Part two of our guide to sweet and salty gourmet snacks. This week chocolate, chocolate and um, er, more chocolate.
[Catherine, thanks for the reminder about Trader Joe's chocolate covered pretzels. That's a nice transition between last week's article on salty snacks and this week's sweet snacks.]
When someone tells me they can "live without chocolate" I have to admit, it's hard for me to stay interested. I mean, what's the likelihood we'll have anything in common?
Though I will undoubtedly some day be sucking on lemons, (see my previous post - Gourmet Potato Chips?)
I do retain a love for good chocolate.
What, you thought I had no sweet side?
- Current favorite is a Torino chocolate I've been melting on Iggy's bread for breakfast. Cuisipro grater is perfect tool! Wheaties? Fuggedaboutit! Guido Gobino Torino Italy Modern Art Trinidad Pure Chocolate 80% In Boston, you can find this at Salumeria Italiana in our North End carries this chocolate when it is available.
- Richart One of the reasons Bostonian's can now claim to be a real city. That's right, Richart is only in NYC, SF, Paris and us baby...and of course, the 'net. This store, even though they don't sample, has beautiful, artfully designed chocolates with an astounding array of flavors. They were creating little cubes with delicate designs painted on top before the masses of chocolatiers were doing it. I had a bergamot ganache filled chocolate from Richart at least a decade before I heard of anyone else making herbal infused chocolates.
- Teuscher A college friend introduced me to the famous champagne truffles and I subsequently jockeyed for a NYC client close to Rockefeller Plaza just so I could make regular trips to their shop there. Now they have seen the light and opened shop here in Boston.
- Chocolate Arts In Vancouver, our Canadian friends have a fabulous shop on West 4th. Began in 1989, the former pastry chef honors the First Nations with striking designs in bold graphic designs of traditional character. Unbelievable for gift-giving, especially to one's self. Try the lemon-basil truffle. Leave a small box on your guest bedroom pillow like our adored cousin did for us. Just don't call me if you have a hard time getting the visitors to leave.
- Gelato, Sorbetto and Ice Cream You may remember my post on the scrumptrelescent Capogiro Gelato Artisans "Proof God Loves Us.". Since we're talking about sweet treats, I can't forego mention of this pleasure. Two new favorites: Black sesame, ginger. Pineapple fresh mint. Oh, and orange cardamom.
- Vere Chocolate a late comer to my list. For the scoop, see Mary Luz Mejia's article on theseBest Bites.
And a few lessons learned along the way:
- File this under Who knew? A pint is not simply the grown up relative of the small lunch tray ice cream treats of school days. It's supposed to be the equivalent of 4 servings. Whoever decided this is clearly not in their right mind.
- Denial seldom works, at least not for me. It's only about management. Rather than say "I will never eat chips again," which would only make me eat the largest quantity I could immediately get my hands on; I (try to) eat only special ones, so they really are a treat. And, I can usually convince myself to buy a small bag. An epiphany: the 2 oz size satisfies the urge and when it's gone, more would require an embarrassing second trip to the store. I still have some pride.
- Contrary to Gael Greene's logic re: food and sex: a small bit of good chocolate is always far more satisfying than a larger piece of mediocre chocolate. At least for me, but maybe we've been eating different chocolate and bedding different, well, never mind...
Lastly, indulge in moderation and enjoy what you're eating.
Julia said it best:
"Because of the media hype and woefully inadequate information, too many people nowadays are deathly afraid of their food, and what does fear of food do to the digestive system? I am sure that an unhappy or suspicious stomach, constricted and uneasy with worry, cannot digest properly. And if digestion is poor, the whole body politic suffers."
Julia Child (1912-2004)
Here's to you Julia!
Want to curl up with a good book about chocolate?
