| It's no lie, if you're reading this you probably like | | | | uninspiring. If you are having something more artisan, |
| (maybe love) chocolate. The artisan communities are | | | | or single origin you can smell the difference. Smell |
| booming and the industrial machines are learning more | | | | often can be associated with the terroir (where the |
| ways to trick your palate and the ingredient list. Take | | | | cocoa was grown). What do you smell? Blueberries? |
| a moment to examine the chocolate you eat so you | | | | Floral? Enjoy the moment and let your words spin |
| can be sure you are getting a great treat and not | | | | out. It helps with deepening your personal |
| one that will leave you lacking. | | | | interpretations and vocabulary. |
| Look | | | | Texture |
| No, really, look at your chocolate. How often do you | | | | Of course, how does it taste? A moment you may |
| unwrap a Hershey kiss and just pop it in your mouth. | | | | do over and over but let's take a moment. Breathe |
| Open up one of those many days and you'll see a | | | | while sampling letting all of your senses take it in. |
| fair amount of blushing or dusty behavior. You're | | | | Watch how the flavors shift throughout the moment |
| looking for the consistency of the chocolate color. Is | | | | from solid to melty goodness. If your chocolate has |
| it even? Is it shiny? | | | | too much sweetness, or you can really pick out the |
| The more shine your chocolate has the better care | | | | vanilla flavor it might have been doctored heavily to |
| it's temper has been given. Tempering is the process | | | | cover up a subpar cocoa use. This also holds true if |
| that helps chocolate crystals align into a crystal lattice. | | | | the opposite is true, too bright--too bitter? |
| Blooms can happen when tempering or storage | | | | Things to consider: |
| conditions are off. Many times blooming may not | | | | - Flavor, what other flavors come to mind? |
| affect taste but it will affect texture. | | | | - Body, how does it coat your mouth--is it heavy, |
| Listen | | | | soft, thin, light? |
| I know, it's not going to talk to you unless you've | | | | - Finish, when you swallow how does it leave you? |
| been in the kitchen as late (or as early) as I am. | | | | - After taste, what elements linger? |
| That's when the family starts to worry. Seriously | | | | We are all different, some can barely taste, others |
| though this can be important. If you are tasting a | | | | are known super tasters, so you're results will vary. |
| chocolate bar break a piece. Does it crumble, waxy | | | | Continue doing this with other chocolates, desserts, |
| bend, or does it snap? You're again checking the | | | | and foods. Watch over time how your palate opens |
| tempering ability of the chocolatier. When all those | | | | up and you might find yourself exploring niches that |
| crystals get nice and lined up they are stronger and | | | | you never considered before because your palate is |
| require a little more effort to break, thus snapping. | | | | leading you there. |
| Smell | | | | We've also been converted in our family of chocolate |
| Warm up your thumbs a bit by rubbing them | | | | makers that if you think an entire category of |
| together then hold your chocolate. The heat will help | | | | chocolate (or food really) isn't good it is probably due |
| release some of the scent of the chocolate and | | | | to the presentation or quality of ingredients. Explore |
| being that smell is really 85-90% of your taste it's | | | | and find people who love what they make and you'll |
| worth smelling your chocolate. | | | | inevitably find better chocolate there. |
| Commercial blends will all smell fairly standard and | | | | Life is short, eat dessert first! |