Mmmmm, warm coffee in one hand and rich, dark chocolate in the other…There seems to be a natural draw attracting coffee and chocolate together making them a fabulous pair. Coffee enhances the flavors of chocolate. Both coffee and chocolate have a variety of unique flavors and independently complex, and when paired together can create delicious combinations. Enjoy a few of these pairing selections yourself or have a few of your friends over for a pairing party! Here are some handy hints on how to perform your own coffee and chocolate tasting. Let’s get started on how to do a tasting with a few recommended pairings, but first, let’s first begin by talking about the basic elements. Quick Guide to Chocolate AloneBefore we pair up these two delights, let’s talk about chocolate alone done as a tasting to first lay the foundation for the pairing to come. Savor the process of setting up the tasting. Use your senses as both the chocolate and its packaging give certain impressions and expectations of the taste to come. This all contributes to your sensory enjoyment. Chocolate TastingSmell- bring the chocolate up to your nose and inhale its aroma. Is there a distinct smell, subtle scents like vanilla, spices, or fruit flavors? Appearance- chocolate should have a nice sheen to it. Depending on the type of chocolate and the percentage of cocoa in it, you’ll see the different shades of darkness. Sound- Listen for a “snap” sound when you break off a piece. Quality chocolate breaks with ease and neatly. Dark chocolate has a clear, sharp snap, milk or white chocolate has a more gentle snap because of the milk content. Touch- High-quality chocolate should melt with your body temperature. While holding a piece of chocolate between your thumb and finger, gently rub. When the chocolate begins to melt, feel the texture- it should be smooth. It should never be sandy or rough. Taste- Now, try a small piece. Let the chocolate sit on your tongue and melt. Inhale through your mouth and out through the nose. This allows the flavors and aromas to fully activate your senses. Chew the piece 3-5 times and concentrate on the taste and texture. Is it spicy, sweet or salty? Fruity or nutty? Can you tell which fruits? Is it earthy? Use all the regions of your tongue and try to identify all the various flavors. Basics of a Great Pairing
Flavor
Something to keep in mind when putting together a pairing is flavor combination. Start with the basic flavors you might want to taste like sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Sometimes these flavors are straightforward while other times the flavor may be more subtle.
Acidity
This is a big one…pay attention to the acidity in the coffee. Perceived acidity in coffee has a direct correlation with the growing conditions of the coffee as well as the altitude. Make sure you are using freshly roasted, quality coffee to ensure the best cup.
Complexity
Some coffees will have deep layers of complexity, with strong flavors like dark chocolate or pepper. For example, high-quality coffee from Bolivia may display notes of chocolate and citrus and big acidity, versus Sumatran coffee with complex flavor profiles that are earthy and sweet. Bitterness can be balanced out by sweet or salty flavors while tart can balance spice and sweetness.
Here’s the thing…there are no rules about what chocolates go with certain coffees, so it’s just an experiment! Don’t worry about using a particular vocabulary to describe what you taste. It’s an individual event! All these pairings will give you different results, so the goal is to find what you think are the best combinations.
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