[jsmoon]

Where do you guys buy gourmet chocolate?

[Suzanne]

What do YOU consider to be "gourmet chocolate"? And are you looking in a specific part of a specific country?

[jsmoon]

belgium chocolate.

[oldschool1982]

I'm not sure if your looking for finished products or a product to use as an ingredient. Since I don't currently have the access to the suppliers I once did I have used the WWW or more specifically this site for purchasing Callebaut Chocolates. I would consider Callebeut a "gourmet" chocolate for production purposes.

They have products in a variety of forms and %'s for various uses in the kitchen.


http://www.bizrate.com/chocolate_swe...__sfsk--3.html

[jsmoon]

Sorry I wasn't more specific. This link is helpful, Thank you.

[Free Rider]

I buy Callebaut, Valrhona and El Rey at Whole Foods for small amounts. Small amounts because it is expensive there. They do carry a range within each brand too, which is nice. They also will give you a taste, again a nice thing. If I know I need a lot, I usually go online, quite often to the manufacturer itself.

[foodpump]

Beware! Don't get caught up in the cocoa %'s and brand name hype. Callebaut may be good but they have many different qualities, and some (D8-11 for example) are not made in Belgium. Swiss Lindt is good but they have different qualities too, (and the Swiss Army gets the "B" grade stuff for field rations!...)

Buy, beg, or whine for a sample, and then try this simple test: Break off a small piece, at room temp, the chocolate should snap with a clean break, then slip the piece in your mouth. Let it dissolve slowly, then run your tongue against the roof of your mouth. It should feel smooth, not the least bit gritty.