How to taste chocolate
The ‘Chocolate Tasting Ritual’ allows to experience the full range of chocolate delights with the 5 senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste. Discover the richness of a chocolate tasting experience.
Step 1 - LOOK
By LOOKING at the appearance of the chocolate we pay attention to color, the intensity (strong or weak) and the hue (shade of red/mahogany, yellow, grey, violet…)
· Put the chocolate on a well lit white paper or tablecloth to look at its appearance.
Step 2 - TOUCH
By TOUCHING the chocolate you pay attention to how it feels in your hand. Feel for the finger-sensitivity (soft or hard), melt-in-hand (slow or fast) and the hardness. This is just before breaking the chocolate you feel for his resistance (bends or breaks).
· Close your eyes to concentrate!
· Rub the chocolate between both fingers to assess its finger-sensitivity.
· Press between your fingers for the melting rate.
· Bend the chocolate to feel the resistance, and thus hardness.
Step 3 - LISTEN
When it breaks you LISTEN to the sound or snap (clear or dull).
· With your eyes still closed, bring the chocolate close to your ear and snap it.
Step 4 - SMELL
By SMELLING the chocolate you can discover the bouquet of aromatic notes and the complexity (low, medium or high) & also the intensity (strong or weak) of it.
· Take the chocolate in one hand and rub the chocolate.
· Bring it to your nose and cup.
· Then sniff three times.
· In-between chocolates, smell your own body perfume to neutralize the nose.
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Step 5 - TASTE
When TASTING you will discover the basic notes, aromatic notes & mouthfeel of the chocolate.
· Pinch your nose: bite and let melt, discover the basic tastes.
· Release your nose and take a deep breath: focus on the aromatic notes.
· Move the chocolate against your palate, chew: explore the mouthfeel.
· In-between chocolates, drink water to neutralize your palate.