290270 Wed Sep 11 10:46:22 -0700 2002 8 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1574696 I am a big chocolate fan. A good glass of vintage port and a piece of really good chocolate... For me, dark chocolate is the only thing. Milk chocolate is some other beast. Not bad if you get really good stuff, but I way prefer dark. If you really twist my arm I might even eat baker's chocolate. That said, the chocolates from "El Rey" are amazing! They have particular varieties from Venezuela and around the world. These chocolates are as different from one another as fine wines. If you buy them on their web site they are way pricey. I found the same chocolates and a bunch of other interesting ones at Chocosphere. They even have some chocolates from a French source that are reported to be "Single Plantation" chocolates. El Rey products are available at Bread and Circus in the Boston area. I also have seen the El Rey products in bulk size chunks cut up and re-wrapped at VERY reasonable prices at Fairway in New York. For anyone who likes dark chocolate give some of these a try! Would also love to hear posts from other serious chocolate fans or other sources of good chocolate! Link: http://www.chocosphere.com/cgi-bin/webstore/web_store.cgi Wed Sep 11 10:46:22 -0700 2002 0 StriperGuy 1 1574721 I'm also a huge fan of the darkest sort of dark chocolate. In NYC, I'm pretty sure NY Cake and Baking at 56 West 22nd has also started carrying El Rey in bulk. Other dark chocolates I like a lot are Chocolove 77% Extra Dark, Scharfenberger (sp?) and Fran's Bucare Extra (70%). Thanks to Olympia Jane for pointing me to Fran's awhile back -- one of the most incredible gifts that can be ordered online are her absolutely stunning washi boxes filled w/ dark chocolate truffles (link below). For couverture use, check out Schokinag also. A quick and interesting dessert that I sometimes do is shaved or grated chocolate over toasted bread. Served with a good port, the three things really play well off each other for a really simple finish. Link: http://www.franschocolates.com Wed Sep 11 14:10:24 -0700 2002 1574696 0 Dennison 1 1574741 I'm a big fan of Cote D'Or. The noir is fantastic, and I'm a dark chocolate fan that doesn't like much milk chocolate, but their milk chocolate with hazelnuts is wonderful. Wed Sep 11 18:05:02 -0700 2002 1574696 0 Uncledave 1 1574760 Trader Joe's sells Valrhona Le Noir Amer 71% for $2.29, which has to be the best price going for fine chocolate. Wed Sep 11 23:12:34 -0700 2002 1574696 0 zora 2 1574781 That's what I buy too. Fairway used to have it for $2.69, and instead of making the extra trip to TJ's for it, I'd buy it at that price. But it has now gone up to $2.99 at Fairway. Thu Sep 12 10:29:12 -0700 2002 1574760 0 TR 1 1574770 where is the bulk chocolate located in fairway? i looked, and all i se are the chocolate bars right next ot the olives. Thu Sep 12 03:46:09 -0700 2002 1574696 0 rc 2 1574773 They try to hide it ;-). It is usually on the bottom shelf of a rack somewhere. I have found it at both the 74th St. Location and the uptown one. I had to ask someone where it was at both locations. Thu Sep 12 05:11:36 -0700 2002 1574770 0 StriperGuy 2 1574834 On a shelf at the head of the aisle near the milk (UWS location). Thu Sep 12 17:16:01 -0700 2002 1574770 0 Bill F. 1 1574783 Living in the hinterland I have to buy online. Chocolatesource.com is one place I seem to find good bulk buys (but I shop around). I only buy bulk since I use it to make truffles and candies, but have been using El Rey and Valrhona(sp?) for several years and like them. Holy *** I just looked online and prices have gone up since last winter. Thu Sep 12 10:39:16 -0700 2002 1574696 0 muD