Zagat’s 2008 New York City Gourmet Shopping & Entertaining Survey just released their list of five best chocolatiers in New York City. I’ve been to numbers 1, 2, and 5 on their list (clearly time for another trip) and Kee’s Chocolates as top pick is no surprise. This of course begs the question: what would this list look like on a global scale? Perhaps it’s time to start compiling…
Ever heard of Noka? I hadn’t, but it’s “the world’s #1 luxury chocolate” and one of the most expensive foods you can buy. Dallas Food has an outstanding investigation into the question: “Are Noka’s chocolates worth the money?” The ten-part report includes some of the best critical analysis I’ve seen of anything in the food industry, plus great chocolate history and trivia, valuable tasting notes, and it had me laughing out loud. (Thanks to Owen for the link.)
Vanilla ice cream-filled profiteroles with super simple chocolate fudge sauce.
I just got a copy of San Francisco chocolatier Michael Recchiuti’s Chocolate Obsession. I’ve read the book cover to cover and am, frankly, a little bit obsessed with the drool-inducing photos and recipes, fantastic stories, and intriguing tricks. For example, who knew that invert sugar (a liquid form of sucrose that has been separated into the simpler glucose and fructose) makes ganache smooth, helps it hold its shape for dipping, and enhances the chocolate’s flavor without making it any sweeter? I’m also looking forward to trying his tips on getting the most out of infusions and the benefits of using an immersion blender to mix ganache.
I was in charge of crab cakes and dessert for New Year’s Eve dinner at a friend’s. Though I’m still looking for an excuse (OK, really just for the time) to make this luscious ginger pear cake, it didn’t seem quite fancy or festive enough for the occasion. After the chocolate souffle (doesn’t travel well) and truffles (already have a large box of those), one of the most appealing photos in Chocolate Obsession is of a back-lit ribbon of burnt caramel sauce being drizzled over ice cream. How do you dress up ice cream and sauce? As profiteroles!
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There are secrets you share, like those deep or silly misives on PostSecrets. There are also secrets you keep. I had never thought of recipes as the latter, but this essay in last December’s Food and Wine Magazine gave me pause. The story has stuck with me for more than a year, resonating in part because I have my own asked-for recipe. Maybe some things really should stay in the family. As for my own specialty (shown above) I will gladly share the ingredients (I list most on the “key cards” I draw for each box); I will point you towards some tricks from Michael Recchiuti’s book Chocolate Obsession that I myself will be trying next year; but maybe I ought to keep the specifics of the recipe and techniques I learned from my mother secret a little longer.
Someone told me recently that if you want a vegetarian to like something, make it spicy. That is of course a gross generalization and undermines the fine palates and subtle nuances of many meat-free foods, but it so happens that I do like spicy foods and, as much as I love pure, unadulterated dark chocolate, I also like the idea of spiced chocolate. The reality is usually a disappointment. Most bars that I have tried are bland, or don’t start with good chocolate, or have spice but no depth. My own spicy truffle experiment last year, made with Valrhona Manjari dark chocolate and a blend of top quality Hungarian paprika, chipotle, and some ridiculously good tequila had spice and flavor but just weren’t compelling. The best I had found were the dark chocolate chili truffles from Gilli Café in Florence, but with a burn that long outlasts the chocolate flavors, these are not for the faint of heart. As they aren’t exactly easy to pick up when the craving strikes, I’ve had to continue my search and in doing so, I’ve found a new love, so much better than the rest.
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