Monday, August 28, 2006
Calling all chocolate lovers to Teuscher
Swiss chocolatier opens boutique in Virginia-Highland
By MARK D. ROGERS, Special to the Daily Report
TEUSCHER CHOCOLATES of Switzerland—a company dedicated to carrying on a tradition of handmade European confectionary craftsmanship—has come to Atlanta.
Chocolates and confections purchased in stores such as Teuscher are the standard. Teuscher uses the highest grade cocoa, the finest cane sugars, premium fruit jellies and nuts, and the freshest milk and butter—much of which comes from 15 of their own cows. They do not pump air, preservatives or fillers like waxes into their candies.
Teuscher’s commitment to excellence is gutsy. A small staff in Zurich prepares and packages the chocolates; the candies are then flown worldwide on the same day of their preparation.
A word on etiquette; don’t cheat yourself by serially popping these candies into your mouth while watching "American Idol." Fine chocolates should be seen as high-ticket items just like Black Sea caviar or Islay Scotch.
Save the obsessive-compulsive behavior for the cheap stuff, thank you.
And though not prohibitively expensive, chocolates at Teuscher do come at a higher cost and should be considered as ceremonial accompaniments to special events like anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine’s Day or to celebrate a personal triumph.
Teuscher’s pièce de résistance, the Champagne Truffle, is a gastronomical hand grenade. At $2.12 each and $68 a pound, the truffle is a criminally smooth blend of heavy cream, high-density butter and varied shades and grades of chocolate notes.
Teuscher also offers an array of chocolate bars that range from sugary milk chocolate to a bar that boasts a sobering 99 percent cocoa content—the essence of the cocoa pod.
At a tasting in my home, the chocolates were paired with a medium-bodied ruby port and a cream sherry. Nut brittles (hazelnut, peanut or pistachio), cognac, Grand Marnier, cinnamon-vanilla ice cream and roasted figs are also nice for pairing. The point is to accentuate the ingredients that are subtly added to the cocoa with foods that might include the same flavorings. These include cinnamon, nutmeg, cane sugar juice, vanilla, coffee bean essence, chili pepper or sweet cream.
And though it might sound strange, there is sometimes no greater pairing with fine chocolate than a pinch of salt—preferably the fragrant, coarse sea salt from Brittany, but any coarse sea or kosher salt will do—to bring out and differentiate flavors. Try it; you will be amazed.
Though not exactly a health food, studies do suggest that the higher the cocoa content, the higher the cancer-fighting anti-oxidant levels. In other words, the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you. Chocolate also contains conspicuous levels of caffeine—a stimulant—and the cocoa content enables the release of the chemical serotonin that fosters a spirit of well being. In short, the science proves that chocolate can make you fat, alert and happy, but that does not necessarily make it healthful.
But this is the good life, right? Why does it have to be about an outcome other than the Teuscher motto? "Chocolate is a pleasure to be enjoyed."
Mark D. Rogers is a freelance writer.
