Baratti & Milano Cioccolato Bianco con Champagne e Ribes Nero is white chocolate with champagne and black currants. Before I knew what the translation was, (besides "cioccolato bianco," that is), I guessed that it was white chocolate with grapes, as the chocolate has a mild purple hue to it. Upon tasting it, however, I thought it was a bit too tart to be grapes. I also realized that any grape that would make its way into a chocolate bar would in effect be a raisin, and they are quite sweet, not to mention generally more brown or golden than purple. Once I learned that "ribes nero" means black currants, the flavor made more sense. I can't say that I tasted the champagne in this bar, it does smell like it, having that same heady, shimmering quality as a glass of bubbly. The fruit flavor, on the other hand, was unexpectedly prominent and pleasingly so. The black currant flavor was refreshing and slightly piquant--a nice contrast to the sweetness of the white chocolate. This bar has a more complex flavor than most of the white chocolate I've had, and I enjoyed it very much. It is the perfect bar to tuck into an Easter basket for a loved one, the perfect bar for springtime--a most welcome reprieve from all of the lovely winter weather we've been having!
Did you know that Italy has a Piedmont region, just like North Carolina? It's true, and Baratti & Milano has been producing chocolate in its capital, Turin, since 1858. A bar of Baratti & Milano chocolate looks very serious, very formal. Their logo is more like a coat of arms than a symbol of two ardent chocolatiers. This struck me as odd as well as distinctly European. Now that I know a little bit about their history, this seriousness is no wonder. Baratti & Milano began as a shop, and over the years, royalty and the government alike have been heavily involved in its development and maturation. It is now the American equivalent of a historical site, protected by Italian conservation laws.
You don't have to go to Italy for Baratti & Milano chocolate. Like many good things Italiano in NYC, you can find their bars at Eataly.
Did you know that Italy has a Piedmont region, just like North Carolina? It's true, and Baratti & Milano has been producing chocolate in its capital, Turin, since 1858. A bar of Baratti & Milano chocolate looks very serious, very formal. Their logo is more like a coat of arms than a symbol of two ardent chocolatiers. This struck me as odd as well as distinctly European. Now that I know a little bit about their history, this seriousness is no wonder. Baratti & Milano began as a shop, and over the years, royalty and the government alike have been heavily involved in its development and maturation. It is now the American equivalent of a historical site, protected by Italian conservation laws.
You don't have to go to Italy for Baratti & Milano chocolate. Like many good things Italiano in NYC, you can find their bars at Eataly.