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I made my way to the 7th Annual Chocolate show this weekend, a decadent celebration of one of the world’s most intriguing and beguiling food items. The line stretched around the block as eager chocolate lovers waited patiently to get inside and sniff the chocolate-laden air. There was a particular excitement in the air. But what is it about chocolate that makes it so, well, narcotic?
TRIVIA: Chocolate is made from the cream-colored beans of the “theobroma cacao” plant. The narcotic contained in chocolate is theobromine, which causes blood vessels to dilate. Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine. In general, theobromine levels are higher in dark chocolates than in milk chocolates, and the higher quality chocolates contain more theobromine than lower quality chocolate. Chemically, the better the chocolate, the more narcotic it is. We feel happy having eaten it.
The Chocolate show boasts 40,000 square feet of chocolate, including a collection of manikins dressed in haute-chocolate haute fashion and a chocolate pagoda. But more interesting were the many artisanal chocolate makers who had set up shop, handing out samples of their latest creations.
I stopped first at Jacques Torres’ booth and got a shot of spicy hot chocolate. We here in North America think of spicy chocolate as a new-fangled thing. But we are wrong.
MORE TRIVIA: Jose de Acosta, in his De natura novi orbis (On the Nature of the New World) wrote in 1589 about the use of chocolate in the new world, noting that it was a served hot and frothy and spiced with peppers, and that it was a known stimulant. Years later Jose Pinhiero de Freitas Soares in his treatise on medical policy (1818), discusses how tea, coffee and chocolate, like alcohol, tobacco and sugar, are narcotic and are deserving of government control.
The spicy hot chocolate was delicious, and from there I ventured into the heart of chocolate at its finest. Among my favorites were the selections from Lille Belle Farms, especially the black pepper granache, the chipotle art bite and the lavender caramel. Another interesting selection came from Garrison Confections, which included pumpkin and orchard fruits varieties. An interesting twist on the whole notion of chocolate came from Vere, boasting a pure, Ecuadorian chocolate not sweetened with processed sugar. Made in Manhattan, Vere offered chocolate covered coconut flakes that were awesome. A real surprise came with the orangettes, the chocolate covered orange peels by Galler, a perfect chocolate-orange confection that must be tasted to be appreciated.
I spent a lot of time at the Michel Cluizel Table, were plantation grown, haute-chocolate got its start. Available were a few special treats, like the dark chocolate disk with a trio of nuts. I scored big here.
HOW TO STOP: There really is only so much chocolate that one can stuff into the face before feeling queasy. When the floor begins to feel liquid, it’s time to stop. But don’t let the situation get that far. When you can no longer distinguish one chocolate from another, it’s time to take a break and just enjoy the buzz.
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Posted on 11/13/2005
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