Hi all,

I've been trying to find out more about some types of Valrhona
chocolate, and the Web has provided me as many questions as answers.
Can anyone here provide some insight?

- Valrhona's web site indicates [1] that there are USA-specific versions
of the Guanaja, Caraibe, and Jivara 75g tasting bars. Does anyone
know what the difference is?

- There are some types of Valrhona chocolate (Superalpina, Tropilia,
Maitre Chocolatier) which I've seen mentioned on a few web sites [2],
but I can't find them on Valrhona's own site. Are these actually
types of chocolate, or are they candies? Have they been discontinued?
If not, are they any good?

- There are a couple other types (Araguani, Tanariva Lactee) which are
mentioned on Valrhona's Web site, but which I haven't found in person.
Chocosphere apparently has Araguani, but I haven't gotten around to
ordering any yet. Has anyone tried either of these?

Thanks.

Blake

[1] Go to http://tinyurl.com/ugtq (links to Valrhona's site),
then on the "Bars" drop-down, select "All".
[2] bona-company.ru, flambee.cz, musca.ma, caviarassouline.com

The listed "From:" address is valid for one month past the message date.

at Wed, 19 Nov 2003 05:49:03 GMT in <slrnbrm12t.9g51.20031118
@lawnboy.eng.sun.com>, (Blake Jones) wrote :

>Hi all,
>
>I've been trying to find out more about some types of Valrhona
>chocolate, and the Web has provided me as many questions as answers.
>Can anyone here provide some insight?
>
>- Valrhona's web site indicates [1] that there are USA-specific versions
> of the Guanaja, Caraibe, and Jivara 75g tasting bars. Does anyone
> know what the difference is?

Packaging. The USA versions contain the nutritional info and don't have the
ingredients and other information in multiple languages. The chocolate is
the same.

>
>- There are some types of Valrhona chocolate (Superalpina, Tropilia,
> Maitre Chocolatier) which I've seen mentioned on a few web sites [2],
> but I can't find them on Valrhona's own site. Are these actually
> types of chocolate, or are they candies? Have they been discontinued?
> If not, are they any good?

Superalpina is on their site, in the milk chocolate section of the
Professional side of the site. The other 2 I believe are discontinued. I
can't remember ever seeing Tropilia but I remember seeing Maitre
Chocolatier once.

>
>- There are a couple other types (Araguani, Tanariva Lactee) which are
> mentioned on Valrhona's Web site, but which I haven't found in person.
> Chocosphere apparently has Araguani, but I haven't gotten around to
> ordering any yet. Has anyone tried either of these?

I have tried Araguani. This is one of their best chocolates to date,
surpassed only by Guanaja (their best) and Gran Couva (next best). It's not
like the typical Valrhona chocolate in that it doesn't have the typical
fruitiness. Rather, it's more floral, with coffee notes. Perhaps a bit flat
in taste overall, but this could well simply be relative because the light
roast that yields the characteristic Valrhona fruitiness is also that which
yields a chocolate with more dimensions of flavour, while a darker roast,
such as what Araguani represents, is always going to be flatter.

--
Alex Rast

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

In article >, Alex Rast wrote:
>> - Valrhona's web site indicates [1] that there are USA-specific
>> versions of the Guanaja, Caraibe, and Jivara 75g tasting bars.
>> Does anyone know what the difference is?
>
> Packaging. The USA versions contain the nutritional info and don't
> have the ingredients and other information in multiple languages. The
> chocolate is the same.

Ah, that makes sense.

> Superalpina is on their site, in the milk chocolate section of the
> Professional side of the site.

So it is. Thanks.

> The other 2 I believe are discontinued. I can't remember ever seeing
> Tropilia but I remember seeing Maitre Chocolatier once.

Apparently it's in their "Extra Brut" line, along with Caraque and
Equatoriale. I was never quite sure what those chocolates were targeted
for; they apparently have less cocoa butter as the Grand Cru couvertures,
but more than Extra Noir/Extra Amer (which are clearly not couvertures).

> I have tried Araguani. This is one of their best chocolates to date,
> [...]

Great to hear. Have you tried using it in any pastries or chocolates,
by chance?

Thanks again for your answers.

Blake

--
The listed "From:" address is valid for one month past the message date.

at Sat, 22 Nov 2003 02:46:32 GMT in <slrnbrtjgn.9rcn.20031121
@lawnboy.eng.sun.com>, (Blake Jones) wrote :

>In article >, Alex Rast wrote:
....
>
>> The other 2 I believe are discontinued. I can't remember ever seeing
>> Tropilia but I remember seeing Maitre Chocolatier once.
>
>Apparently it's in their "Extra Brut" line, along with Caraque and
>Equatoriale. I was never quite sure what those chocolates were targeted
>for; they apparently have less cocoa butter as the Grand Cru couvertures,
>but more than Extra Noir/Extra Amer (which are clearly not couvertures).
>

Based on my experience with the Caraque and Equatoriale, probably for
manufacturers who are looking for a lower cost product than the Grand Cru,
but still want to stay at a decent level of quality. Neither of the above
are particularly exceptional, although they're not bad. But IMHO, once
you've decided to go with Valrhona, why not go for broke with the Grand Cru
varieties? They're all great and it's in those that you get the value of
the brand name and reputation that Valrhona has. Otherwise, you are just as
well to use a company like Callebaut.

>> I have tried Araguani. This is one of their best chocolates to date,
>> [...]
>
>Great to hear. Have you tried using it in any pastries or chocolates,
>by chance?

Yes I did. I used it for a flourless chocolate cake which turned out quite
good. Let it be understood that the best chocolate for the particular cake
I made would be Amedei Madagascar, but Araguani was excellent by any
standard. I think the application where it would really shine is in the
warm chocolate cake with the molten center, for which I think it would be
the best chocolate of all. I suspect I'll make that over the Christmas
season.

--
Alex Rast

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