Club Meeting of July, 2012

For tonight's meeting we selected six bars that were either beyond their date of expiration, or known to be over a year old. What an experiment. Would they still be good, edible at all?

Only two has dates on them. The others we know were out of date because they were all brought back at the same time by the same member from a trip to Paris

 

1. Christian Constant, French, 80%. Venezuela.

2. Daskalides, Belgium, 85%, Papua Guinea. Exp. January, 2011.

3. Gerard Mulot, French, 70%, Venezuela. November 20, 2011.

4. Jean-Charles Rochoux, French, 72%, Venezuela.

5. Daskalides, Belgium, 72%, Ivory Coast. Exp. March, 2011.

6. Christian Constant, French. 70%. Carupano, Venezuela.

 

Surprisingly had we not known that these were over old bars, no one would have known the better. None of them had telltale signs of age. The Constant 80% garnered high marks with three 9s and a 9.5. Luc, inexplicably gave it the lowest of 3.5.

 

A bar with a wider spread was the Rochoux, which, on the low end got a 3 and a 3.5, and on the high an 8.5. The Mulot too showed a wide spread with two 3s and two 9s. It should be said that Mulot is one of the most loved patisseries in Paris and is located on Rue de Seine.

Member Jesse Duhan returned after an absence of several months and as he is both the youngest member of the club and the vice-president, everyone breathed a sigh of relief at having him among us again.

 

Clifton Baron informed the club that he could not attend tonight's meeting.

 
Club Meeting of July 1, 2012

Tonight was actually June's meeting but held on the first of July. Our selection featured six bars of quite a variety. Two from Belize, two from Paris, two from Spain.

 

The order of their ranking.

1. Chapon, 75%. Cacao from Colombia. Paris.

2. Chapon, 75%. Cacao from Venezuela. Paris.

3. Amatller, 70%. No origin. Spain.

4. Valor, 70%. No origin. Spain.

5. Goss, No %. Belize cacao and manufacture.

6. Cotton Tree, 70%. Belize cacao and manufacture.

 

Attendees with newest member at end of table, three month old Miles

The most interesting bar of the evening was the Chapon from Venezuela because of the imagery it evoked. Leonard said he saw Veronica Lake entering a room in a diaphanous gown, swirling around silently and leaving in a poof. Translated in chocolate terms this bar was subtle, modest yet flavorful with no aftertaste. Gloria, said "Elusive." Susan thought it was "Flirtatious, intriguing, played hide and seek." What a remarkable similarity of responses.

 

The two bars from Belize were brought back by a friend and unfortunately went into checked baggage. They were likely submitted to temperature extremes that compromised their quality. We'll know better next time. Chocolate goes in carry-on!

 
 
 
Clifton Baron informed the club that he could not free himself for tonight's meeting
 

Cheese and Chocolate Event at the Cheese Board

June 2, 2012

 

After the success at our April meeting where we paired cheese with chocolate we decided to do a public event at The Cheese Board so everyone could experience the surprise of this combination. We charged $10 per person and served five cheeses, three chocolates and a glass of wine. A good deal.

We were pretty low key about getting the word out and yet had about 50 people. The positive response from the pubic left all of us feeling that our efforts were well rewarded and everyone thought we must do this again in the future.
 
 

Clifton Baron informed the club that he could not attend tonight's meeting.
 
Club Meeting of April 8, 2012 (Easter)
Spectacular Chocolate and Cheese! Who would have thought?

Laura McNall (of the well known and much loved The Cheeseboard in Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto) suggested this pairing and we admit we were skeptical. Who ever heard of such a thing? Chocolate and wine, sure! Chocolate and fruit, yes! We've even heard of chocolate and beer. But cheese! Well, we have been humbled, and greatly so. At a test run the evening before at The Cheeseboard with Laura, Leonard and Gloria, it didn't take long to see what a wonderful thing this would be.

 

So, tonight Laura brought a selection of seven cheeses that we tasted with three chocolates.
 
The cheeses:
  1. Le Chevrefeuille with apricots- a French goat cheese.
  2. Harbison –Jasper Hill Farms, Vermont. Soft ripened cow's milk wrapped in spruce bark.
  3. Cremont –Vermont Butter and Cheese Company. Soft ripened goat/cow.
  4. Azeitao –Portugal. Raw sheep's milk using a plant based rennet from the cardoon thistle.
  5. Pradera –Netherlands. Cow's milk aged 3 years.
  6. Romao –Spain. Raw sheep's milk hand rubbed with rosemary.
  7. Stiton –Colston Bassett England. Cow's milk blue.
 
The chocolates:
  1. Tcho, Guana, 70%.
  2. Michel Cluizel, Saint Dominigue, 67%. Organic
  3. Green & Black's, 70%. Organic
 
 

Some of the combinations were extraordinary.

The Chevrefeuille with the Cluizel stood out brilliantly for most at the table. Both the chocolate and the cheese stand on their own perfectly well and together illuminate each other in a particularly vibrant manner that electrifies the palate.

Leonard found the Romao best with the Green & Black, but Laura thought it went well with all three chocolates. Leonard thought the Stilton went well with the Tcho, was better with the Green & Black and best with the Michel Cluizel.

Everyone had their favorites.

Luc brought a bottle of red and white wine which he added to the mix. He became exultant over the white with the Stilton and Michel Cluizel which was in his words, "Divine!"

Laura was immediately made a member of the club upon Michael's recommendation and that motion was heartily seconded.

 

Note: Because Leonard has been presented with certain dramas in his life he has been remiss in writing reports on club meetings and getting them online. For this reason a number of months are missing from this website. But we have met monthly with only occasional interruption. Leonard
Member Clifton Baron informed the club that regretfully he could not attend this month's meeting.

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