Bonnat Chocolate

You know, I'm really a small town girl when it comes down to it.  Living in Tokyo is so much fun, and there are a million opportunities, but I am constantly realizing just how much I don't know.  I often make fun of stores that have ridiculous English names, but sometimes I learn that the store is actually some well known designer that I just don't have a clue about (ex: Acne).  In Tokyo you can get brand name anything.  Over Christmas I read an article in the New York Times about chocolate.  A year ago I don't think I knew a single one of the Chocolatiers they mentioned, but now I've heard of more than half of them just from walking past them in Tokyo Midtown (where I love to eat lunch and write) or Omotesando.

Recently Raku and I were in Shirokanedai, and Raku mentioned there was a chocolate shop she wanted to stop in.  It's a small store that has a selection of import foods, but mostly focuses on coffee beans and candy.  They have a whole room (kept at a cooler temperature) devoted to Bonnat chocolate, an artisanal chocolatier that is maybe the oldest family-run one in the world.  At first I wasn't sure I could really bring myself to spend about $12 on one bar of chocolate.  But then I got to thinking, if it's the best in the world, that's really not very expensive at all for a Valentine's present.  And my husband does love fancy things that might be the best in the world.

I got the Apotequil bar, the one recommended in the article.  John really enjoyed it and was kind enough to let me try it too.  The texture was so wonderfully smooth, I can't imagine how much cocoa butter must have been in there, and the flavor was great too.  It was a very fruity complex dark chocolate that was absolutely indulgent to eat.  I'm not experienced enough to claim it's the best in the world, but I'd definitely like to eat some more.

The shop in Shirokanedai is called "& Market" (things like that drive me crazy).  Their address is 5-18-7, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku and this is a link to their website.

Bonnat Chocolate at & Market
Hours: 9:00-9:00
Phone: 03-6450-3903
Address: 5-18-7, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Map

Be My Chocolate

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!  John and I celebrated in semi-Japanese style.  Here, girls give chocolates to guys on Valentine's Day and then on March 14 - White Day - guys reciprocate and give candy or small gifts back to the girls who gave them chocolate to begin with.  There are even different types of chocolates you can give on Valentine's: "romantic chocolates" or "obligation/courtesy chocolates".  For example John and his office mate both got some chocolates (which were very pretty) from their secretary, and next month John probably will give her white chocolates back because they signify friendship rather than romance.  I've also read that marshmallows are popular, so I guess we'll see what's for sale that looks nice.

Raku and I had grand plans of making Smitten Kitchen's caramel brownies for John and Leo - complete with homemade caramels.  But after multiple disasters including "melted spatula caramel swirl sauce," "under-cooked brownie batter surprise," and finally "overcooked glue your jaw shut caramel brownies" we were left with giving them each 2 homemade caramels  we had luckily set aside earlier in the day.  (Just as a note, these disasters were a result of substitutions we made, not the recipe - and also my stupidity with the spatula)

Since Valentine's Day is all about the guy here I made John's favorite grilled cheese sandwiches (with pepper jack, tomatoes, and bacon) for dinner and then we went to see the perfect Valentine's movie.

So Romantic...

At the theater we saw some weird statue which I thought nothing of, and John thought was a chocolate man.  Later we learned it was a chocolate Bruce Willis statue for Die Hard 5!  I don't know who came up with that, but the only thing better was Cold Stone's Valentine's Day marketing.

John did agree to be my chocolate

Of course with marketing like this we had to get ice cream before the movie.  John selected Chocolate Devotion - the most appropriate flavor.  It was one of our more fun Valentine's Days, and I'll be sure to let you know how we celebrate White Day next month.

Oh, and just because it's funny, earlier this week we went to an electronics store so John could buy a new graphics card.  Look at this hilarious folder he got as a free gift - the heart says Happy Valentine's Day.

John says she looks just like me