Portland Chocolate
April 8th, 2009
Worth its weight in gold
My sweet tooth is small — as in baby tooth just before it falls out sized. It grows when in the presence of those of the larger-sweet-tooth ilk (and often when in the vicinity of Pix Patisserie) but shrinks back to its normal size when the sugar obsessed retreat.
In 2001 I traveled around New Zealand working on farms with my friend Ingrid from London. Ingrid like all honorable Brits rarely has a cup of tea without a biscuit or something sugary to snack on and I followed suit. During those months of tea breaks throughout the day I ate more sweets than ever before and became hooked. I needed daily ginger cake, chocolate cookies and sweet and sticky lemon bars. That sweets-everyday-throughout-the-day phase passed, however, once Ingrid and I parted. As I type this I’m enjoying a nice cup of tea no sweet in sight.
I admit that I’ve always thought of chocolate as just another sweet. Sure, I’ve had some really good chocolate (and sweets of course) in my life but it’s not something that I’ve ever been all that crazy about. For me chocolate just doesn’t compete with say garlic cheese grits, fresh Dungeness or bread, cheese and wine.
Well, in the past few weeks I’ve visited with all kinds of Portland chocolatiers and chocolate retailers and in the presence of such chocolate hounds my sweet tooth has grown canine sized. I don’t know if I can keep it from all the the porcelana chocolate, the chocolate Thai peanut butter cups, or the drinking chocolates for long. Good thing I meet with David of Xocolatl de David this week…
Cacao owners Aubrey Lindley (left) and Jesse Manis (right) checking out my rapidly growing sweet tooth. Aubrey says I'm looking a little rabid and Jesse as you can see is speechless.
Although Cacao's countertop cases look museum-like the chocolates can in fact be touched and eaten
Alma Chocolate owner Sarah Hart communing with her gold leaf gilded chocolate icons
Alma Chocolate bon bons and truffles
Moonstruck Chocolate Master Chocolatier Julian Rose in the chocolate lab
Moonstruck employee hand painting Easter truffles
Cacao www.cacaodrinkchocolate.com
Alma Chocolate www.almachocolate.com
Moonstruck Chocolate www.moonstruckchocolate.com