Ghirardelli chocolate syrup

[alacarte]

I've posted this in the NY forum already, but I thought I might get a different response from my fellow coffee-heads -- perhaps there's an online or mail-order source if not a NY-area source?:

Does anyone know where I can get my hands on some Ghirardelli chocolate syrup? Not the powder, not the candies. The syrup. My favorite coffee shop uses it to make the most wonderful mochaccinos I've ever had...I need to get some of this for my own personal stash.

It's on the Ghirardelli website here, but says that it's only available to the trade.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

[edited to add in link that didn't transfer]

Edited January 2, 2004 by alacarte (log)

[Moopheus]

Does anyone know where I can get my hands on some Ghirardelli chocolate syrup? Not the powder, not the candies. The syrup. My favorite coffee shop uses it to make the most wonderful mochaccinos I've ever had...I need to get some of this for my own personal stash.

A quick search reveals some online vendors selling it, such as this one. I have to admit I've never seen it in a store, anywhere. Now I have to wonder how it would be in an egg cream, compared to good old U-Bet.

[phaelon56]

There are sources that will sell to individuals but the catch is that it's typically sold in wholesale quantities, i.e. by the case

Java Estate has cases of six 64 oz bottles. That's a LOT of chocolate syrup...

Your best bet is to find an independent local cafe that uses it and ask the owner to sell you a bottle. It's about $70 per case wholesale - I should think you'd be able to find someone to sell you a 64 oz jug for $20 or less.

The pther option is to just buy the powder and make your own chocolate syrup with it. It's a cinch to make and stores well when refrigerated.

[alacarte]

thank you phaelon and Moopheus!!!!

A six pack is more mochaccino largesse than I ever could hope for. I think the single 64-oz bottle still is a lot more than I'd ever need for my personal use...too bad they don't sell, say, a 20-oz size.

[phaelon56]

The powder will make a syrup that IMHO is just as good as the pre-made syrup. My favorite local cafe uses only the powder. If you have a good espresso machien at home (i.e. one that does a good job of frothing milk), the key to getting a killer mochas is to add the chocolate poweder to the milk before steaming. This will make a far better mocha than just pouring the espresso into a cup with the chocolate syrup, adding the milk and stirring. Starbucks and many of their clone competitors use the add syrup and stir method. The better local cafes I've tried both here and elsewhere use the powder.

[malachi]

Steaming milk combined with powder, while creating excellent hot chocolate, has the downside of potentially contaminating the steam wand. In many locations it is actually not allowed by the Health Dept.

[laurenmilan]

If you have a good espresso machien at home (i.e. one that does a good job of frothing milk), the key to getting a killer mochas is to add the chocolate poweder to the milk before steaming. This will make a far better mocha than just pouring the espresso into a cup with the chocolate syrup, adding the milk and stirring.

I believe Panerra does the same thing, and for a chain, they make a very, very good mocha. Far better than any of the local coffeehouses I know...

[alacarte]

I think I've made up my mind to buy one of the mega-gallon size, provided one of the vendors will sell it to me.

If you're curious to try the Ghirardelli syrup, and planning to be at the NY-area pie potluck, send me a PM. I'd be willing to tote the (unopened) container to the Potluck & share it there....lord knows I'll never consume 64 ounces by myself!

[phaelon56]

Steaming milk combined with powder, while creating excellent hot chocolate, has the downside of potentially contaminating the steam wand. In many locations it is actually not allowed by the Health Dept.

It's definitely allowed in my area. Correct practices dictate that the steam wand should always be wiped with a wet and clean cloth (one dedicated to that purpose alone) immediately after every steaming session and then purged to clean the nozzles. If this practice is followed and proper daily cleaning takes place, contamination should never be an issue. Unfortunately I see far too many cafes (inlcuding some Starbucks) where the steam wand is covered with a disgusting looking encrustation of milk that looks deadly - I don't order milk drinks in those places.

[malachi]

It depends on whether the machine has an anti-siphon setup. Most recent ones do, older ones often do not and can siphon through the wand.

Technically, here it is against regs to have any damp rags on the counter and to re-use dirty rags (for example). We ignore this and get dinged for it periodically by the Health Dept.

[phaelon56]

It depends on whether the machine has an anti-siphon setup. Most recent ones do, older ones often do not and can siphon through the wand.

It will help me to understand this as I was unaware of the difference. How do the older steam wands create a siphon? Does it occur when they are shut off while still in the milk? I sort of figured that purging the wand after every steaming session would expel such things but the physics of steam propulsion and boilers ccan be quite tricky.

Technically, here it is against regs to have any damp rags on the counter and to re-use dirty rags (for example). We ignore this and get dinged for it periodically by the Health Dept.

It's conceivable that such is the law here as well but I doubt it. This particular county is extremely stringent on certain food safety issues. Due to a stubborn and repeated hepatitis outbreak years ago that was proprgated from food handling staff in some local fast food restaurnats, we had a glove law that was in place and strictly enforced years before it was commonplace elsewhere. It does not seem a coincidence that the probelm never returned once the law was enforced.

In one particular year at the peak of the problem, this small county (population under 500,000 had 40% of the reported cases in NY state for the entire year - that is including the NYC metro area.

Wjat do the local health authorities expect you folks to do? Use wasteful single service paper products to wipe the wand after every use? Some regulations seem so counter productive that I wonder who really benefits.

[malachi]

It will help me to understand this as I was unaware of the difference. How do the older steam wands create a siphon?  Does it occur when they are shut off while still in the milk?  I sort of figured that purging the wand after every steaming session would expel such things but the physics of steam propulsion and boilers ccan be quite tricky.

Effective purging will, of course, prevent this even in older machines. Of course... how many machines have you see recently with milk crust on the wands? Unlikely that the're fully purging if you know what I mean.

Steam wands should be shut off still in the milk - otherwise you get spatter and BAB (big ass bubbles).

Wjat do the local health authorities expect you folks to do? Use wasteful single service paper products to wipe the wand after every use?  Some regulations seem so counter productive that I wonder who really benefits.

My belief is that Health Dept regs are rarely if ever designed to be practical or pragmatic and in few if any cases has anyone thought through what food service businesses will do to comply. We were told to either use throw away paper products or to keep a sterilizing bath to soak cloth towels in between uses.

[wes]

Does anyone know where I can get my hands on some Ghirardelli chocolate syrup?

No but I can tell you where to get the Guittard chocolate syrup. In fact if you will email me, I would be happy to send you some samples. The Guittard syrups are made for espresso based drinks, arent as sweet as other syrups so the sugars dont mask the flavor of the coffee and serve as the perfect compliment to the coffee bean.

The white syrup is a pure liquid white chocolate and the caramel is a real caramel, not caramel flavoring a high fructose corn syrup.

We are also coming out with the syrups in squeeze bottles which will be available in retail outlets.

Ok..end of sales pitch

Edited March 27, 2004 by wes (log)

[wes]

The pther option is to just buy the powder and make your own chocolate syrup with it. It's a cinch to make and stores well when refrigerated

A sweet ground chocolate will always give you a richer flavor and can be made up easily but be careful because mold can become a problem if you hang onto it for too long.

[Moopheus]

I think for syrup making unsweetened cocoa is better; why pay $4 or 5 a pound for sugar? Lately I have taken to making syrup with Valrhona cocoa powder, which makes a darn good egg cream. If I could get my hands on some Guittard cocoa, perhaps I would try that and have a little taste-off.

[wes]

If I could get my hands on some Guittard cocoa, perhaps I would try that and have a little taste-off.

Not a problem. Just email me and I will get you something comparable to the Valrhona.