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Where's you favorite place to indulge in the color spectrum? I'm guessing that there are more bitter chocolate devotees in here than there are out there, but let's see. I like it best when it's so bitter as to make my black coffee taste like vanilla pudding in comparison.

Hi 3-4 years ago, a friend of mine brought back the most divine chocolates from Zurich which he bought from the airport. Pre-renovations, the shop was located on the departure lounge of the international terminal. It sold other types of chocolates too. I don't know the brand name of the chocolates because they came in a plain box - white box with a gold cover. The chocolates are sold loose, and you pick a box of 4,8 or 16 chocolates. It's just plain dark chocolate in cubes measuring about 1/2 inch, and covered with cocoa powder. The problem was that my friend was in Zurich recently, and had a bunch of orders for the chocolates. But since the airport had been renovated, he couldn't find the shop after walking up and down the length of the terminal. If anyone has any ideas as to the brand name of the chocolates and where we can get them next time, we'd be most grateful. Many thanks in advance! Yrs truly Maukitten

Does anyone know anything about Cocoa, a new place on P St (around 20th St)? At first, I thought it was some sort of lounge/club, but when I walked by yesterday they had a menu posted, with entrees in the $16-25 range. Thanks!

Hey, all, I'm wondering where you get your chocolate fix. What kinds you like, where you get it, if there are any artisinal chocolate makers I should know about. I mostly just go to the local Central market and pick up a Valrhona bar or some El Rey bits. I live in Austin, but I'm willing to travel for true bliss. Suggestions? Thanks, Tom

I am starting up a small chocolate business and have begun my search for a guitar to cut chocolates involving ganaches, etc. prior to enrobing. Knowing how expensive they are is somewhat daunting in that I'd like to think there are alternatives to cutting the perfect and standard shapes one gets with a guitar. Are there any alternative ideas out there that have proven successful, or ideas on where to purchase new or used guitars? Patty

Last week I had the pleasure of going to the Mark Hotel for an evening that can only be described as over the top chocolate decadence. For someone who makes a profession out of eating and rating chocolate I now have the answer to the question, "Is there such a thing as too much chocolate." The answer is "Yes." The evening started with four "course" wine and chocolate tasting using all Valrhona chocolates - naturally as Bau is the Executive Pastry Chef for Valrhona and the Director of l'Ecole du Grand Chocolat Valrhona. The wines were presented by Maison Louis Jadot's Eastern Director of Sales, Olivier Masmondet, a Maitre Somellier de France. This was a great way to start the evening, but Mr Bau's command of English is not really good enough to do justice to the subject. Also, his knowledge of chocolate is limited to Valrhona and that is not a good thing when trying to convey unbiased information about complex topics to people who know a lot about wine and not much about chocolate. Dinner was an 8-course affair, trimmed down from its original 13-course presentation. Overall, the recipes needed to be prepared many more times than they had been to balance out the flavors. The chocolate was far too prevalent in most dishes and the palate was limited to the same four chocolate selections (Jivara, Manjari, Pur Caraibe, Araguani) used for the wine pairing. MENU The best of show were parts of the first two dishes (see MENU items, following) - shrimp and mullet with polenta sticks and red pepper confit tapenade. The chocolate sauce did not work too heavy and too much. The Bombay curry sauce was very good and the caramel mango confit (more like a chutney, actually) was rhapsodical, especially with a few added cocoa nibs. Worst in show were the Risotto (waaaaaaaaay to much milk chocolate and too much of it, though the smoked pork, parmesan, and rice worked pretty well) and the dessert gelees - really weird texture especially after the creaminess of the yogurt.. I know I promised Steve that I would never just post a link, but here is the link for people who want to read what I have to say about each dish: http://www.chocophile.com/stories/storyReader$373 Amuse Bouche: foie gras gelee with milk chocolate sauce Duo of Jumbo Prawns and Red Mullet polenta sticks, red pepper confit tapenade Americaine sauce flavored with Pur Caraibe chocolate grand cru, crisp leeks Pan Seared Sea Scallops Marinated with Passion Fruit Bombay curry sauce with Manjari grand cru chocolate coconut emulsion caramel mango confit Risotto Beijing Style smoked pork belly perfumed with shallots and star anise emulsion of parmesan and Jivara milk chocolate, Araguani and parmesan shavings "Roque" and Roll ganache grand cru araguani, shaved Roquefort, grilled country bread, roasted banana Sweet mise en bouche: Chuao chocolate nectar and cocoa-nibs foam The Milky Way Jivara chocolat and yogurt cream black cherries and cranberries sauteed, flavored with lemon thyme, crisp chocolate tuile Trio of Valrhona's Grands Crus Gelees Araguani, Manjari, and Jivara apple and quince lasagna and apple jus with tonka beans, apple lace Paired wines with each course, PLUS petits fours and coffee rounded out the dinner I can't believe I ate the whole thing. I can't imagine what another five courses might have been like, even with much smaller portions. Clay

So with the recent opening of a Richart boutique in what was already a city saturated with cocoa-rific treats, I got to thinking. As we're so spoiled for choices, how do the various players stack up? I've always been a Scharffen Berger fan, and even like Schmidt (though more for the sculptural aspects than the actual chocolate), but I was duly impressed with the quality and techique that Richart has to offer. Of course, at those prices, one should certainly be impressed. I've not yet experienced Recchiuti, but am curious. So where do YOU go to satisfy that craving, to feed the inner cocoa monster? * Edited for stupid URL coding

Pairing chocolates with desert wines is nothing new. And most restaurants bring the flavors of wine, blackberry, raspberry and coffee into their chocolate deserts as well. San Francisco Chocolate Factory has taken this one step further. Most people know that Zinfandel wines go great with Dark Chocolate. Now there is a chocolate formulated specifically for pairing with all the major California red wine varietals. San Francisco Chocolate Factory has six dark chocolate products that can be paired with Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, Port and Cabernet Sauvignon. Recently, I had the good fortune to taste all the chocolates with their respective varietals. I wasn’t too thrilled with the Pinot Noir blend. The chocolate really overpowered the Alder Brook Pinot Noir I was having. The other varietals paired nicely with their chocolate counterpart, providing an excellent balance of flavors between the chocolate and the wine. So that your wine isn’t overpowered by the chocolate, I would recommend drinking wines that represent the most flavorful of their respective varietals. San Francisco Chocolate Factory varies the % of Cocoa in their quest for the perfect pairing. 54% Cocoa for Port, 55% for Cabernet, 56% for Pinot Noir, 58% for Merlot, 61% for Syrah and a whopping 72% for Zinfandel. The ZAP (Zinfandel, Advocates and Producers) festival in S.F. offers chocolates to the attendees along with bread and cheese. So I think the link between Zinfandel and chocolate is pretty strong. Has anyone else had a positive chocolate and wine pairing experience? What kinds of chocolate do you like with your wine?

Several times now I've worked with others off site thru pm's exchanging recipes, in search of "the best of". I'd like to bring this topic up to everyone........would you participate and share you best recipes, test others recipes, compare and see if we can all benefit from this? I'd like to see other pro's get involved, will you too be interested and participate? The main recipes I'm interested in networking on are basics: the best chocolate cake, the best white sratch cake, best yellow, best sponge, etc....These seem like simple cakes, well they are, but to a certain respect their very difficult because most don't compare in texture to a mix. Unforunately I live in a world that judges cakes to mixes and usually the mix wins in taste tests, especially white cake. Yellow cake which I get requests for, recipes doesn't really seem to exist (theres only a handful out there labeled yellow). You have butter cakes, sponge cakes, etc....but nothing really seems to come close to what consumers see in the box yellow mises. I feel like I'm already using the best carrot and banana cake recipes. Cakes that get flavor from ingredients other then butter, flour and sugar are much easier to achieve good taste from. But the simple chocolate, white and yellow cakes are very ilusive. I also don't see the challenge in genoise or non-american cakes.........seeing that their rarely used on their own as is or in a wedding cake. So what do you think? Unlike the other thread were they're working from one book, "Baking With Julia", you can bring the best recipe you've ever found from any source.......as long as we link to the recipe and excerpt or we put the recipe and directions in our own words we won't plagiarize and we'll respect fair use. So who's in?

How do you put a thin, hard-crack coating of sugar on nuts, then cover that with a thin layer of chocolate. Any suggestions for doing that? Equipment? Manufacturers who do that? How? Thanks, Tom

Hey, all, Does anyone know how to temper chocolate until it looks as shiney as glass? I tempered some recently and it was glossy and beautiful but not like a mirror. Is that possible? And what kind of thermometer is best, since temps are so important? Thanks, Tom

I am a hot chocolate addict and frequent Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar. About a year ago, I began buying copious amounts of pure cocoa tablets (100% cocoa beans) and experimenting with various flavors. My staple so far is made of 1.5 cups of coconut milk, 2 tableas, and 1.5 tablespoons of raw muscovado sugar. Sometimes I throw in a cinnamon stick or some anise. Any other cocoa addicts, and variations??

I have a huge disadvantage in that I don't do my own ordering. I'M A TEMP., I will NOT be placing my own orders (so skip that suggestion). But I still have to comunicate with my chefs what I want and where they can get it- otherwise they'll just order whats cheapest and I'll have no input. I've given my chef a brand that I want to try E. Guittard (as Steve and Chefette recomend it). He's having a devil of a time finding someone who distributes this. After calling the company dirrect he can buy from them, but they have a 500 LB min. order (and that's not in the relm of possiblities) and two distributors in Chicagoland that carry their brand. Dawn and Bakemark (who if any of you aren't familar with those companies-their both large bakery suppliers), but both companys only carry Guittards coating chocolates, no couveture. I suggested he call European Imports because they purchased my favorite pastry company "Classic Gourmet" and promised to continue carrying their products. Sooooo turns out EI doesn't have Guittard in stock (aslthough they might be able to special order it)... and the sales person told my chef "Why do you want that brand? No one likes that brand." that's why they don't keep it in stock.... (I didn't appreciate the chef who doesn't have any understanding of chocolate coming back to me telling me that the sales person thinks I'm clueless and I want a crappy chocolate.) Then of course the sales rep. has to confuse my chef and push his stuff. Like I'm clueless and the rep. knows everything. Uurgh! So this is where I've been in the past: For many years I used Flechlin brand and loved it. But I was working at a place where money wasn't a problem and buying in their top of the line chocolate wasn't a problem. So at this new place I was offered Flechlin thru Albert Uster Co. at a great price and I tried a couple boxes. I didn't like this at all. It was their bottom line Flechlin...and had no similarity to their top line. Next I got in Cocoa Berrys Calaubout (53%). I don't like this either. The semi-sweet has to be adjusted in recipes because of it's density....and over all the taste on all (white, milk, semi) is nothing great-Nestles Choc. chips at the grocery store tastes better to me. While were searching to Guittard we got in a couple boxes of Calbouet with a 60-something %....and maybe I'll like that better....BUT the price is higher and my Chef is as cheap as they come and I know that price will be an issue down the road. Soooooo the point to this thread-well I have a couple. 1. Who sells E. Guittard in the Chicago area, anyone know? 2. I'm really mad at European Imports which promised to continue Classic Gourmets product line and have in only a very short time NOT followed thru with that promise. They are NOT stocking anything/product that doesn't do alot of volume. BUT as you and I know we need specialty ingredients and finding them is HARD. We don't need theses items in huge volumes. AND European Imports knew this before they bought Classic Gourmet- that's what was so unique about Classic Gourmet they had all the specialty ingred.. SOOOOoooo I'm really upset that I they broke their promise and I'm going to be struggling finding ingred. in the future. I want my Classic Gourmet back! 3. Sales rep.s- rrrrrrrr!

Do you recommend it, and how does it compare with other Dutched cocoa powders, such as Droste, Bensdorp, etc?

So my copy of Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme, written by Dorie Greenspan, finally arrived. I'd like to work through the book (and maybe throw in some stuff from his other book with Dorie Greenspan). And it would be great to have some eGullet bakers along for the ride. Anybody want to make something this weekend? I'm thinking a cake or tart to start with? Maybe the Apricot & Ginger Chocolate Loaf Cake (p. 3) or the Chocolate & Raspberry Tart (p. 97) (if raspberries don't cost $5.00 a half-pint)? I'm totally open to other ideas. I'm also thinking about making something in the middle of next week to bring to my sister-in-law's house for Thanksgiving, maybe the Moist and Nutty Brownies (p. 61), or the Hazelnut Chocolate Sables (p. 69)?

This is a spin-off from the cocoa thread. I'd like to try using dutch process cocoa in my brownies but don't have ready access to small amounts. I think the smallest bag my supplier has is about 5 lbs. My brownies have just cocoa, no solid chocolate and a bit of instant coffee as well as 1/4 tsp of baking soda. A few people mentioned that you should use regular cocoa in recipes that contain baking soda. Is a 1/4 teaspoon enough to mess them them up? How does the dutch process cocoa effect the flavour. I seem to remember reading that the flavour will be richer and the texture a bit fudgier. Can anyone help me with their experiences? Sorry, this is a bit long. To sum up, my questions are: 1. Will 1/4 tsp baking soda affect my brownies negatively if I use dutch process cocoa? 2. Is it worth trying dutch process cocoa? Is the flavour that much better? Thanks for your input.

I am trying to make (for my own knowledge) a dessert consisting of a layer of chocolate cake, a layer of chocolate mousse, and a layer of white chocolate mousse. I want to put it together in a mold so it's really nice and neat. My question is: I've only been able to find molds that are about 3 or so inches high. How do I layer the cake and mousses? I bought acetate paper but I don't think this is what acetate is for. Should I cut a piece of parchement that's double or so the size of the mold and pipe the mousses onto one another that way? But then how do I get the paper off the mousse without messing it all up? By the way, what can I use acetate paper for? thanks!

I'm a huge fan of the choc chip cookies made by City Bakery in NYC--they're rich and chewy and crispy and almost toffee-like, studded with big ol' shards of chocolate. I've got a recipe that actually tastes pretty close, but I have two problems: 1. The cookies come out flat and crispy, which, while fine in its own way, is not what I'm trying for 2. They're fairly greasy-feeling, with much more butter left on the fingers than CB's version. Today I tried chilling the dough--rolling it into a cookie schlong and slicing instead of scooping--but it only made them crispier. Here's the recipe I'm playing with. Any suggestions would be VERY much appreciated! 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ t. baking soda ½ t. salt ¼ pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces ½ cup sugar ¾ cup tightly packed light brown sugar 1 ½ t. pure vanilla extract 1 large egg, at room temperature 7 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2 inch chunks 1) Preheat oven to 350. Adjust racks to lower and upper thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. 2) Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. 3) Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Add the sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Cream on medium speed until it is smooth and lump free, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. 4) Add the egg and beat on low speed for 15 seconds, or until fully incorporated. Do not overbeat. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. 5) On low speed, add the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chunks and mix until they are just incorporated. If using a hand mixer, use a wooden spoon to stir them in. 6) Spoon the dough using a cookie scooper 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. 7) Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown around the edges, swapping placement and turning the sheets front to back halfway through the baking. 8) Remove from the oven and carefully slide the parchment or Silpats directly onto a work surface. Let cool until set, then slide cookies onto rack to cool fully.

It's me again with yet another question. I'm sure I've used up my quota of questions for the last couple days but I have one more... Here's a lsit of what my supplier sells: CA13 Mi-Amare (Pistols) 5kg IFF2 Callebaut - D811 5kg IFF3 Callebaut - 811 5kg IFF21 Semi-Calets (USA) Item#95842 D811 25lb LIN3652 Lindt Surfin (Dark) Chocolate 2/1kg LIN3673 Lindt Extra Bitter Chocolate 2/1kg LIN2832 Lindt 70% Excellence (Bars) Couverture Bitter 10kg KR7635 Semi Sweet Choc. Squares (GENIE) 10kg KR7636 Unsweet Dark Squares (Bakerettes) 10kg CC1 Schokinag Bitter Sweet Slab 2.5kg CC5 Schokinag 55/45/35 Chips - 1000ct 10kg BC501 Couverture Wafers - C501/J 10kg I am not sure what would best serve my purposes. I'm not clear on the difference between "pistols" & "calets" and "semi-calets". I work for a higher-end coffee house but it's not a bakery so I have to choose good products but not neccessarily the best as cost is a bit of an issue. I use chocolate melted in cheesecake, melted with margarine to top some types of squares, melted in one of my frostings and chips in cookies. Do I need to buy block chocolate or can I use calets or wafers? Are calets the same size as chocolate chips and can I use them in cookies or do I need proper chocolate chips for them to hold their shape? Or is there enough cocoa butter in the Schokinag chips that I could use them for the other purposes as well? My rep is very kind but I don't think he's a baker, just a salesman, so I'd like the opinion of someone who actually uses the products. Thanks again for all your help!

I'm looking for a premium hot chocolate to serve in a cafe. Someone recommended Ghiradelli which I plan to try. What else? Jacques Torres is out - they won't sell their hot chocolate unless you buy their candy. I'm also going to the Chocolate Show in NY tomorrow and these are the exhibitors. Anyone that I should make a point of seeing?

The mechanism for tempering chocolate is well known, as is the taste preference for the form V crystalline polymorph of cocoa butter. But, what is special about that polymorph when compared to the other five? Jim

In the Fall 2001 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, on page 292, there appeared a wedding cake done by Wendy Kromer. It was totally covered with rose-petal-shaped chocolate. I attempted to recreate this, but with no success. I used Valrhona chocolate as directed. I would love to master the technique used to make this chocolate shape and am hoping someone can provide an explanation for how I might succeed the next time I try this.

Hi All, Can someone please educate me on the rationale behind using parafin wax when melting chocolate. I have come across a recipe that I want to try out and it calls for melting chocolate with 1/4 of a parafin bar of wax. I have never done this before and I have seen other recipes but I never been willing to try them because of the wax factor. Thanks in advance for the lesson.

Unforunately I don't get the chance to try a wide variety of chocolate brands. I recently bought Valrona's milk chocolate (retail) and I personally was a little supprised by it. I'm currently using all E. Guttaird's line at work.........I've always thought the E. Guttaird milk chocolate to be a little bit waxie and timid (compared to fechlin's I used at a previous job, and admired)..........until I tasted Valrona's. I expected the Valrona to be great and really much better then the Guttiard and Fechlin, I'm supprised that I thought it wasn't nearly as good. This has me wondering if others feel the same way, that Valrona's milk chocolate is pretty weak? Or am I missing something? Am I comparing it too much to a typical American candy bar and not really the 'right standards'? So, who's milk chocolate are you buying?

This is a wintertime topic. Anywhere you can recommend for excellent hot chocolate? The only one I could find discussed here is Le Pichet's, which I've tried, and it's delicious but not drinkable. It's extremely rich, like liquid chocolate mousse. I'm looking for a deliciously chocolatey drink that's a beverage, not a dessert. The one I tried most recently was at Top Pot, and it was unsatisfactory, more like warm vaguely chocolate-flavored milk. With all the coffeehouses in town, I'm sure someone is making a good hot chocolate. Suggestions welcomed. (Matthew makes a fabulous hot chocolate from Pierre Herme's recipe, but I'd like somewhere to get a good one while away from home.)