Party Guide
How Much Is Enough
- Small amounts for each per person are enough. Depending on the number of guests 1 bar each may be plenty.
- One well-chosen dessert or a selection is, in the end, up to you. You know best what your friends like and you have time to do.
- Dark-roasted coffees are a great pairing with dark or bittersweet chocolate desserts.
- The same goes for pairing wine and chocolate: lighter, sweeter wines with white and milk chocolate, darker, more complex wines with dark and bittersweet chocolate. Ask your wine merchant for help.
Make the Most of Your Time
- Early in the day or evening before, prepare 1 or more of the “taste treats” you’ve chosen.
- Prepare each guest a plate of the chocolates to be tasted. Make sure guests know which is which. Or taste “blind” (without knowing the identity) by coding with numbers if chocolates vary greatly in price!
Tasting Notes
Compare chocolates based on these 5 characteristics:
- Appearance/Aroma: First impression of the look and smell before tasting.
- Texture: The feel of the chocolate in your mouth as you let it melt in your mouth.
- Flavor: The total impression of appearance, aroma and texture combined with the flavors you discover as your taste buds are stimulated. Are characteristics balanced? Identify specific taste attributes: Bitterness, sweetness, sourness, chocolaty, fruity, nutty, caramel-like, toffee-like, vanilla, smoky, flowery.
- Finish: The flavors that remain after tasting. The big question: Do you like it?
Leftovers