teacake for two

Strolling through Bay Street in Emeryville, I was drawn into teacake bake shop.  Who can resist cupcakes and other assorted baked goods?  I tried the Tuxedo Brownie cookie which included the chocolate trio of Nederland Dutch Cocoa, Chocoa semisweet chocolate and Callebaut white chocolate.  It is a big cookie and I tried only eating half, to save some for later.  I couldn't resist the magnificent chocolate trio and devoured the whole thing while watching the Olympics. But, I think I burned it off while watching men's swimming.  Wow. Those guys are in great shape.  I digress.  They have daily special cupcakes (Friday - Chocolate with Coffee Bean Buttercream) and cookies (Tuesday - milk Chocolate Chunk Pecan).  You can even buy frozen cookie dough starts to impress your friends.  I bought my husband his favorite cookie - Oatmeal Raisin. He loved it.  I think he counted it as a healthy carb. They have four locations in the Bay Area.

Chocolate, Chili and Cinnamon at Chocolatier Blue

Hot chocolate in July is a normal for me, especially during the typical cold Bay Area summer weather. Rumor has it Mark Twain once said the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.  I recently soothed my foggy spirit with a Chili Cinnamon Hot Chocolate from Chocolatier Blue on 4th Street in Berkeley.  My initial reaction - AMAZING!  I loved the spicy chili kick blended with the chocolate and cinnamon flavors.  The location also showcases their beautiful chocolates made from Domori chocolate. My favorite chocolate, so far, is Banana Split.  They also carry ice cream, gelato and cookies, all made by in house.  With seven location, four in the Bay Area, this is full service chocolate stop.

Scharffen Berger Bean to Bar

Another great chocolate stop at the Ferry Building is Scharffen Berger chocolate.  The bean to bar company was founded in San Francisco in 1997 by Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger.  The company prides itself on sourcing beans from around the globe including Madagascar, Jamaica, Bali, Venezuela and Vietnam. They were the first chocolate maker to label chocolate with the cacao percentage. Their website is full of information on the bean to bar process.  One of their staff also recommended the website allchocolate.com for additional chocolate information. The company was sold to Hersey in 2005 but continue to source their own beans and are committed to maintaining the quality the company was founded upon.   During my last visit I tried the Extra Dark 82% cacao bar.  I enjoy a pure chocolate bar, being able to taste the rich dried figs and mild peppery spiciness of the beans. 

Fog City News Mind Blowing Chocolate

A magazine store know for its chocolate?  I first discovered Fog City News because of its large assortment of international and hard to find magazines.  While walking toward the 20 versions of Vogue at the back of the store, I abruptly halted to gaze upon a chocolate wonderland.  Premium bars from all over the world and many local favorites lined the shelves.  During my latest stop, I tried the ChocolatModerne Lime Butter Toffee bar and the Xocolatl de David Brown Butter bar.  The ChocolatModerne bar is made with 65% cacao Valrhona chocolate and butter toffee infused with lime, a new flavor combination for me. As I bit into the bar, I found chewy toffee bits buried in the smooth chocolate.  I smelled the lime immediately and breathed it in as I savored the chocolate.  The lime flavor lingered after the last bite.  The unique blend is now one of my favorites. The Xocolatl de David bar is made with 72% Cacao Ecuador, butter and fleur de sel.  I loved the pure dark chocolate flavor with a hint of butter and salt.  I've always loved sweet with a hint of fleur de sel.  Xocolatl also makes bacon caramel and olive oil chocolate bars, both sound very intriguing.  I plan to continue to explore the two brands while I flip through my Italian Vogue. Fashion and chocolate - the perfect combination.

Chocolate Beach

After my morning hot chocolate and chocolate croissant, I went for a walk along the bay to burn off the indulgence. Chocolate gives you energy and euphoria, just like exercise. Right?  Starting my day with both, is perfect.  Taking time to notice the lush pink and purple flowers, the gray rocks made smooth by the lapping water and breathing in the salty air calms my spirit and clears my mind.  Peace and chocolate to all.  One love.

Bikes and Chocolate at Recchiuti

The Ferry Building is always a fun culinary stroll.  One of my favorite stops is at Recchiuti Confections.  Well known as one of the best in the bay area, Michael Recchiuti's creations are not only beautiful but creatively delicious.  I loved the chocolates with bike images stenciled on them, bringing together two of my favorite things - bikes and chocolate.  One of the staff introduced me to the Orchard bar - semisweet chocolate with burnt caramel, almonds, dried fruits and fleur de sel.  It found its way home with me, a healthy blend of guilty pleasures.  The manager invited me back for their Saturday hot chocolate tasting.  Only on Saturday?  I need hot chocolate daily but I'll be back.

Cocoa Bella Trip

A stop at Cocoa Bella is chocolate trip around the world.  A long time favorite of mine because of the wide variety of chocolates and the chocolates are as much a work of art as they are tasty.  It is a must stop for me when when on Union Street or in the San Francisco Centre.  They have a new Best of the Bay Box featuring pieces from five of the best chocolate makers from the bay area:  Michael Recchiuti, Poco Dolce, Nuubia Chocolat, Micaheal Mischer and Gateau et Ganache. During my latest stop, I tried the Francois Pralus Ghana origin chocolate bar.  It had deep rich flavor. Each bar is made from beans of a specific regions -  Venezuela, Tanazinia and Indonesia to name a few.  A great way to experience the true regional cocoa bean flavor.  The staff, as always, was helpful, knowledgeable and indulged my chocolate passion.