at Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:54:08 GMT in
>,
(Meghan Noecker) wrote :

>
>> If you had to knaw on it, it would have been the thicker, 2-inch
>> blocs. ...
>>
>Good. Sounds like that helps narrow it down. Yes, I did a lot of
>knawing in it. I could only break off small chunks from the corners.
>It was very satisfying to work hard at eating it.
>>...
>> If it was pale, almost creamy in colour, more likely it was Merckens.
>> Neither Merckens nor Guittard tastes anything *like* Hershey's, nor,
>
>This is the hard part - definiing the taste. Since I haven't had it
>for so many years, it is hard to remember, but my favorite chocolate
>now is Hershey's so that is probably why I identify with it...

Out of curiosity, what chocolates have you tried that you can recall, and
how much have you liked each one? With this information I can probably also
recommend other new chocolates for you to try, some of which you may like
better than your current favourites.

....
>> A reliable on-line site for Merckens is http://www.bakerscandc.com.
>> You can get both types there, although brace yourself: you'll have to
>> get the full 10-lb brick.
>>
>Thanks, that's not too bad actually. I was at some website yesterday,
>I think the Ghiradelli, and it was almost $80 for a 10 lb bar I think.
>$30 isn't too bad.

Then those sites are ripping you off. The big Ghirardelli blocs shouldn't
cost near $80.00, $40.00 being more typical, and from the right places you
can get it for $30.00

>> If you want to pick it up in Seattle, you'll have to look around....
>> From Larry's, it's certainly no- risk to try the Guittard because you
>> can pick up a small chunk of it from the bulk bins for a song (a 4-oz
>> piece will be about $1.00) You can get Callebaut just about as easily
>> from any of the sources above....
>
>Thanks. I will check them out. I don't know what it is, but I have
>always missed that large chunk of chocolate to knaw on. Everytime the
>holiday decorations come out, I start looking for the bins again,
>hoping to find some broken chocolate.

If the principal attraction is the knawability as opposed to a specific set
of flavour characteristics, then there's no need to tear your hair out
looking for Merckens. Just get the Guittard or Callebaut chocolates in
break-up from any of the local suppliers, and you'll be happy. Both are
quite good chocolate. I'll confess, in the milk-chocolate category, that I
think Ghirardelli is better than either one, and it's easy to find a bloc,
and you *can* knaw it, but the format is such that it doesn't make it
*necessary* to knaw on it. Guittard from Larry's is probably the cheapest:
about $4.00/lb which is excellent value.

Again, I'll say that personally I prefer the Guittard bittersweet over the
milk chocolate (enough that I can list the Larry's bin number for that one
: #57747). Unless dark chocolate holds *no* appeal for you I believe this
is a chocolate you owe yourself to try because it is IMHO one of 2
chocolates vying for title of best chocolate in the world (the other one
being Amedei's Chuao which you can get in likewise knawable bloc format
from Chocosphere at - brace yourself for the price - $55 for a 1 kg (about
2 lbs) bloc.)

--
Alex Rast

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