Fine Chocolate

[David J.]

Hey David,

That is going to be a FUN course to take. Jean-Pierre Wybauw is a genius of chocolate and you are going to learn a ton! Take great notes!

Let all of us know how it went when you are done with it. I will be eager to hear...

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

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I am bringing my digital camera and I had thought about the video camera but wasn't sure if he or the school might have a problem with the latter. I plan on taking copious notes, and I had a trip report in mind as well.

The course description wasn't very specific, but here it is:

If you know the basics of chocolate candy making and want to go to the next level, this class will teach tricks and tips for production, as well as methods for extending the shelf life of candies. Chef Wybauw will lead you through the production of an assortment of fine chocolates including the use of the enrobing machine, and more advanced techniques such as chocolates with a liquid liquor center for both molded

and dipped candies.

I have been practicing a little with liquid liquor centers this week in anticipation of the class, and I have a number of questions already lined up for him based on that.

Is anyone else from eGullet attending?

[Rhubarb]

Wow, I would love to take in a Wybauw class; his book is an education. Amazing how--once you decide to make a career of the thng--so many tiny practical concerns come out o'the woodwork.

Bound for the chocolate show in NYC, though last year I was underwhelmed. Hoping to make the trade morning. Anyone know what to expect from any of the presenters?

[jcho]

Is anyone else from eGullet attending?

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I won't be attending the class David J, but I took a JPW class (at Notter in FL) last year, and I'll do another as soon as I can. I just wanted to second your notion to take copious notes: He is a very good teacher in addition to being very very knowledgeable, and if you are prepared to write down everything you can, you'll still be learning a year later, from your notes. Also want to mention that I took a course this year at FPS, and if they haven't changed their course description yet, be forewarned: There was no [dinner] break last year and those of us who arrived with no food for the first class were dragging by the end.

aguynamedRobert, re your question on Schott/Garrison, it isn't very far away (nothing is, in RI) and yet I've only been once, and no, unfortunately I've not had the opportunity to meet him. I think I need to try his chocolates again, soon!

[aguynamedrobert]

How did you like his chocolates when you tasted them from Garisson confections? Do they meet high standards as I hear?

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

[Mette]

Robert, what a cool site - it must have been a lot of work.

I am but a lowly chocolate amateur, but do enjoy the whole thing immensely. I've always loved making sweets - when I was little, I used to spend my allowance on ingredients to make cakes and desserts. Strange that I should end up working with computers I got into serious chocolate making about 5 years ago when I won th consolation prize in a truffle competition in a local paper - my truffle was excellent, but the choclate covering it was not tempered (didn't know you had to ). The prize was an evening of learning with a local chocolatier, and the rest is, as they say, history. I started buying equipment and experimenting, and it is now a much appreciated hobby amongst friends, family and work colleagues. I went on a two day course in Manchester, UK, through Vantage House which was an excellent course, and well worth the expense.

And yes, I am living in Copenhagen, which has a great climet for chocolate making, but very little in way of high quality and inventive chocolate

[aguynamedrobert]

wow, what a great story. It is great to hear how everyone got into chocolate. Are you still working with computers right now Mette? What kind of equipment do you have to work with chocolate? welll I hope all continues to go well for you and your chocolate endevors...

God Bless,

Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

[Desiderio]

Hey Robert , sorry I didnt answer you post earlier, I am in Italy still and the connection is slower.

I live close to longmont , where I work .There are few chocolate place around here but none of them really of my taste ,I didnt work in any of this place and I am not working in the chocolate field professionally yet.I do sell big quantity ( for a home made ones) of chocolates to cooworker and whoever try my chocolates and likes to order them.Everybody is trying to get me to start my own business ( the american dream right??), but with a family and a full time job it will be kinda tight, but I keep working on it.I would like to go back to school ,I was thiking about the Wybauw class in Chicago but the timing wasnt right, then I wouldnt mind to take few classes here in Italy with Eliseo Tonti and some other master , maybe next year, meanwhile I keep working.

[Anna N]

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Oh my gosh.......... these are so beautiful! Can you tell us a little about how you obtain the colours? I am totally new to chocolate making so I have no clue about colouring chocolate.

[Kerry Beal]

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Oh my gosh.......... these are so beautiful! Can you tell us a little about how you obtain the colours? I am totally new to chocolate making so I have no clue about colouring chocolate.

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Ah Anna, you haven't discovered "chocolates with that Showroom Finish" yet!

[Desiderio]

Ahhhh , hehe yes thats how we started all these colouring craziness.Evertying I have learned about chocolate colorouing and stuff , its in these thread

Thank you for your kind compliments Anna

[Anna N]

Ahhhh , hehe yes thats how we started all these colouring craziness.Evertying I have learned about chocolate colorouing and stuff , its in these thread 

Thank you for your kind compliments Anna 

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See, Desiderio and Kerry - I always skipped the chocolate threads... who cares about chocolate! Guess I am going to be doing some serious reading when I get back home today! Thanks for pointing me to the thread.

[aguynamedrobert]

Yes those chocolates do look very good! I like the maple leaves the best but they are are colored very well. You do a very good fading job on them as well(at least from farther away)....did you do airbrushing or hand brushing to get the color on?

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

[Desiderio]

Yes those chocolates do look very good! I like the maple leaves the best but they are are colored very well. You do a very good fading job on them as well(at least from farther away)....did you do airbrushing or hand brushing to get the color on?

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

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Thank you!

I used an air brush for those ,and i do several layers to obtain that kind of coloring and I also use luster dusts .I like to do hand painting as well ,my italian friends are telling me to keep them natural ,but I have to say that, first this is a fase of my experimentation and second this coloring binds together my passion for chocolate and my background in art school , so I can do both right?

[aguynamedrobert]

Okey Dokey,

New question for chocolate bar lovers out there....

What is your favorite chocolate bar and brand and why?

Mine is probably Guittard's65% Cocoa content bar from Ecuador......I have many many favorites but that one is always one I love to munch on....

Whats yours?

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

[Rhubarb]

Fave bar: Amedei's Chuao. Really outstanding. Valrhona's Palmira plantation bar is a close second. Sadly, Amedei has raised prices and reduced distribution on the Chuao bar--at least around here.

[Chihiran]

Hi, I have a question!

Last week at Whole Food's, I bought my first 2 bars of 9.7 oz unsweetened Scharffen Berger chocolate. I've used half of the bar in Ling's brownie recipe (such great batter thank you!!), and I realized that chocolate makes such a difference! I can't go back to supermarket chocolate! But I think I'd lose money very quickly if I kept buying chocolate at the Whole Food's price.

Is there a way to buy good chocolate at a reasonable price? Or is good chocolate a commodity that's supposed to be expensive?

Thanks!

Edited November 30, 2006 by Chihiran (log)

[Desiderio]

Hi, I know what do you mean , the first time I tryed some El rey I bought it at Whole foods , and I think a bar of valrhona was like 17 $ per lb , wich is ridiculos.But thats a good place where I can taste chocolate before buy big quantity.

I can link few web sites where you can order bigger quantity for better prices , then Im sure more people here will give you more options.

http://www.icaviar.com/store/scripts/prodL...?idCategory=387 ( one of my main buying store they have the best prices on Valrhona and Guittard ,not fancy on customer service but good prices and shipping )

http://www.worldwidechocolate.com/ ( not very chaep prices though )

http://www.chocolatebysparrow.com/scharffenberger.asp ( I got my favorite chocolate El rey from them , I found a good price per lb )

http://www.yourchocolateshop.com/

http://www.cocoaoutlet.com/Default.aspx?ta...&catpageindex=3

http://www.cocoasupply.com/ ( this site isnt too famous , but I order their chocolate the 51% and the rio arriba 65% , cocoa powder and cocoa nibs, and I was very pleased with them , nice flavor nice workability , outstanding customer service)

http://www.marquefoods.com/catalog.htm ( I ordered from them just today several lb of chocolate, I dont know their customer service , it seems very friendly I will report as soon as I get the chocolate , a 25 lb case of eguittard 61%, lever du solei I believe.it costs 82$ more or less )

http://www.qzina.com/ ( never orderd from them , cause they dont have the chocolate I want, but they have a huge catalog and many on this forum orderd from them and they said they have great customer service and products)

Edited November 30, 2006 by Desiderio (log)

[aguynamedrobert]

If you are in the USA a great spot to order chocolate online is... www.chocosphere.com... they got anything you might want...great high end chocolate...

Any body try Domori's chocolate? that is one that I have not gotten my hands on yet...

[merstar]

If you are in the USA a great spot to order chocolate online is... www.chocosphere.com... they got anything you might want...great high end chocolate...

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Ditto on Chocosphere - The prices may be a little higher than some other online sources, but they have a great selection and great customer service.

Edited November 30, 2006 by merstar (log)

[Sebastian]

Domori makes some of my absolute favorite eating chocolates. I love their Sambriano. Amedei does a very nice job as well. Pralus - sometimes I think they're wonderful, othertimes not so much....a bit inconsistent from my perspective, but when they're on, they're on.

[Desiderio]

WHile I was in Italy , I tryed to get some chocolate for tasting , and in a nice wine shop , I found a nice selection of Amedei ( napolitanes ) with all their single origin , and a chuao bar ( that I really liked ),and I found another chocolatier also from Tuscany , their name is La Molina ,I got a box of their spiced chocolates ( just plain chocolate with spices ) tuscan spices, rosmery, wild fennel and sage . Plus two of their many single origin bars, the Venezuela and the Cuba.

I didnt care too much for Amedei , I find they all have a common taste that I dont like too much, probably their rosting method i am guessing.La Molina was a nice surprise, their spiced chocolates were very nice , the spices arent too strong , maybe a little bit more wouldnt have be bad, but the chocolate is nice pleasent,the sage one are caramelized sage leaf inside ( micro bits ).The single origin Cuba , was nice , I could taste tobacco and some bitterness and isnt too acidic , leaves a nice mouth feel , very different form the other chocolates I tryed, the Venezuela was at first bite sweet , then I tasted bitter almonds and then a smoothness inside your mouth so nice and persistent .

I definately will like to try their other chocolates when I go back to Italy.

[Sebastian]

My other favorite (how many favorites can one have) from Domori is their Carupano. I think it's similiar to Cluizels Mangaro, which I also like (there's a pattern here - most of my favorites are fairly acidic, fruity, lots of red berry/winey notes - I find that most people either really like these are aboslutely can't stand them). Pralus's madagascar and jamacian bars i both like, as well as their sao tome - i find that one has a very unique melting profile that i really enjoy. Valrhona's caraibe and manjara are (or were) also pretty good, but i don't find them nearly as good today as i did in years past.

[Rhubarb]

I noticed the other day that Valrhona has introduced some new single-origin couvertures (as of Sept.). Alpaco and Tainori--anyone know of a distributor?

[aguynamedrobert]

Hey Sebastian,

Well I used to not be a fan of the acidic chocolates but now love them. I really like Guittards Ambanja from Madagascar. I really used to not like it and now I love to munch on it...just get a chunk and let it melt in my mouth for 10 min. lol...I guess we all have our different ways of eating chocolate...but yeah I love the Sour acidic type now...along with all the rest of course....too many favorites to list sometimes...I am a big fan of Ecuador Arriba as well...

-Robert

Chocolate Forums

Edited November 30, 2006 by aguynamedrobert (log)

[Desiderio]

Oh I forgot to say that my favorite at this moment after few tasting , its still the Apamate El Rey , also Caoba isnt too bad either (41% milk not too bad ) ( but i didnt try too many milk chocolate lately , more dark ).I think Eguittard coucher de soleil (72% ) is a pretty good dark chocolate , not overwhelming in taste and a good texture.Heh at this point I am not a big fan of over acidic and fruity chocolates ( Valrhona manjari ruined all for me , I still can't get myself to use it again in anything ).