Madeleines Two Ways: Citrus and Chocolate

Ideas for what to publish in San Diego Foodstuff can come from the least obvious situations. Back in January on the morning of the big Women's March I met a number of friends in Little Italy to head to the Civic Center where the San Diego march was gathering. When I reached the parking lot my friend Joanne Sherif, who owns Cardamom Cafe & Bakery, was handing out the most stunning madeleines. Coated in sugar and grapefruit zest, you could almost eat the fragrance before taking a bite. And the bite! Crunchy from the sugar coating but with a bright citrus flavor in the subtly sweet chewy cookie. At that moment that's all I wanted and I told her I needed her to teach me how to make them.

Last week she did. And she added a chocolate version to the mix.

Now publishing recipes is all well and good but what you really get here is the benefit of Joanne's expertise--her tricks and tips. When it comes to madeleines, which she considers more of a cake than a cookie but with a thick, cookie-like dough, Joanne's firmest piece of advice is to refrigerate this dough for at least two hours before baking (and you can even refrigerate it overnight).

She has two reasons for insisting on this. The first is that you want the flour fully hydrated. The second is you want it completely chilled when it gets into the oven. Like bread baking, the steam for the cold moisture when it hits the heat will give it "oven spring." In other words, it will help it puff up.

Another suggestion Joanne has, and this is for the chocolate madeleines, is to use a top grade cocoa. Joanne discovered Guittard's Cocoa Rouge, which she adores. She gets it from Eclipse Chocolate, but I found it also on Amazon's and Sur La Table's websites, along with Guittard's own site.

Finally, again for the chocolate madeleines, add a bit of espresso powder. This brings out the flavor of the chocolate.

Now if you aren't a grapefruit fan, no worries. You can use any kind of citrus. The day I was with Joanne, she had blood oranges and the reds and oranges in the zest were striking. And assuming you have leftover citrus sugar, don't toss it! Instead, says Joanne, use it to sweeten iced team, rim a cocktail glass, or add to a homemade salad dressing.

Finally, as you place the dough in the madeleine forms, brush a little butter inside the forms to make sure the cookies won't stick. And don't fuss over smoothing the top of the dough. Use your fingers to press the dough into the molds but as they bake, the top will smooth itself.

Chocolate Madeleines
From Joanne Sherif of Cardamom Café & Bakery
Yield: 2 to 3 dozen depending on mold size
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons espresso powder
100 grams all-purpose flour
90 grams cocoa powder
pinch salt
185 grams plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¼ cup cocoa powder for sifting

Directions
1. In a stand mixer, beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and espresso powder. Slowly add flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix and then slowly stream in 185 grams of melted butter. Mix until fully incorporated. Refrigerate dough at least two hours and up to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Melt a tablespoon of butter and brush the inside of the madeleine molds. Place about a tablespoon of the dough in each mold.

3. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway for an even bake. To make sure they’re done, lightly tap the top. When it springs back, they’re fully baked.

4. Remove the madeleines from the oven and let cool.

5. In a medium-size bowl several madeleines. Place cocoa powder in a sifter and sift cocoa over madeleines. Remove and repeat with the next set of madeleines until all are topped with cocoa powder. Serve or place in a plastic bag. They’ll stay fresh for about 4 days.

Citrus Madeleines
From Joanne Sherif of Cardamom Café & Bakery
Yield: 2 to 3 dozen depending on mold size
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ sticks plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups sugar
2 pieces of citrus, zested (lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit all work)

Directions
1. In a stand mixer, beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Slowly add flour and then butter. Mix until fully incorporated. Refrigerate dough at least two hours and up to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Melt a tablespoon of butter and brush the inside of the madeleine molds. Place about a tablespoon of the dough in each mold.
3. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway for an even bake. To make sure they’re done, lightly tap the top. When it springs back, they’re fully baked.

4. Remove the madeleines from the oven and let cool.

5. In a medium-size bowl, mix together the sugar and citrus zest. Place several madeleines in the bowl and gently toss them in the sugar and zest mixture. Remove and repeat with the next set of madeleines until all are coasted in the sugar and zest mixture. Serve or place in a plastic bag. They’ll stay fresh for about 4 days.

New Series Begins for The Boulevard Cooking Class

I love hearing about new venues for cooking classes. Here's a series that gets into the heart of a community--specifically El Cajon Blvd. The Boulevard Cooking Class series, organized by Beryl Forman of the El Cajon Blvd. Business Improvement Association, includes eateries from Park to 54th St.

Photo by Beryl Forman

"One of the most exciting sectors of El Cajon Blvd. is the mom and pop restaurants so we wanted to call them out," she explains. "We had no problem rallying businesses to participate. Both the restaurants and the BIA like this approach. Instead of holding an annual grand slam kind of event, this is a way for business owners to have a one-on-one connection with customers."

April will mark the first anniversary of these classes, but this latest series begins Feb. 27 with a class at Flavors of East Africa. The price is right: $150 for all six classes:

Feb. 27: Flavors of East Africa
March 5: Tiger Tiger
March 12: Mama's Bakery
March 19: Eclipse Chocolate
March 26: El Borrego
April 2: Apertivo

The classes run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at each restaurant and--very important--they're limited to only 10 people. Forman says there are still a few spots open, but you'd better hustle to get a spot.

Forman says the the chefs teach one or two dishes and in the process tell their stories about their work and their culture.

Here's a sample video of Edward Haidar, owner of Mama's Kitchen, demonstrating how to make his hummus (he'll also be teaching his baba ganoush recipe).



In the past, Ken and Janie from Apertivo sat everyone around a table and walked the group through making ravioli.

Photo by Beryl Forman

Photo by Beryl Forman

To learn more about the series, visit the website. To sign up, contact Beryl Forman at beryl@theboulevard.org.

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June Swoon -- For Food

There's so much wonderful stuff going on this month in San Diego where food is concerned I couldn't resist letting everyone in on some delightful and bound to be delicious events:

Saturday, June 6: Happy Anniversary! Celebrate the first anniversaries of two wonderful farmers markets: Little Italy Mercato on Date St. and the City Heights farmers market on Wightman St.

Sunday, June 7: Cooks Confab hosts "Meat!" This collection of 18 passionate chefs gathers every couple of months to create a theme-based meal at one of the group's restaurants. This month, Jason Knibb of Nine-Ten at the Grand Colonial Hotel in La Jolla takes his turn. He and his buddies will showcase dishes such as:

• Beef Sliders – Amy Dibiase, Roseville
• American Artisan Cows’ Milk Cheeses – Brian Sinnott, 1500 Ocean
• “Stern to Sternum” Antonio Friscia, Stingaree with Andrew Spurgin and Donald Coffman, Waters Fine Catering
• Tongue ‘n’ Cheek – T.K. Kolanko, A. R. Valentien with Katie Grebow, Café Chloe
• Beef Tataki – Nathan Coulon, Quarter Kitchen
• “Steak & Eggs” – Paul McCabe, Kitchen 1540
• English Roast – Jason Knibb, NINE-TEN
• Braised Short Ribs – Olivier Bioteau, Farm House Café
• Sweetbreads’ “Cinnamon Roll” – Christian Graves, Jsix

The $90 ticket per person includes wine, tax and gratuity, and $5 from each ticket goes to Slow Food Urban San Diego. There's also $2 valet parking available. The event is from 3 to 6 p.m. Make your reservations by calling 858-964-5400.

Wednesday, June 10: Wines for Summertime at The Grand Del Mar's Resort Kitchen. I love wine director Jesse Rodriguez's accessible approach to exploring wine. You'll try the best but if you're new to learning about wines you won't find it at all intimidating. In this session, he'll focus on light, elegant wines with low to medium alcoholic content. Think German Riesling, Austrian Gruner Veltliner, domestic Sauvignon Blanc and domestic Pinot Noir. Amaya's chef Camron Woods will suggest food pairings with these refreshing wines. $75 per person. For more information, call 858-314-2000.

Sunday, June 14: The 26th annual Wine & Roses Charity Wine Tasting and Sale. This is my San Diego Gourmet colleague Robert Whitley's big event, held at the very elegant Westgate Hotel in downtown San Diego from 3 to 6:30. Enjoy gourmet food and wine, live music, a silent auction and drawings for roses and cases of wine. Add to that, the ability to buy cases of award-winning wine at a discount. The wine sale features wines that won gold and silver medals at the 2009 San Diego International Wine Competition. Admission is $65 in advance, $75 at the door. You can also attend "Tasting on the Terrace," a special event on Sat., June 13 from 5 to 7 p.m., which features boutique Sonoma wineries. Robert will host this event. Tickets are $30 per person. For more information about both events, call 619-583-9463 or go to the website. The Westgate Hotel is located at 1055 Second Ave. Ticket sales benefit Camp Oliver and the Charities of the Social Serve Auxiliary.

Saturday, June 20: 2nd Annual Father's Dady Chocolate BBQ. I'm not planning on running a long list of Father's Day restaurant specials, but chocolatier Will Gustwiller of Eclipse Chocolat does such unusual chocolate meals I couldn't resist adding this to the list. This year's three-course prix fixe chocolate barbecue features chile-roasted corn on the cobb with cocoa-nib infused butter, a chocolate caramel cheeseburger and for dessert, cherry vanilla bean buckle. Vegetarians need not stay away. He's also serving a gjetost, tomato and tarragon honey mustard panini in lieu of the burger. The dinner is $25. Seatings are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. To make a reservation, call 619-578-2984 or email info@eclipsechocolat.com.

Sunday, June 21: Chile Co's "A Tribal Conquest of Oceanic Fare II." Held at La Jolla's Beach at Torrey Pines, ChileCo's monthly socials are a mix of fine food and food education. This month, veteran fisherman and Slow Food evangelist -- and all around good guy -- Tommy Gomez of Catalina Offshore Products will lead a discussion of sustainable fishing practices and habitat preservation. Then guests will dine Caribbean style on the beach to the beat of drums. The menu includes:

• “Amore de Padre” Bacaloa Mofongo of sorts . . . You’ll see!
• Catalina Offshore” Uni Risotto with a Smokin Diver Boat Sea Scallop Kabob
• “Pina my Lada” Pineapple-Power Sour Sorbet
• “Jerked Up” Fulton Valley Farms Chicken with a Deep Caramel Spiced Rum-Lick the Plate- Your Mamma wishes she Made it–Hell of good Sauce & Sofrito laced La Milpa Organic Collard Greens
• “Tableside Taco Smores” with Gourmet Chuao Firecracker Chocolate Pods

Tickets are $95 per person. Email srice@chilecocatering.com or call 1-866-66-CATER to reserve a space.

Sunday, June 28: Stagecoach Day. Show Slow Food Urban San Diego some love and have some fun yourself at their first fundraiser. It's a food-tasting celebration in the Plaza of Old Town State Park from 1 to 5 p.m., featuring a wealth of local restaurants and chefs, farmers, artisan producers, wineries and more. The idea is that you'll get to sample dishes that celebrate the food cultures of early San Diego. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online.


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San Diego Foodstuff Miscellany: The Holiday Edition - Take One

We've got holiday magic all over the place and I'm going to start giving you some ideas on where you can spend your time -- both for your benefit and that of others...

• Leading off is the "Gingerbread and the City" gala event on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel. The gala, which is otherwise known as the 15th Annual Gingerbread City Design Competition, benefits the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County. This year, all of the gingerbread structures will be well-known buildings in San Diego, creating a Gingerbread City. The participants include Ellie's Sugar Arts, Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, JSIX, Great News! Discount Cookware and Cooking School, Roy's Downtown San Diego and the San Diego Culinary Institute. Singer Rita Coolidge will be performing and the food will be prepared by chefs from a wide range of terrific restaurants--Sbicca Bistro, Terra Restaurant, The Shores Restaurant, Addison Restaurant at The Grand Del Mar, Mille Fleurs, Napa Valley Grille and more. For more information and to buy tickets, call (619) 296-0161 or visit www.epilepsysandiego.org.
  

• Shop at Whole Foods? Well, you can get some ideas for dishes to prepare for Christmas and Chanukah on Sunday, Dec. 14 from noon to 3 p.m. at both the Hillcrest and La Jolla stores. Among the menu items featured are ham, pheasant breast, mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, green bean Almandine, traditional pot roast and rum raisin empanada. You'll also be able to get personalized cooking and menu tips from Whole Foods' experts.

• Will Gustwiller of Eclipse Chocolat is doing another of his 5-course chocolate tasting dinners. This one, to be held on Dec. 13 at 4, 6 and 8 p.m., is a Creole Christmas Dinner. Here's the menu: Fried Plantains with Chile-Burnt Caramel Dipping Sauce; Crawfish Bisque with White Chocolate Olive Oil Crostini; Dirty Rice with Cocoa-Bacon and Pepper Melody; Chicken Jambalaya with Smoked Beef-Cocoa Nib Sausage;
  Beignets with Dark Chocolate Chicory Drizzle. Call Will at 619-578-2984 for reservations.

As more events pop up, I'll add them to the list. And, stay tuned. I've been visiting a slew of wonderful dessert shops looking for holidays sweets. I'll start posting my findings in the next couple of days. We're talking Opera Patisserie, Extraordinary Desserts, Heaven Sent and more.




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Foodieview's Cupcake Taste Challenge

Last weekend I participated in a sweet experiment: the Foodieview.com cupcake taste challenge. About half a dozen of us gathered at site owner Howie Wang's house in South Park, all bearing boxes of cupcakes from dessert shops around San Diego (I brought cupcakes from Michele Coulon and Heaven Sent). The idea was to compare red velvet cupcakes, but not all (including the places I went to) had them. So we did a red velvet cupcake challenge and an overall challenge.

As much fun as it sounds, it wasn't easy. We tasted 10 cupcakes and that can take its toll. But we had a good time and the great thing was that there were some outstanding cupcakes. Howie has just posted the detailed results with photos on his foodieview.com blog. So, go forth and take a look!

And, in case you're curious, my favorite red velvet was from Sprinkles.


I found it was the only one that had that slight chocolate flavor and that the cake and sour cream frosting worked nicely together. Overall, my favorite was Eclipse Chocolat's Chocolate Cupcake with Burnt Caramel Filling. It was moist and rich and I love Will's burnt caramel.




And, the winner is ... Go to Howie's blog to find out!

(Photos from Foodieview.com)

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Foodstuff Miscellany

It's a quiet Thursday before the 4th, but food folks are busy...

• Eclipse Chocolat is holding a Cupcake Extravaganza Weekend, starting Friday. Owner Will Gustwiller has 36 flavors available at once and is counting on you to come in and help rate your favorites. The idea is to pare down to 16 or so in rotation. A box of nine will be $20. Each cupcake will have a rating card, which also serves as an entry to a Grand Prize Raffle (think Willy Wonka and the golden ticket). The winner will receive a VIP Eclipse Pass for a box of nine cupcakes every week for two months. Eclipse Chocolat is located at 2121 El Cajon Blvd. at Alabama in University Heights.
• Pinkberry buzz has arrived. The frozen yogurt chain opened its 59th store this week in downtown San Diego at the Hard Rock Hotel at 207 Fifth Ave., across from the San Diego Convention Center. A second San Diego store will open later this summer in Hillcrest. No comment about its "healthy and all-natural" claims.
• Keep an eye out for the July 15 opening of Homegrown Meats, a new butcher shop that's the brainchild of Matt Rimel, owner of Zenbu, Mesquite and, of course, Rimel's Rotisserie & Local Seafood. Homegrown Meats will be located next door to Zenbu at 7660 Fay Ave. in La Jolla and feature locally raised grass-fed beef from Mendenhall Ranch on Palomar Mountain, local wild turkey, ostrich, lamb, chicken and duck (when in season)--all hormone free. You'll also be able to pick up farm-fresh produce courtesy of a partnership with Chef Andrew Johnson of The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe. While the initial opening will be low key, Rimel will soon announce a grand opening to be held in August, with, of course, a tasting barbecue for customers. Be sure to check the homegrownmeats.com website to get the most up-to-date information about the openings.

P.S. Check out Maureen Clancy's wonderful site for a description of Rimel's favorite fish dish on the grill. He told us about this on The Gourmet Club yesterday and stomachs began to rumble with pleasure just at the thought of it. Easy to make and obviously finger-licking...well you know the rest.

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My Piece on Eclipse Chocolat Runs in Today's U-T

Last January I wrote an entry on Will Gustwiller's wondrous place in University Heights, Eclipse Chocolat. It led to an appearance by both of us on KPBS's "These Days" and a request from the San Diego Union-Tribune's food editor to write it up as a cafe experience.

Which, of course, I did.

The story appears today on page 31 in the weekly Night & Day section.

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Foodstuff Miscellany: Out and About in San Diego

Looking for something interesting and food related to do this spring?

Eat Healthy: This coming Saturday (April 12), a new cable program, Healthy Lifestyles for Kids, will be filming at the Scripps Ranch Farmers Market & Art Festival, beginning at 9 a.m. Take the kids, take the dogs and head on over to EB Scripps Elementary School at 10380 Spring Canyon Rd., just off the I-15 at Scripps Poway Parkway. For more information, go to www.srfm.org.

Treat Mom: Will Gustwiller at Eclipse Chocolat just had another tasting dinner last week. Now, he's planning Mother's Day Brunch with seatings on May 10 and 11 at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. He's already fully booked for the Sunday 1 p.m. seating, so if you want to go, better hurry up and get a space for you and Mom. The menu is on his blog and the cost is $35 a person. Call for reservations at 619-504-5310.

Do Good: Finally, Mama's Day, the 17th annual Mama's Kitchen fundraiser, is coming up on Friday, May 9, at 6:30 at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. Mama's Kitchen is a non-profit that provides nutritional meals to those in San Diego County with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses. If you're a foodie and you care about the well being of others in the community, this is the place to be. Some 70 restaurants will be participating, including Jade Theater, Blanca, Parallel 33, The Marine Room, Rice and George's at the Cove. Last year, Mama's Kitchen provided over 319,000 home-delivered meals to its clients, but federal funding is tight and likely to decrease. This event provides nearly 10 percent of the org's annual budget. Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased by calling 619-233-6262 or ordering online at www.mamaskitchen.org.



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Caffe Calabria Expanding Offerings

All sorts of interesting and potentially wonderous things are happening at this North Park coffee roaster/coffee bar/cafe. In fact, the next "/" will be retailer as Arne is getting the back of the building ready to open a retail shop. Already, he's been selling bags of beans and tea, as well as coffee-making equipment, but he's also got some marvelous chocolates for sale, including Eclipse Chocolat bars and some more exotic varieties from Amedei in Tuscany and Claudio Corallo in Africa.

Arne is particularly excited about the Claudio Corallo chocolates because they come from a sustainable plantation called Terreiro Velho, in São Tome e Príncipe, a small African island nation on the West coast of the continent. Corallo has a very interesting story, which you can read about here.

I tried the "Soft" chocolate, tablets of 73.5 percent cocoa. It's slightly sweet, nutty and crunchy (thanks to the cocoa nibs), made only with cocoa, sugar and cocoa butter.



Amedei is based in Pisa and owned by brother and sister Alessio and Cecilia Tessieri. The beans come from growing regions that include Grenada, Jamaica, Madagascar, Trinidad, Ecuador and Venezuela. The beans are processed by the Tessieris in Italy and the recipes are created by Cecilia, a Maitre Chocolatier. Arne had me try the Toscano Brown, a luscious milk chocolate bar that is nevertheless restrained in sweetness. According to Arne, Caffe Calabria is the only shop south of Beverly Hills selling Amedei chocolates and only one of seven in all of California.


I also got a chance to taste a delicious cup of coffee from Caffe Calabria's new Clover machine, a large piece of technology that drop kicks the French press concept into the 21st century by allowing the barista to control the temperature and pressure of a single cup even as the machine compresses the ground coffee into a tight puck to extract the flavor.

Arne tells me that they're still refining their Clover coffee, working on getting that combination of temperature and pressure just right before they start serving to customers. So, stay tuned.

And, for those of you, who, like me, love the fresh roasts they sell but don't live close enough to stop by weekly (or whenever) for a pound bag, Caffe Calabria is going to start a subscription service in the near future. Sign up and you can get your coffee delivered at an interval that works for you so you don't have to put extra bags in the freezer. I've been assured that those of us who have come into the store and signed up will soon be getting an email blast with all the details.

Caffe Calabria is located at 3933 30th St. just north of University Ave. in North Park.


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Eclipse Chocolat: Conceptual, Edible Art in University Heights

Chocolatier Will Gustwiller is an artist. A sculptor, in fact, who came to San Diego from Ohio to earn his MFA at San Diego State. It was while in grad school that he started fiddling around with chocolate—not to create mimetic sculptures, but, true to his approach as a conceptual artist, to focus less on the eye and instead create sensations and experiences for the mouth and mind.

So, what does a trained conceptual sculptor do with a graduate degree in Fine Arts? Well, this one started making artisanal chocolates. And, so began Eclipse Chocolat four years ago.

I spent Friday morning with Gustwiller at his three-month-old storefront, Eclipse Chocolat Café, in University Heights. His two barristas hadn’t yet arrived and his new culinary intern isn’t due to start until next week. Alone in his small kitchen, loaded with trays of bewitching truffles waiting to be dipped, he took advantage of the quiet to work on a new truffle recipe.

Throughout my visit, Gustwiller was valiantly trying to get the recipe—a white chocolate ganache flavored with Jasmine green tea and Cointreau—to come together. Like all of his recipes, the idea for this truffle had been percolating in his head for awhile until he mentally figured out the flavor profile. Then, he got out the materials and started the process of melting the chocolate and blending the ingredients, with the goal of reaching the right temperature and eventually the right consistency, and, of course, a stunning taste.

But, while I was there, it was a struggle. Holding the large metal bowl with his left arm while his left hand held the candy thermometer in place, he patiently stirred the mixture with a large whisk in his right hand. There were pockets of fat that wouldn’t dissipate. The temperature was too high. He’d put it in the oven briefly to bring it down and pull it out to work it some more. Then add some Cointreau. Then melt a lower-fat white chocolate on the burner in front of him and add that. And, while all this was happening, the phone would ring and he’d have to drop everything, hurriedly wash his hands and try to get to the phone. At one point, a UPS guy came by with a delivery. Then some people wandered in looking for doughnuts. But, despite the interruptions, he kept his cool, determined to get it right. By the end of my visit, I was feeling just as invested in the challenge.

Gustwiller acknowledges that his training in chocolates isn’t formal. It’s all based on reading, research and experimentation. “But, that’s the fun of it,” he says. “It’s part of the reason for my success. But it’s also part of my frustration.”

He willingness to experiment, however, has led to an amazing array of astounding tasting chocolates, not to mention the pastries he also makes for the café. I came in that morning with a craving for something I saw on his blog earlier in the week, a chocolate chip-chocolate brioche made from a 72 percent dark chocolate and butter-fortified yeast dough he starts the night before baking.

The brioche is lovely. Thick and rich, intensely chocolate. I heated one up later and enjoyed it with a little sweet butter. It would probably also be stunning with an apricot or strawberry jam. Maybe even a tart marmalade. In any case, it’s perfect on its own with coffee.

I also tried one of his deep, dark macadamia ginger brownies (bottom right of the three, above). (Gustwiller also makes a masala chai brownie, marshmallow almond brownie and dark muscavado brownie.) The dense brownie flavor is superb, and beautifully complemented by the addition of the candied ginger and occasional crunch of toasted macadamia nuts.

The chocolate bars had me intrigued. These sleekly wrapped chocolates (all of the packaging was designed by Gustwiller) have some unusual names and I was eager to learn if the combinations worked. The Mango Masala has been particularly controversial, Gustwiller says. I don’t know why. The bar is milk chocolate infused with masala curry and studded with pieces of candied mango. I took this with me to the San Diego Union-Tribune to share with my on-air colleagues and guests on The Gourmet Club radio show. No one who tasted it understood the controversy; this is a decadent explosion of flavors—a quiet burst of mellow Indian spices, some sweet tanginess from the mango and the oh so smooth comfort of milk chocolate. It worked for all of us.

I also brought home the Gingerbread Crumb bar and the Kyoto Green Tea bar. The Gingerbread Crumb bar is delightful. Cinnamon—always a good marriage partner with chocolate—gives the bar a nice flavor lift, and the muscavado sugar and gingerbread crumbs add sweetness, a little spice and a nice slightly crunchy texture. There’s no mistaking the flavors of the Kyoto Green Tea bar. Lift it out of the wrapper and the white chocolate takes a bow to the scent and color of the matcha green tea that infuses it. A little ginger and some toasted rice round out the experience, adding a little crunch as you bit down. It’s definitely a little odd, but very compelling. I’d eagerly buy it again.

When I learned that Gustwiller makes his own marshmallows and created what he calls his Marshmallow Almond Rococo, I had to try it. This confection is a stunner, what with his house-made marshmallows, big chunks of Marcona almonds, cocoa nibs and maldon sea salt. This version of Rocky Road far exceeds the ice cream.

But, let’s get down to the real heart of the operation, the truffles. By my count, Gustwiller has developed eight dark chocolate truffle varieties, two milk chocolate and two (maybe three?) white chocolate. The infusion combinations are head spinning: Lavender Poppy, Balsamic Pink Peppercorn, Ginger Green Tea, Black Sesame Anise. You get the idea. Do they work? Oh, yes.

The house lavender gray sea salt works the palate nicely. The scent of the salt as you take a bite titilates the tongue, your taste buds melt over the rich chocolate, then there’s the lavender finish, which lingers after the last bite.

The Balsamic Pink Peppercorn truffle is an altogether different experience. There’s only the slightest hint of the vinegar tucked away in the dark chocolate. Aim right and what follows is the crunch of the peppercorn, offsetting the sweetness of the chocolate. Very nice.

I was a little apprehensive about the Ginger Green Tea with the dark chocolate. I needn’t have been. Gustwiller doesn’t sling these flavors at you; they’re modest additions that tease the taste buds. Here, we get the hints of ginger and of green tea but they serve to boost the chocolate.

Finally, I tried the Lemon Zinger, a white chocolate truffle infused with lemon peel and ginger and topped with candied ginger. This is artistry. If you don’t like the waxiness of white chocolate you’ve had in the past, let it go and try this. It’s rich and smooth and creamy. The lemon is a perfect foil for the chocolate and the ginger prevents the flavors from veering off into something too sweet. It’s a brilliant partnering of flavors and texture.

Gustwiller’s chocolates can be bought at his shop, at Taste, Venissimo, Jonathan’s and Cream coffee bar and wine shop on Park Blvd. in Hillcrest. Hotels like the W and the Lodge at Torrey Pines offer them as amenities to their guests. You can also purchase them online. Next year, Gustwiller plans to have a booth at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, so who knows where else you’ll be able to find his sweets in the future. Not bad for a guy who had to spend his first two years in business also working part-time at Williams-Sonoma in Fashion Valley to support himself and his “hobby.” The gig paid off both in terms of giving him time to make the business work and in teaching him all about merchandising.

If you want to plan something special for Valentine’s Day, Gustwiller’s making dinner and it’s nearly sold out. Check out his blog for details. And, if you do nothing else, head over there for a nice cup of Caffé Calabria coffee or tea and some sweets. There are about half a dozen tables at this hip little shop, free Wi-Fi and simply a cool environment perfect for hanging out with friends or solitary winding down.

Oh, are you curious about how Gustwiller’s new recipe turned out? I got an email from him the following day. “It turned out great! Ironically, right about the time I had decided to give up. Chocolate-making can have a steep learning curve.”

The final flavor, he says, is Jasmine Green Tea. It will be made seasonally and debut this year for Valentine’s Day.

Eclipse Chocolat is located at 2121 El Cajon Blvd. in University Heights.

Have some thoughts about Eclipse Chocolat or other artisan chocolatiers in San Diego? Do you have a favorite neighborhood market or shop that carries unique or unusual foodstuff? Let me know or add to the conversation by clicking on comments below:

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Taste: Holiday Helpers in Hillcrest

Years ago I was invited to the CIA at Greystone in St. Helena for a three-day cheese course. It was a total immersion that also included wine pairings, learning how to make homemade mozzarella and even how to make corn tortillas. I tasted everything from the nutty Vella Dry Monterey Jack and luscious Strauss organic yogurt to Bellwether Farm’s oh-so-gooey Crescenza (try it on focaccia with a little truffle oil drizzled on top). I met many of the local cheese makers as well as local wine makers and even got a chance to cook in the CIA kitchen to try out new cheese-infused recipes. It was fabulous.

Then I came home to San Diego.

While other writers and editors were swooning over the cheeses and making notes of specialty cheeses to pick up at their local cheese shop back in San Francisco, I could only hope that some of these cheese makers could do mail orders. My best hope back then was that perhaps Whole Foods might carry some of the bounty I’d discovered and fallen in love with.

Times certainly have changed and here we are at the end of 2007 with three thriving cheese shops in San Diego—Venissimo, Aniata and Taste—along with pretty good selections at Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Trader Joe’s and other more enlightened markets.

Despite carrying very similar products, each of our local cheese shops is wonderfully unique. Having spent an afternoon at Taste last week I’m going to declare it the party shop. This is where to go not just for wonderful cheeses and other epicurean treats, but to simply have a good time. And, why not? It is in Hillcrest after all and shares space with Wine Steals next door. Call a friend and meet up on a weekend afternoon for a glass of wine and an international tour of fabulous cheeses. Go this weekend and pick up last-minute holiday or hostess gifts or fill the larder for the inevitable parties you're hosting or attending through New Year's.

Owned by Mary and George Palmer, Taste is a true reflection of their gregarious, open-armed approach to retail. Their clear enthusiasm for playing with food and educating customers is very endearing and will likely send you out the door with several delicious bundles.

There are no counters at Taste. The cheeses are on display on tables and shelves or in the refrigerated case that lines the wall next to a collage of cheese labels that goes to the ceiling. Want to sample something? Mary will bring the cheese to one of the tables to slice and probably tempt you with a pairing or two.

Enjoy the deep muskiness and incredible sharpness of Old Quebec vintage cheddar? Try it with a dab of red onion confit. It improves the taste of both. How about Colston Bassett Stilton? Oh, it’s mellow. But with a little dried fig compote mellow turns to memorable. The ultimate? Parmesiano Reggiano with rich, syrupy 12-year-old balsamico. Stunning on the palate.

Jars of these confits, compotes and vinegars are displayed throughout the store, along with local artwork that’s also for sale.

One wall of shelves holds gems like truffle salt (perfect on eggs, pasta or steak), honeys, pasta, crackers, olives and the very special Fra’Mani dry salami made by former Chez Panisse chef Paul Bertolli. Try this—it’s very mild but carries a splendid burst of garlic.

On a table against another wall are rich and fruity olive oils from Spain, Portugal and Italy, and balsamicos varying in age from 12 to 25 to 40 years.

And, from Sardinia, there are jars of Saba, a very sweet grape must that’s made by reducing grape juice to a syrup. (Grape must is the juice pressed from grapes before fermentation; it's also used to make balsamic vinegar, which then undergoes fermentation as it ages.) With must, acid plays no role, nor does age. It’s all about the reduction and this sauce marries well with oil to create marinades and dress salads, but use it solo over ice cream, fruit or pastries.

Another table nearby is all about chocolate.

There are the elegant orange boxes of hand-crafted local chocolates by Dallmann Confections in flavors like jasmine, pistachio, fleur de sel, Provence (lavender, of course, with Bourbon vanilla) and rose water. Taste also features Eclipse Chocolat made by local artisan chocolatier Will Gustwiller (his shop is on El Cajon Blvd. in North Park). Try his exotic salted caramels, rich distinctive flavors topped by just a sprinkling of artisanal salts and infused with flavors like ginger and lavender. These are perfect and unusual holiday gifts.

Also on display are bars of Vosges, Casa Don Puglisi chocolate from Modica and Chocolates El Rey from Venezuela. I enjoyed the smooth as silk sweetness of the Bucare dark chocolate bar.

Mary and George moved to San Diego several years ago from the Bay Area. They started as wine geeks but began focusing on food, especially cheese. It was George’s idea to start a cheese shop and they met Bob and Martyna Stonebrook who opened Aniata in Flower Hill Mall in 2001. Bob invited the Palmers to come work for him to learn about the business and the groundwork was set. Three years ago the couple opened Taste on University Ave. and have been building the business since.

The Palmers share resources with Venissimo, whose owners have since bought Aniata so that the Stonebrooks could focus on distributing cheese. The same fabulous blue-and-white cheese paper you see at Venissimo is also used by Taste (more about that later), but the collaboration also allows them to split wheels of cheese that would otherwise be too much stock for one shop to carry.

I won’t list the 80 to 100 cheeses Taste carries at any given time; you can visit the shop or check out their website for that. But, I found some favorites that I had to buy or will return for that you should put on your list:

• Parmigiano Reggiano: Taste carries a Reggiano Doc, meaning that it is certified as coming from Northern Italy and meets the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Consorzio criteria. It’s branded with the Consorzio’s logo once it’s been inspected and passed at 12 months. Cut straight from the wheel, this hard, granular cheese resembles nothing like the stuff in the green cardboard container. It’s earthy and crumbly—irresistible to nibble in little slices with a red wine or dry champagne.
• Purple Haze: I love chevre and this soft goat’s milk cheese ups the ante with the addition of lavender and fennel pollen. Because it’s so perfect crumbled in a salad, I pulled out my Grandma Anna’s weathered old wood salad bowl and filled it with organic baby romaine, fresh mizuna from Nijiya, chopped scallions, toasted walnuts, orange heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market and ruby red cherry tomatoes. No vinaigrette on this salad—just a good drizzle of unfiltered Italian extra virgin olive oil and Saba. Now, I loved the Purple Haze in the salad, but Mary also suggests adding it to mashed potatoes at the end of preparation.
• Ewephoria: This Dutch ewe’s milk cheese is one of my favorites because it is all big nutty flavor. I adore it on toast in the morning but try slices on a crisp apple or pear accompanied by a big, robust red wine.
• Idiazabal: This is a something of a curiosity. It's a raw sheep’s milk cheese from Spain that has a burst of smokiness but, surprisingly, it actually isn't a smoked cheese. Instead, it gets that crazy flavor because it’s aged in chimneys. Go figure. But, it’s a tremendous hard cheese—nutty and just a little oily.
• St. Agur: Oh, I did love this blue cheese from France’s Auvergne region. This is simply one of the best blue cheeses you’ll find because it’s so creamy. A full fat blue, it has a sumptuous flavor that finishes with bacon. Dreamy.
• Roquefort Carles: Another sumptuous blue cheese that comes, of course, from Roquefort. It’s strong, it’s tangy and I adore it.
• Vacherin Fribourgeois: My grandpa Sam was a stinky cheese kind of guy, and was especially fond of the astoundingly pungent Limberger. He’d have loved this strong smelling small batch Swiss cheese. I certainly did. While he would have eaten it straight up, you might want to balance the strong flavor with some crusty bread and a robust red wine or Porter. Mary suggests using it for fondue or raclette.

I tried a lot of different cheeses at Taste but bought only a few because I hate the idea of these magnificently living foodstuffs going moldy or hard before I can finish them. Cheese storage has been on my mind and over the years I’ve gotten a lot of different advice on how best to keep cheese fresh. Aside from buying small portions and eating them promptly, what do you do? First some don’ts: don’t wrap them in plastic wrap, Ziploc bags or moistened paper towels covered by wax paper. Instead, Mary pointed directly at the lined blue-and-white paper she wraps the cheeses in. She calls it “Gore-Tex” for cheese. The liner wicks moisture from the cheese. The paper keeps the cheese dry. You can also use parchment or wax paper enveloped in foil. Label your little packages with a Sharpie pen. They should keep for several days. Ideally, you don’t buy more than what you can eat fairly quickly.

Taste Artisan Cheese & Gourmet Shop is located at 1243 ½ University Ave. in Hillcrest.

Have some thoughts about Taste or other cheese purveyors in San Diego? Do you have a favorite neighborhood market or shop that carries unique or unusual foodstuff? Let me know or add to the conversation by clicking on comments below:

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