The news of my chocolate snobbery quickly spread threw my office floor after I gracefully declined FREE CHOCOLATE. People found it strange that I’d turn down free chocolate. I had to explain that it’s hard to go back to regular chocolate after you’ve tasted real chocolate. I don’t push artisan chocolates on people. Especially to the ones who really like Hershey’s dark bars. I just gracefully decline chocolates made for mainstream/daily use.
One of my favorite chocolate bars is the Almond Bar from Recchiuti. This bar is filled with toasted almond pieces. One of the first things you’ll notice about this bar is that there is a delicate touch when it came to assembly. The toasted almonds are not drenched in chocolate. After unwrapping, you’ll find areas of the bar that expose the almonds. I would have taken a picture except I was enjoying the bar too much.
Here’s the description:
Toasted almond pieces are coated in Burnt Caramel syrup and sea salt and then toasted again before being added, by hand, to our custom Semisweet Chocolate. The subtle, delicate nut is an ideal complement to the smooth and complex semisweet flavors.
Try Recchiuti! I know you won’t regret it. You can find them here:
One Ferry Building, Shop #30
San Francisco, CA 94111
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm
Phone: 415-834-9494
About Recchiuti
In 1997, after years in the test kitchen, Michael was ready to bring his creations to a larger audience and to introduce Americans to real chocolate. With his wife, Jacky, he founded Recchiuti Confections. Their idea: when you introduce people to truly exquisite chocolates they will be won over instantly and forever. Then, as now, he achieved those exquisite chocolates by painstakingly selecting each ingredient that would go into the final confection. He’d visit the San Francisco farmers’ market for bundles of fresh lavender, tarragon and lemon verbena, which he’d carefully dry for use in his signature infusions. He made frequent trips to local chocolate manufacturers, trying their latest offerings and deciding if it had the right texture, color and acidity for a new blend he was working on. And he’d meticulously see to each step that turned those fine ingredients into finer confections, using traditional European techniques and equipment. But taste and technique only tell part of the story. Michael’s life is filled with art, music and lots of friends, so the look of his chocolates act as a show and tell of his favorite things. Some feature drawings, etchings and paintings from his favorite San Francisco artists, while others are adorned with Japanese block prints.
Thanks Helen for the wonderful birthday gift of chocolate.
