Someone told me this a while ago and I don't know if it's true, but this is what I heard:
During WWII, U.S. candy makers had to stop using fresh milk when making milk chocolate. Instead they had to use milk powder, which gave the chocolate a 'cheesy' taste. After the war, they started using fresh milk again, but people were used to the 'cheesy' taste and wanted the milk powder-based chocolate back. Milk powder is still used in the U.S. today, so that is why U.S. chocolate tastes different from European chocolate, which is made using fresh milk.

For a real chocolate experience, try the Michel Cluizel 'Noir Infini' (99% cocoa)!
http://www.chocosphere.com/Html/Prod...elcluizel.html

This could be very easily proven or disproven by checking the ingredients list on European chocolate bars. I swear I've seen powdered milk in the list on many of them. Unfortunately, I don't happen to have any chocolate bars handy at the moment, but no doubt many other FTers do!

For the RitterSport fan-Trader Joes carries a small selection at great prices.
For the Godiva fan.Yes,most of the godiva sold in the US is made in lovely Camden New Jersey.There are a few specialty items that are made in Belgium.Most of the Godiva sold at airports(esp duty free shops)Is Belgian made.
I remember when I was working at Nieman Marcus,a very haried lady comes rushing in to buy 30 boxes of godiva as "souviner gifts"for her friends of her trip to paris.Never mind that we were selling Maison Du Chocolate at the time,this nutcase was not going to have anything but"the finest"for her friends!Poor Sap.And of course she wanted a discount on her large purchase(HAH)-gosh I don;t miss retail.

Oh no...reading this thread got the "chocolate demon" started. Now I can't put it out of my head until I find some!

my only american godiva experience is when my taller half bought a small box at the store in the mall and replaced one of the truffles with an exquisite pair of diamond solitaires.

The chocolates sucked in both of our opinions, but the earrings are always in my lobes.

We just rearranged our whole freaking trip to France in September (losing a great number of hard to procure hotel reservations) so that Taller half's chocolate purchases can be done at the end of the trip.

Such is the life of the chocoholic, we spent 40 euros last year mailing back books and clothes to make room for chocolate.

lala

Anyone tried a chocolate and red wine tasting?

I invited a few friends over for one decadent evening

YUM! Two great tastes, together.

We've not had a formal tasting but are particularly fond of the really intense dark chocolate (at least 70%) and Bordeaux. But we're stuck in a rut, I'm afraid. Are there other combinations that we shouldn't miss?

You hit on one of my favorite combinations.

It can also be amusing to try to pair the flavors in various chocolate truffles with the notes you detect in a particular wine (cherry, berry, liquorice, etc.)

So if ever in Belgium (or Tokyo/Paris) go to Pierre Marcolinni, this is by far the most amazing chocolate, and I've samples tons throughout the years and all over Europe. He was originally a pastery chef turned choco-genious. (http://www.marcolini.be/EN/accueilEN.htm) I think I'll have to plan another trip just thinking about it!

PS Thanks for the info on Chocolate at the Pen, I'm going to check it out when I'm in Chi-town in a few weekends on an eating tour....

Thanks for the rec on Pierre Marcolinni -- I'll be in BRU for a weekend in early Oct & will be checking it out in addition to my usual favorite haunt (Mary)

My favorites from BRU:

Galler, rue au Beurre 44 (aka Boterstraat), 1000 Bruxelles, 32.2.502.0266, just off the Grand Place. Try the Extr�me, Chiba (very nice almond pralin�), Th� Noir (Earl Grey Tea), Mazagran (heart-shaped coffee caramel), Turque (whiskey- and coffee-flavored cream), Martiniquais (ganache with rum & raisins), Anglaise (ganache with a little raspberry flavor (could be raspberry eau de vie)). Their chocolate bars can be bought in the U.S. ChocolateSource.com is one seller, and Trader Joe's has started selling their "Langues de Chat" in some stores. Oh, and you can also find the bars in the Bon Marche Dept. Store Food Hall in CDG. And Galler now has their own store in Versailles. But one word of caution: If you want an assortment with one of everything, do NOT trust the salespeople at the Grand Place when they say the half-kilo box has one of everything.

Pierre Marcolini. Charlotte (SJC (while living/working in BRU)) sent me this bit on 29AUG00: "I wanted to update you on the BEST chocolate place I've found in Brussels. Pierre Marcolini on the Grand Sablon makes divine chocolates and pastries. He was voted "world champion patisserie" in 1995 and his chocolate making has set new standards and even spawned a new school of praline making. Each of his chocolates are delicately flavored -- some infused with the essences of tea, jasmine, lavendar (sic), or citrus. All of his pralines are perfectly balanced -- not too sweet and with a texture that just melts in your mouth (and sometimes in the bag on your way home)." I happily discovered in early OCT00 that they were every bit as good as Charlotte's description! DEFINITELY try the Violet piece and their diamond-shaped, dark-chocolate-covered pralin�. Marcolini is probably 40% more expensive than Galler. I think Galler does certain pieces better than Marcolini (like the Earl Grey tea piece), but Marcolini does amazing caramels which beat everyone else except Wittamer. Locations: Place du Grand Sablon, 39, 02.514.12.06, Fax: 511.33.21; Avenue Louise, 75M, 02.538.42.24, F: 538.08.61; (Stockel) Avenue de Hinnisdael, 14, 02.771.27.20, F: 770.37.89; (Fort-Jaco) Chaussee de Waterloo, 1302, 02.372.15.11, F: 372.15.39; and Huidevettersstraat 38-40 in Antwerpen, 03.226.50.01, F: 02.213.05.60

Wittamer is across the Sablon from Marcolini. According to a woman at Wittamer, Marcolini learned much of what he knows at Wittamer and then left. Both of these chocolatiers are extremely close to each other's quality levels. I along with their very competitive caramels, their hazelnut pralin�s are excellent and they had a pistachio cream piece which was quite unusual.

Neuhaus favorites: Pagode, Astrid, Caprice, Tentation (probably tops my list from Neuhaus), Prestige, Ephemere (you can compare these last two to Marcolini's caramels, but Marcolini and Wittamer would almost undoubtedly win), Bonaparte, Satan, Sapho, Eden Rock Lait, and Black & White. AND you can get Neuhaus at AMS on your way to the plane!

I liked the chocolates from Mary, but ordering there is a pain in the a$$ since they don't have a key and the chocolates are not labeled.

I used to be able to say I really liked Godiva in Belgium but not the U.S., but now I'm not sure I like either. Last trip (JAN04), we tried about six pieces from the shop at the Grand Place, and not only did we not want to feature any of them in the chocolate tasting I was doing after returning to work, I actually spit out two or three of them. How the mighty can fall...

I find Maison du Chocolat too expensive even in CDG.

I wouldn't even pay $24/pound for Leonidas. They do have one piece I like, though, filled with Advokaat, an egg liqueur, but that is probably not in the US stores...

I will definitely think about going to "Chocolate at the Pen" the next time I can get a $113 RT from DCA-CHI!

And my final $.02: Freeze your stash! I put a half-kilo assortment in a freezer bag, squeeze (or suck) the air out, seal it and put it in another freezer bag. Take it out of the freezer and leave at (coolish) room temperature for six or seven hours before unsealing. I've kept them up to five months, and they've tasted like new.


And from the What is your favorite brand of chocolate??? thread on OMNI:

I quite agree! In fact, one of my "test" questions is whether someone prefers dark, milk, or white - dark or all of the above are acceptable, but white?! It definitely won't work... I think the answer says something about his intensity level / capacity for intensity.

One thing about Pierre Marcolini -- the store gets pretty wiped out at the end of the week, so sometimes its slim pickings. This is the store on grand sablon, the store at the conrad maybe less trafficed.

There is a pierre marcolini in London now. I guess it'll have to do if you can't get to Brussels.

Mary in Brussels has some pretty darn good lemon dipped in chocolate.
Having said that, those pictures of George W. visit made me want to leave the store quickly.

For those who enjoy a good tablette --- le pain quotidien sells really good chocolate tablets and taller half is quite fond of them.

As for freezing chocolate. That is a good idea. Though taller half buys lots of chocolate, it takes her a long time to actually eat it or totally forgets that she has three 500 g ballotins in the fridge. She's running low though...time for a trip.

We did make the mistake of buying some chocs made with cream. Yech, that stuff needs to be consumed within a week or it goes off.

Me, I can't wait for a small box of rocher's from gerard mulot and a small assortment from christian constant. yum.

lala

My uncle has been a marketing man for both Godiva and Neuhaus in his time. I can remember spending many happy Christmases in their town house off Avenue Louise gorging myself on freebies that he had been given for the holidays.

Belgian chocolate is certainly the best!

Try the chocolate fudge cream cheese brownies ($2.50) in the gourmet food halls at Grand Central Station in New York. You'll thank me.

It's killing me that I'm in New Orleans instead of BRU!

Anyways, so Whittimer's is a great place to stop by in the afternoon for some dessert and coffee.....and very convienent to pick up some chocolate across the plaza for later...

Leonidas' Manon Blanc is excellent and SO CHEAP in Belgium. I'm glad to have access here to it but at $1.50 a piece not such a bargin.

So when I was last there, I bought Pierre for myself, lots of Leonidas for friends. and yes it freezes very well so that when you have cravings later you can satisfy....