Gourmet Chocolates

Some people are willing to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a single bottle of wine, but until recently you generally couldn’t say the same about chocolate, even gourmet chocolate. With high-end companies like Amadei being established however, you can find chocolates that come with terms such as terroir.

Terroir is actually a term from the wine-world that is used to describe the unique flavors and tones imparted by a specific region of land to a wine. Amadei is an Italian company established in the 1990s whose gourmet chocolate is in high demand by chocolate connoisseurs everywhere. They have specially grown varieties of chocolate such as Porcelana and Chuao that can go for over $200 for 2.2 pounds!

At those prices, it probably should be treated like an expensive wine! For the true chocoholic, money is probably no object, and Amadei is definitely one of the ultimate gourmet chocolates around, bar none.

For those who blanch at such prices, a less expensive gourmet chocolate option is Godiva of course. In comparison, for approximately $70 you can get a bit over two pounds of dark chocolate. You also might want to explore other options such as Valrhona, Scharffen Berger, and possibly small local producers if you’re concerned mainly with using chocolate in baking. For example, in Hawaii there is plantation on the Big Island called the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory that grows its chocolate locally and produces it within the state.

Maybe baking isn’t quite up your alley, and you just want to enjoy your gourmet chocolate in the form of truffles or other confections. Again, the aforementioned Amadei is probably one of the top companies to check out. Suffice it to say that their truffles are far more cheaper than their pure chocolate squares. Otherwise, go with a standby like Godiva for your chocoholic needs.

With chocolate there’s really almost no way to go wrong no matter what you choose. Just make certain to keep an eye on your pocketbook if you've got a chocolate addiction.

Death by Chocolate Cakes: An Astonishing Array of Chocolate Enchantments
No doubt about it: chocolate rules. Celebrating this happy fact is Marcel Desaulniers's Death by Chocolate Cakes, another installment in his bestselling Death by Chocolate series. These books bring chocolate sweets to, well, heart-stopping heights. Cake, which contains 50 or so recipes for goodies such as Chocolate Heart of Darkness Cakes (dense chocolate cupcakes with a molten chocolate-truffle center) and Excessively Expressive Espresso Fantasy (chocolate ganache-filled chocolate espresso cake topped with espresso mousse), also includes formulas for chocolate ice creams, drinks, and sauces--all in all a true debauch. Though its recipes are painstakingly written and easy to follow, most require multiple, technically exacting preparations; aside from chocolate voyeurs, they'll be of greatest interest to reasonably skilled bakers with time to spare.
www.amazon.com

Gourmet Chocolate Gifts
Passionate about chocolate! Gourmet Belgian chocolates, truffles, chocolate cherries, gourmet mints, caramels, vegan chocolates, sugar free, chocolate cheesecakes and syrups. Free Shipping Too! Gourmet Chocolate of the Month - Give the gift that will amaze your chocolate lover many times over! Our Chocolate of the Month Club comes in 3 varieties, 3, 6 and 9 months. Each month features a different selection. Each box will contain 32 pieces (18 ounces - over a pound) of incredible gourmet Belgian chocolates in a beautiful hand-wrapped gift package.
www.indulgeinchocolate.com

Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club
Each month, our gourmet chocolate club members receive signature creations from a different world-class Chocolatier, selected for their dedication to quality and their individual creative interpretations. You'll have the opportunity to taste masterpieces like Skelligs' Champagne Fizz Truffles from Ireland, Rabitos - an undisputed Spanish delicacy and Vosges Haut Chocolat - the infusions of rare spices and flowers with premium chocolate!
www.chocolatemonthclub.com