342953 Wed Nov 15 03:53:18 -0800 2006 20 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 2022716 I'm looking for some great mail order choclates to give for Christmas. I have ordered from John and Kira's (www.johnandkiras.com ) before and although the choclates were excellently prepared and all the flavours were rich and full (and quite tasty), we weren't too happy about the fact that all the fillings were based off of a choclate base and that the coating wasn't dark enough. So, now I know that I want a truffle-style chocolate and I want non-chocolate based fillings. In particular I want uncomplicated, clean, pure, rich, fresh-tasting fruit fillings, especially raspberry, lemon, or orange. Dark chocolate exteriors are a must or with the caramel pieces for coating (croquant de caramel). Oh, and it would be nice if you knew if they shipped to Canada! Wed Nov 15 03:53:18 -0800 2006 24055 Atahualpa 1 2022888 i am an extremely picky, dark choc-only chocolate lover.Over the moon chocolates in vancouver- are particularly wonderful i think. my favs are their hazelnutgianduja and almond fillings. the quality of their dark choc. is excellent. they will ship too. http://www.overthemoon.ca/ http://www.yummybaguette.com/magasin.php-id=140.htm my other fav fine choc. co. is recchiuti in san fran http://www.recchiuticonfections.com/ many of their fillings are very unusual. their sea salt caramels are amazing. Wed Nov 15 05:44:14 -0800 2006 2022716 10110 opinionatedchef 2 2326202 I second the Recchiutti. The fillings are unusual in some cases, but they still taste divine!!! Sat Feb 24 16:14:08 -0800 2007 2022888 43515 adrienne156 1 2023581 Wonderful chocolates mail ordered from France is www.zchocolate.com they have arrangements of chocolates for all occasions, a little pricey but well worth the money, they have descriptions of each piece on the website and special ordering tags and boxes of which you can have wrapped also. Good Luck and hope you try these. Wed Nov 15 16:26:20 -0800 2006 2022716 51489 Jimbosox04 1 2023589 The most delicious chocolates come from Burdick's. 800 229 2419 or burdickchocolate.com. They have a variety of different things but I am sure if you specify what you want, they will tell you what they have that meets your specifications. You will not be disppointed! Wed Nov 15 16:30:01 -0800 2006 2022716 13202 emilief 2 2024759 2nd Burdick...their chocolate penguins & mice are particularly charming...good for presents & party favors...(I think they also have turkeys for the holiday) I also suggest Pierre Marcolini...I note they ship to Canada, too...high end & superb... http://www.marcolinichocolatier.com/ Wed Nov 15 21:39:52 -0800 2006 2023589 11069 fauchon 1 2024215 I highly recommend See's candy. They are an old California company. They do mail order. You would not be sorry. A clean, rich dark chocolate without any aftertaste. Their fruit type dark choc. covered bon bons are wonderful. Wed Nov 15 19:35:18 -0800 2006 2022716 23824 niki rothman 1 2024438 I'm not sure if See's style is exactly what the poster is looking for. That said, See's raspberry buttercream (not the raspberry truffle) is the best raspberry confection I've ever had. I'm also fond of the lemon truffle. However, the orange flavor they do is in milk chocolate, and not good at all. Wed Nov 15 20:27:04 -0800 2006 2022716 10159 Ruth Lafler 2 2024667 We should do a poll on the SF board of everyone's favorite See's preferences. I want to branch out and try some new choices. Actually, my own number one See's treat is the hard candy chocolate lollipop. I've never seen any other candy company selling a chocolate lolly. Seems like a "no brainer" for the mass market brands to sell too, but no. Wed Nov 15 21:14:46 -0800 2006 2024438 23824 niki rothman 3 2024732 Why the SF board? See's is available all over the western US. In fact, I understand one of their busiest branches is in Hawaii -- See's is very popular with visitors from Asia. Wed Nov 15 21:30:29 -0800 2006 2024667 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 2024764 Speaking of SF, there are two great chocolate resources on Union Street: http://www.cocoabella.com/ Cocoabella does mail order, and their chocolates are absolutely first-rate. They're a must-stop destination. It's that good. They bring in handmake chocolates from some of the best sources in America and abroad. They aren't cheap, but they're really not expensive, either, in the sense that they aren't overpriced. Just brace yourself for luxury items, in every sense. Another great Union St stop: Goldleaf Chocolatier http://www.goldleafchocolatier.com/index2.html Their website is under construction. I don't know if it'll be up by the holidays. They offer a different sort of chocolate. It's made right there, by the friendly owners, and it's less expensive and less fussy than the (still outstanding) truffles down the street. I expect both places will have fans, as they should. Wed Nov 15 21:40:44 -0800 2006 2022716 28747 Gourdo 1 2032030 My friends just brought me some chocolate from Venice (they were in Italy for their honeymoon.) This is the best chocolate I can remember ever eating. http://www.viziovirtu.com Sat Nov 18 09:47:22 -0800 2006 2022716 25705 sll 1 2032034 I have always found lindt( www.lindt.com ) to be good and they are available at Sobey's. Or possibly try www.wilburchocolate.com Sat Nov 18 10:18:50 -0800 2006 2022716 51116 atomicdogs 2 2326196 Lindt is also widely available around the country at Shopper's. - Lea http://canada-eats.com Sat Feb 24 16:11:07 -0800 2007 2032034 60623 Canada Eats 1 2032044 My favorite is Ethel M chocolates ( www.ethelm.com ). Of the choices you have listed, they carry a lemon filled dark chocolate (excellent) and a raspberry filled dark chocolate (also excellent). Caramels can be had in both milk and dark chocolate and are also wonderful. My husband and I discovered them when we visited Las Vegas a year ago and were not disappointed. Now we mail order to have them at home. Highly recommended. Sat Nov 18 11:06:50 -0800 2006 2022716 46604 paisleypark20 1 2034364 I think you are looking for bon-bons. Some friends were in San Diego and raved about these Chuao chocolates and bonb-bons. I'm not sure if they ship to Canada or not. http://www.chuaochocolatier.com/bonbons_dark.html Sun Nov 19 21:49:38 -0800 2006 2022716 13030 free sample addict aka Tracy L 1 2319332 HI, I wish to reply to Atahualpa. I have been in the chocolate industry for years, and one of the things that truly bothers me about some people who are also big on chocolate is that it is more important to them the way the chocolate looks, than the way it tastes. You described your chocolates as being very dilicious, and rich in flavour, but you were unhappy because they weren't dark enough? I will proceed to explain what happens when people become too picky about how their chocolate looks. Godiva. One word folks, 'Godiva', beautiful chocolates that taste like crap! Sorry to offend anyone who may disagree, but walk into any Godiva boutique and notice how two piece boxes cost nearly five dollars, and taste less than half as good as Lindt chocolates, which possess extraordinary taste and are as little as $1.70 Canadian, for a two piece box. Now Lindt is a beautiful chocolate, although I'll be a little rough on them as well, because to keep up with the way the modern world has forced commercialism down retail's throat, Lindt has fallen victim to selling 100g bunnies/reindeer for 5.99 Canadian when you can buy the same chocolate in the form of a bar for $2.49 Canadian. I don't think chocolate is about the visual presentation at all. It is about the taste, and the way it makes you feel. warm, happy. People put way too much emphasis on trend and fashion these days. Put a blind fold on and compare different brands of chocolate, I think you will agree that just because a chocolate looks good, does not mean that it tastes good. Now, if a chocolate looks horrible and tastes horrible, then there is right to complain. But I have little sympathy for someone who will savour their chocolate, and then complain afterwards that it was not 'dark' enough. Thank you. Thu Feb 22 13:32:28 -0800 2007 2022716 76893 Ceilidh 2 2320720 I do look for a robust and non-waxy gloss as one of the signs of good temper. If the surface of the chocolate is dull and liveless, I would be concerned. Taste is important, but the texture of the chocolate is important too, and often reflects on the technique of the chocolate maker. Thu Feb 22 20:04:17 -0800 2007 2319332 10076 limster 2 2326683 Recent Lindt Truffles I purchased in their US stores all contain a fake buttery flaver that I find disgusting. Their bar chocolates are better but still not to the standard of other premium producers such as Sharfen Berger, Valrhona or El Rey. Sat Feb 24 20:19:19 -0800 2007 2319332 69475 chazzer 1 2320921 Check Joseph Schmidt Confections (www.josephschmidtconfections.com) in San Francisco. I know they do a raspberry truffle and also a champagne truffle -- in addition to all the variations on the theme of chocolate. The chell is rich and delicious, and the fillings excellent as well. Thu Feb 22 21:29:33 -0800 2007 2022716 54833 ClaireWalter 1 2323418 I would go for See's. You can order on-line or request a catalog. Secret Fact: When you lick the envelope from their mail order catalog, it seriously tastes like caramel! Love it! Fri Feb 23 14:01:52 -0800 2007 2022716 76226 Oh Robin 1 2326217 Hi Atahualpa, I'm not sure if you're still looking for mail-order chocolates, but we ordered a box from D.C. Duby in Vancouver a while ago. I wasn't completely blown away, but maybe my expectations were a little high. We got a box with pumpkin seed, squash, and other unique combos, which were hit-and-miss, although that was mostly personal taste, not so much a reflection on the quality. They also have a wide range of floral, herbal, and spice flavours. If you're interested in unique, experimental flavours, definitely worth checking out. Their website is dcduby.com. - Lea http://canada-eats.com Sat Feb 24 16:19:11 -0800 2007 2022716 60623 Canada Eats