Cheap Chocolate in Paris

With a chocolaterie on each corner, you might wonder why there is even a necessity for cheap chocolate in Paris.  Does anyone even buy those colorfully wrapped bars in the supermarket? In a country where children consume an average of 11.9 grams and adults 5.7 grams of chocolate per day, it is not exactly surprising that someone is buying the cheaper stuff.  In addition to price, when stockpiling chocolate it is important to remember the shelf-life.  When you buy boutique chocolates, it will be necessary to consume them within two or three weeks so that nothing spoils.  But with "cheap" bar chocolate, this worry disappears.  Hurray!  Your stash is safe from mold!

I have taken it upon myself to test and compare the chocolate and confections commonly found in French grocery stores for you, my dear readers.  Enjoy this guide to 4€ well spent.  Recognition must be given to my boyfriend who has sacrificially helped me try many different chocolates over the last few months.  

Lindt

Before beginning this journey, I was not aware of the various "collections" available from Lindt.  There are different distinctions written on the packaging like: EXCELLENCE, LINDOR, CREATION, CONNAISSEURS, RECETTE ORIGINALE, LES GRANDES.

The least expensive and least interesting lines are the "original recipe," "Lindor," and "excellence."  These are the lines you will find most often in the states.  They are the traditional, plain dark and milk chocolates with infusions or small twists.  

The "Creation" line are thin bars of dark or milk chocolate with soft fillings that range from typical praline to whipped fruit fondant.  They are made in indented molds for easy breaking and each tab is a generous bite.   

Naturally, the best line is the most expensive line: "Connaisseurs."  These are thicker bars with no lines to indicate where one should break or how much is a serving.  Obviously, this is fantastic, because it is pretty clear to me that one bar is one serving, right?  The bars in this line are filled with thick pralines and caramel fondants.  You cannot go wrong here.  


Rocher Noir is a nod to a classic French confection.  Rocher means "rock" or "boulder" and the mixture of almonds with chocolate piled into a mound is often referred to this way.  This particular member of the Creation line comes in dark or milk chocolate and deserves a good report as a yummy bar for the price.   

Coulis de Chocolat was a bit of a disappointment.  The filling was more sugary than chocolatey and the texture was off.  

Passion Frappée is supposed to be served straight out of the refrigerator, which I did not realize before tasting it.  It was unpleasant and tasted fake.  After storing in the refrigerator it was slightly more palatable, but mostly because the chill took some of the flavor away.  

Praliné Façon À L'Ancienne was pretty delicious and full of hazelnut flavor.  It is part of the connaisseurs line and I am fairly certain that this flavor is unavailable in the states.

Passionnment Fondant Noir is pretty similar to some Lindt varieties you can find in the USA.  It is a good staple.  This one is not overdone and you will not be disappointed, especially if you eat it slightly above room temperature.

Délice Pistache was not particularly délice-ious.  As is usually the complaint of my resident pistachio specialist, the filling tasted more of almond than of pistachio and green food coloring must have been used.

Praliné Feuilleté is in the running for my favorite bar in the "Creation" collection.  The texture is perfectly crispy and the nutty praline really stands up to the chocolate.

Noir Intense is the typical dark bar you can find anywhere and I used it for baking because I am a snob and cannot say that I always enjoy eating this one on its own.  If I want a piece of dark chocolate by itself, I will splurge for the Valrhona or Cacao Barry.

Opéra is inspired by the impressive, multi-layered French cake made with coffee.  The bar was a nice homage to the pastry, but still does not measure up to anything in the "connaisseurs" collection.

Truffe Craquante was crunchy, as advertised.  However, perhaps it was a little too heavy on the orange flavor.

Praliné Feuillantine wins.  It is probably the favorite of each one of my team of experts.  Sure, it is  not made with Valrhona's praline paste, but who can afford that anyway?

Côte d'Or 

This brand is certainly not on the same level as Lindt, but several of their offerings are pretty good, plus they are decidedly less expensive.  They are also rolling out a line of organic chocolate bars.

Truffé Noir is light and easy to eat, as chocolate should be.  What is chocolate if it's not easy to eat?  There is not any real intensity in this bar, but it is a nice sweet treat.

Praliné Intense Noir was heavy on the nuts if a bit too sweet.  Not a bad afternoon snack.  Ignore my empty box of Kinder Chocofresh...

Fin Noir Orange was not delicious.  The little bits of orange were unpleasant and abundant.

Mousse au Chocolat Noir circling back to Lindt...was another one of those ho-hum tablets that is best enjoyed as an afternoon snack.

Kaoka 

Here is a brand readily available at each "Bio" or organic market in Paris.  The prices are a little higher as you are paying for the organic-ness, but overall I would say it is worth the money.  They even offer couverture chocolate for professional use.

70% Cacao was a great first selection and I look forward to trying more of their bars.

Also tried, but not recommended: Framboise Intense, Noir Puur, Schoko-Bons

Also tried, and recommended: Creme Brulee, Noir Fleur de Sel, Chocoletti, Kinder Bueno, Milka Triple Chocolat, Bloc Chocolat, Praline 

Let me know in the comments if there are other brands and flavors I should have tried!

Easter in Paris

Easter in Paris is particularly chocolatey...like most things here.  It's impossible to avoid the colorful egg displays and bright decorations adorning the chocolateries.  

One sunny spring day I picked up a bag of praline eggs at Franck Kestener and enjoyed them in Square René Viviani with Notre-Dame de Paris in view.  I think the bag contained 9-10 eggs and cost me about 8€.  

I previously visited Kestener's shop in Saarbruecken, Germany.  Kestener is a Meilleur Ouvrier de France and creates beautiful chocolates, macarons, and pastries.  

The assortment included milk chocolate chestnut pralines...

...dark chocolate hazelnut...

...dark chocolate peanut butter...

...and dark chocolate vanilla ganache...

His shop was fully stocked and ready for the festivities.  His chocolates are well-balanced, flavorful, and his ganaches are wonderfully emulsified.  But, perhaps his packaging could use a little refining?

Each shop has whimsical chocolate displays.

I especially like the variety of displays at Michel Cluizel .  Michel Cluizel is the place to find whimsy and class mixed together.

You're bound to find creative and artistic showpieces at the chocolateries around Easter, too.  Patrick Roger's offerings particularly impressed me.  Maybe one day I will be able to afford one of his hedgehogs.  Roger does a great job of making each piece special.  In other words, you get the impression that each product is one-of-a-kind.  

Jacques Genin has become one of my favorite spots in Paris.  Of course, it's wonderful if you have time to sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee and a handmade pastry.  But even if you don't have a dollar to spend, it's enjoyable to stroll around the shop and take in the beauty.  The inside was resplendent for Easter.  A modern silver dish held the classic praline eggs.  Unique, eye-catching eggs, chickens, rabbits, fish, and whales all made of chocolate crowded the shelves.  They were busy with customers -for good reason- well in advance of Easter.

I've come to the conclusion that Easter is one of the best times to visit Paris.  The weather has been lovely which makes strolling around and peeking in shop windows even more enjoyable than usual.  Plus, the displays are more striking than any old time of year.

As I was strolling one day last week, I found Sebastien Degardin tucked away on a street near the Pantheon.  I bought two hazelnut-praline eggs without a second thought.

It's worth mentioning that the supermarkets here sell all of the regular Easter chocolate that I'm used to finding in the United States.  My boyfriend made me feel at home with the Lindt bunnies we also have back home.  Here they even have a little bell attached to their bows.

This post will end with the information of the shops mentioned.  But, before I sign off, I'll just mention my beautiful Easter bunny from my host-mom.  This little gal was from La Maison du Chocolat.  She was made of delicious Valrhona chocolate and filled with praline eggs and solid dark chocolate fish.  The perfect Easter treat.  American chocolatiers: take note.   

Joyeuses Pâques!

Franck Kestener

http://www.franck-kestener.com/

Chocolatier and patissierie with two locations in Germany and one in Paris.

7 Rue Gay Lussac

75005, Paris

Metro: Luxembourg

Michel Cluizel

http://www.cluizel.com/en/

French chocolate bean-to-bar and bonbon producer with locations all over the world.  Including 4 in the Paris Area.

Patrick Roger

https://www.patrickroger.com/

The most impressive chocolate show-pieces in Paris and exquisite bonbons and tasty treats with eight shops in France.

Jacques Genin

http://jacquesgenin.fr/fr/

Perfect bonbons, refined tea room, and perfect ambiance.  

133 Rue de Turenne

75003, Paris

Metro: Republique

27 Rue de Varenne

75007, Paris

Metro: Varenne or Rue du Bac

Sebastien Degardin

http://www.sebastien-degardin.com/

A boutique full of cakes, pastries and chocolates.  It's a pleasant surprise in a neighborhood full of students.  Closed on Monday and Tuesday.

200 Rue Saint-Jacques

75005, Paris 

Metro: Luxembourg

La Maison du Chocolat

http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.fr/en/

Perhaps the most well-known chocolatier in the world, this place has never disappointed me.  They manage to keep the quality high and they have customer service like no one else.  The establishment has been around for 40 years and has locations all over the world, including eight in Paris.

Eclairs

One of the things that is shaping my Parisian experience most is pastry.  From choux-based classics to thin cakes in between layers of mousse, it's my mission to experience them all.

This post will focus on a familiar classic: l'éclair.  Traditionally, éclairs consist of baked pâte à choux, chocolate or coffee pastry cream, and a stripe of chocolate or coffee fondant.  However, especially in Paris, you will find innovative flavors in addition to the traditional ones.  

I've tried éclairs from five or six different places here in Paris and here's my current list.  You will find a list with information and addresses at the end of this post.

Maison Pradier

This multi-store patisserie was founded in 1859 and continues to turn out lovely food and create a clean, sunny atmosphere.  They've got 13 stores in the Paris area.  No small operation.  In 2015 they were named makers of the best éclair au chocolat in Paris.  

I stopped by their Saint Michel location for a mid-morning snack one sunny day.  In their refrigerated case, they displayed their award-winning éclair au chocolat, as well as salted caramel and passion fruit varieties.  

   

I opted for the award-winner.  The quality of the chocolate glaze was good, nice and dark.  The pâte à choux was baked well, but overall they lacked the perfection I was seeking in a 4€ pastry.  The filling was not the most flavorful and the choux was a little soggy, which I suppose in bound to happen with creamy fillings.  A good snack, but for me, not the best éclair of Paris.

L'Eclair de Génie

Perhaps the most well-known purveyor of éclairs is L'Eclair de Génie. With boutiques all over the world, Christophe Adam has created a sensation.  The meticulously created pastries here are always perfect.  One could easily eat lunch in Paris for the 6€ it costs to enjoy one of these treats.  

Unfortunately, my only photo of éclairs from this place is dark and unflattering.  But, just trust me.  These things are incredible.  Each creation is classic and new, sweet, crunchy, smooth, gorgeous...  

Pictured L to R are: Salted Butter Caramel, Vanilla Pecan, Dark Chocolate, Pistachio Raspberry    

Thevenin

From all appearances, Thevenin is an up-and-coming patisserie in Paris.  You can grab lunch at one of their shops to go with your bread and fancy pastry.  Their éclairs weren't the most beautiful, the choux wasn't baked quite as darkly as I prefer, but the flavor and filling was spot on.  The Thevenin éclairs au chocolat are more milk chocolate than dark, which is a nice change.

It was a pleasant thing to enjoy in the park by Notre-Dame de Paris.

I'm sure that I've barely scratched the surface of éclairs in Paris.  Please leave comments of your favorite éclair in Paris!

Maison Pradier

http://www.maisonpradier.com/

Well established patisserie and popular for their brunch as well.  Check out their beautiful website for a peek at their methods.  

13 Locations in the Paris area. 

The Saint Michel location is open each day and accessible by the Saint-Michel and Cluny/La Sorbonne metro stations

14 Boulevard Saint-Michel 

75006 Paris

L'Eclair de Génie

http://leclairdegenie.com/

Bright and beautiful store-fronts welcome you in for a beautiful sight to go with beautiful tastes.

9 Boutiques in Paris, 5 in Japan, 5 in Hong Kong, 2 in Italy

Thevenin

A great spot for a good pastry or loaf of bread.  Notre-Dame-des-Champs location is closed on Sundays

119 Avenue du Général Leclerc

75014 Paris

14 Rue Daguerre

75014 Paris

5 Rue Notre Dame des Champs

75006 Paris

A Taste of Berlin: Part 2

From my limited experience I have surmised that food cost and portion sizes are entirely different from Paris to Berlin.  The cafes and bakeries of Berlin somehow manage to keep food costs down and portions large.

For breakfast on a foggy, cold morning, we found a corner cafe for a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, salad, bread, hot chocolate, milk, and rhubarb pie. 

The "Holland Style" hot chocolate was enormous and fairly delicious.  

The bread was quite German the eggs good and the bacon perhaps a touch too salty.  But, take note of the rhubarb pie, which was a perfect piece of sweetness.  The crust had buttery flavor, the filling was soft without being soggy and the rhubarb's tartness came through.

If you have a hankering for Portuguese treats, Berlin is the place to be.  We passed several shops specializing in Portuguese eats and stopped in for Pastel de Nata, Bolinos de Bacalhau, and a Galão.

The Portuguese woman in the shop was especially friendly and excited about her products.  For a gray Sunday afternoon, her little cafe was rather busy.  The pastel de nata measured up to the ones I've tried in Paris, the Bolos de Bacalhau were a nice mix of salty cod and potato pancake, and the galão was a decadent and beautiful coffee.    

Pastel de Nata

Galão 

Bolos de Bacalhau

Does anyone have any suggestions for the next trip to Berlin?  Best markets, authentic German food or other great finds?

A Taste of Berlin, Part 1

It was a foggy weekend in Berlin.  A 13 hour bus ride from Paris meant that upon arrival it was necessary to immediately begin the search for sustenance.  On a Saturday morning in February, the streets of Berlin  are empty.   And if you walk in the opposite direction that you are supposed to, it might be difficult to find a living soul to ask for directions.  When you do find someone, however, they will likely be quite helpful.  Assuming the directions you get are correct, you will find the bakery you seek.

Kaedtler Bäckerai 

Kaedtler is a Jewish bakery that is only open until noon on Saturdays, so we got there 20  minutes before closing time.  The shopkeeper was sweeping and the cases were mostly empty.  She was very helpful, pointing out what was left to sell behind the counter.  We ended up with 2 pieces of cheesecake, 2 Hamentaschen, 1 Mandelecke and 1 chocolate-rum-ball.  The total somehow came out to 6€, which made me sure that the shopkeeper gave us a few things for free, seeing as it was closing time.  

The Mandelecke, an almond cookie dipped in chocolate, was slightly sticky and delicious.  A great balance of sweetness.  The cheesecake with mandarin oranges had a nice texture and good flavor.  The one with cherries was also yummy, but the cherries overpowered the flavor of the cream cheese just a bit.  The pastry on the bottom of both cheesecakes was a little soggy and had sort of an off-flavor.  The Hamentaschen were filled with jam and delicious in a simple way while the chocolate-rum-ball was too "rummy" and hard to eat because of the astringency.

  

Mogg

This is definitively the best pastrami I have eaten.  The flavor, texture, thickness of the slices...these people know what they're doing.  At Mogg, my boyfriend and I ordered a pot of mint tea, a reuben, a classic pastrami sandwich with coleslaw, and potato salad.  Each part of this meal was stellar.  Even the servers were helpful and friendly without being overly-attentive.  The atmosphere was one that made you feel like you were in the right place. 

Fine Chocolate in Paris

For a month, I have been saving up my photographs and thoughts of chocolatiers of Paris.  Let it be known that what follows only opens the Door of Parisian Chocolate one tiny crack and that many of my upcoming posts could indeed be called "Fine Chocolate in Paris," too.

At this point, it will stress me out if I don't begin writing on this topic because my stories, analysis and photographs are piling up and my fingers need to let the words loose into cyberspace.

Daskalides

The first chocolatier I tried was the chocolate shop in my town, Houilles.  Daskalides is a Belgian brand with a tiny storefront 2 minutes from my house.  I stopped by on a rainy January day for a few pieces.  As I tried to enter, the door seemed stuck, so I assumed that they were taking a lunch break or some such French thing.  The helpful and friendly shopkeeper ran out after me, explaining something about the door that I didn't quite comprehend.  The point is, I made it into the chocolaterie.  I told the lady that I am American and I am looking to try all of the chocolate I can while I'm here.  She was very receptive and kind and patient while I made my selection of six bonbons. The confections were sold by weight and cost me only 3€.  The saleslady even threw in an extra piece for me to try.  

    

My selections included a variety of flavors.  Nuts, fruit, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and liquor.  The bonbons themselves were quite sweet, the shells a bit too thick and the fillings slightly dry.  They reminded me of a box of Godiva.  Not terrible, but certainly factory produced.  I will return for the good service and good prices if I find myself at home and in need of chocolate.  

Girard

During a walk in Le Marais one late morning, I found Girard.  The shop itself was not particularly charming.  Their colors of orange and brown were rather drab, their packaging not particularly chic and the lights were dim in a dingy kind of way instead of in a mysterious one.    

As I was about to leave empty-handed, a package of peanut butter chocolates caught my eye, and I knew I would have to give them a taste.  

Peanut Butter and chocolate are soul mates.  In other words, it's difficult to come out with a bad product when you mix the two together.  These Girard Praline Cacahuete suited me just fine.  Were they the most delicious? No.  Were they worth trying? Yes.

Girard could step up their packaging game, because chocolates tossed in a bag will never come out without some scratches and imperfections.

Michel Cluizel

In the states, I've tried Michel Cluizel's couverture chocolates.  I remember being impressed that a small factory could produce such high-quality and varied chocolate for tempering.  But, Cluizel makes more than just chocolate for other chocolatiers to make chocolate with.  You follow?  The business has several shops in Paris and even one in New York.  

I've now been inside two of the Cluizel shops in Paris and must say that I am impressed with the clean, yet chocolaty design.  The shops are very bright and clean, with a chocolate fountain/wall featured somewhere in the shop.  The window displays are appealing and seasonal and the shelves are full of chocolate bars with varying origins and percentages.  

This time, I chose six pieces to test.  Serious business, this.

Among the six were highs and lows.  The pistachio-almond praline fell short, the 85% cacao hit the spot and the layered crunchy bonbon was completely new and unexpected.

  

La Maison du Chocolat

Perhaps the most famous chocolatier in the world, La Maison du Chocolat lives up to the expectations I had.  I've been in two locations , and I'm sure the quality of the chocolate is consistent, but I had a slightly better experience at the shop in La Madeleine.  The shop is kept by polite and helpful ladies and gentlemen who remind one of the classy people who work in the shoe section at Nordstrom.  You know how professional those people are?  

A young man offered to help me and I decided I would choose four pieces.  He very carefully nestled my selections into a bag and offered me an extra one to taste.  I told him to pick.  He gave me a passion fruit-infused ganache that was exquisite.  

My moments in La Maison du Chocolat were some of my best, as the employees did not break into English as soon as they heard my "bonjour."  I somehow managed to get through the entire transaction speaking and being spoken to only in French.  I felt quite Parisienne as I walked out the door with five chocolate sellers calling "au revoir, madame" after me.  

The chocolates themselves have impossibly sharp corners, perfectly textured ganaches, and timeless designs.  Everything about these confections says: classic.  La Maison du Chocolat is fighting for the first place on my list of favorite chocolatiers.

Patrick Roger

Previously my favorite Parisian chocolatier, Patrick Roger is keeping up the quality.  Patrick Roger is an experience.  My favorite of his shops so far is the Madeleine location.  The storefront itself is impressive and there is plenty of space for ornate displays of chocolate sculpture.  There is a quiet lounge upstairs that is set up like a museum where shoppers can sit for a moment to enjoy the ornate sculptures.  Apparently, chocolate showpieces can translate well into other mediums, because Roger recently opened an exhibition of metal sculptures at Christie's in Paris.  

The shelves at Patrick Roger are lined with products that the buyer is informed not to touch.  Unlike many chocolatiers, Roger does not make it easy to choose your own pieces.  Each size box has preset flavors.  For me, this is not a problem.  I quite enjoy trying unexpected flavors.  

The workers always seem to be ever so busy packaging chocolates that one wonders how much they sell on a regular Tuesday afternoon.  It must be an awful lot.  

The chocolates were enjoyed by me and my boyfriend at a little cafe close to St. Lazare with an espresso each.  The ganaches were slightly dry and the flavors quite subtle, but the crunchy hazelnut praline saved the show.  And come on, you can't beat that sleek packaging.

    What other chocolatiers should I try in Paris?  Are there specific specialty products that I'm missing out on?