454533 Fri Oct 26 18:30:34 -0700 2007 17 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 3071342 Let's just say that to call my sister-in-law a chocoholic would be a vast understatement. Each year we get her a box of chocolate and do a chocolate themed gift for x-mas. Over the years I have gotten her gifts from Jacques Torres, La Maison du Chocolat, Lindt and others. Does anyone have any other new ideas for me, on one hand I feel like the idea is getting old, on the other hand, I think she'd be disappointed if she didn't get some really nice chocolates from us. Fri Oct 26 18:30:34 -0700 2007 115445 SweetPea914 1 3071346 Have you tried Kee's in Manhattan? Fri Oct 26 18:33:10 -0700 2007 3071342 10985 MMRuth 2 3071357 No, I'm not really into sweets, which is partly why I posted this. I'm sure I could just google, but where are they located? Do you have any specific recommendations? Fri Oct 26 18:37:39 -0700 2007 3071346 115445 SweetPea914 3 3071366 http://www.keeschocolates.com/ In Soho - beautiful handmade chocolates - fresh everyday. She does do mail order I believe. Favorites include all the nut truffles, the creme brulee chocolate, blood orange, champagne, coconut, ginger, key lime, thai chile, smoked salt. Fri Oct 26 18:41:53 -0700 2007 3071357 10985 MMRuth 4 3071381 oohhh, those could actually get me into chocolate. Maybe I shouldn't go, I would have to try the thai chili and champagne :-) Thanks for the recs, I'm always in Soho at some point doing holiday shopping so I will have to stop by! Fri Oct 26 18:51:18 -0700 2007 3071366 115445 SweetPea914 5 3071382 The best time to stop by is early afternoon - too early - she won't have all of them made, too late, well, a lot of them are gone. But, if you check them out and like them, you can call ahead and place an order. She's a lovely woman. Fri Oct 26 18:53:49 -0700 2007 3071381 10985 MMRuth 1 3071379 i was going to suggest Kee's too, or Vosges. How about a gift card for a chocolate making class. Maybe a local culinary school offers them? or if you live in NY you can give her an early gift to the Chocolate Show in November. Fri Oct 26 18:50:33 -0700 2007 3071342 60805 cmarie 2 3071393 I hadn't thought of a chocolate making class, that's also a great idea. She lives in Brooklyn so I'm sure there must be something here in NY that I could sign her up for! Fri Oct 26 18:58:24 -0700 2007 3071379 115445 SweetPea914 1 3071401 look into ICE-Culinary(institute for culinary education) or The New School usually as a bunch of classes. Has she been to the Chocolate Show? it's a chocoholics dream (or nightmare!) Fri Oct 26 19:05:06 -0700 2007 3071342 60805 cmarie 2 3071897 I don't think she's ever been to the Chocolate Show. It's the first I'm hearing about it and I'm sure she would have mentioned it to me had she been there. I'm going to look it up now. I just had another idea...Are there any good dessert and coffee places downtown that anyone can recommend? I'm thinking of something along the lines of chikaLicious, but they don't have a very chocolate heavy menu, the one choc. item they do offer has a red wine sauce and that wouldn't work. She would love a GC to such a place. I know Payard has great desserts, but that wouldn't be her style. Sat Oct 27 06:12:42 -0700 2007 3071401 115445 SweetPea914 3 3071943 Mariebelle comes to mind - lovely hot chocolate. Sat Oct 27 06:43:40 -0700 2007 3071897 10985 MMRuth 1 3071982 Have you tried Pierre Marcolini, Richart or Debauve et Gallet?...all are superb & located in Manhattan... Also Teuscher (also in NYC) is excellent (esp the champagne truffles) and the chocolate mice from LA Burdick make a charming gift.... http://www.chocolate.com/ has lots & lots of ideas, too... PS: the bar with crushed cacoa bits from Cluizel is TDF... Sat Oct 27 07:12:29 -0700 2007 3071342 11069 fauchon 1 3072161 Pierre Marcolini Sat Oct 27 08:56:08 -0700 2007 3071342 10216 Lucia 1 3074544 You cant look at the site at Ethel M's at http://www.ethelschocolate.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=196 I've recieved gifts from there and liked it a lot. Sun Oct 28 14:39:19 -0700 2007 3071342 111867 tart1 1 3074976 Burdicks (NH or Vt) has wonderful chocolate including their chocolate mice and penguins. Rechuitti in SF has wonderful chocolate covered salted caramels. Harbor Sweets (Salem MA) has many varieties but the favorite is the sweet sloops- little chocolate sailboats with toffe inside. Sun Oct 28 18:05:10 -0700 2007 3071342 13202 emilief 2 3075111 A wonderful hound sent me a gift of Burdick's and they were wonderful. If you're on the East Coast, then California chocolates like Rechuitti, Chuao or Woodhouse would be something she'd be less familiar with or likely to run across on her own. Sun Oct 28 19:00:00 -0700 2007 3074976 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 3075502 What about ordering different chocolates from Chocosphere? http://www.chocosphere.com/ For a couple years now, I've been gifted with assortments of dark chocolate bars from different places, and think its a wonderful gift to be able to compare them and figure out my favorites! Sun Oct 28 22:25:12 -0700 2007 3071342 10911 LisaN 1 3076411 I second Richart. Expensive but luxuriously delicious. I am not a big chocolate fan but do appreciate high quality dark chocolate & would love it if I received it as a gift:-) http://www.richart-chocolates.com/b2c/chocolate/collections/94 7 E 55th St New York, NY 10022 (212) 371-9369 Mon Oct 29 09:56:50 -0700 2007 3071342 108661 ceekskat