Basics of Quality Chocolate

Edible Exercises

The next time you purchase chocolate, have a close look at the ingredients and the order in which they are listed. Don’t be fooled by marketing. There are a lot of fairly expensive bars that really shouldn’t be that expensive and a lot of cheap bars that don’t really have much chocolate in them at all. You might be surprised at what you will find in your favorite chocolate bar.

Host a chocolate tasting party. Gather a bunch of your chocolate-loving friends and get everyone to purchase a few varieties of chocolate. Make sure to have some bread and sparkling water on hand to clean your palate (apples work nicely too). Follow these instructions at Amano Artisan Chocolate. Make notes as you taste each type and you just may discover a new “to-die-for” chocolate. Don’t be discouraged if you try some darker chocolates and you don’t like them. Even though all of the ingredients may be pure, as you have learned, the processing has a lot to do with flavor development. The most important thing is to find the one that is right for you and that you enjoy.

Try a few of the recipes below and put to use the wonderful ingredients that come from the cocoa bean.

Practice Recipes