chocolate fungus

Mr.S and I breezed through Westfield shopping center, but not without a stop at the Sanrio store, and the specialty chocolaterie, CocoaBella. This lovable little chocolate mushroom is made of Michel Cluizel chocolate and hazelnut praline. Almost too adorable to eat, but it didn't take much to convince me....

CocoaBella Chocolates
2102 Union Street
San Francisco, Ca 94123

back to SF, adventures continue

After spending the first half of the day in Yountville, Mr.S and I were welcomed back to a chillier, windier SF by that towering golden gate.

We hit up American Rag over by Van Ness and Sutter to do a bit of vintage browsing. I tried on a pair of faded red Tsubi jeans, but couldn't get my behind into them (damn those stick-thin Japanese girls); could've also been the massive French meal I'd just eaten at Bouchon too!

We then walked through Japantown to feed Mr.S's expensive addiction to Japanese stationery. At the Kintetsu/Miyako shopping center, a large complex of specialty shops and eateries, is the Kinokuniya bookstore with a vast collection of Japanese manga, magazines, books, stationery and toys. Inside the mall, there are small cafes and restaurants, including this creperie, Sophie's Crepes.
The fillings, all Japanese-inspired, range from red bean and green tea, to a standard Nutella and banana, to a savory ham, cheese and Kewpie mayo, to a seafood salad made with crabstick.

We also stopped by Nijiya Market, a small supermarket of all your Japanese culinary needs.

Whenever I find myself in an Asian market, I always buy a ton of snacks. They are just so damn cute! I can just picture those ad people sitting around a roundtable, discussing if a cartoon puppy on the cookie box should be winking or not. The pre-packaged sushi and cold salads in the cold case looked fresh and appetizing. We were also really impressed with their selection of green teas, loose and powdered. There was also a whole aisle filled with all flavors of mochi and daifuku. We checked out with a basket full of pan (filled sweet breads), boxes of cute cookies and Pocky, a strawberry crepe, sichimi (Japanese chili pepper mix), some toys, and green tea.

furano melon sweet roll- it tasted like honeydew

these little button cookies were a favorite of mine growing up; they're made of potato starch!

I got a case of the chills as we walked up Fillmore, so Mr.S suggested we stop in to get some hot chocolate at Bittersweet Cafe. This was by far one of the most extensive selections of artisanal chocolate bars I've seen. There was Bonnat, Michel Cluizel, Vosques, Amana, Valrhona, El Ray, Guittard, Scharffen Berger, and much more. The ambiance is dark and mellow, warm like a cup of chocolate. As to their drink menu, they had a good selection of hot chocolates, chocolate-espresso combos, chais, a chocolate Thai iced tea, and steamed milk. Trying to decide between the "Bittersweet," a deep chocolatey, non-dairy drink, and the "Spicy," a hot chocolate flavored with pepper, cinnamon and rose, I decided on the latter for its interesting blend of flavors.

Thick and luxurious, with a deep flavorful palate of spices, it was just the right sweetness. If we hadn't been searching for a restaurant, I'd probably have gotten one of their marshmallows or adorable mini pastries to snack on. We also noticed that they make their own granola, served up with some awesome toppings.

glarus chocolatier

I gotta have more cowbell! (Well, so says Christopher Walken.)

And at this very moment, I am in complete concurrence. We finally made our way over to Glarus Chocolatier in Harbor East for some cocoa therapy. We were happily surprised to find an incredible selection of handmade bars, truffles, dipped chocolates, and barks. Every box of chocolates is wrapped in satiny ribbon, tied off with a tiny cowbell charm, a reference to the owner's Swiss roots.

The creators are husband and wife duo, Ben and Jennifer Hauser, who opened the first Glarus in Timonium in 2004, and their second location downtown just this year. Their focus is on Swiss chocolates, a tradition passed down to Ben through his father. And if you were wondering, Glarus is the name of his father's hometown in Switzerland. You can read about the couple's story here.


We brought home a 10-piece box of confections, as well as a package of the Mocha Cocao Bark. The Dark Rocher is by far my favorite, a cluster of roasted almonds dipped in Swiss dark chocolate. The Hazelnut Truffle and Champagne Truffle come in a close second. The former has a smooth hazelnut cream center, enrobed in milk chocolate and rolled in hazelnuts, and perhaps toffee bits too. The latter reminded me of the chocolates I ate as a child at holidays, the ones with sweet liquor centers. Of all the pieces we got, the one I liked least was the Butter Truffle, white on white chocolate. The cream center was slightly grainy and lacked the milky smooth consistency of good white chocolate. Mr.S raved over the Dark Truffle and the Coffee Truffle. Our box also contained the Rigi Spitz, flavored with whipped ganache and Kirsch, and the Fridolin, with dark chocolate and hazelnut paste.

Hazelnut Truffle

Coming down from my truffle high, I tore into the Bark, two layers of dark and milk chocolate, studded with cocoa nibs and roasted espresso beans. I must admit, it's a worthy competitor to my favorite chocolate bar, the Scharffen Berger Nibby.


Amongst the other sweet offerings, I spied a delectable Blueberry Almond dark chocolate bar, bags of dark and bittersweet chocolate-covered whole almonds, jars of gooey rich chocolate sauce, and mixes for drinking chocolate. Takes my breath away. And all the more reason to return.

I have a sinking suspicion that crafting (and tasting) all that chocolate on a daily basis has made the Hausers sweet and warm people. It was easy striking up a conversation with Ben, and he was so generous as to offer samples of anything we'd be interested in. His passion and love of the craft shines through in the gentle way he handled each confection and spoke of his business. What I found truly unique of Glarus is their mastery not only of high quality Swiss chocolates, but more importantly of play on texture. Good chocolate is good chocolate, sure, but if the consistency and mouth feel are dull, it can be quite disappointing. Hauser has incorporated layer after layer of crunch, smoothness, and richness in every bite, which will keep you surprised and guessing through each chocolatey experience. So as long as the Hausers keep up producing their delicious, uniquely-crafted confections, we will keep coming back for more cowbell.

all done

Glarus Chocolatier

9 West Aylesbury Road
Timonium, MD 21093

644 South Exeter Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

tartine bakery brownies

The reward:effort ratio for brownies is pretty high, making them a favorite of mine for lazy day baking projects. It's easy to get controversial about brownies, about what makes a really kickass brownie. Some like it cakey, some like it dense and fudge-like. And what about mix-ins... there are nuts, chocolate chips, cheesecake swirl, marshmallows... If you are looking for one that is an impenetrable layer of gooey, rich chocolate, with a crackly, paper-thin skin on top, you've found your match. A tall glass of milk is a must, and I've been eating mine with a fork. Mr.S adds that these would be perfect for warm brownie sundaes.


These brownies are made fresh daily at Prueitt's acclaimed bakery, Tartine, in San Francisco. They don't stay on the shelves long, and for good reason. The collection of recipes is accompanied by warm and sunny photos of mouthwatering desserts and pastries. Highlights for me include extensive recipes for both croissants and brioche, peanut brittle, chiffon cakes, frangipane cream, and bostock, a delicious breakfast dish of sliced brioche topped with jam, almond cream, and toasted almonds. It's a rare, precious find in a bakery; the only other place I've seen it offered is Zingerman's in Ann Arbor. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to take the most basic desserts to the next level.


Tartine Bakery Brownies
from Tartine by Elisabeth Prueitt
yields 12 large brownies

An easy way to remove brownies from the pan in one fell swoop is to line the pan with parchment paper, like a cradle, with the edges exposed. Cut slits in the paper to fold into the corners of the pan, so that it resembles a cardboard box without the top. Instead of using nonstick spray, use butter and a thin coating of cocoa powder for easy release.

I also find that refrigerating the brownies makes for cutting them much easier.

The addition of the chocolate chips in this recipe is a personal preference.


3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 lb bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups light brown sugar
5 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper and dust with cocoa powder.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from heat and add the chocolate to melt. Stir until fully melted and set aside to cool.

3. Sift the flour into a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat on high until the mixture becomes pale and thick, about 4-5 minutes. With a spatula, fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and chocolate chips (if using) and fold it in gently so that you don't deflate the air that's been incorporated into the eggs.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth out the top. Bake until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch, about 25-28 minutes. Remove and cool completely in the pan. Refrigerate overnight. With a sharp knife the next day, cut into 12 squares.