halfpint

I believe it is somewhat like the kind of hot chocolate I have had various places in Italy where it was very condensed, almost syrupy, thick and wonderful, almost TOO MUCH and certainly could not drink it every day, would seem DECADENT but wonderful for special times. Halfpint

Beatchick

It is EXTREMELY rich & one would only wish to drink on special occasions, such as when one is IN the City of Lights!!

carolyn

From an old thread:

Author: Lesli
Date: 01/04/2001, 05:38 pm
Message: This is supposedly the recipe from Angelina's in Paris. (I assume they use whole milk....):

Angelina's Hot Chocolate

6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup water, room temperature
3 tablespoons hot water
3 cups hot milk
Sugar to taste
Whipped cream, if desired

Combine chocolate and 1/4 cup water in double boiler or heatproof medium bowl over hot, not simmering, water over low heat. Leave until melted, stirring occasionally. Stir until smooth.

Remove from pan of water. Whisk in 3 tablespoons hot water. Pour into pitcher or divide among 4 mugs. Stir 3/4 cup hot milk into each mug; or serve milk in a separate pitcher. Pass sugar and whipped cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: Calories: 316 (50 percent fat); Fat: 19 g (11 g sat); Fiber: 3 g; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Sodium: 94 mg; Carbs: 35 g; Calcium: 231 mg.

AP6380

I had the Chantico today with a dipping cookie at Starbucks, it is really good. Not as think as Mariebelle, but very satisfying. I'm happy to know there is something at Starbucks that I can drink (I hate coffee).

cmt

<<Calcium: 231 mg.>>
Ah, so it's "health food"?

Seriously, it sounds too rich, but I can imagine it must taste delicious if the quality of the chocolate used is excellent. It's funny how I never heard of it anyplace but on Fodors.

cigalechanta

Angelina was to Hot chocolate as Poilaine was to bread.
Her hot chocolate is what every cafe tried to duplicate. You can google many comments about this.

Grandmere1

Cmt, it really is "over the top", and I've only had it once. Angelina, to me and to many others, is an institution!

recent article in NYT
http://travel2.nytimes.com/mem/trave...51C1A9629C8B63

There is another from 1992 which is where I first read about Angelina; now archived. I might still have the original hard copy somewhere; it was probably a better time for Angelina, not so faded as now.

mari5

We had lunch at Angelinas a couple of months ago, (Nov),,and it was fine...and mainly because it was close to our hotel BRighton. >>lots of classy looking French people, really a good mix of people, and it looked like they were enjoying their food....as were we. The place did appear a little "worn", but comfortable nevertheless,,and the wait staff was not much different than most in Paris....where most are very serious about their chosen PROFESSION.
I understand the hot chocolate is suppose to be excellent, however WHAT can one really do(bad or good) to hot chocolate..with a good quality chocolate bar and whole milk???

carcassone

Just in time for this thread. Startbucks is serving free 6oz sample of Chantico today starting at 4pm:

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/chanticolanding.asp

Betsy

Just opened this thread to report the complementary Chantico today at Starbucks and found that Carcassone posted already. It's 4 to 5 pm (newspaper ad says 4 to 6).

Should I post a trip report?

BTW, pronounced Chan-TE-ko, according to the website.

elle

I tried it today.

It's rich, thick, and intense, but I suspect they sugared it up for an American palate. It's far too sweet for my taste.

If something is going to be that rich, I prefer a little bitterness (like Poulain 1848 Noir. Now <i>there's</i> a cup of chocolat chaud.

WillTravel

I just went to try it also. Like elle, I think it's too sweet. But I can stand that with a small amount.

I had hot chocolate in Paris at La Coupole, which was basically a melted Valrhona bar. A little sweet, but pretty good.

I also had hot chocolate (Cioccolata calda) about 9 times during my recent trip to Italy. They make it from some sort of mix (differs by bar/cafe) and you can see them do it. I'd say that is also too sweet, really, but I did find it a nice pick-me-up and warmer-upper. This Starbucks hot chocolate is pretty similar to what I got in Italy.

Betsy

It is with deep regret that I must report that our local Starbucks only offered little sample cups of the rich chocolate liquid, not the promised 6 oz. cup offered in the full-page newspaper ad. Guess they got a different memo. My opinion: Thick and rich, a bit too sweet, with artificial undernotes.

WillTravel

I only had a sample cup too, Betsy, but it was sufficient given the sweetness. Thinking about it, I'm pretty sure the Italian versions were less sweet, or I wouldn't have been able to tolerate a cup.

Betsy

Nutritional info for 6 oz. From the Starbucks website:
Amt Per Serving
Calories &nbsp;390
Fat Calories &nbsp;190
Total Fat (g) &nbsp;21
Saturated Fat (g) &nbsp;10
Cholesterol (mg) &nbsp;25
Sodium (mg) &nbsp;105
Total Carbohydrates (g) &nbsp;51
Fiber (g) &nbsp;6
Sugars (g) &nbsp;40
Protein (g) &nbsp;11
Vitamin A &nbsp;6%
Vitamin C &nbsp;0%
Calcium &nbsp;25%
Iron &nbsp;30%

Based on the calories and fat content, I guess I should be happy to only have had an eentsy splash!

MadAboutParis

Oui, oui, I agree with all who think that it is too sweet - and the carb count proves it!!! However, I would like to try it once more, this time with a shot of Absolut Vanilla in it! Now THAT would warm you right up!
BTW-David Rosengarten recommends this site for mail-order chocolate: http://www.chocosphere.com/

Patrick

I finally tasted it -- not a full one. I don't think it's a &quot;bit too sweet&quot; --oh my God, it's way sweet! 40 grams of sugar is a lot -- but worse is that it tastes so sickeningly sweet!

Ronda

I KNEW the calorie count would be over the top! We had one (on a cold, rainy Paris evening) at Cafe Duex Margot (we snuggled, peered into each other's eyes as we sipped) that was so thick, rich, and chocolatie (wiped chocolate mustaches off our faces) that my husband thought he had died and gone to chocolate heaven (I saw the waiter eye me as we left and decided not to take the ashtray). he he he

WillTravel

The funny thing is I see a Starbucks billboard for Chantico everyday on the way to work. It doesn't make me crave Chantico, given my less-than-positive experience with it, but it does make me crave chocolate generally.

mousireid

I just wanted to mention that on Mount Etna, at the first station where the shops are there's a wee cafe/restaurant that makes a killer hot chocolate - very rich, like melted chocolate and milk. It was my first taste of hot chocolate made like this (sure beats cadbury's mix and milk any day!)