19789 Sun May 12 02:56:27 -0700 2002 21 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 66874 Voted 10 best artisan chocolate in US by Chocolatier Magazine Voted one of the 7 best Chocolates in the USA by the Food Network's Rosengarten report. For once the reviews are right on. For the best review with pictures of chocolates and shop, use the link to XOX Click on Press Click on about.com 2 http://www.xoxtruffles.com/xox/ There was a discussion about Burdick's chocolates on the Boston board. Burdick's were featured on Martha Stewart who loves the little chocolate mice. The thread below is my response and a follow up on the Burdicks website. Have not tried them yet, but will. The thing about XOX is there's nothing but truffles. No fancy shapes. No cookies, cakes, etc...just those wonderful, wonderful truffles. Have only found one comment on the SF board about XOX when another chocolate was being discussed. It's right across the street from Graffeo's where I've been buying coffee for years and bypassing XOX. I wanted a cup of fresh brewed so walked across the street to XOX a month ago. So much time wasted. I've been giving samples of these to anyone who crosses my path and everyone...See's crowd, Joseph Schmidt crowd, Godiva Crowd, etc..etc...abandons their old love for XOX. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/142247#760577 Sun May 12 02:56:27 -0700 2002 0 Stanley Stephan 1 66875 XOX's truffles are made with a Belgian brand of chocolates -- spied the chef/owner showing the box to a customer once but can't recall the name now. Sun May 12 03:10:40 -0700 2002 66874 0 Limster 2 66904 I read my post on XOX chocolates a number of times. I don't see anywhere that I said that I compared them with a fulll line chocolate shop or that I only ate truffles. In fact, I passed along a link for a full line shop in Boston. However, concentrating on one specialty... truffles... XOX can make the finest product in that category. There has only been one post on XOX that was mixed into a heated discussion on Scharfenberger. (Why do the chocolate folks have those long complex names. It's driving spellcheck nuts). However, in a separate post about Recchuiti I said I didn't care for that line. When I referred to XOX truffles in that post it was because I had checked out an East Bay candy store. They didn't carry Recchuiti but they did carry XOX. Since not much had been said about XOX, I issued a separate post about that and a recent link to the Boston candy company. I really thought long and hard about giving Recchuiti a personal thumbs down. I respect the posts of you and Limster. I value your opinions. However, I just don't care for Recchuiti. I would pay $2.50 for a single chocolate if, to me, it was chocolate heaven. To me, they are not. When I posted the link to the Recchuiti, I was surprised to see the large line they had. I usually just see the chocolates at the Farmer's Market. Their pates de fruits looked pretty good and I will probably sample them. However, the discussion was about their chocolates. Maybe the two postings on the same day led you to believe I was comparing XOX with Recchuiti. They were separate issues to me. Mon May 13 04:53:36 -0700 2002 66875 0 Stanley Stephan 3 66906 Hey, SS! It was me who posted the "apples and oranges" comment. You wrote of XOX in terms of not only Joseph Schmidt, but to See's and Godiva, without specifying that you were comparing truffles only -- I just wanted to clarify that there are other reasons people patronize confectioners. The other comment about people only eating bittersweet chocolate was a general comment not meant to refer specifically to you -- sorry that wasn't clear. I think I know the place in Berkeley that carries XOX -- on 4th St., right? I have to admit I avoid 4th St. like the plague: despite the plethora of fine food-related establishments, the conspicuous consumption yuppie vibe turns me way, way off (way more than Rockridge, for example, maybe because it's a destination, not a neighborhood). I like Michael Recchiuti when his combinations work, and not all of them do to my mind. Mostly I just buy the rose caramels, which are uniquely delicious. We went on a tour of Scharffen Berger this weekend for Mother's Day. The smell alone is enough to satiate your desire for chocolate. Perhaps the most interesting part is tasting the nibs and unsweetened chocolate. Anyone who ever bit into some Baker's chocolate as a kid and formed the opinion unsweetened chocolate was inedible will be pleasantly surprised. Mon May 13 11:24:44 -0700 2002 66904 0 Ruth Lafler 4 66909 Just like with restaurants, some chocolate makers excel at some things and not at others. XOX makes the best truffles I've ever had, Recchiuti makes the best brownies, Joseph Schmidt the best presentations (but disappointing in taste), Scharfenberger the best cocoa and bar chocolate (in the US at least). See's, Godiva, Ghiradelli -- they're not even on the radar -- give it to the dog. Mon May 13 11:59:21 -0700 2002 66906 0 diligent 5 66937 What is the address (and cross streets) for the XOX shop in North Beach? BTW, LOL at the "give it to the dog" comment re: Ghiradelli. Let the masses have their wax. It's just that much more of the good stuff for the rest of us. Mon May 13 15:39:11 -0700 2002 66909 0 baygelldawg 6 66938 Yes, it is funny, but let's remember that chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Please don't feed chocolate of any kind to our canine friends. Mon May 13 15:52:58 -0700 2002 66937 0 Melanie Wong 7 66940 I've heard horror stories about chocolate and dogs, but I also had a husky/shepard who couldn't be kept away from the stuff. Occasionally I would forget there was some in a bag or pocket that was in reach (over the years she ruined several jackets by chewing open the pockets to get at a wrapper), a couple of times she managed to get into drawers (she chewed the top off a bedside table), and once she cleverly got herself locked into (instead of out of -- I'd had to install a lock on the interior kitchen door just for her) the kitchen with a chocolate-chocolate chip cake with chocolate icing -- boy was that a mess. As far as I could tell she never suffered any permanent effects. In fact, the only time she even got sick was when she managed to get hold of and consume an entire 11 oz bag of those Holiday's mint chocolate M&Ms. She lived to be 12 and never lost her zest for food -- she was a real chowhound's hound. In fact on the day the bone cancer that finally ended her life was diagnosed, she jumped off the couch and hopped across the room with an unset, completely broken rear femur to grab a piece of pizza I'd left out. Still, I'd never intentionally give chocolate to a dog -- my girl had a stomach in a million. Mon May 13 16:15:34 -0700 2002 66938 0 Ruth Lafler 8 66942 You and your dog were among the lucky ones. One of my friends lost the family pet when he got into a box of chocolates left open on the table. Mon May 13 16:20:01 -0700 2002 66940 0 Melanie Wong 9 66944 I know -- how horrifying to lose a pet over some seemingly innocuous carelessness. Also, so much for animals being able to tell what's bad for them! Mon May 13 16:31:47 -0700 2002 66942 0 Ruth Lafler 6 66946 It's on 754 Columbus Avenue (at greenwich).-- just past washington sq park when you're heading north. Mon May 13 16:39:50 -0700 2002 66937 0 Limster 6 66949 Address: XOX Truffles Inc. 754 Columbus Avenue (between Filbert & Greenwich. About 2 blocks from Washington Square) San Francisco, CA 94133 Hours of Operation: Mon - Sat 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Sunday - CLOSED Phone Number: 415.421.4814 Fax Number: 510.530.2099 Web link is below Link: http://www.xoxtruffles.com/xox/ Mon May 13 16:50:21 -0700 2002 66937 0 Stanley Stephan 4 66950 Yep. It's on 4th street. Had to troll for a mother's day gift. My mom likes April Cornel. Since she can't get to the beach anymore, for one of her gifts I brought the beach to her. The stained glass place next to "Sur La Table" had a nice little box with beach sand and shells. I deal with 4th Street like I deal with the SF Ferry Terminal Farmers market...I'm the first one there. Then I leave before the crowds get hot and heavy. If I really have a hankering for Bette's on 4th St, I get there when they open at 7 am. Thanks for the clarification. I love the feedback on the board. It helps me to be a better, clearer writer. That side discussion on the wine was very funny too. One of the reasons I'm a chowhound addict. Mon May 13 17:04:16 -0700 2002 66906 0 Stanley Stephan 3 66918 Please don't feel bad about giving Recchuiti a thumbs down, or disagreeing thoughtfully with anyone. That's what this board is for! :) Also, I love XOX too!!! And the folks that run the place are super nice. I had posted about it a couple of times in the past, and felt awkward repeating myself. Here's a link to an old post (it's very hard to find because I buried it under a North Beach title). Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/18899#61447 Mon May 13 13:11:10 -0700 2002 66904 0 Limster 4 66919 Limster, I have to say it was you who brought me to the door of XOX chocolates, and contradicted my long-held belief that the very best chocolates are made at home. I had seen the XOX chocolates touted in the Williams-Sonoma catalog (which, usually, is spot-on with their artisan candy choices), but didn't actually go to the little North Beach shop until you recommended it. I've been making candy at home for a while now, and had never been able to find a replica to good homemade chocolate truffles from any source -- Godiva and See's were very dissapointing. I could always taste thickeners and other artificial agents -- and not enough of real chocolate and cream flavor I could get at home. I truly believed it was a home-only phenomenon. And then I was treated to XOX -- the taste of the cognac truffle alone was enough to make me buy 3 boxes -- small one for Mr. Smith, small one for the office, and a large one for my friends to share at an upcoming gathering. They are by far the best I've ever tasted. I *thought* I spied behind the counter a Callebaut label -- which is a wonderful Beligian chocolate I've been buying at Andronico's in 5-pound "blocs" (how it's spelled on the label) for about 3 years now. I prefer Callebaut to even my beloved Scharfenberger, because I just find it to taste a little more finished, especially in home-concocted goodies. XOX is one of those gems which makes this city such a culinary wonder. Thanks, Limster, for helping to get the word out. Mon May 13 13:28:24 -0700 2002 66918 0 Mrs. Smith 1 66883 I'm sure they are wonderful, but the comparison between a company that makes only truffles and a full-line confection company is like apples and oranges. Sometimes I just want a hit of pure chocolate; sometimes I want nuts or caramel, glaced fruit or ginger or buttercream. Sometimes I even want [gasp!]milk chocolate. I'm always a little suspicious of people who claim that they only eat the finest bittersweet chocolate -- to me that's like saying that no matter the mood or the circumstances you only drink grand cru Bordeaux. Still, I'm looking forward to trying XOX -- there's really no such thing as too many good chocolates. Sun May 12 21:04:09 -0700 2002 66874 0 Ruth Lafler 2 66891 Thing with XOX is that they're very affordable, which is unusual considering their quality. It's like a well aged grand cru bordeaux going for $20-30 a bottle. Sun May 12 22:37:13 -0700 2002 66883 0 LImster 3 66921 Sorry to nit-pick, but Grand Cru Bordeaux is not the top tier. It wouldn't be impossible to find Grand Cru bordeaux for $30 - $40. In Bordeaux, Premier Cru (first growth) is the top, followed by Deuxieme Cru (second growth) through Cinquieme Cru (fifth growth), then Grand Cru. The proper way to express what you are all getting at would be to say "First growth (Premier Cru) Bordeaux." It's confusing, since all the other areas in France that have a cru system (Alsace & Burgundy) use Grand Cru to define the top vineyards, while the cru system in bordeaux just ranks the chateau... Mon May 13 14:03:50 -0700 2002 66891 0 Paul C 4 66930 Oh my, I was trying to avoid picking nits too, Paul. But since you raised it, I'll add the following details. Bordeaux has several wine quality classification systems depending on which region you're talking about. What you have described is the 1855 Classification of the chateaux in the Medoc, plus Haut-Brion in Pessac-Leognan (Graves), on the left bank of the Gironde (Pauillac, Margaux, St. Julien, St. Estephe, etc.) which rankes from Premier to Cinquieme Cru (1st to 5th). The Sauternes-Barsac classification of 1855 ranks Ch. d'Yquem as Premier Superieur Cru (first great growth) and the other properties as Premier Cru and Deuxiemes Cru. I'll also note that Rieussec uses 1er Grand Cru Classe on its label. The 1959 classification of Graves simply lists 13 producers of red wine with Haut-Brion appearing first and the remainder alphabetically, and 9 white wine producers in alphabetical order (with Haut-Brion omitted at its request). The 1996 classification of St. Emilion on the right bank starts with Premiers Grands Crus Classes as the top, followed by Grands Crus Classes. The Syndicat of Crus Bourgeois created a classification in 1978 which ranks properties as Crus Grands Bourgeois Exceptionnels, Crus Grands Bourgeois, and Crus Bourgeois. The Pomerol region on the right bank has no official classification system. This is home to the very fine wines of Pétrus and Le Pin. To add to the confusion, there's an organization called the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux which includes properties across the regions and classifications. Mon May 13 14:55:01 -0700 2002 66921 0 Melanie Wong 5 66945 Cool -- thanks Paul and Melanie for the corrections. Yes - what I meant was...imagine a bottle of well aged Y'quem or Ch. Margaux for $20-30. :) Mon May 13 16:36:19 -0700 2002 66930 0 Limster 1 66968 Wow, i must have been on a bad day because i bought a box of truffles, all different assortments form XOX after lunch 2 weeks ago, and they were just about the worst truffles i had ever tasted. they were stale and dry and the coatings were dusty and un appetizing. i tried to wait a while and eat them with some coffee later to see if it helped out on an empty stomach, but still, they were awful. I am not a gigantic chocolate fan, but i do appreciate a good chocolate every now and then. these were not them, however. I even gave them to my freind who is a total chocholic and she ended up throwing them out. so sad. also, i am surprised that anyone would actually say that ghirardelli makes bad chocolate. for straight up chocolatey chocolate, they are pretty damn good. better than a dove bar. so that is my 2 cents.... take care, maybe some day i will get an XOX on a good day. Mon May 13 20:13:35 -0700 2002 66874 0 Jupiter 2 66972 Nah. Don't bother trying them again. They are not to your taste. I would say if you stopped by the XOX store the problem was not staleness since they are made fresh every day. That's the wonderful thing about chocolate. There's enough variety for everyone's liking. I also love See's for what they are. I even have my Whitman chocolate moments (my grandmom gave them to me every Christmas. It's a nostalgia thing). I would not give the See's crowd upscale chocolates or visa versa. However, I found XOX crosses, to date, the different taste boundries. For my personal taste, I'm not fond of ghirardelli or Dove bars. I'd rather eat Hersheys's...which, for what it is, isn't bad. So you just find people on Chowhound whose tastes match yours and go with that. My favorite response to this thread was from diligent who pointed out that certain chocolate makers do some things better than others. His/her taste mirrors mime. I'm going to try those brownies. Mon May 13 21:04:01 -0700 2002 66968 0 Stanley Stephan