Halloween highlights chocolate-covered fun
When most people think Halloween, they also think about chocolate. But most celebrating Halloween probably don't think of the kind of chocolate that was discussed Tuesday night at 3Cups on Franklin Street. 3Cups held a chocolate tasting class led by Jonathan Wallace, the chocolate buyer for the coffee shop. During the event, named "Six Keys to Tasting Chocolate," Wallace outlined the six steps to help define the art of tasting chocolate and what makes each bar distinctive. The first quality to detect in these chocolates of another breed is the initial appearance and the snap of the chocolate when broken. Distinguishing characteristics to look for include the shine of the chocolate and the way it snaps. If a chocolate has a clean snap, it is of the finer variety. After the appearance and snap are determined, the aroma is the next observation on the list. The special types of chocolates at the event had smells that remind tasters of raisins and green tea, among others that are not normally associated with chocolate. Tasters then finally got to put the chocolate in their mouths, where they look for initial taste and flavor. The general observation was that the chocolate tastes much like it smells - multidimensional. The chocolates were cited as anything from "citrusy" to "smoky." Other types even brought the unique tastes of tobacco and liquor to mind. The way the chocolate felt in the mouth also was noted. Most participants said the higher quality chocolate felt smooth to the tongue and roof of the mouth. The chocolates also have an aftertaste. After the chocolate was gone, many still experienced the citrusy and smoky remnants of the taste in their mouth. Wallace said he became interested in fine chocolate after he tasted his first chocolate of this kind. "I was initially in the culinary world," he said. "I tried chocolates and had an epiphany at that moment. "I tried them and realized they tasted totally different from each other and wanted to know what was going on." Wallace isn't the only one enthralled by the fine chocolates. Many area residents came to learn more about what makes each bar distinctive. They also appreciated the similarities between chocolate and wine, such as how there are different flavors embedded in both. But chocolate tasting is a much more accessible hobby. "It's much cheaper to enjoy the finest chocolate than the finest wine," said Mimi Roughton, a Durham resident. But even after all the education about the finer chocolates, she said on Halloween she would still be eating Mounds as her chocolate treat. Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.