la chocolate salon 08

la chocolate salon 08
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i love chocolate and never thought i'd say this, but there is a limit to how much chocolate a person can consume in an hour. i was somewhat thankful that the show wasn't as big as i thought it would be, although if it had been, i'm sure i would have mustered the strength to try something from every vendor. between the caffeine from the cacao and the sugar high, i was starting to shake by the time we left. that's not to say that i didn't enjoy it all.

noteworthy chocolates included those from valerie confections, chuao chocolate, amano artisan chocolate, christopher michael artisan chocolates, jade chocolate. there were some that i found way too sweet for my palate, but i won't dwell on those. there was something for everyone--sweet or rich, dark, milk or white, salty, spicy, sugary, and heady.

a trend i noticed were chilis in chocolates, which added a kick, and exotic fruit infusions. chuao had a bar aptly called firecracker made with chilis & pop rocks. it was quite the experience that moves beyond your tongue and brings you into the moment. valerie confections' salt & pepper truffle was divine richness with textural peppery finish. sometimes simple is best to savor the depth and subtle nuances of chocolate-y darkness as was found in amano artisans' various 70% cacao bars made from beans from different locales. jade chocolates had some interesting asian spices and flavors including a nutty toasted sesame & genmai green tea, while christopher michael offered variety in their beautifully silk-screened and airbrushed artisan chocolates with a nice balance of flavors in not too sweet dark and milk chocolate.

i've paid $20 for chocolate tastings at artisanal chocolate shops for 6-8 pieces of chocolate, and usually, the fine chocolates that are freshly made by hand and not machines with no preservatives and short lifespans cost upwards of $2 for a single piece of chocolate with infused ganache, so i thought this was a good deal and opportunity to try a lot of chocolates and chocolate products from different chocolatiers. granted, not all were artisan chocolates, i still thought it was reasonable. lucky for friends and family, i picked up some goodies for them.

they need to provide more water though. by table four, my mouth was a desert (not dessert) made from chocolate. those little plastic cups they give you at the one water dispenser in the whole place only lasts so long. the other complaint i had was that they could have come into the 21st century with checking will call and used a database. i didn't mind the wait which wasn't too bad at opening time, but if the show does grow, they'll want to streamline the entry process.

compartes chocolates

compartes chocolates
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

if you love dark chocolate, you'll love the chocolates at compartes. even if you aren't a fan of dark chocolate, you should give it a try because not all dark chocolates are created equal, and this one is one of the best i've had. it's neither too bitter nor too sweet. jonathan graham, the owner, continues to introduce new and delectable flavors to the infusions of his chocolates, including cardamom, pepper & cherry blossoms from japan.

at a tasting at compartes, i fell in love. i had to laugh at jonathan's story of how he went on a reality tv show and had his shop designed by a blind person in order to modernize it. it goes to show you how passionate he is about what he does, and you can taste it and see it from the fun designs on the chocolates that include patterned elephants, skull & crossbones and modern geometric shapes, to the cute little shop displaying pieces of chocolate like works of art. the chocolates were dark, rich and a perfect balance of interesting flavors. here are some i have tasted:

kaffir lime & lemongrass: fragrant, tangy & refreshing. you can smell the citrus before you even taste the chocolate.

cocoa nibs: pure unadulterated dark chocolate goodness with a little texture

cardamom & coconut cream: sweet & rich, with hints of cardamom

rosemary peach: interesting combination of sweet fruit with subtle earthiness. it was more peach than rosemary.

carmelized plantain: if you like bananas & chocolate, get this. the banana flavor hits instantly.

salted peanut butter & honey: wow. i'm not a huge peanut butter fan, but the pb really makes this great. that bit of salt does its job of bringing out the richness of the pb. i prefer eating plain on a day to day basis with flavored chocolates on special occasions, but i can see myself popping these things into my mouth one after another.

passionfruit: extremely tart, but very flavorful. if you like fruit, and especially passionfruit, this is for you.

blackberry bunch: fruity, berry

orange hazelnut crunch bunch: orange fragrance, crunchy hazelnut texture

italian tiramisu: mostly coffee flavors and sweet

vanilla bean chocolate: subtle hings of vanilla

mexican hot chocolate: literally drinking warm liquid chocolate, with a spicy tingle left on your tongue

you'll find hand-crafted artisanal chocolates and truffles as well as candied fruits dressed in chocolate, gift boxes, bar chocolates embedded with fruit. they have an outdoor area with tables and indoor seating, so if you want to stop and enjoy chocolates, you can. parking is a challenge, but it's totally worth it.

l'artisan du chocolat tasting

l'artisan du chocolat tasting
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

fresh rich, chocolates with lots of love and flavor and no preservatives made by the hands of whajung park are what you'll find here. christian alexandre, her husband, runs the business and will make you rethink what you may or may not like with chocolate. my bf & i came here for a tasting and couldn't leave without a box of 12 to savor at home.

here is what we sampled so far:
red bean: sweet nutty

bacon: smoky bbq initial flavor, teensy bits add texture to the smooth ganache

korean garlic: though the garlic flavor is subtle, the garlic enhances the richness of the cocoa flavors, almost making it taste like coffee. small pieces add a crunchy texture.

ginger vanilla: the zippy ginger is great with the deep chocolate

anise honey: a very sweet, licorice-fennel-like infusion

traditional truffle: deep, dark, thick

lavendar: milk chocolate & lavendar

pomegranate: sweet, fruity, tangy

jasmine tea: fragrant & floral, and just like drinking a fresh brewed cup of jasmine pearl tea

their flavor infusions sound wild, but are quite subtle and act more as an accent for the high cocoa content chocolate. by the end, i was wired from all the cocoa, as if i had drank a cup of black coffee.

i have to say, christian is a jovial and funny guy. he told us a story of when a woman asked if he had chocolate for vegans, and he gave her a nicely wrapped box, and when she opened it, it was empty much to the chagrin of the woman. her friends thought it was amusing.

food, food & more food

glacier ice cream & gelato
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i'm trying to figure out where all my time is going, but the hundreds of photos of food of late seem to have been lost on me. i've been convincing myself that i am not eating out all that much, although my growing belly says otherwise. i still bring my lunch to work every day. compared to other people, i don't eat out that much. i think i may have to cut back though. *gasp*

we're trying to save money. that was the whole point of my bringing my lunch every day. although still cheaper than in europe, gas is ridiculously expensive. i was reminded of this while driving up to alhambra from long beach for dim sum on sun at 9am.

what i should do is focus more energy on a less expensive hobby like reading. i am so behind on my reading. i have a huge stack of recent books that i want to get through, some of which will need to be returned to the library soon.

maybe if i make a reading to do list. i am in desperate need of goal-setting.

+ sync by stephen strogatz
+ the omnivore's dilemma by michael pollan
+ deep economy by bill mckibben
+ stumbling on happiness by daniel gilbert
+ the art of possibility by rosamund stone zander & benjamin zander
+ the sea by john banville

geez. the list could be much longer, but this is a good start. i find it interesting that most of them are non-fiction. i used to read primarily fiction in college. you could say the same thing about my movie-watching habits. there are more documentaries in the mix. am i less of an escapist or is non-fiction just more easily digestible in smaller chunks in a busy life?

i love reading. i'm not sure why i haven't done much of it lately. i blame it on knitting. it's been too interesting lately. i'm on sweater knitting frenzy. i've got two sweaters on needles and dying to cast on more.

well, this has got to qualify as a pretty random post, which is what happens when one is too lazy to do anything but blog on a mon evening. think i'll go partake of one of my many recreational activities that doesn't directly involve the internet.