translated from Spanish: Chocolate expert taught to make the most of this delight

It is a passion shared by millions and millions of people around the world that awakens chocolate in all its varieties and flavors. However, lovers of this cocoa-based delicacy often do not know how to enjoy it to the fullest.
To do this, the founder of the Pacari chocolates (winners of more than seven awards at the World Chocolate Awards), Santiago Peralta, who traveled from Ecuador to Chile gave today’s advice to eat chocolate, preserve it and also taught to taste it properly. Ideal for this cold time of year, when according to Peralta chocolate sales rise by about 30% in the world.
How should you eat chocolate to enjoy its full flavor? The first thing is that it has to be eaten at between 18oC and 20oC. When it’s cold, the chocolate gets hostile. A big mistake that’s pretty common is putting it in the fridge.
What other mistakedo people usually make with chocolate? Other typical mistakes are made when you save it. In addition to avoiding putting it in the refrigerator it is essential to close it well. The box in which it comes does not have to be in contact with the chocolate because it takes flavors. For example, if you leave it by the coffee, it’s going to taste like coffee.
Should different types of chocolate be eaten differently? Are there any pairings you recommend for certain types? What you have to do is try. For example, the chocolate (Pacari) of cedron looks great with fresh white wine, chardonnay. And the chocolate with salt, with rum… it’s brutal. There are several that look good also with champagne, wine, whiskey and pisco. I insist, we have to try.
How should it be tasted? The first thing to do is to smell the chocolate and then put a piece in your mouth, ideally without chewing it. If you’re going to pair, for example, with rum. Before trying the chocolate you have to serve a little rum, just the bottom of a glass and drink only a sip when the chocolate has already been undone in the mouth. The idea is not to drink, but to mix.
Which of the 45 varieties of Pacari chocolates – of which several have been awarded at the World Chocolate Awards – are the best sellers? It depends on the country. However, the rose loves very much people, also the salt, passion fruit, cedron, etc. In addition, none of our chocolates have created allergic reactions. They have no nuts, no milk, no gluten, no transgenic soy. Neither peanuts, almonds, nuts or fish. We want to make the best chocolate in the world, but also the most democratic in the world.
Is there any limit to what can be done with chocolate? Is there anything you can never combine with, or can you do whatever you want with chocolate? I think there’s the ability to play and there are things that work and some don’t. There are some things that don’t balance. The taste has to be balanced, there has to be equanimity. It can’t be that it feels like the taste of one thing.
Today Pacari has chocolates with orange, lemon, blueberry, chili (chili), merkén and even olives. Soon a bar with rich-rich (an aromatic herb) will be launched.

Original source in Spanish