A Manhattan Marathon--Final Chapter

Our last full day in New York City.  Mark is sequestered in the day-long meeting that brought us here. I spend the day in a mostly futile clothes shopping excursion (too much hot chocolate expanding the waistline?).  The temperature hovers in the high 80s. 

Wandering through the sweltering SoHo district, I recall that nearby is another chocolate salon on my list.  My optimism at finding a beverage better than the acceptable version at Francois Payard is slim, but after complaining a few nights before to our talented friend, comedian Bill Santiago, about our failure in finding a decent hot chocolate, he immediately suggested MarieBelle.  Still skeptical, but needing a respite from the heat and the noise of street, I wend my way to Broome and Wooster.

An oasis of cool and quiet greets me as I step into the store.  From the cacophony of Big Apple bustle to almost reverential silence, the transformation is immediate and striking, like walking into a cathedral.  The ubiquitous crystal chandelier dangles from the ceiling (apparently crystal chandeliers are obligatory in NYC chocolate shops).  Although the decor appears fussy, the atmosphere feels casual.  An amiable and attractive young woman directs me to the chocolate salon in the back of the building, where only one other patron is seated and studying the lunch menu. Edith Piaf tunes trill on the sound system.  Ignoring the food offerings, I focus on the hot chocolate menu--Dark, Milk or White, all made with single-origin South American chocolate.

The Dark category lists four options: Aztec, with 60% cocoa mass; Dark, 70%; Maya, unsweetened; and Panela, 75%. All can be made with either water or dairy.  I opt for a small, water-based Dark.  The chocolate arrives in a white ceramic cup, barely bigger than an espresso.  The beverage is a gorgeous chocolaty color.  I swirl my spoon through the liquid. Not as thick as my version, but still luscious and velvety. The texture would probably be even thicker if the chocolate had been allowed to simmer longer and had been better blended; a few partial chunks remain in the cup. At least I know MarieBelle melts actual chocolate, rather than using powder or syrup.

I let a small sip linger on my tongue. Just the right temperature. No sweetness at all, only pure chocolate flavor.  The flavor is so intense, in fact, it is almost overwhelming. But I remember that at St. Gines in Madrid, Mark and I each added two cubes of sugar to our mugs, so I spoon sweetener into this cup and savor the results.

This feels so incredibly close to what I'm seeking.  I order another cup, an Aztec (60%) with milk.  The dairy lends a lighter color to this version. The texture is actually less thick. The milk and the lower percentage of cocoa create a sweeter drink, and after the intensity of the Dark without dairy, this beverage tastes almost too sweet to me, although it has a delightful cocoa flavor and just the right amount of bitter bite. A tiny puddle of the Dark remains in the other cup, so I blend it with some of the Aztec and sample my creation. 

I text Mark, "MarieBelle's :-)" 

"Oh noooooooooooo!" he repliles.  "I missed the one!?"

"Yep!" I answer as a huge smile radiates across my face. 
_________________________________

MarieBelle SoHo 
(212) 925-6999
484 Broome St, between Wooster St and West Broadway.
MarieBelle Express is open from 8:00am to 8:00pm during the week and 10:00am to 8:00pm on Sundays.
MarieBelle Retail Store and Cacao Bar are open every day from 10:00am to 8:00pm.
By subway, take the A/C/E to Canal Street, or the number 6 train to Spring Street. 
ENJOY!

A Manhattan Marathon--Day 2

After seeing Alfred Molina's vivid portrayal of famed abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko in the Broadway play "Red", my husband Mark--who, in this hunt for hot chocolate, has named himself "the Trailing Spouse"-- and I decide to visit the Museum of Modern Art on our second full day in New York.  To bolster our bodies for viewing six levels of art, we of course fuel ourselves with cups of hot chocolate. 

First stop, 30 Rock.  30 Rockefeller Plaza that is, to sample the haut chocolat of the popular Parisian boutique, La Maison du Chocolat.  After admiring the lavish Art Deco architectural detailings of the Rockefeller Center, we step down into La Maison's air-conditioned salon.  Cases of luscious ganaches, pralines and pastries beckon to us, but we resist their siren calls and order a cup each of the Caracas and the Guayaquil.  At $8 a cup, this is the most expensive hot chocolate in the city.

We first sample the freshly whipped cream that arrives in a separate bowl. Wow, are we spoiled in the Bay Area with premium, organic dairy products from local creameries such as Strauss.  Or perhaps La Maison just didn't feel the need to use a quality product for their beverages.  Their whipped cream lacks any flavor profile and is airier than we prefer.  It adds nothing to the texture of the hot chocolate.  Although the beverages themselves a lovely dark color, they are also not as thick as we prefer, and are surprisingly too hot--once again on the verge of scalded--and I begin to wonder if this is a French trend.  The Guayaquil, made with milk and a touch of water, has a decent chocolate flavor. The Caracas is made only with water, which usually allows for a stronger chocolate flavor to emerge. This beverage, however, only tastes bitter.  We at least finish drinking the Guayaquil, but the Caracas we leave behind as we set out to our next destination.

Frenchmen Michel Cluizel's is one of the few chocolatiers to process his own cocoa beans, and his exceptional chocolates are sold around the world.  Although I rarely purchase his products, I always savor the chocolate when I do taste it.  So yes, as Trailing Spouse and I enter his 5th Avenue shop, we have high expectations and child-like anticipation.  A blast of icy air greets us as we enter the salon and seat ourselves at one of two petite tables at the rear of the shop.  The menu offers a selection of white, milk or dark hot chocolate.  Of course we order dark.  With whipped cream.

As we shiver in our seats, waiting for our beverages, I spot a can--yes, a CAN--of whipped cream on the marble counter near the chocolate.  My expectations begin to diminish.  And then we hear the "ding!" of a microwave.  Mark and I stare at each other, wide-eyed.  "Is she NUKING it?!" I exclaim.  When the cup arrives at our table, the liquid floating in it is anemic and watery.  "Does this look appetizing?" I ask Trailing Spouse.  He concurs that it doesn't.  The flavor is equally unappetizing, like an unsweetened packet of cocoa.  I plunk in the accompanying little square of chocolate and it immensely improves the flavor of the beverage.  Not enough, however, to ever order Michel Cluizel's hot chocolate again.

With three more disappointing cups of chocolate in our bellies, we decide to temporarily forget the ill-used cocoa bean and indulge ourselves in MOMA's outstanding collections.  Hours later our eyes are glazed, our feet our weary, but we're immensely satisfied.  Time for more hot chocolate.  We have just enough time for a dash into Francois Payard before Mark's business dinner. 

We race up Madison Avenue, push our way through a glass door, and find ourselves in a small, elegant jewelry store.  Two living male mannequins in exquisite suits stand at attention among spotless vitrines of glittering necklaces, bracelets, rings.  "We're here for chocolate" I announce casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to ask for hot chocolate in a diamond vault.  Apparently in this shop it's not so uncommon, after all.  Without a moment's hesitation, one mannequin motions to the back of the tiny boutique. "Take the elevator to the fourth floor."  

The elevator doors reopen to a salon of exposed brick walls, brown paint and chic white bar stools.  We sit near a window overlooking Madison Avenue and ponder the interesting menu options.   Finally, I order the Dark 64%. Trailing Spouse is intrigued with the Raspberry and Orange Blossom.  My beverage is dark and silky while Mark's is lighter in color and texture, but still lovely.  I'm beginning to believe I have at last found my hot chocolate here in NYC.  I sip the chocolate.  Not too hot--just the right temperature.  I sip again.  Sigh. It tastes like milk chocolate. The flavor does not have the rich depth to match its deep brown color. If you like milk chocolate, then you will not be disappointed by this beverage.  However, if you crave the intensity of dark chocolate, this is not your drink.  The fruit and flower infused beverage smacks of flavored syrup, but I don't mind it. Perhaps I've given up on my expectations.  For once we actually finish our hot chocolates. Overall I'm modestly pleased, Mark less so.

Back down the elevator with the gilt-edged mirror and writing table, past a fashionably attired woman trying on a mega-carat ring, and out again into the shock of horns, shouts and Manhattan bustle.  Another mostly disappointing day (yes, I've use that word "disappointing" a lot in these past two blogs). Do I have the stamina and perseverance to continue the search?  Stay tuned!

______________________
La Maison du Chocolat
30 Rockefeller Center
49th Street
NY 10020 New-York
Tel : (1212) 265 9404
Fax : (1212) 265 9405
Hours: Monday - Friday: 9.30am - 7pm; Saturday:10am - 7pm; Sunday: 12 pm - 6pm

Also at 1018 Madison Avenue and 63 Wall Street
http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/en/boutiques.php?c=newyork


Michel Cluizel

584 5th Ave
(between 47th St & 46th St)
New York, NY 10036
(646) 415-9126

http://www.chocolatmichelcluizel.com/HomePage.php

Francois Payard
FC Chocolate Bar
714 Madison Avenue (btwn 63rd & 64th), Fourth Floor
Enter through Mauboussin Jewelry
New York, NY 
(212) 759-1600
http://www.payard.com/index.aspx

A Manhattan Marathon--Day 1

"Pack insulin!" my husband exclaimed as we printed out five pages of New York City establishments that serve highly-rated hot chocolate.  I found the list simultaneously exciting and daunting. "Rich, thick and 'a meal unto itself'" proclaimed a review of one Manhattan chocolate drink.  "Sweet, smooth liquid" read another.  I had not been to NYC since the emergence of my obsession for the perfect hot chocolate, so the prospect of finding my Holy Grail of an intensely rich, flavor-laden European-style beverage in a city renowned for the quality of, well, most everything was as exciting to me as revisiting the Museum of Modern Art or catching a show on Broadway.

Armed with lists, maps and friends' recommendations, Mark and I flew to the Big Apple for a six-day mixture of work, pleasure and a great cup or two of chocolate. The last of that list proved to be more challenging than we could ever have imagined.

Our first stop was City Bakery.  Described on its website as "a one-of-a-kind destination on the food map of New York City" and its hot chocolate, according to New York Magazine, "perfection", City Bakery seemed highly promising.  It even hosts its own hot annual chocolate festival!

From a long central island behind a curtain of homemade marshmallows strung with twine, young men and women adorned in white caps and aprons dished up monster muffins and cookies the size of saucers. Mark and I ordered a cornmeal ginger pear muffin and a classic dark hot chocolate.  As I followed the server towards the rear of the counter, where the chocolate simmered in a large vat, I inquired about the quality of the beverage. "This is no Swiss Miss," the plump adolescent assured me. She did not, however, have any additional information to offer, such as how it was made or what kind of chocolate was used, so I accepted my large ceramic cup of chocolate--freshly frothed with the same type of device I used at home--and seated myself next to Mark at one of the tables that line the perimeter of the retro-looking room. 

Mark and I stared down at the pale concoction. "Hmm, it certainly looks like Swiss Miss."  The first sip revealed a beverage that was somewhat thicker than average hot cocoa and just as sweet.  It was, in fact, like a good quality version of Swiss Miss.  It tasted of milk chocolate, rather than dark, but with a slight bitter aftertaste.  With great disappointment, Mark and I gave up after consuming only half the cup and then moved on to our next destination.

Jacques Torres--acclaimed French pastry chef, TV food show host and chocolate manufacturer. Surely a visit to his chocolate salon would yield a proper cup of chocolate.  Peering through the brightly bedecked windows of his shop on Hudson Street, we watched women working up batches of confections behind shelves of whimsical chocolate sculptures. The interior surprised us with its colorful, kitschy decor--crystal chandeliers, strings of plastic beads, and tropical-colored fake flowers.  After debating the menu selections at the chocolate bar, I opted for a Classic, while Mark ordered a Classic with Caramel and whipped cream. 

The sullen young woman behind the counter steamed the milk and chocolate combos and poured our beverages into...paper cups! Paper cups. Seriously.  I scanned the store and peeked behind the counter. No ceramic or glass in sight.  It's understandable to serve hot chocolate in paper cups in "to go" establishments, such as at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.  But this was the renowned Jacques Torres. This was a shop selling tins of hot chocolate mix for $18. 

Chocolate is sensitive to extreme temperature changes and requires slow melting at a low temperature to prevent burning. Milk, if even slightly burned, acquires its own peculiar flavor. My first sip of Jacques Torres' chocolate burned my tongue, it was so hot. Both milk and chocolate had been scalded.  In fact, a skin had formed on the surface of the drink.  Returning to the counter with my over-heated hot chocolate, I explained to the now-glowering server that my beverage was scalded and I asked her to prepare a new cup for me.  The second drink suffered only slightly less abuse under the steamer; another skin blanketed the top.  As the chocolate cooled enough for me to sip it, I contemplated its watery texture and lack of aroma.  Mark, meanwhile, found that the whipped cream and caramel sauce added enough texture and flavor to his chocolate to make it palatable, although I personally found it too sweet.  We both agreed, however, that my "Classic" was undrinkable. After a few more sips, we left the full cup on the table and walked away disappointed yet again.

The petite, violet-walled boutique of Vosges Haut Chocolat in SoHo beckoned us next.  Purple boxes and tins of chocolate and cocoa lined the white shelves along the walls. A crystal chandelier floated above the glass cases stuffed with truffles, and a window sign extolled Vosges's bacon chocolate.  After ordering a $5 "flute" of the "Parisienne" hot chocolate, Mark and I sampled a couple of the wonderful confections offered up by the cheerful staff. The solid form of their cocoa bean products were delicious.

Our drink arrived in a tall, slim cylinder that seemed more appropriate to a laboratory than a chocolate shop. The clear glass vessel was too hot to hold anywhere but at the very top, and it was obvious that no dairy was used to make the drink. Although it had no weight to its consistency, the flavor was at least clean and it looked, tasted and smelled of chocolate.  Mark was less charitable and deemed the drink "fancy cocoa" and simply watery.  Once again, we left behind an unfinished glass of chocolate.

Three chocolate salons and four hot chocolates on our first day in Manhattan, and we ended the afternoon dissatisfied, as well as jittery from the abundance of chocolate. My optimism for finding a great cup of hot chocolate in New York had waned, but I still had hope--and at least three or four additional salons to visit.  On to another day!

--------------------------

In a rating of one to five cocoa beans, the hot chocolate we tasted at each of these three establishments garnered one cocoa bean from Mark and me.

The City Bakery

www.thecitybakery.com

3 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011-4610
(212) 366-1414

Hours: 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM

Jacques Torres

http://www.mrchocolate.com/

350 Hudson at King Street (1 block South of Houston)

New York, NY 10014

(212) 414-2462 

Hours: Mon - Sat 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM;  Sunday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM 

Vosges Haut Chocolat

http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/

132 Spring Street (between Greene & Wooster)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 625-2929
Hours: Daily 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Thwarted in Baltimore

Living in the perpetually cool climes of San Francisco does have its plus side--it's rarely ever too warm here to drink hot chocolate.  On a quick visit to Baltimore a few weeks ago, I searched Yelp for hot chocolate recommendations, despite the 80+ degree weather. Two establishments looked very promising--Pitango Gelato in Fells Point and Common Ground Cafe in Hampden. Since I was going to be meeting John Waters --he of "Pink Flamingos" and "Hairspray" fame--at the San Francisco International Film Festival in a couple weeks, it seemed particularly appropriate that both venues are nestled in the neighborhoods where Waters works and lives.

Pitango is popular locally for its distinctive gelato, made from fresh, organic ingredients. The Yelp review of their hot chocolate seemed as promisingly delectable as its Italian-style ice cream.  By the time Mark and I parked on an unsavory block in the Fells Point area and walked to Pitango in the muggy, hot mid-Atlantic air, our faces glistened with sweat and I was frantically fanning myself.  Still, I was determined to sample some of "Bawlmer's" hot chocolate.  As we stood in line, however, we couldn't find Hot Chocolate listed among the variety of gelato flavors or specialty coffee offerings--only a missing plaque among the others listing the menu items. 

"We only serve our hot chocolate in the winter," the chipper staff informed us. What?! They can still sell cafe lattes and macchiatos and other hotter-than-hell coffee-based beverages, but hot chocolate is deemed seasonal.  Sigh.  The public really needs to be educated about hot chocolate.  It's not just for snow days!

Well, when life gives you lemons...eat gelato.  Mark and I shared a cup of flavorful and fragrant cardamon gelato that was surprisingly refreshing and paired beautifully with richly-flavored chocolate sorbet. With our cooling treat, we wandered through the historic and funky Fells Point neighborhood, along cobble-stoned streets, past shot-gun style red brick buildings and colorful characters, past familiar establishments we patronized during our years living in the Washington, DC area--Bertha's ("Eat Bertha's Mussels!") and John Steven Ltd. Tavern.  And then we set off again in search of a cup of liquid chocolate as hot as this Spring day.

Hampden. Home of quirky filmmaker, John Waters.  Home also to a stretch of equally quirky boutiques and cafes along the rather recently gentrified W. 36th Street.  As heavy, charcoal-colored clouds began to blanket the sweltering sun, we tucked into one little shop after another--Avenue Antiques; Breathe Books; Crystals, Candles and Cauldrons. The shop owner who sold whimsical Christmas ornaments created from Blue Crab shells warned us of the severe storm quickly moving in over the county.  Ah, perfect for sipping hot chocolate, I thought.

A lively and kitschy tote displayed in a shop window lured us into Kiss N Makeup, a boutique filled with delightfully off-beat items befitting the neighborhood.  Twenty minutes, many stories with the gregarious shopkeeper, and one odd-ball gift later, we left Kiss N Makeup in search of our original destination, Common Ground Cafe.  We walked through the escalating rain up W. 36th, confused by the addresses.  Did we really pass the cafe already?  Our yen to explore the eccentric stores had led us blocks past Common Ground.  We reversed direction and trotted through the drizzle.  By the time we reached the cafe, we were damp again, this time with raindrops rather than sweat. 

"The cafe's closed," the young woman with the vacuum informed us. "We close at five."  Mark looked at his watch--5:20 PM.  The rain became a downpour.
____________________
If you have better luck than I did:

Pitango Gelato
802 South Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231
(410) 702-5828
Store hours:
Monday through Friday 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday  11:00 AM to Midnight
Hot Chocolate sold only in Winter

Common Ground Cafe
819 West 36th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211-2508
(410) 235-5533
They close at 5:00 PM

Trader Joe's Belgian 72% Dark

My blog's languished these past couple of weeks not for a lack of interest, but simply for a lack of time. Already in danger of being heaved out the office window for insufficient focus on fast-approaching events, I've decided now is not the time for afternoon excursions in search of my Holy Grail. So for the moment I'll continue testing different brands of chocolate at home.

This past week, I tried Trader Joe's Belgian 72% Dark, which comes in a whopping pound brick.  I'd used TJ's Belgian many years ago, before moving on to finer chocolates, but it was worth giving it a try again.  At first, when the chocolate mixture thickened into pudding-like consistency in the pot, I thought EUREKA! I've found my chocolate! I could stand a spoon upright in it--just like the St. Gines chocolate in Madrid!

But the flavor disappeared almost the second it hit my tongue--a brief hit of chocolate flavor that quickly dissipated, leaving behind a slightly bitter after-taste.  Very disappointing.  And now I've got this huge chunk of leftover TJ's chocolate. Sigh.

Trader Joe's does, however, make a nice cocoa powder they call "Drinking Chocolate." It comes in a brown tin and creates a tasty hot cocoa--a good alternative when you're looking for a warming drink that's not quite as labor intensive or rich as hot chocolate.

Since it's Easter, I looked into some Easter chocolate history and learned that the first chocolate Easter eggs appeared in Germany and France around the 1800s. The eggs were solid until modern machines allowed the eggs to be molded hollow and mass produced. Not what I'd actually call progress.  

"The modern chocolate Easter egg with its smoothness, shape and flavour owes its progression to the two greatest developments in the history of chocolate - the invention of a press for separating cocoa butter from the cocoa bean by the Dutch inventor Van Houten in 1828 and the introduction of a pure cocoa by Cadbury Brothers in 1866. The Cadbury process made large quantities of cocoa butter available and this was the secret of making moulded chocolate or indeed, any fine eating chocolate.  " (The Chocolate Traveller)

Until the next time, Happy Sippers--

DRINK CHOCOLATE

Green & Black; Scharffen Berger

Continuing my experimentation with other brands of chocolate...

Green & Black Organic 72% Baking Chocolate:  Produced dark brown color with nice sheen. Thickened up very quickly and evenly, without using cornstarch or arrowroot.  Good bittersweet flavor and smooth texture.  Mark characterized it as "yummy!"  I would definitely use the Green & Black 72% again.

Scharffen Berger 70% Bittersweet:  Not quite as deep a hue as the Green & Black, but it quickly thickened, like the G&B did--more so, perhaps.  It looked like chocolate frosting.  Not a smooth texture, however. Somewhat more like...chocolate frosting.   Mark and I both detected a chalky feel when consuming it.  Mark normally prefers to keep the whipped cream floating on top of his cup of chocolate as long as possible, spooning both cream and chocolate together.  But with the Scharffen Berger, he mixed the whipped cream in to help mitigate the chalkiness of the chocolate.  I would not use the Scharffen Berger again.

Ferry Building Mini-Marathon

Another soggy, gray Friday afternoon and a meeting at the Ferry Building prompted a last-minute mini-marathon of hot chocolate tasting at San Francisco's artisan food emporium.  My friend Ann joined me in tasting beverages from Michael Recchiuti, Boulette's Larder and Blue Bottle Coffee.

Ahh, the Ferry Building Marketplace!  Yes, there is a ferry terminal out back, where you can catch a commuter ferry across the Bay, but it's the gourmet goodies such as Cowgirl Creamy cheeses, Acme bread, Hog Island Oysters, and Miette Patisserie that most visitors and locals seek under the iconic clock tower. Yum!

After inhaling one of Out the Door's popular steamed vegetable buns (because, believe it or not, woman cannot live on chocolate alone), Ann and I start at Recchuiti Confections.  I've been a fan of Michael Recchiuti since he was shelling out his heavenly chocolates from the back of his truck when the Farmers Market was still in a parking lot, before the Ferry Building was renovated in 2003.  He handed out samples practically by the fistfuls, which was a highly successful way to cultivate fans. At least it worked for Mark and me! Some of our favorites are the fleur de sel caramels and the divine rose caramels. His burnt caramel-covered hazelnuts are addictive, and his pates de fruits are exquisite.

But before we dive into the hot chocolate (hmm, what sort of swimsuit does one wear to dive into chocolate?), I should point out that beverages in the Ferry Building are served in compostable paper cups and there is very little seating available.  Yes, drinking chocolate from anything less than a heated ceramic cup is sacrilegious, but since I didn't bring my own, I had to make do with what was offered.

Now back to Recchiuti. The hot chocolate swirls around in a clear glass container, a blade keeping the chocolate flowing, preventing it from scorching.  Ann and I appreciate the deep chocolately color and the smooth texture. It isn't as thick as what I make, but it has a very satisfying viscosity. One of Recchiuti's signature cloud-like marshmallows slowly melts into the liquid, adding it own vanilla appeal and silky feel. The chocolate flavor has a bitter edge, without being overwhelming.  It's a strong, dark drink, and probably would not appeal to those who like their beverages sweet. Ann and I love it. $4 for a cup that was just the right amount to share.

Surprisingly, no dairy is used to make the beverage.  It is the thickest, richest of the water-based hot chocolates I ever recall having tasted.  Michael creates his own unique blend using chocolate from Valrhona and El Rey. He even adds a little white chocolate into the mixture!  (An important note for those who are strictly vegan or lactose-intolerant: the ingredients listed on the box of pistoles used for making the hot chocolate indicates milk powder.)

Boulette's Larder is a tiny little restaurant, a chef's kitchen and a delightful shop selling high quality pantry ingredients and prepared foods.  The "ganache-based" hot chocolate is served straight from a copper double-boiler resting on the enormous multi-burner range in the center of the store.  Yes! I think, THIS is going to be great chocolate.

But the chocolate, while possible thicker than Recchiuti's, is much paler and even has a grayish hue.  An oily sheen shimmers on the surface.  The first sip reveals a much sweeter taste than Recchiuti's. The milk flavor comes through far more than the chocolate. It's not a "clean" taste or feel like the Recchiuti chocolate.  Like Michael, Boulette's Larder also uses Valrhona, mixed with another kind of chocolate (undisclosed to me).  Neither Ann nor I, however, finishes the cup.  Not worth the calories.  And despite the huge portion, not worth the $5.

Not yet in a complete sugar/chocolate stupor, we finish our research at Blue Bottle, famous for it's individually crafted cups of java.  Their menu lists Recchiuti hot chocolate, but rather than made with water, Blue Bottle mixes the chocolate with milk.  The portion is the largest of the three, the price ($3.50) the cheapest. An artful leaf pattern decorates the milky surface. First sip--bland. Second sip--this isn't even chocolate milk. Despite being made with milk, the beverage is watery and completely tasteless.  We take a few more sips, just to confirm, then drop the rest into the compost bin.

This one was a no-brainer for both Ann and me. Recchiuti was the hands-down favorite.  Before exiting the Marketplace, I purchased a box of Michael's pistoles to make the hot chocolate at home. I also bought a bar of Scharffenberger's Bittersweet Chocolate because I really enjoyed the sample I tasted at their shop (they do not offer beverages) and would like to experiment with melting it into hot chocolate at home.  And finally, I couldn't resist purchasing a copy of "Curious George Goes to a Chocolate Factory"!

And that, my chocolaholic friends, is enough for one posting!
'Til next time, happy sipping!

Recchiuti Confections
Monday- Friday: 10am-7pm
Saturday: 8am-6pm
Sunday: 10am-5pm Marketplace Shop #30

Boulette's Larder

LARDER HOURS
Monday-Friday: 8am-6pm
Saturday: 8am-2:30pm
Sunday: 10am-3pm
TABLE SERVICE
Mon-Fri 8am-10:30am Breakfast
Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm Lunch
Sun 10am-2:30pm Beignets/Brunch

Blue Bottle Coffee
Mon-Fri 7AM - 7PM
Sat - 7AM - 6PM
Sun - 8AM - 5PM
Marketplace Shop #7