Last year in January, I went to one of my first food related events other than only chocolate. “The Flemish Primitives” in Bruges, Belgium, was an ambitious setting, crafted around the theme of foodpairing, staging the world’s best cooks. On stage we were thrown into serial ecstasies by chefs like Serge Vieira (France), Ben Roche (Moto, Chicago), Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck) and many other leading chefs and scientists.
Being an obsessive amateur of fine origin cacao bars only, it was with hindsight the first time I gained a level of respect for a chocolatier when I lived the experience driven sensations Dominique Persoone set on stage. And after a not less than mind blowing, though inspiring day, I’ll never forget the last presentation of an overwhelming series: Albert Adrià from El Bulli gave us pure visual poetry through food.
I have the unique opportunity to go back this year, to see an even more impressive list of the greatest chefs on earth. And I’m sure the experience will be of an inspiring added value to all of the Choqoa projects in 2010 as well!
A couple of days ago on an afternoon I sat together with WIB, an importer of great fine whisky, to tryout some pairings with chocolate. So far I only did once a pairing with chocolate and wine, which was really fun, but whisky was really an unexplored space for me… and that had to change!
Bart is an exclusive importer and brought a fantastic Vintage Collection of 24 different small whisky bottles, and the first thing I have to say is that he made me (re)discover whisky! Just like I share my passion to help you discover great chocolate, this kind of whisky stands out from everything I had so far, because I just didn’t know better so far!
Given the idea that this pairing was new for both of us, we just started tasting some bars and bottles, all of them were wonderful, but off course finding a good match takes some more tasting along. The first thing to do to match alcoholic drinks and chocolate is to find the right tasting technique. I think enjoying chocolate with wine is very different from pairing it with whisky. With wine you’d melt a piece half in your mouth and sip in some wine, with whisky however it soon became clear we had to seek a different approach because of the strong character and the alcohol.
What did work was sipping the whisky first, swallow and only then join in the chocolate chunk. The melting chocolate then eagerly mixed with the evaporating flavours of the whisky that last long in your mouth, and that’s a ticket for some nice experience!
Before, I assumed whisky would need by definition a strong chocolate bar, high in cacao percentage like a Michel Cluizel Infini 99%, or a Pralus 100%. But it unexpectedly got a lot more interesting and pleasant to discover that with these particular bottles from a Carn Mor ‘Vintage Collection’, any chocolate had a chance to match. We sipped from exquisite single cask whisky distilled by Balmenach, Clynelish, Glenn Ort, Glengoyne, Glen Grant,… and munched mainly on Pralus with his bars from Trinidad, Equateur, Madagascar, Indonésie, Papouasie, a lovely Brésil and Dominican Republic!
Just as with wine some made war, some separated ways only halfway, and some made love from the start! But above all it was a great discovery to have this sensation of whisky and chocolate finding each other on a long adventure of flavours, and from both ways enrich each other’s aromas and sensations.
To our own pleasure, and because we were really enthusiast ourselves on this experience, our final winning pairings are going to be launched in a limited box, so let me know if you may be interested in this as well!
Amongst the huge pile of chocolate books available, these clearly stand out since they are not limited to recipes again, but dig deeper to the roots of this wonderful fruit.
“Discover Chocolate” touches the new ways of appreciating chocolate, by illustrating a lot of insights, connoisseur’s experiences and debunking myths along the way. US based Clay Gordon is a ‘chocolate critic’, who also runs the fun website The Chocolate Life.com. A creepy though inspiring secret I’ve found out about Clay Gordon and me is that I myself got the chocolate virus almost at the same moment as he did, in the early nineties, but on top of that through the same brand: Chocolat Bonnat!
It was another book, Real Chocolate from Chantal Coady, that led me to the “The True History of Chocolate“. Chantal Coady is a real crusader of chocolate: in the late 80’s she launched the “Campaign for Real Chocolate”. She is also the owner of Rococo Chocolates, a specialty chocolate shop in London, and on top of that co-founded The Chocolate Society. Her mouthwatering book contains exquisite cacao recipes, she introduces also a little the background of chocolate, but eventually referred to “The True History” book.
Both books are mouthwatering, have great photos and illustrations, and both the design and size are very elegant. Happy reading!
Interesting things are happening on dark chocolate in Dusseldorf, and as ar far I would be able to tell in Germany in general. With brands like Hussel and Coppeneur it seems Germany is fighting with success for a place in the high level cacao markets, mostly dominated by master chocolatiers like Cluizel and Bonnat in France, and Amedei and Domori in Italy.
A particular spot I found admirable is the “Gut & Gerne” Chocolate bar and shop in the heart of Dusseldorf’s old town, on Burgplatz 3. Bettina Dahl is running the spot for some years now with passion, and as the manager of the shop she really helps customers through discovering the vaste collection of the more than one hundred! different bars, she claims to offer in her collection. Though Gut & Gerne also offers sweets and chocolates, the focus definitely is on exclusive, high-end origin cacao bars. Next to the classic top brands like Amedei, Domori, Cluizel, Valrhona and alike, she also offers less known chocolatiers like Dolfin and Maglio in many variaties. Bettina also offers great info cards on the brands you buy from her, so you can learn about the specific chocolatiers, beans, plantations, roastings etc that define the many different aromas. Share this info with your peers and you’ll sound like an expert.
Next to the shop, she also has a chocolate bar next door where you can relax for a while from your wanderings through town, and taste from her sweets, chocolates and cacao, to be accompanied by a delicious hot chocolate prepared on the spot. Just as in the store, the atmosphere is very warm and cosy with a lot of wooden tables and cupboards, making this a place with a charming German touch. From the menu you can pick from a great selection of hot drinks ranging from hot white chocolate, over a selection of different percentages of cacao including a 100% cacao hot chocolate.
This one was absolutely gorgeous, and the cups come in huge portions so you have to take the time to relax and enjoy. This was definitely one of the yummiest hot chocolates I ever had.
Here are some more pictures from Gut & Gerne, if you’re in Dusseldorf, put this spot definitely on your list!
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intense love for origin cacao, indulgent tasting experiences and original insights on premium chocolate brands.
Since long I'm very, very passionate about dark chocolate. I have chocolate business ideas as well, and I'm more than open to be contacted and partner up.
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