Blue Hawaii

I've got a cold.  With a killer sore throat.  The only things that sound remotely good to me right now are ice cream, frozen yogurt, puddings, and icy drinks.  Ok, perhaps some nice warm drinks too.  But for the first time in recent history, I can honestly say that I have absolutely no interest in foie gras, or anything else I normally crave. I also just realized that my GoPago credits are about to expire.  Gotta get my free stuff!  So...

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E. Guittard Chocolate

E. Guittard is a local chocolate maker that supplies the chocolate for many local chocolatiers.  A lot of pastry chefs use their couverture as well.  As such, I encounter their products regularly, but rarely just their pure chocolate.  They were at the SF Chocolate Salon with a bunch of the base chocolates, so I got to taste it on its own finally.  This is good stuff, and clearly, there is a reason everyone sources from them! 31% white chocolate: “This French-style white chocolate has a sweet, fresh cream...

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La Châtelaine Chocolat Co.

Another, non-local, chocolatier that I met at the SF Chocolate Salon. Desire: "Dark chocolate wrapped in white with raspberry puree and chili".  Tasting notes: Nice flavorful raspberry ganache, sweet white chocolate outside...

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Saratoga Chocolates

Another local chocolatier, from the SF Chocolate Salon, making beautiful looking truffles. Haute chocolate truffle: "A light cinnamon marshmallow tops a rich dark chocolate ganache.".  Tasting notes: cute play on a hot chocolate.  The ganache was a nice dark chocolate, the cinnamon flavor was nice, but the marshmallow was really lost. Chinese 5 spice: "Dark chocolate ganache infused with Chinese 5 spice which includes fennel, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper."  Tasting notes: Strong clove-like flavors, nice...

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Chef's Tasting Menu @ Chez TJ

[ Dining date: June 9, 2012.  I somehow didn't post this until now! ] A few months ago, we attended one of Alexander's Steakhouse's special foie gras dinners.  At that event, each course was cooked by a different Michelin starred chef.  It was a chance to try out the cuisine by a bunch of very talented chefs, all at once!  One of the chefs whose dishes we had the pleasure of enjoying that night was Chef Joey Elenterio, from Chez TJ, in Mountain...

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Amano Chocolate

Not a local chocolatier, but I've seen them at a few recent events, including the SF Chocolate Salon and the Good Food Awards, so I've had a chance to try a few of their chocolates.  They won the Good Food Award for the Guayas, but I got to try three others as well.  All contain cocoa butter and vanilla. Guayas.  70%, single origin from Ecuador.  Tasting notes: fairly sweet for a dark chocolate, fruity. [ Slight coffee notes ] Dos Rios.  70% single origin from the Dominican Republic.  Tasting...

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{cocoa}

{cocoa}, a local chocolatier, with a fairly unfortunate name.  Just try Google searching for their products ... Anyway, I met them at the SF Chocolate Salon, and got to try a few of their unique bars. Candied violet: Tasting notes: Sweet white chocolate, has that “white chocolate taste”, crunchy little candied violet pieces. [ Lovely crunch from the candied violet, nice and sweet. ] Green tea + mint: Tasting notes: Dark chocolate, smooth, but no real tea or mint flavor.  Nice snap...

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Desserts at Jasper's Corner Tap & Kitchen

After a disappointing meal at Lers Ros Thai, we wanted a good finish: dessert!  Just a few blocks away was a place that has been on my list for quite a while: Jasper's Corner Tap & Kitchen. I first became familiar with Jasper's when I attended a cooking demo by the chef back in September at the Ferry Building.  He demoed pickled vegetables and shrimp remoulade on toasted buttered bread (recipe).  It was delicious, and when I later looked...

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New Tree Chocolates

I first discovered New Tree at the SF Chocolate Salon, sampling a slew of different chocolates.  I've since run into them a few other places around town. Unfortunately, I lost most of my tasting notes from those events, but they just opened a chocolate shop and cafe in downtown San Francisco, so I'm hoping to stop in sometime and try out a bunch more of their chocolates, after which, I'll update this page! Alpha Thyme. “Pure dark chocolate, fragrant thyme, and golden roasted flax seeds." Tasting notes: This was loaded...

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