11 March 2018
I’ve been wowed by the bright lights, voluminous skyscrapers and endless buzz of the Big Apple. It truly is a city that never sleeps. Throw in an eclectic mix of people and cultures, and you’ve got the perfect backdrop for the urban adventurer in me. With all the hype surrounding this city, what’s to be expected of its chocolates? And where can chocolate aficionados seek out the best that New York City (NYC) has to offer?
Jacques Torres continues to flourish in his adopted city of NYC. Nicknamed “Mr. Chocolate” and with France’s highest craftsman accolade of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) under his belt since his mid 20s, there is no denying that this man knows his chocolate.
Beautifully handcrafted bon bons are the key attraction in each of his nine stores, scattered throughout NYC. For fans of chocolate surprises, I’d recommend the cheekily named “ménage a trios” – a triple combination of flavours that only the chocolatier knows. And if you find yourself in SoHo, drop by the Choco-Story New York, Jacques Torres’ chocolate museum, for a lesson in the history of chocolate and its journey from tree to bar.
Tucked away in the north end of The Chelsea Market is this purveyor of artisan foods. Walk right in and turn left to feast your eyes on a commendable selection of artisan chocolates from around the world.
It’s here that I introduced my chocolate novice friends to the world of craft chocolates, from Askinosie, Fruition, Dandelion and Pacari to the joys of Akesson’s and Pump Street Bakery.
Amazing. This single, impactful word sums up 2 Beans from my perspective. Imagine a shop filled to the brim, from floor to ceiling, with chocolates. Eat your heart out, Willy Wonka! One can traverse the globe in craft chocolates, starting from the US then down to Latin America before hoping over the Atlantic to Europe and the UK.
There’s also a glass display full of jewel-like bon bons. When you’re done with chocolate shopping, head over to the counter for a selection of European-style coffees and hot chocolates.
The Meadow
The Meadow is a quaint boutique in West Village, specialising in chocolates and salt. Quite an unlikely combination but that’s what they specialise in. The selection of craft chocolates here are varied and impressive.
Andrew is a great host, so be sure to have a chat and seek out his top tips as you work your way through the shelves of plain and inclusion bars.
Brooklyn is eclectic, unpretentious and adventurous, and the perfect reflection of Raaka. Located in Red Hook, an old industrial estate and shipping yard, you’ll miss it if you’re looking for a fancy shopfront. Walk through the tiny door to the combined retail and production area, and into the world of Raaka. You’ll be welcomed by their entire range of virgin chocolates, plus all the tasting samples that you can possibly stomach.
William was on hand for a one on one tasting and to explain the uniqueness of their manufacturing process. The added bonus is that you can taste and purchase the subscription only bars on site. It was well worth the trip across to Brooklyn. And if you’re planning a weekend visit, sign up in advance for a tour of their facility.
Cacao Prieto
Within Red Hook, and just a stone’s throw away, is Cacao Prieto. Fermentation is the flavour of the day here. One section is dedicated to chocolates and bean to bar chocolate production, while the other is a whiskey distillery – Whiskey Jane.
A special shout out to Steve for opening just for me, despite being closed for the afternoon, and for the ad hoc private tour and tasting. You made my day! The attractions here are their plain and flavoured plus inclusion bars, all made from Dominican Republic cacao sourced from 8 to 20 coop plantations throughout the country. My top picks here are the 72% Dominican Republic Criollo Cacao vanilla and cassia, and 72% Dominican Republic Criollo Cacao orange and bergamot.
The verdict:
New York City does chocolates in a big way. I wouldn’t have expected anything less. Choices are aplenty for the discerning aficionado, from a wealth of local and international bean to bar experiences, to an endless selection of bon bon masterpieces from world class chocolatiers.
To state that the 
What did I learn? Which chocolate experiences left me wanting more? Read on to discover my top takeaways from the 2017 Northwest Chocolate Festival.
Dark Milk Chocolate: Dark milk chocolate has earned its status as a full fledge chocolate variety, wedged between dark and milk chocolate. In my opinion, it’s chocolate pitched at consumers who enjoy the sophistication of dark chocolate, combined with the more mainstream/ familiar flavours of milk chocolate.
Inventive Inclusion Bars: Almost every chocolate maker featured one if not more inclusion bars at the Festival. These serve as perfect canvasses for chocolate makers to unleash their creativity and challenge conventional boundaries, in turn providing consumers with novel sensory experiences.
Barrel Aged Chocolate: In the spirit of recycling, used oak bourbon, whiskey and wine barrels have found a new purpose – as vessels to age and uniquely flavour cocoa beans and nibs. The end product is chocolate with distinct oak-like flavours and a splash of bourbon, whiskey or wine, if you’re lucky.
I tasted copious (and I mean copious, to the point of surrender) amounts of chocolates on both days of the festival. Here’s my very own honours list, purely personal and in no particular order:
Also a honorable mention to 
I’m blown away by the 
Recently, I was fortunate enough to align a business trip to the US with the occurrence of the annual 
Purchase VIP tickets to beat the crowds and ensure that you get first stab at meeting with and chatting to some of America’s most celebrated and respected craft chocolate makers. I certainly did.
I was privileged to meet Art from Amano Chocolate, Rob from Fresco Chocolate, Greg from Dandelion Chocolate, Adam and Dustin from Dick Taylor Chocolate, Ben from Potomac Chocolate and the list goes. What an amazing experience listening to them share inspirations behind their chocolate creations and their individual chocolate journeys.
Chocolates are aplenty to sample and purchase, and rightly so. So pace yourself to ensure that you can get through all the possible tastings from one chocolate maker/ chocolatier to the next. Also, work your way from the lowest percentage of cacao to the highest, i.e. from white to milk to dark milk and finally dark chocolate. And remember to cleanse your palate with water in between each tasting.
Chocolate festivals, expos and shows are the ideal setting to pick up on the latest chocolate trends. Fancy a chocolate made purely of cacao butter, minus the sugar and milk in white chocolate? Or perhaps exotic single origin bars made using cacao beans sourced from Asia and the Pacific Islands? Be taken on a journey by country of origin, terroir and unique methods of fermentation and roasting as you sail from one craft chocolate maker to the next.
If you’re a die hard chocolate aficionado like me, it pays to do a little homework on the chocolate makers/ chocolatiers and their specialities. That way, you know what to hone in on when tasting and purchasing a particular chocolate maker’s signature/ award winning creation(s).
Never assume that you know more about chocolates than the chocolate makers. Ask for pointers and you may end up pleasantly surprised. For example, Art from Amano convinced me to try and subsequently purchase the Dos Ríos 70% Dominican Republic bar. Weeks later, at the world finals of the International Chocolate Awards 2017 in London, this very bar was awarded silver in the plain/ origin dark chocolate bars category. The bar sings beautiful and bright spring and summer flavours of sweet citrus, berries and flowers.
The 
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?
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.
When in Avignon, one must seek out a taste of the city’s registered French national heritage – 
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.
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.
Provençal delicatessen and chocolate shop best describes Le Comptoir de Mathilde, a chain available throughout the south of France.
The Le Comptoir de Mathilde in Avignon is just a block behind the Palais Des Papas, on