Belgium:after trying about 20 places:

1-If you love pralines inside: a heaven. just like it used to be many years ago.

2-If you do not care for milk based non healthy pralines: outdated by over 20 years . Disappointment.

As an example places like Mary's: outdated in every respect, but EXPENSIVE!

My favorite brand is Ritter Sport. Especially the peppermint stuff they offer.
Considering the fact that they have a factory sell-out like 15 minutes from my place a always have some at home

One of the most interesting tasting chocolates I recently had, was Lindt. A very dark chocolate (70% cocoa) filled with Mouse au Chocolat and a mixture of Cherry and Chilly. Sounded very strange to me, but turned into a delicious chocolate.
Probably the best chocolate I had was some brand from Switzerland I cannot remember.

In a taste test of eight brands, Droste Pastilles came out on top.

Have you noticed bigger numbers on chocolate bars in the baking aisle? We don't necessarily mean the price tags. Rather, more companies are selling bars with 70 to 72 percent chocolate. Where a bittersweet bar of a decade ago might have had 50 or 60 percent chocolate liquor (that's the official term), these bars are upping the ante, offering super-intense flavors that focus on more chocolate and less sugar.

We tasted eight brands we used in a ganache (a rich filling/icing) that combined four ounces chopped chocolate with four ounces whipping cream. We wanted deep chocolate flavor with pleasantly bitter notes and some acidity. What surprised us were the diverse flavors these bars yielded: Some had berry notes, others spicy ones.

All the brands earned above-average scores and most of our six tasters chose different winners. Droste from Holland won because it scored most consistently at the top; it is sold at Trader Joe's and Home Economist stores. Second place went to Trader Joe's private-label brand, which uses Belgian chocolate and which, at 23 cents per ounce, makes it a real bargain. The often-praised Scharffen Berger (California) and Valrhona (France) tied for third; they are available at many specialty stores and larger supermarkets.

Here are the results, with prices for the winners as well as tasters' comments. Products are scored on a scale of 1 to 9, with 9 being highest. Prices are based on what we paid for them at the store and may reflect sales or discounts from frequent-shopper cards.

- - -

And the winners are . . .

Droste Pastilles, 72% extra dark chocolate (7.1 points. 3.5 ounces, $3.39; 97 cents per ounce). "Quite balanced between rich and sweet." "Slightly sweet; mellow and mild." "A bit thin-tasting."

Trader Joe's Pound Plus 72% dark chocolate (7 points. 17.6-ounce bar, $3.99; 23 cents per ounce). "Heavy-duty chocolate flavor." "Bitter coffee notes (that's good)." "Not great flavor."

(tie) Scharffen Berger Bittersweet 70% Cacao (6.8 points. 9.7-ounce bar, $9.99; $1.03 per ounce). "A touch of fruitiness; rich with a nice bitterness." "Acidic and fruity with floral and vanilla after-taste." "Tastes burnt."

Valrhona Le Noir Amer 71% cacao (6.8 points. 3.5-ounce bar, $5.79; $1.65 per ounce). "Bitter yet bracing; warm, comforting flavor." "Good sweet-bitter balance with a bit of sharpness." "Lacks flavor."

Others tasted

4. (tie, 6.3 points) E. Guittard Bittersweet Chocolate 72% Cacao; Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate with 70% Cocoa Content.

5. (tie, 5.8 points) Ghirardelli Chocolate 70% Cocoa Extra Bittersweet Chocolate; Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa.




http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...,2543085.story

http://www.vancouver.suttonplace.com...lic_Buffet.htm

For the Love of Chocolate . . .

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The Sutton Place Hotel brings a sweet touch to its tradition of elegance with the unique Chocoholic Bar, the city's only all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet. Famous with local Vancouverites, the Chocoholic Buffet provides delectable offerings including an array of home made luscious cakes, pastries and pies, exquisite sorbets and ice creams, topped only by the Bar's own renowned Brittany cr�pes, a house specialty made right before your eyes. Join The Sutton Place Hotel's Master Chocolatier and Pastry Chef Wolfgang Dauke for an evening of sinful delights.

This chocolate-lover's dream come true, the Chocoholic Bar, is offered in two seatings, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm and 8:30 to 10:00pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Fleuri Restaurant, located on the lobby level of the Five Diamond rated Sutton Place Hotel. The buffet is $24.00 per adult / $12.00 per child 12 years and under (excluding coffee and tea).

*Price are exclusive of taxes and gratuities

For reservations, please call Fleuri Restaurant 604.642.2900

Le Pain Quotidien's chocolate bomb is to die for! They have many stores outside Belgium.

I have been living in NY for 3 years and I did not realize they opened so many of them in the City!

[QUOTE=Canarsie][*] Unusual chocolate that you have eaten and where you have eaten it[*]
QUOTE]


Safron milk chocolate, red chili chocolate, Black truffle chocolate, parmesan cheese chocolate at Cacao Sampaka in Barcelona.

Except the red chili chocolate, I must admit I was not a fan, but it was worth trying those!

I think it's owned by Ferran Adria's son

[QUOTE=BBT in NY]There's a restaurant in Chicago that pairs foie gras with chocolate.

I often have strong cravings for chocolate, and typically make molten chocolate cakes when home on the weekends. It's quick and easy, here's the recipe for 2 cakes: 3.5 ounces dk chocolate, 1 tbps butter, 2 tbps sugar, 1.5 tpsb flour, one egg, pinch salt, dash of vanilla. Just melt the chocolate in the microwave, cream the sugar and butter, then combine other non chocolate ingredients. Add in the chocolate, and then spoon into two ramkins. Place in the oven for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Garnish with whip cream (could add berries, orange zest, etc). Very addictive.

Oh, this thread is getting addictive. It is making me hungry.

Trader Joe had some fabulous chocolate, which is now discontinued as it simply did not sell. Started out at circa $10 for 8 oz. box, price spiralled down to $6 and it is now discontinued. There simply isn't a mass market for high quality chocolate in the US (or most other countries for that matter). Rather ironic given the alternative price points (more than double, for lesser quality).

Rather ironically TJ private label used to be even better a few years ago, when they used a French chocolate. But that supplier couldn't keep up with their quantities, and Belgian is a better brand in the US than French, so they switched to an inferior chocolate -- but still excellent and great value compared to the alternatives. Proving that quality and price are loosely coupled when it comes to chocolate. For whatever reason, TJ has excellent chocolates in general (their buyer must really like chocolate).

God, I just ate two caffe tasse 77% tablets.

Swoon.

lala

Uh, Belgian is a better brand just about anywhere than French.

Speaking of Belgian, Marcolini seems to be falling off the wagon. We found on our trip there a couple of weeks ago that his pralin� was tasting burned and/or just not fresh. Wittamer (on the Sablon as well) and Elisabeth (on Boterstraat just off the Grand Place) beat Marcolini on almost every "contest" we had - caramels, pralin�s, cinnamon/cannelle... But Marcolini still does the best champagne truffle amonth the Belgian chocolatiers I've had, and they do have an interesting piece with "tonka bean." (Found these bits of info on tonka beans: http://www.tropilab.com/dipter-odo.html and http://www.vitamins-minerals-supplem...tonka-bean.htm )

Belgian is better for bon bons but not for bar chocolate or cooking chocolate. For some reason I've found French to often be better, particularly at the cheap end. Compare Nestle Noir in various countries in Europe (the same brand!) -- signficantly better quality in France, even over Switzerland where it sells for a higher price. Speaking of falling off the wagon, the old Sprungli (pre-takeover) was maybe the best chocolate, but those days are long gone and it hasn't been great for over a decade. It is an odd feature of the chocolate business that the best regularly drop in quality after a few years and it is a continual search to find great chocolate.

My dealer friend in Strassbourg just sent me a couple of bars 86% cacao that has vaulted to the top of my list for eating chocolate: Poulain Depuis 1848 Noir.

God help me ...