When you eat your chocolate do you eat it slow or fast?
I know, sounds like a Smarties commercial line.
I watched a bit on the news where they were talking about how to eat chocolate. I never knew that there were chocolate sommeliers in chocolate land! And there are rules!??? No devouring your chocolate in one sitting...whaaaat?
Evidently there are steps to eating chocolate - all of your senses "should be" involved–it's an art they say.
Here is the short form of a very long process for these sommeliers. They suggest we do the following before eating
Look at the chocolate - it should be shiny, glossy or satiny without powdery white "bloom" on it.
Smell the chocolate. It should smell "roasty" or "nutty" Inhaling the scent prepares the tongue and also helps you to discern the different kinds of chocolate.
Touch - the chocolate should be melting on your fingers by this time.
Hear - When you are break a piece of chocolate from a bar you should hear a defined snap. If you hear a thump, the chocolate is either at the wrong temperature or was not properly tempered.
Taste - Place the piece of chocolate on your tongue. It's important to let it sit on your tongue as most of the flavour development is happening in the olfactory system. If you chew, no more than three chews.
Pair your chocolate with cheese and wine. Darker chocolates go better with stronger, pungent cheeses and deep red wines. Champagnes go with any kind of chocolate. Cleanse your palette with crackers or a piece of apple when you switch chocolate and cheese types.
White chocolate is real chocolate. It's half cocoa butter. You will know it's the good stuff if the colour is ivory - if it's white then oils and other fillers have been added.
When you take this much time to eat your chocolate, you eat less.
Personally, I don't know if I could go through all these steps to enjoy my chocolate. Too many steps and rules for me. Maybe one day I'll slow down and try this process and see if I enjoy being a junior semmalier.
Remember this commercial from the 1980's? That song is going through my mind like a loop now. Someone make it stop!
Enjoy some chocolate tonight...however you decide to eat it.
photos Pixabay
@countrygirl
I love dark chocolate and coffee. Slowly I enjoy it :)
Good for you!! Coffee and chocolate are another great combo....I love dark chocolate as well and I like it cold - don't know if that's part of the "rules". :)
Mmmmm, truffles! 😄😇😄
truffles truffles ra ra ra, truffles truffles ha ha ha I hope you get some great truffles for Christmas to enjoy!
Thanks!
YUM! So much chocolate. I definitely eat it fast! Haha
I mentioned you in my last post by the way :)
I didn't know you did a post like that.! Thank you so much. Made my day....week....month! I eat chocolate fast too....I don't think I could eat small pieces and savour it like that....Again, @susanne, thank you so much for your encouragement.
I do it every month! No problem, you deserve it! :) Merry Chrstimas.
Lovely post, being in Ecuador, producers of the finest dark chocolate, good to read! I voted and your post value flew up $4.00, am sure there was a delay error but it made me feel like I had dished out a Christmas present!
lol...I have that happen too....but I'll take it as a gift from you ... thanks for replying here. I didn't know Ecuador produced chocolate.
Slow or fast.. i'll finish everything if its in a container :P hahah
and no devouring it in one sitting right? ha! I can't do that....and I don't know anyone who can....well, I do know one person now that I think of it....and they were the type to freeze their easter chocolate....who does that? lol.....not me.
Nice post @countrygirl.
Here's my go-to cheap-but-good chocolate for stockpiling:
Trader Joe's Pound Plus 72% Dark Chocolate
17.6 ounces for $4.99USD. Think I'll go have some chocolate!!!
I haven't been reading posts for a couple of days and have missed yours. I upvoted them and will read tomorrow...so tired. I have heard of Trader Joes - and I believe I can have it shipped here. Maybe one day for an out of the blue present for someone.....like me :)
I usually start slow and finish fast.
Tasting chocolate is comparable to tasting wine it seems. Never thought of it that way though very useful points.
I suppose it would make a fun gathering activity....line up some chocolate, different wines, some cheese, fruit, crackers.....hmmm....I think that would be good.
beautiful pics, countrygirl, along with a mindfulness exercise in savouring fine chocolate. Beautiful !
You're right....there is a mindfulness element. Good catch.
Ohh, I'm hungry now. I'm a dark chocolate fan and slow of course, better to savor and please the senses. My favorite, is to heat some chocolate up out in the wilderness with a fresnel lens and then dip some kiwis in it. My hiking friends think I'm nuts sometimes, but fruit fondu in the wilderness is the best!!!
and oh so healthy.....I love that creativity. Kiwi and chocolate - great combo!
The fine things in life we need to treat delicately. Tasteful post, thanks.
yes very tasteful :)