Best Bakery for Bread and Chocolate anything

[nbermas]

Anything new around FFD? I am not loving all the places in Norwalk or Greenwich that are suppposedly the best,,,,, Thank you and what do you get?

[mjoyous]

A little far from you, but they ship their breads--try Berkshire Mountain Bakery's bread & chocolate--a naturally yeast raised sourdough bread with dark organic choclate. the sour and chocolate work! it's fantastic.
http://www.berkshiremountainbakery.co...

[jfood]

a LITTLE far. Nice. :-))

But as jfood always tries to make the best of a situation. If you do drive there, and it is one heck of a beautiful drive up route 7, when you get to downtown Kent, CT there is an absolutely fantastic Belgian Chocolate maker/baker called Belgique. Over the top great.

[louuuuu]

Second that on Belgique. Gorgeous drive but even more amazing chocolates, confections and baked goods. Very European. Caution -- before you drive off call ahead to make sure they're open. Believe they close Mon, Tue, Wed.

[jfood]

great point louuuuuu on the hours. they do close for a few days a week. that is a very lonely parking lot when the lights are off. -((

[nbermas]

jfood: I have been, oh my goodness, that is a bakery and I had the best mango sorbet I have ever had in my life. So pretty in there you feel like not disturbing the pastries but you have too! Excellent dark chocolate things.... If there were in our neck of the woods I would be in trouble!

[mjoyous]

Now I need to take a trip south to Belgique!~

[jfood]

dontcha hate it when some clown on a website makes you drive to a place and buy some fantastic chocolate?

:-))

[nbermas]

mjoyous: The bread looks great at Bershire Mountain Bakery, thanks

[chicken kabob]

I vote for bread at Sono Bakery in Norwalk. I love their foccacia w/ raisins and dried fruit in it. It is not a typical foccacia because it it is very moist and sweet, with a sprinkling of rock sugar on top (MMMMM =) .... It is sold by the slice, too.

[intrepid]

i go to berkshire mountain often, its good, but kneaded bread also good, with more variety in the bread selection

[laylag]

Kneaded Bread in Port Chester is amazing for bread of all kinds. Some of their other baked goods are delicious as well but they don't specialize in chocolate items though if you like extremely dense, very fudgy brownies, you'll love theirs.

I like Boiano bakery a lot (mentioned by Howdy) for many things - biscotti and lemon cookies in particular - but the bread does not stand out. They do bake the bread for the quite good Cosmo and Alex Italian deli next door - same owner's I believe. Bread's not bad, just not great.

Only tried a few things from Chocolations- a chocolate/candy store. It's not much on the bakery side at all and the chocolate we did buy were imo overpriced and underwhelming.

[Avalondaughter]

Their chocolate aren't outstanding, but they do a nice frozen hot chocolate on a hot day (although that's sort of irrelelvant in October)

[dolores]

I found Chocolations soooooooo underwhelming when compared to the best truffles I've ever eaten, which I found online.

Kneaded Bread in Portchester can satisfy the bread and chocolate fix, with their breads obviously, and with their amazing double chocolate muffin. Their ring ding cakes are delish too.

Boiano has a good rendered pork bread and their custard tarts are also good.

[RawTunaFan]

The bread at Kneaded Bread is outstanding.

[adamclyde]

The breads at both the Kneaded Bread and SONO bakery are outstanding. Frankly, I don't know that there are many suburban places in the country with two similarly stellar choices for quality artisan breads.

I still haven't found a truly great baguette anywhere around (including those two), but outside of that, the breads are a pretty sure bet at both locations.

[dolores]

You're right about Kneaded Bread, adamclyde.

nbermas, have you been? I've tried many a chocolate muffin and their double chocolate is THE best. As is their almond crossaint, when you can find it.

[nbermas]

I have been and think the bread is good but haven't had anything that great that has chocolate in it. Thanks

[dolores]

You've found a better chocolate muffin somewhere else? I'm curious.

[roxlet]

I agree with adamclyde on the baguette problem. The Kneaded Bread has a passable baguette, but it just doesn't come close to the French ideal.

[jfood]

Jfood thinks the breads at SONO Bake Shop are the best and the chocolate confections at Chocopology are are well.

If these two don;t float your boat can't help you.

Howdy - FFD stands for Fairfield County

[nbermas]

Jfood: Do like dark or milk chocolate? Also I heard chocopologie has great burgers, have you ever had them? I love chocoplogies coffee with dark chocolate and lavender it is incredible. Maybe I don't buy the right things at Sono, I have had great things there though but always looking for a change of pace.

[jfood]

dark or light? yes
burgers? saw the same threads here and jfood was racking his head off the other day trying to remember where he read about another good burger and thank you for reminding him where. Jfood has ordered 6 burgers in MSP in the last three weeks and sent back or threw out 5 (three in one place) so he is hoofin' for a good one.
SONO Faves include the chocolate flourless cake and tart sized, pain au chocolate, chocolate ganache cake and every bread he has tried. Not a big fan of the cheesecake, but he has not had a good cheesecake in many years. All the breads he has eaten are great.
Never had coffeee at Choco, but jfood sometimes surprises mrs jfood with a 3-pack of truffles. love the smile.

[nbermas]

Jfood: What is MSP? I will try your suggesions I go to Sono. Thank you

[jfood]

minneapolis st paul, sorry. it's just on the other side of chicago (remember the poster of a new yorkers view of america?) :-))

[howdy]

For anything chocolate, I HIGHLY recommend locally owned :

Chocolations - www.chocolations.com
447 Mamaroneck Ave, Mamaroneck NY - [phone]

2 blocks down the street (from Chocolations going in the direction of the water or towards Boston Post Road) on Mamaroneck Ave is an Italian Bakery (bread, cookies, cakes) and next to that is Cosmo's Italian Deli (breads sometimes have cheese or sausage baked in). While you walk there, you'll pass a homemade pasta store that has italian bread unless you arrive too late.

Keep in mind these are all locally owned places that close around 5pm or 6pm on weekdays. They are open all day Saturday and a few hours on Sunday.

There is parking on the street, or you can drive around behind the CVS store and there is ample additional parking.

Enjoy!

ps - What does "FFD" mean?

[nbermas]

Howdy: Fairfield County but anything with a name like that sounds great. what is there claim to fame.