— April 2009 —
 You might be surprised to know that in my four years as the Chocolate Lady I have rarely purchased a chocolate bar to take home. In fact, I don't really keep chocolate at home. I keep my pantry stocked with loads of other treats — a big jar of golden flame raisins, bags of chips, big wedges of salty cheese, chocolate milk — but until recently, chocolate bars weren't among them.
Then, in February, I started eating Askinosie's Davao bar at home. I don't know why, I just did. Now, I always have a few pieces after dinner, a kind of chocolate digestif, then I tuck it away in the drawer for the next night. It has become a wonderful routine, and I've expanded my chocolate stash lately to include a few of my favorite bars. But now I think I might need to free up a little more space at my house (maybe clear out that awful drawer that holds rubber bands and zip-lock baggies?). Why? Because we just started carrying Amedei Chocolates at Zingerman's Deli and I am in love.
Amedei has been that elusive brand for me... the brand I couldn't get my hands on. This is the chocolate that people in the foodie world are always whispering excitedly about, swapping tasting notes and discussing the metaphysical qualities of the Chuao bar. Over the years, I've had a few people ask for this chocolate, and I identified them immediately as either a.) The real chocolate freaks (I use that word lovingly) or b.) The people who read about the Academy of Chocolate awards every year. I've even had people email me to tell me they secured a few bars online or abroad and that they were just as good as they had hoped... would I like to taste, if they could spare a 1/2 ounce?
You will decide for yourself if you enjoy this chocolate or not. I'm simply here to say: It is here for you. Come and taste! Welcome to Zingerman's Deli, Amedei.
Best,
Chocolate Lady Duff
— Upcoming Chocolate Events —
Call 734-663-3400 to reserve your seat now!
All attendees receive a coupon for 20% off Deli purchases the evening of the event. Have you been waiting to buy that wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano?
Caramel Rendez-Vous
Tuesday, April 7th, 7-8 PM, Upstairs Next Door
$20/in advance and $25/at the door
Caramels — arguably America's favorite confection — have been making a real comeback lately. From soft, buttery caramels to firm, salty caramels... even caramels made with honey! In this tasting, we'll sample and compare caramels from five American brands. Don't tell your dentist!
Let Them Eat Cake!
Thursday, April 23rd, 7-9 PM, Upstairs Next Door
$30/in advance and $35/at the door
You've certainly ogled them, but have you tried them? Zingerman's Bakehouse cakes are beautiful and delicious inside and out — from frosting to crumb. At this tasting, we'll talk about what makes them so great and sample them all — the not-too-sweet Hunka Burning Love Chocolate Cake, the perfectly spiced 24-Carrot Cake, the ultra dense and creamy Cheesecake... and more! So settle in (with a glass of milk, of course) for the dessert tasting of your dreams!
— Amedei comes to Ann Arbor! —
When I see these bars on the shelf at the Deli, my heart flutters. I'm not kidding. I just can't believe they are HERE. I might appear calm from the outside, but inside I am doing a touchdown dance every time I see them — I am totally bonkers for these chocolates. It's like when you buy a car on Monday, and you go outside Tuesday morning and see it in the driveway and.. you sort of lose your mind.
This is the brand that I used to literally Olympic-style power walk over to if I saw it at a store. I did this at a duty free store at the Rome airport and the woman guarding the fancy perfumes looked really alarmed.
I do not know much about this company, other than what I have read, learned from Chloé, and tasted. I have never talked to, or met, anyone from Amedei, although I certainly hope to someday! For know, I am content to know them through their wonderful chocolate.
Here is what I can say. Amedei is a family-owned chocolate company, run by the brother/sister team of Alessio and Cecilia Tessieri. It is pretty widely known that the siblings started Amedei as much out of spite for another chocolate company (Valrhona) as they did for the love of great chocolate. (If you are interested in the full story, I suggest you read the chapter Valrhona Valhalla from Mort Rosenblum's book "Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light.)
Whatever the primary motivation, Alessio and Cecilia started Amedei in the late 90's. They named the company after their Grandmother. Alessio is the globetrotting cacao bean guy, and Cecilia is the chocolate maker. They are bean-to-bar and their small factory is outside of Pisa, Italy. They are direct competitors with Valrhona, the reputable French brand, and in many ways I think their chocolate is similar. Nuanced, understated, elegant — what I think of as classic European-style chocolate.
My impression is that Amedei has been a bit disdainful of the US market — perhaps not totally convinced that American's were ready for their chocolate. Maybe we weren't 10 years ago, but we certainly are now! And I can personally assure Alessio and Cecilia that there is a devoted corps of chocolate connoisseurs in Ann Arbor who will appreciate every bite of this chocolate.
Zingerman's Deli brought in eight Amedei bars for your choco-consideration. My tasting notes — gathered over multiple tastings the past three weeks — are below:
Toscano Black 70%: Soft tooth, mild acidity and astringency. Quick melt, lingering finish. The chocolate blooms into notes of dried fruit, with a finish that reminds me of French roast coffee.
Toscano Black 66%: I get a lot of coconut. There is a lightness and brightness here that I like a lot. Lovely and long, with a more pleasant finish than the 70%.
Toscano Black 63%: Very smooth and mellow, but not boring. Roasty, bready. Another taster said, "strawberries and cream!" Bright winey-ness in the finish, big flavor. A perfect 10?
Toscano White: Pure pleasure. Full of flavor — mostly from the milk powder, I think. Creamy and light — there is no throat-burning sweetness (sometimes this happens with white chocolate). I can really taste the freshness of the milk powder. It has flavor, like good milk does. Cooling and grassy — I can almost imagine what the cows were grazing on! 29% cocoa butter.
Toscano Brown (Milk): I call this "meadow milk chocolate," because there is a freshness here that I don't find in other milk chocolates — again, I think coming from the milk powder. Caramel and butter notes, but more dulce de leche than dark caramel. 32% cacao.
Dark with Almonds: The Toscano 63% with toasted almonds. Simple and great.
Milk with Hazelnuts: This is the Toscano Brown filled with slivers of perfectly toasted hazelnuts. You can imagine...
White with Pistachios: This is officially my favorite dessert chocolate. It's like eating whipped cream with roasted pistachios shaved on top. Again, no heaviness. Just flavor. The pistachios are from Sicily — green and bright.
If you want to learn more about Amedei, I invite you to explore their website at here, as well as read the article printed in the New York Times a little over a year ago: here
— Film Noir et Chocolat Noir —
Michigan Theater and Zingerman's Deli team up for a dark promotion!
My friend Lee Berry at the Michigan Theater called the other day and said, "We're doing a Film Noir series in April. Seems like a great tie in to dark chocolate. Let's talk!"
The result of our brainstorming? If you like the film noir genre — and you like chocolate — you have a lot to look forward to this month!
Here's the scoop: When you attend any of the Film Noir screenings (every Monday in April @ 7 PM), you will receive a coupon at the box-office for 20% off any chocolate bar(s) at Zingerman's Deli in the month of April. By the same token, when you purchase any chocolate bar(s) at Zingerman's Deli in the month of April, you will receive a voucher at the cash register for $2 off admission to a Michigan Theater Film Noir film!
Check out the great schedule of films for the Film Noir series here. I'll be around before the start of each film, to introduce the promotion and give away a chocolate bar (or two!) I'll also be in the Grand Foyer before the screening of The Maltese Falcon on April 13th — sampling chocolate to Film Noir moviegoers before I duck in to the back row to enjoy the movie myself!
And to thank you, dear readers, for following the Zingerman's Deli chocolate scene with such interest, we are getting you started with a Michigan Theater Film Noir voucher right here! Simply print it out and present it at the box office. Great films — and great chocolate — await you!
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