[catciao]

I'm doing research on global chocolatiers and I would like to know who you think produces the best chocolate and why. I'd especially like to know of any small producers from countries other than France and Italy. Hey, but if Valrhona is your favorite, tell me why you prefer it over others brands.

[Headless Chicken]

I've only used Nestle's Noir, Lindt, and Valrhona and I like them all for different reasons.

Noir - inexpensive, good flavor (for the $ you pay for), I had easy access to it until recently when the Nestle's Company Store stopped carrying it
Lindts - used this in school and its smooth, good flavor, relativily inexpensive, I can purchase in bulk quantities from my college
Valrona - best flavor and variety (chocolate from different regions of the worl), my beef is that its really expensive.

[Artameates]

In Cooks Illustrated, they rated cocoa powders. Dutch processed was prefered over natural in hot chocolate, pudding, shortbread, devils food cake and pudding cake testings. Thourough, arent they...

Best Dutch pro.
1. Callebaut (Best overall)
2. Hersheys european style (best value)
3 droste
4 schkinag
5 valrhona

Best natural
1 merckens
2 hersheys
3 nestles toll house
4 ghirardelli
5 scharffen berger

[PhishStyx]

I use Callebaut almost exclusively. I'm in a remote area with not the greatest resources available but I can order Callebaut in large quantities for a fairly reasonable cost considering what most quality chocolate costs. I love Callebaut for eating and that's my main test for whether or not I want to use something in the kitchen. I like Lindt (not as well as Callebaut but it's still very good) but don't have a source for bulk quantities and it's too expensive buying even the large bars in quantity locally. Valrhona is excellent as well but is definitely cost prohibitive here for large scale use.

[coquille]

Dutch processed was prefered over natural

thanks for the vote of confidence but callebaut is Belgium.....

[Rachel]

In terms of chocolatiers my favourite is Enric Rovira from Barcelona. Does chocolate in tile shapes like the slabs on Barcelona streets, fabulous chocolate flakes for hot chocolate and has a web-site which is under construction
http://www.enricrovira.com/

[Madl]

the best chocolate for me is Valrhona
but the best chocolate maker is ---> MADL from Austria

[Mikeb]

Barry Callebaut is the one I use most, it's very good.