2012: The Year in San Francisco Chocolate

Ever noticed that the SF Chronicle has a Beer column, a Cocktail column and a Cheese column – but nothing regularly devoted to chocolate?  Gourmet Walks is here to fill the void with news on the tastiest chocolate happenings in San Francisco in 2012.  We include not just chocolate boutiques but also patisseries who showcase local bean to bar chocolate makers, like Guittard and TCHO, in creative and delectable ways.

Openings

New Tree chocolate bars

New Tree – Belgium based New Tree Chocolate chose San Francisco for their first retail shop, which opened in June.  New Tree corporate offices are located not too far away in San Anselmo.  But the company’s commitment to sustainability and health is what makes San Francisco a natural fit.   The café (located right across from Yank Sing’s Stevenson location) sells fresh, organic lunch items and baked goods in addition to the full line of chocolate bars, spreads and snacks.  New Tree is featured on our midweek Chocolate Tours.

1 Ecker Place, 415-524-6416

Touring Dandelion Chocolate

Dandelion Chocolate - With Dandelion’s November opening, TCHO is no longer the only bean-to-bar chocolate maker in town.  Dandelion’s beautiful new factory and café is located on the trendy Valencia strip in the Mission, next to Mission Cheese and Abbott’s Cellar.  Every step of production is on display, with a crew personally trained by founders Todd Masonis and Cameron Ring in making small batches of chocolate using the best possible beans.  Café items include cacao fruit smoothies, iced chocolate and pastries.  Dandelion is featured on our Crosstown Chocolate Tours.

740 Valencia St., 415-349-0942

  

The Chocolate Lab – Over in the Dogpatch, Michael Recchiuti opened his long-anticipated Chocolate Lab in November.  This gets my vote for the most clever restaurant name of 2012!  Not just a chocolate shop, the Lab is modeled after the Cuisine de Bar in Paris, serving a range of savory tartines along with wine, beer and cocktails.  Recchiuti has also created homey gratins and casseroles that will soon be offered as pre-fix dinners. But the real star is dessert, including sundaes with homemade ice cream, chocolate cakes and custards.  The Chocolate Lab is featured on our Crosstown Chocolate Tours.

801 22^nd St (at Tennessee) 415-489-2881

Enjoying hot chocolate on a Crosstown Tour.

Craftsman & Wolves – In June William Werner (previously of Tell Tale Preserve) opened this gorgeous café on Valencia Street, next door to Dandelion Chocolate.  It’s clear this is the vision of a perfectionist, from the artistic cube cakes to the inspirational wall quotes.  The ultra thick Valrhona drinking chocolate served with a homemade violet marshmallow is not to be missed.  Craftsman & Wolves is featured on our Crosstown Chocolate Tours.

746 Valencia St. (at 18^th), 415-913-7713

Andrea leading a group at Tout Sweet

Tout Sweet – Top Chef star Yigit Pura opened Tout Sweet on the 3rd floor of Macy’s Union Square in September.  The bright purple, pink and white décor is inspired by Pura’s favorite children’s book, The Little Prince.  For tired shoppers, it’s a peaceful spot to sit down and look out over Union Square with a glass of champagne and a pastry.  Like C&W, Tout Sweet makes a yummy but lighter Valrhona hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows.  My absolute favorite Tout Sweet baked good is the sea salt chocolate chip cookie.  Tout Sweet was featured on our Holiday Lights & Chocolate Tour and will be on our Valentine’s Cupcake & Chocolate Tour.

170 O’Farrell St.. 415-385-1679

New Products & Collaborations

Chocolate makers partnering with local artisan food companies is a trend I’ve noted in San Franciso and beyond.  For example, Missouri based Askinosie has created “CollaBARations” with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream (Dark chocolate and malted milk) and Zingerman’s (Dark chocolate and crunch sugar crystals with vanilla bean).  Going in the reverse direction, GelatariaNaia uses Recchiuti burnt caramel syrup in their salted caramel gelato.

Coffee + Chocolate

San Francisco based TCHO Chocolate this year introduced the Mokaccino Bar, a blend of their celebrated Serious Milk chocolate (International Chocolate Award Winner) and Blue Bottle coffee. No longer just a bean-to-bar company, TCHO is also partnering with local companies to make confections in small batches.  One is a sugar free chocolate, blending 99% TCHO with local Marshall’s Farm honey. If you are one of our Chocolate Tour customers, your Chocolate Lover card will give you a nice little discount at their Pier 17 Beta Store.

Feve Artisan Chocolatier – With brand new packaging and an exotic sounding name, the founders of Au Coeur des Chocolat have stepped up their game.  Last week, Feve even won a Good Food Award for their Pistachio Rosemary Caramel.  Although Feve does not have a boutique, the chocolates can be purchased at the Fillmore Bakeshop and a few local grocery shops.  I particularly like that 5% of the proceeds benefit cacao farmers through Kiva.

On the Horizon

There are several new sweets projects I am excited to see open up sometime in 2013.  Once they are off the ground, you’ll be sure to find them on our private tour itineraries.

Charles Chocolate Redux – From Emeryville to Westfield Center and finally the Mission, Chuck Siegel is not giving up on his Willy Wonka dreams.  After a successful Kickstarter campaign this fall, Siegel is pressing forward with a target Spring opening.  Renderings of his new space on Florida Street look impressive, and Heath Ceramics and the Coffee Bar make great foodie neighbors.  I’m hoping to see a return of his classic confections, including Peanut Butter Butterflies and chewy Turtles.

535 Florida St., 415-659-8770

B. Patisserie – Belinda Leong’s Pacific Heights patisserie is perhaps a month or so away from opening.  Leong was the pastry chef at Manresa and has done various pop-ups in SF while plotting her brick and mortar debut.  Like most of the new patisseries, she will boost profits by selling savory lunch items as well.  Tip: don’t miss her kouign amann, a croissant-like pastry that is fast on the trendy heels of the Parisian macaron.

2821 California St.

Sixth Course at the SF Chocolate Salon

Sixth Course – Sixth Course has stolen the show at the past few Chocolate Salons and if you still haven’t tried them, put it on your to-do list for the weekend.  The usual San Francisco permitting and building delays are pushing back the Sixth’s Course opening of their Mission dessert shop to late summer.  Until then, you may buy their chocolates online, at a few local grocers or, if you’re really lucky, at the end of a dinner at Acquerello.  You can’t go wrong with any flavor combination, but I am partial to the Whiskey Neat with St. George Single Malt and the Smoked Salt caramel.

Michelle Polzine’s 20^th Century Café – Since Hayes Valley is a beloved Gourmet Walks tour neighborhood, I am especially looking forward to the launch of this café.  Polzine  (the pastry chef at Range) is looking to Eastern Europe for inspiration.  The café is set to open in the spring and will include blinis, crepes, strudels and rugelach – civilized treats for the post Opera crowd.  I see a gourmet knish on a future Gourmet San Francisco/Hayes Valley tour menu.

198 Gough St.

Wine Country Chocolates

We know where to go in San Francisco for the best artisan chocolate, and we'll take you there on our much-loved Chocolate Tours.  But if you're visiting wine country, what should be on every chocolate lover's itinerary? A few noteworthy spots have opened recently and we would like to share our old and new finds with you.

1) Downtown Napa - Anette's
Anette's is a must for anyone visiting downtown Napa.  With a shop and factory on First Street as well as a boutique in Oxbow Market, Anette's serves a wide array of truffles, award winning brittles, homemade ice cream and chocolate wine sauces.  On our Gourmet Napa Tour, we get the VIP treatment from the friendly staff at the First Street location.

Wine country visitors especially enjoy the Summer Cabernet or the Chardonnay truffle.  The brittles make perfect gifts, and can be toted along in the summer without worrying about melting.  The Chili Lime Tequila Brittle is Anette's newest and most adventurous flavor.  Men on our tours particularly enjoy the Beer Brittle with Spanish Peanuts.  Anette's makes an excellent dessert stop after dining at Oenotri next door, recently ranked as best "New Italian" restaurant in the United States by Food & Wine.

2) Yountville - Kollar Chocolates

Kollar Chocolates just celebrated its one year anniversary in Yountville's V Marketplace.  While Yountville is home to some of the best restaurants and pastry shops in the world, it was missing a chocolate shop and so Chris and Naomi Kollar stepped in to fill the void.  Wisely, they sell espresso drinks and gelato in addition to handcrafted chocolates, bark and other confections.  The chocolates are beautifully displayed, with colors and gloss in the style of Christopher Elbow.  Since Kollar Chocolates is in production each and every day, chances are you'll see some chocolate being made in the adjacent open kitchen during your visit.

The Fennel Pollen truffle is one of my favorites, a recent winner in the Napa Chocolate Salon.  New for the summer season is the Tour de France Collection, inspired by the bright jerseys of the fit international cyclists.   Spending the afternoon in Yountville?  I recommend picking up a boxed lunch from Addendum, enjoying a picnic with wine at the side entrance of V Wine Cellar, macarons from Bouchon and ending with treats from Kollar Chocolates.

3) Browns Valley Road, Napa - La Forêt

I had an incredible birthday dinner at San Francisco's Benu last fall.  When I learned that the chocolates concluding the meal came from Napa, I made a note to investigate.  The chocolatier is Wendy Sherwood and she worked as pastry chef at the French Laundry along with Corey Lee of Benu.  In May of 2010, she opened a chocolate shop in a little strip mall about 10 minutes out of downtown Napa.  The location didn't make sense to me until I understood her business a little better.

La Forêt does not have the standard array of chocolates available for shoppers to step in and purchase.  Instead Sherwood has established an allocation program that restaurants and chocolate enthusiasts commit to for the year.  This gives her freedom to experiment with unusual ingredients that many commercial chocolatiers would avoid due to their limited shelf life.  While I salivated over the descriptions of the summer allocation (available on her web site), I picked up a few artfully packaged bars to serve after dinner:  Strawberries & Cream (white chocolate) and Fluffanutter (milk chocolate, marshmallow).  Note to brides: Wendy Sherwood makes wonderful wedding cakes as well.

Do you have any other chocolate favorites in wine country?  Please share.

Mother's Day Indulgence: Chocolate & Wine

Breakfast in bed is nice, but I prefer something a little more celebratory and romantic to mark Mother’s Day and all the work we mothers do. If you’re a chocolate lover (and what mother isn’t?), consider my gourmet chocolate and wine pairings. Slip your husband a note on how to prep this party, then tuck the kids in bed and enjoy.

Some education
It’s not so easy to pair wine and chocolate because dark chocolate tends to overpower wine and big red wines can make chocolate taste bitter. The best route to follow is pairing chocolate with a dessert wine that is a bit sweeter than the chocolate. Most moms have a chardonnay handy, but not necessarily a cellar full of dessert wine. But take my word for it and invest in a bottle or two. Save whatever is left for that dinner party you’re always dreaming of throwing!

The Pairings
1. Scharffen Berger sparkling wine with Sixth Course Raspberry Cosmo Truffle 
The bubbles cut the creaminess of white chocolate for an ultra-satisfying pairing. The truffle is white chocolate ganache spiked with Hangar One Raspberry Vodka and a fresh raspberry jam core, brought to you by the award-winning Sixth Course, a new San Francisco artisan chocolatier. Bridget Labus and Gianina Serrano, the pastry chefs behind Sixth Course, will be opening a shop in the Mission district this summer.
 2. Traversa Brachetto d’Acqui with Recchiuti Piedmont Hazelnut Truffle 
More bubbles, but this time they’re pink with an irresistible aroma of strawberries and roses. This makes for a perfect pairing with creamy milk chocolate by beloved SF chocolatier Michael Recchiuti. The Piedmont truffle contains a whole toasted hazelnut and a chocolate gianduja filling. Recchiuti’s truffles are made in the Dogpatch, where he soon will be opening a café to complement his Ferry Building store.
 3. Alcyone Tannat with Recchiuti Sur del Lago 
This tannat is a dynamite, sensual dessert wine made in Uruguay but sold right in downtown Mill Valley. It’s named after the Greek demi-goddess who threw herself into the sea when her lover died. The cocoa finish of this wine is a sublime match with an intense, single origin truffle by Michael Recchiuti. Bittersweet ganache is topped with cacao nibs from the renowned cacao growing region of Venezuela, the Sur Del Lago.
4. Nieport Late Bottled Vintage Ruby Port with Poco Dolce Aztec Chile Tile
Port and chocolate make the classic pairing. This fortified wine is bold enough to stand up to spice infused chocolates, like the locally made Poco Dolce tiles. This bite-sized tile contains cinnamon, ground chiles and roasted pumpkin seeds topped with grey sea salt. Poco Dolce means “a little sweet” in Italian and all of chocolatier Kathy Wiley’s pieces include savory ingredients to balance the sweet.

Buying Guide
Chocolate:
Sixth Course – Rainbow Grocery, 24th St Cheese
Recchiuti – Ferry Building or at www.recchiuti.com
Poco Dolce – Whole Foods, Mollie Stones, Mill Valley Market, www.pocodolce.com

Wine:
Scharffen Berger Non Vintage Brut Excellence –Vintage Wine & Spirits, $19.99
Traversa Brachetto d’Acqui – Mill Valley Market, $23.99
Alycone Tannat – Vintage Wine & Sprits, $27.99 for 500 mL 2007
Nieport LBV Port – Vintage Wine & Spirits, $21.99

 If you are thirsty for more, get together a group of friends for the Gourmet Walks ULTRA Chocolate Tour in San Francisco. The tour features wine pairings, a chocolate martini and more!

How to Eat Chocolate Every Day and Stay Thin!

The #1 question we get as a Gourmet Walks Chocolate Tour Guides is “How is it you don't weigh 400 pounds?” This month we’re venturing into women’s magazines territory with our tips on how to enjoy gourmet chocolate daily without gaining weight. No, we don’t pop diet pills or get our stomachs stapled or spend our evenings on the treadmill. But for the most part, we eat chocolate every day and we’re happy with our weight.

1) Eat only the Best Chocolate you Can Afford – This is essential. Fine chocolate tastes better and is generally better for you – no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, less sugar. If you spend $10 or more on a gourmet chocolate bar, you are more likely to savor every bite and make it last rather than demolish it in one sitting. When you indulge in sugary candy bars, they usually don’t satisfy and you find yourself eating more and more.

Adam Smith, slim proprietor of Fog City News, says “With fine chocolate there is so much more flavor and nuance to it than say a bag of M&M’s. I always encourage customers to think about quality over quantity. So folks should resolve to eat less-but-better chocolate in 2012!” It’s Adam’s job to taste chocolate each and every day. And yet, he and his staff members are surprisingly trim.

2) Slow Down – I am a slow eater, and while my husband might say I talk too much, the benefit is I eat less than my dining companions. It honestly makes me cringe when I see someone devour a box of truffles without pausing even to figure out the flavor names.

Nicole is a Gourmet Walks Tour Guide who eats chocolate every day, and also samples the city’s finest baked goods and pastries on a regular basis. She is the closest thing to a cupcake connoisseur I know, and yet can only be described as thin. She says, “I eat slowly and never eat past full.”

John is a Gourmet Walks Tour Guide and part time sales associate at Scharffen Berger. He says, “When it comes to great chocolate - a little goes a long way. I used to wonder why I was compelled to plow through a #1 box of See's nuts and chews, but then I discovered gourmet chocolate. I'm now literally surrounded by chocolate for sometimes hours a day, but I don't need a pound of it to get that blissful feeling of chocolate satisfaction.”

3) Dark Chocolate Bars Most of the Time – When I say I eat chocolate every day, about 90% of that chocolate is in bar form. Gourmet truffles are undeniably delicious, but let’s be real…you just can’t eat that much sweet milk chocolate and fresh cream every day, even if it is organic! I save truffles for special occasions and treat them as desserts, served up on white china after a nice dinner. But fine chocolate bars are a daily indulgence – as long as it’s dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate (not milk) contains antioxidants, and that's where almost all the health benefits lie. Once these studies started coming out, dark chocolate sales (along with red wine) have steadily improved in the U.S. It doesn’t mean that milk chocolate isn’t worth eating. But if you’re interested in health and maintaining your weight, then make milk chocolate a special treat just a few days a week. Soon, your palate will adjust and the average candy bar will taste as sugary as a Pixie Stick.

4) Eat Only the Baked Goods YOU Make – This one I owe to Michael Pollan. In his Food Rules he says if you only eat desserts you make (rather than store-bought cookies and cupcakes) then you’ll eat a lot less of them. ("Eat all the junk you want as long as you cook it yourself.") Plus, you’ll feel good about what you’re eating because you know what’s in it! So indulge your inner domestic goddess and make a chocolate torte or homemade brownies. I know you won’t have enough time to do this very often, so don’t worry about it and enjoy when you do.

Oh, and what happens when that chocolate torte turns out to feed 16 people and your family of 4 only made a dent in it? Give it away. After I’ve had 2 servings of the dessert, I find it another home. Currently that means my au pair and her friends. Everyone leaves happy.

5) When You Have No Choice, Then Make it a Salad Night – Some days I have no choice but to indulge. For instance, I’m judging the San Francisco Chocolate Salon. Or even worse, I’m spending the day at the Fancy Food Show. This means unlimited chocolate, cheese, cookies, brownies and more over a 7-hour period.

After a day of excess, my body tells me exactly what to do. It craves a salad, or sushi, or a tofu quinoa salad followed by a spin class. It’s exactly the opposite from the rich, creamy tastes I’ve soaked up all day. Does this qualify as binge eating? Maybe, but I’m pretty sure it will keep you from gaining that chocolate weight and make you feel better the next day. These are my tricks.

6) Not Just For Dessert – My favorite time to eat dark chocolate is mid-afternoon, just as my energy is starting to lag. When it represents food and not dessert, I’m not expecting something sweet and I’m open to the wide realm of flavor profiles. I don’t overeat and I’m happy with just a few fine squares.

Honestly, eating a 70% plus chocolate bar for dessert can be a bit of a disappointment. It’s not going to taste sweet and so you’ll crave something else sweet and then you’ll end up overeating once more. Sounds like a viscious cycle that will end in a Snackwell overdose.

7) Think European – It’s challenging enough to lead Chocolate Tours, but how about being married to a chocolatier? Can you imagine the temptation? Take one look at Jacky Recchiuti (who runs Recchiuti Confections with husband Michael) and you’ll know she doesn’t lounge around popping bon bons in front of cooking shows all day.

Jackie Burrell, of The San Jose Mercury News, recently spoke to the Recchiutis about their very French lifestyle. “They shop every couple of days, European style, for what’s fresh and seasonal. They walk everywhere. And they revel in all the flavors and experiences the Bay Area has to offer.”

I’ve never been in better shape than when I’ve lived in cities where walking is the best way to get around. That’s why I centered my business on gourmet walking tours, rather than tours by bus or limo. We want our guests to see everything and to get the chance to walk off all that chocolate. As for my tour guides, they all agree that without the walking aspect of tour guiding, all those chocolate samples would linger on the hips far too long.

Have a tip on how to eat chocolate every day and stay thin?
Please share.

Don't Miss The Sixth Course

Judging a Chocolate Salon is no easy task. Yes, it's lots of "free chocolate," but not all of it is good and after an hour you'll long for salad and a spin class. But what keeps me coming back is discovering new chocolatiers who have something special to offer a competitive Bay Area chocolate scene. At Taste TV's Fall Chocolate Salon on November 13, I had the pleasure of tasting some decadent truffles from Bridget Labus and Gianina Serrano of Sixth Course. Coming soon, to the Mission district!

Bridget and Gianina have solid experience in Pastry at fine hotels and restaurants in San Francisco. Bridget has been Executive Pastry Chef at several 5 star luxury hotels, including the Four Seasons and the St. Regis. Gianina has had similar experience, focusing on Pastry at high volume fine dining restaurants (with the addition of courses in cheesemaking). It's no surprise, then, to find Sixth Course on the truffle cart at the always elegant Acquerello. But soon Sixth Course will be making the leap from luxe to edgy, as they are in the process of building out a boutique at 15th & Capp in the Mission. Not confined to truffles, the spot will sell petits fours, entremets, semifreddos, tea and coffee. (Stumped on "entremet"? see here.) Since San Francisco has seen more chocolate shop closings than openings in the past year, I am excited about the new space. Before long, our Chocolate Tours will be heading from Hayes Valley into the Mission and beyond.

For a new company, Sixth Course has a wide array of tempting flavors in three categories: Caramels, Wine & Spirits, Chef's Choice. They are sold in boxes of six, in simple brown packaging made from recycled materials. Most are round and generously sized. Booze and chocolate lovers, this is the brand for you. They work with premier local distilleries (like St. George) to create some delectable flavors, including the Whiskey, Neat and Raspberry Cosmopolitan. There are 6 different caramels on the menu, and we sampled both the Chai Tea and the Ceylon Cinnamon. The most unusual was Honey Fennel Pollen, a balanced blend of seasonal Bay Area flavors. The classic Hazelnut Praline was also delicious, flavored with just a touch of Frangelico.

The other Salon judges must have agreed with Gourmet Walks, because Sixth Course ended up taking home 2 Gold Medals (including Best in Salon), 4 Silver, and 3 Bronze. I caught up with Bridget after the salon to get a better sense of their inspiration:

1. What chocolatiers have inspired your work? (Bay Area or beyond)
Ewald Notter, Stephane Leroux, Andrew Shotts (Garrison Confections), Paul A. Young (London), Ramon Morato (Spain), Jean-Pierre Wybauw (Callebaut).....the list goes on and on....

2. Where do you find some of your favorite desserts in SF? What restaurants and pastry chefs?
Depending on the mood, a soft serve ice cream cone at Bi Rite ( can't be beat !) or plated dessert at Redd in Yountville ( always a pleasure to see and taste). Our go-to cake shop is Miette in SF ( love the look of their classic cakes, and the taste and textures are always right on the money!). Bouchon macaroons are also one of our favorites.

3. What are your favorite dessert cookbooks?
Chez Panisse Desserts. love love love fruit in a dessert!

4. What is the significance of your company's name?
The sixth course is typically the dessert course and our logo is the place setting. This idea came from one of our Grandmother's cookbooks from the 30's.

5. What is the biggest challenge to starting an artisan food business in SF?
Getting your name out there. Exercising patience and realizing that everything takes 5X as long as you think it will. Navigating the bureaucracy of the permitting system for our build out.

Have you tried Sixth Course? For now, look for them online and at Avedanos, Rainbow Grocery and the 24th St Cheese Company. Let us know what you think!

Gourmet Walks at Christopher Elbow

Just as the weather is getting sunny and warm-ish in San Francisco, shops and restaurants are telling us it's fall. For my local Starbucks, that means the return of the outrageously sweet Pumpkin Spice Latte. At Whole Foods, Gravenstein apples and pumpkins replace the gourmet S'Mores displays. Most Bay Area chocolate shops do not switch up their flavors very often, with the exception of our Hayes Valley favorite, Christopher Elbow. On Thursday 9/16, Kansas City based chocolatier Chris Elbow unveiled his fall chocolate lineup, along with an exciting new ice cream line and a Chocolate Ale.

Christopher Elbow was a pastry chef for many years before specializing in chocolate, and this shows in his approach to flavor development. Elbow explained that he looks for taste combinations he enjoys in food and then attempts to replicate them with chocolate, using a proprietary Valhrona blend for his couverture. As for bizarre flavors, he said "If I try something and don't want another, it's a good sign the combination doesn't work." (Yeah, just take a look in my Chocolate Drawer, where bacon/mushroom/olive bars languish for months.) Gourmet Walks tour guides found the Pumpkin Spice, Brown Butter & Molasses and Banana Curry perfectly balanced and, as always, perfectly lovely. The Banana Curry was my personal favorite, based on his popular Bananas Foster but made a little more exotic with a touch of curry. The Brown Butter & Molasses was rich, sweet and creamy - just the thing for a foggy SF evening, perhaps with a tawny port.

Since we know the magic Christopher Elbow creates with truffles, the most exciting part of the night was sampling his new Glacé Artisan Ice Cream. Elbow worked hard on his ice cream concept this summer, opening up two different shops in downtown Kansas City and a new production facility. His Glacé ice cream shops are separate from Christopher Elbow Chocolates, with distinct branding, and regularly feature about 22 different flavors. Just as with his chocolate, the ingredients are high quality, fresh, local and organic. On the menu for Thursday night was a Fresh Mint Chip, Goat Cheese & Honey, Rosemary Caramel, Venezuelan Spiced Chocolate and a Pineapple Cilantro Sorbet. My favorite was the Goat Cheese & Honey, followed by the Sorbet - a flavor inspired by a taco!

When will Glacé be available to San Francisco ice cream lovers? (A spoiled bunch we are, despite summer fog and wind that make pots of tea more appealing.) The Hayes Valley shop plans to start selling pints beginning in October or November. Eventually, Elbow hopes to add scoops as well as a Sundae Menu. Thinking hot fudge and maraschino cherries? Oh no, gourmet toppings more in line with Fraiche and some of the city's other high end yogurt shops, I'm guessing.

The last treat we sampled at Christopher Elbow was his new Chocolate Ale. Elbow collaborated with hometown brewery Boulevard to make just 1600 cases of this special beer. The beer is initially infused with nibs, and then cacao beans are added for more flavor in the fermentation tank. The Chocolate Ale was a huge hit in Kansas City, selling out quickly all over town. And it's not as strange as it sounds. Mainstream beer makers (like Sam Adams) are now adding chocolate to their stouts and Recchiuti's chocolate and beer pairing box is one of his most popular. We enjoyed the Ale, but as Chocolate Tour guides, we were already thinking about getting our hands on more Banana Curry truffles.

Have you tried the new Christopher Elbow fall flavors? Let us know what you think!

Dandelion Chocolate

There is a new bean-to-bar chocolate maker in town, and this one has a name we can all pronounce. It's Dandelion Chocolate, the inspiration of two Stanford pals who sold their tech company, Plaxo, and reinvented themselves as chocolate makers. About 1 1/2 years ago, Todd Masonis and Cameron Ring started tinkering around with different types of cacao beans in their San Jose garage. (I love the image of a Silicon Valley garage, once crammed with computers and nerdy programmers, remodeled for antique winnowing machines and melangeurs.) Now they are plotting a factory/retail shop/cafe in the Mission at 740 Valencia, just a stone's throw from Bi-Rite and Tartine.

Unlike the other big names in the local bean-to-bar chocolate scene, Dandelion is a micro-batch chocolate maker. (As in, roasting 1 kilo of beans at a time - something like making 3 batches of chocolate chip cookies for your child's bake sale.) The single origin bars we tried (70% Madagascar and 70% Venezuela) made it clear this is for true dark chocolate lovers. The flavors are intense and the texture is not as smooth and creamy as popular European bars like Valhrona and Cluizel. At the moment, Dandelion uses only nibs and sugar in their chocolate. No soy lecithin, cocoa butter or vanilla. But sweet tooths, don't despair. Plans are in place for building a cocoa butter press and enhancing the line to include semisweet bars and even milk chocolate.

Dandelion is working on a new look, including logo and packaging. In the meantime, the lovely bar wrappers are reminiscent of Mast Brothers - recycled cotton from India's garment industry. They also plan to start a sourcing initiative, but for now their beans come by way of a broker. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on one of Dandelion's bars, you'll find they are incredibly fresh and that's a key advantage to sticking with micro-batch chocolate makers. (The bar we sampled on our Chocolate Tour was made just 24 hours prior!)

Oh, and here's how... Make it a point to visit the next New Taste Marketplace in Potrero Hill, scheduled for July 16. This monthly community market works on a sliding scale entrance fee, giving you access to some of the best up-and-coming food artisans in SF. While chatting with Dandelion, check out SodaCraft for seasonal yeast fermented soda, NeoCocoa for her new peppermint truffles and Nute's Cupcakes for cupcakes with an Asian flair.

Have you tried Dandelion? Please do, and let us know what you think!

The Year in Chocolate: 2010

The Year in Chocolate
Bay Area 2010
1. Openings
Let’s start out with some happy news. Chuck Siegel no longer has a commute. Charles Chocolates opened a flagship shop in Westfield Mall this year, closing down all Emeryville operations. Even bigger news, Charles will soon be expanding into a 5000 square foot shop and kitchen that has even Mayor Newsom celebrating. On a smaller scale (a little bit grimy), fine chocolate made its way into the Tenderloin with the opening of Hooker’s Sweet Treats in June. All you salted caramel addicts, his version is among the best in the city. Suburban sidenote – Marin chocolate lovers will finally have somewhere worthy of a visit. Chocolatier Blue has leased space in Strawberry Village, with an opening slated for early 2011.

2. Closures
We were sad to say goodbye to the Maiden Lane location of Alegio Chocolate. Now it’s a trek to Berkeley for the avant garde Enrico Rovira chocolates and Claudio Corallo bars. (Tip: roommate Manika Jewelry is still open, and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner…) In June, Seneca Klassen announced the closure of its Fillmore Street Bittersweet shop, citing rent disputes. Though nothing beats a Bittersweet hot chocolate, Citizen Cake re-opening around the corner is yummy consolation. And finally, Mary Loomas of Saratoga Chocolates quietly closed her San Francisco location at the end of December (in the old and beloved Joseph Schmidt shop).

3. Comfort Chocolate
From the looks of the average Bay Area restaurant dessert menu, comfort desserts just never go out of style. High class donuts at the end of a meal – who can resist? There is a definite trend in comfort chocolate flavors, with toffee leading the way. Gourmet Walks guides are loving the Chocolat Moderne Kashmir Bar (55% dark with toffee, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves), Xocolatl de David 72% dark milk salted caramel bar and the Patric PB&J Bar (jelly flavor only comes from the fruity notes of the cacao beans). You’ll likely find all three at Fog City News. As for comfort truffles, consider the Norman Love Vanilla Cupcake truffle (Cocoa Bella) and Christopher Elbow’s new Maple Walnut (Elbow Hayes Valley).

4. Micro-batch
Smaller is pretty much always considered better in the world of chocolate, wine, beer and other artisan foods. The concept of micro-batch chocolate is not new. After Scharffen Berger paved the way, Steve DeVries took pride in being “100 Years Behind the Times” and creating micro-batches in 2005. Patric, Taza, Amano, Mast Brothers and Rogue soon followed. One tour guide’s favorite micro-batch chocolate from this year is Rogue Chocolatier’s Piura Bar – made from just 4 bags of cacao beans purchased from a small organic farm in Piura, Peru. Savor the taste….you might not find it again.

5. More of the Bizarre
While comfort chocolate flavors are big, we still haven’t seen the end of bizarre flavor combinations in both truffles and bars. Bacon is old news, though Vosges continues to milk the success of its Bacon Bar with even a bacon chocolate chip pancake mix! My top choice for weirdest flavor of the year was East Bay Michael Mischer’s barbeque truffle, often carried by Cocoa Bella. It tastes like a smoky barbeque sauce and chocolate. Try that one with a microbrew.

6. Extreme Pairings
Foodies once thought pairing chocolate with anything but port was a mistake. Local chocolate companies are now embracing unusual pairings and from our perspective, consumers love it (especially the young ones). This year Recchiuti launched boxes for Beer Pairings, Whisky Pairings and Spirits Pairings. His suggestion – a tarragon grapefruit ganache with absinthe. On the extreme side, TCHO even sponsored a tequila and chocolate pairing night. Ugh, I’ll pass on that one.

7. Revamped Packaging
Vosges is the queen of sexy packaging and, until this year, the only chocolate maker I know of with a picture of the owner/creator on the back. Patric Chocolate, based in Missouri, said farewell to its nondescript small brown bars and launched a splashy new wave-ish design with his photo on the cover. Yes, he has a purple face but I think that was the idea. And the titles of his bars almost sound like a teenager’s text message, as in “PBJ OMG.” I also want to point out Rococo’s beautiful new packaging, even though founder Chantal Coady neglected to include the name of the company on front of the bar!

8. Pies, etc.
Are you tired yet of hearing predictions on what will be the next cupcake? The 2010 consensus is the pie and chocolate will most definitely play a role. Mission Pie (so ahead of this trend) makes a yummy chocolate cream pie. But my favorite pie variation is the whoopie pie, the dense New England treat that is finally making its way to California. Susie Cakes is serving whoopie pies for birthday parties and even (believe it) weddings. When summer rolls in, be sure to check out Michael Recchiuti’s unique whoopie pies, laced with candied orange peel, coated in dark chocolate and filled with burnt caramel buttercream.

9. An Education
More and more local chocolate makers are opening their doors and kitchens for chocolate making classes. It’s not enough that we consume lots of gourmet chocolate; we want to learn how to make it! Coco-luxe charges $160/pp for a “Build Your Own Chocolate Bar” class and you’ll take home 6 tasty bars. (Birthday party blues? Kids 10 and up welcome) Saratoga Chocolates, Cocoa Delice and Charles Chocolate have all offered different types of classes in the past. At Gourmet Walks, you can combine a Chocolate Tour with a chocolate truffle making class from SOMA based Baking Arts. A full day of indulgence!

10. Newsworthy
The big story of 2010 is that the price of chocolate is expected to go up, way up. This will primarily affect candy bar companies who shall remain nameless – not the good stuff we regularly sample on our tours! And it is a reminder why it’s important to support small batch chocolate makers who are paying cacao workers fair wages or even sharing the profits. Closer to home, John Scharffenberger took a position as CEO of Hodo Soy’s gourmet organic tofu company, based in Oakland. (Psst…that is some good tofu!) And finally, TCHO is stirring up a battle vs. Guittard for a starring role on fine dessert menus around San Francisco and beyond.

To taste some of these trends, take a Chocolate Tour with Gourmet Walks! Offered Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays year round.

Talking Chocolate with Mary Loomas

Last Friday Mary Loomas of Saratoga Chocolates joined Gourmet Walks on our third Celebrity Chocolate Tour in San Francisco. Our guests have had a great time on these special summer tours. (If you missed them, there are still spots on our last Celebrity Tour with Chuck Siegel of Charles Chocolates on September 4th!) Mary brought some of her own tasty samples and chimed in with feedback as we visited seven different downtown chocolate boutiques. Mary's kitchen and original location is, of course, in Saratoga on Big Basin Way but she also has a quaint shop in the Castro.

I caught up with Mary before the tour to get a feeling for her position on some classic chocolate topics. And I also discovered a wonderful recipe for those who want to enjoy chocolate without loading up on cream and sugar.

1. Chocolate and bacon - where do you stand?
Okay with me. Not my favorite. I make a smoked almond caramel that’ll knock your socks off. Something about the sweet, smokey and dark chocolate.

2. Wine and chocolate - do you mix and what are your favorite combos?
We have a line of chocolates made to pair with reds. We hold classes on wine and chocolate pairing. Many favorites but wine needs to be specifically paired.

3. Madagascar or Venezuala - what are your favorite origins when it comes to dark chocolate?
St. Dominique by Cocoa Barry is my favorite: beans are from Dominican Republic.

4. Guittard or TCHO - who is now the local bean to bar chocolate maker of choice?
E. Guittard is great. TCHO is getting there. I’m working with them on a custom blend but they have some work to do to really be there. Try Amano (Utah’s not that far away) for something amazing.

5. Flavonoids and antioxidants - do you believe the hype about chocolate and health benefits?
I’m living proof. Dropped my cholesterol by leaps with chocolate, wine and exercise. I work with the Cardio department at El Camino Hospital and teach classes with them on heart healthy diets…it’s true…..

Mary's Guilt-free Chocolate Recipe: Le Jardin de Couers

1/2 cup Chopped Dried Apricots
1/4 cup Chopped Candied Ginger
1/2 cup Chopped Candied Orange Peel
1/2 cup Whole Roasted Almonds (no salt)
1/2 cup Whole Shelled Roasted Pistachio Nuts (no salt)
1 pound Dark Chocolate (your favorite to eat, preferably 70% cacao or more)
Using tempered chocolate. Pipe chocolate directly into heart shaped molds or pipe chocolate onto waxed or parchment paper, 2-4 rows at a time. Jiggle to remove bubbles.

Decorate w/ 1 each of the fruits and nuts Let set in cool location. Store in airtight container at room temperature and product can be enjoyed over several weeks.

Note: Tempering or precrystallizing is to get the cocoa butter and chocolate in the most stable form - known in the industry as V form. This produces the characteristic "snap" when you bite into it and a shiny (molded) or satin (enrobed) finish. Well tempered chocolate also does not immediately melt in your fingers. Unstable or untempered chocolate has a melting point of 65F. Tempered chocolate has a melting point of 95F. Generally the process of tempering is melting the chocolate including all of its fatty acid crystals by heating the chocolate to 110-131F. Next we form seed crystals by cooling the chocolate to between 79-84F while continuously stirring (to ensure even temperature). Lastly, we warm the chocolate back up to melt unwanted crystals and hold temper. This is between 89-90F for dark chocolate and 86-87F for white and milk.

Pipe chocolate directly into heart shaped molds or pipe chocolate onto waxed or parchment paper, 2-4 rows at a time. Jiggle to remove bubbles.

Decorate w/ 1 each of the fruits and nuts. Let set in cool location. Store in airtight container at room temperature. Will last several months.

The Xocolate Bar

If Mexican artist Frida Kahlo owned a chocolate shop, it would probably look something like this. Vermillion walls, gold trim, a crystal chandelier. Chocolate medallions painted with luster dust sit next to hand crafted jewelry in a glass case. Multi-colored "frisky housewife" aprons lie next to long strips of chocolate banana jerky. All of this on Berkeley's Solano Avenue, an adorable 26 block stretch of restaurants and shops in between Albany and downtown Berkeley.

Malena Lopez-Maggi opened The Xocolate Bar with partner Clive Brown in July of 2008, after making chocolates in a San Rafael kitchen since 2006. The Xocolate Bar has been a regular at the San Francisco Chocolate Salons, picking up many awards including "Best in Show." They use organic, local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible, including rangpur lime grown by a neighbor and coffee beans from Ritual Coffee Roasters. They change flavors from week to week, and when I visited at the beginning of summer, rhubarb was just coming out of the kitchen. For vegans, there are many options, which makes sense in a neighborhood where there is even a new vegan fast food spot.

The Xocolate Bar plays with the notion of chocolate as an aphrodisiac, from their Make Out Truffle (with aphrodisiac ingredients) to their molded pieces in the shape of women's breasts and booties. It's a clever niche for them to fill, since the average Union Square chocolate shop is well buttoned up. Women planning a slightly naughty bachelorette party would have a blast picking erotic chocolates from the shop, or working with Malena on custom creations. For example, when SATC2 came out Malena created the "Sex and the Titty" truffle - dark chocolate breasts filled with organic cranberry-lime ganache inspired by Carrie's cosmos. I'd take one of those over the movie any day!

I sampled The Xocolate Bar's incredibly rich sipping chocolate, made simply with bittersweet chocolate and water, $2.75 for one potent 4 ounce shot. I then chose the prettiest of the fresh truffles, from the organic coconut to the Aztec Amor to the passionfruit heart. It's almost a shame to eat them because the truffle molds used by the Xocolate Bar are so unique. My favorite was the salted honey, which came right from the small working kitchen behind the shop's counter. Malena uses Marin Wildflower Honey from Marshall's Honey Farm, and just two other ingredients: sea salt and dark chocolate. Another sweet option is the rangpur lime, not overly tangy since the rangpur lime is actually a mix between a lemon and a mandarin orange. For budding amateur chocolatiers, Malena actually posts most of her recipes on her blog, idreamofchocolate.com.

Want to learn more about Malena and the Xocolate Bar? Gourmet Walks is planning our second Celebrity Chocolate Tour on Saturday, July 17 at 1pm. Malena will be accompanying the tour and sharing her thoughts on the art of making gourmet chocolate and making it a business. If you're very good, she'll be sharing her own samples too! Click here to purchase tickets for the July 17th Tour.

Afternoon Pick-Me-Up

Hooker's Sweet Treats. It looks like Martha Stewart has ventured into the TenderNob and transformed 442 Hyde into a farmhouse chic coffee and chocolate bar. Cobalt blue walls, antique wooden tables, a tiny open kitchen and shelves with curious flea market finds (like Cracker Jack Boxes from before I was born). Caramels come loose in brown waxed paper bags or wrapped in heavy brown paper and twine. The design elements are spot on, and the caramels are even better.

I've complained about this before...poor Gourmet Walks tour guides try a lot of salted caramels. Many of them are just so so, and there are only a few that absolutely must be sampled. Hooker's is one of them. We love that David "Hooker" Williams uses intense dark chocolate (72%) since so many salt caramels are milk. And the salt he uses is flaked right on top - Welsch lightly smoked sea salt. Ingredients are also Michael Pollan approved: agave nectar for sweetener, organic locally sourced fair trade chocolate. At $2 a piece, I'd spring for the 20 for $10 and invite friends over. They won't last long.

Gourmet Walks will come here for the caramels, but coffee fans won't be disappointed by the fresh roasted Sightglass Coffee. Started by Blue Bottle alums, Sightglass is the place to go when you find yourself in the outer limits of SOMA, and now, the TenderNob. The Hooker's Mocha is a beautiful partnership. And then there are the bread puddings, inspired by Williams's childhood in Lousiana. But why fill up on bread puddings when there are luscious caramels to devour?

Hooker's Sweet Treats is at 442 Hyde Street, open from 8-5 Monday through Friday and 10-2 on Saturdays.

Perfect Afternoon in the Haight

1. Denim shopping at Villains Vault
2. Summer Sale at Behind the Post Office
3. Dinner and a cocktail at the Alembic
4. Chocolate and wine pairings at Coco-luxe

Let’s talk about #4…my tour guides and I gathered at Coco-luxe last Thursday to sample their chocolate pairings with 122 West Wines. San Francisco industry folks may wonder - how can a chocolate shop serve wine? It involved some crafty maneuvering. Stephanie Marcon, chief chocolatier behind Coco-luxe, married Stan Bradbury, who decided to create a winery. The two worked the funky San Francisco system to get approved for a Tasting Room license in the Haight. The result is delightful, and something that no other chocolate shop can offer right now!

Longitude 122 West marks the home of Napa and Sonoma counties, where all the wine’s grapes are sourced. 122 West currently bottles 5 different wines, all available at Coco-luxe for tasting. We began with a light Napa sangiovese, followed by a food-friendly Napa zinfandel. We then sampled a Russian River syrah and a durif, and finished with a Sonoma port style wine.

Each taste of wine is accompanied by a small piece of dark chocolate and a truffle. The truffles are trademark Coco-luxe, inspired by Stephanie’s nostalgic desserts from childhood: german chocolate, malted milk, devil’s food, shoo-fly caramel and gingerbread. A favorite was the shoo-fly caramel. We taste salted caramels at least once a week on our tours (poor Gourmet Walks tour guides!), so the addition of molasses for the shoo-fly flavor is a refreshing change. The double cherry with the syrah was another excellent pairing, with the cherry truffle flavors drawing out the black cherry and cassis notes in the wine.

The Haight may not be at the top of a foodie's list for gourmet experiences, but the Coco-luxe boutique is a chic but warm haven away from the panhandlers and the fog. Bright orange sherbert walls, shiny white countertops, the smell of drinking chocolate and wine. It’s the perfect end to a well planned afternoon in the Haight. We’re happy to include the Coco-luxe wine tasting experience on our Limo Tours and private events. Please contact us to learn more at info@gourmetwalks.com

Tour Guides Take on Tempering

This past Superbowl Sunday, rather than tending a chili and shopping for beer, I took my tour guides to a chocolate cooking class with Richard Festen of Baking Arts. Chocolate thermometers in hand, we stirred and dipped and re-heated and stirred again to create some delectable dark chocolate truffles and cocoa logs. Richard teaches his baking classes out of a small and stylish kitchen/loft in SOMA and keeps the groups small enough so you'll get plenty of attention and experience. Lucky for us, Richard had recently studied at Chicago's Callebaut Chocolate Academy to further expand his chocolate offerings. Other classes include pies, croissants, eclairs, cream puffs and the ubiquitous French Macaron. Take one look at his web site and the fabulous cakes he has created and you'll know you are in good hands.

It's been said that the Type A personality is a pre-requisite for mastering the precise art of baking. I hire my tour guides for their effervescent enthusiasm for chocolate and their vibrant personalities - not necessarily for their patience. As we tried to get our bowls of chocolate to that magical sweet spot of 88 to 91 degrees, mumbled curses louder and louder. A chocolate thermometer reads in 1 degree increments since a small difference in degree makes a big difference in the final result. Why not just melt chocolate and pop a strawberry in it, like you do with most home baking recipes? We learned by experience that untempered chocolate will bloom quickly and lack shine. It will be messy to serve and won't snap sharply the way a good chocolate bar does. Most large scale chocolate producers have tempering machines, but for the home baker, there is no choice but to learn how to temper.

When the chocolate at last reached the right temperature, we took our balls of ganache and dipped them in with a chocolate dipping fork, taking care to tap the bowl and remove the excess so our truffles did not develop "hips." After dipping, we rolled each truffle in shaved dark chocolate or white chocolate, an easy way to hide mistakes for the amateur chocolate maker. We used the same method for cocoa logs, also rolling each in powdered sugar and then laying to rest. We found that after making just about 4 or 5 chocolates, the temperature dipped too low and we were back to re-heating and stirring and tempering once more.

As chocolate tour guides, we are always curious about the type of chocolate bakers choose to use. For Richard, it is Guittard's 72% chocolate wafers. Although he had made the ganache in advance for us (since it needs a day to rest), he demonstrated his method at the end and let us try our hands at piping what would become the cocoa logs. Again, precision was key. Richard used his chocolate thermometer and his digital scale to ensure that the ganache was smooth, creamy and lump-free. That didn't stop us from pushing too hard with the piping or not hard enough so that our logs resembled lumpy caterpillars.

In the end we all graduated from Chocolate 1 with a box of slightly imperfect chocolates to take home and show off. But to bring to a Superbowl Party? Doubtful, we know by now not to waste fine chocolate! We also previewed the techniques learned in Chocolate 2 and Chocolate 3, from molding chocolate to using intricate transfer sheets to decorate the tops. Something to aspire to, but for now we will return to talking about chocolate and eating it as Gourmet Walks tour guides - letting the masters do the hard work.

Recipe: Baking Arts Cocoa Logs
yields approximately 30 pieces
2 oz bittersweet chocolate 64%, chopped
3 oz semisweet chocolate 55%, chopped
3 1/4 oz heavy cream (6 T)
1/2 oz light corn syrup (2 tsp)
1/2 oz butter, unsalted, room temp (1 T)
1 lb chocolate, tempered
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

For the ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
Bring cream and corn syrup just to the boil while stirring. Pour over chopped chocolate and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Slowly stir with a whisk to begin creating the emulsion. Stir thoroughly to ensure the ganache is well mixed and emulsified.
Check the temperature. When the ganache reaches 95F, mix in the softened butter, stirring well. Let the ganache cool at room temperature undisturbed for about an hour or until it has cooled to below 74F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Scrape ganache into a large piping bag fitted with an Ateco #806 round tip. Pipe out even parallel lines of ganache. Set aside to dry overnight at room temperature. Cut into 1 1/4 inch lengths with a paring knife. Dip in tempered chocolate and roll in powdered sugar. Allow chocolate to set before storing cocoa logs at cool room temperature.

Aged Sake & Chocolate

Chocolate & beer? Sake & cheese? Innovative pairings are all the rage. Today's foodie has no patience for rules that once gave us very little choice when dining. As in, if you're ordering fish, then only a glass of chardonnay will do. When I invited some neighbors over last week for sake and chocolate, they were intrigued. My objective was to gather reactions to a bottle of Hanahato Kijoshu, an aged dessert sake, that I picked up at True Sake on a recent Gourmet on Hayes Tour. (And make amends for the giant construction zone our street has become, thanks to our remodeling project.)

I had never tasted a dessert sake before, and neither had anyone at the party. When we poured it into mini sake glasses, we were surprised by the dark amber color. This can be explained by the fact that it is aged for 8 years, which is actually quite unusual for sake. According to sake expert John Gauntner in a recent SF Chronicle article, sake was commonly aged beginning in the 1600s in Japan but this changed in the Meiji era (1868) when brewers became taxed on what they brewed, not what they sold. It was to their advantage to sell quickly. He estimates that aged sakes are now less than 1% of the marketplace. Beau Timken, owner of True Sake, says "Look at the color. The darker the sake, the more expressive and full-bodied it will be."

At 17% alcohol, just a little of Hanahato Kijoshu will do. It can be served at room temperature or chilled, and I opted for chilled since as parties go on, a room temperature beverage becomes unpleasantly warm. I had an array of chocolates available for pairing from Recchiuti, Scharffen Berger and Christopher Elbow. (And for those who could stomach only a bit of the sake, I also offered a port and my favorite Dashe late harvest zinfandel.) As I always say on my tours, when you can get fine chocolate, putting a party together could not be simpler!

Many expected light floral or fruity notes to the sake, which would would have paired nicely with some of the lighter Recchiuti chocolates - like the lavender vanilla. But this sake is much more robust and complex, with a distinct caramel nutty taste that makes it an ideal match with dark, intense chocolates. It is sweet, but not anywhere near as sweet as the late harvest zinfandel. Some likened it more to a whiskey or a scotch. We thought it worked well with the Recchiuti burnt caramel, force noir, kona coffee and even the rose caramel. When paired with the Scharffen Berger single origin dark chocolate bars, like the 68% Camahogne from Grenada, this sake took on more of the dried fruit notes. Urbansake.com writes that the Hanahato Kijoshu would be excellent served over vanilla ice cream. No takers here! Overall, the sake was well received but 3/4 of the bottle still remains in my refrigerator, while the other wines were emptied quickly.

Hanahato Kijoshu is available at True Sake, which will also ship anywhere in California. A 500 ML bottle sells for $34. Give them a call at 415-355-9555. Scharffen Berger single origin bars are available for a limited time only at the Ferry Building Store.

Chocolate Visions

The holiday shopping season has officially begun, and when in doubt, I choose the gift of chocolate. I know what I want - something local, handmade and incredibly delicious. But sometimes we get swayed by glitzy packaging and marketing claims, ignoring what is right in front of our eyes. Chocolate Visions has been making chocolate in the Santa Cruz Mountains long before the artisan chocolate craze hit the Bay Area. They may not have the slickest packaging, but their truffles and bars are sure to please anyone on your holiday list.

Lloyd and Lindy Martin create all of their chocolate by hand in their Scotts Valley kitchen. They are not afraid to experiment with bold flavors, and always use the finest ingredients. For instance, they spent over 6 months perfecting the flavor of their Rose truffle, finally selecting Turkish Rose Otto oil to enhance each bite. Their lavender truffle incorporates lavender and olive oil from Valencia Street Farm in nearby Aptos. For chocolate, the Martins primarily use e. Guittard. Although Lloyd attended chocolatier school 5 years ago, he taught himself how to make edible ink, cocoa butter and natural food coloring - all key elements to the intricate designs on each chocolate piece.

Our Chocolate Tours have been loving the new Chocolate Visions 3 oz bars, which debuted over the summer ($6.95 each). It's difficult to combine chocolate with lemon, but we think their Luscious Lemon, with applewood smoked almonds and candied meyer lemon, is a winner. Another tempting bar option is the Chocolate Visions Oh My Goodness Bar, a gourmet version of the classic Mr. Goodbar, with toasted coconut and honey roasted peanuts. Try them side by side and we're pretty sure you'll never go back to sugary, waxy candy bars again.

For those who still question the desire to combine chocolate with wine, Lindy Martin says "Just try it!" Chocolate Visions has worked directly with over 75 different California wineries to blend their wine with chocolate, and imprint each chocolate with the winery's logo. They prefer working with full bodied reds, like the Burrell School merlot and the Bartolo "super tuscan" - both available in their Winery Collection box ($21.95 for 12 pieces). We often sample these on our Chocolate & Wine Tours. They taste divine, and have the added bonus of lasting at least a month longer than the average truffle because of the wine.

If you're looking for something with a holiday theme, Chocolate Visions has just unveiled their Christmas Collection, with wintery flavors like meyer lemon olive oil, hazelnut and tangerine ($46.95 for 24 pieces). If you're close enough to Scotts Valley to make the trip, Chocolate Visions will be holding a Holiday Open House on December 12th from 1-5pm. Combine it with a trip to Richard Donnelly in Santa Cruz and you'll be done with chocolate holiday shopping well before the final hour!

Neo Cocoa

The chocolate media darling of the year is undoubtedly Christine Doerr's Neo Cocoa. I first sampled these unique truffles at the San Francisco Chocolate Salon, where Neo Cocoa snagged a first place for "Best Truffle" and a second place for "Best Traditional Chocolates," "Top Artisan Chocolatier," "Most Luxurious Chocolate Experience," "New Product" and "Best in Salon." With accolades like that, how much higher can Neo Cocoa soar?

Since the Salon, Neo Cocoa was named "Best New Chocolates" by 7X7 Magazine and Doerr even appeared on Martha Stewart Living (radio). One explanation for the media frenzy is that, in an increasingly competitive world of artisan chocolatiers, Neo Cocoa chocolates offer something new. Christine Doerr has no use for couverture. Neo Cocoa chocolates are simply ganache, and for those whose idea of bliss is the creamy center of a chocolate, this is very good news. Like any good San Franciscan, Doerr insists on fresh local and organic ingredients: Guittard chocolate, Straus cream, Sweet Earth cocoa powder.

A graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Doerr has worked as a pastry chef for over ten years. After taking some time off to study graphic design, Doerr came back to the pastry world and started Neo Cocoa in November of 2008.

I purchased a small assortment of Neo Cocoa truffles from the Village Market in the Ferry Building. The flavors are simple yet sophisticated: ginger root, toasted coconut, crushed bittersweet nib, zested lime and almond butter & smoked sea salt. In other words, you won't find "fun flavors" like root beer, cupcake and peanut butter and jelly that are now in vogue. This suits me perfectly, as I prefer to taste chocolate first and then a bit of flavor enhancer. In all her chocolates, Doerr has a subtle touch and even the ginger root is not too overwhelming. My favorites were the bittersweet nib and the almond butter & smoked sea salt.

My only concern was that the boxes at the Village Market did not have an expiration date filled in. I am the kind of shopper who is obsessed with buying the freshest possible food - always digging back in the shelves to find the latest possible expiration date. I wondered if the truffles were as fresh as they could be, and really hope that Neo Cocoa starts including the expiration date. A good alternative for shoppers is to order directly from their web site.

While Neo Cocoa fans have got to be begging for some new flavors (and word is something is in development), I applaud the chocolate makers who do just a few things well. Scharffen Berger began with three simple bars. And we at Gourmet Walks are taking our time in creating our next tour! Wherever Neo Cocoa goes next, I'm confident it will be delicious.

Maison Bouche

I have a soft spot for France. Like many a food enthusiast, I spent a year there in college and returned not only with a beret - but a new love for fine chocolate, gourmet cheeses and Cote du Rhone. A new French chocolate caught my eye at Miette Confiserie last month, Maison Bouche. At least it looked French (with no English flavor explanations), but I was surprised to learn the bars are made not on the banks of the Seine but right here in downtown Oakland.

As Malena from the Xocolate Bar pointed out, the East Bay is now the place for budding chocolatiers to set up shop. Cheaper rent, easier parking, warmer weather - and hordes of Berkeley parents to please. The founder of Maison Bouche, Diane Beaty, is a graduate Tante Marie's pastry program. She has been in the chocolate business for 3 years, and just this year dedicated herself on a full time basis. Though her mixing bowl is in Oakland, Diane's heart is most definitely in France, with Paris as her favorite European food town. Her company (literally translated as "house of the mouth") is named after the sumptuous kitchens at Versailles.

The 18th century French influence is evident in each bar's elegant packaging and the Maison Bouche web site. Think "shabby chic" meets Marie Antoinette. Diane confesses she loves anything Baroque - including architecture, art, clothing and of course confections. One of her favorite creations is the Amandes Cacaotees, fashioned after one of Marie Antoinette's much loved candies. These almonds are caramelized, then dipped in dark chocolate and dusted in cocoa. Her unusual Langues de Chat ("cat tongues") is another popular French candy from the past.

I sampled three small Maison Bouche bars ($6 each): Sables Croquants, Tilleul, and Pamplemousse Rose. Yet this is only the beginning; Maison Bouche offers 16 different flavored bars, many available in both "noir" and "lait." All of her noir (dark) chocolate bars are 55% cacao, created from a proprietary blend of French couverture. If it's difficult for you to choose, the two most popular are the Fleur de Sel and the Sables Croquants (crunchy butter cookies). Thankfully, the flavor addition does not overpower the smooth and creamy chocolate taste. Because of Diane's subtle touch, I have no fear that her "basilic au poivre" would overwhelm my taste buds with unwelcome spiciness.

Maison Bouche bars and confections are available online and at just a handful of retailers. For those in the Bay Area, Miette is the place to go. Weddings, tea parties, bridal showers, gifts for Francophiles...think Maison Bouche.