Indulging in Chocolate

The process of indulging in chocolate is as much an art as it is a science. Make sure your chocolate is at room temperature before enjoying. When you taste several chocolates, it is best to start with a plain chocolate and then move on to flavored varieties: first with fruits, then spirits and wines, and finally spices. The following helpful hints will offer you the most extraordinary chocolate indulging experience.

Cleanse
Begin the process by cleansing your palate. A drink of warm water will do the trick. This will enable your taste buds to really appreciate the chocolate.

Look
The chocolate should have a glossy shine unless you’re eating a truffle that’s dusted with cocoa or other flavoring. A satiny appearance indicates that the chocolate has a good temper meaning that there is a strong bond between the cocoa butter and the cacao.

Photo courtesy of Thompson Poole Photography
Photo courtesy of Thompson Poole Photography

Smell
The chocolate aroma should be inhaled through the nose to allow your senses to process the complex fragrances, which will increase your appreciation of the flavors when you taste the chocolate.

Listen
As you bite into the chocolate, you should hear a crisp “snap”. This is another indication of an excellently tempered chocolate.

Taste
Because of the solid nature of chocolate, if it is chewed and quickly swallowed the flavors will be missed. As a result, chocolate is best enjoyed when allowed to linger in the mouth and melt before swallowing. This enables the maximum amount of flavor to be consumed by the palate.

Take multiple bites to enjoy the chocolate. In the first bite, you are just getting a hint of the flavors. Press the chocolate to the roof of your mouth and allow it to melt and roll across your tongue before swallowing. Repeat with the second bite, noting the various complexities as you dive deeper into the creation and discover the many amazingly rich tastes. And in the third bite, again letting the chocolate melt and roll across your tongue, you are enjoying the lingering flavors in your mouth.

 

Whether you are enjoying Delysia Chocolatier’s truffles or chocolate barks, always enjoy them slowly and with enjoyment. Take out time to discern the notes in chocolate for yourself and try to develop a tasting repertoire that suits you. Chocolate differs in taste and quality in the same way as wine, whiskey, and cognac does. And always share with a friend!

Nicole Patel

Nicole Patel is the proprietor of and chocolatier for Delysia Chocolatier. In 2006 while pregnant with her first son, Nicole made a batch of chocolate truffles as holiday gifts. To the delight of friends and family, she continued to create chocolates as a way to relieve stress from her corporate engineering job. In 2008, a chance trip to Becker Vineyards led to Nicole being the first in Texas to make truffles using local wines. Within five years, what started as a hobby turned Delysia into one of the Top Ten Chocolatiers in the Americas, as selected by the International Chocolate Salon.