22 March 2010

Michel Cluizel Chocolates

When I was a child, I really didn't get excited about chocolate. I didn't hate it, but when it came to candy I preferred caramel/butterscotch and when it came to ice cream I'd typically grab something odd. (Let's hear it for the authentic banana ice cream at the Freeze-Way in Whitehaven, circa 1984! They also made a great Purple Cow.) Sampler trays of chocolates did nothing for me, and I remember one brand that was described as "containing enough paraffin that you could insert a wick and use it as a candle".

A chocophile girlfriend in the mid-90s introduced me to Godiva, and I learned to appreciate different types of chocolate and a wide assortment of truffles. A trip to the Netherlands introduced me to the sublime, buttery joy of Belgian chocolates like Leonidas. For the next decade, I went back to ignoring chocolate except occasionally using cocoa powder in a South American recipe or making a dessert for a friend.

I lucked out with losing my sweet tooth around the same time that artisanal, high percentage cacao chocolates became widely available, and I discovered a wide range of delightful bitter and savory flavors that aren't present in your standard Hershey bar. Even better, such dark chocolates could be enjoyed aside great cheeses, dessert/fortified wines, and even regular wines like high-powered California Zinfandel.

I'm far from a chocolate expert or connoisseur, but I've tried enough varieties to have an idea about what's going on. So I jumped at the opportunity to try a set of chocolates made from specific plantations around the world. The parent company is Michel Cluizel, based out of France.

I had 9 samples here, but I'm going to focus on five from specific countries. After all, this collection is referred to as the 1ers Crus de Plantation, a name that piqued my wine lover interest.

The chocolate from Sao Tome (an island off the west coast of Africa right on the Equator) was 67% cacao and had a tangy flavor without any noticeable bitterness. A solid dark chocolate.

The chocolate from New Guinea was a lighter milk chocolate formulation, 47% cacao. Very creamy, rich, and smooth, with an earthy undertone that you wouldn't get from a cheap mass production milk chocolate.

Venezuela's submission was by far the favorite of the tasters, at 66% cacao and an enchanting spice profile. The only one not from an island, by the way. A honey-like muskiness combined with cinnamon and allspice. This was really fascinating.

The sample from the Dominican Republic was brittle but had a tangy, molasses-like character. 67% cacao, sharp and bold.

Finally, Madagascar produced the second favorite chocolate, with a very ripe fruity flavor similar to apricots or dried fruit. 65% cacao yet more bitter than the other selections.

The remaining four samples included various milk and dark chocolates made from blends. Tasty, but I was mostly interested in the difference in terroir among the various countries.

If you're interested in trying the chocolates of Michel Cluizel, you can contact Noble Ingredients. In addition to the tasting squares shown above, there are a number of bars, bonbons, and other chocolate products to order.

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A quick note on luxury products and geography. I've drawn a simplified map here, in very broad strokes, to illustrate a point I don't think many people get. The angle at which the sun strikes the earth, and with that the changes in seasons and length of day and everything else, determines which kind of plants thrive in which environment. Roughly speaking, the north and south purple belts are where you can grow grapes and the brown belt in the middle is where you grow coffee, tobacco, and chocolate. Yes, there are exceptions based on ocean currents, deserts, mountains, etc., but understanding the general principle will explain a lot about world trade, imperialism, and agriculture over the past 500 years.


Note: These chocolates were received as a sample from Noble Ingredients.

6 comments:

Big Mike said...

WOW the Freeze-Way Banana ice cream. That takes me back my friend. Love Dark Chocolate, thanks for the tips. Have you had the ones from Amsterdam that are made with the herbs? Can't remember the guys name but they were something special as well. Brought them back from one of the many trips over back in the day!! Great Post as always.

Samantha Dugan said...

Peanut butter and banana was my favorite flavor at 31 Flavors when I was a kid...broke my heart when they got rid of it.

Benito said...

Mike,

I can still remember the unlabeled sky blue tubs they put the banana ice cream in.

I haven't had the herbal chocolates, but I'll keep an eye out for them. All sorts of stuff is getting imported these days.

Sam,

Since I liked trying new stuff, I remember weird crap like the ice cream that had little gumballs in it--gumballs that were hard and frozen, and when they thawed out tasted terrible and dissolved quickly.

Honestly my favorite these days is pure peach or strawberry ice cream, just fruit, cream, sugar, and eggs. There's a trick you can do with strawberry ice cream where you make a basil-chocolate sauce and then swirl it through a half-melted tub of strawberry ice cream before returning it to the freezer to firm back up. Interesting flavor combination.

Cheers,
Benito

Samantha Dugan said...

Oh I remember the gumball ice cream, did those little suckers ever really turn into gum?

Benito said...

Sam,

Well, the little things were chewable, but you'd be hard pressed to call them gum.

Strangely I'm getting a craving for candy cigarettes now as well. 80s nostalgia.

Cheers,
Benito

Andre Nievo said...

How old are you Benito? :-)