# Chocolate lovers, what's your favorite? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889 "2011-11-23T17:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/21 "2011-11-24T14:42:25Z")
Godiva truffles. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/22 "2011-11-24T14:50:55Z")
DeBrands. They’re local to me but they ship all over. Their truffles are to die for. > **[DeBrand Fine Chocolates](https://www.debrand.com/)** > > DeBrand Fine Chocolates - gourmet chocolatier featuring boxed chocolates, specialty artisan chocolates, chocolate truffles, chocolate art boxes, made in Indiana ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/23 "2011-11-24T15:26:07Z")
I’m a chocolate pleb. The more posh and considered “good” it is, the more likely I am to hate it. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk is, for me, chocolate perfection, despite a battle going on for thirty years (ending in 2003) where half the EU refused to accept it as even being chocolate. Sweden’s Marabou is almost as good. Not quite, but very, very close. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/24 "2011-11-24T15:31:45Z")
Vosges. Godiva used to be awesome but is now mass-produced waxy dreck. Vosges is amazing. Try the Barcelona bar if she likes nuts, or the Mo’s Bacon Bar if she’s an adventurous carnivore. They have one with caramel and sea salt that’s awesome, but I can’t remember the name. All the truffles are awesome, too. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/25 "2011-11-24T16:05:44Z")
It’s a matter of taste, like everything else. The most recent blind tastings at C_nsumer Rep_rts gave about 10 companies an Excellent rating, ranging in cost from $3–$5.50/ oz. It looked like ordering online was the standard technique. Names included: Norman Love 25pc., Woodhouse Asst. 48pc., Christopher Elbow 21 pc., L.A. Burdick Lg. Wood Box, Candinas 36 pc. – the Candinas was a “Best Buy.” Very Good “Best Buys” were Godiva Gold Ballotin, Ferrero Collection, and See’s Assorted. The last two are about 1/3 the price of the preceding.) I can’t offer any personal comments on the above ratings (and any reference to CU usually brings 5 or 6 denouncements). My own favorite chocolate thingies are those spherical Lindt Lindor Truffles. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/26 "2011-11-24T16:16:47Z")
Can’t go wrong with Ferraro Rocher! ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/27 "2011-11-24T16:32:20Z")
I’m curious about opinions of [Teuscher](http://teuscherfifthavenue.com/). Every time I go to NYC, a friend hands me a $50 bill and asks me to pick up a box of 16 champagne truffles from this place. I’ve never had one myself because each little truffle costs about $4. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/28 "2011-11-24T16:52:41Z")
Scharffen Berger is a nice boutique chocolate. Bought out by Hershey a couple years back, but still seems to be good. Not that Hershey would definitely ruin it - I grew up near Hershey and no other milk chocolate tastes “right” to me… but there’s always the risk that in trying to take it big-market, unfortunate changes might be made. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/29 "2011-11-24T16:55:08Z")
> [@Silver\_Tyger](#): > > Dark chocolate, the darker the better (and NOT Hersheys, which hardly qualifies)… Concur. To my recollection, Hershey started producing dark chocolate when it became wildly popular 20ish years ago, to compete with all the fancy brands. I like _good_ dark chocolate, which Hershey’s ain’t. So for me: for milk, gotta be Hershey. For dark, gotta be anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/30 "2011-11-24T17:02:13Z")
Lindt truffles- [Amazon.com : lindt chocolate](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_5?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lindt+chocolate&sprefix=lindt) I like the plain ones best. They have a lot of flavors, but it’s the soft texture and extreme meltyness that I really like. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/31 "2011-11-25T06:45:34Z")
Just to throw one more name out there, my brother brings me a box of chocolates from [Leonidas](http://www.leonidas-chocolate.com/) in NY every time he visits so I will let him stay in my guest room. It’s very nice Belgian chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/32 "2011-11-25T07:03:55Z")
I’m fond of Domori. > **[Domori Italian Chocolate – Chocosphere](https://www.chocosphere.com/default/brand/d-i/domori.html)** > > Domori Italian Chocolate. Domori has a unique approach to their chocolate, selecting and roasting cocoa carefully and in small batches, processing it as little as possible, and performing some operations by hand that others do by machine. The result... ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/33 "2011-11-25T07:06:23Z")
I’m partial to Callebaut milk chocolate. Callebaut was originally Belgian, but was bought out by a Swiss company in 1996. I find it in grocery stores near the deli section in blocks that look like they’re broken from a larger five- or ten-pound bar. Around Boston, Whole Foods carries it. Buy a block, use a stout knife to cut off a smaller block, then gnaw on the corner of that until you break off a mouthful. Good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/34 "2011-11-25T12:57:57Z")
Saying that your girlfriend like chocolate is like saying somebody likes wine: rather unprecise. Sweet chocolate or dark (bitter)? What type of filling? Crunchy or soft-melting? I’ll recommend: [Zotter chocolate](http://www.zotter.at/en/home.html)- a small austrian company that has decided to explore the 600 aromes in chocoa bean by mixing it with … unusual stuff, so not only hazelnut and raisins, but also mountain cheese. They are hand-made (lifted), and organic and fair-trade, and ship to the US. [Vivani](http://www.vivani-chocolate.de/) also has very high-quality chocolate organic quality, but doesn’t ship, they only have a list of traders who sell them. A good organic store should have a good selection of several brands and kinds. I would advise against all Nestle and related corps., which might also include Hersheys (but don’t know about them), because the big companies have only a few suppliers, which use child slave labour to harvest the cocoa beans. Therefore I would recommend fair trade chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/35 "2011-11-25T13:02:16Z")
Others have mentioned it, but I’ll repeat: If you can get your hands on a box of Neuhaus, go for it. Absolutely wonderful. My wife loves the stuff and regards most other chocolate as distant seconds at best. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/36 "2011-11-25T13:12:13Z")
The best chocolate I have ever, ever tasted (and I have tasted a lot - I am a chocolate freak) is from the organic British chocolatier [Montezuma’s](http://www.montezumas.co.uk/). They have managed to perfect each of the basics: Dark, Milk and White. Each type is absolute perfection; the beans they have chosen are of such clearly high quality that they fill the mouth with flavour, hitting each note brilliantly, and their texture is spot-on. They’ve gone a bit crazy on their varieties recently, which makes choosing one a bit difficult. Unfortunately I don’t think they ship overseas. If you want a milk chocolate extravaganza, you can’t go far wrong with the texture and taste of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Giant Buttons. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/37 "2011-11-25T16:00:44Z")
This: > **[Gourmet La Parisienne | Luxury Hot Chocolate | Vosges Chocolate](https://www.vosgeschocolate.com/products/la-parisienne-drinking-chocolate)** > > Enjoy the decadent taste of La Parisienne hot chocolate, infused with Madagascan vanilla bean and deep dark chocolate. Shop La Parisienne gourmet hot chocolate now! It’s unbelievable. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/38 "2011-11-25T16:42:57Z")
My favorite local place is [Piron](http://www.belgchocpiron.com/) - they are totally old-school Belgian. They make everything in the back room. It’s a teeny storefront place, but they ship throughout the U.S. Trivia point: I grew up half a block from there, and the owner’s father used to be the janitor of the building we lived in when I was a toddler. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/39 "2011-11-25T17:25:05Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > Oh! How could I forget! Valrhona is the best. The bestest best. Mmmmmm … Quoted for truth. Extra Noir, mmmmm . . . For boxed chocolates, I’ll put in a plug for [Gail Ambrosius](http://www.gailambrosius.com) in Madison, WI. Yes, her name really is Ambrosius, from birth. How cool is that? ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889/40 "2011-11-26T06:23:31Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’m partial to Callebaut milk chocolate. Callebaut was originally Belgian, but was bought out by a Swiss company in 1996. I find it in grocery stores near the deli section in blocks that look like they’re broken from a larger five- or ten-pound bar. Around Boston, Whole Foods carries it. > > Buy a block, use a stout knife to cut off a smaller block, then gnaw on the corner of that until you break off a mouthful. Good stuff. It’s a bar a smidge over 11 pounds (5 kilo). One of my brothers is a food broker who sells to restaurants. I asked him to get me some chocolate for cooking purposes once and he got me a Callebaut bar the size of a small end table - the standard size apparently. Chocolate heaven. I just stared at it for a while before attacking it with an ice pick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-lovers-whats-your-favorite/603889.md?page=3)