CHOCOLATES YOU MUST KNOW – TOP TEN CHOCOLATIERS IN THE US

January 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

We arrived at the Top Two Chocolatiers in the US – or What I Would Call: The Creme-De-La-Creme of  Chocolatiers. So, Here is Number Two: La Maison du Chocolates

Great Tasty Gift


The Artisan/Robert Linxe/La Maison du Chocolates:

Robert Linxe, the creator of La Maison du Chocolates,  learned his profession in Bayonne, before enhancing his knowledge and perfecting his artisic talent in Switzerland. He opened hist first chocolate boutique in 1955 in Paris and sold it in 1977 in order to establish the first Maison du Chocolat shop on the famous rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in the basement of a former wine cellar. He selected this location specifically because it provided the ideal conditions to preserve chocolates—much like wine. He installed his laboratory and worked there for more than ten years. By 1987, Linxe’s shop became such a hit that he was able to open a second shop and three years later, he expanded to the U.S. and opened his first shop on Madison Avenue in New York City. To date, he continues to devote himself to his passion of creativity and share with others his dedication for perfection. No wonder that his colleagues and his customers consider him “The God of Chocolate.”

The Chocolates/La Maison du Chocolates:

Robert Linxe, the creator of La Maison du Chocolates,   specializes in creating chocolates with the creamiest ganache, the most harmonious and balanced use of ingredients, and enrobed in the thinest couverture; there isn’t any comparable chocolate in the world (as of now).  When you walk into the store on Madison Avenue, in New York City, you feel as if you must take a deep breath (inhale the air) and hold it, and hold it and never exhale; that is how wonderful the aroma that radiates from the chocolates that are displayed on the glass shelves so elegantly.  Most of the time I try to get a seat at one of the limited number of tables and order their aromatic espresso (and if I really want to indulge, a gorgeous piece of chocolate cake next to it) to sip very slowly, so that I can extend the joy of the “chocolate high”  you get while you are in the store.  It is really hard to describe the ambiance where chocolate lovers must pinch themselves to feel if they alive or just arrived to chocolate heaven (which they do not mind at all).
Linxe’s passionate involvement in the creation of his pralines and bonbons are evident in every single piece.  This is the only chocolate company (aside from Richart’s) that no matter how hard you try, you will never succeed to find a chocolate that you do not care for, or that the combination of ingredients do no work well with the chocolate.
As I said repeatedly, I always prefer dark chocolates with very deep and complex flavors but Linxe’s milk chocolate creations are not far behind with respect to feel, flavor, and texture; therefore, Linxe’s and Richart’s milk chocolates are the only ones that I enjoy almost as much as the dark chocolates.
Linxe categorizes his chocolates into groups, so as much as I could, I was attempting to select samples from each group. In general, all of Linxe’s bonbons and pralines appear to be elegantly simple (he does not need any extravagant designs, colors and other hoopla); the statements of Linxe’s creations are created in your mouth. His chocolates are also among the very few, that when you cut the piece into half, the ganache appears be perfectly smooth, no air bubbles, or “holes” between the ganache and the cover; just perfect. La Maison ships the hand-made chocolates from France several times a week to assure their freshness.
The Timeless Ganache
Caracas - as its name states made with Venezuelan beans and the feel of the chocolate certainly reflects that. This is the perfect example of a dark chocolate with deep complex flavors and a touch of light fruity aroma that lingers in your mouth for eternity following melting (and we are delighted that it takes that long for the chocolate to melt )
Quito -I have no idea what this name means but the ganache created with a combination of Venezuelan, Trinidadian, Ecuadorian and and Madagascarian beans, feels real special; once again, you get that deep, complex flavor, mainly from the Venezuelan bean, but here the vanilla is more prominent, I believe due to the beans from Madagascar.
Sylvia - This chocolate is one of the examples of a milk chocolate creation that, although a bit too sweet for my taste, its silky-smooth ganache melts sensuously in one’s mouth and the subtle, light touch of caramel notes are just icing on the cake.
The Timeless Pralines
In this group you can see that Linxe likes to name his chocolate creations after operas, arias  and/or lead characters.
Traviatta - This chocolate is as playful and “ready to party” as the early scenes of the opera with the combination of  crackling roasted, finely ground almonds and a tease of caramel notes; it could be the perfect accompaniment to a great glass of buttery, pink Champagne. I am glad that Linxe did not complete the creation with a tragic ending.
Figaro - Figaro here/Figaro there – hazelnuts here/almonds there and here comes the caramel; both nuts are roasted to perfection then added to the caramel and crushed together. The taste is perfect because the caramel was prepared to perfection (as Linxe describes it on the website: if the caramel overcooked, it becomes bitter and if it is undercooked it is too sweet – it is neither in this piece.
Pistachio- I love pistachio, so of course I had to taste this one. The way Linxe added the crushed pistachio to he ganache is quite unique – it does not effect the creaminess of the ganache yet it allows the full enjoyment of the light crunchiness the pistachio provides – and those perfect bright-green-colored morsels are unbelievably beautiful,  WOW!
Fruited Chocolates
Malaga - Now this milk chocolate I could consume everyday (and you should too); the aroma of the powerful, well-harmonized taste of bergamot with the hint of the bitter orange taste that will linger on your palate indefinitely, is just heavenly – add to it a very light crunch that the hazelnut brings to the velvety sensuous ganache and you can feel the ultimate joy of a flawless chocolate creation.
Jolika - What can be better than the combination of almond paste mixed with bright green pistachio slivers throughout the ganache – nothing. It is beautiful, it is delightful to your palate and it is a memorable experience to allow it to melt slowly on your palate.
Intoxicating Ganache (I love this name)
Faust - Once again, it is the perfect name for this chocolate (if you know the story of Faust); under the very thin milky coverture lies a beautiful, silky milk chocolate ganache flavored with flambéed aged rum that enhances the flavor; however, it dissipates quite rapidly once the chocolate melted on your palate and leaves only the feel of the somewhat sophisticated smooth milk chocolate ganache.
Bacchus - created with a Valrhona’s  venezuelan mix. The ganache is flavored with Smirna raisins from Turkey (the best in the world) that is steeped in hot water before flambéed with Caribbean rum. WOW! When the flame burns from red to blue, as the last alcohol drop is vanishes, a lid is clamped on and the raisins are left to macerate for 15 days. I never had a rum-raisin like this one. Talking about a memorable experience; I must try to recreate this one; this chocolate is not only out of this world, it is the world.
The Champagne Truffle is something you must experience personally.  I cannot find the words in the English language that would do justice to describe the mouth-feel of this truffle. In addition, you can feel how the top quality cognac used in the creation is trying to exert itself during the melting process but the dark chocolate allows it only to partner with it for an end product that takes the best qualities of both and present it to your taste bud for one of the most remarkable experience.

Cookbook: La Maison du Chocolat: Transcendent Desserts by the Legendary Chocolatier

Robert Linxe’s Cookbook is the best chocolate book I own and the only chocolate book I read from cover to cover. If you ever had the desire to learn anything and everything about chocolate, to understand how to work with this temperamental product, how to create your own masterpieces, and what ingredients work the best with which type of chocolate, then look no further.  Robert Linxe shares his phenomenal chocolate-making knowledge in this beautifully photographed volume. He shares his use of the purest ingredients, his secrets for creating incredible truffles and pralines, as well as cakes, cookies and other desserts where chocolate is the star. It is the best gift that you can give to a gourmand, a bride and/or a chocophile.

Where to buy:
La Maison du Chocolat has locations in Hong Kong, London, Tokyo and Cannes, in addition to seven retail stores in Paris and four in New York. The chocolates are also available at Bergdorf Goodman department stores. Its products can also be ordered online and are deliverable to 31 countries. The cookbook is available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles and Borders bookshops.

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CHOCOLATES YOU MUST KNOW – TOP TEN CHOCOLATIERS

December 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Recchiuti Chocolate Samples

INTRODUCING THE SEVENTH CHOCOLATIER:

RECCHIUTI, SAN FRANCISCO

The Artisan:

The Bay Area is the epicenter of great artisanal chocolate products. Michael Recchiuti is one of the top masters of the trade and his chocolates are a true works of art.  He has a production facility in the southeastern section of San Francisco, and a successful, high profile shop in the Ferry Building.

The Chocolates:

The truffles and bonbons contain a perfectly smooth and silky-textured ganache with intense flavors and elegant presentation. We highly recommend that you do not miss out on this one if and when you are visiting the San Francisco area; however, if you can’t get there personally, you can make your order online and enjoy the entire box upon its arrival to your home. I can’t imagine a more elegant and extravagant gift than these delicate and perfectly balanced chocolate creations.

Michael Recchiuti produces a sublime Champagne Truffle with 2001 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine and a delicate touch of powdered sugar, which is a must – and you will never buy truffles from anyone else. His crunchy sesame nougat is another stunner with its earthy depth, and addictive texture that lingers in one’s mouth for eternity. The Tarragon Grapefruit is a leap of faith into the unknown, but every bite is a reaffirmation of Recchiuti’s extraordinary talent. The Fleur de Sel (salted with French sea salt) contains a pleasantly chewy burnt caramel coated with dark chocolate; the flavors are nicely balanced and the burnt caramel is one of the best we have ever tasted (and we tasted plenty). In fact, we can honestly declare that Michael Recchiuti should be imitated by anyone that wants to create the perfect burnt caramel (not to mention, he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame as the World’s Best Burnt Caramel Producer)

Lemon Verbena is an extra-bitter, dark chocolate ganache with a bright and clear taste of Lemon Verbena, coated in dark chocolate with a beautiful white leaf pattern adorning the top surface. The chocolate is rich and refreshing at the same time. The Force Noir is made with extra-bitter chocolate ganache infused with whole vanilla bean. It is absolutely out-of-this-world; the extra-bitter chocolate gives a pure, clean, intense chocolate experience and the vanilla bean adds that sweetness you need to balance the bitterness. I cannot complete this review without mentioning the Piedmont Hazelnut chocolate. It is a beautiful piece with silky, buttery texture of the gianduja ganache complemented with the light crunchiness of the Piedmont hazelnut (the best in the world). We also ordered their Dragee Sampler which comes with Burnt Caramel Almonds, Hazelnuts, Peanut Butter Pearls, and Cherries Two Ways – WOW! Talking about indulging.

I own a copy of Michael’s book: “Chocolate Obsession” and I am glad I do. At first, I hesitated to purchase it because, being a chocolate snob, I decided that I had enough training; I do not need another book to tell me how to temper chocolate. I was surprised, however, that despite my resistance, I still learned  a few things or two from his book; not to mention the experimentation of creating some his recipes was truly events to remember.  Although I do not reproduce his creations in my repertoire (I do not think it would be fair), some of his techniques assisted me in developing my own master pieces.

The book primarily discusses the simple forms of chocolates (i.e. truffles, dipped and moulded chocolates), for the home maker, but I was delighted that he included his signature creation: the s’mores. In general, what I liked most about Michael’s book is the tone of his writing. When you reading the recipes, or the stories attached to it, you feel as if an old friend wants to share his knowledge with you in the most  intimate manner possible. Anyone interested to learn and experiment in working with chocolates should own a copy. Moreover, it is a great conversation opener when placed on your coffee table in the family room.

How to Order:

One can always order online: http://www.recchiuti.com. Recchiuti’s elegant signature is also evident on his website.  Every box is appealing and  every chocolate is described in the most tempting manner. They are listing their gift boxes, as well as their individual bonbons, from which you an create your own personalized candy box. They also sell sauces (see above the writeup about their burnt caramel); and chocolate bars  (We will review the bars in another upcoming post).

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CHOCOLATES YOU MUST KNOW – TOP 10 CHOCOLATIERS

December 16, 2010 by Leave a Comment

CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH CHOCOLATES

THE EIGHT CHOCOLATIER: CHRISTOPHER ELBOW CHOCOLATES

The Artisan:

Christopher Elbow began perfecting his chocolate-making skills while working as a Pastry Chef in Kansas City and that is where he started his own chocolate company. His passion for working with chocolate allowed him to be highly creative. His hand-painted sparkling jewels are not only one of the best work of art (excluding Norman Love’s work, of course), but most carry well-balanced flavors, ingredients in perfect harmony and aroma that can fill a dance hall. He worked with such famous TV chefs, as Emeril Lagasse and he is featured in many print publications, including Fine Cooking, Food & Wine, InStyle and Oprah.

The Chocolates:

Chef Elbow’s use of Vietnamese cinnamon, rosemary with a hint of caramel, or sparkling bubbly flecked with shimmering gold are just phenomenal. We could not stop eating them until we realized that the box is empty.

I must add, however, that not every piece is “perfect”; we did find some misses, but from such a large selection of uniquely flavored bonbons, he is allowed to have a few that may not be to our liking. For instance, in the Rum Raisin chocolate, the rum overpowered the entire product and we did not think that Mango was the right fruit to be used with caramel; he high acidity of this fruit altered the taste of the caramel, and not in a good way. On the other hand the crunchy caramelized hazelnut filling with the smooth, creamy milk chocolate shell was just delightful and the Raspberry, with a layer of the pate and the dark ganache are divine.  The Venezuelan Spice where dark chocolate center spiced with chile and enrobed in a thick dark chocolate shell and the Orange Pekoe Tea with aromas that infiltrated our entire surroundings are both complemented the overall presentation. At first, the Venezuelan spice tastes like the regular dark chocolate ganache; rich and velvety, however as it slowly melts away on the front of your tongue, you can feel the spice catching up to you as it leaves a fiery kick on your palate. You must try the Champagne bonbon if you want celebrate the season by washing down the combination of milk and dark chocolates with the bubbly. The Cappuccino tastes as if you are sipping a nice cup of coffee accompanied with a piece of smooth milk chocolate.

We believe, however, that seven caramel-based creations of the total of 25, creates  an imbalance in their otherwise unique and tasty inventory.  I love a well-made caramel but if it is nearly one-third of the choices it reduces the selection options. I addition, some of the caramels are either too sweet or the caramel a bit overdone which accentuates the bitterness of the bittersweet. I don’t want to give the impression that Chef’s Elbow creations are anything other than top of the line but requires a careful selection.

Since I taste (and create) many chocolates, my critical palate has a couple of cons but please keep in mind that everyone has their own preferences and tastes  and to enjoy these chocolates requires a fairly sophisticated palate.  I also like to make my doctors unhappy, because I believe in all those reports about the beneficial effects of dark chocolates, they don’t.

Chocolatiers at Chef Elbow’s level work with top ingredients (for those who keep track, he uses El Rey couverture). We just don’t know what technique creates this kind of palate magic.

How to order:

It is a good idea to visit their website: http://www.elbowchocolates.com/shop_online and review your options (even if you live nearby). Every chocolate piece is a work of art and they presenting them in their gift box. They also sell chocolate bars, (actually 17 different variations), drinking chocolate in a tin and chocolate coffee.

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CHOCOLATES YOU MUST KNOW CONTINUES – TOP 10 CHOCOLATIERS IN THE US

December 13, 2010 by 1 Comment

Great Gift

THE NINTH CHOCOLATIER: CHUAO CHOCOLATES

Chuao is the first Venezuelan chocolatier in the United States with a manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, California, but you can purchase the products nationwide, as well as online.

The Artisan:

Chef Michael Antonorsi of Chuao Chocolatier, named after the cacao-producing region of Chuao in Venezuela, makes Venezuelan chocolates in “French Style” (watch for the post that will discuss this in more details) that reflect the specific and very delicate nuances of the region where the bean is grown, because no beans from any other region are blended in to homogenize the flavor.

The Chocolates:

Most of Chuao’s creations are well-made and powerfully addictive; but not all. Perhaps they should be classified as Schedule II controlled chocolates? The bonbons that we tasted, some produced a rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture and deep flavor, while others left no lingering mouth feel, at all. In fact, we thought that the following two bonbons were a mismatch with respect to flavor, balance and a general taste:  GRANADA a milk chocolate bonbon with pomegranate caramel and caramelized walnut, enrobed  in dark chocolate and PARCHITA, another milk chocolate bonbon, that contains passion fruit blended into a soft caramel.  Nevertheless, most reviewers felt that Chuao chocolatiers excel in their dark chocolate bonbon creations; therefore, they deserve to be in the top 10 list.

The most surprise I had following our tasting event is that the Firecracker, that contains caramel fudge with chipotle and chile and enrobed with a layer of popping candy, the Chevere, with goat cheese, pear williams liqueur and crushed black pepper buttercream and the unique Pan Con Chocolate (pahn kon cho-ko-la-teh) that is created with roasted panko bread crumbs and olive oil ganache with a touch of sea salt, were absolutely fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of these eccentric pieces.  My absolute favorite, however, is the simple, but delightful almond marzipan topped with a roasted macadamia nut.

I know I said earlier that we are only reviewing and reporting here about bonbons, pralines and truffles but I cannot avoid mentioning (or rather admiring) their hot chocolate drinks. There are three different variations:

  • Spicy Maya
  • Winter
  • Abuela

The Spicy Maya, that contains pasilla chili, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon – WOW! this is real heat with a great kick. It is perfectly balanced between the “bittersweet” of the dark chocolate and the spiciness of the chili and cinnamon; it is the best “pick-me-up/warm-me-up”  drink on a cold, wintery day in front of your fireplace. The Winter, which has ginger, cloves, cinnamon and a touch of black pepper and tastes like as if Christmas is here; enjoy it. The traditional Abuela, which is just a great straightforward hot chocolate drink and is my favorite for its simplicity, while it brings together that wonderful elements of the Venezuelan-based chocolates.

How to order:

One can always order online: http://www.chuachocolatiers.com. They are listing their gift boxes, as well as their individual bonbons, from which you an create your own personalized candy box. Their chocolate bars are one of the best on the market and available in many supermarkets nationwide, as well as in selective independent chocolate retailers (We will review the bars in another upcoming post).

PS Chuao chocolatiers also sell sugar-free chocolates

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CHOCOLATES YOU MUST KNOW – TOP 10 CHOCOLATIERS IN THE US

December 9, 2010 by 4 Comments

Three little mice...9 little mice...L A Burdick

I came to realize that my camera is “not ready for prime time” for food photography. Although, it has high optical zoom and I was making pretty good pictures with good lighting,  it is far from being sufficient for my poppy seed cake, dobos torta or linzer cookies. So, I am back to the “shopping board.” While I am reading, studying, reviewing, comparing and window shopping for a new camera, I will write a couple of posts with information that may interest you, but may not necessarily need the visual assistance, photographs provide.

Everyone loves a Top 10 list.  Who are the top 10 chocolatiers in the U.S.?  I’m basing my list on taste, appearance, and originality.  Appearance means appearance of the chocolate, not the packaging.  While it’s important, and may add to the perceived value of the product, I personally don’t enjoy eating boxes.   The list is compiled with the assistance of family members, friends and chocolate  expert buddies; each entry must have received the most votes We evaluated only truffles, bonbons, and pralines—not solid bars.  And while there are a lot of terrific European chocolatiers (and some that made the list are from Europe originally) why pay for overseas shipping when we have so many local artisans to choose from.  To make the list, the chocolatier had to either be based in the U.S. or have retail stores here.

I would also like for you to chime in with your own nominations for top chocolatiers, and I’ll present a reader’s top 10 list.  The chocolatier must sell in the United States.

I’ll be putting up the list in stages over the next few days. Without further ado, the official and authoritative Chocolate and Figs Top 10 chocolatiers of 2010 begins with No. 10.

The Tenth Best Chocolatier in the US:  L. A. BURDICK

Larry Burdick’s chocolates are handmade in small batches in New Hampshire. The chocolates are elegant and sophisticated, yet also fun and playful.

The Artisan:

Larry Burdick was a pastry chef in New York City when he chose to focus on making chocolate. He decided that if he wanted to concentrate on making high quality tasteful chocolates he needed to be in a more serene surroundings than New York City can provide, so he moved to Walpole, New Hampshire where he still maintains his headquarters.

The Source:

Burdick sourced his cacao beans directly from the Grenada Chocolate Company, in the southeastern Caribbean, until 2004, when a severe hurricane devastated the island and ruined the cacao plantations. Dried and fermented beans were shipped to high quality couverture producer Felchlin in Switzerland for processing.

As of today, Felchlin and Valrhona make up the bulk of Burdick’s chocolates, but production in Grenada had been steadily increasing each year, so they hope that the trend will continue. Burdick likes to use minimally sweetened chocolate which allows him to create unadulterated chocolate flavor.

The Chocolates:

The bonbons/pralines/truffles of Burdick are delectable, but about half the size of what you might find at another chocolatier’s shop. However, despite their small size, each piece delivers a blast of great chocolate flavor. The ganache is always perfectly proportioned, and definitely in the French style. They’re firm and dense, yet melt decadently, allowing plenty of time for the flavors to shine through.  The shells are thin, melt easily and quickly, and provide just enough chocolaty appetizer before the main course, the ganache.

One of the benefits of small sizes is that you can fit plenty of pieces into one box (even a quarter pounder contains 20 pieces). Burdick likes to incorporate liqueurs, cherries, raspberries, orange, and the like into the ganache, but he never allows them to overpower the chocolate. Many of his chocolates use traditional flavors, but he does a few “eccentric” pieces like a combination of milk and dark chocolate interior with cherry liquor, cherries and cumin seeds or the white chocolate ganache infused with lemongrass and a touch of vodka decorated with pink peppercorns.

We selected the following bonbons as their “Top of Line”, although it was not an easy task:

  1. Baton Framboise
  2. Brazilia
  3. Earl Grey
  4. Orinoco
  5. Richelieu

Baton Framboise is made with fresh raspberry in which the seeds provide a wonderful textural crunch and additional hint of fruitiness; the top is sprinkled with chopped pistachio. Brazilia harmonizes espresso, kirsch (cherry liqueur) and anise for an unusual but highly enjoyable piece. The espresso and kirsch add some kick (hopefully the FDA won’t be banning this alchohol/caffeine combo) and anise delivers a light and flavorful accent. It is absolutely delicious.  The Earl Grey with bergamot is simple but refreshing (and I love the aroma of bergamot).  The Orinoco with Caribbean spices and a touch of rum  is a unique work of art; the cocoa nibs hold off the melting of the combination of milk and dark center which  allows the explosion of flavors linger indefinitely. Richelieu is also a combination of sweet and savory, with quite unusual ingredients (this is one of those that I call eccentric); it blends cherry liqueur with cumin, milk and dark chocolate interior to provide a sweet yet uniquely savory contrast, and the coverture is topped with a dried cherry. You should certainly try it; you may be surprised by its delicacy and the lingering taste.

You can also find other interesting pieces, like Pavé Glace (dark chocolate, cocoa butter, cognac, saffron and a touch of butter), Trinidad (a baton of dark ganache with cinnamon, cardamom and chopped hazelnuts) and  Fig (you knew that I will mention this) with dark chocolate ganache balanced with a flavorful fig and port wine.

However, three pieces stand tall among their peers, fashionably shaped into adorable figures of penguins, mice (with silk string tails) and honey bees, that are almost too cute to eat. The penguins are filled with lemon-accented chocolate ganache, the honey bee contains its namesake ganache with almond wings and the mice have three treatments: dark chocolate ganache with orange, milk chocolate with espresso and white chocolate with cinnamon.

OH! These cute penguins are a delight...L A Burdick

The dark chocolate version tastes similar to the Jaffa bonbon, but the milk and white siblings are unique. The espresso-accented milk chocolate is a refreshing balancing act, while the cinnamon and white chocolate combination is tastier than dark chocolate lovers (like me) dream of in their philosophy. One mouse is included in each quarter pound box and two mice can be found in the half and full pound assortments. These little creatures are so good  that you might want to purchase your own litter of mice; the penguin are equally charming. I was told that they are making additional seasonal figures, (e.g. snowman, turkey, etc), but I have not seen or tasted those yet.

How to Order:

One can order online http://burdickchocolate.com, or by phone: 800-229-2419 and a beautiful catalog will also be mailed to you. If you happen to be in Walpole, New Hampshire, Cambridge, Massachusetts, or New York City, you can feast in person at Burdick’s Chocolate Shop and Café, http://www.burdickchocolate.com/stores-and-cafes-nyc.asp, destination spots for many fans.

PLEASE NOTE:  There was absolutely no monetary or any other related exchanges involved in these posts.

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