at Tue, 11 Jan 2005 08:10:44 GMT in 21017-41E38A04-488@storefull-
3177.bay.webtv.net, (Patrick Porter) wrote :

If I wanted to try different kinds of chocolate to educate my
palate---which company has good sampler-type packages with different
types? Which would you recommend?

I wouldn't recommend that you try most samplers because the amount of
chocolate per sample is generally not enough to get a good assessment of
the chocolate. I recommend 50g/sample if you want to appreciate all of the
chocolate's characteristics.

That being said, there is one company out there with a sampler that *does*
have 50g samples - Pralus. The Pyramide des Tropiques has 10 50g bars in
it, and the chocolate is very good indeed. Highly recommended.

However, as with any chocolatier, Pralus has a distinct style, and so it's
good to try chocolates from other manufacturers.

Domori, Michel Cluizel, and Amedei all have excellent chocolate and do
offer samplers. You can assemble enough samples by buying multiple boxes to
make up the critical 50g amount. The sampler to get from Cluizel (which has
many) is the 1ers Crus de Plantation. However, it's probably best just to
get a 100 g bar of each.

The best chocolates from Amedei (Chuao) and Domori (Porcelana) aren't in
the samplers. I recommend getting those chocolates anyway.

Valrhona has a Grand Cru sampler with 75g/type, although again you must
annoyingly assemble the 50g from multiple individual squares. They have a
sort-of-sampler in the Chocolats Noirs de Domaine box, but with 3 types,
it's a bit anemic. I also don't think they'll be getting the Chuao any
more. Just as well. Save your money and buy the far better Amedei version
(which should soon be the only version)

--
Alex Rast

(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

Thanks for this---off to Chocosphere I go---

Since you mention Chocosphere...a few months ago I suggested to them by
email that they put together some sampler kits, each according to a theme
(milk chocolate, 70% chocolate, etc.). Never got a reply from them -
they're swamped these days.

They are the best company to do it because of their in-stock selection, but
I know they are overworked these days...the owners mentioned when I last
visited that, when winter arrived, their order volume took off.

"Patrick Porter" wrote in message
...
Thanks for this---off to Chocosphere I go---

Since you mention Chocosphere...a few months ago I suggested to them by
email that they put together some sampler kits, each according to a theme
(milk chocolate, 70% chocolate, etc.). Never got a reply from them -
they're swamped these days.

They are the best company to do it because of their in-stock selection, but
I know they are overworked these days...the owners mentioned when I last
visited that, when winter arrived, their order volume took off.

"Patrick Porter" wrote in message
...
Thanks for this---off to Chocosphere I go---