Chocolate to think about

The more you delve into chocolate, the more you realize what sorts of variety can be found. Lately, I have been classifying chocolate into "chocolate to think about" and "easy chocolate." I haven't ranked one above the other, but this classification guides my hand as I reach into my chocolate selection based on my mood.

Perhaps, this division makes some sense to you, but perhaps not. Let me explain - or at least illustrate with some examples. Domori Javablond is the ultimate thinking chocolate, and Amedei's new little candy bars are maybe too easy to eat. I can eat a bar in about a bite.

Thinking chocolate is purely about the trip it takes you on. Domori as a brand tends to produce cerebral chocolates, and I really enjoy the journey. I love experiencing the dry sensation from the lack of extra cocoa butter. The sweetness contrasts so sharply with the synthetic-like flavors brought about by the terroir and the ferment. The texture is the ultimate goal in chocolate-dom - smooth as silk and perfectly even-melting. And then there is that punch in the uvula right as it finishes melting. Quite the trip. That being said, I basically never end on Domori, because I enjoy and easy finish.

Valrhona's Tainori is something of a hybrid. On the one hand, it is technically masterful. But on the other hand, when I am looking to just enjoy some delicious chocolate, I very often reach for my trusty Tainori. The texture is only slightly behind Domori's. The roast is very French (i.e. dark), but not over-done by any stretch. The flavors tend to be on the lower end of the spectrum - dark, roasty, nutty. If its flavor were color, it would be on the warm end of the spectrum in the orange-yellow range with no sharp spikes. It is very round and beautiful. I can eat it with brain turned off and still enjoy it, though it has plenty to savor and contemplate as well. And, oh, that finish!

Clearly, chocolate can span the middle ground between the realms of cerebral-ness and simplistic goodness. I really look forward to getting together with like-minded chocophiles beginning next month to really dive deep in our individual chocolate experiences. Next month!