Guide to Chocolate

The best brands, places to eat, order, and buy a girl’s REAL best friend. Remember, I'm a trained pastry chef, I just might know a thing or two about this.








Scharffen Berger
www.scharffenberger.com
This happens to be my favorite chocolate; based in California, these chocolates are completely made in America. There’s actually a store in Manhattan on Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side -- very dangerous. Their chocolate is not for the faint-of-heart. Even the white chocolate has a bite. It's not really a great cooking chocolate, for one it’s too expensive for that, and it’s also a little too powerful. This chocolate is best enjoyed by itself or maybe melted over something... more chocolate maybe?

Callebaut
www.callebaut.be
People in the culinary world LOVE it, and so do most of the food snobs, I for one, hate the stuff. I think it’s waxy, and unimpressive. Quite frankly, there are better eating chocolates, and more bang-for-the-buck cooking chocolates. If however, my opinions means nothing to you (then what exactly are you doing at my blog huh?), you can buy blocks and chunks of it at the better gourmet markets and specialty stores.

Vosges
http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/
I remember reading an article about this fabulous American girl who, after finishing at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, traveled to Morocco and fell in love with the Spice Markets. From that love, Vosges was born. One of the first people to make a real legit success of adding "unusual" spices to her truffles, she now has a couple of stores across the country and continues to expand. Her store in SOHO which is not only gorgeous, but has a table where you can enjoy her hot chocolate and anything else you might buy, is full of wonderful gifts and boxed items as well. I would highly suggest going and buying 3 of the strangest truffles you see and brag to your friends about it.

Chocolate Bar
www.chocolatebarnyc.com
The hipster’s chocolate. Totally decent, but more importantly, cool. They have made chocolate completely modern and hip. Grab your chocolates in your recycled box, get your 100% cotton t-shirt while your there as well, and like chill man…

Jacques Torres Chocolate
www.mrchocolate.com
I know, the website is completely pompous, but it is nothing if not deserved. If classic, elegant chocolates are what you’re looking for, Mr. Chocolate is your man. The chocolates are stunning, and of course they are outrageously expensive -- on the other hand, they are very much worth it. Take a trip to his Brooklyn store (now on the Upper West Side as well) and ogle whatever window display or architectural fete the man has pulled off this week.

Maison du Chocolat
www.lamaisonduchocolat.com
The Barney’s of Chocolates. No bells, no whistles; just simple, well made, flawless, and accordingly expensive chocolate.

Maribelle
www.mariebelle.com
I don't know if they even allow men into this place... Hands down the cutest chocolate on the block (ha-ha I made a funny). Maribelle was one of the pioneers of putting trendy cartoons on her chocolates (check out the website, you'll see what I mean). Beside being cute, she actually has a huge range of products, all impeccably packaged, and not half-bad either. This is the spot to get those cute little party favors, the perfect gift for Mom, or a treat for yourself.

Lindt
www.lindt.com
Hands down, the best bang-for-the-buck eating and cooking chocolate. You can find it everywhere, and the best major brand on the market.

Ghirardelli
www.ghirardelli.com
Because Lindt doesn’t sell chocolate chips, these are a step up from Nestle and the best supermarket chocolate chips you can buy.