starbucks chantico?

Question

Has anyone tried this yet? I just saw the ad in a magazine but haven't been near a Starbucks yet (crazy but true: there are none in northern NH!) I'm wondering if it's European style, like the thick and rich, but not too sweet, Angelina/Parisian hot chocolate, or some sort of gooey ultra-sugared melted chocolate bar... Thanks!

Answer

I can't compare it to anything else, but I thought it was very good, a bit rich but not watery or milky at all. FYI, I saw posted on another food website that the 6 oz serving has 21 grams of fat! So it may not be an everyday indulgence.

Answer

Tried it, liked it a lot. Without question the only Starbucks beverage I've ever really liked. It doesn't rank with LA Burdick (Cambridge), City Bakery (NYC), or Tartine (SF), but it is as rich as any of them. It is sweeter and a little fakier-tasting than I like, and I suspect they use cornstarch or other thickener, which isn't necessarily fakey since a lot of European hot chocolate uses starch but I don't like it.
 
The best thing about Chantico is it will hopefully do for hot chocolate what Starbucks has already done for espresso-based beverages: created demand for a new category and raised consumer expectations, and in turn encouraged sellers to improve their product. I'm hoping that really good hot chocolate will become available on every corner.

Answer

When I first heard about this, I assumed it was a faux-European thing that Starbucks was foisting on an uninformed american public. I got one for my husband who didn't like it. I took a sip and found it too sweet for my taste, but I don't eat a lot of sweets so my palete probably isn't a good judge. I did see them making it, it looked like it was a mix from a powder. To me it seemed like drinking chocolate syrup.

Answer

I ordered one the other night... and place it firmly in the melted chocolate bar category.
 
Since it is in a powder form, I'm curious how much consistency they'll be from one "barista" to another.
 
Sadly though, I won't be ordering another to find out.
 
Mine was as thick as syrup and tasted like one hershey's milk, one hershey's dark, a half stick of butter, and 4 ounces of cream. Melt together and server before it hardens up.
 
But since it's a powder, who knows what each Starbucks might do with it. 
 
My morbid curiosity was satisfied. Glad for that at least!

Answer

See the link below. They're giving out free samples today between 4-5pm. Sorry to all you East Coasters for not posting this earlier!

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

Answer

It is really chocolatey but pretty sweet. Gotta please the American palate. I liked it, but I was raised on Nestles Quik and Ovaltine, what can I say?

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starbucks chantico?

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