Christopher Elbow on Hayes

It's 9 pm on a Friday night and you're due to meet a friend for a drink in Hayes Valley. Maybe you're pregnant, or your friend is 12, or maybe you're just looking for something a little different and non-alcoholic - that's where the new Christopher Elbow Chocolate Bar makes perfect sense.

Located on the corner of Hayes and Gough, the Christopher Elbow boutique opened in February with a chocolate counter and a separate bar area that is open until 10 pm. The decor is minimalist and sleek, with the rich reds and browns that make their packaging so distinct. The bar looks like a "chill-out" lounge area in a club, and makes me wonder if chocolate martinis are on the horizon. But for now, they offer a drinking chocolate menu with a wide variety of flavors, including "chinese 5 spice," "coconut curry," and "peanut butter." Purists can simply order hot chocolate American or European style, a mocha, or an extra dark. All drinks are priced at $4.50.

According to Elbow, his chocolate powder is made from pure ground El Rey chocolate. Good choice!

I've always enjoyed pointing out Christopher Elbow chocolate on my Tours because guests are so impressed by their beautiful, artistic appearance. Nowhere else in San Francisco can you find such vivid colors and glossy sheens on filled chocolates. I know many classic French or Swiss chocolatiers would scoff at the designs and flavor combinations, but Christopher Elbow appeals to plenty of Americans who want more than a simple "palet d'or."

I sampled a 9 piece box of chocolates from Elbow's Fall/Winter Collection for $20. I like the fact that instead of weighing chocolates and charging by the pound, Christopher Elbow chocolates are simply $2 a piece. Of course, you'll save by purchasing the larger boxes (42 for $75) and I always recommend choosing the chocolates yourself to ensure that your box is as fresh as it can be. Some of the chocolates were too goopy and syrupy for my taste, such as the "fleur de sel," the "lavender" and the "cabernet." (I much prefer the Rechiutti version of a fleur de sel with a more solid ganache.) The "bananas foster" made me forget I was even in a chocolate shop. My favorites were the "vanilla bean," the "fresh lime" and any of the 70% cacao ganaches, such as the "Venezuelan dark" and the "Madagascar."

So will the concept of a chocolate bar take off? Time will tell. And while not everything Christopher Elbow sells suits me, I'm very happy that San Francisco is the first retail location Elbow decided to open after his Kansas City flagship store. Elbow is young and not afraid to experiment. I look forward to sampling his Spring/Summer collection!

Get Your Belgian Chocolate Fix at Leonidas SF

Why buy your secretary another box of Godiva chocolates when there is a new Leonidas in the city? If you love Belgian chocolate, visit Leonidas in their spacious new shop on the ground level of the Crocker Galleria. Your dollar will also go much further at Leonidas, whose $30/pound price is so incredibly reasonable in the world of imported international chocolates. If you don't know what makes Belgian chocolate different from any other kind of chocolate, read on...

Belgians love rich, sweet and creamy filled chocolates. In fact, it was the Belgians (Jean Neuhaus) who first invented the filled chocolate in 1912 and named it a "praline." (Not the same as praliné, which is a mixture of hazelnut and chocolate.) Jean's wife invented the chocolate box (or ballotin) a few years later. Can you imagine the world of high and low end chocolate today without the beautiful packaging and exotic flavors? If you're still not convinced of Belgian's chocolate heritage, just take a look at the amazing number of chocolate museums, demonstrations, events and tours this country offers.

The Leonidas shop offers a wide selection of truffles, butter creams, pralines and liquor-filled chocolates. Unlike the other chocolate shops we visit on our tours, they have creative names for each piece. For example, the "Desiree" is white chocolate with butter cream and pineapple. Yes, the Belgians and the Swiss do not turn their noses up at white chocolate! Or the "Mystere," a dark chocolate butter cream with pistachio. (Wasn't that a Cirque du Soleil hit?) I like the Carré Croquant, a milk chocolate praliné with crisp rice (as in chocolate rice krispie treat!) It's also worth trying their "Pearls," or round chocolate balls that resemble the classic French truffle. Some are dipped in cocoa powder, others in coconut or powder sugar.

Like most of the new chocolate shops, Leonidas also offers a drink menu. What I love is that each drink comes with a free piece of filled chocolate! They say the hot chocolate is made from melted chocolate with steamed milk. It is good, but definitely not the best I've had in the city. It would be great if Leonidas, like Schoggi and Christopher Elbow, had tables and chairs to sit and sip. The modern, clean interior is welcoming and never very crowded. But with the Crocker Galleria tables and heat lamps just outside the shop, there are plenty of spots to linger and enjoy your Belgian treats.

Gourmet Chocolate Brownies

Facing yet another afternoon of nonstop rain in San Francisco, I decided making brownies with my son would kill at least one bleak hour and keep us safe and warm. My chocolate drawer was also overflowing with leftover bars from my Chocolate Tours. And so I looked for a recipe that called for 70% cacao chocolate, rather than the standard 99 or 100% with plenty of sugar added for sweetness.

I settled on a very simple brownie recipe from Scharffen Berger, titled "John's Favorite Brownies." (John, as in the winemaker partner to physician Robert Steinberg, who happened to have the better chocolate sounding name.) Since I didn't have any extra bittersweet bars on hand, I compiled pieces from a bunch of half-enjoyed Amano Madagascar bars, always a favorite on my tours. When I realized I didn't quite have enough, I made a move that would shock any good pastry chef; I mixed in a couple of squares from the Amano Ocumare bar and the Michel Cluizel Maralumi bar. At last - 6 ounces of fine chocolate.

I'm guessing my 2 1/2 year old has had a different kind of exposure to chocolate than other kids his age. Most moms I know stay away from the stuff with more fervor than even a BPA contaminated sippy cup. These are the same Moms who boast of their Halloween solution - their kids turn in all their candy in exchange for a toy. Given the amount of chocolate in our house, I just can't say "no" when my son watches me unwrap a bar and lead a taste test with a couple of friends. And the 70% dark imported chocolate? He likes it! After he munched on a 1 ounce square of the Amano Madagascar, I was was sure these brownies would be a big hit.

The recipe is easy enough that any toddler can feel like he is helping. My son stirred the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, and then had fun stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate "until the white stuff went away." 30 minutes later we were rewarded with warm brownies. They were only about 1/2 inch thick but so rich that I cut them into 1 inch squares. After dinner that night we settled down to that perfect domestic scene - a brownie each and a shared cup of milk.

It didn't take long for my son to pronounce his opinion. "I don't like this brownie. It has a cracker on the top. I don't like this cracker on the brownie." The "cracker" my son was referring to was the extremely thin crusty layer on top of the brownie. So much for my sophisticated toddler. But I went to bed that night happy with the knowledge that my son would not be pestering me for brownies all week, and there would be no need for that ever-present maternal emotion - guilt.

Schoggi Joins Shops on Yerba Buena Lane

Yearning for milky, creamy imported Swiss chocolate? Teuscher now has some competition in San Francisco - Schoggi. This new boutique is tucked behind the Four Seasons on Yerba Buena Lane. The pedestrian street is on its way to becoming a foodie haven, with Japan's Beard Papa and a new wine bar, The Press Club, scheduled to open in a few months.

The name "Schoggi" comes from the Swiss-German word for chocolate. (Who knew?) When I stopped by on a Wednesday afternoon, the shop was a serene oasis from the bustle of Market Street and Westfield Center. Schoggi's long marble counter ensures each artfully displayed chocolate has plenty of breathing room. Unlike the small, crowded chocolate shops in Union Square, Schoggi offers tables, chairs and even a unisex restroom. It's a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee or hot chocolate in peace. The smooth, blonde wood and tall ceilings create a modern feel not often associated with Swiss chocolates.

At $65 a pound, Schoggi is not inexpensive - but still less than Teuscher's current $78 a pound. Like most international chocolatiers, Schoggi produces their chocolate in Switzerland, "using an old family recipe" according to the manager. But so far San Francisco is their only retail location. I tried a variety of truffles, but my favorite was the Schoggi "ice square." The subtle mint flavor was refreshing, especially after lunch.

I'll return to Schoggi, and may even consider adding them to my chocolate tours. And the next international chocolate shop scheduled to open in SF? Leonidas. Stay tuned...

Sugar-free Chocolate

I often get inquiries from customers on my Chocolate Tours about sugar-free chocolate. While I tend to stay away from anything labeled "sugar-free," "fat free" or "low carb," I do know that Fog City News offers the best sugar-free selection I've seen in San Francisco. Up until last Wednesday, I hadn't a clue whether the bars even tasted like chocolate. Something about the use of malitol as a sweetener still makes me hesitate.

The Chronicle's weekly "Taster's Choice" was dedicated to sugar free bars. They sampled 11 varieties, most from Fog City News, and came up with two winners: Michael Mischer and Charlemagne. Surprisingly, third place went to Godiva, not a typical favorite of chocolate connoisseurs. If you hit Fog City sometime in the next week or so, you might even get a free sample.

Check out the full report on SF Gate.

What is it about a British Candy Bar?

Every so often I meet someone on my Chocolate Tours who has no interest in the "fancy stuff." Unimpressed by a Recchiuti burnt caramel truffle, bored by a Scharffen Berger bittersweet nibby bar, appalled by a Richart carrot coulis - he wants something sweet. And most Americans have grown up equating chocolate with sugar. After all, if Hershey's contains less than 10% cacao, it's no mystery what's in the rest of it.

But we aren't the only country addicted to sweet candy bars. A visit to the newly opened Fiona's Sweetshoppe in Union Square reminded me that the British candy bar is in no danger of being steamrolled by the artisan chocolate movement. Curly Wurlys, Milky Bars, Crunchies, Mars Bars, the Cadbury Flake - Fiona carries them all and they are selling. This miniature shop is really dedicated to candy first and foremost. Fiona, a British MD on leave, is surrounded by glass jars of candy with the most beguiling names: "liquorice broomsticks," "coconut mushrooms," "sherbet strawberries," and "toffeed brazils." It is an expat's paradise; in my short visit I witnessed several women pop in for particular tastes they enjoyed from their childhood, but can't find anywhere else in San Francisco.

This summer Kim Severson at the NY Times reported on the obsessive pride many Brits have for their kind of candy bars. They turn up their noses at Hershey, pointing out a waxy taste that will never match rich, creamy British bars. Both have plenty of vegetable fat, sugar and artificial flavors, but the owner of Tea and Sympathy claims that the British use fewer stabilizers and that's why their bars taste better.

Before I left the store, Fiona offered me a "Fry's Turkish Delight" bar - something I remembered from the British novels I used to curl up with as a child...Ah yes, the Chronicles of Narnia! Edmond is seduced by the White Witch when she offers him as much Turkish Delight as he can eat. (Liesl Schillinger wrote a funny piece for Slate on this titled "The Lion, the Witch and the Really Foul Candy") Now that's a bargain that wouldn't go far with any American child, for whom flowers and chocolate just don't mix. The Turkish Delight bar is simply rose flavored jelly surrounded by milk chocolate. Just one sniff convinced me to repurpose it as a 6th night of Chanukah gift for my husband, who said it tasted like soap. Old chocolate habits die hard.

Produce Aisle Meets Chocolate Box: Richart's Festive Garden

Gingerbread, peppermint, cranberry...Ah, the comforting but predictable flavors of the holiday season. "Mais non!" says Michel Richart. The "Festive Garden" holiday collection that debuted last week at Richart includes potato, celery root, tomato, carrot and corn. Despite its old school origins, Richart prides itself on pushing the envelope with flavor and form. But this time, have they gone too far?

On Friday evening I attended a Tasting Party at Richart's Union Square boutique. Francophiles and chocophiles enjoyed glasses of port and zinfindel while trying to decode the new flavors laid out for sampling. Like the Petit Richart collection, the Festive Garden chocolates are all exactly the same size, but it takes some pattern recognition, color matching and French translation to figure out what exactly you are going to eat.

I must confess that when it comes to chocolate, I am not a swashbuckling adventurer. Chocolate falls into the dessert category, and I like my desserts sweet. Some of the notorious Vosges bars (with bacon, curry and wasabi) are still languishing in my cupboard uneaten. But I did enjoy some of the milder flavor combinations from the Festive Garden:
* Caramelized celery root coulis on a bed of ganache flavored with mild spices
* Pear coulis on a bed of cassis de Dijon ganache (Dijon the town, not the mustard!)
* Pumpkin coulis on a bed of chamomile flower ganache

My least favorite was the "tomato on a bed of basil ganache." Even though I stopped by the party before dinner, I still wasn't quite ready for an appetizer! After trying the "kalamanzi in soy milk ganache on a bed of carrot coulis," one of my companions noted "it was like someone hid the baby food in my truffle." Yet my French friend could not get enough of these chocolates, dashing back for just one more sample when the saleswoman disappeared momentarily. Although these flavors have not scored highly for clients on my San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour, the manager of the San Francisco boutique assures me that overall customer response has been quite good.

The Festive Garden collection costs $74.50 for the large 37 piece box and $33 for the small 16 piece collection. At an average of $120/pound, Richart is likely the most expensive chocolate in San Francisco. But where else can you find a little kalamanzi in your chocolate?