Food411.com

Patric Chocolate - One of the few bean to bar US chocolate makers, a true artisan company dedicated to the handcrafted art of using the best beans to create the finest chocolate. Only two ingredients are used- no added anything. Layers of flavors -these bars are to be savored.

Lillie Belle Farms - Based on his Oregon farm, Jeff Shepherd makes fruit cordial chocolates using his own farm fresh organic fruits - raspberries, blueberries, strawberries & wild blackberries. Custom blending the finest covertures to go along with these handpicked berries & local ingredients he creates sensational chocolates. Winning numerous awards he does not bask in his glory, like a true artist he continues to create! Something new can always be found in his product line. Each and every piece we tasted was a little piece of pure joy. His lavender salt caramels will send you into a dream like state - this must be what heaven tastes like!

Recchiuti Confections - Known for its blend of contemporary San Franciscan style & traditional European technique. Natural ingredients with global influences/unique flavors. Made with French artisan methods & in small batches. LOVE the dark chocolate dipped green apple slices. A large variety of offering with carefully attention to unqiue flavors & ascetics.

Chokola ' J - Artisan chocolates made in the Hamptons (NY) using organic, single origins cacao & local ingredients (such as Hampton's wild flower honey, wines & herbs) make an ultra smooth taste sensation. The flavor pairings are ingenious. We applaud their passion," Being surrounded by great vineyards, farm stands & organic herb farms, we had to share, it was a calling".

Charles Chocolates - We tasted (savored is a more fitting word) this entire collection of outstanding chocolates & confections. Everything is made by hand in very small batches using traditional techniques, the chocolates are shipped within three days of being created. The triple coated almonds & orange twigs are completely addictive, and their signature edible chocolate boxes, painted and filled with their best make the perfect gift.

Wiseman House Chocolates - Amazing handmade truffles and over the top toffee. Their gift boxes/ribbons are exquisite. Tasting their creations was pure delight. The mocha crunch topped with crushed coffee beans is designed for the dark chocolate lover.

Christopher Norman Chocolate - John Down, Chief Chocolate Officer, uses his background in painting/arts, to create a unique artistic quality in the taste and feel of all his chocolates.Know for their hand painted & sculptural truffles, & innovative flavors. The variety we sampled were terrific.

Vosges Haut- Chocolate - They continue to delight us more & more, their creations are always changing, but always unique & exceptional. Their beautiful packaging puts is the icing on these treats! Known for their unique flavored exotic truffles that capture the flavors of the world! Their hatbox with exotic caramels is dreamy!Their organic, single origins solid chocolate bars come will "wow" you. Any of their creations will make the perfect gift.

Poco Dolce - Unusual Chocolates - Bittersweet chocolate tiles topped with gray sea salt, they satisfy both sweet & salty cravings. They are nicely accented with bits of almonds, crystallized ginger, burnt caramel toffee, & Aztec chile. They are simple, sophisticated & very delicious - these were a big hit at Food411! We loved them.

Vere Chocolates - We first discovered Vere at the '05 Fancy Food Show. Low carb, low glycemic, high fiber, no sugar alcohols. Their new fruit & nut tiles are amazing. Very high quality dark chocolate - the solid squares are extremely satisfying, Yum!

Coco- Zen - Organic & fair trade these insanely delicious handcrafted truffles are winners. Coco-Zen hopes to create a state of nirvana - ecstasy, peace & chocolate! Available in several flavors & packages - their stainless steel tins create a tower of truffles that makes an unforgettable gift. We also like their "truffles to go" idea which is a small tin of bite sized truffle so one is never without their chocolate nirvana!

Amano Artisan Chocolate - They start with the bean (not many chocolate makers do) & their bars are individual varietals, single-bean origin chocolate, we tasted both the Ocumare Grand Cru Dark & Madagascare Premium Dark . These bars should be broken into small pieces & enjoyed by melting in your mouth. This is not a "candy" bar to be bitten into! We preferred the Ocumare's smooth, delicate flavor to the strong fruity Madagascar. Both are rich chocolate with complex flavors. A real treat for the true dark chocolate lover. Very high quality.

Chocolove - Made in CO. from fine Belgian chocolate these bars have a smooth creamy finish. 11 different bars are made with the Chocolove wrapper, each gives the appearance of a love note. Any of the darks were our favorites! They also make - Chocolatour - a line of "single origin, vintage chocolate bars". You can select a terroir & vintage , "you'll be able to taste something of the country where the cocoa beans were grown." Very enjoyable bars.

John Kelly Chocolates - John & Kelly have created a special treat. They call it truffle fudge, don't let the "fudge" part fool you. This creation is more of a chocolate covered truffle bar. It comes in a few size "bars" - one being a 2 oz. portion control! They are deeply satisfying but not "sweet". Wrapped like pieces of gold, they are in sophisticated packaging.

Sans Souci Confections - Owners, Angela & Laure, favor the sophisticated flavor & lower sugar content of fine bittersweet chocolate. Salt butter caramels, nut barks, hand-dipped truffles, crunchy nut toffees, brownies/cookies, & hot chocolate mixes.

Richard H. Donnelly - One of Chocolatier magazine's ten favorite chocolate artisans in the US. Full line of treats but the bite size truffles are notable. Intense chocolate subtly flavored with unexpected ingredients like Earl Grey tea, rosemary and Chinese 5 spice make for a unique experience.

Norman Love Confections - Based in Fort Meyers, FL, Mr. Love creates works of art with hand painted colors, each filled with fresh ingredients like pineapple,ginger, passion fruit, banana.

Knipschildt Chocolatier - Knipschildt makes top quality artisan chocolate & confections using classic recipes with a modern twist. If you are in South Norwalk,CT (SONO) treat yourself to a visit at his cafe & see the chocolate being created.

7:3 Chocolates - Truffles, complex & funky, pure . Seasonal flavors. Finest chocolate with fresh cream and natural fruit juices, extracts, spices.

Jin Patisserie - Kristy Choo creates her dark & milk chocolates with Asian inspired ganaches, such as green tea & mango basil presented in a beautiful wooden box, her online store also offers cookies from her Asian recipes & teacakes.

Woodhouse Chocolates - Handcrafted in Napa Valley these chocolates are given the care of a fine jewel.

Brown Paper Chocolates - A unique sophisticated chocolate . Beautifully designed solid blocks of very high quality chocolate artfully mixed with delicious flavors - a multi-layered tasting treat. So beautiful to just gaze at - Richard Kaplan is an artist. Add a cube to your cheese board, serve slices or grate over desserts. Our favorites - the dark chocolate/cointreali/cherries & orange peel - & while normally not fans of white chocolate, Richard actually uses cocoa butter in it - the block with pistachios/coffee/caramel/citrus peel made us a believer! See our blog entry. We are sorry to report that these are not being sold at this time - check back.

Anna Shea's Chocolates - In Tarrytown, NY, Anna creates her chocolates with unique flavors & her artist's eye for beauty. She also fashions chocolate hat boxes and jewelery boxes.

Cocoapuro - Fresh roasted whole cocoa beans covered in dark, milk and white chocolate and cocoa powder.

Ghyslain Chocolates - Hand painted chocolates.

Mr. Chocolate - NY's Jacque Torres' famous chocolates.

Legacy Chocolates - Hand-crafted from Criollo cocoa beans from Venezuela. Four levels of cocoa intensity are offered, 8 fresh flavors.

Partistry - Jehangir Mehta creates handmade chocolates, teas, and confections, Mehta finds endless inspiration in cultural heritage & Ayurveda. His favorite ingredients are fruits and spices. His predilection for these ingredients is evident in Partistry's line of Star Anise & Grand Marnier Truffle.

Fiori Chocolatiers - Artisan chocolate confections created using handcrafted European-styled cream & butter, organic fruits, herbs & spices. All natural, no preservatives or artificial additives. Chocolate sourced from small environmentally-friendly cacao plantations in Ecuador, Java, and Venezuela.

Cocoa Vino - Drunken Figs; aka, Figs gone wild. Chocolate-covered organic figs filled with vintage port & organic dark chocolate. Their signature treat; bacchanals (definition=a wild night of lusty indulgence) - fruity, organic Malbec is folded into a creamy dark chocolate center, then covered in dark chocolate.

B.T. McElrath Chocolatier - Proud of their handmade, and homegrown approach, innovative flavors include Passion Fruit, Zinfandel-Balsamic, Green Tea, Cinnamon Star Anise, and Kaffir Lime with Coconut and Ginger.

Jubilee Chocolates - (John & Kira's) - Handcrafted with local Philadelphia flavors, supporting local agriculture. Now, well known for their ladybugs, bees and drunken chocolate figs. We have not tried these but have been told they are terrific.

Temper Chocolates - handmade artisinal chocolates - great spicy flavors i.e. spicy habanero, flavors change often.

Boule Patisserie - Homemade chocolates infused with teas. Also offer pate de fruits.

Zorro Chocolates - “Just right” one ounce bars of the highest quality dark chocolate infused with fresh natural flavors ( no oils or extracts used). Chocolate maker Ed Fox has created a unique product that really delights your senses. His passion shines through.

Sterling Truffle Bar - Triangle truffle bars, each a work of art.

Chocolat Moderne - In NYC, Joan Coukos, uses French chocolate, Valrhona, featuring high cocoa content. Her fillings include 5 varieties of dark chocolate, pistachios, hazelnuts, fruit purées, fresh juices, honey, liqueurs, essential oils, teas & spices.

MarieBelle - Chocolate as art; famous for their Aztec hot chocolate, which makes a wonderful gift.

Thomas Haas - Handmade chocolates and fresh fruit gelees, grown up gumdrop squares.

Teuscher Beverly Hills Chocolates - Fine chocolates imported from Zurich, Switzerland. Known for their champagne truffles!

Candinas Chocolatier - Made by Swiss-trained confectioner Markus Candinas using only the finest ingredients. Created with equal parts artistry, science and love, each chocolate is a composition of balance and harmony.

Garrison Confections - Andrew Shotts works in small batches & hand-enrobes each piece in milk, dark, or white chocolate. His trademark style allows many bonbons to include two distinct flavor or textural combination within each piece.

L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates - They import chocolate from France, Switzerland & Venezuela, (higher cacao content & minimally sugared). Complementing flavors come directly from their sources i.e. brew coffees/teas, cook fruits, squeeze oranges/lemons, local honey. Only butter/fresh local milk/cream used.

Romanico's Chocolates - Handrolled truffles by Alejandra. Made with very high quality chocolate from Europe & South America. She promises that her Truffles are what an authentic French chocolate truffle should be: bite-sized, very smooth & absolutely wax-free.

Compartes - They specialize in chocolate dipped fruits - orange peels, apricots, peaches, pineapples, pears dipped in a signature blend of chocolates. Their all natural stuffed fruits, are handmade every day. While the quality of their product is very good (that is why we have listed them)we did not have a good experience with their customer service.

Scharffen Berger - First-tier dark chocolate manufacturer. They execute every step of the process...from bean to bar. They begin with sourcing the finest cacao & use small-batch, artisanal methods.

Fran's Chocolates - Hand dipped truffles, luxury caramels, chocolate dipped fruits.

Chocolate Bar NYC - Everything chocolate, NYC store that reps 5 of the top NY chocolate chefs.

La Maison du Chocolate - Demand for the greatest quality.

Green & Blacks - Organic dark chocolate bars, fair trade. These chocolate bars are just delicious. The original with the orange is terrific.

eChocolates - Source premium varietal chocolates from select cocoa plantations, distributes 1,500 raw, semi-finished / finished chocolates throughout USA. They facilitate market access for small cacao growers who employ sustainable agricultural methods.

Chocosphere - Choose from Belgian, French, Venezuelan, German Organic, Spanish, Italian & Fine American Chocolate online. 31 chocolatiers to choose from.

Endangered Species Chocolate Company - All natural premium chocolate, saving the world one chocolate at a time.

Lake Champlain Chocolates - Gourmet chocolate truffles, chocolate gift baskets, kosher chocolate.

Godiva - For the traditionalist!