Not a day goes by that I don’t have at least a few squares of dark chocolate.  It’s often one of my old standbys, like Felchlin 65%, Ballenberg with salted pistachios or Lindt with fleur de sel.   But most of the time, I am tasting new brands from Switzerland and all over the world.  With a recent birthday and lots of chocolatey care packages coming my way, my chocolate stash was overflowing – even more so than usual.  That means one thing… time for a new roundup ! Don’t forget to let me know what you’ve been tasting too.

Let’s start with my favorite new find, chocolate bars from Hausammann bakery in Zürich.  They may be known for having the city’s best zopf (arguable, of course), but it’s now my go-to address for chocolate.  Standing on line for bread one day, I noticed a whole array of chocolate bars in the corner with Felchlin’s signature Grand Cru emblem.  I quickly gave up my spot to check it out, and I’m so glad I did.  Using Felchlin’s couverture, Hausammann puts their personal touch on it thereafter – several varieties of milk chocolate with wild berries, caramel or hazelnuts and a few dark bars as well. I of course grabbed the latter, one of which was dark chocolate with vanilla and nougat. A very thick bar, no where near stingy on the nuts and a real homemade feel to it.  Perfect for a sweet afternoon snack.

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Thank goodness a friend of mine has an apartment in Murten (Morat in French).  To miss out on this medieval-walled village (and its little gem of a chocolate shop) would be a shame.

And this is why I love Switzerland so much… in every direction, in every canton and in every region, there are countless villages with picturesque old towns just waiting to be discovered.  And in most, a sweet specialty of its own.

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When temperatures were soaring in the 90′s here in Zürich recently, I could think of only one place I’d rather be… Queens, New York.

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