December 27, 2007
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Year's End is always an interesting time for me as I contemplate what the last 12 months has brought, wonder what the upcoming year will bring, and try to figure out what I want to make happen as the year unfolds. It's also a time for resolutions and top 10 lists, so I thought I'd try something new by combining these two literary forms into
one: A Chocophile's Top Seven List/Resolutions for 2008.
7. Clean out my chocolate cellar.
Some people have wine cellars but I have a chocolate cellar in my basement office. There I store the chocolate I receive to taste and review as well as the chocolate I sell on my Web site, DiscoverChocolate.com (click on the "Shop" tab). At the end of the year, right after the holiday gifting season, the cellar (which is a room about six feet square) looks like a tornado hit it. So, it's time to go through all the chocolate I have and figure out what to do with it. Some will be kept, but some of it is past its prime and most will be consigned to less temperature controlled storage and eventually make its way into some sort of baked good or confection. (The rest will become a tax write-off.) For those of you who have the space and have a wine cellar that controls humidity, it turns out that the optimum conditions to store chocolate bars is the same temperature and humidity for storing red wine. If you have a box of truffles you want to store, white wine storage is perfect for those. But whatever you do, make sure to leave time for the chocolate to warm up to room temperature before opening up the box or package and starting to enjoy it.
Comments
Sera wrote:
Clay,
Here's some thoughts I have on your lists:
I'd love to see you expand on idea #4! I think trying to ID and expand upon the flavors found in chocolate would be such a step forward for everyone who enjoys it. It's difficult to try and pin the flavors using termonology that is used for wine or cheese, even though we're ovbiously doing it. I think that progress on this front would really increase the appreciation for chocolate types like single origin. Which will be a good thing for everyone. :)
As for your new book idea, I'd really be interested in seeing you explore the topcs of food pairings and the chocolate travel.
Hope that helps! Happy 2008!
posted on January 16, 2008 at 4:06 PM