Chocolate Flavored Bliss

For most of us, chocolate isn't that complicated: It's either black or white, dark or milk, good or really good. But at Chocolat Michel Cluizel, a brand-new Manhattan shop devoted solely to chocolate (chocolate desserts, bonbons, drinks, and more) the sweet stuff is treated with a reverence and scholarship usually reserved for the realm of fine wine. Those not in New York City can buy Cluizel products and other brands of high-quality chocolate online.

"Chocolate is one of the most magical substances ever created. It can create a clarity and euphoria that's a beautiful accompaniment to a great life," says the shop's co-owner, Richard Perl, who is a great believer in chocolate's many health benefits. "There are few people on the planet whose brains aren't chemically altered so that they feel happier when they have good chocolate. Even bad chocolate will make people happy! And ultimately, happiness is what life is about."

photo: display of Michel Cluizel chocolates

Chocolate: The botanical name literally means "Fruit of the Gods"

To honor the treasured substance-its botanical name literally means "Fruit of the Gods"-Perl has been organizing private educational tastings so that gourmands can learn to recognize what Perl calls the subtle "harmonics" and "overtones" of various kinds of chocolate. Each tasting lasts about an hour. "Chocolate has every single one of the attributes of a great wine or cheese," he explains. "There are complexities that resonate with the palate and with other kinds of food or drink."

The key word in the above sentence? Drink! Manhattan's Chocolat Michel Cluizel (there's another one in Paris) is currently the only chocolate shop in New York that has a liquor license. This means that in addition to selling a wide array of chocolate cocktails (like apple brandy with molten chocolate or champagne with white chocolate chantilly and framboise), some of Perl's tastings will pair various blends and types of chocolates with the kind of fine rum, scotch, tequila or champagne that most complements its flavor. Indeed, a drink has never tasted this good.

Posted on January 02, 2006