How to enjoy chocolate

Having been fortunate enough to have friends willing to give me different types of chocolate, I've become more curious over the years on ways to enjoy my chocolate even more. Yes, beyond just stuffing the chocolate in my face...which y'know, does admittedly have its own unique charm, particularly on days when my need is particularly desperate.

Here are a few tips I've learned (which I often ignore):

- Let chocolate return to room temperature before sampling. Some chocolate connoisseurs prefer pre-warming their chocolate to maximize flavour and textural impact. I'm too lazy, plus find it takes enough patience for me to wait until the chocolate warms up after being in the refrigerator.

- Start with a clean palate. Especially avoid eating anything bitter (like coffee) right before you sample chocolate.

- Listen to the sound of chocolate when you're breaking off a piece. I laughed when I first heard this advice, but have since become fascinated by the differences I've heard with various types of chocolate. "Well-tempered chocolate with a high content of pure cocoa makes a distinctive sharp snapping sound when broken."

- Enjoy the fragrance of the chocolate before putting it in your mouth.

- Once it's in your mouth, don't hoover it right away. Let it sit and melt a bit. "Another reason to allow chocolate to melt on the palate is that one of the great pleasures chocolate provides is the sensuous texture it achieves as it comes up to body temperature." Don't you LOVE how that sounds? And of course yet another reason: because chocolate has so many calories, you may as well try to squeeze as much flavour and pleasure out of every bit.



Some useful sources:

• How To Enjoy Chocolate
  
  
• How To Eat Chocolate
  

For an inspirational song by Jodi and me, see these lyrics. You can hear an MP3 sample here, or buy the whole Urban Tapestry CD (which does NOT include free samples of chocolate).

And if you're looking for pseudo-scientific excuses to eat chocolate (hey, *I* always am):

• 4 Excuses To Eat Chocolate (they're loaded with antioxidant polyphenols!)
  
• Should you eat chocolate?
  
• Eat chocolate, live longer!
  
• Eat chocolate, it's good for you!
  
• More reasons to eat chocolate
  

Speaking of enjoying chocolate...

Jeff and I had my family over last night for dinner. After the meal, I had samples of different types of chocolate out on plates, and asked them to rank them according to personal preference.

Here are the types I had them sample:

A) Lindt Excellence "Citron Intense" FeinHerbe Chocolade Extra Fein mit Zitronen-Stückchen und Mandeln (from Eva & Rafael in Germany)

B) Lindt Excellence Caramel Vollmich Chocolade Extra Fein mit knusprigen Caramelstücken (from Eva & Rafael in Germany)

C) Dolfin Chocolate au lait "Hot Masala" - milk chocolate with masala (from Eva & Rafael in Germany)

D) Dolfin Chocolate Noir Au Poivre Rose - dark chocolate with pink peppercorn (from Eva & Rafael in Germany)

E) Michel Cluizel Plantation "Mangaro" dark chocolate - 1er Prix Tabelette Chocolat, Salon Du Chocolat, Paris 2003 (from Joey Shoji in California)

F) Reese's Fast Break (from Rand in Buffalo, brought them for Jeff during his last visit since he knew these are Jeff's favourites)

None of my family are as chocolaholic as I am, so I fully expected them all to choose milk chocolate as their first choice. Most did, and both my youngest niece and Jeff chose the Reese's Fast Break as their first choice. BUT I was surprised that six of seven people participating ranked the Dolfin "Hot Masala" in their top three. This chocolate bar lists cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, clove and ginger in the ingredient list.

Thanks to Eva, Rafael, Joey and Rand for the chocolate!

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