What is the best brand of chocolate? I want to find the best.

So far, of the brands I have tried, See's is the best and Ghirardelli is the worst. The latter tastes like brown wax to me. But I know there are many other opinions - what do you think is the best chocolate?

Azteca D'oro 1519 Mexican Spiced Cocoa:



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DZBLD/103-0043413-8770202?v=glance&n=3370831

Our local Trader Joe's does not carry it anymore.



x(

This is the closest I've tasted to the real Mexican chocolate drink. I grew up in Mexico and recognize the flavors. They use Mexican cinnamon, which is different from Madagascar, and there is a touch of hot pepper for warmth. The flavor is unique and authentic.

It is as good as I remember growing up.

My neices were studying the Aztecs and their teacher served up some very spicy "hot" chocolate with no sweetening, and lots of cayenne. Montezuma called it the "food of the gods", it was said.

Sweet......and spicy

Cocoa: The best alkali (dutch process) chocolate in the world, period.


Bar chocolate: Lindt

Also surprisingly Hershey's Symphony bar...they copied Cadbury's
old plain chocolate formula (much more cream!)

BTW Cadbury changed theirs for the worse about a decade ago so now it tastes
like generic American :P

most any of the european chocolates.

but it must be european for really good chocolates -- and dark chocolates are the best .

i love jacques torres chocolates -- jacques pepin's son.

here http://www.mrchocolate.com/default.aspx

you might try some of his spicy hot chocolate.

However, it's waaay out my price league. Here in Calgary, we have a local chocolatiere, Bernard Callebaut.
http://www.bernardcallebaut.com/users/folder.asp
I believe you can order by catalogue. Their stuff is fantastic.

I'm amazed at how skinny he is.

Forget Brad Pitt, he's my dream man. :rofl:

First of all, his career would definitely be over, unless scratch n' sniff, or interactive movies become the norm.

We'd have to move someplace cold all year round...Nunavut, perhaps? just to keep him from mellllting.

I couldn't eat the head first...maybe a leg. He'd have to learn a new trade, or perhaps go on disability, as I don't think one can attach a prosthesis to chocolate.

I would have to restrain myself, as the whispers of abuse would set in around the community. (he's lost a leg...now an arm!)

Arrests could follow, and it would only end in heartache. :cry:

So, guv', I think I'll stick to Bernie's stuff.




:hi:

I've had.

Lindt truffles

I'm not fond of truffles.

A well-sorted chocolate store should have at least 100 quality/artisan brands available; there are numerous excellent makers, but "best" is a matter of personal taste.

as any I've had... including the Swiss dark chocolates. And there is the added feeling of having done good because the profits from the sale of Newman's Own foods goes to help kids with cancer.

mmmm, and dark only.

Or, failing that, Green & Blacks, if you want something affordable.

Edited for spelling (hitting myself on the head - d'oh!).

valrhona is by far the best

yum

:9

what form? (bar, syrup, chip...)
what time of year?
what time of day?
rainy or sunny?
what was the last meal you ate? & how long ago...?

for starters.

Daffins. At least it still tastes creamy.

http://www.moonstruckchocolate.com/

good but pricey.

It's organic, it's fair trade and it's freaking delicious. I just bought a bar the other day and it blew my mind.

Valrohna and Scharffen Berger are also very good. And Trader Joe's house brand is quite delicious (and affordable) as well. It's huge (over a pound) but if you're cooking or something it's great.

:P

I'm generally a dark chocolate person all the way, but I've found that with really high quality chocolate even the milk chocolate is good. So I will give it a shot.

I took a tour of the Scharffen-Berger factory and they told us that their milk chocolate has a higher percentage of cacao than Hershey's dark chocolate. And less sugar, too, which is what I find objectionable in run-of-the-mill milk chocolate. Too sweet. Of course Scharffen-Berger was recently bought out by Hershey so we'll see what happens with their quality.

with good old Hershey's

called "Santander" and it is very good. I like the 70%. Mmmmm.

http://www.finedarkchocolate.com/Chocolate/Sant_er/index.asp

out of Vienna West Virginia!
Wonderful!!
And they have a great line of sugar free also!:bounce:

:evilgrin:



No, actually, everything I would have recommended has already been mentioned. :D

It's not Valrhona, but it's not a brazillion dollars a bar either. The dark is outstanding and the milk is very good.

If you like coffee-flavored chocolate, my wife says the "Choxie" brand they sell at Target is real good. I hate the point-of-purchase display crap around it, though...all this shit about how it's such a delicacy and you need to lock it in your safe, and then you look at the product and it's all flavored chocolate. Guys! Good chocolate doesn't NEED to be flavored!

http://www.andreschocolates.com/

Nothing else is even close.

"André and Elsbeth Bollier immigrated from Basel, Switzerland to Kansas City in June of 1955. A Master Konditor-Confiseur, André's goal was to open a typical Swiss Confiserie producing only the highest quality confections in the Swiss tradition. In October of that same year, the dream became reality and André's was introduced to the unsuspecting Midwesterners of Kansas City.

Our merchandise, produced with pure butter, whipped cream, high quality chocolate, natural flavorings, is used with only the highest quality ingredients. This introduced our clients to an experience that, in the early years, could only be found in Europe.

Over the years, the business expanded and a Tea Room serving a light Swiss style luncheon was added. During the 1970's the "chocolate craze" hit the U.S. and sales of chocolate candies exploded. Son Marcel and wife Connie joined the business in 1974 and spearheaded the expansion of the Confiserie (chocolate) department. Through the years, franchises were started in Menlo Park, CA, Denver, CO & Houston, TX with Swiss Confiseur owners. In 2001, André's management team was joined by the third generation Bollier, René & wife Nancy. A second André's (André's Rivaz) opened in 2002 in Overland Park, Kansas (a suburb south of Kansas City), owned and operated by André's daughter Brigitte and husband Kevin.

André's is recognized in "The Book of Bests" as 'Best Domestic Boxed Chocolate'. The book states, "André's chocolates are not for the timid. The flavors are strong and rich. Exceedingly fresh and tender, they are worthy of any Swiss Confiserie"."

I had the pleasure of knowing Andre Bollier, but that's not why I'm recommeding Andres.

I spent a week in Switzerland, and lived on Toblerone bars. I'm surprised the name "Tobler" hasn't come up yet in this thread, although I think now in my so-called maturity I prefer Godiva.

real fond of chocolate, Scharffenberger's is exceedingly good. A friend brought me some dark chocolate back from Ghana, which was excellent too, but I can't remember the brand name.

http://www.scharffenberger.com/

:thumbsup:

The Dutch "alkali processed" Droste is the best! And their pastilles are pretty good, too.

Maybe because I grew up here. I've tried all the super-expensive chocolates, and I like Hershey's flavor and texture the best. Sue me, I'm a philistine! I eat at Olive Garden too, and I'm Italian!

;-)

:hi:

Absolutely the best (and I have tried the two you mentioned)


There is a wide variety of exotic combinations...just look and see!
http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/Truffles.aspx

Plus, the plain dark chocolate is amazing too!

I am addicted.

I've never tried the 'exotic' brands.

aA
:hi:

mmmm Flake.....

In Scotland, Princes Street Gardens to be exact, the ice-cream vendors sell soft ice cream in a cone with a Flake stuck in it. Ohhh the memories.

I can't buy them here in Michigan, but I pick them up when I go to Ontario Canada, or, sometimes my sister sends me a care package :)

aA
:hi:

The best!

and the sweet ground chocolate for making hot cocoa and hot mochas

Valrhona and Scharfenberger are awesome for baking/cooking purposes also.

Just to munch on? Dove Dark Bites.

Might be "low rent" of me--I dunno--but I really think Dove has a great texture and good flavor--it's less "chalky" than the common store brands in the U.S.

I remember as being excellent.

When I was a kid, we lived next door to a woman from Belgium who would bring back chocolate...better than any Swiss chocolate I've had.

I also love Ritter Sport, particularly the Mocha (don't know if they still make it, but it was great).

a local chocalatier here in Ann Arbor that I think makes pretty good chocolate.

"Shakolad" is the name of the place. I may have not spelled it right, but it is close.

I know I'm pretty new here so it may not mean much, but Malley's Chocolate based out of Cleveland, OH, is the best I've had.

www.malleys.com

A friend brought me some of that chocolate back from Paris. It was wonderful.

She buys it online now, I haven't yet.

They put out the cheap crap at holidays (Easter, etc.). I'll pretty much eat any chocolate and that stuff makes me want to hurl.