As I indicated in my previous post, I would be conducting a chocolate tasting in Paris during my recent stay and the result are in. This was an extremely difficult task and a little overwhelming since there were so many great chocolatiers to choose from, but with some organization and planning the tasting was an amazing, enjoyable and eye-opening experience.

I spent the last week walking around Paris collecting chocolates from nine different chocolate shops. I then used a group of 10 tasters and implemented some guidelines for the tastings. In the end the group was able to select the top three chocolate shops in Paris for white, milk and dark chocolate. although we didn’t sample every shop next year we will conduct part II of our tasting and sample the remaining shops in  which can then go head to head with this years winners.

White Chocolate Winners – There were not as many shops that carry white chocolate, but many do offer special molded chocolates for special occasions or bars.

1. Pierre Marcolin , 89 rue de Seine, 75006 Paris  –  Belgian Chocolate maker opened a shop in Paris in 2003. The white chocolate bar was a milky off white color with dark colored flecks throughout. It was  not too sweet and had some interesting flavours that were subtle with a hint of  carmelized dary and vanilla.

2. Jeff de Bruges, 163 rue de Rennes, 75006 Paris – Originating in Bruges, this chocolate incoporates a bit of Belgian and French cultures in a masterful and delectable presentation of chocolate. The white chocolate was a vanilla and praline coated white chocolate, which seemed to be the most simple of the white chocolates, but the taste was creamy and very sopisticated.

3. Jadis & Gourmande, 56 rue Sainte Placide, 75006 Paris – Traditional Paris chocolate shop with lots tasty an fun shaped chocolates. The white chocolate we sampled was cut into simple christmas shapes and made of very standard, yet tasty traditional white chocolate. This  chocolate was the lightest tasting white of the bunch, but with a great white chocolate flavour.

The tasting began with the white chocolate and worked throught the milk chocolates and ended with the dark varieties. More to come about our milk chocolate discovery.