Speaking of Chocolate

Do you really taste your chocolate?

Many of us grab our chocolate, stuff it in our mouth, ooh and aah and swallow. Some of us let it melt in our mouth to savor it a bit longer. But did you know that there is a proper way (or perhaps you’d call it an art) to truly taste chocolate? It’s all about getting your senses involved: sight, touch, smell, taste, even hearing.

Here’s a quick overview of how to taste chocolate like a true chocolate connoisseur:

First, find a quiet place where you can concentrate on your chocolate tasting. Shut the television and shut the door on noisy family members.

Also, start with a plain chocolate bar. It’s hard to focus on the true taste of your chocolate if you’re attempting to taste a chocolate bar with nuts or you’re taste testing a bonbon. You want just a piece of pure chocolate.

And you want to taste chocolate at room temperature more or less. That means don’t taste chocolate right out of the refrigerator and don’t taste test that chocolate bar you left sitting in the steaming hot car all afternoon.

Then use your sight…

Look at the appearance of your chocolate bar. Regardless of what actual color it is, does it have a smooth, even texture and a shiny gloss to it? If it’s somewhat discolored or blemished you may be looking at a piece of chocolate stored or created in less than ideal temperature. Or the chocolate bar may have been on the seller’s shelf a long time. I hope I haven’t ruined your appetite if that’s your chocolate!

Regardless, discoloration or uneven texture does not mean the chocolate is harmful or not edible. It’s just not necessarily a chocolate connoisseur’s pick of perfect chocolate. Like many chocolate lovers, you may never see a piece of chocolate you don’t like or want! On the other hand, you may not want to waste your calorie intake in the future on less than perfect chocolate.

Now…stay in touch; future issues of Speaking of Chocolate will continue these lessons of how to taste chocolate like an expert.

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 3rd, 2007 at 9:42 pm and is filed under Tasting Chocolate. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.