Forum Activity for @Clay

Must Eats: Chocolate in SF and Vegas

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Ian - My bad. I've edited the post to reflect that it was my fault - way past my bedtime and foggy-brained. I've sent off a request to a colleague who is in a position to know what's hot and what's not in Vegas pastry at the moment and when I hear back I will post his insights.

Must Eats: Chocolate in SF and Vegas

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Thanks for the reply - but - who is Donald Harper? This message was actually sent by Ian Boyd who, interestingly enough, is going to be staying at Mandalay Bay. I have seen a chocolate boutique in Mandy Bay before. They have a chocolate fountain, with white, milk, and dark chocolate, pouring continuously out of the ceiling - a thing of beauty. Ian.

Must Eats: Chocolate in SF and Vegas

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

New Chocolate Life member Ian Boyd [sorry about that Ian, Donald; if I take a look at the time when this was posted it was way past my bedtime] is planning trips to Las Vegas and San Francisco in the near future and is looking for recommendations for a "sommelier guided chocororgasm experience" in both cities.Now Las Vegas is a weird kind of place, and much of the really good chocolate is going to be in the hotels, and in the form of pastries. There does appear to be the requisite Vosges, Teuscher, and such like, and of course there is home-grown Ethel M. But for over-the-top experiences, the hotels in Las Vegas are your best bet. Unlike New York where everything is walkable, there do not appear to be any chocolate tours of Las Vegas.From my research, the one place that seems to be mentioned over and over that is highly rated is the Chocolate Swan in the Mandalay Bay. Apparently the eclairs are to die for and there is mention of a $15 three-flight chocolate and wine pairing option on the menu.Other choices include:Postrio at the VenetianJean-Philippe and Michael Mina at the BellagioPayard Patisserie next door to the BellagioFrederic Robert at the WynnAnybody care to weigh in on San Francisco?
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/17/15 19:13:15

Chocolate on the 101 Between Los Angeles & Oakland

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

You can also call ahead to organise a personalised chocolate tasting to be done at The Chocolate Garage . We carry a diverse selection of Happy Chocolates and are open by appointment. We specialize in chocolate tastings and have a "try before you buy" policy.

And, I would also strongly urge you to stop by Monique's Chocolates in Palo Alto, two blocks from The Chocolate Garage to sip on one of their "to die for" hot (or cold) chocolates. Or taste one of their many single origin confections. Mark West is very knowledgeable and happy to talk chocolate.

Chocolate is booming in the Bay Area.

Chocolate on the 101 Between Los Angeles & Oakland

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Rebecca-You missed Calibressen in Carpinteria...he is a French chocolatier that moved out here...next time you drive up the coast you might want to try him. Also you can find another local chocolatier, Jessica Foster, at Lazy Acres in Santa Barbara...she doesn't have a storefront. Besides Maya, that's about it in Santa Barbara....There is a homestyle candy shop in Ventura called Trufflehound...they make a variety of candy and last I heard they use Santa Barbara Chocolate for their dark.....The owners were both food science majors and I beloieve they have taken Richardson's courses at Davis....I know that you already took your tour, but in case you take another one, I thought I would recommend these shops as well.

Chocolate on the 101 Between Los Angeles & Oakland

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Cybele,When you get to San Luis Obispo be sure to tell the young women at the counter to go upstairs to get Rebecca, so I can say "Hello" to you in person. I'm the trufflemaker (among other tasks) there.Rebecca

Chocolate on the 101 Between Los Angeles & Oakland

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Here's my Bay Area map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=111835366952865243723.00043b278032695c6a88b&z=9 San Francisco at the East Bay is awesome for any candy lover. For a real insider experience maybe go to Charles Chocolates in Emeryville, they do tours. I don't know the current status of the Scharffen Berger Factory though (that always made a nice afternoon).In San Francisco TCHO recently opened their factory on Pier 17. I don't think they're doing tours but they do have a store and maybe if you call them and beg. (I don't care much for their chocolate, but I haven't paid much attention to them since their beta.)For shops that sell everyone's chocolates: Chocolate Covered - amazing selection of bars, you can even buy some fine chocolates by the piece (well, small sets of Cluizel, Lillie Belle, Caffarel). Jack runs the place and can really carry on a conversation about chocolate and help you find something you'll like. Cocoa Bella - often has tastings, check their schedules, great selection of fine chocolate pieces from around the world. (I'll eat anything with figs.) Bittersweet Cafe (one in Berkeley and one in SF) Fog City - amazing selection of bars, also has events, Adam is awesome. Christopher Elbow is fun, just for the lounge and the hot chocolate. It's also right up the street from Miette Confiserie (awesome all round candy shop).Let's see back to what's in between...I've been to Chocolate Maya in Santa Barbara. It's a small shop but very well curated. They have a good mix of fine chocolates, bars and their own house-made specialties. When I was there they had Taza, Dolfin, Askinosie, Cluizel, Theo, Banxart, Green & Blacks, Amano, Bonnat, Cafe Tasse, Pralus and Moonstruck. http://www.flickr.com/photos/typetive/sets/72157607032337205/ Their hours are a little problematic for getting an early start, so check to see if it'll fit.I ended up stopping in San Luis Obispo at Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates , which is actually in a bakery/cafe (great lunch stop) called Splash Cafe.All their stuff is fair trade and organic and good portion vegan as well. It's not haute, just comfort candies made with a code of ethics. http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/sweet_earth_chocolate_cups Then I stopped at Holland's Best in San Jose. A dusty shop with a huge selection of licorice (some of which was not so fresh). Great prices though and if you pick carefully, there are some fabulous and very hard to find products there. http://www.hollandsbest.com/ Cocoa Bon closed their cafe/shop.Now ... Los Angeles!If you're looking for convenience for the start of a trip, it might be Valerie Confections & L'Artisan du Chocolat . They're right next door to each other just a few turns from the 101 entrance on Silver Lake Blvd.I'm a huge fan of Valerie's - they make very high quality toffees, nougats & confections. If you're visiting the shop I recommend the petit fours or tea cakes (well, I love the teacakes). I'm eating their Lemon Hazelnut Nougat right now ... made with June Taylor candied Meyer lemons. They also have free samples ... http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/category/valerie www.valerieconfections.com Next door on 1st Street is L'Artisan du ChocolatThey're a classic European-style chocolatier ... but then a twist with their avante-garde line (tomato, kalamata olive, red bean, garlic, etc.). Wonderful high quality. http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/lartisan_du_chocolat http://www.lartisanduchocolat.net/Mainpage.html Here's a roundup I did of a lot of shops all over the LA Basin for Gridskipper (with a map) http://gridskipper.com/62423/the-ultimate-guide-to-locally-made-la-chocolate (Boule has since closed, and Chuao closed their Irvine location but are around further south.)Um ... and tomorrow I'm planning on going to Compartes in Brentwood.Wow, it sounds like I eat a lotta chocolate.

Chocolate on the 101 Between Los Angeles & Oakland

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Head inland from 101 to catch 1 at Carmel by the Sea (a quite scenic interlude) then head north through Castroville (artichokes) along the coast and into Santa Cruz to catch Richard Donnelley. Then head east over the mountains to San Jose stopping in Los Gatos - where you could also check out Pascal Janvier's Fleur de Cocoa.

Chocolate on the 101 Between Los Angeles & Oakland

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

I'm making a trip to San Francisco next week. I usually just drive straight up the 5 from Los Angeles. It's boring but it's quick. The big problem is that there's no place to stop along the way for a foodie.This time I decided to take the more scenic and hopefully more tasty route up the 101.I've created a Google Map with a few places I'm considering stopping at.I know my way around SF/Oakland/Berkeley just fine when it comes to sweets. It's LA to San Jose that I'm looking for help.Here's what I have so far, feel free to chime in with your suggestions (or warnings!):Robitaille's Fine Candies - CarpinteriaChocolate Maya - Santa BarbaraSweet Earth Organic Chocolates - San Luis ObispoDulceria El Guero - SalinasCocoa Bon - Los GatosHolland's Best (actually for Licorice) - San JoseSo has anyone found a little gem of a candy/chocolate shop along the way?
updated by @cybele: 04/10/15 23:56:54

To conche or not to conche?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Casey:I like the way you think and ask really interesting questions.There is a lot of chocolate out there in the world that is not conched. In hot climes, an unconched chocolate with large cacao particles and large sugar particles is much more stable at high temperatures. It might go soft but it will not deflate into a gooey mess.When I was in Venezuela I ran across a lot of it from small producers in places like Rio Chico which is in the Barlovento region of Miranda State east of Caracas. When I was in Tapachula, which is in Chiapas state in Mexico, I also came across a lot of unconched chocolate. And, of course, in Belize all of the homemade/handmade chocolate in Mayan families is unconched. One common aspect of these three different locales is a lack of easy access to refrigeration.But then, one must not forget about the Sicilian chocolate makers Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (pronounced bow-nah-you'-toe) and Don Puglisi, among others. I don't know what it is about the town of Modica, but both these companies are making unconched chocolate.Corallo (pronounced co-ral'-oh) has long been known for playing with conching. On the Brut de Sao Tome produced by Pralus, the fermentation times were long (trying to achieve something like 90%+ fermentation levels) with short conche times. So pushing the envelope out to 6, 7, 8 days is probably right. Actual time depends on many factors, including the difference between max daytime temp and min overnight temp.While Corallo may not conche or only a very little, I would be interested in seeing their refining equipment. Although the chocolate is not as smooth as a conched chocolate it is definitely smoother than chocolate that has only been ground once.For me, I like chocolate that challenges my perception of what chocolate can be and taste like. So I really loved Corallo's bar with the raisins that had been soaked in cacao "eau de vie." I got several people to taste that bar with me including Michael Antonorsi of Chuao and Jacques Dahan of Cluizel and they were both very impressed. It's not for everyone - and it's not something I would eat exclusively or even very often - but it was really, really, good. I think the same runs true for these unconched chocolates. I like to try them when I can and do everything I can to appreciate what the chocolate maker is trying to achieve. But they're usually not something I would want to eat regularly. However, I would definitely add them to tasting classes where I thought the participants were up to it.

To conche or not to conche?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

A couple of things I do agree with what Corallo said, in that the "Big boys" do control the market, and it is true that excessive conching will destroy flavour. Fermentation is very important, although the article didn't say how long Corallo fermented his, but hinted that it was longer than the typical 3-7 day periods of most producersConching is necessary to give the chocolate it's smoothness. If there's one thing I do not like is chocolate that leaves the roof of my mouth and tongue gritty and rough. I'm also not a big fan of milk chocolate.It's nice to see small, passionate chocolate producers

To conche or not to conche?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I spoke with Claudio Corallo's son at the F.F. Show in NY. He talked about not conching. Because his dad is an agronomist and they control every step of the process from growing the trees they believe their cocoa does not need conching. Based on their reasoning that conching dispells the valued flavors of the cocoa and if treated properly they would not have a need to dispell any off flavors since their wouldn't be any. Another process he talked about was drying. The environment is too rainy on Sao Tome so they do not sun dry. They created their own heated drying table.

To conche or not to conche?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I didn't like the texture of the Taza 70% bar. It was chalky and crumbly and way too grainy, like white sugar grains. I also didn't like the taste very much, because it was really strong on red wine / red fruit. But I don't really prefer red wine/ red fruit flavor anyway. The flavor seemed a little "wild" too.I rated it 3 out of 10.I guess I like the European style. To conche or not to conche? I say, by all means, conche!

To conche or not to conche?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

In the European and North American markets not many make chocolate with no conche, in what could be loosely termed the Mexican vs. European style. Here are two, Claudio Corallo and Taza.Here are a couple of articles that introduce you to what these makers do, and how it is different. Taza on The Chocolate Note (with review,) and Corallo in der SpiegalWhat are your opinions about these chocolates? Have you tried them, and are you interested in this style, or mainly European style chocolate?
updated by @Casey: 04/10/15 19:33:28

Pralus packaging

Posted in: Opinion

G&B's foil lined paper? My bars have been flimsy foil, with the G&B's logo all over, which is nice but....uh, necessary? Anyway, finally someone who thinks the Neuhaus Occumare (Two C or not two C? That is the question!) is disappointing. What's up with texture in all those Neuhaus bars anyway? Feels more like mousse or ganache than pure chocolate.The worst is Amedei and their tiny 5g square origin kit. Every time I bought some the chocolate was flat and stale, tasting like paper. If they can't invest into 50g bars, then please, please, please invest in better packaging. I hate throwing away money.

Pralus packaging

Posted in: Opinion

The Neuhaus Occumare bar had a very durable inner wrapper of tan foil lined paper. I was impressed that it was the most durable I've ever seen. I didn't care for the ribbon tied cardboard "book" outer wrapper, though. (And I was really disappointed by the chocolate.)Green and Black's gold foil lined paper is also quite durable and nice looking.I, too, agree that the Dolfin tobacco pouch is the most functional package I've seen, plus it's water proof! It's kind of funky, though, since it's so different from all others. It seems somewhat plebeian compared to other fancier packages.

Pralus packaging

Posted in: Opinion

I think the best foil wrapper is used by Scharffen Berger. It's thick and large, making re-wrapping multiple times a breeze. In fact, you can even reuse those durable foil wrappers for other foods. Patric and Amano also have nicely thick foil, which is great.Askinosie's mold is pretty stylish, I agree, and I also like Chocovic's mold.

Pralus packaging

Posted in: Opinion

I agree with Cybele that Dolfin's tobacco pouch (and it is a real tobacco pouch by the way with a different paper insert, I asked the Poncelet brothers about this) is the most practical chocolate package in the world today. What I don't like, as a consumer, is the amount of plastic it uses.I would like Colin Gasko's packaging a lot more if the tab that closed the outer paper wrapper was easier to extract without the risk of damaging it. I like Askinosie's packaging a great deal (disclaimer: I helped a little bit on it), but I don't like the fact that I need to rip the top off the bag to get at the bar inside and there's no easy way to close the bag once opened. The mold for the Askinosie bars is brilliant.

Pralus packaging

Posted in: Opinion

I think the best package design I've seen so far for premium bars is Dolfin's "tobacco pouch". I agree that those tissue-paper thin foils actually invite more problems than they solve.Amano's seems to be a nice blend of high quality foil plus the box. Bonnat doesn't use very thick foil and the little sleeve doesn't do much to protect the bar either.

Pralus packaging

Posted in: Opinion

What I don't like about Pralus wrapping is that every time we get a box in, at least a few are no longer sealed! With all the layers they use, you'd think they would use a glue that kept those layers together.

Pralus packaging

Posted in: Opinion

Is anybody annoyed with Pralus's packaging? I like bars that can be rewrapped without having to get a ziploc bag or more foil. Pralus used to use a clear plastic bag. It was thick, durable and could be folded over and resealed to store a partially eaten bar. The packaging they changed to a while ago is a foil wrap with paper on the outside. I understand foil and paper is a good choice and possibly the plastic wrapper they used before could have imparted a slight odor that might mask the flavors of the chocolate. My problem is the foil they use now is too thin, it tears easily (especially at the corners if you are not careful) and makes it difficult to rewrap using the same foil. Making matters worse, they use an adhesive on the paper that attaches to the foil. This makes it almost impossible to to open the bar without tearing the foil from one end to the other of the bar. The paper wrapper simply can't be folded nicely around the bar either once it is opend. Domori uses a sealed plastic wrap (again the risk of an unneccessary odor infecting the bar, even if ever so slightly) inside the box, but you can easily fold the wrapper over the end of the bar and slide it in the box without taping it if you don't plan to store it for too long. Ideally, I like the foil wrappers that Valhrona and Cluizel use. They seem to be thicker, aren't adhered to other packaging with glue and can be refolded and placed back in the box for longer term storage. Any thoughts?
updated by @Brady: 04/10/15 18:44:53

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi Samantha,Thanks for your reply, I found your posts to be quite clear and very informative. i wasn't challenging your opinion i just found two contradictory posts and was trying to find more info. The cacao is being sundried in a marquesina. So I am going to try conching for longer to try and lessen the acidity. Also, this growers association sent a sample to a Swiss lab and the results were high bitterness, highly sour and moderatly astringent. I am continuing to play with fermentacion lengths and methods. Thanks again for your posts and comments.Cheers,Eric

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I am working in Vinces, Ecuador and am having problems with high acidity in the licor samples I am making. While searching for info i have found in Samanthas post that:Acetic acid is produced by bacteria belonging to the Acetobacteraceae family. These bacteria dominate the second (aerobic) phase of fermentation. Acetic acid production peaks about 72 hours after fermentation begins [5], and it has been noted that diffusion of acetic acid through the whole bean is slow [6].However, it's quite common for Criollo cocoa beans to be fermented for less than 72 hours - sometimes for only 48 hours. Hence, a short fermentation time typically produces less acidic beans than a longer fermentation. (A short fermentation also has major implications relating to taste and flavour development, as mentioned under the "mild flavour" heading above).However Ive also found in Brady's attachment that:Acidity (overly) Short fermentation Cocoa grown from highly acidic soils.So, one post says short fermentation period=overly acidicwhile the other says a short fermentation time typically produces less acidic beans than a longer fermentation.If anyone can help clarify, or suggest other possible causes of, and solutions to highly acidic licor I'd greatly appreciate it.Cheers,Eric

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Thanks. For some reason, I was also thinking that depending on how the sucrose is obtained it might have a different flavor (cane, beets, etc).Why is there no organic/Fair Trade refined white sugar? Is it just too costly for organic, Fair Trade companies to make refined white sugar?

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Also, are you considering flavor in non-100% chocolate? Does sugar contain some flavor of its own?

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Thank you, Brady and Samantha for putting together a great set of information regarding the flavors of chocolate. This information was very enlightening.

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I also added a laundry list of pyrazines and flavor chemicals that contribute to burnt sugar, caramel, and maple notes in a related post in the NerdZone group.

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Here is a collection of aromas found in wines and the chemicals that contribute to the flavors - and why.

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Samantha, Thank you for the time you spent sharing this great information. I hope many others read it too. This is what I was looking for with this post. Brady

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hans: Thanks for the book recommendation. I've have seen this book online while doing other searches but never actually used it. I looked it up today and it is available at two libraries near me. I hope to have it in my hands in the next week.

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hey Brady,I just read your guide, and I thought it was really good. Have you checked out the book Cocoa (4th edition) by Wood and Lass? It has lots of useful information, especially about the varieties and differences between artificial drying methods, which affect chocolate flavor in a number of ways.

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Theo BromaThanks for the link to FCIA. I hadn't seen their site before last week. I hear now that they will be at the Fancy Food Show in NY this month.Brady

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Brady,I just found an article about this topic called " Five Facets of Fine Chocolate ". This seems to be pretty much the same thing that you were saying, only expanded a little. It makes sense to me. Your point 3 would be their "Chocolatier's Technical Expertise". I'm going to study it more and learn what I can.

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

post deleted by Theo B

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Brady,I'd like to comment on part of what you said, "3. styles of the individual chocolate maker. ...As I'm sure you are aware, many chocolate makers have a trademark flavor that you can identify in any one of their bars and say this is Pralus, or this is Amedei, no matter which bar you pick up."This is exactly along the lines of my interest. I'm mainly on here because I'm on a quest. Simply put-- I'm looking for the chocolates that I like best. Gathering information about the style of each maker would help further this objective. I already do it in my head, with reference to the notes in my database, anyway. I think that a great start would be a simple table similar to the one you've already done. Just put the maker in the left column and note common characteristics in the right column. We'd want to know if the company is Bean-to-bar or a Fondeur.In fact, if I had the notes I could easily track this in my own Access database. I just don't have the expertise or the depth of experience to make authoritative statements so I leave that to others with more credentials.To get the ball rolling I'm going to start another thread on this very topic...So start posting any notes and observations at " Chocolate Maker Trademark styles ".

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Brady:At the moment, I don't know that there is an easy way. I will take a look at the file and experiment with a few tools. I think that what needs to happen is to edit the document in an HTML/Rich Text editor, then cut and paste the code. As I say, I will experiment.:: Clay

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Theobroma- Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad someone read it. If you have anything to add or change, please post it and I'll update the document. I wanted to add to my original post that there are actually three ideas I find useful when trying to understand flavors and experiences. 1. the inherent regional characteristics of cacao 2. harvesting and post harvesting practices (found in the notes I posted) 3. styles of the individual chocolate maker. It's #3 that I didn't mention in my original post. As I'm sure you are aware, many chocolate makers have a trademark flavor that you can identify in any one of their bars and say this is Pralus, or this is Amedei, no matter which bar you pick up. We may be starting another database here that tries to examine the styles of individual makers and interpret that style in some way. I think it will be difficult to do but worth the effort. Most companies aren't going to give away too many secrets though. Brady

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Brady,Your notes are Excellent and very helpful! Good job!!

notes on flavor

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Genetics, terroir, fermentation and drying along with other post harvesting and processing stages can all play a role in the flavor of the chocolate we eat. Trying to understand why I experience what I am experiencing is a part of the enjoyment for me and also has enabled me to appreciate the skill of the makers of these chocolate bars. I was hoping this forum could improve on my "Notes on Flavor". It is a table that lists a flavor or mouthfeel with a possible explanation. There are definitely genetic and regional differences in cacao. That is really a bit more than I am addressing. I refer to notes by Peter Rot and Karen Hochman on thenibble.com ( http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/chocolate/flavors-2.asp ) for those descriptions of regional characteristics.Between that type of list and the type of list I started it should be a good way to understand the flavors and experiences we have with the chocolate we eat. Any help correcting or adding to my notes on flavor is the idea behind this discussion. Also, if any one has any other ideas on understanding how flavors and mouthfeels are developed in single origin chocolate or blended chocolate it would be interesting to hear.(Clay: What is the best way to add my file to the body of the discussion? It would be great if it could be viewed without having to open it as an attachment.)
updated by @Brady: 04/10/15 18:08:45

Chocolate documentaries

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Here also another documentary endorsed by Belcolade, and featuring its ambassador chocolatier Dominique Persoone. http://www.dechocoladeroute.be/index.asp?taal=en

Chocolate documentaries

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Updated the list to include the in progress film Chocolate, which features Chlo Doutre-Roussel, Frederick Schilling, and Diego Badar.From the website:"Chocolate will be an educational tool for farmers, producers and consumers to realize the power of their role in trade cycles. Chocolate will explore social entrepreneurship as a self-fulfilling cycle which rewards the grower, the producer and the consumer. Sourcing sustainably-farmed organic growers creates better food products, which grosses higher profits and creates better farming conditions which delivers immediate rewards and builds incentives for continued high-quality harvests in the future."Much more on website, but nothing about projected release dates yet.

Chocolate documentaries

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

In Search of the Heart of Chocolate Chocolate Country Chocolate Info and trailers on the websites.If you know of others in the works or completed, post them here!
updated by @Casey: 12/13/24 12:16:07