John McIlwain
John McIlwain
I can't say I've sampled enough to comment with any authority.
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Recommendations for chocolate in the US?
- Thread starter Florida Jim
- Start date
Ignacio Villalgordo
Ignacio Villalgordo
originally posted by Rahsaan:
MarcoliniHas a shop in Nyc. Not sure about elsewhere in the States. And I believe you can order online.
Can someone who has tasted Marcolini + the chocolates you are talking about where they stand in order of quality? Are marcolini better or worse than the others?
Thanks
There were a lot of chocolates mentioned in this thread, I don't know if anyone has tasted them all!
I don't know the precise terminology but as far as I know you can only buy Marcolini (even the bars) in the Marcolini shops. Whereas a lot of the chocolates here are sold in supermarkets/specialty stores, and have a different feel as a result (drier/less fresh?). I'm a big fan of Marcolini (Paris and Brussels shops, never tasted them in Nyc) but it's always tricky because they make so many bars from different origins (plus all the special limited edition bars) that it's easy to find hits and misses in all shops. Marcolini has always struck me as a fairly aggressive and polished chocolate, which as I assume is from the vanilla, whereas some of the bars mentioned here are more subtle.
FWIW, on my last trip to Brussels I spent plenty of time chocolate shopping on the Sablons but made a new discovery with Frederic Blondeel near Place Sainte Catherine. A bit more frank (even rustic) than some of the other makers, but very clear direct and delicious (the filled chocolates here).
I don't know the precise terminology but as far as I know you can only buy Marcolini (even the bars) in the Marcolini shops. Whereas a lot of the chocolates here are sold in supermarkets/specialty stores, and have a different feel as a result (drier/less fresh?). I'm a big fan of Marcolini (Paris and Brussels shops, never tasted them in Nyc) but it's always tricky because they make so many bars from different origins (plus all the special limited edition bars) that it's easy to find hits and misses in all shops. Marcolini has always struck me as a fairly aggressive and polished chocolate, which as I assume is from the vanilla, whereas some of the bars mentioned here are more subtle.
FWIW, on my last trip to Brussels I spent plenty of time chocolate shopping on the Sablons but made a new discovery with Frederic Blondeel near Place Sainte Catherine. A bit more frank (even rustic) than some of the other makers, but very clear direct and delicious (the filled chocolates here).
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
Chocovivo report: I ordered three flavors: 65%, almonds/sea salt, dried cherries/almonds/black pepper. All have unexpectedly unpleasant mouthfeel, like eating a steamer not cleaned of its sand. In all cases, very good depth of flavor (in a roasty nutty slightly fermenty way, not smoky or tannic) and a remarkably clean finish (not sticky, not gummy, not caramelized).originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
I just picked up two Amano bars. And, someday, the Chocovivo will arrive. I'll report back.
The almond/sea salt flavor has no extra flavor. Did they mispack?
The dried cherries/almond/black pepper looks like bark. The chewy bits and the crunchy bits are a good alternative to the I-fell-face-down-on-the-beach background. The black pepper is genius as the floral aroma dances in and out of the chocolate aroma.
Despite clearly excellent material I suspect my house will not buy this again.
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Chocovivo report: I ordered three flavors: 65%, almonds/sea salt, dried cherries/almonds/black pepper. All have unexpectedly unpleasant mouthfeel, like eating a steamer not cleaned of its sand. In all cases, very good depth of flavor (in a roasty nutty slightly fermenty way, not smoky or tannic) and a remarkably clean finish (not sticky, not gummy, not caramelized).originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
I just picked up two Amano bars. And, someday, the Chocovivo will arrive. I'll report back.
The almond/sea salt flavor has no extra flavor. Did they mispack?
The dried cherries/almond/black pepper looks like bark. The chewy bits and the crunchy bits are a good alternative to the I-fell-face-down-on-the-beach background. The black pepper is genius as the floral aroma dances in and out of the chocolate aroma.
Despite clearly excellent material I suspect my house will not buy this again.
Why would you eat bars with stuff in them?
I thought we were talking about plain bars. Pure chocolate.
I'm with the Aztecs on the chile combo.originally posted by VLM:
Why would you eat bars with stuff in them?
originally posted by SFJoe:
I'm with the Aztecs on the chile combo.originally posted by VLM:
Why would you eat bars with stuff in them?
I've had the occasional good result (pink peppercorns come to mind) but most of the time it results in an experience like Jeff's.
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
There were three bars: one pure and two with inclusions.originally posted by VLM:
Why would you eat bars with stuff in them?
I thought we were talking about plain bars. Pure chocolate.
The value of inclusions is the complexity they bring, both texturally and aromatically. That said, it is a tricky business because (a) it tends to obscure the quality of the fundamental product due to 'noise' and (b) it is more work to balance more flavors.
jason seely
jason seely
fearless choclate
Jay Miller
Jay Miller
I still regard chocolate and almonds as one of those matches made in heaven. But I'm not a huge chocolate lover myself.
Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
I prefer cinnamon-raisin bagels.
Jay Miller
Jay Miller
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
I prefer cinnamon-raisin bagels.
Well then you have to die.
Seriously, I think of almonds with chocolate as more like poppy seeds on a bagel.
But I take my bagels more seriously than I take my chocolate.
lars makie
lars makie
Damn. I thought that original thread was years ago, but it was only less than a year. Time flies. Let's see if we can get a Dune reference in here now.originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
I prefer cinnamon-raisin bagels.
David M. Bueker
David M. Bueker
originally posted by lars makie:
Zing.Damn. I thought that original thread was years ago, but it was only less than a year. Time flies. Let's see if we can get a Dune reference in here now.originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
I prefer cinnamon-raisin bagels.
I WILL kill HIM!
Oh, did you mean the book?
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
"Still not King."
(You meant Dunedain, right?)
(You meant Dunedain, right?)
David M. Bueker
David M. Bueker
Thanks for all the great information. Just ordered some Amano chocolate bars. Will try those & then move on to something else.
originally posted by Jay Miller:
But I take my bagels more seriously than I take my chocolate.
!!!
It's certainly easier health-wise to eat chocolate more often.
I always place chocolate, coffee, tea, and wine in the same/adjacent obsession category because of that magical fermentation thing that leads to all the complex flavors.
Of course I don't drink coffee, so what do I know.
Jay Miller
Jay Miller
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
But I take my bagels more seriously than I take my chocolate.
!!!
It's certainly easier health-wise to eat chocolate more often.
I always place chocolate, coffee, tea, and wine in the same/adjacent obsession category because of that magical fermentation thing that leads to all the complex flavors.
Of course I don't drink coffee, so what do I know.
I'm just obsessing because I haven't had a bagel for 8 months and have about another 1 year 4 months before my braces come off and I'm allowed to have one again.
Great coffee (rare) can be wine-like in its complexity of flavor. The Kenya they occasionally serve at Kaffe 1668 comes to mind. I'm told African coffees in general fall into that category most often. But I'm far from an expert.
Jay Miller
Jay Miller
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
"Still not King."
(You meant Dunedain, right?)
Go wash your hair.