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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/21/2008 7:00:21 PM

lighthearted

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you people are torturing me, I gave up chocolate for Lent.

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/21/2008 8:10:46 PM

samboct

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Hi Lucy

I think there are really two criteria that need to be separated here-

A) What's the best chocolate available in a locale?
B) What's the best chocolate produced in a locale?

For A) I suspect that a lot of the countries mentioned (and people left out France which is a terrible oversight in my opinion) will ALL have good chocolatiers. These will be little shops- charging a fair piece of change for their chocolates because it's a labor intensive process. It's possible that countries such as Belgium or Switzerland have a higher proportion of these shops than other places. The best chocolates I ever had were in France- at a little restaurant I think in Aix called Le Salamandre et la Grenouille. (it's been close to 20 years) which the restaurant owner made. It was also really hard to argue with Auer's in Nice, but I wouldn't be surprised if these small shops can be found in lots of countries. I also tried a lot of chocolate in France which wasn't anything wonderful. It took at least a half a dozen shops in Paris to find something noteworthy- and I have a good nose.

In terms of B) since I've never been to Belgium or Switzerland, it can be tough to figure out where the best chocolates are made in bulk- because that's what gets exported. I'm not wild about any country's mass market stuff. When somebody comes from Switzerland and gives me a bar of Toblerone, it doesn't really set my heart going. It's quite possible that the little chocolate shops there have blow away stuff- but I haven't had it. Same is true for Belgium. I've been to Germany- didn't find anything really wonderful in Berlin. The German packaged stuff you can get in the US is Ritter Sport- which isn't bad for a mass market chocolate. Went to Vienna- brought back some nice stuff from Gerstner ( a cafe), but I've had chocolate in the US that keeps up pretty well. Fenkart- an Austrian brand- is outrageously priced and outrageously awful. Scharffenberger is US and isn't bad- I tend to prefer this one to Valrhona which I find to be not very smooth. I'm wondering if people think this is a German chocolate.

Somewhere in California there's a damn good milk chocolate. I've been going nuts trying to locate the stuff. Balducci's sells some graham crackers that are dipped in it, and it's hard to argue with. I tried calling the graham cracker mfg- got nowhere- they're not giving out their sources. I used to buy some at an ice cream shop in Davis (I think) but they've folded. I dipped truffles in the stuff and drew rave reviews from a friend of mine who's a foodie.

I have been tempted to put my chocolate where my mouth is, but I haven't figured out a mechanism yet. I've made a chocolate decadence which has traveled to Japan, so I'm pretty sure it can be mailed most anywhere- but how to figure out who I'd send pieces to and getting addresses....Any thoughts? If anybody wants truffles- they have to show up in person.

Sam

< Message edited by samboct -- 2/21/2008 8:14:20 PM >

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 3:41:20 AM

Hippiekinkster

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Best chocolates I've ever had, in Europe or N.A.
http://www.danielchocolates.com/

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 3:43:02 AM

Hippiekinkster

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Samboct: where did you go for chocolat in Berlin?

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 4:04:15 AM

Chloelicious

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I dont have a clue of where chocolate is the better even if my Chauvinism is screaming loudly Belgium, Belgium and Belgium but here is a link where youcan see what "we" can do.This link is the one of a chocolatier where most of tourist buy there chocolate to take home (many of American and Japanese tourists)
http://www.marcolini.be/photos%20nocturne/index3.htm

Website in English also

Hope it works

< Message edited by Chloelicious -- 2/22/2008 4:07:43 AM >

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 4:59:20 AM

MissMorrigan

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My boy has been tormenting me with how good chocolate milkshakes are in Belgium... it means I'm going to have to go there even for a day just to try one! I wonder if that can then be classified as the most expensive chocolate milkshake in the world?

quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol
Nope, I agree with AAkasha. Belgian chocolate is better (it's more weal ).

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:00:09 AM

RealityLicks

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Which country grows the best cocoa?

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:06:52 AM

Chloelicious

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Well thats not in belgium anyway, that is for sure ;-)

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:17:09 AM

MissMorrigan

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No idea, given that 2/3 of cocoa bean production comes from various african countries, the rest distributed over the cacao belt which includes venezuela, brazil, etc... and also sri lanka. What country do you consider to produce the finest cocoa bean? And that's not to say that b/c those countries produce the bean they are connoisseurs of making the finest chocolate. Mind you, I'm a heathen when it comes to chocolate, I like mine with all the added fats/butters/creams.

< Message edited by MissMorrigan -- 2/22/2008 6:19:35 AM >

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:30:35 AM

angelikaJ

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Some chocolate from my favorites list:

http://www.burdickchocolate.com/

http://www.dagobachocolate.com/

http://www.herrells.com/design/index.php?lv=15

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:34:32 AM

MissMorrigan

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Thanks for those links, Angelika, I'd never even heard of those before... I'm drooling over the 'Wedding Favors' on the Burdicks site.

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:39:48 AM

angelikaJ

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you are most welcome!

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:40:27 AM

Justme696

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germany and belgium!!!!

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 6:51:01 AM

samboct

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Hippie Kinkster

I wandered around the Ku-damm- tried a few pieces, but nothing was wonderful. Berlin is a big town though, and it's quite possible that there are some good shops that I didn't even get close to. Didn't have wheels, and we were staying in Potsdamer Platz. I really liked Berlin- would go back in a heartbeat having developed a taste for tafelspitz. I'll fully admit we were doing the tourist bit, but I did go on a nice bike ride out to the Luftwaffe Museum. In comparison with Manhattan- could have the same problem. It's not hard to find chocolate in Manhattan, but to find really good chocolate is a bit more of a trick and you have to know the town or do your homework- and I didn't do that in Berlin. I did, however, do some homework in Vienna. Another reason why I didn't go on a chocolate hunt was that our hotel, the Mirabelle? (I'm drawing something of a blank) had a wonderful breakfast that had some of the best pastries going- plus, I knew I'd find some decent chocolate in Vienna.

Sam

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 7:52:49 AM

Hippiekinkster

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quote:

ORIGINAL: samboct

Hippie Kinkster

I wandered around the Ku-damm- tried a few pieces, but nothing was wonderful. Berlin is a big town though, and it's quite possible that there are some good shops that I didn't even get close to. Didn't have wheels, and we were staying in Potsdamer Platz. I really liked Berlin- would go back in a heartbeat having developed a taste for tafelspitz. I'll fully admit we were doing the tourist bit, but I did go on a nice bike ride out to the Luftwaffe Museum. In comparison with Manhattan- could have the same problem. It's not hard to find chocolate in Manhattan, but to find really good chocolate is a bit more of a trick and you have to know the town or do your homework- and I didn't do that in Berlin. I did, however, do some homework in Vienna. Another reason why I didn't go on a chocolate hunt was that our hotel, the Mirabelle? (I'm drawing something of a blank) had a wonderful breakfast that had some of the best pastries going- plus, I knew I'd find some decent chocolate in Vienna.

Sam

The high-end area in Berlin is now Mitte, which is not far from Potsdamer Platz. S2 to Unter den Linden. Anyway, I'd start my search at KaDeWe, U2 Wittenbergplatz.
http://www.kadewe-berlin.de/og6_engl.php If it's not there, they'd know where it would be.

Don't need wheels in Berlin. The public transportation system is one of the best in the world, and goes everywhere anyone would want to go. (I like Munich's as well) My nic on B.com is Schlüßelberg, which means "key castle"; it's an old Prussian name and my grandmother's maiden name. She was born in Charlottenberg. I might be going in May to hang out with some friends.

BTW, my avatar pic is at Offenbach-Stuben, Stubbenkammerstraße 8, Berlin-Prenzlauer-Berg.

Peace, Scott

< Message edited by Hippiekinkster -- 2/22/2008 7:57:53 AM >

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 8:01:37 AM

calamitysandra

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

My nic on B.com is Schlüßelberg, which means "key castle";

Completely off topic, sorry.

Schlüßelberg translates to "key mountain", not "key castle". That would be "Schlüsselburg".

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 8:35:06 AM

Hippiekinkster

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quote:

ORIGINAL: calamitysandra

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

My nic on B.com is Schlüßelberg, which means "key castle";

Completely off topic, sorry.

Schlüßelberg translates to "key mountain", not "key castle". That would be "Schlüsselburg".

Oops, mis-spelled it. It's with a "u". I keep making the most stupid spelling mistakes.

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 10:11:45 AM

samboct

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Hi Scott

I never did make it to KaDeWe, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the breakfast stuff we were eating came from there. I thought KaDeWe was more like a Needless-Markup though- good finders of stuff, but not a mfg.

You're right about getting around Berlin without wheels-we often used taxis or walked.

Sam

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 11:39:14 AM

irishdan

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I actually cant believe I got so many response to such a ridiculas topic! thank you very much everyone it looks like im going to have to make a round the world trip to taste all this choclate! stirctly research purpose you will understand anyone want to sponser me? ( i mean pay)

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RE: which country has the best choclate - 2/22/2008 12:03:04 PM

Hippiekinkster

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quote:

ORIGINAL: samboct

Hi Scott

I never did make it to KaDeWe, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the breakfast stuff we were eating came from there. I thought KaDeWe was more like a Needless-Markup though- good finders of stuff, but not a mfg.

You're right about getting around Berlin without wheels-we often used taxis or walked.

Sam

Well, the food court (6th floor) at KaDeWe must be seen to be believed. Try the link I gave you.

Also, why did you take cabs? A week pass for the U-bahn/S-bahn/Bus system was only around 25 Euros for zones A&B when I was there. I had a month pass in Munich for 49 Euros.

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