Recommendations for chocolate in the US?

Couple of comments --

A) Rogue Chocolatier makes super stuff. They are quite elegant and graceful by comparison with most others.
B) Amano makes wonderful bars, though some of this bars are more wonderful than others. I particularly like the Montanya and Dos Rios chocolates. I haven't yet tried the Chuao chocolate.
C) Coppeneur Menavava was surprisingly delicious and disappeared in a heartbeat. I will get more
D) Askinoise makes very good chocolates. Very individualistic and bursting with flavor. They are not the most sophisticated, but they are fun.
E) I'm not a fan of Taza. They are good, but too expensive and somewhat coarse.
F) I cannot bring myself to buy a single bar from Mast. They are 2x as expensive as anyone else.
G) If you want a beautiful non-US chocolate, the Amedei 9 and the Chuao are both superb. They are expensive, though.

Locations to get these: Rogue/Amano/Coppeneur/Askinoise have their own websites. Amedei is available through chocosphere.com. You can also check out http://www.chocolopolis.com/.

Regards, and happy eating!
Andrew

I forgot Patric chocolates. I haven't had them in a few years. They are also quite good, though I think they aren't quite as good as Amano and Rogue and are somewhat more commercial.
 
I've tasted Mast. Buy something else.

Most commercial bars (e.g. Cluizel, Vosges, Valrhona) are good, but not great.

Many of the tony shops (e.g., Jacques Torres, Debauve et Gallet, Leonidas) are also good, but not great.

My great list is short: Richart, Pralus.

But I haven't had many of the ones named above... and I delight in new things to try!
 
Don't buy Cluizel bars - just the 1kg blended Grand Noir couverture they sell commercially (and not in the little coins as they dry out quite quickly). It's superb, very well balanced, and not expensive. They keep well if stored properly after portioning out - most wine cellars are probably too damp but I just scrape off the surface (like cheese) before transferring to the frequent-use larder/fridge. The Valrhona Gran Couva is not as well-balanced, tending towards the earthy end of the spectrum, and requires some aging to get more flavour intensity. I almost always prefer 1kg bars - it's like buying magnums instead of bottles.

I really like Pralus but can't bring myself to pay those prices. I think they're finer than Amedei, texturally, without sacrificing intensity.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
What about the laws against interstate chocolate shipment? Children might get their hands on the stuff.
Click to expand...

Not to mention the newbies. Why doesn't anyone think of these things?
 
Amadei Porcellana is by far my favorite. But you have to be careful about batches - it varies and some years/batches are substantially different than others. Sort of like Champagne disgorgement dates coded on the bars.

I am also a big fan of Bonnat's Chuao. The labels in French describe it as the Romanee Conti of chocolates. I wouldn't quite go that far but I like it at least as much as Amadei's Chuao but even fruitier and much less expensive.

I have yet to taste an American chocolatier that can touch makers like Amadei and Bonnat. I find the suggestions above, like Theo, Amano, Tcho, etc. not even in the same ballpark. Textures and flavors are nearly always coarser with much less length and harmony. Kind of like new world/old world wine...
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
I just picked up two Amano bars. And, someday, the Chocovivo will arrive. I'll report back.
Click to expand...
Amano report: Both bars are 70%. The tasting insert suggests worrying about things like snap and sheen; can't imagine how they matter. Both are fairly hard and take quite a while to melt in my mouth.

Dos Rios: mid-weight, some citrus/spice notes, shows its sweetness; honestly, about average for a super-premium bar

Ocumare: more tannic, less obviously sweet, stern but arresting, smoky perfume; much more interesting
 
originally posted by John McIlwain:
If in NYCKee's on Thompson Street. Hand-tempered, filled with lovely fresh flavorings. I don't generally care for chocolate, but these are really beautiful.

Loading…

www.keeschocolates.com

Best, John
Click to expand...

Hmm, I see she also makes macarons. Have you tried them?

I'll have to pay a visit.
 
originally posted by Ed Baum:

I am also a big fan of Bonnat's Chuao. The labels in French describe it as the Romanee Conti of chocolates. I wouldn't quite go that far but I like it at least as much as Amadei's Chuao but even fruitier and much less expensive.

I have yet to taste an American chocolatier that can touch makers like Amadei and Bonnat. I find the suggestions above, like Theo, Amano, Tcho, etc. not even in the same ballpark. Textures and flavors are nearly always coarser with much less length and harmony. Kind of like new world/old world wine...
Click to expand...

I was surprised it took this long for Bonnat to get a mention. That's pretty much all I eat these days, chocolate-wise. They have several Venezualan bars that are as good as the Chuao, IMO. You can really taste the difference between the cru.
 
Maglio hasn't been mentioned, but I find them to be quite good. Not sure how distributed they are outside of Formaggio, though- might well be a direct import.

I've not tried Olive and Sinclair, but they come recommended from a trusted source.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top