Can anyone tell me more (opinions, not the formal info allready on the site) about the tasting club? Like is it expensice compared to just buying the bars on you own?

And also, would it be an idea to have a “tasting note form” in a printer friendly version on the website? (I think it might make it easier for “greens” like me to learn.)

well we use a tasting sheet during our tastings and the 5 things we look at is

texture (e.g. smooth, fatty, grainy…)
for taste we use 4 criteria: intensity, length, complexity and disctinctiveness.
people sometimes spend too much time on it takes like this. etc, which is a lower level of abstraction than the criteria above
Also we hope that the above critera are MECE (mutually exclusive and
exhanstive together) .. or at least close to that

For example, let’s try Manjari from Varhona

Texture is fine smooth and melts easily
It is very intense
short in taste (taste does not last very long)
Disctinctive with citrus/red fruit notes (high acidity)
Not very complex (one falvour dominates)

With this, I think you can map different chocolates and also identify the chararctristics of the choc you like on a higher abstract level.
Let me know if it helps
regards
chocolatero

thanks
by the way check the link about callebaut/marcolini article on the forum posted by masur
… may tell you some more about their chocolate that they would
not immediately volunteer to say…
chocolatero

Well, when some pieces are actually named after certain Valrhona chocolate, such as Manjari, I think it’s pretty safe to assume that Valrhona was indeed used as the base chocolate. I’m just wondering, but has Marcolini actually denied using another brand’s couverture?

well, if you look at their website under company
it says
“Pierre is one of only two Belgian chocolatiers ,and one of four in all of Europe, the title of chocolatier being bestowed solely upon those who make their own couverture, which is the name given to chocolate in its pure form. Many other chocolate makers buy it ready made and then fashion it into chocolates and pralines, but Pierre sources the bean himself from all around the world: Java in Indonesia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Madagascar and of course Mexico, from where chocolate originated.”
the first point about the 2 in belgium and 4 in Europe is false and we know it all (bonnat, domori, amedie, pralus, chocovic, bernachon etc… Does Mr Marcolini forget them on purpose???)
the second part clearly implies that Pierre makes all his choco from beans…. and that is far from reality
and yes they did in the past deny to MArtin buying finished couverture.
it makes me very angry.
chocolatero

Well said. His claims are very vague. I don’t think Marcolini leans one way or the other, but rather the implications that the statements convey certainly might lead one to think this. Just consider him the “Bill Clinton” of the chocolate world [;)]