We suggest bringing the truffles to a cool room temperature in order to taste the “true” flavors of the spice, flower, root, herb or liqueur. Vosges products are all natural and use organic ingredients as often as possible.
First... read the story. Each Vosges exotic truffle comes with a story. This sets the stage. It allows you to paint the picture through your imagination, to conjure up the expectations as to how the chocolate will taste and the where you will transcend.
See... there should be a glossy shine to the truffle, this shows a good temper: a tight bond between the cocoa butter and the cacao mass.
Lick... the spice on top of the truffle. We always like to do this on the spice truffles because it gives us a hint of that is to come, a teaser.
Snap... quality chocolate should always be dry to the touch. If the chocolate is stored at ideal conditions, between 63-65 degrees Fahrenheit, when you take a bite you should hear a crisp, ringing snap breaking through the outside to reach the creamy ganache inside.
Taste... we always like to taste the truffle in two bites. In the first bite you are just getting to know the truffle and in the second, you delve deeper, searching out the flavors and nuances. You become immersed into the experience of the chocolate, your mouth and the sensation. The taste should have a long, lingering finish that is layered with its perfumed notes.
How to Eat an Exotic Candy Bar...
See... first, there should be a glossy shine to the chocolate bar, this shows a good temper; rather, a tight bond between the cocoa butter and the cocoa mass.
Smell... rub your thumb on the chocolate to help release the aromas. Inhale the chocolate and ingredient notes deeply through your nose. Can you feel it?
Snap... quality chocolate should always be dry to the touch. Break the bar into two pieces. Hear a crisp, ringing snap, which indicates a well-tempered bar of chocolate.
Taste... place the chocolate on your tongue and press it to the roof of your mouth. Within thirty seconds, the chocolate should slowly begin to melt around your tongue. The taste should not be evanescent; it should have a long, lingering finish.
Feel... recognize the life in your body as you… benefit from the anti-oxidants in chocolate, ride the natural high of chillies, boost your immune system with some of the natural ingredients. Each bar brings its own sensations and benefits. Notice how spicy bars don’t hit you until after you have swallowed.
Liquid Chocolate, How to Sip...
See... look at the cocoa mixture and see the shavings of chocolate, the cocoa powder, pieces of vanilla bean, the spices and flowers. Notice the rich depth in color of the dark, mahogany chocolate in the Parisienne cocoa, the bright, ruby spices in the Aztec Elixir, and the lavender in the white chocolate Bianca cocoa.
Smell... inhale the aromas from the cocoa. As you follow the directions and add the cocoa to the steaming milk and/or cream, the sweet dairy smells will incorporate with the chocolate.
Froth... for the true experience, it is important to add air to the mixture by using a traditional Mexican molinillo or a hand blender. The Aztecs considered the floating foam the most desired part of the drink, the essence of the theobroma cacao, food of the gods.
Sip... take some of the foam and the cocoa into your mouth to cover your palette. Swallow and then take air into your mouth and sip your breath. The bouquet unfolds.
Chew... the cornmeal in the Aztec Elixir and bits of vanilla bean in all three of the cocoa flavors add unexpected texture and bring the true flavor of the vanilla bean to your mouth.
Adjust... add more cocoa for a deeper chocolate experience. Sweeten up with a touch more sugar if desired. Jazz up the Parisienne with fresh blood orange peel or sink an exotic truffle deep in your drink.
Article by Vosges Haut-Chocolat
