After my “science of chocolate” and more post, I got to pondering on what is good chocolate, anyway?
Growing up my idea of premium chocolate was Marshall Fields Frango Mints and Fannie May’s Vanilla and Rum Creams, Pixies, Mint Meltaways, and Trinidads.
When I could, I stayed away from Whitman’s and Russell Stover’s chocolates which are typically found on the drugstore shelves. This is what I thought of as “downmarket chocolate.”
Yep, I can be a snob like that.
That said, I eat more of what I think of as everyday chocolate: decent tasting chocolate at “everyday prices.” Like Dove and Nestle’s Crunch.
When I think of “good chocolate” or premium brands, chocolate makers like Valrhona, Barry Callebaut, SCHARFFEN BERGER, and Vosges Haut Chocolat come to mind.
Oh and as a general rule, Swiss and Belgian chocolate, made by bonafide chocolate makers from those respective countries. Which means Lindt Chocolate qualifies as good chocolate, right? Only, these later brands have been downgraded (in my mind), when they started showing up on my local CVS drugstore shelves. Ditto, Godiva.
Not fair, but are you seeing a pattern here?
Next post, I’ll share some academic and critical viewpoints on chocolate. But let me end this one by asking you?
