + Reishi Mushrooms 50% Kurbistruffel (Pumpkinseed Cream) 45% Graumohn-Kirsch (Poppy Seed, Cherry) 70% Cracknel-Quintet (Cracknel) 50% Candied Cranberries 70% BitterClassic (65% Filling) 70%

Dolfin
Earl Grey 52% Ceylan Cinnamon 52% Hot Masala 32%

Recchuiti
Hazelnut Praline 70%

Hershey's
Extra Dark With Cranberries, Blueberries, And Almonds 60%

Eclipse
Lavender Grey Sea Salt And Nibs 50%

Chocolove
Cherries And Almonds 55%

Dagoba
Xocolatl (Chile, Nibs) 74% Chai (With Ginger) 37%

Fauchon
Dark With Spanish Almonds 62%

Moonstruck
Dark With Ancho Chiles 68

Neuhaus
Coffee White Chocolate

This chocolate is from Spain, specifically the mysterious and adventurous (ahem) Madrid airport. A friend and coworker picked it up while he was on vacation. It's very, very smooth and rich. It tastes both lighter and darker than its 70%, which is odd. It's great, though. I just wish I could find it online so I could order more!

These were the first Russian chocolates I've tried, and they were interesting, to say the least. The chocolates themselves weren't great - I'd estimate the cacao solid content was around 50%, and they had strange, chemical aftertastes. They weren't unpleasant, but they're no competition for the better chocolates here. However, the textures were striking. They're soft, not hard and shiny and solid like good darks, and they had air bubbles shot through them. This was subtle in the Loristi and pronounced in the Slava. It reminded me of puffed rice chocolates like Nestlé Crunch, but without the puffed rice. Very odd.

This Valrhona is incredibly strong. It has a great texture - incredibly dense, solid, and matte. I feel kind of silly saying it, and I don't know why, but it makes me think of the jungle; huge power lying just underneath the surface, barely contained. More down to earth, it reminds me of some of the better South American chocolates, even though Valrhona is French. Who knows. The bottom line is, it's damn good.

This chocolate was completely forgettable. Granted, I didn't exactly eat it in the most conducive of tasting environments. (I was outside an airport, waiting for a cab. :P) Still, there was absolutely nothing memorable about this chocolate. Considering the competition on this page, it wasn't bad at all, which is saying something. It just wasn't especially good either.

Maralumi 64%

This one was significantly better than the standard 72%. It was very smooth, but still delivered the cacao you expect. So, it was good, but it still wasn't quite great. his one hailing from New Zealand. There's a lot of buzz around Cluizel chocolates, but for me, they haven't lived up to the hype yet.

Concepcion 66%

OK, I take it back. I'd heard so much fawning over the Michel Cluizel 1er de Cru lines, I had to try another. This one definitely lived up to the hype. It's from Caracas, and reminds me more than a little of the Valrhona base 71%. It's very strong, almost raw. The cacao hits you like a freight train in both the initial and aftertaste. It's a little smoky, but just barely. The strength of the blend of cacao butter and solids is the star of this chocolate. Cluizel, I have to give it to you; this 1er Cru made me a convert.

Masala

Dolfin's mixed chocolates are outstanding, without exception, and this is no different. This is a superb chocolate, one of my favorite non-darks on the list. It's very smooth, light, and creamy. The masala gives it the perfect kick, and it's matched to the chocolate very well. I also like that it has just a few seeds for a crunchy texture, but isn't overdone.

Rose Peppercorn

This chocolate is a lot of fun. The peppercorn gives it a decidedly sharp taste, but doesn't overpower the rose scent. It makes a great Valentine's Day gift. :P It's not as smooth as other Dolfins, and doesn't have the same premium feel, but still makes for a unique experience.

Earl Grey

For a flavored chocolate, this is surprisingly balanced and subtle. The Earl Grey combination is unique, and definitely surprised me the first time I heard about it. Dolfin is known for well-made yet unusual combinations like this, though, and they pulled this one off well.

Ceylan

I tend not to eat milk chocolate often, but for Dolfin, I'll make an exception. This chocolate is very similar to the Masala, especially the milk chocolate base and the texture of the raw, unrefined spices. This one has cinnamon from Ceylan, like the Red Fire Bar. However, this bar is much smoother and simpler. It can't compete with the sheer quality of the craftsman bittersweets, including Dolfin's own 88%. However, for what it is, it's very enjoyable.

I haven't tried many different white chocolates, but if they're all like this one, I'll have to try more! The Icoa is incredibly smooth, thick white chocolate. It feels very heavy, and leaves a distinct "melting" feeling in your mouth. It almost has a subtle vanilla flavor, but that might be typical of all whites. Icoa describes its source as "Venezuelan single bean," which I can't confirm or deny, but I definitely like it!

This is a phenomenal dark. It's smooth, but also very strong and robust. If it was a wine, and I was a snooty wine person, I might describe it as earthy and oak-y. It's so full and rich, even I can't handle more than a few squares at once. Along with the Dolfin 88%, one of my favorite bittersweets, this is at the top of my list.

Hazelnut Praline

This one is a little different. It's not a pure chocolate bar, and it's not flavored. It's a layer of Recchiuti 70% around a praline hazelnut wafer. It's mind-numbingly sweet, but if you can stand the sugar, and you like pralines at all, it's definitely worth trying.

Baratti & Milano is one of the oldest, most established chocolatiers in Italy, based in the Torino region. Their bittersweet chocolates are very dense and rich, but this white is almost the opposite. It's extremely creamy and smooth, likely because they use whole, non-pasteurized milk. It's not a surprisingly high quality white, but it's so edible that you can eat half a bar before you realize you've eaten a single square.

This chocolate inspired me, with tongue firmly in cheek, to coin Barrett's Rule: A chocolate's quality may be directly related to the snootiness of its label. That is, a chocolate with a a Michelangelo-style fresco on the package is probably better than one with a still-life oil painting, which is probably better than one with plain writing and a logo. Of course, this doesn't always hold, since humble labels can definitely hide high-quality chocolates. But I have yet to be disappointed by a snooty-looking label, and this is no exception.

/space/cluizel.jpg/space/amedei.jpg/space/zotter_orange.png

This is Nestle Europe's high-end commodity chocolate. Commodity chocolate in Europe easily passes for premium here in the states, though, and Perugina is no substitue. Perugina may not be overly complex, but it's very rich, smooth, and accessible. I'm a fan.

This is very smoky and sharp. It's not extremely bitter, per se, but it almost tastes like charcoal or ash. It overpowers the standard sweet and bittersweet cacao aftertastes. The best way I can describe the taste is like a red wine that's been left open and has oxidized. I'm not a fan.

Excellence 85%

This is an ok chocolate, but not outstanding. It's not necessarily smooth - it's very strong, almost tangy, too chalky, and otherwise harsh in ways I can't hope to identify. It's kind of like a very dry wine or sake.

Excellence White This

is a very solid white. Smooth, simple, great texture, and easy to eat way too much of. :P Not necessarily a premium white, but then again, there aren't many of those, Green and Black's not withstanding. I'm a fan of this one.

This one is out there. It's a a combination of Mexican, ancho, and chipotle chili powder with Ceylan cinnamon in a semisweet chocolate. In case you were wondering, it's also plenty hot - great if you're looking for an adventure! Unfortunately, the spices somewhat drown out the chocolate. Regardless, this is definitely one to experience, even if you don't end up eating it regularly.

Gianduja 30%

This is an amazing chocolate. It's intensely sweet, almost saturated with sugar. It's a Belgian milk chocolate, but the overpowering flavors of praline pecan and hazelnut hit you well before the chocolate does. Also, since it's such a light chocolate, the texture is radically different from most of the others on this page - it melts at the slightest touch. If you like pralines and you can take the sugar, this is not to be missed.

NewTree is a floaty, new-age chocolatier - similar to Dagoba, if not quite so extreme. They push the health benefits of their chocolates, both from the cacao content (which, frankly, comes in all premium chocolates), and from the fruit and herb extracts in their flavored chocolates. This bar is my favorite NewTree. It's their standard 73% base with coffee and guarana. The base is ok, but the texture is gritty, rough, and surprisingly powerful. It reminds me of the good parts of chocolate-covered espresso beans, without the waxiness, low quality chocolate, or sharp bean shards. It's a great flavored bar for anyone who claims they don't like flavored chocolates.

Dagoba describes this as "forest grown organic milk chocolate infused with crystallized ginger and chai essence." It does taste like chai, but the ginger is the key ingredient. It way overpowers the rest of the tastes, including even the chocolate and chai. There's just too much of it. You'll probably put this one down the first time you bite into a chunk of pure crystallized ginger. It's good, but this is way over the recommended dosage.

This is a solid, somoth, very easy-to-eat bittersweet. It's dense and substantial, and it doesn't melt quickly. It's good enough that I'd want to try more Galler chocolates.

This is a solid, standard dark chocolate. Good for a quick fix. It's nice to snack on, but it's not especially memorable.

This is a funny one. It's a unique flavor, but has an aftertaste that is somewhat unpleasant. It's smooth, not too bitter, but not at all sweet. It's one of those things I'd describe as "interesting..." - I want to be polite, but I just don't care for it very much, and can't recommend it. It's not as easy to eat as the 70%, and doesn't wow you like a Recchiuti or Dolfin dark. Then again, maybe this is what real unrefined cacao tastes like. If you have a friend who really likes cacao, see what they think of this!

Maxim's is a big, multinational luxury brand that hails from Paris. They're not a chocolate maker as much as a fine food dealer that includes chocolate in their lineup. Their chocolate is well done - it's light, has good texture, and even has bits of cocoa bean embedded in it. Not really a premium chocolate, but I definitely wouldn't turn it down. :P

Hachez isn't quite a premium chocolate, but it's a lot of fun. It's very bright and tangy, almost overpowering. There are subtle overtones of fruit and citrus. There's much more straight sugar and sweetness than cacao in the aftertaste, though. It's good for a quick fix, if not a truly high quality chocolate.

Fauchon is a boutique luxury goods label based in Paris. They're not known as a chocolatier, and their chocolate reflects that. It's somewhat shallow and rough. It's too waxy for me, and the cacao is underrepresented in the aftertaste. I've included them here for completion, but you're much better off with a real chocolatier.

God help me, I actually liked this little piece of candy. It comes in self-serve, prepackaged round tablets. It's barely even semisweet, probably less then 50%, and the emulsifiers and sugar come through louder than the cacao. Taken as candy, not premium chocolate, though, it's not bad at all. It reminds me of the "25 days of Christmas" chocolate calendars you'd get as a kid - no competition for the better chocolates here, but still lots of fun.

/space/scharffenberger_logo.png/space/dolfin_bar.jpg/space/lindt_logo.jpg

Here are a few places in San Francisco, the greater Bay Area, and online that have good chocolate selections:

comment bubble OpenID Guest, Sun 14 May 2006

What a great page! I was looking for info on Newtree and I happened upon it. It's such a great digest of knowledge and has opened my eyes a bit on all the different kinds of chocolate brands out there.

- jedrek

comment bubble OpenID Jesse, Thu 19 Oct 2006

Toy Boat Dessert Cafe on Clement & 5th Ave in San Francisco
has a wonderful selection of Chocolates as well as Ultra Chocolate Ice Cream and ab array of Chocolate Cakes..some can be warmed up to melt you heart

comment bubble OpenID Parisa, Wed 08 Oct 2008

This page is wonderful. I am a recreational chocolate addict and now have some more ideas on chocolates to try. Since you mentioned them and if you didn't know already, Scharffen Berger gives free public tours of their Berkeley factory. The factory tour itself was not especially impressive, but the history lesson was entertaining and you get free samples, which is never a bad thing.

comment bubble OpenID Chocolates, Thu 09 Jul 2009

Hi,
Its very nice information about chocolates and bakery products..

Thanks

Post a comment...



Simple HTML and wiki markup are allowed.