TASTING CHOCOLATE

Tasting chocolate is an art, a ritual systematized by an experience which involves all the senses. It is important to taste and not simply eat the chocolate.

This is done by concentrating while we taste the chocolate so that our brain, our mnemonic archive, can recognize flavours and aromas.

A good Chocolate Taster, someone who can be defined as a chocolate sommelier, is able to recognize a great number of aromas and flavours when tasting a Dark Chocolate, not because other substances are added to the chocolate, but because the Cacao releases aromas which the mind connects to flavours and aromas which are already known.

To best taste chocolate let’s follow these simple steps.

Look at it: it should be compact, its colour uniform and its surface homogenous, bright and flawless.

Sniff it: concentrate on its aroma to discover the intensity and richness of aromatic notes.

Listen to it: put the chocolate near your ear as you break it with our fingers. It should snap as it breaks.

Taste it: let it melt in the mouth slowly, without breaking or chewing it with your teeth. Appreciate its flavour and all the aromas you are able to recognize. In this way just one small piece will be enough to give you a lasting pleasant sensation.

Preservation of the chocolate is extremely important. The ideal temperature is between 16° and 18° centigrade with a relative humidity of less than 50%. Keep the chocolate away from direct light and sources of heat.

Do not keep Chocolate in the fridge or in a cupboard unless it is well sealed, otherwise it may become contaminated.