Gifts of Chocolate
I was delighted to finally be able to taste the famed Mast Bros' chocolate when a friend sent me some chocolate samples from New York.
The chocolate wrappers and the general presentation of the four bars -this is how she sent the bars to me- was so lovely that I thought I had to photograph it before digging in.
I didn't know the other chocolate brand, Chocolat Moderne, but it turns out that while the Mast Bros. are doing a fabulous job of marketing the philosophy and method behind their artisanal chocolate fabrication, I was extremely disappointed in both bars I tried; I actually didn't eat either bar beyond the first taste. I found the Chocolat Moderne, on the other hand, to be both proper and intriguing chocolate in terms of the flavors.
15 comments:
wow, nice friend ! love the stack and the ribbon, great touch.
i agree, very much disappointed with mast bros. i tasted the dark choc bar with fleur de sel and didn't have more than 1 square. enough said.
as for chocolat moderne, excellent choice by your friend. not as well known for sure, just one lady in nyc making creative and high quality bars. or so i hear. those bars you have are the more recent addition to the line, i am more familiar with her bistro bars which are worth searching out. not easy to find though.
meanwhile, now i'm totally craving the madame 'x'tasy: caramel with dark chocolate, illy espresso, and fleur de sel. mmm, my fave. if you like banana (just a hunch), you might want to try the banane flambée: caramel with bananas and cognac.
enjoy ! and beautiful photo top right. what better gift is there than a gift of chocolate ? :O)
Totally share your opinion on the Mast Brothers chocolate, didn't like the mouthfeel and taste - and I really wanted to like it!
Have you tried Askinosie chocolate? It's one of my current favorites, they deliver great taste AND lovely packaging.
How beautiful!
I've never had Mast Bro. chocolate...I've seen them in stores in San Francisco, but never tried.
I personally recommend Maison Bouche...very silky mouthfeel, good chocolate flavor, not overly sweetened..
very interesting to hear - i am a chocolatier in oregon and have been intrigued by mast brothers' story and am bummed to hear they are less than amazing. i use scharffen berger and dagoba organic for my hand-rolled truffles, more expensive but definitely lovely to taste :)
Kerrin: Why Thank You! Indeed my friend has excellent taste. ;) And all of those bars by Chocolat Moderne that you mention are on my to hunt list whenever it will be possible.
Nicky: I have tried Askinosie chocolate, it's not my favorite (and I only tried one bar), but I wouldn't turn it down given the option. I'm glad we agree about Mast Bros. I am really surprised that some better known foodies are so keen on it, I think it's truly terrible stuff.
Indie. Tea: I haven't tried Maison Bouche, is that in San Francisco? Thank you for the compliment.
EcoGrrl: I haven't tried Dagoba organic, where is it made and, more importantly, sold?
oops sorry for the delayed response. Dagoba Organic is from Ashland, Oregon, and while it sold to Hershey, they are still doing their thing thankfully. It's sold in bar form at Hershey, etc., but I'm a huge fan of www.chocosphere.com as you can buy in bulk from them if you want(I use them for my truffles I sell on my bittersweetonline.net website).
good call by EcoGrrl, chocosphere is the best site. when i lived in the states, that's where i always ordered my chocolate. they have an impressive selection of brands - even felchlin.
it's been years since i've tasted dagoba's bars, they use lots of interesting ingredients, i remember some being more memorable than others (berries, seeds and such).
oh, and in case you were wondering, i'm still craving those bistro bars... ;)
Really gorgeous wrapping and packaging and lovely friend. I am intrigued by all the artisan chocolatiers that are popping up everywhere and am slow off the starting block trying many of them. Now I must. I have recently received chocolate from friends - brands I have never tried. So far so yummy!
You guys all really know your chocolate bars!! I should update myself!
Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Intriguing. I've only heard about this chocolate but never really had a bite. Some said they liked it though. :)
Well they are certainly packaged beautifully and your photographs are stunning. Shame the Mast Bros. did not live up to expectation. I'm loving Peyton & Byrnes milk chocolate & Cornish seasalt bar at the moment.
Another "concur" - love Mast Brothers' packaging and philosophy. But the actual chocolate is underwhelming.
I met and visited Joan, the chocolatier behind Moderne, a couple years ago - she's wonderful, as are her bonbons!
Another New Yorker to check out is Rachel at Bespoke - dee-lish!
Gorgeous packing...and pictures too!
wow, disappointed to hear the sentiment shared about Mast bros. I have been seing them all over the web recently, and have been intrigued. Thanks for the heads up, though. Good to know so I don't get overexcited and buy a ton of bars before trying them!
For a chocoholic like myself this is a gift i love getting. Beautiful wrapping jog.
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