The LoVe of Chocolate

Unwrapping its wrapper, the sound of the paper crunching, putting it closer to my lips, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 this is followed by a  moment of silence as I enjoy the taste, feeling and sensation of the chocolate slowly melting in my mouth. My love for chocolate is deep, its a pure addiction. No matter the time, day of the week or my mood, I'm always up for a block or two of chocolate. Chocolate adds much happiness to my life, its a food item that I cant get enough of. White, milk, dark, smarties, milo, pistachio, almond, praline, bring it on.

My love for chocolate started at a very young age, however I was always reminded that too much chocolate like most things in life was not a good thing. If I ate too many chocolate bars I would land up in the dentists more often that needed. Charly and the Chocolate factory was a movie I could watch for hours, wishing I was one of the lucky ones to visit Willy Wonkers Factory. This however did not deter me but instead as I got older my love for this happy bar as I refer to it, became part of my life.

According to wikipedia the word "chocolate" originates in Mexico's Aztec cuisine, derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl." According to Janette Vince "Chocolate also naturally contains "uppers" like caffeine, sugars, and phenylthalymine, which will make your heart pound a little harder, your breathing come a bit more quickly, and give you a feeling of alertness. The effect is not dramatic enough to be uncomfortable in most people; it's mild enough to produce a pleasant "high," which is often equated to the feeling of being in love."

One of many dream jobs would definitely include being a chocolate connoisseur, trying different chocolates all day long and gaining new insight into what I refer to as a phenomenon would be bliss.

Below are 11 easy steps which will help you on your journey to becoming a chocolate connoisseur according to EHow.com

1. Broaden your palate. Try a variety of international chocolate brands, both milk and dark, with different percentages of cacao content.
2. Store chocolate properly at room temperature, in a dry place. Condensation or high temperatures can cause a pale, powdery coating called "bloom".
3. Learn how to taste fine chocolate. It's a multi-sensory art, just like wine tasting. Engage all your senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Compare 5 to 7 small pieces at a time, starting with the chocolate that has the highest percentage of cacao, and working your way down to the lowest.
4. Look at the chocolate. Quality, well-tempered chocolate will have a fine sheen without pits, blemishes, or waxy appearance.
5. Pick up your first chocolate piece. It should be firm and smooth and hold it's shape, not melt instantly or feel sticky, gritty, greasy or waxy.
6. Snap is the term for the sound the chocolate makes when you break it in half. Quality chocolate will break cleanly with no crumbling or bending, and make a sharp sound.
7. Smell the chocolate and try to analyze the unique fragrance. Do you detect hints of nutty, floral or fruity influences? Subtle notes of vanilla or spice?
8. Place the chocolate on your tongue and let it slowly melt. Don't chew! Slowly swirl the melted chocolate until it covers your whole tongue. What subtle flavors do you notice? Is it bitter, tangy, fruity, floral, nutty, or sour? What is the texture? The flavor of chocolate, like other fine fruits, is influenced by the surrounding climate, soil, and other factors.
9. Length refers to how long the flavor lingers in your mouth. Quality chocolate leaves a pleasant taste in your mouth that lasts, and a little goes a long way. Cheaper chocolates often leave a bitter aftertaste that forces you to eat more in order to get the pleasant flavor back.
10. Write down your observations after each piece, and see how it compares to other samples you try. Over time, you'll start to see a pattern of which chocolate varieties you prefer.
11. Cleanse your palate between each taste with plain bread or a drink of water (not too cold, or it will numb your taste buds).
    
    
    
    

Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.

JOANNE HARRIS