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I'm not going to tell you where to buy chocolates for your one (or more) true love(s). You'd have to have been living in a cave since the day after Christmas (when intrepid marketers start the Valentine's Day push) not to know where you can pick up a plush red box of the sweet stuff.
But do you know what kind of chocolates to buy? Do you know the difference between ganache and giundaja? (See our glossary below.) Are you telling yourself, as you try to justify buying the cheap variety at the local drugstore, that there's no difference between that and chocolate that costs three times as much? Hint: The difference is huge.
Three chocolate experts generously shared their collective wisdom with Business Week Online to make sure your candy-buying expedition doesn't go sour on you for Monday, Valentine's Day. They are: Tim Moriarity, features editor at Chocolatier magazine and co-author of Chocolate Passion; Stephane Weber, pastry chef at Manhattan's Osteria del Circo restaurant and creator of the chocolate cake with the melting heart of chocolate; and cookbook author Lora Brody, whose works include Growing Up on the Chocolate Diet. Here's their advice:
Go for it: "This is a time when you ought to treat someone special to something special," says Moriarity. "As you generally get what you pay for, you ought to spend the extra money on some good-quality chocolates." He says $35 a pound is about quite reasonable for a good box of chocolates. That sound like a lot? It's not when you consider that top-quality chocolate should be eaten slowly, only a couple of pieces at a time. "It's a waste to eat too much at once -- you won't really get the flavor," says Weber. A pound -- which will run anywhere from about two dozen to three dozen pieces -- should be savored for awhile.
Imported doesn't make it better: Of course, if it is imported, you can probably count on it being of a certain quality. "There is a consistent quality to Belgian chocolates," Moriarity points out. But "there are some wonderful chocolates being made in America," says Brody. Some examples: Ethel M and Burdick's. Don't get swept away by price, advises Brody. Quality chocolates aren't cheap, but don't assume that chocolates that cost $50 a pound are twice as good as ones that cost $25.
If it's made on the spot, buy it: All three experts agreed on this one. "You can't go wrong," says Weber. "You can be pretty sure it's good," says Brody.
Check the label: You want to see cream or creme fraiche, cocoa butter, and real vanilla, not vanillin. Avoid anything with palm kernel oil, or coconut oil, advises Brody. If sugar is listed first, the chocolate could be very sweet, points out Moriarity.
Examining and tasting can't hurt: Quality chocolates should be glossy and smooth, never grainy. But just because it looks good doesn't mean it will taste good, so ask for a sample. "Chocolate can be very subjective," says Weber. "So much depends on your expectations, and what you like -- very sweet, not so sweet." He points out that milk and white chocolates have more consistency in quality. The differences will be more apparent with dark chocolates.
Melts in your mouth, not in your hand: "You will get a different taste experience if you just bite the candy and swallow it instead of letting it melt a little," says Moriarity. Chocolate melts at body temperature, so you won't have to wait too long. "It's a lot like wine -- there are different flavors," says Weber. "You should taste the roast [from the beans] and sugar, and bitterness."
When you get it home, store chocolate at room temperature. Refrigeration can alter the taste, smell, and texture. Chocolates without preservatives will last one to four weeks, depending on what kind of centers they have. Keep them in the box they came in, in a cool, dry place.
And to wash it all down: Drink tea with chocolate, advises Weber. "It has a strong enough flavor to stand up to the intensity of the chocolate."
Of course, if gourmet, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates aren't your thing, and you're looking for something with more visual impact, check out the sites below.
CyberChocy
Send a candy bar (from Germany) with a wrapping of your design and a personalized message.
Empress Chocolates
Perfect for the Trekkie in your life: Star Trek chocolates. Empress also offers desktop, sport, and automotive themes.
The Chocolate Experience Braille-embossed chocolate bars with one of 13 assorted greetings, available in either gourmet or sugar-free, milk, semisweet, or white. Also available: Brailled Valentine messages; chocolate seeing-eye dogs with "Best Friend" spelled in Braille.
The Chocolate Gallery
Music-themed molded chocolates, including an electric guitar, keyboards, pianos, and bite-size musical instruments. Also, an impressive selection of other molded chocolates, ranging from a bingo card to a cowboy hat to a troll.
The Candy Lady
You would never believe that the sweet-faced woman on the homepage would make such naughty items. A truly impressive collection of adult novelties. If you don't have a "Valentine," you can order one from this site.
The Chocolate Vault
Sugar-free chocolates. (I know, it seems pointless, but...)
C&C Candies
A veritable Noah's Ark of chocolates and an unusual assortment of chocolate flowers (tulips, calla lilies, and daffodils).
Shari's Berries
If you want the best of both worlds: candy and flowers. Try the chocolate-covered strawberry "roses." The company also sells bottles of nonalcoholic wine and champagne dipped in chocolate that can be removed for eating.
The Endangered Species Chocolate Company
Feel guilty about eating chocolate? Buy The Endangered Species Bars. These Belgian chocolates are named for various creatures facing extinction. The company says it "supports a variety of organizations committed to the protection and preservation of endangered animals and their habitats." A fun feature: Whatever bar you click on, you'll get information about the namesake animal.
And finally, a glossary of chocolate terms for your enjoyment:
Belgian, Belgian-Style
Refers to a style of handling and processing the chocolate and has nothing to do with where the beans come from. Belgian chocolates are made in Belgium. Belgian-style are not.
Chocolate Liquor
Pure chocolate -- ground-up, roasted cocoa beans. No sugar, milk, flavorings -- and no alcohol.
Ganache
A mixture of chocolate and cream, often used as a filling for truffles.
Gianduja
Chocolate (usually milk) combined with ground hazelnuts.
Marzipan
A sweetened almond paste often used as a filling for chocolates.
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate is made up of about 50% sugar, 20% cocoa butter (in addition to the cocoa butter contained in the chocolate liquor), at least 12% milk solids, and at least 10% chocolate liquor.
Praline
Not to be confused with the cookie-like confection sold in the South, especially New Orleans. When applied to chocolates, it means a confection of nuts and caramelized sugar enclosed in small shells of chocolate.
Semisweet, bittersweet
Either term can be used for these dark chocolates, which have at least 35% chocolate liquor (milk has about 10%). The better-quality brands usually contain about 50% liquor. If possible, it's best to sample them or ask about their chocolate liquor content so you can see if it suits your taste.
White Chocolate
White chocolate is an oxymoron, because what is called white chocolate has no chocolate liquor. High-quality "white chocolate" is made like milk chocolate (minus the chocolate liquor) with sugar, cocoa butter, and milk solids.
When she's not letting chocolate melt in her mouth, O'Connell is an editor for BW Online EDITED BY DOUGLAS HARBRECHT
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