This year we received a stockingful of dark chocolate bars to sample and compare. It’s every chocoholic’s dream holiday. We try to restrain ourselves and only sample one or two at a time. It helps us keep the nuances of flavor clear and our heads from spinning. So far we have broken into three bars and thought we had a clear favorite. Today there was a split decision. As we sample we are contemplating what to cook with the briefcase-sized brick of semi-sweet chocolate sent by another sibling. Grated semi-sweet chocolate in hot milk makes very nice hot chocolate. I have several fondue recipes floating around that would put the giant bar to good use. A neighbor told me that the chocolate cake she recently baked for a crowd required a full two pounds of chocolate. I think I’m set for any eventuality. And then there are the profiteroles we made the other day that only require freshly made fudge sauce as a topping.
I won’t divulge the winner of this year’s dark chocolate competition but I do encourage you to set up a sampling too. It may be too late for stockings, but New Year’s is around the corner and a tray or table stocked with a variety of chocolates is fun for guests. Many people like to sip red wine with really dark chocolate. Others like a snifter of rum or brandy.
Chocolate isn’t the only food that lends itself to party sampling. Now that craft-level caramels and toffees are popular and abundant, you can create a sampling of salted caramels, chocolate-covered toffee, dulce de leche cheesecake and butterscotch brownies either homemade or from speacialty stores. On the savory side, a salsa tasting or cheese sampling is very easy. Pick a theme to create a focus, like goat cheeses or blues and dig in. It’s a great way to find a new favorite.
Special thanks to Diana, Jim, Julia, Liam, Chester and Bill. This blog entry would not have been possible without you.
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