richtl

Different chocolates have different flavors; I like to match the chocolate to the flavors that will be going with it. Valrhona's Manjari (64% from Madascar) is nicely fruity and pairs well with strong flavors, such as citrus or peppercorns. Chovovic's Ocumare (71% from Venezuela) is subtle and complex, and is nice with earthier flavors, like chili or apples. I find El Rey's chocolates to be a bit earthy for my taste, others really like them. Bernard Castelain's chocolate is smooth and wonderful, but unavailable in quantity in the U.S. My suggestion is that you try different chocolates as you encounter them. See what you like. Rich

I do a lot of truffles with chilis, including a particularly popular chipotle truffle dusted with mild chili powder. These flavors work best if the truffles are simple and the chocolate at least 64% and a bit fruity. (Valrhona's Manjari works well). I prefer a mild high-quality chili powder; stronger chilis tend to compete with the chocolate. richtl tallulah@fudgeandtruffles.com