[majid]

If you are talking about pure chocolate bars, my usual suspects are Valrhona, Michel Cluizel, Scharffen-Berger and Guittard. Many smaller brands like Amedei, El Rey, Vosges Haute, Zotter and others, more than I can count, make great chocolate. I am fortunate that a local shop named Fog City News stocks an assortment of over a hundred different types of premium bars.

If you want confections, there are many small chocolatiers making them. I used to go to La Maison du Chocolat when I lived in Paris, but I preferred Jean-Paul Hévin (not available in the US, unfortunately). There are many perfectly good American chocolatiers like Fran's in Portland, Michael Recchiuti in San Francisco, and probably one local to your hometown, it just takes a little digging.

 

[remilard]

Second Chocosphere.com. There isn't really a chocolate shop in my city either, but I can find a lot of decent stuff so look around.

Sharffen Berger is the top American brand. It isn't my favorite but it is good. The thing is, everything Sharffen Berger makes tastes the same (under roasted, fruity). Their limited edition bars are often thought to be good (porcelana especially) but they are hard to get and I have never had one.

IMO Cluizel, Dimori, and Vahlrona are the top three. In the case of the first and the third I recommend staying away from the blends and going straight for the single origin.

As for what you might find locally. Trader Joes carries Vahlrona (blends), Whole Foods Market carries Chocolove (65% is good), Green and Blacks (70% is good), Dagoba (one of these is really good, I forget which it was 73 or 74% and is NOT the single estate), and Sharffen Berger. Sur la Table has Guittard and Cluizel (blends). I have no idea if you have any of those stores.

There is a coffee store in my city that has a decent selection, and you would never know if you didn't walk in their so ask around as much as you can.

As for you budget. If you can swing Vahlrona or Cluizel single origins, start there. Dimori is very expensive so save that one for later. If those two are too much try the specific Green and Black's and Chocolove I mentioned, if you can find them (the other bars in those two lines are pretty mediocre, IMO).

Good luck, sorry about your wallet and stuff. Whatever you do, do not ever ask yourself how good beer can get, that stuff will bankrupt you.

 

[Oski]

Teucher Chocolate has the best champaigne truffles around, shipped fresh from Switzerland weekly:

http://www.teuschernewyork.com/

For the boutique hand crafted angle, Jacques Torres is highly regarded:

http://www.mrchocolate.com/

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Richart for a ridiculously expensive gift that should please uber-fussy people like in-laws and foreign ambassadors.

L.A. Burdick (my fave) for super-nice presentation and wonderful chocolate.

XOX Truffles for unusual & wonderful flavors at reasonable prices.

All three companies FAR eclipse the specialty grocery store brands like Toblerone, Lindt, Ritter, etc., as well as popular chocolate stores like Godiva and Neuhaus.

 

[Imyourzero]

Well, I took the plunge. I headed over to Chocosphere and ordered an assortment from Lindt, plus 40/60/70% bars from Scharffen Berger and Valrhona. Then I went to The Chocolate Fetish website and ordered 1 of each flavor of the Ecstasy truffles. Those look absolutely mouth-watering!!

Never thought I'd ever consider spending $75 on chocolate, but then again when I joined Head-Fi I never thought I'd spend more than $200 on headphone equipment either.

I tried to go with the most widely recommended brands. Some of the more expensive, boutique brands look amazing but I didn't feel the need to start ordering $100 boxes of chocolate just yet. I'm sure even the worst of gourmet chocolates is far beyond what I'm used to, i.e. Dove, Hersheys, etc.

I'll post again when the order arrives, assuming I don't die and go to Heaven after the first sample!

 

[sbulack]

If you like the Valrhona 70%, the link below is a pretty good source for a decent price on it. It comes in small oval-shaped pieces for cooking called "feves", which is convenient. At $12 US for 454 grams, it's a better price than the bars.

http://www.lepicerie.com/customer/pr...cat=256&page=1

 

[Imyourzero]

Update: all of my chocolate has finally arrived. The ecstasy truffles got here a couple of weeks ago and were absolutely terrific--highly recommended! However, Chocosphere held my order because it has been so hot here lately. We finally got a couple of cooler days at the end of last week and DHL brought it on Friday. The Scharffen Berger 40% was good, but I thought the Valrhona 40% was REALLY good! I enjoyed the SB 60% as well. The SB 70% is a tad bitter for my tastes, but the Valrhona 70% is a bit more enjoyable IMO. The assortment from Lindt has proven to be very tasty also, although it seemed just about every piece contains either a hazelnut or almond cream filling. Still, very very good.

I enjoyed trying all of it, and am not sorry to have bought any item. Next, I want to try some of the Michael Cluizel chocolates and maybe some Green & Black's organic chocolate. Mmm-mmm!

 

[thrice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich Indeed. I have the distinct benefit of living about 15 miles from it Right across the street from a cafe/bookshop (Malaprops, if you've heard of that), and then there's the library a bit further. My personal favorite so far are Ancient Pleasures and Dragon's Kiss. The first is flavored with cayenne pepper, the latter, wasabi. I know, it sounds weird (I was skeptical at first), but they're absolutely lovely. Spicy in their own unique ways. Combine one or two of those with a cuppa from Bean Streets (which unfortunately requires walking a few blocks), and you've got heaven.

i do know that cafe and the library. unfortunately I no longer live anywhere close to them (I'm in MD). But my wife is from NC and we still have friends in the Asheville area so whenever we get down there we go to Chocolate Fetish

 

[F1GTR]

Saw this place on food channel a year or two back. I've ordered through them 3-4 times now.

The reputation their truffles have earned is well deserved.

http://www.chocolategarden.com/

 

[newmanoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch www.chocosphere.com is a great on-line retailer of high-end chocolates. They have a wide selection, good prices, and are very careful about shipping: they will check the weather forecasts for your area, decide what packing/shipping you will need to keep the chocolate from melting on the way (or on your doorstep), inform you if special packing (in ice, etc.) will be needed, and so forth. Highly recommended.

Absolutely!! My favorite is Valrhona. The Caraibe (%66) and Guanaja (70%) are the best dark chocolates I've tried. I much prefer them to Sharfenburger. The Valrhona milk (especially the 75 gram bar) is also awsome. These are French chocolates, and I think more expensive now that the Euro is so strong.

I have not tried Neuhaus, but it is by reputation the best of the milks - I think I am going to try the link and place an order.

 

[recca]

I 2nd Teuscher. The Champagne Truffles are absolutely incredible.

http://www.teuscher.com/

 

[Imyourzero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newmanoc Absolutely!! My favorite is Valrhona. The Caraibe (%66) and Guanaja (70%) are the best dark chocolates I've tried. I much prefer them to Sharfenburger. The Valrhona milk (especially the 75 gram bar) is also awsome. These are French chocolates, and I think more expensive now that the Euro is so strong. I have not tried Neuhaus, but it is by reputation the best of the milks - I think I am going to try the link and place an order.

I preferred the Valrhona to Scharffen Berger as well (both milk and dark). And I can't say enough about Chocosphere; the packing is excellent and they try very hard to get your chocolates to you in the best possible condition.