When I read that Chloe Doutre-Roussel in The Chocolate Connoisseur wrote that she ate something like a pound of chocolate a day, I didn't believe it and I still don't. I just wondered how much people usually eat per day, on average. If there's aforum/discussion about this, I missed it, so please excuse.

I know that for myself, a 100 gm bar lasts about 2 days. That's way more than the "per capita" consumption, but in a group like this, it might be far lower. Just wanted to find out how it is for you all. If you respond, just be honest. No one's making any judgements here. Hell, many of my friends think I'm insane for spending $11 for a 100 gm bar of good stuff. I usually counter that they'd spend much more on a bottle of wine that wouldn't last as long, but I digress. If you're on this forum, then I'm assuming good chocolate takes you to your happy place (maybe good wine, too).

Good stuff should be savored, in my book, so I try to take my time eating it. Usually I find that after an ounce or so, I'm good for a while, but that may be just me. Mind you, I'm not inquiring about how much you COULD eat, just how much you do on average.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,

updated by @keith-ayoob: 04/10/15 03:43:50

A POUND of chocolate per day??? Wow.... Chloe either has the metabolism of a mouse, has the exercise regime of an elite athlete, or weighs 400+ lbs herself!

As far as I'm concerned, chocolate is it's own food group, and I put down MAYBE 100g per day as I'm tasting various confections and recipes. Even with that small amount, I find I have to exercise extensively to keep the weight off. Usually over the course of November/December when I'm between dirt biking seasons (not riding or exercising), just those two months alone see me gain 6-7lbs. The only thing I've done different in my eating over the past 10 years is introduce chocolate into my diet about 5 years ago. Before that I never gained weight over the winter.

I can't even begin to fathom how many times I'd have to run the stairs to work off 2800 calories of chocolate per day! Yikes.

Brad

I'd do maybe 50 to 100g per day, lets say 50g average. I make a lot and also buy bars of the good stuff, constantly tasting and re-tasting. I find with dark chocolate that you are about right,30g and I'm good for a while.

Its interesting you mention the weight gain their Brad, I also found that when I started making chocolate, it was much easier to gain weight when not excersisingwith that muchchocolate as part of your diet. I currently ride 150km per week to and from work and do weights regularly too toenable myself to enjoy the amount of chocolate that I do.

I agree that chocolate should be it's own food group. I'd take it a step further and say that really good, high-quality, high-cocoa content stuff should be a deductable medical expense, but the powers that be don't seem to agree.

Re: Chloe, like I said, she couldn't actually eat that much on a daily basis. Gotta be way overreported. Unless she tastes but spits out, like the wine and coffee tasters do, but that would seem to be a real waste of good chocolate.

Exercising is essential, but not just to allow for chocolate. I just like to be active anyway and it's good for everyone to do what they can to be active. Of course, the benefit is that it provides a nice "ace in the hole" by allowing a few more discretionary calories -- that most of us would prefer to spend discretely (or not) on good chocolate!

My understanding is that Chloe does indeed spit out most of the chocolate that she tastes. I can't remember where I heard that, though.

I think I read it in Mort Rosenblum or something like that, book on chocolate. It is a good read.

I tend to gorge on chocolate on occasion. Because I make micro batches at home and have a cheap supply of paste to grind, and started playing around with making ganches for truffles, bons bons and the like, and have gotten very good at chocolate cupcakes of various sorts; on would say I get somewhere between 100 and 200g a day of chocolate. There are times where I take a day or two off, but miss it. I have also been testing out various chocolate shops around Manhattan over the last six months, and over the course of an afternoon and evening, a dozen truffles or bon bons are very easy to enjoy. My wife and I will sit down and share two or three and then I have a couple more as the evening goes on.

I don't find eating chocolate has affected my weight in any way at all.

I don't think that it is the chocolate that causes the weight gain per se. For me it was the introduction of a very calorie dense food into my diet which didn't change my other eating habbits, so I would eat normally and then add on top, or in between the extra caloric hit from 50-100g of dark choc per day. It wasn't that significant either but having weighed 69kg for as long as I can remeber, I noticed the variation - especially when not excersising regularly.

Speaking of shops around Manhattan, I've haunted La Maison, Michel Cluizel, Leonidas and Jaques Torres. I've had Vosges elsewhere. Anyone I'm missing?

I heard there was a Xocolat shop downtown but can't seem to get any info. I tried their choc/oliveoil bar at Fog City News in SF and liked it. A bit odd, but good.

I visited the Xocolatti shop on Thompson, near Vosges, Kee and Maribelle on Broome. They are all near each other. Jacques Torres is only 4-5 blocks away also. Christopher Norman closed a few months back near Wall Street. The Black Hound in on 2nd Ave off of 14th, I think. You should go in and see Max Brenner on Broadway near 14th. Roni Sue in the Essex Market. The Chocolate Bar and Li Lac or close to each other on 8th Ave near 12 st., I think. The Meadow is a short walk away and probably the largest selection of bars. Burdick and Chocolate Moderne are on 20th and 22nd near 6th and Broadway. Another near Broadway and St. Mark's or 4th street, I can't remember now. I stumbled across the Three Tarts on 19th or so on 9th Ave. Cocoa Bar on Clinton near Houston has some good hot chocolate.

I just keeping finding out about more and will begin exploring New Jersey soon.

Google, chocolate map nyc and you can find most of them.

OK, now I feel like an idiot. Thanks very much for this info. Heretofore, much of my bar-buying has occurred at Fog City News in SF, as I'm out there about once a month, soThe Meadow is a real find. Ironically, I was right around there last night for dinner. I was actually unfamiliar with chocomap andhalf the places you mentioned. I should probably lose my chocophile membership card or do penance by being forced to eat carob. Many thanks for the info here!

Keith

Do not worry, I have only been spending money and visiting fine chocolate shops for the last six months. It will be easy to get caught up, just expensive. The one on 4th is Bond Street and I bought a dozen chocolates this morning at FIKA down here near Bowling Green. Martine's on 82nd and York.

On average the Swiss population consumes 11lb per year per person, in Germany the average is 10.8lbs, in the UK it's 10.3, and in the US 5.1lbs. So they say. That's all chocolate bars, not just the good stuff. I think consuming a pound a day would make one seriously high or sick or both. Spitting it out, I wonder why one would have to taste so much? How much chocolate does one have to taste to know what one's eating?

Actually, I went through Chloe's book again, and when she does her TASTINGS she spits out the chocolate. It's less clear how much she eats when she's just eating for pleasure. She has some errors in there howver -- saying things like ganache being more fattening than chocolate bars. Nope. They both have about the same number of calories. Onemay just have more fat from cream, the other has morefat from cocoa butter.

Good heavens, how much chocolate you eat. I am really amateur....
I eat about 2kg per year (4,4 lbs). Average consumption in Finland is 7kg/year per person (15,4 lbs).

Chocolate, A Bitter Saga of Dark and Light by Mort Rosenblum. And yes, it is a good read.

I eat a little more than 1 oz. a day -- it doesn't take much to feel satisfied with really great chocolate. One pound a day would be too much for me to really enjoy. My cacao excess if of a different sort. I've been eating a different kind of chocolate every day, for over five years -- about 120 pounds in all. I estimate that by end of April 2012, I will have eaten my body weight in chocolate. Strange but true. And yummy too.

Thanks to you all the great chocolate makers out there.

Corinne ( www.chocolatebanquet.com )

Oy. I just realized that, at about 50 gm per day, I'm eating a little over 18 kg per year. I'd rather say in eating 50 gm per day. Sounds nicer. To be fair, the research on chocolate is reasonable. I totally burn it off, and if you're eating 70% or higher, it's actually got a reasonable amount of fiber. I do skip it some days, but I find myself wishing a nice restaurant just offered a few squares of good chocolate rather than all the fancy desserts. They're nice, but the chocolate would be even more satisfying and have lots fewer calories. Anyone outdoing me on the consumption end (and willing to go on record?!)

Here is some information about where to buy chocolate bars in NYC. (Brady B sent it to me in 2009.)

#1. Food Emporium / The World of Chocolate , 1175 3rd Ave. @ 68th St..

Adrienne Henson

What this is, is actually a separate room inside of a grocery store.

Pro's: It's fun and has tons of different bars to choose from.There are a couple goodemployeesusually on hand. What you'll find: Madecasse, Vao Vao, Malie Kai, Valrhona (they have some that you don't have on your list), Vestri, Republica del Cacao, Maglio, Amano, Askinosie, Santander, Bonnat (they still had some of the Porcelana bars last I checked but they are $$$), Santander. Plus a bunch of other mediocre bars. Some you may be interested in. It's fairly easy to get to but it is not near any tourist attraction that I imagine you'll already be at. Open later than most places.

...Most of the Felchlin is gone. LastFelchlin itemsleft were Elvesia and Madagascar. Cru Sauvage is definitely gone and there is no other place in the city that carries it.

The Chocolate Library (aka Chocolate 101 because of a naming dispute)

111 St. Marks Place (Avenue A)

(212) 995-5001

Owned by Byron Bennett

Also, you are within walking distance to. It is now called:

Borne Confections: ( the old Pierre Marcolini store) 485 Park Ave between 58-59th St.
The store now sells another Bean to Bar, from Oriol Balaguer.Oriol only has one bar.
Theyve sold off their Pierre Marcolini bars. Considering you haven't had Pierre Marcolini, you might make this your #1 stop as I don't know you can order it online either. He is bean to bar and it's the only Belgian chocolate that is actually great!. Bars run 11$ ea.but are currently not on the shelf. They have them behind the counter but you have to ask for them.

Borne Confections

485 Park Avenue, New York NY 10022 ( map )
212-755-5150
www.borneconfections.com

The next options are places that you might be near while touring.

Near Empire State Building: Actually inside the Empire State Building is La Maison du Chocolat. It is only a temporary outpost for the holiday but worth it. They are known for their truffles, which are very good but pricey. They also have good bars (approx. 10$ each). They are worth the $. They are made by Valrhona.

Near the NY Stock Exchange: 1. La Maison du Chocolat, 63 Wall st. 2. Christopher Normans, 60 New St. He does not make bean to bar but has good truffles. Owner John Down is originally a painter. His truffles have his paintings on them and he has some artwork hanging in the shop that he painted with chocolate. It is very close to the NY Stock Exchange and the famous statue of the Stock Market Bull, however it is in an alley that you wouldn't expect something to be in.

Near Rockefeller Plaza:

La Maison du Chocolat, 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Brooklyn

Depending on how much time you have, a trip to Brooklyn could net you somebars you can't get in Manhattan. I'll just tell you what is available and if you have enough time I can help you get around. To hit all four of these places you'd need at least two hours of free time from your group. However you could do just the first two (Chocolate Room and Brooklyn Larder in one hour, including travel time to Brooklyn). The second two stores are a bit of a hike but are doable if you don't mind walking.

Brooklyn Larder ,228 Flatbush Ave.: Claudio Corallo, Patric, Taza, Mast Bros, Madecasse, Askinosie, Amano

Chocolate Room ,86 5th Ave: Bonnat, Madecasse, Pacari, Vintage, KiXocolatl, Theo Phinney

Blue Apron, 814 Union St.: Bonnat, Patric (including the new Rio Caribe), Madecasse, Valrhona, Vintage, El Ceibo (Chloe's line), Dolfin, Askinosie, Taza (including the Chiapan bar)

Green Grape Provisions ,753 Fulton St: Rogue (the only place in town that I'm aware of selling Rogue), Taza, Vintage, Patric, Vere, Vosge, Askinosie, Madecasse, TCHO(last I was there, the bars were out of stock. No worries, they are horrible).

There are good shops for truffles in SoHo. #1 choice is Kee's Chocolate , 80 Thompson St.

One other interesting place is L.A. Burdicks , 5 East 20th st. Tel: 212-796-0143

Directions: Between 5 th Ave. and Broadway. 4 blocks from Union Station.

Owned by Larry Burdick

He sells barsproduced by Felchlin, packaged in Burdick packaging, as well assome really good truffles and pastries.

My focus is reviewing fine chocolate bars (see ChocoFiles ) and I usually try to taste one 6-8g piece at a time. Depending on various factors my tastings vary from 1 to maybe 5 per day. (The less I like a chocolate bar the quicker I eat it to get rid of it, and the more I like it the more slowly I savor it.) So I guess I eat 7-40 g per day. I'll average that to 20g per day.

With really fine chocolate that I highly enjoy an 8g piece more than satisfies me for several hours!

If I think a chocolate bar is worth the expense I'll pay premium prices for it. I track the bars I've reviewed by calculating the price per 100g to make a standard that I can easily compare. The most I've paid is $53.57/100g for some small Pierre Marcolini pieces. The most I've paid for one bar is $22 for the Bonnat "Marfil de Blanco Porcelana". In my next post I'm going to attach a list of the bars I've tasted, sorted by price per 100g.

updated by @chocofiles: 06/16/15 07:52:42

Bars I've reviewed, sorted by price per 100 g:

I looked at your ratings. Ow. You've been at this a while. I visited Pierre Marcolini and bought several bars there but I don't remember them being as expensive. With the prices you list, it's cheaper to fly to Paris to buy them!

These are amazing lists. I have tried some, quite a few, and appreciate the information.

I have been Chloe's assistant for almost 6 months now, being able to "supervise" her eating habits. I read her book long before I started my internship with her and I really hoped the person in the book is the real her. I have been pleased to find out that it is all true.

She has a small figure,a very energetic personality, a lot of tact and loads of care towards friends andanyone who is passionate or trying to helpher main love:"chocolate". She eats much more chocolate than a "normal" person does, but only fine chocolate; and yes she does spit when she does not like plus she explains what is wrong with that choco so this makes it really interesting!I like it when she does not like things!

She also claims she is not a sweet personalthough she is always with her box of Manjariat work filling it up every half an hour and on top she is still slimmer than I am.This is Chloe!

It seems that thekey to her fit body shape is that sheis super active: sheis an early riser, waking up at around 5-6am and going to the pool every day in the morning.Even when she is away during conferences she goes to swim daily.Also, she never mixes food with chocolate, because she likes to have some appetite and clean taste buds when tasting chocolate- she eats 3 meals a day of quite healthy and equilibrated food (and in between there is lots of choconibbling).

Whether she eats exactly one pound of chocolate every day, I cannot tell you exactly but, I can tell you thatit is closer to 300g than 200g with no doubt!

I on the other hand I have around 50g per day...i am still an apprentice!

Bonne journe a tous!

Thank you for this reply, Irina. It appears that chocolate occupies all the "extra space" in Chloe's diet. I'm with you -- still very much an apprentice. I'm off to Prague today -- any suggestions about chocolatiers there? To be safe, I'm taking some Pralus with me.

Have a good trip Keith! While in Prague you can go and check Klara`s shop ( http://www.cokoladovacukrarna.cz/ ) in case you ran out of "choco stock"