| tasting_class_how_to_taste_original_design.pdf |
Here's your first lesson
Tasting is NOT eating!
Tasting involves all your senses.
You are welcome to record your observations to compare notes between chocolates.
You can experience this on your own of course but will have a richer experience when sharing it with other people, you may even discover things you won’t on your own.
Tasting is NOT eating!
Tasting involves all your senses.
You are welcome to record your observations to compare notes between chocolates.
You can experience this on your own of course but will have a richer experience when sharing it with other people, you may even discover things you won’t on your own.
Shade
1.Look
By LOOKING at the appearance of the chocolate, we pay attention to colour, the intensity (strong or weak) and the hue (shade of red/mahogany, yellow, grey, violet…)
- Put the chocolate on a well-lit white paper or tablecloth to look at its appearance.
2.Touch
By TOUCHING the chocolate you pay attention to how it feels in your hand. Feel for the finger-sensitivity (soft or hard), melt-in-hand (slow or fast) and the hardness. This is just before breaking the chocolate you feel for its resistance (bends or breaks).
- Close your eyes to concentrate!
- Rub the chocolate between both fingers to assess its finger-sensitivity
- Bend the chocolate to feel the resistance, and thus hardness.
3.Listen
When it breaks you LISTEN to the sound or snap (clear or dull).
- With your eyes still closed, bring the chocolate close to your ear and snap it.
4.Smell
By SMELLING the chocolate, you can discover the bouquet of aromatic notes and the complexity (low, medium or high) & also the intensity (strong or weak) of it.
- Take the chocolate in one hand and rub the chocolate.
- Bring it to your nose and cup.
- Then sniff three times.
- In-between chocolates, smell coffee beans to neutralize the nose.
5.Taste
When TASTING you will discover the basic notes, aromatic notes & mouthfeel of the chocolate.
- Pinch your nose: bite and let melt, discover the basic tastes.
- Release your nose and take a deep breath: focus on the aromatic notes
- Move the chocolate against your palate, chew: explore the mouthfeel.
- In-between chocolates, drink water to neutralize your palate. You can also eat unsalted crackers.
The most important lesson is, ENJOY YOURSELF!
Celest Robinson,
Shade Tree Chocolate Studio Ltd.