Chocolate

[Stax]

CocoaBella: http://www.cocoabella.com/index2.php

 

[matadorpoeta]

http://www.devrieschocolate.com/

this guy is in denver. i heard on the radio that he is the best, and that coming from a girl who wrote the book on chocolate bars.

 

[Dmax]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

Honestly, this is the best $24.95 you will ever spend.

http://sales.chocolateselrey.com/Detail.bok?no=4

If you buy 4 packs (~100) they will ship fedex for free. I got a bunch of these last xmas for gifts and the recipients LOVED them. I can't get over how good this stuff is, and there are lots of bars that are nowhere near as good selling for 2-3x the price. $4/bar is really nothing for chocolate of this caliber.


I second El Rey recommendation if you are looking for chocolate bars as opposed to candy. Their Icoa white chocolate is superb. No other white chocolate can compare. El Rey milk chocolate contains 41% cacao and is also very good and their dark chocolate selections are very solid.

Additional technical detail is that white chocolate is not chocolate since it has no cacao solids.

As a rule good chocolate bars should have no more than 5 ingredients:

Cacao mass/solids/liquor
Cacao butter (sometimes not listed separtely)
Sugar
Vanila (not synthetic vanila flavor- vanilin)
An emulsifier, such as Soy Lecithin is also commonly added.

Some high end chocolate bar manufactures don't even add vanila or an emulsifier and use just a touch of sugar.


For darker chocolate bars I prefer Michel Cluizel and Vintage Plantations (distributed by echocolates.com) brands.

Inexperienced chocolate palates might want to stay away from that 100% Cacao one though.

For chocolate candy I think freshness has the greatest impact on taste, so if you have a local chocolatier I suggest you give them a try.
I prefer the French profile candy which generally has more chocolate flavor and less sweetness when compared with Belgian profile. Godiva, Neuhaus, Sharfenberger are all example of the "Belgian School".

If you like chocolate and are ever in Soho in NYC I suggest you visit Kee's chocolates. IMHO she makes the best candy in New York. Kee Ling Tong makes the chocolate ganache and all the flavorings on premises daily. Her skill amazing candy. I don't belive she takes online orders though.

My second favorite chocolatier is the NYC's branch of La Maison Du Chocolat. Their confectioner Robert Linxe is known as the master of chocolate filled ganache. All of their candy is fresh by virtue of being flown is from France several times a week. The original branches of LMDC are in Paris. You may also like to try their eclairs though I am not sure thue have them in US location. They do take online orders. La Maison Du Chocolat

I plan to save Godiva bashing for later.

 

[romafan]

I give a few boxes of Enstrom's Toffee for Christmas every year people rave about the stuff....

http://www.enstrom.com/

 

[kronik]

Vosges Chocolate.

Me personally, I stick to the more pedestrian fare.. the toffee/marshmallows are freaking awesome and the Barcelona Bar is fantastic.

They have a lot of weird stuff though - if you're adventurous you can try it; I didn't like a lot of what they had to offer but what I did like was some of the best chocolate I've ever had.

 

[whoopee]

Second Vosges. I'm not a big chocolate guy but have to satisfy my craving (and those of my friends because I can't help but offer such treasures out) by ordering more in between their monthly "Lunar Club" deliveries. Their packaging is quite attractive, too.

For more traditional chocolate, La Maison, Richart, and Pierre Marcolini are great and have shops in the US so they should ship. I prefer Marcolini followed by Richart.

 

[whoopee]

Originally Posted by lurker

anyone knows anything good available in HK, Singapore or mainland China?

If you happen to be in Tokyo, you have to try Le Chocolat De H in Roppongi.

www.lcdh.jp

There are Leonidas and Royce shops in HK and Singapore. The chocolates at hotels like the Peninsula and Mandarin Oriental are great, too. Those are all I really know. When I am in Asia, I do not desire chocolates much so have not gone searching for others.

 

[Full Canvas]

Just about every high quality milk and dark chocolate is here.

http://www.themeadowflowers.com/choc...FQLYYgod8zmyBA

They ship from Portland, Oregon to your doorstep.

Additionally, they offer other gourmet items to satisfy your inner gourmand.

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