Hallelujah, my savior has arrived -- and He's made of chocolate! A few months ago a shop near my house closed down and, days later, the windows were covered in butcher block paper and a handmade sign was taped to the door: Bittersweet: the Chocolate Café (coming soon)! My curiosity was piqued.
Well, Praise the Lord, it's open at last! I walked past it on Thursday and veered immediately inside the doors when I realized they were open. What I saw made me gasp: shelf after shelf of organic, imported and/or artisanal chocolate bars -- I nabbed a rare Scharffen Berger mix of hazelnuts and dark chocolate -- an abundance of cookbooks dedicated to chocolate, a blackboard scribbled with six varieties of hot chocolate from spicy to white chocolate with cardamom to the creamy milk-infused classic, and an array of sweet treats on display. I sniffed at the glass case: bittersweet pot de cremes in teacups, thick square brownies, chocolate chip walnut cookies the size of a hubcap. The man behind the counter immediately sensed my chocolate lust -- either he was a kindred spirit, or not everyone tries to lick the cakes through the glass. He asked what I'd like.
"What's your favorite?" I asked breathlessly? He pointed to a chocolate-bottomed bar of oats and granola topped with chocolate chips, nuts and raisins.
Blech! Obviously he was no one to go by. I pointed instead to a miniature bittersweet chocolate buttermilk cupcake with a swirl of vanilla frosting and a mere whisper of chocolate shavings on top. "Shall I wrap it?" he asked with a trace of irony in his voice.
And as painful as it was, dear readers, I said yes. I needed to bring it home to photograph for you. I took the three blocks home at a verrrry, verrrry slow pace, lest any of the frosting be marred. Then I placed it on my grandmother's white china plate, snapped a photo ("Make love to the camera!" I shouted) and then, in three bites MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH did away with the moist bit of chocolate bliss. (sigh) I am reborn.
Bittersweet Chocolate Café, San Francisco, 2123 Fillmore Street, 415.346.8715
Oh I am so jealous Catherine!!!!
That looks too good to bear.
I hope the rest of their treats are just as good :)
Posted by: clare eats | November 23, 2005 at 05:16 AM
Ahh... this time you make ME laugh. "Make love to the camera" she shouts... *shaking my head, still laughing*
Posted by: Nerissa | November 23, 2005 at 05:59 AM
Clare Eats -- Well I intend to find out!
Nerissa -- what? You don't believe me?! ;)
Posted by: Catherine | November 23, 2005 at 07:11 AM
of COURSE I do... I know I'd do something as confusing to normal people too ;-)
Posted by: Nerissa | November 23, 2005 at 07:16 AM
Catherine--THREE blocks from your house...oh, this is going to be verrrry dangerous...verrry dangerous, I say!
Posted by: LisaSD | November 23, 2005 at 10:38 AM
Next trip to see you, we go there FIRST!!!!!
Posted by: Mom | November 23, 2005 at 01:22 PM
Oh my god. You are so lucky. I would sell a finger to have a chocolate store 3 blocks from my house.
Posted by: Beth | November 24, 2005 at 09:53 AM
LisaSD, Mom and Beth -- I know, the proximity is daunting. My poor waistline...
Posted by: Catherine | November 26, 2005 at 03:09 PM
They have excellent spicy hot chocolate too, I remember having one at the one in Oakland (Rockridge district).
Posted by: Chez Christine | December 04, 2005 at 12:43 PM