Chocolate Speak

IKEA chocolate

2012-01-22T05:53:00.000-08:00

Couch, pillows and chocolate all available at IKEA. Cat available separately.

OK, actually Kiana is not for sale but I thought that was funny. When our family went on an IKEA odyssey last week I spied this Chokolad Mörk bar at the checkout of the cafeteria. Of course I had to buy it for professional research reasons.

The IKEA chocolate turned out to be a bit more interesting than I had first expected. First of all, the ingredients are pure and actually conform to the basic criteria for fine chocolate, i.e.:
1. cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, lecithin and real vanilla flavour only. No other additives.
Of course, to qualify as fine chocolate the beans themselves must be flavour beans and they must additionally be roasted and processed with great care. This bar qualifies as what I call high quality commercial, that is: tasty, decent chocolate made in mass amounts.

The chocolate is manufactured in Spain, also a good sign because the Spanish know a thing or two about chocolate. This could account for the better-than-expected taste.

As I was inspecting the label, I read "Check the origin of the cacao!" (exclamation mark included) and then a link to www.utzcertified.org/IKEA. UTZ certification is used by giant corporations to put a human face on their coffee, tea and chocolate products. In this case, I could put in the sell by date of my bar, which brought me to a map of the Ivory Coast, with an arrow pointing to Daloa, located near the center of the country, near a national park. Some of the beans in my bar originate from the Agricultural Cooperative Ellë-Tikpa Daloa. If you click farther, you can read about the farmer Koffi Konan Seraphin and what he has to say about the advantages of UTZ certification.

So picking up that 100 gram bar at the checkout taught me a lot. I learned about UTZ certification (whether or not it exists mainly to put a human face on corporations charged with inhuman labour practices is not for me to judge here) and found out where at least some of the beans in my bar came from. I got to see the picture of a farmer and read what he had to say. As of yet, I haven't had this experience with even the fanciest chocolates I have bought.

Recommended.

Kosher* Chocolate Taste-off

2012-01-19T07:13:00.000-08:00

* Please see my What is Kosher Chocolate? article if you don't know what kosher chocolate is, or why it matters.

A friend of mine was kind enough to load me into her car last Friday and take me to two kosher stores in Annemasse, France. There I gathered up examples of plain dark kosher chocolate to test off against each other for those of you looking for the tastiest kosher bar.

Alprose Swiss Dark Chocolate 50%: parve, kosher for passover. Made by Chocolat Alprose in Caslano-Lugano Switzerland. This one just tasted awful. I bit in and made the scrunchy face that you make when you taste something weird. That's at least partly due to the completely unnecessary hazelnut mass they have added to the chocolate, which just throws off the taste completely. It almost tastes like there is an artificial sweetener in there, although it is not listed on the ingredients. Also, it is flavoured with artificial vanillin, a no-no for any true chocophile.
Not recommended.

Schmerling's of Switzerland Noblesse 55%Cocoa: parve, kosher for passover. Made by Maestrani Swiss Chocolates, Ltd. in Zürich, a member of CHOCOSUISSE. This chocolate smells very average, which means somewhere between slightly musty and marshmallowy (cheaper West African forastero beans, not carefully selected). I don't expect anything else from a mass commercial product. Although also flavoured with vanillin, this chocolate is sweet and creamy and quite edible.
Recommended.

Ruben's Chocolat Superieur 70%: kitniot kosher for passover. Made in France by NPK France. This one leaves out the vanilla alltogether. Honestly, I don't know whether it would help much. I was already suspicious when I could only buy this chocolate in a 3 pack. This is simply awful. Low quality beans from the start - handled without any care. Garbage in, garbage out.
Not recommended.

What is kosher chocolate?

2012-01-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

The short answer: kosher chocolate is chocolate which has been produced under the oversight of a rabbinical authority who certifies that it is made according to the laws of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws).

What is kashrut? You would need to talk with my husband the rabbi about that. That is a much bigger question. In the case of chocolate, the strict separation of meat, dairy, and parve - neutral (not containing either: such as vegetables, grains, or fish) is what causes the most problems.

There are several factors that are important in making sure that chocolate is kosher. Often in the manufacture of commercial chocolate, a percentage of the cocoa butter (fat deriving from the cocoa bean) is replaced by a cocoa butter equivalent (CBE) or a cocoa butter substitute (CBS). The leftover cocoa butter is sold to the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, because it is a valuable ingredient in cremes, lipsticks, etc... These fats can be problematic in two ways:
1. they might be of unspecified origin (always a no-no in anything kosher)
2. they might not be kosher for Passover, such as soy lecithin (very inconvenient, because the product could not be used during the Passover festival, in making chocolate coated matzah, for example).

So, in general, it is best for kosher chocolate producers to stick with the good stuff (cocoa butter), which is what chocophiles want anyhow.

Another big deal (especially depending on how kosher you are) is whether the chocolate is considered "dairy" or "parve" - 'neutral' - not containing any dairy or meat products. Dark chocolate (without any milk) used to be considered "pareve" by definition, but this excellent article by OK Kosher Certification explains that this isn't really the case (again, depending on how kosher you are), because often "parve" chocolate is manufactured on equipment which has processed dairy. They have worked hard with Barry-Callebaut-Worldwide and Blommer Chocolate Company in Greenville, Pennsylvania to certify lines of production in which the "parve" chocolate has not come into contact with any dairy or any machinery which has processed dairy.

Why does "parve" chocolate matter, anyhow? It matters because kosher Jewish cooks make a lot of sabbath meals (eaten on Friday evening), which are traditionally meaty. If you want a chocolatey desert, it needs to be "parve". That's a big deal in the Jewish world.

Connoisseur Chocolate Tours - Tuscany, Lower Rhone, Equador

2012-01-12T03:43:00.000-08:00

Had I only thought of this myself! (Actually, I had, since chocolate tours have been a growing attraction and have been going strong in cities like New York for years). My experience in the tourism industry made me realize that chocolate tours, done right, are an art to themselves and best left to professionals, such as those at Arena Travel in Suffolk, England. I think I actually started drooling on my keyboard when I received their promotional materials. What wonderful choices of tours! All tours are led by Martin Christy, founder of seventypercent.com. The obvious benefit of this is that a bona-fide chocolate expert, rather than simply a tour guide, will be available for your tasting adventure.

Chocolate Masters of the Lower Rhone: 24-28 May

I have already made a rather thorough visit to Lyon (pictured above) which is only one small stop on this juicy tour, which includes visits to some of my favorites: Bonnat, Chocoloterie A. Morin and Pralus.

Equadorian Chocolate Odyssey 10-22 November

This tour is the mother of them all. Also hosted by President of CacaoForum Corporation Lourdes Delgado, it provides a truly rare look into the growing, harvesting, fermenting and drying process that takes place before the beans are shipped (usually to the US and Europe) to be turned into what we think of as chocolate. Any bean-to-bar chocolate enthusiast should get excited about this (I know I am!). This is also the longest, farthest away and probably most luxurious of the trips, which is why I probably won't be making it this year.

Chocolatiers of Florence and Tuscany 20-24 September

Reading the itinerary made me acutely aware of how little I know about Italian chocolate! A good argument for taking the tour...
A visit to some of Florence's most eminent chocolatiers, including: Andrea Bianchini - member of the Academy of Masters of Italian Confectionary, Rivoire - chocolatier since 1872, Vestri - a family run business who grow their own beans in the Dominican Repbulic.
In the towns surrounding Florence, they visit Prato, where Luca Mannori (see photo above) - international award-winning Relais Dessert winner is at work and the town of Angliana where Roberto Catinari, who studied with Swiss chocolatiers has been making his grappa-filled chocolates, walnuts and acorns filled with hazelnut paste for decades.
In the Tuscan chocolate valley, they will visit Slitti in Munsummano Terme as well as De Bondt, listed by Chantal Coady in The Chocolate Companion as one of the 15 top chocolatiers in the world, located in Visignano-Navacchio.

Mohren Haus - Bamberg, Germany

2011-12-26T01:01:00.000-08:00

Located very near the Obstmarkt No 6, which means "fruit market" but doesn't sell fruit, the Mohren Haus "Moor House", with the requisite Moor bust (see above door) does not, in fact, sell Moors. It was built in 1810 and housed an apothecary, all the original cabinets of which remain intact inside. Two hundred year old wooden drawers once used to hold herbs and remedies of all sorts are now used to store tea in their front room.

The long, narrow store consists of four rooms downstairs and an upstairs (which I didn't visit). The first (pictured above) is devoted to tea. The second is a fine food section. The third housed mostly sweets, biscuits, tea gift baskets and chocolate and the fourth home accessories. Mohren Haus gets a "recommended" rating from me based on it's overall merit, though I have to admit the chocolates, although ok, would not be my personal selection.

They had a full array of the Austrian Zotter brand bars and drinking chocolate, as well as a custom made Mohren Haus bar, also made by Zotter, a small array of the Belgian brand Dolfin (waxy), Schokomonk (lesser known brand based on flavor mix-ins) and Austrian Berger.

Website: http://mohren-haus.de/

Location(s): Obere Brücke 14, 96047 Bamberg,

Type: gift store that sells chocolate

Hot chocolate: Yes, but it must have been upstairs

Seating: Yes, at the bar

Atmosphere/service: Definitely worth a visit just to see the gorgeous dark wooden cabinetry. The women at the counter were friendly an allowed me to take a picture, which was nice.

Recommended

Leave it to the Chinese - World Chocolate Wonderland

2011-12-19T03:04:00.000-08:00

Starting with a chocolate fashion show (yes, we have seen these before), the Chinese have launched their World Chocolate Wonderland in Beijing. It sounds weird, and probably is, but the pictures are worth looking at. They have recreated Ming dynasty porcelain in chocolate, and it actually looks...well, like porcelain.

Obstmarkt No 6 - Bamberg, Germany

2011-12-15T01:42:00.000-08:00

Don't be fooled by the name, which translates as "vegetable market no 6" and is a reflection of its address, rather than its contents. In 2005, Ms Motschmann started the Obstmarkt, which is about as good of a home accessory & gourmet gift store as it gets.

I had the good luck of being able to speak with the owner, who is very hands-on and has put a lot of effort into the selection of everything in the store, which includes the chocolates. In general, she carries chocolate from Germany and its neighbors, as well as selected other European countries (see below). As far as I'm concerned, she has chosen well, with only a few exceptions.

Chocolates

Clement (German, with mix-ins), Domori (Italian-rather rare to find in stores), Blanxart (Spanish, including their 82% Congo bar which is a family favorite), Berger (at the right side of the photo - gift oriented chocolate bars in very pretty wrapping. Which almost always translates into mediocre chocolate). Coppeneur (German, a very interesting bean-to-bar company producing both origin and filled bars), Valrhona (French bean-to-bar classic, only baking chocolate only in store).

In the picture above, you might also recognize Bacchalm 1928 chocolates taking pride of place with their green, pink and blue boxes. I have only eaten this Austrian chocolate once, and loved it. They specialize in high-quality, well-tempered dark chocolate bars with gourmet mix-ins, such as fresh nuts, seeds, spices and candied flowers. Delicious stuff, and also difficult to find.

Hot chocolates from Monbana, Coppeneur and Art of Chocolate as well as an intriguing product called Devil's Hot Spicy Chocolate, mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, ginger, chilies and allspice.

There is a full vitrine and lots of display space dedicated to a local company from Schwarzach called Art of Chocolate They offer bars with chili, pralines, and real chocolate chips as well as "submarine" hot chocolate. The pralines are square & flat, with colorful cocoa butter transfers on the top, which reminded me a lot of what most Israeli chocolates look like. They look enrobed, but unfortunately are molded, leaving them with a too-thick coating. The ganache was good, though. A common story.

Website: www.obstmarktno6.de

Location(s): Obstmarkt 6, 96047 Bamberg

Type: gourmet gift that sells chocolate

Hot chocolate: yes, in the café: can be selected from any of the brands they sell. I had already had too much chocolate when I went, so didn't try it. They also sell espresso.

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: One of the best gourmet and home gift stores I have seen. Crammed full with colorful, useful tasty things. A little piece of heaven. Good, friendly service.

Highly Recommended

Du Rhône Chocolatier - Geneva, Switzerland

2011-12-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

When I first moved to Geneva, I cruised the main shopping street (which has three names, one of which is the Rue de Commerce), popping into all of the chocolate shops and buying a few truffles. Du Rhône was one of these. The chocolates looked good, and were properly refrigerated, and there wasn't much white chocolate to be found (often a good sign). They even offer a selection of "origin" chocolates, which can also bode well (but is still no guarantee of quality). The truffles I ate that day, however, just didn't interest me much.

A couple of months later, a friend of mine suggested we go to Du Rhône to taste the chocolate which had won best in show at the Salon des Chocolatiers, the Coline. They describe it as a 70% dark ganache of savory beans and Brazil and Papua New Guinea. After I realized that they had won this distinction as well as the Gault & Millau Prize for the Mocca glacé, I thought I ought to give them another chance. As it turns out, I was right the first time.

Coline: winner of the 1st prize at the Salon International des Chocolatiers in Geneve 2011. I just can't figure out why. This palet shaped chocolate is flat and thin, with a musty, sour, off-tasting ganache. Simply put, it just isn't good chocolate. Nasty and well worth avoiding 64 (see CS rating scale).

Palet or: as I have written several times, this is the chocolatier's opportunity to show of what he or she can do with the simplest of materials - dark chocolate filled with a dark chocolate ganache. This chocolate also has a musty, off flavour like the Coline. It does have some red fruit flavours in the blend, indicating the presence of some flavour beans (i.e. Trinitario) somewhere. Unfortunately, they aren't enough to redeem the chocolate, which has almost an alcoholic quality to it. Very unimpressive indeed 67.

Cuba, Tanzanie and St. Domingue: none of these regions are especially known for their beans, which is why they are rather strange choices for origin chocolates.

Cuba: the ganache tastes like margarine. Nothing short of absolutely diobolical 25.

Tanzanie: the best thing I have tasted so far, but still not great. The ganache has a tartness and bark-like flavors that you taste on the sides of your tongue. They almost make you purse your lips a bit, which is interesting. The flavor would be described as "dry" in terms of wine. Usually edible but don't expect the earth to move 75.

St. Domingue : a rather ordinary dark chocolate 70.

Website: www.du-rhone.ch

Location(s): 3, rue de la Confédération, Geneva

Type: chocolatier & patissier

Hot chocolate: yes, in the café. I didn't try it.

Seating: in the café

Atmosphere/service: Everything about this place speaks of its tradition - from its location at Bel Air, to its narrow, dark-coloured atmosphere, except its chocolate, which is pretty, um, bad.

Not recommended

Konditorei Graupner - Bamberg, Germany

2011-12-04T11:28:00.001-08:00

Website: http://www.hotel-graupner.de/shop/

Location(s): Lange Straße 5, 96047 Bamberg,

Type: chocolatier & patissier

Hot chocolate: yes, in the café. I didn't try it.

Seating: in the café

Atmosphere/service: Located almost across the street from Confiserie Storath on one of the main shopping streets in Bamberg, Konfiserie Graupner is attached to a hotel and café of the same name. The pastry and chocolate shop is tastefully decorated with seasonal delicacies and silver colored statuettes in the shapes of forest animals. The young woman who sold me the truffles was kind enough to write down all of their names with a smile.

Somewhat recommended

I would recommend that any chocophile in Bamberg walk straight past Storath and cross the street to Konditorei Graupner. Their cakes are some of the most gorgeous I have ever seen (regretfully I didn't get to try one). Their base chocolate isn't spectacular, but it doesn't have to be. Most importantly it doesn't interfere with the other flavors and has a wonderful melt.

Tonka bean: when I saw the molded chocolate, I thought "oh no", but the enrobage melted away in my mouth, revealing a tasty, but not particularly tonka-y, ganache.

Chili: a dark chocolate truffle with a very fresh, creamy, chili-infused ganache. Great texture and just the right amount of zing.

Ginger: the white chocolate ganache tasted more of alcohol than ginger to me. In fact, in a blind tasting I wouldn't have been able to identify it as ginger. Still tasty, if you like alcohol flavoured chocolates.

Bittersweet: confusingly coated in white, brown, and pink stripes. Again, great melt and texture, but rather plain flavour since the dark chocolate is quite mild.

Confiserie Storath - Bamberg, Germany

2011-11-30T03:01:00.001-08:00

Website: www.confiserie-storath.de

Location(s): Lange Straße 26, 96047 Bamberg, also a shop in Bayreuth

Type: chocolatier

Hot chocolate: yes - good. Beautifully served in a gold-accented porcelain with a chocolate that reads "Der kleine Luxus"-the small luxury. Topped with real whipped cream and cinnamon (my advice is to ask them to hold the cinnamon: it looks good but tastes bitter). For 30c extra, a praline on the side.

Seating: no. 2 standing tables.

Atmosphere/service: Gorgeous atmosphere. Large space for a chocolatier, with a classy, old wood interior and crystal chandeliers. They had 3 workers were all kept busy the 2 times I visited.

Not recommended

How could a place the sounds and looks so good earn the infamous "not recommended" rating? The most fundamental problem: an inferior base chocolate. It is full of off tastes which I can best describe as slightly rancid coconut oil, and interferes with anything the chocolatier might try to create. Second, they have added alcohol to almost all of their truffles and pralines (which are kindly labeled with percent alcohol content in their flyer), which may speak to German taste and therefore be a good business move for them, as well as acting as a preservative. It is, however, a distraction for chocolate tasters (Chloe Doutre-Roussel also does not taste chocolates with alcohol, so I am not alone in this). Unfortunately, between these two distractions I am not able to review the individual chocolates.

There are a lot of good things to be said about Storath: the atmosphere is lovely, the hot cocoa good and clearly it is a favorite among the locals. But these things still aren't enough to redeem the rating. Sad but true.

Chocolate Tasting Party in a Box - available in USA

2011-11-25T08:25:00.000-08:00

Chocolopolis, a super-foodie chocolate specialty store on top of Queen Anne hill (where Merideth Grey is supposed to live on Grey's Anatomy, if that helps) just put out a product that looks awesome.

The Chocolate Tasting Party in a Box is probably not far from what I would put together if left to my own devices. This is probably at the top of my list for holiday gift recommendations for serious chocophiles. Too bad it's only available in the USA. Well, we expats are used to that.

I miss CocoAroma magazine

2011-11-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

CocoAroma magazine was really a dream come true, and unfortunately short-lived. It was classy, gorgeously photographed and lovingly written by smart chocophiles. And the best thing was that I actually learned new things by reading it. The saddest thing is that I only have one copy in my collection. Or maybe the worst of all is that I actually wrote two articles for them, one on Choconoy in Israel and one on a chocolate tasting I held, that never got published. Sigh.

Chocolaterie Stettler - Geneva, Switzerland

2011-11-18T07:07:00.001-08:00

Our sphynx cat, Kiana, likes to take part in everything, including chocolate tasting. We don't let her eat any, of course: it's bad for animals.

Among all of the chocolatiers I encountered at the Salon International des Chocolatiers et du Chocolat, I voted for Stettler as the best in show.

Website: www.chocolaterie-stettler.ch

Location(s): 4 locations in Geneva: 69, I visited 50, Route de Florissant

Type: chocolatier & café

Hot chocolate: yes - good, but no whip cream!

Seating: yes

Atmosphere/service: Very clean and no frills. The bathrooms are nicer than most restaurants, I highly recommend a visit. Friendly, but not talkative service who will answer questions if asked and has given me a few free samples, which I love!

~~Highly~~ recommended (see comment below)

Never would I have guessed that anything called "Stettler" would be from the Suisse Romande, but in fact, they were founded in Geneva in 1947. Their base chocolate is made of a blend of Swiss chocolates, and their products are fresh, beautiful and tasty. They offer a large variety of chocolates, from bars to bonbons (what they call their flat enrobed chocolates) to truffles (what they call their round enrobed chocolates). They have the variety of flavors I personally look for in a chocolatier: from the traditional palet d'or to more adventurous flavors such as basil or rose. I fell in love with Stettler when I tasted their tonka truffle. Larger than most European size truffles, it almost reminded me a bit more of the generous American chocolates I grew up with. But in terms of quality there is no comparison. The musky, vanilla-like and yet entirely unique flavor of the tonka bean is a perfect match for the creamy, sweet ganache. They struck gold with this one, literally (the truffle is decorated with gold on top - see lowest truffle in photo above). A superstar chocolate that gives us all a reason to live. 97 (see CS rating scale)

Maracaibo truffle: gorgeous, fresh ganache with very little embellishment. The Venezuelan chocolate is allowed to shine with a mixture of earthy, marshmallow and slightly tangy fruit notes. Their is quite good, but not as complex as other Maracaibos I have tasted. Very good and definitely worth buying. 87

Rose truffle: Usually I find the taste of rose water in sweets (it is commonly used in desserts from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.) overwhelming, but Stettler has found a very good balance between the ganache and the enrobage. Very good and definitely worth buying. 89

Basil truffle: basil might not sound like an obvious combination with chocolate, but it is increasing in popularity among chocolatiers willing to take a risk. Stettler has managed to make a slightly savory but still delicious chocolate, balancing the flavors with a dash of salt (I think). Very good and definitely worth buying. 88

Mast Brothers Chocolate - Brooklyn

2011-11-15T08:17:00.001-08:00

My friend Martina sent me a link to an NPR show called "From Scratch", focussing on entrepreneurship. The following interview is with Michael and Rick Mast, who are making bean-to-bar chocolate at Mast Brothers in Brooklyn. If you were wondering, yes, they really do look like that. They decided that they would grow beards until they sold 1,000 (I think) bars, and by the time they did their beards had become part of who they are (much to the chagrin of their partners!).

Of course, Martina and I would love to try their chocolate, but it is not available to be shipped outside of the US. Anyone willing to stash some in their suitcase and drop it off in Berlin or Geneva? A girl can hope.

Have any of you tasted it? If so, please, please tell us what you think in the comments.

Chocolate toothpaste discovered in New Orleans

2011-11-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

My dad who lives in Seattle gave me the scoop on this. Theodent is so new they barely have a Facebook page and their web site is pretty much a "coming soon" page. A graduate student at Tulane University in New Orleans was looking for a new tooth strengthtening agent (floride has been in common use until now), and came across a compound found in the cocoa bean. The toothpaste is being marketed at the high-end consumer and being sold at Whole Foods.

The idea that there are substances in the cocoa bean that are good for the teeth has come up occasionally in my research. Not surprising, because cocoa itself has many health benefits. Of course, when we usually think of chocolate, there is quite a bit of sugar involved, which is what makes it a yummy treat instead of a health food.

Funny enough, I always hated mint toothpaste and thought that this could maybe be an alternative. But the "chocolate toothpaste" turns out to be...guess what...mint flavoured. Wah.

I died & went to heaven and it was in the basement of Globus

2011-11-06T03:59:00.000-08:00

When I lived in Berlin, any time I needed to cheer myself up, or to celebrate, or to generally feel good, I used to go to the food floor on KaDeWe. Upon moving to Geneva, I despaired that I wouldn't ever find anything of the like here. Until I wandered into the basement of the Globus department store, that is.

This is one of the two photos I managed to snatch before an employee told me no photographs were allowed. I considered handing her one of my impressive Chocolatespeak business cards, but thought better of it, since she didn't seem amenable to sweet talk.

What can I say? Ok, it's smaller than KaDeWe, which is true of pretty much everything in the world except Harrods. But Globus Delicatessa is much more beautiful! The lighting is gorgeous. Every shelf is lit separately to best show off whatever is being sold there. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceilings. There is plenty of room to roam around without feeling like you are about to be run over by a group of tourists or another shopping cart. The Christmas section is already looking great at the beginning of November, and I only imagine it will continue to improve.

Oh, and the chocolate. The selection is good, with some interesting local Swiss, Spanish and Tirolian boutique bar makers I haven't seen before. A testament to the elegance of the store is that the gourmet chocolates are far, far away from the large wall of consumer chocolate (Toblerone, Cailler, Nestle, etc...) at the check-out stands. I mean, there's chocolate and there's chocolate, after all.

Carole & Joël Merigonde - Salon des Chocolatiers, Geneva

2011-10-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

One of the many pleasant discoveries I made at the Salon International des Chocolatiers et du Chocolat
was Carole & Joël Merigonde's chocolate. At first glance, they didn't look like they had anything outside the ordinary to offer. But oh they did. Fresh, (when I say fresh I mean eat them in a couple of days or bad things will happen!) hand-made bonbons filled with wild strawberry ganache. Wild strawberries look more like raspberries than what we know as strawberries today, and have a flavour which is hard to describe. I had them for the first time in my life last year in Berlin, and the best descriptor I could come up with is grape soda (a flavour probably only familiar to inhabitants of North America).

The wild strawberry bonbons were slightly smaller than average, which suited their unusual flavour. They can be bought in gift boxes with a strawberry coloured ribbon or simply in a bag. My initial reaction was that this would be a unique hostess gift for someone who has it all. Again, make sure to tell the recipient to eat the truffles ASAP. If you are lucky, maybe they will open them right away and even share some with you.

I'm looking forward to visiting the Merigonde's cafe in Geneva and writing a more in-depth review soon.

Chocolatespeak Glossary of Terms

2011-10-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges of writing to an international audience is choosing which terminology to use. For example, what are called truffles in the United States are called bonbons in the Francophone world and Pralinen in German. On the flip side, bonbons are cheap sugary candies in the US, having almost nothing to do with chocolate. So confusing.

Living in Geneva has given me the final impetus to consent more to the Francophone chocolate vocabulary, since it is what I use here and is still the most universally understood in the culinary world. Forgive me, Anglophones.

The following glossary is a mixture of that from Chloé Doutre-Roussel's The Chocolate Connoisseur and Le Guide des Mordus et des Fondus Première Édition, with my own two cents thrown in, of course.

Base chocolate (my term): Doutre-Roussel refers to this as "couverture", which is confusing, because there is another product better known as couverture here in Europe (a low quality, low chocolate content product sold in stores and used to glaze cakes). Base chocolate is the chocolate chocolatiers buy in bulk from chocolate makers to create their bonbons and bars.

Bonbon: As mentioned above, the term used in the Francophone world for what people in the US call "truffles" and the Germans call "pralinen". Confusing. I have decided, despite my American and German ancestry, to adopt this term to describe enrobed chocolates filled with ganache.

Bloom: dull or grey look on the surface of chocolate caused by the chocolate having gone "out of temper", in which the sugar and cocoa butter separate and the cocoa butter rises to the surface. Not desirable, but also not disasterous .

Chocolatier/fondeur (melter-term used by Jacques Genin): A person who melts bulk chocolate to make filled chocolates and bars.

Chocolate maker: A person or company who works with cocoa beans and transforms them into chocolate through a complicated mechanical and chemical process. (see bean-to-bar)

Cocoa butter: 50-55% of a cocoa bean's weight consists of cocoa butter. If kept below 18 Farenheit, this fat looks and feels like yellow soap. Many chocolate makers and chocolatiers add cocoa butter to increase viscosity and give chocolate a smooth texture. As it is expensive, in poor-quality chocolate it is partially replaced by other vegetable fats.

Cocoa liquor/cocoa mass: product of cocoa nibs being milled at the factory. A paste with the consistency of peanut butter and smelling a little of chocolate. It may not contain more than 5% residue from the beans or the shells. The cocoa liquor is pressed to extract the cocoa butter, leaving a solid matter called cocoa presscake.

Cocoa nibs: roasted cocoa beans that have had their shells removed and broken into small pieces.

Cocoa pods: the fruit of the cocoa tree, containing around 50 cocoa beans. The pulp of the fruit is allowed to turn into vinegar during the fermentation process, giving chocolate part of its distinguished flavour. The skins of the pods are used as animal feed. Subject to enormous trade restrictions and rarely available in non-cocoa producing regions.

Cocoa powder: the pure product of crumbled presscake. Invented in 1828 by the Dutch Conrad Van Houten.

Cocoa presscake: solid matter remaining after cocoa liquor has been pressed and cocoa butter extracted.

Cocoa solids/ cocoa content/ %: total percentage of the ground cocoa beans as well as added cocoa butter. This is why sometimes a 82% bar can taste very strong from one company, but rather mild from another (an example of a mild 82% bar is Blanxart's Congo, which, I suspect, has a high percentage of cocoa butter.
--White chocolate: considered by many chocophiles not properly chocolate at all (myself included), due to its lack of the dark bitter fruitiness that is the flavour part of cocoa solids. It is a confection made of sugar, milk, fat and vanilla which sometimes contains cocoa butter but no other cocoa content.
--Milk chocolate: Developed in the 1870's by the Swiss Daniel Peter, solid chocolate mixed with either liquid, powdered or condensed milk added. I has to contain a minimum of 25% cocoa content in the EU. The USA requires a mere 10%.

--Dark chocolate: The USA and EU require a minimum of 35% cocoa content.

The Le Guide des Mordus et des Fondus Première Édition has a list of categories I haven't ever seen before:

Guanaja - 70% cacao, 29% sugar and 1% soy lecithin and vanilla

Chocolat amer - bitter or extra 50%

Chocolat couverture - (higher cocoa butter content, lower sugar) 47%

Chocolat à croquer ("eating chocolate") 35% (this term is used by Bonnat on all of their bars regardless of the percentage)

Chocolat à menage ("cooking chocolate") 30%

Conching: Named after the machine in which it ocurrs, the conche (the name of which is derived from it's shell-like shape), invented in 1878 by Rudolphe Lindt. The machine kneads the chocolate mixture from one to five days, depending on the desired quality of the chocolate. The kneading process allows acidity to evaporate, brings out flavour and homogenizes texture.

Criollo:??? Everyone is claiming it, and purer than the next. We know that it is the rarest type of cocoa bean and comprises less than 3% of all the world harvest. We know that it is really really expensive. We know that if everyone claiming criollo chocolate were telling the truth, the math wouldn't add up. Beloved by many for it's subtle and delicate flavour. Sought out by many looking for the "best" chocolate. Can you tell I'm not convinced?
--sub-type Porcelana: a single genetic variety of cocoa beans, with more than 90% criollo genes. Doutre-Roussel says they only come from Sur del Lago, Venezuela.

Enrobage: previously referred to by me on the blog as "couverture", which got people confused. The chocolate shell that is either poured onto bonbons, or into which they are dipped.

Forastero: one of the 3 species of cocoa tree (close to 85% of the world production). They have the least aromatic beans but are disease-resistant with the best yield. Found mainly in Africa, but not Madagascar.
--sub-type Nacional or Arriba: a Forastero flavour bean. Previously believed to only be available in Equador, recent scientific discoveries have traced its origins to Peru.

Ganache: mixture of cream or butter and chocolate, found in the center of bonbons or in cakes. It can either be plain or flavoured.

Trinitario: one of the 3 species of cocoa tree. A cross between Criollo and Forastero. This tree has hybrid characteristics - robustness, aromatic beans and a fairly good yield.

Truffe nature (hand-rolled truffle): the essence of chocolate. Pure ganache rolled by hand into a ball and dusted with cocoa powder, not enrobed. The final product resembles a black truffle. Best eaten immediately. If it is shelf-stable (does not need to be refrigerated), it's not the real thing.

Beschle Chocolatier Suisse - Salon du Chocolatiers, Geneva

2011-10-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

Above is a picture of Roger Greiner, Sales Directorat Beschle, touting his wares at the Salon International des Chocolatiers etdu Chocolat October 15 and 16 at the BFM in Geneva.

***Full disclosure: I have interviewed DominicBeschle and have also received complimentary products from Beschle Chocolatier.***

When I arrived at the Salon des Chocolatiers, Imade a bee-line to the Beschle stand, which was nestled in toward the back,nearby the bar. It was the largest and most developed stand of the lot,which actually fits into what I know of Beschle's marketing strategy quitewell. They are a multi-generational family-owned company: Dominic Beschleis the C.E.O., and his brother Pascale is the Maître Chocolatier. Theyreflect this tradition in their chocolate bars in their Héritage line, whichcontinues traditional recipes mostly based on nut and alcohol flavours. Yet even while celebrating family custom they have their sights set onfar-flung international markets mostly undreamt of by other small luxurychocolate houses.

Beschle has already made the overseas leap to Asia,with two boutiques in Singapore and distribution in Japan. Roger Greinertold me that they have selected areas in South America as well as North Africafor expansion. The size and expense of their stand, which drew attentioneven in Paris, reflects their expansionist vision.

How does a relatively small family-owned Swisschocolatier maintain their integrity while conquering the world? Quitefrankly, the answer is in their chocolate. As mentioned above,their Héritage line connects them to their past. Their Quizásline, which is sadly being discontinued, was a foray into pure originchocolates with an emphasis on rare beans. It is being supplanted by the Cruline, which does much the same thing, but at a more marketable price. Of this line, their Criollo Maracaibo Classificado Venezuela, Lait 38%won the Academy of Chocolate Silver Award in 2010. My husband and I tasted theCriollo Maracaibo Venezuela 88%, and our verdicts differed. He felt thatit was a good attempt, but too intense to let the delicate criollo flavourbloom. Since I don't find criollo flavourful enough, I actually liked it. It has a crisp, strong flavour that will help you re-set your paletteafter a long day of tasting bonbons and anything sugary. The JavaIndonesie 64% isn't for everyone: it has the smoky, piquant flavour found inJavanese chocolates that might turn off some chocophiles. Personally, Ithink Javanese chocolate is a gem, to be enjoyed in moderation and as a supplementto her creamy, sweet sisters. Their Signature line is where theyare letting Pascal Beschle have a little fun, and try out new flavourcombinations, to great success. Their Fleur de Sel et Pistaches, Trinitario Madagascar, Noir64% 72h won an Academy of Chocolate gold award, and Gingembre Trinitario Madagascar, Noir 64% 72h camein with silver. The 72h indicates the amount of hours the chocolate wasconched. I have tasted the Romarin & Thym Citron, Criollo Maracaibo Venezuela,Noir 65% and found it pleasant and savory. I love herbalchocolates and recommend it for someone who enjoys more herbal rather thansweet flavours. Pascal's philosophy is that the chocolate should be inthe forefront and the other flavours in the background, with which I wholeheartedlyagree.

I have written in some detail about how Beschle is retaining heritage while pushing out into the future. But there is a cost for all of this ambition, and it is paid in the bonbons. Fresh, handmade bonbons made with cream or butter are a traditional mainstay of Swiss chocolatiers. The taste is fantastic, but make sure to eat them within a week, or you might find an unpleasant surprise inside (as I did this morning). Because of their international focus, Beschle has chosen to focus on a more shelf-stable product, which can be boxed and shipped months in advance for sale throughout the world (essentially no different than any other major chocolate manufacturer). The cost is that the bonbons suffer in quality. I hope that Beschle creates a separate line of fresh, delicate bonbons with only the finest ingredients for their local Swiss market.

Harry Genenz - Berlin (Deutsch)

2011-10-19T04:40:00.000-07:00

Website: www.harry-genenz.de

Ort(e): Brandenburgische Str. 32 (Konditorei Cafe), Reichsstr. 102a (Patisserie Cafe)

Tel: 030 881 25 37/030 377 1977

Typ: Konditorei Cafe

Hoch Empohlen (Die Schoko Croissants sind am besten in Berlin!)

Qualität der Auswahl: auslesene Süßigkeiten, Valrhona Schokolade, selbsgemachte Pralinen und Torten

Selbstgemachte Schokos: eine große Auswahl an Pralinen, mit oder ohne Alkohol

Heisse Schokolade: Normal (ok) oder Valrhona: teuer aber gut.

Atmosphäre: sehr ruhig und stilvoll. Das Konditorei Cafe hat ein Bambus garten im Sommer.

Erstens muss ich zugeben, dass in diesen Fall überhaupt nicht objektiv seien kann. Harry Genenz ist mein Kiez Konditorei und ich gehe jeden Tag an dieser Vitrine vorbei, und kenne alle die Frauen die dort arbeiten. Obwohl ich als Schoko-Kritikerin nicht objektiv sein kann, wäre es unfair, nur deswegen kein Post über Genenz zu schreiben.

Canache Mokka

Einfach lekker. Frische Kaffe und dunkle Schokolade sind in Einklang.

Poire

Meine erste Birnenschokolade. Wenn Mann der Geschmack von einer Birne Helene in einer Ganache verwandeln könnte, würde es so schmecken. Mit Alkohol. Saisonbedingt.

Palet Or

Erstens, bin ich ekstatisch, dass jemand in Deutschland überhaupt ein Palet herstellt (sie kommen leider selten vor). Dunkel und rund, mit ein klienes Bisschen Gold bestreut. Die Schoko selber ist von Valrhona, und ich weiss nur genug zu sagen dass es nicht Manjari ist (Guanaja vielleicht?).

Guanaja Trüffel 70%

Guanaja schokolade ist eine Mischung von Criollo und Trinitario Bohnen aus Venezuela. Sie ist frischer und deswegen ein Bisschen besser als das Palet Or. Die Ganache ist einfach herrlich frisch und weich. Eine sehr gute Schokolade.

Interview with Franz Ziegler

2011-10-19T04:25:00.000-07:00

Franz Ziegler was awarded WorldPastry Team Championship “Pastry Chef of the Year” for 2008-2009 in Nashville,Tennessee. He is the author of fivebooks, including Magic Marzipan and the hot-off-the press ChocolateCollection, a gorgeous coffee-table sized book featuring 200 of his mostcreative designs in chocolate. The factthat the book is bilingual (German-English) is of particular interest, because Ihave noticed a sore lack of high quality books on chocolate in the Germanlanguage. He is based in Switzerland andoffers consulting to the chocolate industry, as well as seminars on varioustopics surrounding chocolate.

I was honoured that Mr. Ziegler was willingto spend time with me during the Salon Internationaldes Chocolatiers et du Chocolat that took place here in Geneva on October15 and 16. In several ways, he hascreated a dream job for himself – the teaching and consulting part of whichwould also be a dream job for me.

CS: What is it you like about criollo? Is it just a trend?

FZ: The flavour is rounder and morecomplex. It is mainly produced on smallfarms and mixed with shade trees such as banana and coffee, the flavours ofwhich somehow mix into the chocolate taste. Plus the story of it – I like knowing that this is where it allstarted. The original – that has greatvalue to me.

CS: Do you have a favourite kind of chocolatebean (criollo, trinitario, Nacional…)?

FZ: Since one year, yes. The Nacional bean found in Peru and named FortunatoN°4 in honor of the farmer and the land on which the tree was found. It has the identical DNA as the referencesample in the gene bank at the USDA. Theexclusive Swiss distributor is Von Rotz based in Cham. If you have been there (Peru) and have metthe farmers, it’s hard to keep your Swiss neutrality.

Notabene: Americans named Dan Pearson and Brian Horsley recently discovered a standof pure Nacional trees in the Marañón Canyon of Peru, which was a hugediscovery because 95% of the Nacional trees had been killed by a disease in1916. They founded a company called MarañónChocolate, for which Von Rotz is the exclusive Swiss distributor.

CS: Was discovering this chocolate likefalling in love?

FZ: No, falling in love is somethingphysical. This was something mental.

CS: Can you talk to me a little aboutNacional coming from Peru? This reallyhas the makings of a scandal, since Equador treats the name almost as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée.

FZ: In 1916 there was a blight and the Nacional trees were all but wiped outand replaced by Forastero trees, which diluted the chocolate. Decades ago there were disputes about the borderbetween Equador and Peru, and the science now says that the Nacional beansoriginated from Peru. The US ForeignMinister actually called the Equadorian and Peruvian representatives into hisoffice to warn them about the press release that would say as much.

CS: How did you get your start inconfectionary?

FZ: I grew up in the confectionary industry. My parents had abakery/confectionary/restaurant in Landquart, which my brother still runs. We all worked there when we were growingup. At the beginning, I was more a bakerthan a confectioner, and now I’m a chocolatier.

CS: Do you have a formal education?

FZ: I did an apprenticeship and later aMasters in Baking Confectionary.

CS: Do you feel that a formal education isnecessary?

FZ: Here in Switzerland you start anapprenticeship at 16 and begin earning money right away. It’s not right in the Anglo-American systemwhere your parents have to spend 100,000 dollars to send you to school.

CS: Is there anything important you would liketo tell us about Swiss chocolate?

FZ: The Swiss tend to make things slower,but better. They have a way of notbragging about it. Even though theFrench make fun of us, the best chocolate still comes from Switzerland. Wereally took it back between 2002 and 2004 when Felchlin’s Maracaibo 65% waschosen the best dark chocolate in the world. It pissed Valrhona off big time.

Chocolate Aisle at Coop - Geneva

2011-10-09T03:09:00.000-07:00

The picture above is of the chocolate aisle at Coop, one of the two main grocery chains in Geneva. As you can see, there is a huge selection of chocolates. Unfortunately, all of them are purely commercial and of little interest to a true chocophile. Clearly I will have to search further.

One of the oft-cited statistics in the argument for Switzerland being the chocolate capital of the world is the high amount (often cited as 24 kg per person per year) of chocolate eaten here. The numbers are thrown off, because almost everyone who visits Switzerland buys chocolate here. There is no way the people here could be so skinny if they are really eating this kind of volume of chocolate. Second, since when was high volume equated with quality? If anything, they are in an inverse relationship.

To be fair, there is truly good chocolate here, to be found mostly in small chocolateries such as Philippe Pascoët, who, as it turns out, is French! I also really like the Quizàs line by Beschle, who have recently won several prizes at the Chocolate Awards in London. In terms of bean-to-bar, Max Felchlin AG makes some of the better stuff around.

So there is hope. Wish me luck and send me tips.

Erich Hamann - Berlin

2011-09-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Website: www.hamann-schokolade.de

Location(s): Brandenburgische Str. 17, 10707 Berlin

Type: chocolate manufacturer and shop

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: none

Atmosphere/service: This is the definition of stodgy and old-fashioned, which really has something lovely about it. I was served by a less-than-dynamic older woman who wasn't able to answer my questions about where the chocolate came from or what kind of wood the cabinets were made of. But given enough time she was able to provide me with the chocolates I wanted to purchase. There's a reason they have stools in the store.

Somewhat recommended

If you grew up in the United States, you probably know See's Candies and are likely to have fond memories of eating their down-home, no frills chocolates and confections as a kid, especially around Christmas and Easter. If you are reading this blog, your chocolate taste has probably outgrown See's and the likes thereof. But, if you are willing to admit it, if someone were to give you a box of these old-fashioned treats, you would probably enjoy a nostalgic taste of a simpler, sweeter time.

That's what I think about Hamann. It's not about the chocolates, exactly, but about the experience. There is no place else like it in Berlin, certainly. Mouldering away in an inauspicious location in Wilmersdorf, far enough away from Ku'damm to ensure almost no walk-in traffic, hides one of Berlin's oldest (see Sawade article for the other) and most well-known chocolate makers. The company owns the whole building, called the Erich Hamann Haus, and the storefront is unchanged since it was built in 1928: large, dark and full of gorgeous cabinetry.

In 2012 Hamann celebrates their 100th anniversary. I hope they really do it up, and maybe put out a new line of up-to-date chocolates that appeal to the younger generation. As you can see in the photo above, the packaging, much like the storefront, dates back to the 1920's, which, of course, is a large part of Hamann's appeal. Hop on the U7 and get out at Konstanzer Str. between 9 and 18:00 any day except Sunday and step back into history.

Is the base chocolate good? Not really. It is waxy, of unknown origin and has some off tastes. Is the store fun to visit? Absolutely, as long as you are patient with the aging staff. Stick to the pralines, which are chewy, yummy and just good old-fashioned fun. Just take your chocophile hat off and have a good time.

Docura - Berlin

2011-09-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

Website: www.docura-berlin.de

Location(s): Zossenerstr. 20 Kreuzberg & Mexicoplatz 1, Berlin

Type: chocolate shop

Hot chocolate: probably, since I see an espresso machine in my photo!

Seating: none

Atmosphere/service: great air conditioning, very knowledgable staff who actually taught me some new things about chocolate!

Recommended

Docura is one of the few (in fact, two by my count) dedicated chocolate shops in Kreuzberg, the culinary heart of Berlin. Conveniently located across the street from the Markthalle (indoor market), it offers a selection of chocolates to satisfy customers from novelty seekers to hard-core chocophiles (though admittedly the former more than the latter). Of course, I visited in early September, which is the tail end of the Summer season, read: not the time of year you want to go visiting chocolate shops. Most reputable chocolate companies don't begin delivering their good stuff again until late September or October, so anything you find has probably been sitting around for quite a while at this point. This phenomenon occurs everywhere, not only at Docura. The good news here is that their climatization is excellent, so at least nothing has bloomed or gone out of temper with the changing temperature.

My husband Paul and I found several treats for ourselves: he bought a Piura Porcelana bar by Original Beans. The beans are from Peru - it was news to me that there were Porcelana trees there. The salesperson said that it was a recent discovery. It turns out that Bonnat (who are so French they don't offer their website in any other language) also produce a Porcelana from Peruvian beans, so I learned something new today. We also found another one of our favorites: Blanxart Congo 82%, an oversized organic, fair trade bar flavoured with ground vanilla beans that will knock your socks off and leave your wallet intact. It just doesn't get much better than that.

About half the stock consisted of novelty items: sweets that only bear a small relationship to chocolate. In terms of hard-core chocolate, they had Michel Cluizel, Valrhona, Original Beans, Amedei, Coppeneur (which does hard-core and novelty) and Galler. More playful companies such as Zotter, Venchi, Dolfin were also represented, as well as the old standby Cote d'Or (owned by Kraft Foods), and Erich Hamann, a long-time Berlin tradition.

They also offer the full line of Coppeneur pralines, which I haven't seen in such variety anywhere else.

Well worth a trip if you're in Kreuzberg or if you have a longer stay in Berlin.

KaDeWe has cocoa pods!

2011-08-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have seen "fresh" (though it appears that these pods may have seen better days) cocoa pods on sale. For a mere 25 euros a kilo, but what the heck! Actually, I must admit the my curiosity was peaked, and I did briefly fantasize about buying one just to be able to cut it open and taste the flesh of the fruit, see the cocoa seeds in their mucilage and generally just dissect the thing.

Funny, the reason I had heard why the fruit isn't available outside the growing countries had to do with some arcane shipping laws that only allow the dried seeds, rather than fresh pods, to be exported. This just makes me love KaDeWe even more than I already do. I even found rhubarb, which I have seen nowhere else and is going to make an awesome crisp this weekend. Sure will miss this place when I move to Geneva.

Berliner Kaffeerösterei - Berlin

2011-08-08T02:16:00.000-07:00

Website: www.berliner-kaffeeroesterei.de

Location(s): Uhlandstrasse 173, 10719 Berlin

Type: chocolate and confection store, café, restaurant, coffee roaster and seller

Hot chocolate: yes - see photo

Seating: yes, outdoor and indoor

Atmosphere/service: Great, old-style caffe atmosphere with mirrored walls and lots of wood, attentive, but slow, service

Highly recommended

The menu tells any visitor that these people mean business. Every type of coffee is given a short description and is rated for body, acidity and balance. The tea menu is similarly detailed and extensive.

The torte selection is one of the best in Berlin. To be recommended is the hibiscus marzipan torte (despite the obvious lack of chocolate!). Chocolatey selections include the classic marble cake with chocolate couverture, a simple one-layer chocolate cake dusted with powdered sugar, and a tartita de chocolate which comes in its own mini-soufflé pot and looks like it packs a whallop.

On to the hot chocolate: the menu gives you a choice of 42% dark, 30% white or "real drinking chocolate" (that is to say, it has already made your choice for you). The "real" chocolate is described as single-origin Venezuelan premier cru mixed with pink pepper, chili, cardamom and cinnamon. It comes with a class of water, chocolate whipped cream, extra sugar, and two biscotti. An extensive list of liquors can be added for a price, of course.

The hot chocolate itself is just a start; thick enough to stand up your spoon in, you may want to savour it by the spoon- rather than the mouthful. My advice is to definitely add the whipped cream, which adds a lighter dimension to the flavour. Also be very careful about adding the spices, which come on a separate tray in unmarked glass bottles (see photo). There is definitely some expertise to be acquired here (especially with the chili pepper). All in all, a fun and tasty experience.

The store is climate controlled and has an interesting way of separating out their single-origin chocolates onto their own shelf. From top to bottom: Michel Cluizel, Amedei (large variety), Domori (limited variety), Bonnat (large variety - probably the whole range), Claudio Corrallo, Valrhona plantation line (the best they have to offer and perplexingly difficult to find). Beyond this they sell Blanxart, Mazet, BlömBoom (an eccentric company with offices in the Uhlandstrasse as well) and Coppeneur. Their pralines are not marked by maker but I recognized several from Valrhona. The also sell homemade "American style" (my term) chocolate bark and clusters with nuts, cranberries and marshmallows.

A note on the surprisingly good service: a server overheard my mom complaining to me in English that her drink was too sour and he came over and brought her a new drink. It gets better: when I purchased something in the store, the woman re-wrapped it for me even though she knew it was personal purchase, not a gift. Take into account this is Germany, and it was actually startling.

Leysieffer - Berlin

2011-08-08T01:49:00.000-07:00

Website: www.leysieffer.de

Location(s): Kufürstendamm 218, 10719 Berlin, among others

Type: chocolate and confection store, café

Hot chocolate: yes - very good

Seating: yes

Atmosphere/service: Always colorful and full of gorgeous displays, friendly service. A nice place to sit and have coffee or hot chocolate and a piece of cake.

Somewhat recommended

Despite its (to me) French-sounding name, it is indeed named after Ulrich Leysieffer, who founded the chain in Germany in 1909. Still in family hands, the production has moved to Osnabrück in the interim. The store has almost exclusively focussed on their chocolate as a gift product, which has borne two major results: its display and packaging are some of the most attractive and varied I have seen in Germany, making it a feast for the eye. Since, however, all of the chocolates are pre-packaged, the chocophile is denied their need to select their frehly-made pralines one by one from a vitrine - very sad. Leysieffer only earns a somewhat recommended because the chocolate, quit frankly, is quite commercial and not as fresh as it would be directly from a chocolatier. The flavours are too strong - especially in the flavoured bars, which adventurously range from rose, to wasabi, to sea salt, to three different kinds of chili. They have taken some exciting risks with their add-ins, but their maitre chocolatier unfortunately lacks the subtlety to create balanced chocolates with them (no small feat, in any case!).

The good news: you will always get a creamy, steaming-hot cup of hot cocoa, with a delicious cookie on the side (and the whipped cream is some of the best I've had). The marzipan is also quite good, and they take pride in presenting it in many shapes and varieties for every kind of marzipan lover. The saleswoman was particularly keen to point out an elegant box containing a variety of flavoured marzipan, rolled in gold leaf and then embossed with the company logo. I have to say that I was tempted. The confiserie also offers traditional German goodies for every season and holiday, and even sells spit-cake (Baumkuchen) year-round, for those who don't want to wait until Christmas.

Academy of Chocolate Awards 2011

2011-07-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

The London-based Academy of Chocolate is in institution determined to legitimize serious chocolate and those of us who care about it. Every year since 2006 they have published a list of awards in a number of categories, including best bean-to-bar dark and best flavoured bar. For us chocophiles, it can be a bit like waiting for the Academy Award nominations. Check it out and then go forth and taste for yourself.

http://www.academyofchocolate.org.uk/academy/Awards/2011.html

Confiserie Melanie - Berlin

2011-07-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

Website: www.bei-melanie.de (see website for praline-making course schedule)

Location(s): Goethestraße 4, 10623 Berlin-Charlottenburg

Type: chocolatier, chocolate and confection store

Hot chocolate: yes (see write-up)

Seating: yes

Atmosphere/service: small, lovely neighborhood chocolate shop with huge array of fresh, homemade pralines and devoted customers

Highly recommended - This is the place for homemade pralines in Berlin. Bar none.

Stepping into Melanie I was hit with a blast of chilly air - one of the first ways to recognize a serious chocolate shop is good air conditioning. The small shop was bustling with customers on a Wednesday afternoon in summer, which in the chocolate world is about as off-season as it gets. The store features their own handmade pralines in what must be around 30 varieties ranging from the classic (orange, marzipan, rum) to the adventurous (porcino mushroom & olive, wasabi, thyme). It was astounding to see so many flavors, in a range rivaling that of Spain's Cacao Sampaka (one of my favorites). For fine alcohol lovers there were Laphroig, Glenfiddich, vodka and wine pralines (to name a few). For my mother, who is allergic to cocoa mass (the part of chocolate that makes it dark, containing all of the flavour and interesting chemicals), there was the largest selection of white chocolate pralines we have found yet, with flavors such as mango lassi, lemon, passion fruit and coconut.

Beyond this, the walls were lined with jars of exquisite delicacies such as olive blossom honey or lemon curd biscuits from England. Melanie also sells chocolate bars by makers such as Venchi, Lowenstein Confiserie, Domori, La Molina, Blanxart, Charlemagne, Monbana and Berlin's own Erich Hamann.

My mother was excited about their salted caramel mocha (pictured at the left above), which came on a tray with a small glass of water and two pralines of choice, for a very good price, I might add. The hot chocolate comes in white, milk and dark varieties and consists of hot milk (not H Milch, I checked) frothed in a tall glass, with a small bag of chocolate chips which you mix in yourself. It also comes with two pralines of choice. Although I'm not the greatest fan of this hot chocolate method (mostly because the cocoa butter in the chocolate makes mixing very difficult), they did a good job and the flavor balance was right.

The Pralines

Cutting into the praline solved a mystery for me. How could they produce such a large number and variety of what appeared to be hand-dipped pralines? The secret: the ganaches are filled into molds (almost certainly also handmade), sealed with couverture and then dipped once by hand, which gives the hand-dipped appearance. Not a bad idea, but the double-dipped couverture ends up a bit thicker than a lover of French-style pralines would like. But hell, we're not in France...

Thyme

A delicate infusion of thyme is balanced perfectly in the dark ganache. Not too herbal or medicinal tasting, but rather sweet with just a touch of savory. This would probably appeal to all people (even skeptical young people, if they gave it a chance).

Porcino Mushroom & Olive

You can taste the mushroom and olive clearly, and the effect is quite savory and a little salty. It's a bit like the creamiest, subtlest hours d'ouevres ever imagined. Yet it is still distinctly a chocolate. Successfully mixing savory elements with chocolate takes mastery, and that is what is

shown here. My favorite.

Violet

This still cannot rival my favorite violet chocolate in the world from Ruthy Chocolate in Tel Aviv, but it's pretty darn good. The infusion is fresh and I feel like I could even taste the fresh green of the leaves and stems (although this is probably my imagination). When the couverture and slightly sweeter ganache are eaten together, they blend into a delightful, refreshing floral chocolate.

Wasabi

I have to admit that I had a bit of trepidation about this one! As with all of the pralines I taste, I first cut it in half, which revealed a semi-liquid light green ganache. And yes, it really does taste like wasabi (of course mixed with a generous dose of sugar!). To be quite frank, it was too early in the morning for me to actually put this one in my mouth so I will leave it to my braver readers to try it and post comments.

Schokoladen Walter - Berlin

2011-07-15T03:34:00.000-07:00

Website: www.schokoladen-walter.de

Location(s): 5 locations in Berlin

Type: chocolate store

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: old-fashioned German style chocolate shop. Nothing trendy here. Normal service.

Somewhat recommended

Walter is a classic Berlin company which has been manufacturing their own chocolate, marzipan and nougat products since 1915. Currently their factory is located in the Burgermeisterstraße 12, 12103 Berlin-Tempelhof. Mostly they sell products from their own label, but they also have an array of Hachez bars, fresh butter cookies in bins for individual selection, and some other gift products such as Dallmayr coffee and bottles of champagne.

The range of products is traditional, with an emphasis on cream and butter truffles, champagne and alcohol flavoured truffles, marzipan and nougat. All of their products are sold in packages of 10, for around 4€ each. This causes the problem of making it very hard to test out what you might like. I bought a pack of the dark chocolate cream truffles and a variety pack of their marzipan. The cream truffles were a true chocophile's nightmare: low-quality, musty tasting base chocolate, super thick shell and a filling dominated by alcohol taste. The redemption of Walter, in my opinion, is in their marzipan. Their flavours include ginger, rum raisin, coffee and orange (among others), and they all taste good. Around December and April they produce a huge array of holiday marzipan products, to my great delight.

Christine Haberstock - Chocolate Art

2011-06-26T04:26:00.001-07:00

I recently received an email from Christine Haberstock, an illustrator based in Berlin who specializes in food and chocolate, among other things.

She has already created a line of labels for chocolates and is interested in working with people in the chocolate industry.

Her website is refreshing and innovative and well worth a visit just for fun.

Chocolate Tatoo

2011-06-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

I spent part of my last day in Seattle with my friend Arwyn, who happens to be both a chemistry professor and a chocolate enthusiast. As she was driving me home, I noticed a tatoo on her ankle. "What is that?" I ask. "Theobromine", she says.

For those of you who don't know, theobromine is a stimulant found in chocolate.

Personally, I'm not a great tatoo fan, but I had to give Chocolatespeak props to this one.

Christopher Elbow

2011-06-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

Even though I live in Berlin, I still subscribe to Chocolopolis's (Seattle's premiere fine chocolate shop) e-newsletter. Not long ago, they were featuring Christopher Elbow chocolates, and that struck a chord, because I recall having read about him in the sadly now defunct Cocoaroma magazine.

Somehow I managed to convince my father to swing past Chocolopolis at the end of our Father's Day adventure on the Olympic Peninsula. We (that is, I and my father's girlfriend) were thrilled to find it open on a Sunday - until 6 in fact! After two cups of decadent cocoa (mine was 64% Manjari, hers a classic milk chocolate), I decided I couldn't walk away without trying some of these gorgeous little treasures. Elbow's chocolates are colorful, beautiful and very creatively flavoured, which is quite outside my usual experience, but here it goes...

Spiced Carrot

It smells like German Lebkuchen - cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Mostly sweet and dominated by the white chocolate ganache at first, the carrot comes out in the slight crunch and aftertaste. A really lovely and well-balanced confection.

Strawberry Balsamic

There are a lot of things that can go wrong when you're working with vinegar, and none of them went wrong here. A liquid center in a thin shell of high-quality dark chocolate, the strawberry flavour doesn't stand out as much as it mollifies the tang of the balsamic vinegar. Nice for a change but I don't think I could have more than one.

Tequila Lime

A heavenly lime sorbet-like experience, followed by the kick of the tequila, then the sweetness of the white chocolate couverture. My favourite so far, but I also don't think I could eat more than one (maybe that's not the point anyhow, at these prices!).

Lavender Caramel

Wow. He takes his lavender seriously. A bit like chewing on a sachet. I think his flavourings might be a bit bolder than my preference.

Caramel Fleur de Sel

In my opinion, the best of the lot. Actually, between the salty and dark flavours of this one you could alternate with tequila lime and eat yourself into oblivion.

Ramen Noodle Chocolate

2011-06-19T19:14:00.001-07:00

Much like the grey salt caramels, I discovered the ramen noodle chocolate at Greenwood Market my first night here. Komforte Chocolates, based in Orange, California, also makes a tortilla and lime flavour. The Americans really do have everything...

The chocolate itself isn't much different that you will find in a higher-end Hershey bar or something of the like. There are occasional uncooked ramen noodles, which provide a bit of a crunch, and a little soy sauce, which adds some pleasant saltiness. Nowhere near as weird as it sounds. Eat it while watching a kung fu movie.

Battle in Seattle - Grey Salt Caramel Showdown

2011-06-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

When I arrived in Seattle, my friends took me straight to Greenwood Market, and of course I landed in the chocolate aisle. The fact that there is a chocolate aisle (as opposed to just a candy aisle) is already laudable. What struck me first was that there was quite an impressive array of fancy chocolate covered caramels. Cadeaux, Fran's and Theo were all vying for the attention of the consumer with their grey salted caramels, but how to choose? They all come in narrow, rectangular boxes with a plastic lid and elegantly simple paper label, all weighing between 52 and 59 grams and all pricey (between $10-11). It made me a bit suspicious, actually. Had a grey salted caramel cabal been formed in my hometown?

This situation called for a solution: namely, a taste test showdown.

Theo: Well, it's Theo...

Theo isn't quite a cult, but it definitely has a culture. Seattle's only bean-to-bar manufacturer, they stay on the cutting edge of the fine chocolate world, constantly innovating and adding new products. They emphasize the fair trade and organic sourcing of their chocolate, and have an (in the chocolate industry) unusually open attitude toward visitors. Tours are available every day, and classes are offered to the public regularly. I took an enlightening three-class series on the chemistry of chocolate from their head chemist once, and recommend you do the same if you have the chance.

The least dense caramel, covered in milk chocolate. There's just something about this combination that's just right. Just sweet enough, just soft enough, just salty enough. Perfect. #1

Fran's: The Original

Of the three companies, Fran's has been around the longest, and was (I am fairly certain) the first chocolatier in Seattle to sell salted caramels. For quite a long time, hers were the only show in town. No more.

The densest, chewiest caramel, covered in dark chocolate. The caramel has a distinctly bourbon-like flavour (could it have something to do with the lemon juice listed in the ingredients?). Even though the ingredient list shows a smaller amount of salt than Theo's, the salt kick was stronger. #2

Cadeaux: The Small Shop

This is where I must confess that I know and like Janet Shimada, the one-woman show that is Cadeaux Chocolates. A full-time psychiatrist as well as mom, Janet somehow carves out time to create beautiful and delicate chocolate delights and distribute them through Seattle's better venues.

Definitely the most beautiful of the three. The caramel itself is lovely, with ground vanilla bean. Unfortunately, the couverture is quite dull and just can't stand up to the quality of the other two. #3

Seattle - my hometown

2011-06-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

I am currently in Seattle, Washington for two weeks visiting friends and family. Not having been here in three years, I had started to forget the look and feel of the place and the people. Sitting on the bus yesterday on the way downtown I watched them file in, and admired the array of polar fleece, reusable grocery bags and water bottles. I have come home to my tribe!

Seattleites (see-ah-tehl-eye-tz) also appreciate their coffee and chocolate and are willing to pay for quality. My kind of town. Too bad that it is 55 degrees Farenheit right now.

Ocumare Tasting (Deutsch)

2011-06-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

Wie sie im Foto sehen können, haben Martina Falter (von ehemals Cokolado Florado) und ich wieder ein Tasting zusammen unternommen (hier ist unsere Valrhona Tasting, die ich noch nicht aufgeschrieben habe). Ocumare ist eine Gegend in der Aragua Region von Venezuela, die, ähnlich wie Chuao, für ihre hochwertige Kakaobohnen berühmt ist. Maricel Presilla schreibt in ihrem Buch Schokolade dass diese Region ein Überbleibsel von den criollo Kakaos behalten soll, die wahrscheinlich in der frühen Kolonialzeit aus Nicaragua oder der Nicoya Halbinsel von Costa Rica gebracht wurden.

Diesmal waren unsere Bewertungen eher in Einklang – deshalb gibt es nur ein Rating pro Schokolade. Unser erstes Ziel war einfach: verschiedene Ocumare Schokoladen zu probieren und bewerten. Zweitens wollten wir die typischen Merkmale für Ocumare Schokolade herausfinden. Wir haben uns entschieden, dass der Rote Faden für Ocumare im Geruch liegt: grünes Holz oder ganz leicht Gummi. Nachher – beim Schmecken -- waren die Geschmacksnoten sehr viel breiter angelegt.

Amano Ocumare 70%

De La Costa Bohnen. Ich habe diese Schokolade zweimal probiert, mit zwei sehr widersprüchlichen Ergebnissen:

Probe 1: Wenn eine Schokolode ein Mahlzeit wäre, wäre dies mein Hauptgericht gewesen: es fing mit einem Geruch von Schwarzen Oliven an, die sich im Mund in Geranie oder etwas ähnlich Erdiges verwandelten, und endeten sehr lang mit Trüffelnote. Überraschend und durchaus die animalischste Schokolade, die ich je gehabt habe!

Probe 2: Als ich sie zum zweiten Mal probierte, nur um die Geschmackserlebnisse aufzuschreiben fand ich andere Noten:

Gummi

Süß

Vanille

Bitter

Gummi

Vanilleeis

Blaubeere?

Panna Cotta

-- zum zweiten Mal war es anscheinend weniger ein Hauptgericht als ein Nachtisch.

CS Rating: 94 (CS Schokoladen Maßstab hier)

Beschle Quizas #2 72%

De La Costa Bohnen. Buttrig und malzig am Anfang, danach süß mit Muskatnuss, Orange und Kaffelikor, mit einem delikaten Nachgeschmack von Birnen und Zimt. CS Rating: 89

Chocovic Ocumare 71%

Es war sehr anders als ich erwartet hatte, fast ohne „schokoladigen“ Geschmack -- eher Joghurt und Vanilleeis, und am Anfang sogar gekochter Spargel. Interessant, aber es hat einfach keinen Spaß gemacht, sie zu essen. CS Rating: 74

Coppeneur Ocumare 72%

Mit einem mysteriösen Eukalyptus-artigen Geschmack, so dass ich am Ende das Gefühl hatte, dass mein Mund desinfiziert ist, aber auf einer angenehm natürliche Weise. CS Rating: 89

Pralus Venezuela 75%

Trotz sehr hohem Kakaogehalt, sie schmeckte wie eine sehr feine cremige Schokolade, sehr lecker, aber nichts Besonderes . Man kann nicht erkennen dass sie eine „origin“ Schokolade ist. CS Rating: 81

Les Chocolats Bernard Dufoux - Lyon, France

2011-05-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

Website: www.chocolatsdufoux.com

Location(s): 15, rue des Archers 69002Lyon

Type: chocolatier

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: narrow store filled to the brim with chocolate and confiserie. Friendly, personal service by Dufoux's stepdaughter.

Recommended

This was literally the last stop on my chocolate tour of Lyon, and by this time my eyes were pretty much glazing over. I didn't even get a picture of the place! I do remember how pleasant the woman working there was - I asked her if she knew Dufoux and she explained that he was her stepfather. She patiently explained the many flavours to me and steered me clear of all the pralinés (usually nougat filled, as opposed to pralines (without the accent), which I use to refer to filled chocolates in general). Confusing, isn't it?

Dufoux was voted best chocolatier in France according to the "Guide des Croquers de Chocolat 1998". He also has one other location and offers chocolate making classes every first Wednesday of the month, as well as a chocolate of the month club. Their practice of printing the top of each praline with its name is a blessing for people like me, although perhaps not the most beautiful design possible.

Palét d'or

Inside the glassy shine of the gold-flecked surface and a medium thick couverture rests a smooth ganache made of good, but not excellent chocolate. The flavour is pretty flat, with some red fruit notes and a very slight coconut oil note that I have learned to associate with somewhat inferior chocolates.

Tonka

All the mysteries of the tonka bean (see previous article) in a well-executed dark choc ganache. In this case their lackluster base choc is deemed irrelevant by the power of the tonka. A good chocolate.

Chocophile

A fruitier, more tangy version of their palét d'or. In fact, this should be their palét because it tastes better.

Beurre Salé (salted butter)

Tasty, but not what I was expecting (namely, a salted caramel). Instead inside there was a slightly salty dark choc ganache with what appeared to be small chunks of pecan.

Tandoori

True to their word, pronounced but balanced spices well blended into the ganache. Philippe Bel could learn something from this.

Amande Amère (bitter almond)

A flavour I've never encountered before (although it seems like an obvious combination), but I really like. Bitter almond essence leaves the dark choc ganache smooth on the tongue with a long end of mouth.

Francois Gimenez - Lyon, France

2011-05-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Website: www.francois-gimenez.com

Location(s): 174 aveneue des Freres Lumiere, Lyon

Type: chocolatier

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: narrow store filled to the brim with chocolate and confiserie. Normal service.

Somewhat recommended

My husband and I ducked into this tiny, narrow shop near the Lumiere Brothers museum to escape a downpour. We asked for hot chocolate, but it isn't served there. What was available in abundance were small tortes and molded chocolates of every sort, depicting a wide variety of animals and lovingly hand-painted. The wall opposite the counter was plastered with hand made bars in bright boxes (see photo), mostly with sweet or nutty mix-ins. However the ingredients include invert sugar and sorbitol, and they should be avoided. At the farthest wall were the pralines, seemingly the least important of the assortment.

The bonbons weren't labeled, so I will describe them by appearance:

dark square with slight gold paint

a buttery, full-flavoured plain dark choc ganache in a medium thick couverture. Really edible, but not life changing.

pink molded heart

a weakly rose-flavoured milk choc ganache enclosed in a very thick dark choc couverture. Beautiful, but without much substance.

dark square with yellow flower pattern

a pleasant surprise. Subtle lemongrass and massala spices in a creamy milk choc ganache. Enclosed in a delicate hull of couverture. A very good chocolate.

Sal de Ibiza Chocolate (English)

2011-05-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

***klicken Sie hier für Deutsch***

Sal de Ibiza is not only sea salt, but flor de sal: sea salt in its most rare and desirable form. It is valued by gourmets for its high mineral content.

I found Sal de Ibiza chocolate at Winterfeldt Schokoladen (the chocolate itself is produced by Winterfeldt), and bought it out of curiosity. I really like salted chocolate, but it is rare that it isn't either over- or under salted. In this case, the percentage of salt is just right and I think that I wasn't just imagining that the salt really does taste better than usual. The chocolate itself is a very average, 70% chocolate. In this case, it is less important to me that the chocolate is super high quality and more important that the blend of flor de sal and chocolate is a success, which it is.

Sal de Ibiza Schokolade (Deutsch)

2011-05-02T05:03:00.001-07:00

***click here for English***

Sal de Ibiza ist nicht nur Meeressalz, sondern flor de sal: Meeressalz in seiner seltensten und hochwertigsten Form. Es wird von Gourmets für seinen hohen Anteil von Mineralien geschätzt.

Ich habe Sal de Ibiza Schokolade in Winterfeldt Schokoladen gefunden, (die Schoko selber ist von Winterfeldt hergestellt) und aus Neugier gekauft. Ich mag gesalzene Schokolade sehr gern, aber es kommt nicht so oft vor, dass sie nicht unter- oder übersalzt wird. Hier ist der Anteil von Salz genau richtig, und ich glaube ich bilde es mir nicht nur ein, dass das Salz einfach besser als normal schmeckt. Die Schokolade selber ist eine ganz durchschnittliche, 70% dunkle Schokolade. In diesen Fall, ist es mir weniger wichtig, dass die Schoko selbst ein super hohes Niveau hat, sondern dass die Mischung von Flor de Sal und Schokolade gelungen ist.

Guillaume Daix - Lyon, France

2011-04-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

Website: www.chocolats-guillaume-daix.com

Location(s): 3 rue Louis Carrand, 69005 Lyon

Type: chocolatier, café

Hot chocolate: yes

Seating: limited

Atmosphere/service: great atmosphere: open workshop and seating. Personal service from Guillaume's wife.

Recommended

Slightly off the beaten path, near the Gare St. Paul at the end of the C3 bus line you'll find a chocolate shop and kitchen with a real live chocolatier making bonbons in front of your eyes. This hardly ever happens. Daix and his wife have been in this location, in a sixteenth-century building with an exposed stone arch that bears the stamps of the artisans who made each brick. This place is really special. His wife was very friendly and open with me and took a lot of time answering my questions and explaining the products. All chocolate is 100% organic from Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. Their fillings are nut, fruit and seed based, featuring such things as chocolate covered cashews or figs and apricots in sesame. As in the rest of Lyon, the chocolates are almost all dark chocolate, with only a few milk chocolates thrown in for decoration.

Daix differentiates itself by not using butter and dairy in their products. Translation: no ganaches. Even the hot cocoa is made with rice and almond milk, which actually provides a lighter more pure chocolate experience. Since hot chocolate wasn't made with milk until over a thousand years after its invention, I imagined that what I was drinking was somehow more traditional.

In summary, I loved my experience there, especially the opportunity to see the chocolatier at work. The plain and molded dark chocolate is quite tasty, but not breathtaking - certified organic chocolate still doesn't provide the variety of beans and regions available to other chocolatiers. Personally, I missed the cream and the ganaches, but I can see how a health-oriented chocophile would enjoy this more 'granola' (as we say in the US) type of chocolate.

Elégance Chocolat - Lyon, France

2011-04-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Website: www.elegance-chocolat.com

Location(s): 58, Passage de l'Argue, Lyon

Type: chocolatier, café

Hot chocolate: yes

Seating: yes Atmosphere/service: it just didn't feel like a chocolate shop to me for some reason. The service person made me feel uncomfortable.

Not recommended

This tiny store with its long, narrow shape and dark interior reminded me more of a sushi restaurant than a chocolatier. Instead of raw fish, however, chocolates are on display in the glass cases built into the wall. There was something about the place that made me fee a little "off" and it was reinforced by the taste of the chocolate.

Ganache thé

A fruity tea infusion without any strong artificial notes, but an unflattering combination for the dark chocolate ganache.

Chocolat grand cru

Dry and crumbly with little taste and a too-thick couverture. Tastes like it has been sitting around too long.

Ganache citron

A lemon tart white chocolate ganache inside a milk chocolate couverture. Great if you like lemon tarts, but purely confectionary.

Tourtiller - Lyon, France

2011-04-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Website: www.tourtiller.com

Location(s): 4 cours Franklin Roosevelt, Lyon

Type: chocolatier

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: traditional chocolate store, normal service

Somewhat recommended

As with almost all other chocolate stores I visited, Tourtiller was decorated from top to bottom with poissons d'Avril. Apparently the French also celebrate a version of April Fool's Day and it involves trying to stick images of fish on the backs of unsuspecting people. Hollow molded chocolate fish seem to have become a standard part of the hijinks. I couldn't resist any longer and bought one for myself.

Most of the chocolates either had alcohol or nougat (two of my least favourite things), so I only tried two.

Palét d'or

The surface lacks the smooth, mirror-like polish of Bernachon's, and the couverture is a tiny bit thick. The ganache, however, is lovely and balanced (this could be Valrhona) without any of Bernachon's fireworks. A good, but not great, palét.

Pistachio marzipan

Too sugary, dry and dense. At least they didn't put alcohol in it.

Poisson d'Avril

A hollow, molded dark chocolate fish with both halves tied together with a ribbon, opening to reveal small dark and milk chocolate fish and what looked like a yellow easter egg inside. The dark chocolate is mostly, if not all, forastero and not bad tasting. It made a pleasant break from tasting so many sugary pralines.

Richart - Lyon, France

2011-04-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

Website: www.richart-chocolates.com (extensive online shopping available in USA)

Location(s): Les Halles Paul Bocuse, Lyon

Type: chocolatier

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: chocolate booth in a market. Normal service.

Recommended

The only reason why Richart didn't receive a "highly recommended" rating was due to the structure of their Petits: the couverture on the bonbons was just too thick, counteracting much of the delicacy of their ganaches. Part of this has to do with the nature of Les Petits RICHART, which are half-size bonbons and have a much larger couverture to ganache ratio. This creates a lovely visual effect, but detracts from the overall tasting experience.

That said, they offered the most consistent and controlled rendering of florals into ganache I have come across yet. Floral ganaches are really tricky and chocolatiers usually vacillate between lovely and hideous florals within the same collection. The flavors are simply difficult to control, because they tend to be either too subtle to taste over the chocolate or overwhelmingly powerful and perfumey. Richart clearly spared no expense on the essential oils or infusions they used. Every flavour is delicate and well-balanced.

Richart also provides sturdy and handsome packaging, perfect for gift presentation, and each box of Petits (in France at least) comes with Le Petit Livre Blanc de la Degustation, a French language guide to tasting chocolate. I have a big soft spot for chocolatiers who provide booklets with their chocolate - spreading the understanding that chocolate is a noble food to be tasted and not simply to be eaten. Of course, you do pay for all of this packaging, as these chocolates are not cheap.

Les Petits RICHART

Les Floreaux

Lavande en ganache

Subtle, fresh lavender flavour with honey undertones and a long end of mouth.

Chamomile en ganache

Never having had a chamomile chocolate before, I was afraid that it might taste bitter and weedy, as the tea sometimes does. Not at all. Herbal notes mixed with honey and an (only) slightly bitter and long end of mouth. A pleasant surprise.

Bouquet exotique en coulis

The coulis, which in consistency and color is similar to a strained chutney, puts the herbal flavours into stark contrast with the couverture. If I had to hazard a guess, I might say that sage was part of this bouquet.

Fleur de sureau en ganache (elderflower)

Also a floral I had never had in chocolate before, delicately rendered with honey undertones and very pleasing to taste.

Bernachon - Lyon, France

2011-04-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

(above: a partially eaten palét d'or and the Bernachon storefront)

Website: www.bernachon.com
Location(s): 42 Cours Franklin Roosevelt
Type: chocolatier and café

Hot chocolate: yes, for 6,50 eur a cup!

Seating: yes, in cafe

Atmosphere/service: old fashioned but also set up for high volume sales, efficient service

Recommended

I'm sitting on a bench inside the Bernachaon, hands-down the most traditional Lyon chocolaterie. They open at 8:30 AM and I have a feeling that there is a reason for that. I visited at 11 on a Thursday morning and the place was bustling with locals. No less than seven workers were manning the long counter. Near the door the vitrine is filled with croissants, eclairs, meat pies and sandwiches and further back the ballotins and praline selection begins.

The chocolates are not surprisingly quite traditional - you won't be finding any tonka bean or lime flavours here. In her book The Chocolate Companion Chantal Coady gives Bernachon five stars, which is the absolute top rating, indicating a master chocolatier. Do they, in my humble opinion, deserve this? The product is good tasting and well made and they do produce their own chocolate bean-to-bar, which is great. However, I would knock off one star for two reasons: their chocolates are good, but not brilliant and they don't seem at all interested in innovation. Still an absolute must if you are in Lyon.

Helpful note: If you do visit, have the time, and speak French, they offer a three hour tour of their factory including a copy of their beautiful coffee table book on Tues and Sat AM.

Truffe nature

I bit in skeptically (I've been disappointed so many times before) and emerge a believer. This is a tangy and challenging chocolate, with almost untamed lime, papaya and red fruit notes. Their bean-to-bar operation is using a lot of trinitario in their blend.

Pistachio marzipan

Not the best I've ever had. The couverture is quite thick and they have added alcohol which is always a personal turn off.

La boule praliné

Interesting. I've never had a roasted nut ganache without pieces of roasted nut in it before. Its almost as if they infused the flavour, but I have no idea how that technique would work.

Chocolate covered caramel

Finally, what I've been waiting for! A genuine sugar and butter based, chewy, stick-to-your-teeth caramel filling. I also detect the pleasant grit of ground vanilla bean. Very satisfying, especially after so many "caramel ganaches" in France.

Palét d'or

Considered to be the showpiece of any master chocolatier, yet increasingly hard to find (probably due to the skyrocketing cost of gold leaf). Bernachon spares nothing on this: both the size (as large as the palm of a hand) and the amount of gold leaf on the shiny, mirror-like top are impressive.

Both couverture and ganache (as with the truffe nature) are well composed and balanced. Their chocolate blend shows strong trinitario characteristics as well as some surprisingly inky and rubbery top notes that I suspect the general audience might not enjoy - that is, if they even notice them. I personally enjoyed these unexpected notes and bought two more for friends - they make a perfect gift - you could nibble on one for a week!

Philippe Bel - Lyon, France

2011-04-13T08:22:00.001-07:00

Website: www.chocolatphilippebel.fr

Location(s): 27 rue Tupin, 69002 Lyon

Type: chocolatier

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: elegant atmosphere, good service

Recommended

The full name of the store is Philippe Bel Chocolatier Meilleur Ouvrier de France, which is important because Meilleur Ouvrier de France (or MOF) is an official title that is nothing short of knighthood for French artisans. I was extremely excited when I entered the compact, modern and very clean store, because I had never had MOF chocolates before. After buying five pralines I gave the salesperson 20 euros, thinking that products from a MOF would come at a premium. Astonishingly, the cost was around three euros, exactly what five chocolates had cost me everywhere else, including the shopping mall.

His execution, simple look of the chocolates and adventurous flavourings (use of spices and herbs) reminds me very much of Déaches in Israel, which I loved. Unlike David Hillel's chocolates, Bel's are very uneven, which makes it difficult for me to come up with a conclusion. I would need to try every one of his bonbons before final judgement. For now, it is recommended for the brilliant structure and for simply getting the chance to experience the product of a MOF.

Pate d'amande géranium

Geranium, when done well (and sometimes when done poorly) will knock your socks off. Bel shows mastery of his materials by couching the sharp, twangy perfume of the geranium oil in a slightly sweetened marzipan. If you don't know what geranium tastes like, a really deep whiff of the flowers in bloom will give you an idea. Not an obvious match for confectionary, but in increasing use.

Ganache miel thym (honey & thyme)

Bel shows once again that he is not afraid to take risks with his flavourings. I actually gasped at the strength of this ganache after biting through the perfectly thin couverture. This one is actually too strong for me to eat and definitely the most bold use of herbal flavourings I have encountered yet. As much as I admire the risk taking, this chocolate seems, unlike the geranium, out of balance.

Ganache B: ganache nature

Gorgeous, buttery ganache wrapped in the thinnest of couvertures. Structurally the best of what I expect from French chocolates. The flavour of the ganache itself is not strong and I think the spice and floral notes I tasted may have been interference from the other pralines in my bag. This could be improved with a fuller flavoured chocolate.

Ganache au café d'Ethiopie

Strong cardamom flavour and a bitter coffee hit hard at first and don't loose their bitterness in the end of mouth. A good idea that might have been done better by using an infusion rather than including the grainy texture in the ganache. The end of mouth is also too unbalanced. Would this be better in milk chocolate?

Ganache citron vert basilic (lime & basil)

Bel hits hard with his flavours and this is no exception. Unlike the honey and thyme ganache however, this does succeed, although with the volume turned all the way up. For the adventurous chocophile.

Délices des Sens - Lyon, France

2011-04-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

Website: www.delicesdessens.com

Location(s): Les Halles Paul Bocuse

Type: small chocolate store in a market

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: market atmosphere, normal service

Recommended

The store highlights their macarons and colorful confiserie products, but a step past those are the pralines, which is, of course, what we are most interested in.

Palét d'or 60%

Probably mostly a blend of high quality forastero beans. The couverture is a bit thicker than ideal.

Palét d'argent 70%

Not significantly different tasting or looking from the palet d'or.

Tonka bean

Tonka beans are the source of coumarin, a popular odorant in the perfume industry. When you taste this chocolate, you'll know why. Tonka bean has a mysterious flavour that doesn't quite correspond to anything else you've ever tasted . Golden, honey notes alongside saffron, vanilla and musk was how it tasted to me. A mysterious and seductive flavour that appears rarely (perhaps because in large quantities tonka beans can cause liver damage and are illegal for use in food by the FDA in the United States, among other countries). This iteration is a bit sweeter than I'd like, but if you get a chance, try one of these.

Citron vert

The first taste was of pink peppercorn, followed by lime sorbet. Surprisingly lovely.

Caramel

The ganache tasted more of liquor than of what I think of as caramel. As a US American, I'm having a hard time with things labeled "caramel" here because I keep expecting the chewy product of burned sugar and butter. Instead I keep getting "caramel flavoured" fillings and ganaches.

Sève - Lyon, France

2011-04-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

Website: www.chocolatseve.com

Location(s): Les Halles Paul Bocuse

Type: chocolate booth in a market

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere/service: market atmosphere, good service

Highly recommended

It pains me that Sève turned out to be the best chocolatier I encountered in Lyon, and the only one for which I neither have a picture nor a bounty of leftover chocolates. This is due to the fact that our hotel was very near Les Halles and I kept thinking "I can go there again anytime...". Big mistake.

The first thing I noticed about Sève was their informational booklet showing pictures of Richard Sève in Madagascar, admiring the local cocoa pods as well as the local growers on plantation Millot. This implies that he has some sort of relationship with the growers of his chocolate, although I doubt his is a bean-to-bar operation. The look of the stand in the famous Les Halles market is elegant, clean and understated. Don't come here looking for Easter bunnies or pink ribbons.

Richard Sève was awarded in 2010 as one of the best chocolatiers in France, a title I believe he deserves.

Sésame lait

If you like halvah, you'll like this. A little taste of the Middle East.

Palét d'or

Caramel and molasses mix with red fruit notes in a buttery ganache. Long, satisfying end of mouth.

Tsarakomba

Crunchy ground vanilla pods in a classically Madagascan chocolate ganache. At least three times as tasty as the palét d'or, which was good in the first place. A truly excellent chocolate.

Caramélia

A slightly salted caramel flavoured milk chocolate ganache. Smooth, sweet and very satisfying for milk chocolate.

Les Comptoirs Coffea - Lyon, France

2011-04-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

Website: www.comptoirscoffea.fr

Location(s): Centre Cial Part-Dieu

Type: chocolate store and café

Hot chocolate: yes, from Monbana powder

Seating: yes

Atmosphere/service: not bad for a mall, service could be better

Not recommended

Lovely dark-wood walled store with a concentration on coffee and tea (hence the name) and a vitrine full of pralines (or bonbons, as they say in France). I tried the caramel ganache (lovely, not too sweet), tea (ganache infused with peach flavoured green tea, with a strong artificial peach flavor), butter ganache (ok) and ginger (ganache with crushed crystallized ginger). All were high quality commercial chocolate and only one small step better than Voisin.

Voisin - Lyon, France

2011-04-10T05:04:00.001-07:00

Voisin

Website: www.chocolat-voisin.com

Location(s): 24 locations in Lyon

Type: chocolate company outlet

Hot chocolate: no

Seating: no

Atmosphere: good, friendly service

Not recommended

With 24 locations in Lyon alone, clearly this is a popular chain. Offering the classics (although no palét d'or when I was where). I tried salted caramel, spice and Earl Grey. The couverture is most likely Belgian and the ganaches are unremarkable.

A funny story: they had a label reading "...de caramel sale" which I read exactly as written (sahl), which comes out in French as "made of dirty caramel". The women laughed, because the sign should have read salé (salted). That accent makes a big difference.

Lyon France Chocolate Guide

2011-04-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

Since Lyon is known as France's "foodie" city, I jumped at the opportunity to accompany my husband to his conference at the beginning of April. I found a website listing most of the chocolatiers of note in Lyon and marked up my map until it looked like something from Hitler's bunker. I spoke my high school French with all of the people in the stores and was treated very well. I cannot vouch for how great service would be for a non-French speaker, but the general level of English in Lyon seemed pretty rudimentary, especially when compared to German standards.

Originally I was searching for the world's most perfect chocolate croissant, but I now believe tht it is not in Lyon but rather in Berlin at my local bakery Harry Genenz.

I hope the following posts are helpful to people visiting or living in Lyon. If you don't read anything else, avoid Voisin and don't miss Seve.

This guide is not exhaustive. I wasn't able to visit Alain Rolancy, Bouillet, Grillet, Ginet and Weiss as well as many other chocolatiers.

Chuao Schokoladen-Tasting (Deutsch)

2011-01-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

Ich genieße meine Bekanntschaft mit Martina Falter (von ehemals Cokolado Florado), weil sie als echte Schokoladenexpertin sowohl die Erfahrung als auch die Leidenschaft für feine Schokolade hat. Manchmal treffen wir uns für ein privates Schoko-Tasting, meistens zu einem bestimmten Thema. Unser neuestes war zu Chuao Schokolade.

Chuao Schokolade stammt aus der Chuao Region in Venezuela, die den Ruf als eine von den besten und begehrtesten Regionen für Cacao in der Welt hat. Ich hatte ursprünglich darüber in Schokolade: Die süße Verführung von Maricel E. Presilla gelesen. Darin erzählte Presilla die Geschichte dieser Plantage. Im Jahr 1592 mit Sklaven angefangen, danach im Besitz der Franziskaner, später der Universität von Caracas, der Regierung, einem Diktator und letztendlich in den 1960er ging sie an die Nachkommen der ursprünglichen Sklaven. Aber die Geschichte endet hier nicht. In Chuao gab es in den 1990ern einen Krieg, einen unblutigen. Und zwar nicht zwischen politischen oder ethnischen Gruppen, sondern zwischen Valrhona und Amedei - zwei der besten Schokoladen Manufakturen. Mehr Info dazu können Sie lesen unter „The World’s Best Chocolate“ von Pete Wells bei Food and Wine.

Zurück zu unserem Chuao Tasting. Wir haben vier verschiedene Chuao Tafeln probiert:

Chocolat Bonnat Chuao Village 75%

Sandra: Ich habe nie eine Schokolade gekostet, die mir so sehr wie Zitronensaure Drops vorgekommen ist. Und danach kommt ein Latté Nachgeschmack. Chocolatespeak Rating: 92 (CS Schokoladen Masstab hier) Martina: Am Anfang geschlossener, grüner Geschmack und dann ein Wandel ins buttrige, karamellig Gebrannte mit einem Hauch Paprika-Säure. Der Abgang mit wenig Zitrone und klebrig. Bewertung: 7 von 10 Punkten. Wir schauten einander an, und haben uns darüber amüsiert, wie unähnlich unsere Erfahrungen waren. Wer weiß...

Chocolat Bonnat Chuao 75%

Sandra: Diese ist sofort eine von meinen Lieblingsschokoladen geworden. Ein Hauch von Butter und sofort nachher Erde, danach getrocknete schwarze Oliven, Malz, geröstete Mandel, mit einem sehr langen, süßsauren Nachgeschmack. Ich habe den Rest nach Hause genommen und lange Zeit genossen. Chocolatespeak Rating: 98

Martina: Ich war enttäuscht, weil es nicht Besonders genug war. Es war eher etwas, das ich von Venezuelanischer Schokolade im Allgemeinen erwarte. Hauptthema: Anfangs holzig, dann malzig, bleibend Karamell mit etwas von einem mehligen Boskop Apfel dazu. 7 von 10 Punkten.

Coppeneur Chuao 70%

Sandra: Wenn es Wein wäre, würde ich es trocken - und auf Englisch „herbal“ nennen – wie Kräuter. Teeblätter habe ich am Anfang gerochen, danach Minze und Lakritz, Reifengummi (was nicht so schlecht ist, wie es klingt!) 30 Jahre alter weicher Balsamico. Chocolatespeak Rating: 91

Martina: Ich habe ganz Viel geschmeckt: Einen Anflug von Vanille, dann Kiefer, dann wieder trocken und dann etwas in der Richtung schwarzer Pfeffer. Ich habe diesen frischen, holzigen Geschmack von vorher der Bonnat Village wiedererkannt – ich stelle mir einen ganz frischen Holzstamm vor. Säure in der Mitte wie von Sauerkirsche, Abgang nicht überzeugend für Bestwertung. Wegen der Vielfalt und Melodie der Geschmacksnoten. 8 von 10 Punkten.

Amedei Chuao 70%

Sandra: Es erinnert mich an Bulgari Black, das Parfum, das wie heißes Reifengummi riecht und ist trotzdem – oder vielleicht deswegen – spektakulär. Chocolatespeak Rating: 94

Martina: Was für eine große Überraschung! Ein völlig neues Wahrnehmungsgefühl. Es war nicht so dieses Ineinander, sondern wie geschmackliche Spitzen nacheinander. Zuerst ein Hauch Rose, dunkel, geröstete Haselnuss, Butter, schwarze Johannisbeere. Danach kam das Schokoladige, und zwar sehr stark. Im langen Abgang noch etwas wie unreife Banane dazu. 7 von 10 Punkten.

Lauenstein Confiserie Rio Caribe Luxury Chocolate (English)

2010-12-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

Lauenstein Confiserie Pure Rio Caribe Luxury Chocolate 67%

Lauenstein Confiserie Criollo -- Rio Caribe Luxury Plain Chocolate 75%

Lauenstein Confiserie Pure Plain Chocolate 85%

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Clearly the people at Lauenstein Confiserie set out to make a genuinely gourmet chocolate bar that would appeal to chocophiles like me. They start with trinitario beans from the Rio Caribe region of Venezuela (sounds ok so far), and end with lovely packaging that signals to chocophiles that the content might be worth buying. But in between something went terribly wrong. It could be the beans, the fermentation or the roasting (I would love to have the sophistication to be able to taste which one it is), but this well conched, well tempered chocolate tastes awful. The addition of natural vanilla would have been a small mercy.

Lauenstein Confiserie does make one of my favorite snacking chocolates – Salted Almond (Gesalzene Mandel) 67%. It is absolutely addictive, with super high quality almond halves and just the right amount of Maldon sea salt. Usually I don’t like added flavors in chocolate, but they add some natural almond extract to the chocolate and it works. Upon reflection, this tasty bar uses the same Rio Caribe 67% chocolate found in the bar that I disliked so much above. I think this means that the chocolate may be good enough as a base for the majority of the Lauenstein line, which features lots of add-ins and flavors such as Pink Pepper (Rosa Pfeffer), Hot Orange Apricot, and Ingwer Limette (Ginger Lime). It simply isn't good enough to stand alone.

Zotter Trinkschokolade Variation Klassik (Deutsch)

2010-08-18T07:09:00.001-07:00

Zotter findet man in Bioläden und auch manchen Schoko-läden in Berlin. Diese Schokolade stammt aus Österreich und ist immer bunt verpackt und mit den Wörtern ‚bean to bar’ and ‚bio und fair’ gestempelt. Ehrlich gesagt, hat es eine sehr lange Zeit gedauert, bis ich es gewagt habe, sie zu probieren, aus zwei Gründen: erstens, warum braucht sie so eine tolle Verpackung wenn sie wirklich gut ist? Zweitens, wenn die Schokolade gut ist, wieso haben fast alle Riegel komischen Geschmack wie Rosa Kokos und Fischgummi oder Sesam-Sauerkirsch?

Als ich in Konstanza Naturkost war, hat meine Neugier mich endlich überwältigt.

Die Zotter Trinkschokolade Variation Klassik entsteht aus 5 Trinkschokoladen Riegel, die, laut Anleitung in 0,1 bis 0,2 hieße Milch eingelegt werden sollen, und nach einer Minute mit einem Zotter-Trinkschokolade-Quirler gut verrührt werden sollen. Ich habe selber meinen Riegel klein geschnitten, und mit 0,2L Milch unter ständiger Verrührung mit einen Schneebeesen am Herd aufgewärmt.

Bitter-Classic 79%: Sehr gut. Nicht zu bitter, nicht zu süß and einfach lecker. Mit nür 0,1 Liter Milch wäre es perfekt für Leute, die ihren Espresso lieber stark trinken.

Bourbon Vanille: Kakaobutter ohne Kakaomasse (sprich: Weisse Schokolade) mit Vanilleschoten. Enttäuschend.

Zimt Banane: Süß und mild. Nur für Kinder.

Nuss-Nougat 38%: Ich erwartete Nutella, aber es war viel besser und subtiler. Sehr gut, und nicht zu süß.

Bird’s eye Chili: Warm, scharf und ein bisschen süß. Perfekt für den Winter wenn es richtig kalt draußen ist.

Ritter Bunte Schokowelt and Fassbender & Rausch (English)

2010-07-09T07:43:00.000-07:00

***Clicken Sie hier für Deutsch***

Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt

Französische Straße 24

10117 Berlin

Tel: 030 200 95 080

Web: www.ritter-sport.de

A friend of mine, Stephan, is a member of the Kunstgesellschaft e.V., an association that puts on lectures about music and art, as well as Art Days and Art Tours, among others. On Sunday May 16 Stephan led a chocolate tour in the Gendarmenmarkt quarter, and naturally I went along.

I have to admit that I had some reservations about visiting the Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt, although I was admittedly curious. Everyone knows Ritter Sport and most German children grow up eating the chocolate, happily continuing the habit into their adulthood. In my opinion, the eating of Ritter chocolate is best left behind with childhood. Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt, however, should be visited by everyone. It’s simply a lot of fun.

The Bunte (colorful) Schokowelt experience is, indeed, colorful – the chairs to the walls display the colors featured on the Ritter packaging – and it also truly encloses an entire world. This world consists of the SchokoKreation and Schokolateria, the SchokoShop and SchokoPfad (chocolate path), and the SchockoWerkstatt (chocolate workshop) for children. SchokoKreation allows visitors to chose their own ingredients for their one-of-a-kind Ritter Sport bar. There is a wide selection of ingredients to choose from: from gummi bears to asian crackers. Workers mix the ingredients into melted chocolate and let them cool for 30 minutes in a mold before they are ready for pick up.

While you are waiting for your SchokoKreation you can either eat something at the SchokoKafe or stroll through the SchokoShop or learn about the chocolate harvest on the Chocolate Path. On my visit I stayed in the SchokoShop, where not only every conceivable kind of Ritter Sport chocolate is available, but also clothing and even sports blankets with colorful geometric patterns (I regret not having bought one). Children can make chocolate themselves in the SchokoWerkstatt downstairs and even help to design their own packaging (pre-registration required).

Fassbender und Rausch Chocolatiers am Gendarmenmarkt

Charlottenstraße 60

10117 Berlin

Tel:030 2045 8440

Web: www.fassbender-rausch.de

Fassbender und Rausch is simply one of Berlin’s most traditional chocolatiers. It continues the tradition begun in the 19th century by Heinrich Fassbender and Wilhelm Rausch in their own independent Berlin confiseries. In 1999 they came together as Fassbender and Rausch and now offer a Schokoladenhaus, cafe and restaurant. Speaking of the chocolate itself, it is important not only to acknowledge the tradition, but also to give recognition to them for producing plantation chocolates that stem from the beans of particular regions, which is usually a source of excitement to chocophiles. But, in my opinion, the plantation chocolates unfortunately are too flat to do justice to the subtle nuances of terroir.

Our group ended up at the Schokorestaurant and Cafe at the end of our tour. Some of us were hungry for something piquant, but found out the hard way that on the weekend only sweet dishes are available. As you may already know, I love hot chocolate and they offered a choice of Puerto Cabello 43%, El Cuador (from Equadorian chocolate) 70% und Tembadoro 80%. My El Cuador came with whipped cream, a glass of water and an extra piece of chocolate – very classy and also quite tasty. I tried a piece of Herren-Törtchen and found it too sweet. The Mousse au Chocolat cake looks lovely with its small piece of gold leaf, and also tasted quite good.

The atmosphere is pleasant, although the decor was a bit too eclectic for me – in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I had landed in a Thai or African restaurant.

Downstairs in the shop you can find, among other things, models of the Reichstag and the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche, all made out of chocolate. The shop is quite nice, but was a bit disappointing for me personally, fort he obvious reason that they only sell Rausch chocolate.

Hidden Valrhona Gems at Galeria Kaufhof, Berlin

2010-06-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

You may think that you've tasted Valrhona, but have you had these bars? You won't find them at Winterfeldt Chocolates, or even in KaDeWe. But you will find them at Galeria Kaufhof for 4,09€ a bar.

These three bars are called Chocolat Noir de Domaine and bear labels strongly influenced by the wine industry, including a vintage year, plantation and romantic artwork. Unlike the widely distributed Grand Cru line, which is wonderful and comfortingly consistent, these Domaine chocolates are truly exquisite and also extremely hard to find--thus warranting a surprised blog post when they showed up at Galeria!

These particular Domaine chocolates are surrounded in mystery: first of all, all three of these bars are the 2009 vintage, which makes me curious as to whether Valrhona produced a 2010 line at all. Perhaps it has been discontinued and the only bars left are at Kaufhof. I wasn't able to penetrate Valrhona's website to the point where I could even locate this product-- but I'm also not known for my patience. Online references are either unhelpful or in languages I don't speak, so I will do my best to describe them here.

Chocolat Noir de Domaine Gran Couva 2009, Plantation Gran Couva, Origine Trinidad 64%

Nose and top notes: leather, walnut, hazelnut, butter, bread, dried cherries

Base notes: treacle (Rübensirop for German speakers), candied orange, tangy green apple

End of mouth: mild, long and buttery with a subtle tang

This chocolate tastes like what would happen to a bunch of Trinitario beans that spent a week in a luxury spa, sitting in the sun, getting bathed and massaged and moisturized. At the end, they just melt in a gorgeous fusion of butter and tangy fruits. The bread, butter and nut notes keep it from getting too tangy and the fruits keep it from being too boring. A brilliant chocolate.

CS rating: 93 (click here for the CS rating scale)

Chocolat Noir de Domaine Ampamakia 2009, Plantation Millot, Origine Madagascar 64%

Nose: astringent, leather, bark, dried grass

Top: lime, anise (?)

Base: lime, papaya

End of mouth: tangy and long, lime, leather, musk

I know that it sounds like a description of your father's aftershave, but it tastes divine. This is a very un-chocolatey tasting chocolate. In fact, I'm pretty sure that if you blindfolded an average person they wouldn't necessarily recognize it as chocolate at all. But for fans of Madagascan chocolate, this has all of the lime, leather and papaya notes we have grown to love and crave. Also a brilliant chocolate, but it didn't blow my skirt up as much as the Gran Couva.

CS rating: 91

Chocolat Noir de Domaine Palmira Fino Criollo 2009, Plantation Palmira, Origine Venezuela 64%

Nose: earthy, vegetal, saddle leather

Top note: prune, grape

Base note:

End of mouth:

This is my husband's favorite of the three, and after tasting them all side-by-side, I can see why. As you can see by my description above (or lack thereof), this chocolate is very difficult to break into its constituent parts. It hits you as one mysterious and orgasmic whole. On the label it says 'from its legendary soil are born the characteristic notes of honey and nuts found in Palmira chocolate'. If there is a honey taste in this chocolate, it would have to be one of the fancy kinds they have here in Germany, like linden honey or pine honey or lavender honey (except none of these sorts, exactly). Wow. A superstar chocolate that gives us all a reason to live.

CS rating: 97

Kunstgesellschaft Schoko-Tour: Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt und Fassbender und Rausch (Deutsch)

2010-06-13T06:45:00.001-07:00

***Click here for English***

Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt

Französische Straße 24

10117 Berlin

Tel: 030 200 95 080

Web: www.ritter-sport.de

Ein Freund von mir, Stephan, ist Mitglied der Kunstgesellschaft e.V., ein Verein der Kunst- und Musikgespräche, KunstTage und KunstReisen, unter anderem, veranstaltet. Am Sonntag den 16en Mai leitete Stephan ein Schoko-Tour im Gendarmenmarkt Viertel, und natürlich war ich dabei.

Ich muss gestehen, dass ich mit einer Mischung von Neugier und Vorbehalt Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt besucht habe. Alle kennen Ritter Sport und die meisten Deutschen Kinder wachsen damit auf und essen friedlich bis sie Erwachsen sind. Meiner Meinung nach, ist Genuss von Ritter Schokolade eher besser auf die Kindheit beschränkt. Ritter Sport Bunte Schokowelt, dagegen, sollen alle besuchen. Es macht einfach Spaß.

Das Bunte Schokowelt Erlebnis ist bunt – von den Stühlen bis zur Wand zeigen sie die farbenfreudige Ritter Verpackungsfarben – und enthält tatsächlich eine kleine Welt. Sie besteht aus der SchokoKreation und SchokoLateria, dem SchokoShop und SchokoPfad, und, für Kinder, der SchokoWerkstatt. SchokoKreation erlaubt Besucher die Zutaten für ihre eigene one-of-a-kind Ritter Sport selber auszusuchen. Die Auswahl ist breit und verspielt: vom Gummibärchen bis zum Asiatischen Kräcker. Die Arbeiter mischen die Zutaten sorgfältig mit geschmolzener Schokolade und lassen sie 30 Minuten in einer Form kühlen.

Während man auf seine SchokoKreation wartet, kann man entweder in der SchokoLateria etwas schokoladiges essen, im Schokoshop bummeln oder auf dem Schokopfad etwas über die Kakaoernte lernen. Bei meinem Besuch bin ich im Schokoshop geblieben. Alle Sorten von Ritter Sport sind natürlich vorhanden, aber auch Kleidung und sogar Sportdecken mit bunten quadratischen Mustern (die ich hätte kaufen sollen). Bei vorheriger Anmeldung können Kinder unten in der SchokoWerkstatt Schokolade selber machen und sogar helfen die Verpackung zu gestalten.

Fassbender und Rausch Chocolatiers am Gendarmenmarkt

Charlottenstraße 60

10117 Berlin

Tel:030 2045 8440

Web: www.fassbender-rausch.de

Fassbender und Rausch ist schlechthin der Traditionschocolatier in Berlin. Es lebt eine Tradition fort die im 19en Jahrhundert mit Heinrich Fassbender und Wilhelm Rausch in ihren eigenen unabhängigen Berliner Confiserien angefangen haben. In 1999 sind sie als Fassbender und Rausch zusammengekommen, und bieten jetzt ein Schokoladenhaus, Cafe und Restaurant an. Wenn es um die Schokolade selber geht, muss ich nicht nur die Tradition anerkennen, sondern auch dass sie Plantagenschokoladen herstellen die aus Bohnen von bestimmten Regionen stammen, was normalerweise für Schoko-kenner anreizend ist. Aber leider sind die Plantagenschokoladen, meiner Meinung nach,. nicht gelungen. Die sind einfach zu eindimensional im Geschmack um die subtileren Nuancen von Terroir zu hervorheben.

Wir sind am Ende unserer Tour als Gruppe im Schokorestaurant und Cafe gelandet. Manche von uns hatten Hunger auf etwas Salziges, aber mussten leider herausfinden dass es am Wochenende ausschließlich Süßes zum Essen gibt. Wie Sie vielleicht schon wissen, liebe ich heisse Schokolade und es gab Puerto Cabello Edel-Vollmilch 43%, El Cuador (aus Equadorischer Schokolade) Edel-Bitter 70% und Tembadoro Edel-Bitter 80% als Auswahl. Mein El Cuador kam mit Sahne, einem Glas Wasser und einem zusätzlichen Stück Schokolade. Grosse Klasse und auch sehr lecker. Ich habe ein Stück Herren-Törtchen probiert und fand es zu süß. Die Mousse au Chocolat Törtchen sehen mit einm kleinen Goldblatt darauf herrlich aus, und schmecken auch gut.

Die Atmosphäre ist sehr angenehm, obwohl das Dekor für mich ein bisschen zu eklektisch war—ich war am Anfang nicht sicher ob ich ein einem Thailandischen oder Afrikanischen Restaurant gelandet war.

Unten im Geschäft findet man, unter anderem, Modelle von den Reichstag und die Gedächtniskirche, alle aus Schokolade gemacht. Das Geschäft ist sehr schön, aber war eine Enttäuschung für mich persönlich, weil es ausschließlich Rausch Schokoladen verkauft.

Wald Königsberger Marzipan-Berlin (Deutsch)

2010-05-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Pestalozzistrasse 54a

10627 Berlin

Tel: 030 323 8254

Web: www.wald-koenigsberger-marzipan.de

Ich gebe zu, mein Blog heisst ChocolateSpeak und nicht MarzipanSpeak. Jedoch bin ich auch Marzipan Enthusiastin. Nach einer Reise nach Lübeck, wo ich vergebens kleine feine Marzipanhersteller suchte, kam ich enttäuscht nach Berlin zurück, wo eine Freundin mir vom Wald Königsberger Marzipan erzählte. Ganz am Ende der Pestalozzistrasse nähe Lietzensee, sitzt Wald halb-versteckt seit 1947. Der Laden ist unprätentiös, klein und ist ausschliesslich Marzipan gewidmet. Von Paul und Irmgard Wald gegründet, hat es als Berliner Feinkostgeheimnis in den letzten 63 Jahren dort wunderbares Marzipan verkauft. In Gegenteil von Massenherstellern wie Niederegger, die übersüßes, trockenes, bröckeliges Marzipan machen, sind die einzelnen Teine von Wald handgemacht, frisch, weich und nicht zu süß. Königsberger Marzipan kommt ursprünglich aus Königsberg, ist manchmal mit Rosenwasser gemacht, und danach mit Flammen leicht gebräunt. Das Dunkelschokolade Marzipanbrot ist besonders zu empfehlen.

What's Wrong With this Picture?

2010-05-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Connoisseur Round Table

2010-04-09T00:19:00.000-07:00

Are you a chocolate connoisseur? Someone who doesn't just eat chocolate, but who tastes chocolate? Do you do your own private chocolate tastings at home just for fun, and are always on the look out for something you have never tried before? Do you read books about chocolate and have knowledge of regional differences, as well as the manufacturing process?

If you answered yes to these questions, and you are interested in meeting with like minded people, my friend (and chocolate expert) Martina and I are thinking of creating a Chocolate Connoisseur Round Table or Stammtisch in Berlin in the coming months. It will be held in German and English.

Please post a comment or email me directly if you are interested. We would expect all members of the Round Table to share their own knowledge, experience and, of course, chocolate!

Mourning the loss of three Berlin greats-Cacao Sampaka, Cokolado Florado and in't Veld (English)

2010-03-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

Dear chocophiles,

It is with great sadness that I share the loss of three of the best chocolate shops in Berlin over the last several months. Shortly after I told you all about how wonderful Cacao Sampaka was, my friend went there and reported that it had closed. I had only begun to enjoy the selection and atmosphere of Cokolado Florado in the Uhlandstrasse before the owner told me that she would be shutting down.

And the worst part about the demise of in't Veld is that I hadn't ever been there. I just thought it was too big to fail, like the Titanic or the American banking system. How wrong I was.

The small bit of good news is that Cokolado Florado still takes orders over the internet and in't Veld is promising a reincarnation in some better form.

Do your part, buy more chocolate! I couldn't stand to be left in a world where only Milka and Ritter Sport are left standing.

Winterfeldt Schokoladen Berlin (Deutsch)

2010-02-14T07:25:00.000-08:00

Website: www.winterfeldt-schokoladen.de
Ort(e): Goltzstr 23 / Ecke Pallasstr. 10781 Berlin
Tel: 030 23 623 256
Typ: Café und Schokoladen Laden

Empfohlen ****
Qualität der Auswahl: ****
Selbstgemachte Schokos: noch nicht probiert
Heisse Schokolade: ***
Atmosphäre: ****

Die Goltzstrasse in Schöneberg ist meine Lieblingsstrasse in Berlin—voller ethnische Restaurants, second-hand Geschäfte, Treffpunkte für Historiker, Mädchen und junge Frauen, eine Kochschule und zwei Schokoladen Läden. An der Ecke Palaststrasse steht Winterfeldt Schokoladen, ein offenes Geheimnis, es gibt sogar auch kein offizielles Schild davor-wenn man sorgfältig nachschaut findet man nur die Schatten für das vorherige Apotheheken-Schild.

Im Jahre 1892 gebaut, steht dieser Laden unter Denkmalschutz -- der Stuck, die Regale und Boden behalten ihre ursprüngliche Schönheit. Auf den Regalen findet man seit 2008 statt Medikamenten feine Schokoladen, seit sie Winterfeldt Schokoladen geworden sind.

Meine heisse Schokolade kam in einer Tasse im Stil des 19en Jahrhunderts mit einer Abbildung von Rüdesheim am Rhein. Sie war mit Milchschaum bedeckt und schmeckte nicht zu süß, und fast trocken. Ich erkannte sofort dass es aus Schokolade statt Kakaopulver gemacht war. Die fermentierte Kakaobohne die dazukam ist eher eine Geschmacksache.

Sie verkaufen auch ein kleines Auswahl von Macarons, Brownies, Kuchen, Croissants und Scones (sogar mit clotted cream, wenn man danach fragt). Frühstuck gibt es süß oder salzig den ganzen Tag lang (bis 20 Uhr am Wochentage, 18 Uhr Wochenenden).

Die Theke und ein Tisch sind vorne, die Hauptladenfläche liegt in der Mitte und die Tische sind hinten. Der Laden ist nicht viel grösser als viele andere, aber bietet ein reichliches Sortiment von hochwertigen Schokoladen an. In der Vitrine gibt es hausgemachte Pralinen, Amedei Pralinen und Brocherschokolade gemischt mit Blumen, Kaffebohnen, Preiselbeeren, unter anderen. Als Beweis dafür, dass sie ein Kennerladen sind, sortieren sie ihre Regale nach Geschmacksrichtung (z.B.Orange oder Chili) oder Kakaoinhalt (z.B. ein Regal hat nur Tafel mit 80-100% Kakaoinhalt).

Sie haben sogar einige seltenere Schokoladen wie Pralus Brut de Sao Tomé: eine von meinen ersten Schokoladenleidenschaften. Sau teuer, aber einmalig. Amedei und Domori: zwei Italienische Rivalen die ziemlich schwierig zu finden sind. Coppeneur Tsachila: wilde Schokolade aus Equador, auch eine teuere Leidenschaft. Alle diese Schokoladen sind hoch empfohlen als Geschenk für den echten Schokoladenkenner der alles schon probiert hat.

Dazu haben sie auch Blühendes Konfekt- handgemachte Konfekte mit kandierten Blumen gefüllt mit eine Mischung von Zuckermasse und Blumenessenz. Genau so schön aber ein bisschen (nur ein bisschen) weniger teuer als Schmuck. Perfekt für Valentinestag.

Die Entdeckung von Winterfeldt Schokoladen ist für mich ein Trost, nach dem Verlust von Cokolado Florado und Cacao Sampaka diesen Winter.