Recommendations for chocolate in the US?

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
Preferably dark chocolate for consuming after dinner in small quantities.
Not looking for anything wrapped in chocolate or flavored with fruit, chilies, etc.
Thanks, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Recommendations for chocolate in the US?Preferably dark chocolate for consuming after dinner in small quantities.
Not looking for anything wrapped in chocolate or flavored with fruit, chilies, etc.
Thanks, Jim
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Currently, I am very enamored of Pralus' "Chuao". (Not that his other dark chocolates aren't also really good; just that the Chuao seems a whole quantum better.)

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www.chocosphere.com

Can you get Mast Brothers chocolate where you are? Their Fleur de Sel is pretty killer too.

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www.mastbrotherschocolate.com
 
Don't give money to the cartoonish Mast Brothers. Their prices are beyond insane ($92 for ten 2.5 ounce bars, delivered. SAY WHAT?) and they look like hipsters on steroids, or maybe acid. Probably peyote since it's natural, but not really local, which torments them. Google some pictures of them and ask yourself if you want to help underwrite their wardrobes.
 
By "Chocolate in the US" do you refer to specifically locally manufactured chocolate or simply chocolate that is available here?

If it's only availability you are looking for - Valrhona is available in the US, and I'm not sure I'd be all that inclined to look any further.
 
Apparently, they are saving up to buy a boat in order to sail to South America for the cacao pods and thus reduce their carbon footprint.

One sharp friend asked, on learning that, "What are they going to call it? The Flying Doucheman?"
 
That Pralus Chuao is something special---it's got a remarkable savory earthiness to it. It's also available in NYC at Murray's Cheese.

Valrhona Caraibe is my go-to bar (with it's brightness, it would be a nice contrast to the Pralus Chuao).

Check out the Michele Cluziel "plantation series" bars too.

Until they recently changed their formula to add soy lecithin to the mix, Lindt's 70% "Excellence" bars were great, especially considering their wide availability and low price. I find the new bars to be greasy and lack intensity, but I'm sure personal taste varies on that.

There has been a lot of buzz for some time about an Italian chocolatier called Amedei, particularly their "Chuao" and "Porcelana." I haven't tried them yet, but just got some delivered from the Chocosphere site to which Kirk linked above and plan to dip into them on Monday.
 
I would strongly urge you to seek out Patricia Tsai's ChocoVivo chocolates. These are raw, unconched chocolates from organically grown, Mexican beans. Patricia does make some flavored chocolate (she grinds the flavors in the mill along with the cacao beans) but I prefer her bittersweet stuff, which she makes with varying degrees of bitterness.
 
Aside from the above, you might want to try these:

Amedei
Poco - although they seem to have stopped making plain tiles
Recuitti
Vosges
 
originally posted by Marty L.:

Check out the Michele Cluziel "plantation series" bars too.
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I always liked these bars and they are pretty widely available. Perhaps that's why they don't get the same geeky devotion. But I wouldn't turn them down.

There has been a lot of buzz for some time about an Italian chocolatier called Amedei, particularly their "Chuao" and "Porcelana." I haven't tried them yet...
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They probably have a slight edge over the Cluizel and others in that range in terms of complexity. But they're more expensive. I am fine to get them for gifts but don't necessarily need to get them every time for myself.
 
originally posted by Lou A.:
I would strongly urge you to seek out Patricia Tsai's ChocoVivo chocolates. These are raw, unconched chocolates from organically grown, Mexican beans. Patricia does make some flavored chocolate (she grinds the flavors in the mill along with the cacao beans) but I prefer her bittersweet stuff, which she makes with varying degrees of bitterness.
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Lots of good suggestions but the stuff is for my wife and she would prefer organic, non-spoofed, etc. so Lou, I found Patricia's stuff and have some on the way.

Thanks to all for the reccos.
Best, Jim
 
Check out this guy. An italian who farms his own plantation on an island off the coast of West Africa.

Also this guy. He is one of the few who does the entire bean to bar process in the US himself in small batches

Both are small extremely high quality producers.
 
Jim:
I participated in a blind chocolate tasting a decade ago and the winner was a Trader Joe's brand cooking chocolate. Easily beat a lot of expensive "gourmet" chocolates.
I don't know if Trader Joe's still has the same vendor, but give some of them a try.
 
Whole Foods carries a series of Icelandic chocolates with different Cacao percentages. My family likes the 56%, I prefer the 70%. Not pricey, but probably not so fine as most of the recommendations above. Two or four squares makes a perfect apres-meal.
 
Speaking of Chuao chocolate, I really like the Coppeneur bar. I personally liked it better than the Pralus Chuao bar (though it was good too).
 
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