From the SF Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...UGM6DTAOM1.DTL

"Scharffen Berger, a Berkeley company that specializes in premium dark
chocolates, will continue making its products as normal but said it
will have greater access to resources and growth opportunities by
joining forces with Hershey.
....
"Scharffen Berger markets to the refined palate and seeks to be
approached like a fine wine. Its best-selling products include
bittersweet and extra-dark chocolates. The company has retail stores in
Berkeley, San Francisco and New York. Its products also are available
in high-end supermarkets."

(quoted under fair use)

Leila

In article .com,
Leila wrote:
"Scharffen Berger markets to the refined palate and seeks to be
approached like a fine wine. Its best-selling products include
bittersweet and extra-dark chocolates. The company has retail stores in
Berkeley, San Francisco and New York. Its products also are available
in high-end supermarkets."

This gives me more confidence in my theory: Scharffen Berger is a
sham. Here they are, announcing that they are being acquired by the
king of mass market, low quality chocolate, and simultaneously
claiming the high end of the market.

I've tasted their packaged goods many times, and I find them lacking.
The chocolate has a weird sour (not bitter) taste that is not
pleasant.

It is also quite expensive.
--
David Arnstein

David Arnstein wrote:

This gives me more confidence in my theory: Scharffen Berger is a
sham. Here they are, announcing that they are being acquired by the
king of mass market, low quality chocolate, and simultaneously
claiming the high end of the market.

I've tasted their packaged goods many times, and I find them lacking.
The chocolate has a weird sour (not bitter) taste that is not
pleasant.

It is also quite expensive.

Yep. It doesn't hold a candle to Michel Cluizel or Valrhona. It's
decidedly one-dimensional. It's the typical American thing -- some
rich guys start a company in an area that interests them, learn as
much as they can, and hang out a shingle. European chocolatiers
have decades of experience, access to growers, etc. There's
just no substitute for the kind of knowledge in depth that comes
from growing up in what has been a hereditary craft.

Of course, that's what's great about America -- you don't have to
apprentice for seven years to become a sushi chef. OTOH that's
what's not so great about America -- you eat sushi made by guys who
didn't study for seven years to become a sushi chef.

In article ,
Michael Sierchio wrote:

access to growers, etc.

Those growers in South America, you mean?

There's just no substitute for the kind of knowledge in depth that
comes from growing up in what has been a hereditary craft.

True, but it seems to me that there is less and less of that in
Europe as well. People no longer want to do what the family always has
done, they are more individualistic.

In any case, I still prefer Ghiradelli chocolate. Call me a plebe if
you will.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

Sad, isn't it? I don't expect it will remain the same for very long.

```````````````````````

On 26 Jul 2005 09:32:29 -0700, Leila wrote:

From the SF Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...UGM6DTAOM1.DTL

"Scharffen Berger, a Berkeley company that specializes in premium dark
chocolates, will continue making its products as normal but said it
will have greater access to resources and growth opportunities by
joining forces with Hershey.
...
"Scharffen Berger markets to the refined palate and seeks to be
approached like a fine wine. Its best-selling products include
bittersweet and extra-dark chocolates. The company has retail stores in
Berkeley, San Francisco and New York. Its products also are available
in high-end supermarkets."

(quoted under fair use)

Leila

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:01:05 +0000 (UTC), David Arnstein wrote:

I've tasted their packaged goods many times, and I find them lacking.
The chocolate has a weird sour (not bitter) taste that is not
pleasant.

To each his own. I like their product.

It is also quite expensive.

The price is very reasonable, considering it's high end chocolate.

Michael Sierchio wrote:

It's the typical American thing -- some
rich guys start a company in an area that interests them, learn as
much as they can, and hang out a shingle. European chocolatiers
have decades of experience, access to growers, etc. There's
just no substitute for the kind of knowledge in depth that comes
from growing up in what has been a hereditary craft.

That's what I figured -- I was very prejudiced against SB
before trying it. However, their ~70% bittersweet is currently
my favorite chocolate. My others are certain chocolates from
Valrhona and Chocovic.

What some people don't like about SB is that they
roast their beans less than other makers. This preserves
certain flavors that get burnt out by most other chocolate
makers. Many people don't seem to like these flavors,
but I enjoy them very much. I find burnt chocolates
uninteresting and unsatisfying.

On 2005-07-26, Michael Sierchio wrote:

rich guys start a company in an area that interests them, learn as
much as they can, and hang out a shingle. European chocolatiers
have decades of experience, access to growers, etc. There's
just no substitute for the kind of knowledge in depth that comes
from growing up in what has been a hereditary craft.

Of course, that's what's great about America -- you don't have to
apprentice for seven years.....

Building up a specialty business and then relentlessly promoting it to
attract the attention of the big boys and then selling it so as to be
able to afford luxury homes, jets, and planes is what Americans
apprentice at. This isn't ol' John's first time.

nb

"sf" wrote in message
...
Sad, isn't it? I don't expect it will remain the same for very long.

First, they'll start adding a lot of wax to it, just like their
own Hershey bars. Damn they used to be good.

nancy (great, just what I need, another craving)

In article ,
Michael Sierchio wrote:
Yep. It doesn't hold a candle to Michel Cluizel or Valrhona.

I find Valrhona overpriced (and thus on par with SB). I prefer
Chocovic, although nothing beats TJ's Pound Plus 70% chocolate for
value.

rone
--
"If the movie was an episode of 'Battlestar Galactica' with a guest appearance
by the Smurfs and everyone spoke Dutch, the graphic novel is 'Citizen Kane'
with added sex scenes and music by your favourite ten bands and everyone in
the world you ever hated dies at the end." -- Warren Ellis, on 'From Hell'

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:58:04 GMT, Mark Thorson
wrote:

Michael Sierchio wrote:

It's the typical American thing -- some
rich guys start a company in an area that interests them, learn as
much as they can, and hang out a shingle. European chocolatiers
have decades of experience, access to growers, etc. There's
just no substitute for the kind of knowledge in depth that comes
from growing up in what has been a hereditary craft.


Hershey has been around since 1893. Have access to growers, have
decades of experience. have there own milk processing plant for the
production of milk chocolate. They employ 13,700 people, export to 90
countries and have $4 billion in sales a year. Not bad for something
that started with a penniless 30 year old.

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 21:12:09 GMT, day dreamer@dream .com@ wrote:

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:58:04 GMT, Mark Thorson
wrote:

Michael Sierchio wrote:

It's the typical American thing -- some
rich guys start a company in an area that interests them, learn as
much as they can, and hang out a shingle. European chocolatiers
have decades of experience, access to growers, etc. There's
just no substitute for the kind of knowledge in depth that comes
from growing up in what has been a hereditary craft.


Hershey has been around since 1893. Have access to growers, have
decades of experience. have there own milk processing plant for the
production of milk chocolate. They employ 13,700 people, export to 90
countries and have $4 billion in sales a year. Not bad for something
that started with a penniless 30 year old.


Hershey made it possible for the masses in the US to have chocolate at
all. Before that, it was affordable only for the rich. As a
company, its history is very admirable with regard to treatment of
workers, the surrounding community, and needy children.

I'm pleased and proud to support Hershey's by eating Reeses peanut
butter cups and Skor Toffee bars and Whatchamacallit and Mr. Goodbar
and kisses and Almond Joy. :

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Curly Sue wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 21:12:09 GMT, day dreamer@dream .com@ wrote:

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 19:58:04 GMT, Mark Thorson
wrote:

Michael Sierchio wrote:

It's the typical American thing -- some
rich guys start a company in an area that interests them, learn as
much as they can, and hang out a shingle. European chocolatiers
have decades of experience, access to growers, etc. There's
just no substitute for the kind of knowledge in depth that comes
from growing up in what has been a hereditary craft.

Hershey has been around since 1893. Have access to growers, have
decades of experience. have there own milk processing plant for the
production of milk chocolate. They employ 13,700 people, export to 90
countries and have $4 billion in sales a year. Not bad for something
that started with a penniless 30 year old.

Hershey made it possible for the masses in the US to have chocolate at
all. Before that, it was affordable only for the rich. As a
company, its history is very admirable with regard to treatment of
workers, the surrounding community, and needy children.

I'm pleased and proud to support Hershey's by eating Reeses peanut
butter cups and Skor Toffee bars and Whatchamacallit and Mr. Goodbar
and kisses and Almond Joy. :


Sue(tm)
Hershey's chocolate tastes from boiled milk. I do not like milk
chocolate, but Hershey's is the worst of the popular brands. Their
Special, the dark chocolate would not be bad, if they made it a little
less sweet. Dark chocolate should have that bittersweet taste, but in
this case it does not.

As for Scharffen Berger, I cannot eat their chocolate at all. As
someone mentioned, it tastes sour, as if it were spoiled. There is
another American Chocolate maker, Guittard's and those chocolates are
incredibly good but, unfortunately they are difficult to find in New
York City.

Let's hope that the merger will produce a new, wonderfully good
chocolate bar.

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005, rone wrote:

In article ,
Michael Sierchio wrote:
Yep. It doesn't hold a candle to Michel Cluizel or Valrhona.

I find Valrhona overpriced (and thus on par with SB). I prefer
Chocovic, although nothing beats TJ's Pound Plus 70% chocolate for
value.

TJs has often had Valrhona at reasonable prices. There's no obvious
indication that it's any different from what's sold for a lot more
elsewhere, although I've not recently enough bought the latter for
direct comparison.
--

Al Eisner
San Mateo Co., CA

On 2005-07-26, Margaret Suran wrote:

another American Chocolate maker......

Yeah! ...let's not forget Baker's, the oldest chocolate company in the
US and having the distinction of never buying chocolate from suppliers
who used slaves.

nb