Chocolate Comparison and Survey

[nsxtasy]

Both of these chocolate shops were featured in articles in the Chicago Tribune recently, so I decided to do a comparison between the two. As I started writing up my experiences, I realized that there are other high-end chocolate shops in the area and elsewhere that have been opening recently, so I decided to expand the scope of this topic to include information on many of those as well.

First, it will immediately become obvious that none of these chocolates are inexpensive. If you are happy with chocolates from your local Fannie May or elsewhere for a fraction of the prices noted below, and you think it's silly to spend more, you are welcome to your opinion. I wrote this for those interested in hearing more about what else is out there.

Before I go on, I would like to note that I have observed a very disturbing trend in the sale of high-end chocolates: more and more places are pricing their chocolates by the piece, rather than by the pound. IMO, places are doing this because - just using some typical numbers - chocolates don't SOUND as expensive when they're priced at $32 for a "16-piece collection" as when they're priced at $64 per pound. It's the same reason places sell items for $19.99 instead of $20.00. Now, I don't mind that places price their chocolates this way; that's just marketing. What I STRONGLY object to is that some places actually refuse to tell you how many pieces are in a pound. Product weight is basic information, and is how most foods are sold. Refusing to disclose it smacks of deception and subterfuge; it's one thing to make the price SOUND better, and quite another to refuse to provide basic information about how much product you're actually buying. I have a strong aversion to buying from places that engage in practices that strike me as deceptive. (Maybe others don't, and of course that is your opinion and you are welcome to spend your money wherever you see fit.)

Moving on, here's what I've found.

Belgian Chocolatier Piron

I admit, I'm a longtime fan of Belgian Chocolatier Piron in Evanston. They make the chocolates in the back of the shop nearly every day, using techniques learned in Belgium and chocolate imported from Belgium. Their chocolates use relatively traditional flavors - hazelnuts (gianduja), raspberry, cognac, passionfruit, marzipan, pecans, chocolate truffles, mocha, etc, using white, milk, and dark chocolates - although they recently introduced a chocolate with chipotle chili pepper. In the store, you can pick out the individual items you want. IMHO, they are consistently delicious.

Belgian Chocolatier Piron

509-A Main Street

Evanston 60202

847-864-5504

www.belgchocpiron.com

Chicago Tribune article:

www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-0702060359feb07,1,1494496.story

Price per pound: $36 for their premier filled chocolates, $23 for nut barks

Chocolate Box

The other day I went to a new place, the Chocolate Box in Winnetka. They specialize in more exotic ingredients in their chocolates, such as herbs (e.g. basil) and spices (e.g. habanero peppers, anise). In the store, you can pick out the individual items you want.

The Chocolate Box sells their chocolates only by the piece, not by the pound. They are $1.69 each, or you can buy boxes of various sizes. The largest size is 24 pieces for $36.00. I asked how many pieces there are to a pound and the person in the shop said she did not know. As noted above, the Chocolate Box gets a big THUMBS DOWN from me for this - both because (1) not disclosing this information strikes me as deception and (2) I really doubt that they don't know how much their product weighs.

I bought three pieces of their chocolate, took them home, and weighed them on a postal scale. Based on their weight (1.1 ounces), there are 44 of their chocolates to a pound.

As for taste, they taste very good, but there is an important difference between these and Piron's. Each of Piron's chocolates has a single flavor; their marzipan tastes like marzipan, the fruits de mer taste like hazelnut, the Grand Marnier tastes like... well, you get the idea. The chocolates at the Chocolate Box are entirely different. Each chocolate at the Chocolate Box is made from a combination of ingredients, including fruits, herbs, spices, etc. As a result, no single flavor predominates or is even necessarily identifiable. I bought three chocolates, and I know that the first ingredient listed in each of the three were pear, apricot, and white chocolate. However, when I got home, I could not tell which was which, because none of them tasted a lot like pear, or like apricot, or like white chocolate (and no, that one was not distinguishable by color, either). Maybe you like the blended flavors of their chocolates that result, or maybe you prefer chocolates with a stronger, individual flavor; that's strictly a matter of taste/opinion. Regardless of your preference, if you go to the Chocolate Box, my suggestion is that you take notes and write down the names and/or ingredients of the pieces you buy; that way, you will know which is which when you're eating them, and you'll be able to know which ones you want to buy again in the future.

Chocolate Box

725 Elm St.

Winnetka 60193

847-881-2844

(no website AFAIK)

Price per pound: $65.45 (based on $36 for 24 pieces weighing 8.8 ounces)

Chicago Tribune article:

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/localgu...0,6068661.story

The Winner

So, which of these two places "wins" my vote for the "best" chocolate? I think both places offer delicious, very high quality chocolates, but my personal preference is for Piron's chocolates because of the single taste ingredient in each chocolate, rather than the blends of unidentifiable ingredients in the Chocolate Box chocolates. Piron also gets my vote for value in addition to taste, since the Chocolate Box chocolates are almost twice the price per pound as the premier chocolates at Piron. And, again, the Chocolate Box gets brickbats for refusing to disclose their product weight.

But Wait, There's More - Chicago

There are other high-end chocolate places in the Chicago area and elsewhere, most of which I have not yet tried. Here is more information about some of them.

The Tribune article which featured Piron (see link above) also featured three other places:

Love in Disguise of Chicago

2010 W. Fulton St.

Chicago

866-464-9866

www.loveindisguise.com

Price per pound: Unknown. I just tried calling them and left a message asking about how many chocolates are in a pound; unless and until I hear back, they get a THUMBS DOWN. ($45 for 24 piece truffles, $48 for 24 piece "cocoa sutra" collection)

Chocolate Gourmet

1635 W. Walnut St.

Chicago

312-850-1051

www.chocolategourmet.com

Price per pound: $35 or more. (I called to ask how much their chocolates weigh and they said they "think the 16-piece box of truffles weighs a pound or slightly under", in their words).

Sweet Endeavours

1101 Tower Rd.

Schaumburg

224-653-2700

www.chocolatines.com

Price per pound: $64 (based on $32 for their "16-piece classic collection" which I called to ask about and they said weighs "around half a pound")

Other chocolate shops that have appeared in the area recently include:

Chocolates by Bernard Callebaut

1970 Tower Drive

Glenview

847-998-9680

825 S. Waukegan Road C-3

Lake Forest IL 60045,

847-283-9927

www.bernard-callebaut.com

Price per pound: $49.50

Canady le Chocolatier, Ltd.

824 South Wabash Ave.

Chicago 60605

312-212-1270

www.canadylechocolatierchicago.com

Price per pound: $33 (according to a 2005 article in the Tribune quoted on their website)

Coco Rouge

1940 West Division

Chicago

773-772-2626

www.cocorouge.com (They do not yet sell chocolates on their website, but they plan to do so in the near future.)

Price per pound: $82-84 (I called and they said that they offer two 16-piece collections for $41 and $42, and each is half a pound.)

Vosges Chocolate

Chicago – Downtown

520 N. Michigan Avenue

Chicago, IL 60611

312.644.9450

951 W. Armitage

Chicago, IL 60614

773.296.9866

www.vosgeschocolate.com

Price per pound: $73 (based on $73 for their 32-piece "exotic truffle collection", which they told me weighs one pound in response to an e-mail inquiry)

But Wait, There's More - Internet

By way of comparison, an article in the current (February) issue of Consumer Reports rated upscale chocolates available on the internet from many places (none of the above Chicago chocolatiers were included). They noted per-ounce prices in the article. The highest rated were these eight (the first three have more exotic ingredients like herbs and spices, while the other five are more conventional):

Norman Love Confections

www.normanloveconfections.com

Price per pound: $74

Woodhouse Chocolate

www.woodhousechocolate.com

Price per pound: $69

Jacques Torres

www.mrchocolate.com

Price per pound: $48

Candinas

www.candinas.com

Price per pound: $42

John & Kira's

www.johnandkiras.com

Price per pound: $58

La Maison du Chocolat

www.lamaisonduchocolat.com

Price per pound: $67

Martines

www.martineschocolates.com

Price per pound: $59

Fran's

www.franschocolates.com

Price per pound: $56

Edited February 24, 2007 by nsxtasy (log)

[joiei]

One of my favorite chocolatiers is Christopher Elbow in Kansas City.

[nsxtasy]

Here are photos from their various websites...

Belgian Chocolatier Piron

Love in Disguise of Chicago

Chocolate Gourmet

Sweet Endeavours

Chocolates by Bernard Callebaut

Canady le Chocolatier, Ltd.

Vosges Chocolate

Norman Love Confections

Woodhouse Chocolate

Jacques Torres

Candinas

John & Kira's

La Maison du Chocolat

Martines

Fran's

Edited February 24, 2007 by nsxtasy (log)

[nsxtasy]

One of my favorite chocolatiers is Christopher Elbow in Kansas City.

←

Christopher Elbow

www.elbowchocolates.com

Price per pound: Unknown (priced by the piece, currently too late to try calling)

Can't show a photo, their website is all Adobe Flash.

[ulterior epicure]

One of my favorite chocolatiers is Christopher Elbow in Kansas City.

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Christopher Elbow

www.elbowchocolates.com

Price per pound: Unknown (priced by the piece, currently too late to try calling)

Can't show a photo, their website is all Adobe Flash.

←

Thanks for starting this thread - I'm an avid chocoholic (only the dark stuff). Clearly, I'm not as devoted as you, nxstasy, as I don't have the patience to upload all of my chocolate photos. So, I've linked them into this post.

1. Christopher Elbow: I have almost every single chocolate he's ever made on my flickr account here. Also, if you buy the chocolates in-store, they are $1.50 p/piece, as are the pates des fruit (which, I believe, I have a photo of everyone he's made). He has also begun selling hot chocolate mixes - powder that you add milk (or water) to ($16/bag). He's also got some various bars and turtles, and puddles and ancillary chocolate treats.

2. The Grocer's Daughter is another Midwest chocolatier up in Empire, Michigan. She's a lone woman operation with the help of one guy. She turns out some pretty amazing hand-dipped truffles (that are huge). I'm not sure the price, but I think they retail for $2.50 p/piece. She also makes turtles, puddles, and season treats, as well as a new "Wally Bar" (named after her assistant who used to work at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Michigan. You can see some of her truffles on my flickr account here. I just recently received a batch of truffles from her, along with a Wally Bar and a Valentine's Day "Chocolate Pulp Heart" and will be posting soon on my blog about them.

3. Miscellaneous: Incidentally, have another set on flickr that posts about miscellaneous chocolates I've tried from around the country and nation. I have some Vosges chocolates, as well as Andre's Confiserie chocolates in that set I also have another set devoted to Pierre Marcolini chocolates. I think his chocolates are the most expensive I've ever paid in the U.S. - they run somewhere near $2.75 p/piece... not sure... AND, I just realized that I ate all my La Maison du Chocolat chocolates without taking any photos of them... But, thankfully they have a boutique in NYC (I think two now), and I'll be sure to snap some samples for this thread (although maybe this is not of Midwest concern). Regardless, you can order both Marcolini and LMdC chocolates online. Edited to add: I also have some Leonidas chocolates in the Miscellaneous chocolate set on my flickr account. As you may know it's a Belgian confectionary (they have an outlet in the Loop (Chicago)). They are cheap but gross. They literally plague every corner of Belgian streets like ABC in Hawaii, or some coffee chains... Leonidas would get my vote for the worse chocolates, along with Canaday La Chocolatier in Chicago.

u.e.

Edited February 24, 2007 by ulterior epicure (log)

[nsxtasy]

I also have some Leonidas chocolates in the Miscellaneous chocolate set on my flickr account.  As you may know it's a Belgian confectionary (they have an outlet in the Loop (Chicago)).  They are cheap but gross.  They literally plague every corner of Belgian streets like ABC in Hawaii, or some coffee chains...  Leonidas would get my vote for the worse chocolates, along with Canaday La Chocolatier in Chicago. 

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I mentioned that the eight chocolatiers listed by Consumer Reports are the ones they liked the best; all were all rated "excellent". They tried six others which they rated "very good", but which I didn't bother listing; Leonidas was among these, along with MarieBelle, Moonstruck, Chuao Chocolatier, Godiva, and See's.

[ulterior epicure]

I mentioned that the eight chocolatiers listed by Consumer Reports are the ones they liked the best; all were all rated "excellent".  They tried six others which they rated "very good", but which I didn't bother listing; Leonidas was among these, along with MarieBelle, Moonstruck, Chuao Chocolatier, Godiva, and See's.

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Sorry, I have to admit that I didn't read your post very carefully.

Knowing that these topped the C.R. list, I gather they were going for the commercial chocolatiers.

[John DePaula]

...

Before I go on, I would like to note that I have observed a very disturbing trend in the sale of high-end chocolates: more and more places are pricing their chocolates by the piece, rather than by the pound.  IMO, places are doing this because - just using some typical numbers - chocolates don't SOUND as expensive when they're priced at $32 for a "16-piece collection" as when they're priced at $64 per pound.  It's the same reason places sell items for $19.99 instead of $20.00.  Now, I don't mind that places price their chocolates this way; that's just marketing.  What I STRONGLY object to is that some places actually refuse to tell you how many pieces are in a pound.  Product weight is basic information, and is how most foods are sold.  Refusing to disclose it smacks of deception and subterfuge; it's one thing to make the price SOUND better, and quite another to refuse to provide basic information about how much product you're actually buying.  I have a strong aversion to buying from places that engage in practices that strike me as deceptive.  (Maybe others don't, and of course that is your opinion and you are welcome to spend your money wherever you see fit.)

...

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Yeah, I went to the hardware store yesterday to buy a couple of pounds of wrenches and what d’ya know, they would only sell them by the piece!

All I can say, as someone who works on making chocolates by the piece, is that I most definitely do not think it’s deceptive marketing to sell them that way i.e. by the piece.

If these were being made by a machine, all the same, thousands and thousands in a production run, then perhaps you’d have a valid point to consider…

The artisan chocolate market may not be for you. I always tell potential customers that if you’re happy with bulk chocolates by the pound, then you can save yourself a ton of money. Why spend more if you really don’t appreciate, um… I mean, if you don’t have to?

[ulterior epicure]

I can definitely see both sides of the (nxstasy v. John DePaula) coin. However, nxstasy, do bear in mind that a lot of "high-end" chocolatiers use "high-end" ingredients for their fillings, and so charging by pound might get complicated (i.e. multi-tiered pricing). For instance, would it be fair to charge you the same price per pound that you would pay for a high-end liquor-infused ganache-filled chocolate as one that's filled with regular chocolate ganache? I can certainly see why a chocolatier would want to price chocolates individually. It all boils down to whether you, as a consumer, happen to think that the product is worth your hard-earned bucks.

Edited February 24, 2007 by ulterior epicure (log)

[nsxtasy]

Yeah, I went to the hardware store yesterday to buy a couple of pounds of wrenches and what d’ya know, they would only sell them by the piece!  

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There is a difference between a wrench and food. When you buy sugar to use for your chocolates, do you just buy a bag of sugar, or do you care whether it contains 5 pounds of sugar or 50 pounds of sugar?

All I can say, as someone who works on making chocolates by the piece, is that I most definitely do not think it’s deceptive marketing to sell them that way i.e. by the piece.

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Apparently you didn't read my post carefully. I don't think it's deceptive marketing to sell them by the piece, either. But to refuse to answer the question, "About how many of them are in a pound?" strikes me as extremely deceptive. Can you honestly tell me that you don't know how much your finished chocolates typically weigh? Especially if you ship them as part of your business?

Most of the chocolatiers I surveyed were happy to give me at least an approximation, i.e. "They vary in weight but there are typically around X to a pound" or "Our Y-piece box weighs around half a pound". I don't see why any vendor would refuse to answer such a question.

The artisan chocolate market may not be for you.

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More likely, maybe I'm happy to buy chocolates costing $40, or $60, or $80 per pound, as long as the artisan chocolatier is willing to answer a reasonable question about his product.

do bear in mind that a lot of "high-end" chocolatiers use "high-end" ingredients for their fillings, and so charging by pound might get complicated (i.e. multi-tiered pricing).  For instance, would it be fair to charge you the same price per pound that you would pay for a high-end liquor-infused ganache-filled chocolate as one that's filled with regular chocolate ganache?  I can certainly see why a chocolatier would want to price chocolates individually.

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I'll say it again. I have no objection to charging by the piece, or to charging different prices (either by the pound or by the piece) for different pieces. My objection is to refusing to divulge how many pieces are in a pound - and claiming not to know the answer.

It all boils down to whether you, as a consumer, happen to think that the product is worth your hard-earned bucks.

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Again, I noted absolutely no antipathy towards those willing to spend $40 or $60 or $80 for a pound of chocolate (and if it's really, really good, I might be willing to do so myself). You will not find anything like that in what I wrote.

Edited February 24, 2007 by nsxtasy (log)

[ulterior epicure]

Apparently you didn't read my post carefully.  I don't think it's deceptive marketing to sell them by the piece, either.  But to refuse to answer the question, "About how many of them are in a pound?" strikes me as extremely deceptive.  Can you honestly tell me that you don't know how much your finished chocolates typically weigh?  Especially if you ship them as part of your business? 

Most of the chocolatiers I surveyed were happy to give me at least an approximation, i.e. "They vary in weight but there are typically around X to a pound" or "Our Y-piece box weighs around half a pound".  I don't see why any vendor would refuse to answer such a question.

Given this last paragraph, I'm curious, nxstasy, which chocolatiers specifically have refused your request for an approximation? You did say that you have noticed a "trend." Certainly, that seems to suggest that you've encountered multiple chocolatiers with this attitude... or at least more than one or two.

u.e.

[nsxtasy]

I'm curious, nxstasy, which chocolatiers specifically have refused your request for an approximation?

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The Chocolate Box and, so far, Love in Disguise.

The trend I noticed is per-piece pricing, which is widespread. By itself, this wouldn't necessarily be a problem. But it opens the door to refusing to answer the question, and that is what I find deceptive.

Incidentally, what's absolutely silly about refusing to answer the question is that the consumer can buy a few pieces and weigh them himself/herself, as I did with the ones from the Chocolate Box and as Consumer Reports did with the ones they bought. This is NOT proprietary/confidential information, like asking for the recipe might be.

Edited February 24, 2007 by nsxtasy (log)

[joiei]

If you were looking for expensive chocolates, none of the ones you have mentioned can compare lb for lb with Noka Chocolates of Plano, Texas

The most charitable approach would be to look solely at the 96-piece "Vintages Collection" in the "Encore Box." That'll run you $139, or $1.45 per piece. Each piece weighs approximately seventy-five one-thousandths of an ounce. So the cheapest retail rate you're going to get for Noka chocolates is about $309 per pound.

But we might as well look at the pricing across the board:

Vintages Collection (i.e., molded tablets) -- Encore Box (i.e., cardboard).

96 piece -- approximately $309 per pound

48 piece -- approximately $444 per pound

24 piece -- approximately $533 per pound

12 piece -- approximately $693 per pound

4 piece -- approximately $853 per pound

Vintages Collection (i.e., molded tablets) -- Signature Box (i.e., stainless steel).

96 piece -- approximately $464 per pound

48 piece -- approximately $795 per pound

24 piece -- approximately $1,146 per pound

12 piece -- approximately $1,760 per pound

4 piece -- approximately $2,080 per pound

Grand Cru Collection (i.e., truffles) -- Encore Box (i.e., cardboard).

24 piece -- approximately $432 per pound

16 piece -- approximately $528 per pound

8 piece -- approximately $674 per pound

2 piece -- approximately $666 per pound

Grand Cru Collection (i.e., truffles) -- Signature Box (i.e., stainless steel).

16 piece -- approximately $908 per pound

8 piece -- approximately $1,339 per pound

2 piece -- approximately $1,730 per pound

Let's compare that with the products of some commonly known chocolatiers. Godiva chocolates range from about $30 to $65 per pound. Joseph Schmidt chocolates range from around $30 to $55 per pound. Fran's chocolates cost around $55 to $70 per pound. Michael Recchiuti's chocolates run from $58 to $85 per pound. And La Maison du Chocolat ranges from about $65 to $85 per pound.

With the Vintages collection running you $2,080 per lb, it will be hard to top that pricing. AS to the flavor, it was deduced that Noka was using Bonnat chocolate to create their masterpieces.

It is interesting to note that the less you buy, you do pay the penalty for the same chocolate.

Edited February 25, 2007 by joiei (log)

[nsxtasy]

The most charitable approach would be to look solely at the 96-piece "Vintages Collection" in the "Encore Box." That'll run you $139, or $1.45 per piece. Each piece weighs approximately seventy-five one-thousandths of an ounce. So the cheapest retail rate you're going to get for Noka chocolates is about $309 per pound.

But we might as well look at the pricing across the board:

Vintages Collection (i.e., molded tablets) -- Encore Box (i.e., cardboard).

96 piece -- approximately $309 per pound

.

.

.

4 piece -- approximately $2,080 per pound

With the Vintages collection running you $2,080 per lb, it will be hard to top that pricing.

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FWIW, in each of the examples above where I calculated prices per pound for Chicago-area chocolatiers, I tried to price the largest item available ("the most charitable approach", which assigns to Noka the $309 figure, not $2,080). I assume that Consumer Reports did the same.

Thanks for the post - I read the article in your link and found it fascinating, not only for the information about NoKa, but for the information about other fine chocolatiers!

Edited February 25, 2007 by nsxtasy (log)

[Trishiad]

I started reading this thread yesterday and, like John, was a bit miffed by the claim of deception. When I buy a package of cookies I am completely disinterested in the package weight. I want to know how many cookies are in there. How many snacks can I get out of that one purchase? When I buy ground beef I look at the package and try to decide how many hamburgers I can make with it. I have been trained to estimate hamburger count based on weight but my priority is How Many.

When I eat chocolates it's the same. How many? 2 a day for the next week? Just enough for the weekend? Enough to share at a party? The weight would not help me figure out those answers.

I personally sell some of my chocolates only by the pound and others only by the piece. While I often have folks ask how many pieces are in the 8oz box of truffles, I've never had anyone ask the weight of the 12 piece box of bonbons. If you called me right now and asked how much that 12 piece box weighs I wouldn't be able to tell you. I don't know because it doesn't matter to me.

[ulterior epicure]

I personally sell some of my chocolates only by the pound and others only by the piece.  While I often have folks ask how many pieces are in the 8oz box of truffles, I've never had anyone ask the weight of the 12 piece box of bonbons.  If you called me right now and asked how much that 12 piece box weighs I wouldn't be able to tell you.  I don't know because it doesn't matter to me.

Trishiad, where do you sell chocolates? Would love to know more about your business! Can you link us?

[tammylc]

Since I've just started my own chocolate business, I'm reading this thread with great interest. Federal labeling law requires that packaged food be labeled with the weight, so I do know how much my pieces weigh. But for a retail store that's selling by the piece, I can understand why it just wouldn't be relevant to them. I didn't know how much mine weighed until I had to start labeling.

[nsxtasy]

I just heard back from Love in Disguise, which I mentioned above. They told me that the chocolates in their Cocoa Sutra collection, and in their truffles, are eight to the pound. So their 24-piece Cocoa Sutra collection ($48), and their 24-piece Signature Truffles collection ($45), weigh three pounds each. So their chocolates are $15-16 per pound.

This points out exactly why weight is important; each piece from Love in Disguise is huge, weighing almost six times as much as each piece from the Chocolate Box. Particularly when you're ordering from a website, you have absolutely no idea how big the chocolates are unless you know their weight.

[ulterior epicure]

I just heard back from Love in Disguise, which I mentioned above.  They told me that the chocolates in their Cocoa Sutra collection, and in their truffles, are eight to the pound.  So their 24-piece Cocoa Sutra collection ($48), and their 24-piece Signature Truffles collection ($45), weigh three pounds each.  So their chocolates are $15-16 per pound.

This points out exactly why weight is important; each piece from Love in Disguise is huge, weighing almost six times as much as each piece from the Chocolate Box.  Particularly when you're ordering from a website, you have absolutely no idea how big the chocolates are unless you know their weight.

Glad to hear that you were able to obtain the information you sought.

[John DePaula]

This points out exactly why weight is important; each piece from Love in Disguise is huge, weighing almost six times as much as each piece from the Chocolate Box.  Particularly when you're ordering from a website, you have absolutely no idea how big the chocolates are unless you know their weight.

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I don’t think you should feel bad at all about wanting more poundage per dollar. After all, not everyone wants an elegant and sophisticated chocolate experience. Not everyone appreciates the art and skill that goes into crafting a fine jewel-like piece of chocolate. For some people, all that stuff is just fluff. YOU know you’re getting your money’s worth when you can slap a “bonbon” on the scale and measure it in POUNDS. Bravo!

--p.s. i think i’m done with this thread

[nsxtasy]

not everyone wants an elegant and sophisticated chocolate experience.

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Many people want an elegant and sophisticated chocolate experience, but prefer to deal with vendors who not only provide that kind of experience, but also are happy to answer reasonable questions about their products, rather than those who refuse to do so.

[nr706]

I don't think there's anything wrong with asking about, or figuring out, cost/lb. of fine chocolates. No different than asking where the beanns come from, or what the flavorings are. It doesn't make one a heathen that should stick to Hershey's and Fannie Mae. It doesn't mean they don't want an elegant and sophisticated experience. But they might want to able to make a judgement about the price/value relationship.

In that vein, the DallasFood.org story about Noka cited above, I found to be a fascinating read.

Edited February 26, 2007 by nr706 (log)

[nsxtasy]

In the further pursuit of research, I recently visited five more high-end chocolatiers in the Chicago area and bought chocolates there. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it! It was actually quite fun, of course. If you really and truly enjoy chocolate, I suggest going out and doing the same. Try them all for yourself, and see which ones you like.

When all is said and done, out of the seven specialty chocolatiers I visited in the Chicago area, I liked the chocolates at four a lot more than the other three. Here is how I rank them in order, from one to seven:

THE BEST:

1. Belgian Chocolatier Piron (Evanston) - $36/lb

2. Chocolates by Bernard Callebaut (Glenview, Lake Forest) - $50/lb

3. Vosges Chocolate (Chicago) - $91/lb

4. Canady le Chocolatier, Ltd. (Chicago) - $33/lb

THE REST:

5. Vanille Patisserie (Chicago) - $63/lb

6. Chocolate Box (Winnetka) - $66/lb (no website AFAIK)

7. Coco Rouge (Chicago) - $109/lb

In each case, I bought a variety of their top-line chocolates, the specific ones that sounded best to me, in order to evaluate their products. Some chocolatiers (e.g. Coco Rouge) recommend that their chocolates are stored at room temperature, while others (e.g. Piron) recommend storing in the refrigerator and removing them about an hour before consuming to allow them to come to room temperature. For my evaluation, I stored the chocolates according to the recommendations of their respective makers.

Here are details about each of them, including a few additional notes on Piron and Chocolate Box, which I already evaluated in my original post here. Incidentally, I mentioned above the need to write down a description of what the chocolates were for the Chocolate Box; some chocolatiers are better than others as far as identifying which is which, and I'll provide details on that below.

1. Belgian Chocolatier Piron (Evanston) - $36/lb

This is still the best chocolatier in the Chicago area, in my opinion. Their white chocolate manon melts in your mouth, their truffles are great, the gianduja shells are creamy smooth, the marzipan is the best, and just about every item they carry has a nice strong flavor of its main ingredient.

A gold box is provided at no extra charge. Piron also has a printed catalog indicating what each of its chocolates looks like, so you can use that as a guide to which one is which.

Their storefront is small and not particularly fancy. Meter parking on the street in the area is generally available; there are some twenty-minute meters (which can be both good and bad) and there is a metered lot around the corner.

2. Chocolates by Bernard Callebaut (Glenview, Lake Forest) - $50/lb

These chocolates are very, very similar, in style and quality, to Piron's. The manon is nicely creamy, the fruit creams are similar, the gianduja is just slightly grainier, and the marzipan is not quite as strong in flavor. The differences are minor but they favor Piron over Bernard. All in all, these are excellent chocolates if you enjoy molded, Belgian-style chocolates; if Piron didn't exist, I would probably say these are the best chocolates in Chicago.

No printed materials are provided, but there is a photo on their website showing all of their chocolates, that you can use that as a guide to which is which.

Their Glenview storefront, in the new Glen development (next to the control tower of the former Naval Air Station), is smallish but pleasant. Parking in the immediate area is plentiful and free.

3. Vosges Chocolate (Chicago) - $91/lb

I liked these a lot. They had a nice strong flavor of the primary ingredient of each chocolate, and they were very high quality (great "mouth feel", etc). In addition to the more conventional contents, some of these had more unusual ingredients, like curry powder, ginger, wasabi, etc. If this is what you are looking for, I liked the ones from Vosges better than the others (below) who had similarly unusual ingredients.

Vosges had the best packaging (at a price, though) and the best guide to which is which. Like Piron, Vosges has a printed catalog showing all of their chocolates, with a separate insert for special selections which change over time. When buying 9, 16, or 32 pieces, they also offer a fancy gift box which arranges the chocolates, and they prepare a "map" to the arrangement which labels which item is which. It's a very nice touch, but I didn't realize I was paying extra for it till I got home. I bought nine truffles which would have been $2.50 each, but the total was $4.50 higher, so I assume that amount was for the gift box.

Also, you will note that the price here is higher than in my original post above. That's because I was told over the phone that 32 truffles (selling for $73) were approximately one pound, but when I actually brought some home and weighed them, I found that they are exactly 0.4 ounce each, not 0.5 ounce.

I went to the Lincoln Park location. Their storefront has several nicely-appointed rooms, full of all their many chocolate products (they carry exotic ice cream, beverages, and chocolate bars as well as the truffles). This was easily the most upscale, luxurious environment of any of the chocolatiers I tried. Parking in the area is difficult.

I had previously heard a few people criticize the quality of Vosges products, but based on actually buying some and trying them, I found that they were very good. It's possible others were basing their opinion on buying them elsewhere, as Vosges are the only chocolates among these (AFAIK) that are available at other stores (e.g. Fox and Obel, Sam's Wines) as well as their own. I purchased mine at one of their two "Vosges Haut-Chocolat Boutiques" in Chicago, just as I purchased all the other chocolates from the storefronts of their respective chocolatiers. One huge disadvantage of buying them elsewhere is that you cannot select the individual pieces that most appeal TO YOU; you can only buy a pre-packaged selection. You also will encounter a narrower selection, and it's possible that there may be additional issues of freshness and storage that affect product quality, since these are out of the control of the chocolatier when sold elsewhere.

4. Canady le Chocolatier, Ltd. (Chicago) - $33/lb

Most of Canady's chocolates were very good indeed. Some, like the gianduja feuillete crunch, are wonderful, as good as anything from the other places described above. They also do an excellent job with creams and cordials. There were a few that didn't quite measure up (e.g. the white chocolate which had neither the strong white chocolate taste nor the creamy consistency of the manon from Piron or Bernard, or the coconut which seemed little different from a Mounds bar).

Canady's has two additional advantages worth noting. First, they were the least expensive of the seven shops I tried. Not that this is the MOST important quality of high-end chocolate, since it's an expensive product to begin with, but when you get three times as much chocolate for your money from one shop than another, that's important.

Second, they were the most beautiful chocolates of anyone's, with the most strikingly different appearance from each other. Some of the colors and appearances gave clues to the contents, such as the red cherries on one, the swirl shape of the banana, the yellow coloring on the amaretto filled one, and making the red pepper one look like a metallic bomb (explosive type "bomb", not a "bombe" pastry). Canady's does not have a catalog so you have to take notes to keep track of what's what, but at least the appearance of some pieces sometimes helps you remember what's inside.

The shop is a small, crowded storefront, nothing overly lavish but perfectly acceptable given its prime Printers Row location just south of the Loop. There are plenty of expensive parking garages in the area, and limited two-hour meter parking which you may or may not find available.

5. Vanille Patisserie (Chicago) - $63/lb

I did not mention Vanille in my original post, as I was not aware of it until someone posted about it in another forum. Here is their information:

Vanille Patisserie

2229 N Clybourn Ave

Chicago, IL 60614

773.868.4574

www.vanillepatisserie.com

Price per pound: $63 ($1.10 each, approximately 57 pieces to the pound)

This is the only chocolatier I tried that is more than just a chocolatier; they have a full line of French pastries, and the chocolates are just a small part of what they offer. I love this place, but primarily for the pastries, rather than the chocolate. You can get anything from a fruit tart to a croissant (chocolate or otherwise) to french macaroons (thin almond paste macaroons with a buttercream filling). The best things they have are called "entremets", wonderful mousse cakes which are pictured on their website.

As much as I loved their pastries, I was not all that impressed with their chocolates. They are small, "cut praline style" chocolates (think of making chocolates in the shape of a stick of butter and then slicing pats off and dipping/coating them). I really don't care that much about looks, one way or the other, but Vanille's chocolates just didn't hit me as strong in flavor or rich or overly wonderful. There is no guide to which chocolates are which, so take notes.

The shop is small but nice. Parking on the street is difficult.

6. Chocolate Box (Winnetka) - $66/lb (no website AFAIK)

I described the chocolates from the Chocolate Box in my original post. Again, their blended flavors just didn't have much taste of their original ingredients, and just didn't do anything for me. But try them yourself; maybe you'll like them better than I did.

The shop is small but nice. Meter parking on the street within 1-2 blocks can be difficult, but further than that is plentiful. (The shop is on the other side of the tracks from most of Winnetka's central business district, so once you get more than a block away from Elm Street, it's residential and parking is easy.)

7. Coco Rouge (Chicago) - $109/lb

Coco Rouge uses some unusual ingredients in their chocolates (e.g. tea, truffles), like Vosges and the Chocolate Box do. However, what struck me the most about their chocolates was a lack of strong flavors. I would describe them as "bland", although I'm sure their defenders will argue that their flavors are merely "subtle". In any case, I was quite UNimpressed with these chocolates.

Both the size and price of Coco Rouge's chocolates vary depending on the piece. I weighed the pieces I bought and the price averaged out to $109/pound.

Coco Rouge provides a small brochure picturing many of their chocolates. Unfortunately, the photos are close-ups of a portion of the surface, so it's more difficult to match them than it would be with a photo of the entire piece, but at least it's something. I suggest writing notes on the brochure to help you remember which ones you got. The box provided with the chocolates was rather plain.

Their storefront is quite a sight. The frontage is somewhat narrow, but once you enter, the inside is quite spacious. Think of a huge, huge room with a few small displays on one wall, a tiny counter table (maybe four feet long and a couple feet deep) displaying their chocolates, and a whole lot of empty space. I think this kind of hip/minimalist interior is intended to convey that something special is going on, but based on the actual chocolates themselves, the only thing I found special was the price (which was the most expensive of the seven shops).

Parking in the area is difficult.

CONCLUSION

While I found that I like four of these seven the best, I will be frequently returning in the future to just two of them: Piron and Canady. Piron has the best, highest-quality, most delicious chocolates in the area IMHO. I also enjoy the appearance of Canady's and certain of their items. I will probably not go back to Bernard Callebaut; as good as their chocolates are, Piron's are similar in style, slightly better in a few cases, and less expensive. I will probably not go back to Vosges, since you get almost three times as much chocolate for your money at Piron or Canady.

Upscale chocolatiers are clearly proliferating and prospering in Chicago and many other cities nationwide. This is a wonderful trend for anyone who loves chocolate; more choices are just about ALWAYS a good thing for the consumer. The seven whose chocolates I bought and consumed all seem to be trying to do something unusual and creative. Although I obviously liked some more than others, taste is such a subjective matter of opinion - particularly with chocolates, where there are elements of style that appeal more to some folks than others - that there is really no absolute "best" other than personal preference. My personal preferences are noted here. I encourage all chocolate lovers to try ALL these chocolates, if you can, to form your own opinions, and to feel free to share them here.

[tammylc]

I liked these a lot.  They had a nice strong flavor of the primary ingredient of each chocolate, and they were very high quality (great "mouth feel", etc).  In addition to the more conventional contents, some of these had more unusual ingredients, like curry powder, ginger, wasabi, etc.  If this is what you are looking for, I liked the ones from Vosges better than the others (below) who had similarly unusual ingredients.

With one exception, I've always found Vosges flavors to be subtle to a fault. As a person who likes the unconventional flavors, they sound wonderful, but I usually find the flavors almost undetectable.

The one exception I had was a fresh truffle rolled in curry powder (not just dusted on top like the Naga) that was made that day and purchased at their boutique on Michigan Ave. That one was a powerhouse, but the rest have paled in comparison.

[ulterior epicure]

I liked these a lot.  They had a nice strong flavor of the primary ingredient of each chocolate, and they were very high quality (great "mouth feel", etc).  In addition to the more conventional contents, some of these had more unusual ingredients, like curry powder, ginger, wasabi, etc.  If this is what you are looking for, I liked the ones from Vosges better than the others (below) who had similarly unusual ingredients.

With one exception, I've always found Vosges flavors to be subtle to a fault. As a person who likes the unconventional flavors, they sound wonderful, but I usually find the flavors almost undetectable.

The one exception I had was a fresh truffle rolled in curry powder (not just dusted on top like the Naga) that was made that day and purchased at their boutique on Michigan Ave. That one was a powerhouse, but the rest have paled in comparison.

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From my experience, they are over-priced for what they are. I agree that some of her flavors are to subtle for me, and a few, most memorably the "Rooster," was downright offensive. I often gravitate toward unique and novel combinations, but Taleggio cheese and chocolate was not a match that I cared for.

When Markoff got going a few years ago, her truffles were much better, IHO. Recently, I've altogether abandoned her truffles for her bars. The Oaxaca, Red Fire, Creole, and Barcelona (the only milk chocolate I'll ever consciously put in my mouth), are among my favorite.