Category: Dark Chocolate


Dark chocolate endorsement: Marks & Spencer Fairtrade 72% cocoa

Filed Under: Dark Chocolate
Oct.27, 2008

Name: Marks & Spencer Organic Fairtrade Dark Chocolate 72% cocoa solids

Price: RMB 20

From: Marks and Spencer Shanghai (Nanjing Xi Lu)

Cocoa origin: Peru and Panama

Upon bite: Smooth and creamy

Taste on the ‘buds: Cherry

Palate-attack level: Low, doesn’t linger

Bitterness rating: Low-medium (this is one of the creamiest 70%+ dark chocolates I can remember having)

Meltiness: High (break it without touching it, or be ready to lick fingers clean. Or get someone else to)

Best served with: Japanese green tea (for those in Shanghai, get the Genmai Cha by UjinoTsuyu, from Jing’an Freshmart). I haven’t yet tried it with a single malt. If and when I do, I shall update this post.

Verdict: Inoffensive, tasty and a worthy daily treat.

Rating: 9/10

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Music endorsement: The Bionaut – “Lush Life Electronica”

Filed Under: Dark Chocolate, Music, Single Malt Whisky, Track Reviews
Feb.06, 2007

The artist: The Bionaut

The track: Lush Life Electronica

The year: 1995

The reason: I heard this for the first time just a few hours ago and it immediately took me to a place significant enough to endorse right now. Instrumental big-sounding electronica. Food for your ears. Do it.

Serving suggestion: A worthy listening companion, Bowmore single malt 17 year-old whisky (also hereby endorsed!), dark chocolate, dark room. An artificially bass-enhanced environment may add something but is not essential.

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Music endorsement: The Smiths – “How Soon Is Now”

Filed Under: Dark Chocolate, Music, Single Malt Whisky, Track Reviews
Feb.01, 2007

The band: The Smiths

The track: How Soon Is Now

The year: 1985

The reason: One hell of a depressing song that, for some reason, makes me feel good every time I hear it. It’s one of the few Smiths tracks I can tolerate without needing air and sunshine soon after. That aside, this would easily rate in my top 50 tracks of ‘all time’. The wavy and soaring riffs take the song to another level, unmatched.

Serving suggestion: On a gloomy day, get some good whisky, dark chocolate, and have listen to this track. Just don’t keep anything sharp nearby.

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Endorsement: Single malt whisky and dark chocolate

Filed Under: Dark Chocolate, Single Malt Whisky
Jan.10, 2007

 

I am a big fan of single malt scotch whiskies – the older, the better. I am also a big fan of dark chocolate – the more cocoa, the better.
 
Recently, I’ve been reading about the complementarity of good whisky and dark chocolate. Odd, I thought, with a hint of intrigue. I usually drink my whisky straight, rinsing my mouth beforehand to clear the situation for some focused, quality, unadulterated consumption. Never had I considered coupling whisky with a food item for increased pleasure.
 
Tonight, I put it to the test.
 
The whisky: The Glenlivet Archive (21 years), undiluted
 
The chocolate: Koko Black dark chocolate (74% cocoa)
 
The verdict: Amazing. The chocolate, itself a joyous thing, coats the palate just enough to highlight the best of the whisky, muffling any potential hints of alcoholic harshness (barely noticeable in the fine whisky mentioned above) and bringing out flavours that might be missed when drinking straight.
 
Try it, kids – life is too short to deny yourself these pleasures. And don’t simply swallow the whisky. Nose it. Swish it around a bit. Usher it across the palate with your tongue. Let it hang around in your mouth while you watch someone do something silly out on the street. Melt the dark chocolate evenly across your palate, then take a modest nip of the good stuff. Savour it.
 
Bliss.
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