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Explore the Wide, Wild World of Chocolate

Posted on: Sunday, 12 February 2006, 18:00 CST

By Emily Shartin, The Boston Globe

Feb. 12--Ariel Segall's choice this Valentine's Day would be a box of chocolates flavored with something exotic, such as spices or tea, from French chocolate maker Richart.

Segall, a self-described chocoholic since childhood, is the founder of the Laboratory for Chocolate Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was a computer science major. Contrary to its catchy name, the club is not a scientific outfit, but an organization of chocolate lovers that holds regular events like tastings and truffle-making classes.

"We wanted to convey the experimental and playful aspect of it," says Segall, 25, who has sampled truffles made with everything from grapefruit to grenadine.

Figuring out what chocolates to buy your sweetheart this week might seem like a daunting prospect, especially if your chocolate experience is limited to Hershey's. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which are the fruit of the cocoa or cacao tree. The amount of cocoa product in a chocolate bar is usually represented by a percentage.

Dark chocolates, Segall's preference, typically have higher quantities of the cocoa solids that give chocolate its characteristic flavor. One of her favorites is a Michel Cluizel "Noir Infini" bar that is 99 percent cocoa and, to a chocolate novice, has a spicy, chalky flavor. Segall believes most people tend not to venture too far beyond 70 percent, which often falls in the "bittersweet" category.

Milk chocolate is generally milder and sweeter because of its milk and sugar content -- it is the preference of 65 percent of American chocolate eaters, according to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association in Vienna, Va. White chocolate is simply cocoa butter, a fat that gives chocolate its texture, with dairy and sugar added.

Many chocolatiers will allow you to assemble your own box of chocolates. If you choose to do this, consider the tastes of the person you're buying for. Milk, dark, or white chocolate? Fillings? If so, nuts, creams, or caramels? Or something more unusual such as lavendar or herbs?

If you're uncertain what the person likes, get an assortment. If you're unsure what exotic flavors taste like, try to get a sample. Some stores, such as Temper Chocolates in Kenmore Square, will allow you try a bar, while others might allow you to buy one truffle before you buy a box.

L.A. Burdick's most popular Valentine's box is the "Velvet Heart Assortment," a half-pound of chocolate for $46. The company, which has a store in Harvard Square, also offers a "Men's Box Collection" for $38 that includes cigars, hot chocolate, and assorted chocolates. (The manufacturers' association reports that men would rather receive chocolate than flowers on Valentine's Day.)

Richart, in Boston's Copley Place mall, is a more expensive option, offering assortments of 25 pieces for about $60, according to its website. For $825, the company offers a chocolate vault with seven drawers of chocolate.

Temper Chocolates, which will remain open until 9 p.m. tomorrow and Tuesday, offers a box of six pieces for $14. One of its more extravagant options is a $200 "Night of Passion" package that includes chocolate, a candle, and perfume.

If you're interested in pairing chocolate with wine, Caroline Yeh, the store's owner, suggests sweeter wines, such as Banyuls and sauternes.

Although champagne might seem like a romantic Valentine's Day option, it is often not sweet enough to pair with chocolate.

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Source: The Boston Globe

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