Sweet to the heart: What makes a good chocolate?

Words by Olly
Translated by Naomi Lai

With Chinese Valentine's Day just around the corner, it is a romantic and often easy gesture to exchange chocolates with your loved one. However, knowing how to choose the right chocolate is not so simple. To help ensure that your delicious gesture of love is above average, keep in mind some basic facts about chocolate, as noted below.

History of chocolate
The main ingredient in chocolate is cocoa. Originally from Mexico, the first chocolate was found in a drink made from cocoa with pepper and spices. In the 16th century, Spanish explorers brought this drink back to Europe, triggering a fad for the beverage among members of the European nobility. Later, other methods for consuming chocolate, including heating it and adding sugar, were developed. Even so, chocolate was still not widely consumed in Europe until Spain started planting cocoa in its overseas colonies, and its popularity truly took off in the 17th century after Spanish monks leaked the secrets to its preparation. A century later, it had become something that even lower classes could enjoy.

Origins and characteristics of cocoa
Cocoa beans are grown in tropical equatorial nations in Central America, the Carribbean region, South Africa and around the Indian Ocean. Most representative of these countries are Venezuela, Guatemala and Madagascar. The beans can be divided into three quality levels: The highest is Criollo, followed by Frastera and lastly, a mix of these two known as Trinitario. Producing chocolate revolves around bean quality and, generally speaking, with the exception of a few premium-quality chocolates that use beans from specific origins, most chocolate uses a mix of different beans.

Nutrition facts
According to research, chocolate give you energy because it contains theobromine, which keeps you excited, and has a small quantity of caffeine. Thus, for those who don't drink coffee, chocolate is a good choice for keeping awake. The phenethylamine in the chocolate also helps keep you happy and it has also become known as a good antioxidant agent. However, chocolate is also high in fat and calories, so you might want to watch the amount you consume. For those looking to lose weight, a choice of dark chocolate with higher percentage of cocoa is a better, less-fattening choice.

Tasting and picking chocolates
1. Appearance: Dark and shining
Good-quality, dark chocolate should be evenly colored with a dark but shiny exterior. It should have an appealing appearance without any white flecks, air bubbles or rough coloration. Kept at the proper temperature, fresh chocolate can remain relatively stable in color and shape with no water condensation around the surface due to a change in temperature.
2. Smell: The aromatic smell of cocoa
The sweet, rich aroma of fresh cocoa is something you will never get tired of. Other than chocolate with added spices, herbs or hazelnut fragrances, it takes time to figure out whether chocolate has artificial additives, making its smell too sweet or unnatural.
3. Sound: A crisp snap
Fresh, high-quality chocolate is normally a bit hard on the exterior with a crunch to it. You can easily break it with a slight bend and, when you do, it should do so with a crisp, clear snap.
4. Taste: Melting in the mouth
Tasting is also an important part of discerning its quality. You should use the tip of your tongue to experience the different textures of your chocolate, from the hard exterior and the soft interior. It should also feel silky as it melts on your tongue. When you taste chocolate, you should pick it up with your fingers, letting your finger warm it up slightly to bring out the rich aroma and texture.

Storing chocolate
Chocolates are best kept between 15 and 18 degrees Celsius in a cool, dry place. Most people find that they are best kept in a refrigerator. However, due to the lower temperature of home refrigerators (10℃), it is suggested that chocolate be allowed to warm up slightly before consumption. Chocolate is also highly sensitive to sunlight. So, after opening a package, it is best to eat it quickly before the quality begins to degrade.

Types of chocolate
Based on different cocoa percentages, chocolate can be separated into three categories:
1. Dark Chocolate (pure chocolate): This type of chocolate is rich in cocoa aroma. A chocolate containing over 45% cocoa can be considered pure chocolate. In general, dark chocolate can be further separated into three types: 50-70% slightly bitter, but with a milky sweetness; 72-84% bittersweet market-sold pure chocolate; 85% bitter chocolate.
2. Milk Chocolate: This type of chocolate is a mixture of dark chocolate and a high quantity of milk. The color is lighter and it has a texture between milk and cocoa. This is the most popular choice on the general market.
3. White Chocolate: It remains a controversial point regarding whether or not white chocolate should be classified as chocolate. White chocolate is still made from cocoa beans, but the cocoa powder part has been removed, leaving only the fat from the beans and resulting in its white appearance. It contains no caffeine, is sweeter and heavier in milk content.

Shopping for chocolate: Taichung chocolate shops
While chocolate is available almost everywhere, the following local chocolatiers focus almost exclusively on this product, offering custom-made specialties, from specially-flavored chocolates and chocolate desserts to sinfully-rich drinks.
Chochoco Chocolate Specialty Store
(04) 2375-4848
122, WuQuan W Rd, Sec 1
Hours: 10 am-9 pm
Providing premium raw chocolate daily, Chochoco's chocolate ingredients are imported from France and Belgium and mixed with high-quality Japanese flour, salt from Brittany, France, and VSOP brandy to create near perfect chocolate creations. Another popular dessert here is their brownies.
Agio Chocolates
(04) 2254-1456
37, HuanHe Rd
Hours: 1 pm-8:30 pm
"Agio" means "free and relaxed" in Italian, which is what this store aims to have its customers experience when they visit. The main products here are chocolate-related products, handmade chocolates and French pastries.
Mucha Salon du Chocolate
(04) 2310-9102
175, DaLong Rd
Hours: 1:30 pm-11 pm
This chocolate maker and cafe uses the world's best chocolate ingredient variety, Ground Cru, to create various flavors that depend on beans from various locations around the world. Flavors include flower, fruit, smoked, leathery, nutty, and Earl Grey tea, expressing the beauty and savory deliciousness of chocolate. Daily quantities of handmade chocolates are limited, but customers can also linger over the delicious hot chocolate drink varieties here, too.
Schokolake
(04) 2381-1802
801, WuQuan W Rd, Sec 2
Hours: 10 am-10 pm
Currently Taichung's largest chocolate specialty store with over 40 pings of floor space, Schokolake allows you to experience all kinds of chocolate in a comfortable environment. They serve various types of chocolate desserts and beverages, including a full chocolate meal set. You can also create customized chocolate beverages that cater to your individual tastes. Every bite of their chocolate desserts gives you a different sensation of what chocolate is.
Black as Chocolate
(04) 2328-1000
68, GongYi Rd (Park Lane by CMP mall)
Hours: 11 am-10 pm, opens 10:30 am Sat/Sun
Black as Chocolate focuses on handmade, simple dark chocolates with no elaborate decorations. Whether you are enjoying their mango-passion fruit, black current-strawberry, cherry, caramel banana, hazel nut or original flavors, you will truly savor the essence of the chocolate.