4 ms·

Well Dandelion makes chocolate in their shop which is open to the public, and it actually does taste different (better) than any other chocolate I've ever tried

by gkop 11y ago

Well Dandelion makes chocolate in their shop which is open to the public, and it actually does taste different (better) than any other chocolate I've ever tried, so I already perceived them to be rather legit; the risk of vaporizing my illusion seemed a priori less than the reward of potentially confirming my hope. Also while I'm sure that I am blind to lots of things as a consumer, I definitely still enjoy products with sketchy marketing but whose quality I like (Bulleit Rye is a great example).

dogma1138 11y ago
That's part of the experience you are buying there's nothing wrong with it, there are tons of very subtle things that can make food taste better from how it's presented to who made it (whether it's your mother, S/O of a famous chef). Those attributes however very rarely survive blind tasting. Making chocolate in small batches doesn't have anything to do directly with making a better chocolate bar. There are plenty of very large scale chocolate manufacturers that produce premium products and they have a much better process of ensuring the consistency and quality of their products than a small batch manufacturer, unlike small boutiques they also have the resources and the science to be able to tailor the taste to specific pallets much more consistently. Going to a chocolate boutique however and buying expensive bars is an experience on it's own which most likely has just as much impact on the final tasting experience as the manufacturing process it self.
- nkurz 11y ago
  Making chocolate in small batches doesn't have anything to do directly with making a better chocolate bar. I agree with most of your points (both in this post and more generally elsewhere on the site), and even acknowledge that you might be right if you define "directly" in a particular way. But I'm almost certain you haven't made your own small-batch chocolate, and would guess you haven't personally compared products from the producers being discussed. You are right that small batch doesn't matter much, but timing is crucial. Freshly made chocolate has a lot of volatile flavors that dissipate quickly. Large producers age their product to produce a consistent (and sometimes excellent) product. Some small producers achieve a much faster turn-around from roasting to consumption. I've both made chocolate and done a lot of comparison, and I've never tasted a mass produced chocolate where the taste is comparable to a fresh batch made by an amateur using quality ingredients. I suppose that theoretically it could be done, but in practice, to my taste, freshness has always had the flavor advantage. My usual comparison would be coffee: freshly roasted and freshly brewed coffee tastes significantly different than freeze dried. Both have their place, but you should doubt the taste of anyone who says there is no significant difference. Fresh versus canned tomatoes is another example I've considered. There are some excellent canned tomatoes, and some lousy fresh tomatoes, but no canned tomato is a decent substitute for an excellent fresh tomato.

by gkop 11y ago

dogma1138 11y ago

That's part of the experience you are buying there's nothing wrong with it, there are tons of very subtle things that can make food taste better from how it's presented to who made it (whether it's your mother, S/O of a famous chef). Those attributes however very rarely survive blind tasting. Making chocolate in small batches doesn't have anything to do directly with making a better chocolate bar. There are plenty of very large scale chocolate manufacturers that produce premium products and they have a much better process of ensuring the consistency and quality of their products than a small batch manufacturer, unlike small boutiques they also have the resources and the science to be able to tailor the taste to specific pallets much more consistently. Going to a chocolate boutique however and buying expensive bars is an experience on it's own which most likely has just as much impact on the final tasting experience as the manufacturing process it self.

nkurz 11y ago
Making chocolate in small batches doesn't have anything to do directly with making a better chocolate bar. I agree with most of your points (both in this post and more generally elsewhere on the site), and even acknowledge that you might be right if you define "directly" in a particular way. But I'm almost certain you haven't made your own small-batch chocolate, and would guess you haven't personally compared products from the producers being discussed. You are right that small batch doesn't matter much, but timing is crucial. Freshly made chocolate has a lot of volatile flavors that dissipate quickly. Large producers age their product to produce a consistent (and sometimes excellent) product. Some small producers achieve a much faster turn-around from roasting to consumption. I've both made chocolate and done a lot of comparison, and I've never tasted a mass produced chocolate where the taste is comparable to a fresh batch made by an amateur using quality ingredients. I suppose that theoretically it could be done, but in practice, to my taste, freshness has always had the flavor advantage. My usual comparison would be coffee: freshly roasted and freshly brewed coffee tastes significantly different than freeze dried. Both have their place, but you should doubt the taste of anyone who says there is no significant difference. Fresh versus canned tomatoes is another example I've considered. There are some excellent canned tomatoes, and some lousy fresh tomatoes, but no canned tomato is a decent substitute for an excellent fresh tomato.