Ben is far too harsh on Vosges. When I first moved to NYC and was horribly poor for a year, I would save up each month to go to Vosges in Soho and have a cup of hot cocoa and some weird piece of chocolate (about a $10 bill) with some non-confectiony thing in it like black pepper or flowers or what have you. I'm not someone who eats chocolate unless it's really fabulous stuff, and Vosges temporarily offered my life a little dignity.

I don't see how I'm harsh about Vosges at all. It is a silly name, and the owner is a silly woman (look in the Vosges catalog for proof—one can purchase a Vosges motorcycle). I completely respect their products. I got a lot of truffles and hot cocoa at the Vosges store on Michigan Ave when I worked downtown in Chicago.

Fine. I retract. She and their "chocolate is fashion!" products are ridiculous. But it is damn good chocolate. (Jacques Torres is another chocolatier whom I find beyond ridiculous. His chocolates aren't as good as Vosges's, but they are tasty.)

No chocolatier is more ridiculous than the Domori guy. Chocolate poems (presumably dire). Plus he moulded cacao in the fire and refined it in the void, no everyday feat.