2 October 2017

For me, the mere mention of Provence brings on memories of rolling green hills, long sunny days, fields of lavender and vibrant farmers markets featuring fresh French fare. Then, there’s the idyllic villages and small cities lined with lovely stone houses, cobblestone streets, charming town squares and occasionally, significant relics of the past.

Avignon is one such small city, with its mix of Provençal charm, stone architecture, historical Roman ruins, medieval marvels like the Pont D’Avignon and Saint Benezet Bridge, and the famous gothic edifice that is the Palais des Papes. How do chocolates fit in to this picture perfect setting and where can one experience the best that Avignon has to offer?

Aline Gehant Chocolatier
Creative and contemporary is what Aline Gehant does best. Is it possible to express the flavours of Provence in chocolate? Aline has given this much thought and come up with the Noir de Provence, a dark chocolate bar that exudes fragrant summery aromas of ripe plums, notes of almonds and a silky smooth texture. The aromas alone are enough to conjure up memories of balmy summers in Provence.

But it doesn’t stop there. There’s also her fine ganaches crafted from seasonal ingredients and the fraise bar, made purely with strawberries, cacao butter and sugar. It’s bursting with the sweet scent of ripe strawberries and a medley of sweet and tart flavours. Almost as refreshing as a serve of strawberry sorbet in summer.

Aline Gehant is a talented young chocolate artisan. From humble beginnings as a pastry chef, she soon fell in love with chocolates and honed her skills in Paris, including a stint at the famous La Maison du Chocolat.

The shop is tucked away in the old part of Avignon, on Rue Des Trois Faucons, a stone’s throw from the buzzing Rue de la Republique.

Patisserie Mallard
When in Avignon, one must seek out a taste of the city’s registered French national heritage – Les Papalines D’Avignon. Apparently, only two patissieres/ confectioners are licensed to artisanally manufacture and sell these Les Papalines in Avignon. One such person is Patrick Mallard, who has been perfecting his craft for over 30 years.

Each Les Papalines comprises an inner cell filled with origan du Comtat or oregano liquor from the Comtat. The liquor is in fact made with oregano, marjoram and up to 60 other plants sourced from the foothills of Mount Ventoux. The inner cell is dipped in 72% dark chocolate followed by a second outer layer of pink papaline chocolate to create the final masterpiece.

Head to Rue du Vieux Sexier to savour this French heritage.

Puyricard

The artisanal chocolate brand Puyricard takes its name from a small township just outside of Aix en Provence, where it was established in 1967.

The specialties here are the extensive handmade bon bons of ganaches, pralines, caramels and liqueurs, plus the traditional French confectionary called calissons. These are almond shaped and consist of a smooth, pale yellow paste of candied fruit and ground almonds, topped with a thin layer of icing sugar.

Puyricard was founded by the Belgian couple of of Marie-Anne and Jean-Guy Roelandts, who have since handed the reigns to their son Tanguy. Craftsmanship, quality and freshness are key to Puyricard’s success thus far.

The puyricard store in Avignon is located at Rue Joseph Vernet.

Le Comptoir de Mathilde

Provençal delicatessen and chocolate shop best describes Le Comptoir de Mathilde, a chain available throughout the south of France.

The chocolates on offer include flavoured bars representing the spirit of Provence such as the praline rose, nougat de Montelimar and piment de espelette, and single origin bars made with cacao from countries like Madagascar, Ecuador, São Tomé and Vietnam. For those with an insatiable appetite for chocolate, there are the encyclopaedia-sized blocks with hammer provided, I kid you not!

The Le Comptoir de Mathilde in Avignon is just a block behind the Palais Des Papas, on Rue de la Balance.

The Verdict:
Chocolate blends in beautifully into French culture and in Avignon, this is no exception. Here, one can experience the many flavours of Provence, expressed in the creativity and artisanal mastery of chocolatiers like Aline Gehant and Patrick Mallard.

27 August 2017

The French have long finessed food and flavour, culminating in the creation of experiential haute cuisine, creme de la creme of cheeses and vintage French wine. In the widely regarded French gastronomic capital, Lyon, also home to the father of French cooking – the three Michelin starred chef Paul Bocuse, these elements come together harmoniously to create a heaven for the connoisseurs.

Where do chocolates fit in to this immersive culture of fine foods and wines? In and amongst traditional bouchons, multiple Michelin starred and plated restaurants, patisseries at every street corner and the many French markets including the revered Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, I sought to address this all important question.

Bernachon

French chocolate perfection best describes Bernachon. From three generations of chocolate mastery, one wouldn’t expect anything less.

The chocolate experiences here are expansive, from generous-sized chocolate bon bons and bars to beautifully handcrafted pastries and cakes. The piece de resistance is the famous Le President, originally created in 1975 for the then French president. It’s a chocolate cake or, more accurately, a genoise containing hazelnut praline, cherry confit and tempered chocolate delicately shaved and shaped to resemble a blooming carnation.

Equally as revered is the Palets d’Or, a decadent dark chocolate ganache decorated with edible gold leaf. My personal favourite is the Kalouga, gooey salted caramel in a dark chocolate bar with the perfect balance of sweetness, savouriness and texture.

Established by Maurice Bernachon in 1953, Bernachon was subsequently handed down to his son Jean-Jacques and is now run by grandson Philippe, who also happens to be the grandson of Paul Bocuse.

The Bernachon chocolaterie, patisserie and confiserie is located next door to their tea salon/ restaurant, on Cours Franklin Roosevelt in the trendy 6th arrondissement of Lyon.

Francois Pralus

You can’t miss a Francois Pralus boutique, even if you tried. It beckons to you with its crimson shopfront, glass display of the famous Praluline and the bright colours that have become characteristic of the brand.

The Praluline has been a speciality here since 1955. It’s a brioche flavoured with Lyonnaise praline pieces, made of Valencia almonds and Piedmont hazelnuts coated in rose sugar and then cracked. The other key attraction is of course the Pralus wall of fame – the highly regarded bean to bar chocolates – over twenty varieties and predominantly single origin. These are made to Francois’ own specifications, using carefully sourced beans from across Latin America and Indonesia.

Francois has obviously followed in the footsteps of his father Auguste Pralus, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France patissier and creator of the Praluline. Receiving his initial training at Bernachon, Francois subsequently branched out to specialise in bean to bar, single origin chocolate creations.

Be wowed by the Pralus experience at one of two boutiques in Lyon – Saint Jean or Presqu’ile.

Voisin

Voisin is almost as synonymous with Lyon as the traditional bouchons of the city. Regarded as one of Lyon’s leading chocolate makers, it was established in 1897 as a purveyor of coffee but soon expanded into chocolates.

The must try here is the Lyonnaise confectionery and French national specialty known as Le Coussin de Lyon or The Cushion of Lyon. This sweet specialty was inspired by the annual tradition to commemorate the city’s triumph over the plaque epidemic in the 15th century. The tradition involves a procession up to the statue of the Virgin Mary, at the top of Fourvière Hill, with offerings of a golden coin and a seven-pound candle placed on a silk cushion. The Coussin de Lyon comprises a chocolate ganache enveloped in a thin layer of coloured marzipan, flavoured with a touch of Curacao liqueur.

Voisin remains family owned after four generations, in partnership with the Boucaud-Maitre family, and is currently run by Franck Boucaud-Maitre.

Thankfully, you won’t need to look far to get a taste of Voisin’s Le Coussin de Lyon. There are fifteen Voisin shops throughout Lyon.

Chokola

The world of Chokola is one where beauty, emotion and taste melds to create a visual and sensory feast. Every pastry, cake, bon bons, chocolate bar, macaroon, ice cream and chocolate lipstick is brought to life with this mission in mind.

I stumbled upon Chokola’s praline kisses in the Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse – a fortuitous discovery indeed. Perfectly shaped and plump lips with a crisp hazelnut praline and chewy vanilla caramel, encased in a thin chocolate shell. My only regret was not buying more. Another highlight is the special edition tablette, with an indulgent combination of gianduja, caramel and biscuit pieces, encased in dark chocolate.

Sebastien Bouillet is the artisan behind Chokola. An accomplished patissier and chocolatier by trade, he inherited the family patisserie from his father and in the last 17 years, has lent his creativity to its expansion into chocolates, macaroons, ice cream and beyond.

The full Chokola experience awaits at the top of the La Croix-Rousse. Alternatively, you may visit the corner shop at the Les Halles De Lyon Paul Bocuse or one of five shops in Japan.

Philippe Bel

Fine French bon bons are the flavour of the day, everyday, at Philippe Bel. Here, you will find delicate and dainty ganaches, pralines and caramels with interesting flavours such as Nepalese pepper, yuzu, coriander and rosemary, as well as a selection of single and blended origin chocolate bars, all perfectly handcrafted and immaculately presented.

Philippe, an award winning Meilleur Ouvrier de France chocolatier, is the creative force behind these fine chocolate creations.

Head to Rue Tupin, behind Printempts, for a taste of Philippe Bel’s chocolates.

The Verdict:

The French flair for fine chocolates is undeniable. In Lyon, it’s plain to see that the impressive range of artisanal chocolates finessed through generational mastery fits perfectly into the city’s immersive culture of fine foods and wines. In my opinion, it’s the ultimate French chocolate experience for the passionate connoisseur, outside of Paris!

13 August 2017

There are some cities in the world that you can’t quite figure out but leave you with a lasting impression. I’d put Lisbon in that category. Lively yet fairly laid back, it’s quite unlike most capitals in western Europe. With its Mediterranean climate of hot and dry summers plus mild winters, surely such conditions are suboptimal to spawn chocolate artisans?

What then did I discover in Lisbon, aside from the tastiest pastel de natas (Portuguese egg tarts), freshest sardines and Ginja (sour cherry liquor) drunk from dainty chocolate cups?

Chocolataria Equador

Contrary to what the name suggests, the chocolates do not come from Ecuador. They are in fact made bean to bar in Porto, using beans sourced from Latin America, including Ecuador, and Africa.

Deceivingly small on the outside, be prepared to be awed by the depth and breath of chocolate experience in the cavern-like, retro shop. Bean to bar chocolates for the purists, retro wrapped flavoured bars and minibars for the more adventurous, and bright coloured jewels of bon bons spanning an expansive glass display, just to name a few. Indulge in the flavours of Portugal with the dark or milk chocolate with Ginja (Portuguese sour cherry liquor) or port wine ganache, or tease your tastebuds with the dark or milk chocolate with explosive caramel.

The creative minds of designer Celestino Fonseca, visual merchandiser Teresa Almeida and a Portuguese chocolatier are behind Chocolataria Equador, established in 2009. This explains the clever strategy and eye for design behind this brand.

It’s worth the hike halfway up one of Lisbon’s seven hills, along the Rua da Misericórdia, in the Bairro Alto or Old Town.

De Negro!

If you’re into the aesthetics of chocolate as much as the taste, then De Negro! should be on your Lisbon chocolate itinerary.

The ganaches and pralines here are a sight to behold, each perfectly handcrafted using a couverture blend made specially by Cacao Barry for this chocolatier. The couverture is called Saudade, available as 69% dark chocolate and 46% milk chocolate.

The bon bon flavours range from traditional to contemporary, with a common theme to showcase locally sourced Portuguese ingredients. For example, the sea buckthorn with sea salt ganache is made using sea salt sourced from Castro Marim in Algarve, the olive oil ganache is made using olive oil from Acushla in Alto Douro and the banana with aguardente (aged Portuguese brandy) ganache is made using aguardente from Ramos Pinto.

Isabel Leitao is the friendly face that greets you at the shopfront. She has come to co-own De Negro! with her husband, after first joining as an employee in 2010. They are joined by the chocolate genius that is Cristina Pocas, pastry chef and chocolatier that runs the chocolate kitchen.

De Negro! is located in Rua de Sao Bento, between Santa Isabel and Sao Memede.

Landeau Chocolate

You don’t need to wreck your brains over choices at Landeau. Fans come here for one thing, and one thing only. Landeau’s chocolate cake is a great example of needing only one earth shattering recipe to run a chocolate business. And believe me – the chocolate cake is life changing!

A thick dusting of cocoa powder sits atop a decadent layer of dark chocolate mousse that adorns a fluffy and soft base of dark chocolate cake. It’s a tri-layer slice of chocolate heaven.

Sofia Landeau lends her name to this chocolate creation. A London-trained interior designer, she started making her chocolate cake while working as a cafe manager in Lisbon. The rest, as they say, is history.

For a taste of arguably the best chocolate cake in the world, head to the LX factory or the Rua das Flores in Chiado.

Bettina and Niccolo Corallo Cafe

From the outside, the Bettina and Niccolo Corallo Cafe may look like any other, serving coffee and chocolate treats. Venture in and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. And if you’re a chocolate aficionado like me, you may end up staying for a bit.

The aromas here are mesmerising; a mixture of freshly roasted cocoa and coffee beans used to craft their unique selection of bean to bar chocolates and coffee. The chocolates are available as plain dark bars of 100%, 80% and 75% cacao or dark bars with inclusions of dried cherries, orange peel, ginger and hazelnut. The 100% cacao sorbet is perfect on a hot summer’s day while the hot chocolate radiates warmth in winter.

The chocolate experience at the Cafe starts with Bettina at the serving counter, who happens to be the wife of Claudio Corallo – one of the pioneers of craft bean to bar chocolates based in São Tomé. Their sons Niccolo and Amadeo run the back of the shop, roasting the precious commodities and turning them into tasty treats.

The Bettina and Niccolo Corallo Cafe is located along the Rua da Escole Politecnica in Principe Real.

The Verdict:
I’ve stumbled upon some unexpected but unforgettable chocolate experiences during my time in Lisbon. Suffice to say, the climate is no barrier to the budding chocolate artisans of Lisbon proudly showcasing their creative prowess to their more prominent European neighbours.

30 July 2017

What do the Dutch and chocolates have in common?

For the die-hard chocolate historians and aficionados, the answer is simple – van Houten. The father and son team of Casparus and Coenraad van Houten are credited with revolutionising the process of cocoa production in the 19th century. Casparus developed the method for extracting cocoa butter from cocoa beans while Coenraad invented the Dutch or alkalising process for cocoa production. The rest, as they say, is history…..

Over the centuries, chocolate makers and chocolatiers the world over have taken these innovations to new heights, arguably leaving the Dutch in their wake. What’s become of Dutch chocolates? Do they still hold a place in the broader chocolate world? And where can you find them?

Here’s what I discovered during my recent weekend visit to the capital city of Amsterdam.

Metropolitan

Metropolitan is a contemporary cafe of all things chocolate. Here, you can indulge in chocolates, ice creams, pastries, cakes, Dutch pancakes, waffles, chocolate meringues and anything else that you can think of, typically coated in chocolate.

Their bon bons are a must try. Made bean to bar from Dominican Republic cacao, the ganaches and pralines are uniquely baton-shaped and feature spices and herbs as well as evergreen and contemporary flavours such as hazelnut and ginger, vanilla salted caramel, blood orange and chipotle.

Metropolitan is the chocolate venture of celebrity Dutch chocolatier Kees Raat, one time apprentice at Chocolaterie Pompadour, previous owner of Unlimited Delicious and creator of the Dutch chocolate festival Chocoa.

The cafe is conveniently located a stone’s throw from the touristy Dam Square, in Warmoesstraat.

Puccini Bomboni

Puccini Bomboni is renowned for their handmade bon bons. So renowned that, in fact, some rate their bon bons to be amongst the top ten in the world!

If you’re after dainty and bite sized, I’m afraid that you’ve come to the wrong place. The bon bons here are huge – think two to three times the size of your typically bon bon. Be captivated by the display of choices available, presented on expansive platters. There are more than two dozen including plum, port, thyme, honey, fig, gianduja, ginger, rhubarb and walnut. The glass shelves are also beautifully adorned with chocolates in every shape and form.

Puccini Bomboni is the labour of love of mother and daughter team Ans van Soelen and Sabine van Weldam. It started out as a dessert shop in Staalstraat in 1988, evolving with time into a specialist chocolate shop.

There are two shops in Amsterdam, the original located in Staalstraat and the second in Singel. Both are within walking distance of each other and key tourist attractions.

Urban Cacao

Hip and funky best describes this bean to bar chocolate shop. The specialty here are the single and blended origin bars wrapped in bright coloured packaging, handmade bon bons comprising ganaches, pralines and truffles, and ice cream. The latter was unfortunately sold out due to the “heatwave” on the day that I visited.

Urban Cacao is a relative newcomer to the Amsterdam chocolate scene, established in 2013 by the duo of Hans Mekking and Jochem Keune. Hans is a well regarded chocolatier, patissier and glacier while Jochem is a sales and marketing extraordinaire.

Drop by the open workshop in Rozengracht to witness chocolates being made as you enjoy a coffee, ice cream or hot chocolate in winter, or the smaller shop in Huidenstraat.

Chocolaterie Pompadour Tea Rooms

Peek through the window display of tantalising cakes, pastries and chocolates, and you’ll most likely be enticed to set foot into Pompadour. I don’t blame you – the artisanal sweet treats here are meticulously crafted on-site and the chocolates are proudly made from Valrhona couverture chocolate.

Owned and run by Bram Ouwehand and his partner Escu Gabriels, this Victorian-themed establishment is still going strong after more than 50 years. The tearoom itself houses a slice of history – the panelling dates back to 1795 and originates from a town hall in Mortsel, Belgium.

This cosy chocolate shop and tea room is located in Huidenstraat.

Chocolatl

Chocolatl is a chocolate connoisseur’s dream. It’s so easy to loose track of time immersing one’s self in their impressive global selection of single origin, bean to bar, artisanal chocolates, as well as tasting and exchanging flavour notes along the way. It’s here that I finally found chocolates from Beau Cacao, Mirzam, Pump Street Bakery and Friisholm, just to name a few. This is definitely up there on my list of favourite specialty chocolate shops in the world!

Owner Adil is truly knowledgeable and passionate about his chocolates, and very generous with his time. I could have spent hours just discussing chocolate. To top it off, he features a great selection of chocolate books and bibles that customers are welcomed to browse through, as they sit down to a cup of coffee or single origin hot chocolate.

If you’d like to learn more about bean to bar, artisanal chocolates, sign up to one of their Chocolate Labs or tasting sessions, or just pop in and chat to Adil.

Chocolatl is located in Hazenstraat, in the hipster suburb of Jordaan.

Vanroselen Fine Chocolates

It’s all about chocolate choices at Vanroselen. They pride themselves in their hand-crafted selection of bon bons featuring traditional and contemporary flavoured ganaches and pralines, liquor filled chocolates and chocolate coated candied fruit. In addition, chocolate lovers may also choose from their commendable selection of international, single origin, bean to bar, artisanal chocolates including Amedei, Francois Pralus, Taza, Bonnat, Blanxart and Raaka.

I was served by Yasmijn, a passionate foodie and food photographer who shared with me the story and vision of Vanroselen.

Vanroselen is located a short walk from the museum quarter of Amsterdam, in Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.

The Verdict
The chocolate culture is very much alive and thriving in Netherlands, as evidenced by the many exciting chocolates discoveries that I’ve made in Amsterdam alone. In fact, for a relatively small country of just over 17 million inhabitants, it punches well above its weight in chocolate. I’ve since ascertained that Netherlands is the third largest exporter of chocolates in the world, only behind Belgium and Germany, and well ahead of France and Italy!

4 June 2017

For those of us that consume chocolate for a sugar fix, I’m afraid that you’re missing out. The true connoisseurs know that there is much depth and breadth to chocolate, far beyond its sweetness. Arguably, enough to rival that of wine.

What do I mean and how is this possible? Here are five facts about chocolate flavour to help you decide for yourself.

Fact 1: Variances in Varietal

Let’s start by revisiting the key varieties of cacao. In my post Let’s Talk About: Cocoa Beans, we discussed the differences between Farastero, Criollo and Trinitario. And later on, in A Rare Bite of History, I shared my experience of tasting the Fortunato No. 4, pure Nacional cacao and considered the controversial 4th cacao variety.

It’s an undisputed fact that the variety of cacao is a key factor that influences the flavours of the eventual chocolate. Case in point, consider the intensely fruity Peruvian Nacional Fortunato No. 4, the fruity and acidic rare Venezuelan criollo Chuao, the earthy, nutty and mildly fruity Venezuelan criollo Porcelana and the earthy, honey-like and fruity wild criollo Beniano from Bolivia.

The issue that divides experts in this field is the genetic purity of today’s cacao varieties. As a result of natural cross fertilisation and extensive agricultural intervention, some may argue that it’s inaccurate to refer to cacao varieties as being purely Forastero, Criollo, Trinitario and/ or Nacional. I believe that this ambiguity adds to the intrigue of the cacao and the flavour characteristics of the chocolate.

Fact 2: The Touch of Terroir

This term is derived from the French word “terre”, which translates to “earth”. Whilst commonly used to discuss wine, terroir is equally as important when it comes to chocolate.


Terroir is everything in the environment of the cacao plant, including its geography, geology, ecology and climate, that may affect the characteristics of the cacao that it yields and hence the chocolate made from it. My first encounter with terroir and its influence on the flavours of chocolate occurred when I tasted Melt’s Smoke bar. The earthy and smoky flavours transported me to the volcanic island of São Tomé from which the criollo cacao beans were derived. Willie’s Cacao’s Surabaya Gold bar, made from Javanese criollo cacao, possesses similarly characteristics due to the volcanic soil from which it was grown.

The beauty of terroir is that similar varieties of cacao from the same country or region may end up tasting different due to variances in conditions such as climate, soil, terrain, altitude and the degree of human intervention. For example, Original Bean’s Beni Wild Harvest, made from rare and wild Beniano cacao that grows in the depths of the Bolivian Amazon, tastes different to Zokoko’s Tranquilidad, made from Beni cacao found only in the rainforests of the Beni, in the north eastern region of Bolivia. The latter is earthy, fruity, acidic and mildly nutty while the former has the added complexity of honey and roasted tea leaves.

Fact 3: Fermentation for Flavour

One does not have to look far to experience the end product of fermentation – think breakfast staples like bread and yoghurt and all alcoholic beverages including beers, wines and liquors. Chocolate is no different.

Fermentation is a critical step in the post-harvesting of cacao. As explained in my post Let’s Talk About: Bean to Bar, nature takes its course whereby the combination of moisture, heat, airborne microorganisms and aeration/ turning of the beans results in the fermentation of the cacao pulp into alcohol followed by oxidation of the alcohol to lactic and acetic acid. It is this reaction between moisture, alcohol and acids that leads to initial flavour development in the beans. By altering the duration of fermentation and degree of aeration/ number of turns, it is possible to alter the flavour characteristics within the same batch of beans. Such is the beauty and wonder of science!

Fact 4: Drying to Prevent Detriment

To stop the fermentation process, preserve the cacao beans and prevent growth of unwanted microorganisms, the beans are subjected to air drying under the sun. However, in the highly humid and sometimes rainy conditions of the tropics and equator where cacao grows, air drying may not always be possible. Under such circumstances, farmers may resort to fire or smoke drying which imparts a smoky character to the beans. Wellington Chocolate Factory’s Bougainville 70% bar is one such example of smoke-dried cacao beans imparting distinctly smoky notes to the chocolate.

Fact 5: Processing to Perfection

As discussed in my post Let’s Talk About: Bean to Bar, the chocolate processing steps of bean roasting and conching, as well as the types of ingredients added, have a direct impact on the flavours of the end product. Chocolate makers continue to refine the combination of all three in order to create novel and exciting taste experiences.

Generally, the more intense the roasting, the more prominent the manifestation of roasted/ toasted and caramelised notes in the chocolate. As for conching, some makers swear by the traditional melangeur (Amedei, Zokoko and Monsieur Truffe) while others resort to modern equipment. And the longer the conche, the smoother the mouthfeel and the more refined the flavours.

In terms of ingredients, purists believe that only cane sugar is needed to complement the cacao liquor (solids and butter). On the other hand, it’s not unusual for chocolate makers to add vanilla or vanilla extract for flavour. Amedei incorporates vanilla into their entire chocolate range, including the revered Chuao and Porcelana bars. Milk solids and milk powder are added to create milk chocolate while cocoa butter may sometimes be used to enhance the smoothness and mouthfeel of chocolate. Be weary of chocolate that contains vegetable oils as a substitute for cocoa – you are getting an inferior product. Pay attention to your food labels and choose wisely.

Bringing It All Together

As a chocolate consumer, look beyond the sugar to experience the fascinating flavours in chocolate, from its unique depth of varietals and terroir through to the breath and heterogeneity of its post-harvesting and processing.