Best Chocolates in the World??

Originally Posted by dcg

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Any recommendations in the 85-90% range that are available to be ordered online?

+1 I want to know this

Right now all I have available is Ghiradelli 86% midnight reverie, which Im sure chocolate snobs will laugh at, but I think its pretty good.

Id like to get something better without having to fly to Europe or spend $100.

Im in Virginia Beach FWIW

i'm not much of a chocolate guy, actually, but there is a small chocolate maker in St. Helena in the Napa Valley called Woodhouse that absolutely rocks. cream filled stuff, mostly, but incredibly elegant. unfortunately, they're so rich, i can only eat one or two at a time, so they end up hanging around forever.

The clarified butter in my fridge tastes more like chocolate than Ghiradelli. The stuff is flavorless garbage.

Originally Posted by why

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The clarified butter in my fridge tastes more like chocolate than Ghiradelli. The stuff is flavorless garbage.

thats nice.

It's actually in my freezer now that I think about it. I'm clearly slipping. Time for bed.

Originally Posted by gdl203

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Of those available in NYC, I like Marcolini and Debauve & Gallais the most. Maison du Chocolat is also pretty good. I find Leonidas and Godiva generally pretty awful.
Leonidas and Godiva are like the Jos. A. Banks of chocolatiers. Ghiradelli's is like the Men's Wearhouse. I actually prefer See's to either. Those are straight up, honest, American styled chocolates that don't have any pretensions. For straight up chocolate, el rey and callebaut are nice. Marcolini is good, but some of their flavor profiles are a little simple. Vosges is decent, but I find that sometimes, they fall in love with their crazy flavors sometimes (like bacon.) For truffles and the like though, honestly, if you can ship it all over the world and let it sit on the shelf for any amount of time, it's like dried pasta. They can only get so good. Good truffles should be kept at room temperature, and really last only last a couple of weeks. I really, really, like Burdick Chocolates (www.burdickchocolate.com), which opened a shop in NYC recently. gdl, you ought to go there and check it out. It's near CEGO. The flavors profiles are complex, but they have a good sense of restraint. If you don't live in New Hampshire, in the Boston area, or in NYC, they will Fedex the stuff to you. It's worth it. I would put them up against any of the boutique chocolatiers in Europe. They are definitely a step above anything else I've found in the States.

I will check them out this weekend.

You didn't finish your sentence on Vosges !

as I can only stand pure chocolate (really dont like sweets), ill give a +1 for callebaut.. dont know about the sweeter varieties...

Originally Posted by underwearer

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+1 I want to know this

Right now all I have available is Ghiradelli 86% midnight reverie, which Im sure chocolate snobs will laugh at, but I think its pretty good.

Id like to get something better without having to fly to Europe or spend $100.

Im in Virginia Beach FWIW

Try Scharffen Berger. I've seen it at nicer grocery stores.

Originally Posted by gdl203

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I will check them out this weekend.

You didn't finish your sentence on Vosges !

They have really good hot chocolate too, but it's really rich, and having a tasting plate + hot chocolate would be overkill. The espresso that use is decent. Not the best ever, but good. Go for that.

I am a huge chocolate snob, though I have to say that I like Reeses Peanut butter cups. The saltiness of the peanut butter cuts the cloying sweetness nicely.

Originally Posted by LA Guy

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Leonidas and Godiva are like the Jos. A. Banks of chocolatiers. Ghiradelli's is like the Men's Wearhouse. I actually prefer See's to either. Those are straight up, honest, American styled chocolates that don't have any pretensions.

Originally Posted by LA Guy

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I have to say that I like Reeses Peanut butter cups. The saltiness of the peanut butter cuts the cloying sweetness nicely.

I commend you for your good taste.

Originally Posted by coachvu

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Try Scharffen Berger. I've seen it at nicer grocery stores.

Cool I ordered some 82% dark...Ill see if I can find some around here, maybe Harris Teeter

I second LA Guy's recommendation of La burdicks. Really fantastic stuff. I put it up against the best imported stuff i've had. Admittedly i haven't had everything but i've tried my fair share of nicer european companies, small US operations and some others. My favorites i've had ranked 2- El Rey http://www.chocolateselrey.com/ 3- Valhrona http://www.valrhona.com/ 4- Callebaut http://www.callebaut.com/ 1- burdicks http://www.burdickchocolate.com/ ??- Taza http://www.tazachocolate.com/ others that i can't think of at the moment. will try to remember and post them Taza is cool for one people may not be aware of. Made relatively close to me in somerville. They make mesoamerican style chocolate which is nice and they have a ton of different flavors. Their no frills cocoa ones are still fantastic. Really cool stone ground chocolate with a bit of a granular texture. I like the stuff a lot.

I'm a big fan of Charbonnel et Walker. You should be able to get them in Ireland.

I'm going to have to try Maison du Chocolat. I didn't know they had a shop here

The only 'candy' chocolate I like are M&Ms, and then only a few at a time.