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« Treats From 'My Island' Chocolate Tasting With Jacques Genin May 9, 2006
I began our week-long Paris Chocolate Exploration tour here in Paris this week, starting with a private tasting with famed chocolatierJacques Genin, the elusive chocolatier who works out of his very small laboratoire hidden away in the 15th arrondisement. Ten of us, including Mort Rosenblum, crammed into his tiny workshop while he explained how he began his career, the methods he uses to fabricate and enrobe his chocolates, and divluged some of the secrets (I said some...) of his exceptional chocolates. For well over an hour, we tasted everything from ganache-filled chocolates infused with exotic tonka beans, lively peppermint leaves, and fragrant (and expensive) Bulgarian rose oil. There were soft pâte de fruit made with elusive Charontais melon, fresh black currants, and fruity raspberry. All the while his staff worked around us, packing boxes of chocolates destined for the finest hotels and restaurants in Paris, including the George V and Le Comptoir. Some were destined for Chez David as well.
 Chocolates Infused with Fresh Mint Leaves
The first one we tasted was a bright-yellow caramel sharpened with tangy mango puree. We followed that with dark bitter chocolate caramels, oozing with the taste of buerre fermier, aka French farmhouse butter. When I'd reached my limit, which is admittedly high, Jacques stuffed my pockets with salted-butter caramels, which I ate this morning just after breakfast.
 Cardamom and Coffee Chocolates
 Jacques Genin and his chocolates...coming to a city near you?
Maybe...
Pain de Sucre Update: I recently was in there (11/07) and found Pain de Sucre no longer carries Jacques Genin's chocolates and at present, there's no other outlets where they're sold in Paris that I know of. Comments So, Chez David is a new hotel or restaurant? ! :) Posted by Alisa at May 9, 2006 3:43 AM I don't think anything wrong with eating chocolate after breakfast, I eat them for breakfast :) Tried pain de sucre but didn't get those, what a shame... Posted by keiko at May 9, 2006 4:19 AM Doesn't everyone eat chocolate for breakfast? The chocolates look devine and I'm just wondering whether the chap in the photo is smuggling a few chocs into his pocket? Posted by Sezz at May 9, 2006 4:23 AM seems like an instructive visit at a first class artisan. Posted by Eyal at May 9, 2006 9:39 AM Before breakfast is OK too..These are little works of art. I love the sculptured effect on those Cardamom Chocolates.Unique. Posted by Carolg@PB at May 9, 2006 11:26 AM I guess I can't call myself a true chocoholic until I've done this tour, eh? I suppose I could combine this with a quick trip to Belgium to enjoy a waffle w/ chocolate poured on top. Ahh... memories! Posted by Warren at May 9, 2006 11:37 AM Oh I am beyond jealous!!! Looks fantastic! ~Dianka Posted by Dianka at May 9, 2006 12:32 PM I really like Mort Rosemblum's book! Am very jealous that you got to visit his laboratoire and stuff your face with chocolates! Posted by Anita at May 9, 2006 2:32 PM Is there anyway we could get these chocolates in the states or anything like them? Posted by Justin at May 9, 2006 3:33 PM Do you have the best life EVER? Do you?! Yes, yes you do. Oh, if only someone would stuff me to my limit with dark chocolate and salted caramels! But I shall live vicariously through you. Eat away. Posted by Jennifer at May 9, 2006 5:55 PM chocolates after breakfast are NEVER wrong. chocolates FOR breakfast are never wrong either. :) Posted by barbie2be at May 9, 2006 8:29 PM What I would give for a salted caramel made with French butter! The postal system stinks in France, so I couldn't get some nice chef who lives and blogs there to send me some and airfare is too expensive. Once you've had sea salt caramels, you're spoiled for plain old Brach's that's been sitting in that supermarket bin for who knows how long. Posted by Jeff at May 9, 2006 8:46 PM Uh, yeah, one more thing. Pain de Sucre wouldn't happen to have a website, would it? French is not my thing and the only "Pain de Sucre" I could find features two very scantily-clad women on the homepage. http://www.paindesucre.com/ Perhaps, in France, bikinis and choclates go together? Posted by Jeff at May 9, 2006 8:52 PM I can't believe how gorgeous those all are! And, am I insane or are those leopard spots on the chocolates above the peppermint ones? Posted by katie at May 10, 2006 12:42 AM Oh, I am so jealous! Both the cardamom-coffee and chocolate infused with mint leaves sound divine! I know you probably already know, but you have a fabulous job :-) Posted by Tanvi at May 10, 2006 1:18 AM Chocolate at breakfast wrong? You had it for medicinal reasons, right? Even the BMJ is saying dark chocolate (100gm a day?) is GOOD for your health. Of course they are only copying the old guys, who knew that. I thought you might like some historic justification, so here is a medicinal chocolate remedy from 1672 (when chocolate was a drink, not a solid confection). It is from:
"To strengthen the Stomack much debilitated, there is put in Achitote, or rather Saffron; in Fluxes, Cinamon, Nutmegs, or a little Steel-powder: for Coughs, Almonds, and the Oyl of Almonds, Sugar, or Sugar candide: for a Phlegmatic Stomack, they put in Pepper, Cloves, &c. And thus the Spanish Physitians especially endeavour to make a Composition, or alter their Chocolate according to evey distemper, making it both the Physick and Vehicle for all sorts which ought rather but to be used as Aliment." So - was your excuse a Stomach that needed strengthening, or a Phlegmatic stomach? Posted by The Old Foodie at May 10, 2006 6:25 AM Thanks for recommending Mort Rosenblum's book--I'm in the middle of reading it. Wonderful writing, and extremely informative and drool-worthy (as was your post). Posted by mary g at May 10, 2006 9:46 AM There is NEVER a wrong time to eat caramels or chocolate. I too am jealous beyond belief at the generosity of your chocolate friends. I adore the leopard chocolates (even without ever having tasted them)! Posted by Grommie at May 11, 2006 7:46 PM what a perfect match for your shirt. Posted by sam at May 15, 2006 3:32 PM
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