“9 Steps to Unlock the Secrets to Reveal the Chocolate Lover Within”


- by Divinity Chan | TheChocolateDate.com ©2012-2014
* Section taken out of “Hmmm…. So Good So Bad” eBook – Discover new pleasures of flavors You and your Chocolate Date can devour. Available for purchase on this website soon! Stay tuned for details*

Savoring chocolate is like savoring your lover… slowly, lovingly and blissfully as your body melts into heaven.

 

Whenever I think of this feeling, I am reminded of the scenes from the movie “Au Chocolat”. Each character took a bite or even a small taste of the decadence that Vianne (the chocolatier) created and closed their eyes. Within seconds, they enjoyed how it melted smoothly into liquid gold on the tongue. Each of them made their own vocal sound either a sigh, ‘yum’, ‘hmmmmm’, ‘yes’ or a quiet moan of sweet innocent pleasure with a smile and the desire for more bliss. Their cares and worries were swept away and if only for a moment, it was worth the ride.

 

Would you like to experience this bliss?  I believe chocolate is meant for sharing with your Chocolate Date.

 

Chocolate Tasting is a fun and easy way to do this and it’s not rocket science either. Like wine, you can uncover different flavors and complexities in a single piece of chocolate. Discover what makes each chocolate unique as no bars are alike and there are many varieties to choose from. Each cacao bean picks up its’ characteristics from the environment it’s grown in creating different overtones and flavors.

 

It is recommended to use gourmet chocolates (with no sweet fillings) as they retain the original flavors, characteristics, and high cocoa content.

 

Use no more than six varieties of chocolate: white, milk or dark from one or a variety of Chocolatiers. Six is the magic number as any more will overwhelm your taste buds and you won’t be able to distinguish the flavors. However, if you want to do more tastings after the initial set, wait at least 20 minutes. This allows the taste buds to rest. Eat some bread, fruit or cheese and drink some water to cleanse the palate between tastings.

 

Step 1: Organize the chocolate from lightest to darkest, as it’s easier to get a truer tasting this way. One easy way to remember is to start with the lowest to the highest cocoa percentage.

 

Step 2: As you break off a small piece—approximately 1 inch—of chocolate and listen how it breaks apart known as the snap: the sharper the snap, the higher the quality of chocolate. If the snap is blunt or the bar bends, it usually means that there are added preservatives, waxes, and a low cocoa content. This may take some time to perfect as it requires awareness and experience.

 

Step 3. Smell the broken edge. You should be able to detect the aromas and characteristics of the environment where the cocoa bean was grown. One chocolate expert suggests that you cup your hands around the chocolate to create a vacuum and then inhale in short and quick sniffs like a bunny or a dog to capture the subtle smells of the chocolate.

 

Step 4: Place the piece of chocolate in the center of your tongue. Smooth the chocolate all over your tongue to activate the different taste centers for bitterness, sweetness, saltiness, and astringency. Be aware of any particular flavor notes that arise. 
 
 


 

Step 5: Bite into the chocolate a couple of times to taste any secondary flavors. Notice how much effort it is to bite into it: the less effort, the better.

 

Step 6: Let the chocolate melt slowly in your mouth to experience the texture. Is it smooth, creamy, gritty, and so on? Detect what flavors are present at the finish.

 

Step 7: When you have completed tasting one chocolate, have a sip or two of room-temperature still water or plain bread to clean the palate and prepare the taste buds for the next round of tasting.

 

Step 8: Write down what you noticed about the aroma, flavor and so forth on a sheet of paper and rate whether you like that particular chocolate or not.

 

Step 9: Repeat the process for the next piece of chocolate.

 

Here are some of the flavors you might taste: currants, plums, red wine, cherry, raisin, grapefruit, walnuts, almonds, citrus fruits, pineapple, banana, passion fruit, papaya, apricot, melon, peach, toffee, honey, vanilla, caramel, sweet cream, dates, coffee, tobacco, green tea, earthy, licorice, cedar, spices, ginger, mushroom, mint, or grass.

 

Additional Tips:

- Blindfold yourself or your Chocolate Date while doing the tasting to heighten the other senses and see if you are able to pick up characteristics you didn’t notice before.

- If you are uncertain as to which kind of chocolate to buy or don’t know where to start, check out your local Chocolatier or go online for “Tasting Boxes”. These boxes normally contain a variety of sample bars with guides and forms. This is an excellent way to try out Chocolatiers from different countries or regions.

- If you would like chocolate tasting forms to jot down your impressions such as appearance, color, notes, flavors and a rating system to distinguish which ones you liked and why, you can find basic templates available online.

 

Enjoy the experience of bliss! Savor each moment while allowing yourself and your Chocolate Date to be surprised at the new discoveries. Each person will pick up different flavors and aromas. Chocolate is a natural aphrodisiac known to enhance the feelings of ‘being in love’. So this is a great way to double your dose on love… chocolate and your Chocolate Date. Yum!

 

If you like this tip, stay tuned for “Hmmm…. So Good So Bad” eBook for more ideas to discover new pleasures of flavors You and your Chocolate Date can devour.

 

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All rights reserved ©2012-2014 The Chocolate Date. Divinity C. created “The Chocolate Date”. It’s all about things to do on a date using chocolate where you can get turned on and excited again and again. Intrigued? Visit http://TheChocolateDate.com to download your complimentary eBook “10 Yummy Date Ideas for Chocolate Lovers” to get started on yummy gooey love.