----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex Rast" >
Newsgroups: rec.food.chocolate
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 9:02 PM

> >I live in Pisa...I've been wanting to go visit Amedei for a while, but I
> >realize now
> >that I've got to be better prepared than this. Anybody want to say a few
> >words about their various lines and what I should look out for when I go
> >there?
> >
>
> There are both chocolates (i.e. confections made *with* chocolate) and
> chocolate (i.e. pure chocolate bars). The chocolates are excellent,
> although of course they don't deliver the pure chocolate experience. But
do
> try them. Definitely try the chocolates made with Chuao. Resist
> assortments. Instead, custom-pick from flavours you like. And there's
> nothing wrong with asking for a recommendation. Some people will let you
> sample, and if you can get a sample, it's the best way to find out. But if
> they *do* offer a sample, you should buy something from them, and not just
> a token amount. It's a matter of ethics and being fair. Since they're
> sticking their neck out by letting you try stuff, you owe it to them to
> return the favour and actually buy stuff.

I'll gladly try the chocolates - and gladly buy a significant amount. I'll
keep a lookout for the Chuao-based chocolates.

> As for the chocolate, the varietals are considerably better than the
> blends. The blends are OK (the 66% is pretty good) but there are better
> companies for blended chocolate. The milk chocolate is worthless - don't
> bother with it at all. But the varietals are superb, pretty much across
the
> board. Of course start with Chuao and buy as much as you can afford.

I'm trying to remember what the Chuao bar I bought in Pisa in the cafe'
cost. I think it was 4 Euros.

> The Cru collection is really good too - I particularly liked the
Madagascar and
> the Trinidad. It's unfortunate they don't sell these in 50g bars like the
> Porcelana or Chuao. Encourage them to do so when you stop by. If enough
> people make this suggestion, perhaps they'll take it up.

I'll make that suggestion to them.

> Now, the Porcelana isn't IMHO as good as the Chuao, nor is it as good as
> its rival Porcelana from Domori, but it's still worth trying. What I would
> do is buy a Porcelana bar, and buy one from Domori. Then, get some polenta
> meal and make a very, very watery, absolutely plain polenta - this means
> just the corn and water. It should flow - like the consistency of gruel.
> You don't need much, just a mugful. Then try the Amedei and Domori
> Porcelanas side-by-side. What you do is taste one bar, drink some of the
> warm polenta, then taste the other bar.

That's amazing! I have never, ever heard of the "polenta" technique for
chocolate tasting comparisons. Well, I'll give it a try - it certainly isn't
difficult to get ahold of the polenta here.

> It's best to eat the entire 50g
> before proceeding to the second bar because there are flavour nuances you
> won't catch unless you eat a relatively large amount.

That is another thing that I didn't know at all: that there could be nuances
you'd only get through a *larger* amount. I would have thought that anything
more than a small amount would start to bury the nuances. Glad to hear it,
though.

> Incidentally, I must
> add that Amedei has determined the *perfect* size and shape for a tasting
> bar - i.e. the 50g bars, rather long, narrow, and thick, but not chunky.

Yet another thing I hadn't thought about - 50 g. bars as the ideal size. I
do remember noticing the unusual dimensions in the bar - and yes, in fact it
did make a convenient size and amount for tasting, now that I think about
it.

> Their packaging is also about as ideal as you can get - foiled paper
inside a box.

I remember that striking me, too.

> If you add to that the fact that in the Chuao especially, you've got
> perhaps the best chocolate in the world sitting inside, you have in one
> instance the embodiment of the perfect chocolate distribution.

Great information, as always. Thanks for taking the time - I'm printing this
right out and taking it with me on my visit there. I would have gone before,
but discovered they're not open on weekends. A rather interesting difference
between Italy and the United States.

John