Recchiuti Fudge Brownies

While I'm on a Recchiuti kick, one last detour from this blog's theme. The other indulgence that I have at the Recchiuti store is their brownies. They are $2 each, so a little more affordable than the S'Mores Bites. They are excellent brownies -- rich chocolate and just the right amount of chewiness.

I visit their store in the Ferry Building, at the foot of Market Street in San Francisco, on the Embarcadero. I found myself visiting the Ferry Building a couple of years ago when they had their Thursday night market running until 8pm, since I couldn't make it there before then.

There's another chocolate store at the Ferry Building, Scharffen Berger. another local chocolatier. I tend to come back to Recchiuti more often, though, drawn by the S'Mores and the brownies. If you haven't visited the Ferry Building, there are many other interesting food stores and a few restaurants. Well worth a stroll next time you're in the City by the Bay.

Recchiuti S'Mores Bites

This blog is focused on unadulterated dark chocolate. Some are commercial, some are artisan, many are imported.

Recchiuti makes a wonderful dark chocolate, and even a really good milk chocolate. They have many other excellent quality products, but one I find myself buying frequently is the S'Mores Bites. It comes as a four-piece package, and sells for $8 -- that's $2 a Bite! And a bite is about as big as they are. I usually get three good bites out of each one.

Maybe you've tried to make your own S'mores. Recchiuti makes a S'Mores kit, so I bought one to give it a try. The kit comes with the necessary parts: a bar of dark chocolate; graham crackers; and marshmallows. You can make a really nice S'more from the kit, but at $22 it's pricey. I tried assembling my own kit from other brand graham crackers and marshmallows, and the results were pretty lame. Recchiuti makes their own marshmallows, which are also sold separately ($20 for 24 pieces), but not the crackers. Most graham crackers available at the grocery are thin, not able to standup to the rigors of being used for making S'mores.

But even the results of the Recchiuti S'Mores kit are poor compared to the finished product, their S'Mores Bites. One marshmallow sits on one small square of graham cracker, and the entire ensemble is enrobed in Recchiuti dark chocolate. It is the best.

Their website says that it's a seasonal product, so get'em while they last.

Recchiuti Dark Milk Chocolate 55% cacao

Yes, this is milk chocolate, despite the high cocoa content. Smooth, milky. 7 (because it's milk chocolate.)

Since Recchiuti is not widely available, here's their website: http://www.recchiuti.com

Recchiuti Bittersweet 85% Cacao

Does not taste 85% cacao -- smooth, not bitter. Pure chocolate, no overtones. 9

So far, this one is the only one that is bordering on a 10. We'll review the rating over time.

Cacao Reserve by Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate 65% Cacao

Slight bitterness. No strong flavors. Basic dark chocolate. 6

Theo Chocolate Ivory Coast 74% Cacao

Heavy, dark, bitter. 7

Chocolove Rich Dark Chocolate 65% Cocoa content Love poem inside

Delicious chocolate. No bitterness. Some citrus flavors. Sweet, but not cloying. 8

Vintage Plantations 2006 Harvest 65% Dark

Rainforest Alliance Certified Processed at the plantations in Ecuador.
Slight bitterness. Citrus burst initially. A chocolate for the active minded. 8