Home & Garden
Chocolate
By Lee Picciuto
Mar 3, 2010 - 1:25:01 PM

Each year, in the midst of the late winter doldrums—on the heels of Valentine’s Day and in the throes of the Lenten season—I indulge in viewing the movie Chocolat. This is the story of a free-spirited woman who opens a chocolate shop in a small French village, using her intuition to transform her confections into a mystical experience for her customers. Mysticism aside, I never used to understand the fanaticism with which many people exalted chocolate—its Latin name, Theobroma cacao, literally means "food of the gods."

To me, chocolate had always been an afterthought and I never even liked chocolate cake or ice cream. (In fact, as a child, I often "gave up" chocolate for Lent—my friends thought me quite virtuous, but little did they know that this was far from a sacrifice!) My "conversion" occurred after I became more interested in cooking, and as I read more about chocolate, I began to learn about the many nuances—flavors, quality, country of origin—involved in chocolate processing. Before this, I had never devoted much thought to chocolate’s origins—I just had vague notions of mass-produced bars that ended up in grocery checkout lines. With chocolate-selection guidance from various books and magazines, I sought different brands to sample and was overwhelmed by the selections available. I thought that milk chocolate was my preference, but soon became enamored with extra dark. I then realized that chocolate was never the issue with me—it was the type of chocolate to which I had been exposed. For instance, if your only experience (like mine) with dark chocolate was a bitter supermarket baking variety, then you may go through great lengths to avoid the lingering chalkiness of those bars.

Now that my attitude toward chocolate has transformed from ambivalence to appreciation, I have made it a mission to further study the evolution of chocolate veneration. Whatever your cocoa preference, allow me to introduce you to the new world of chocolate—milk and dark; small-batch and mass-produced; foreign and domestic—no passport required.

Europeans have long appreciated small-batch, chocolate artistry, and sojourns to the local chocolaterie are as commonplace for them as a daily trip to your favorite coffee shop. As with many commonsense food trends (e.g. embracing organics; banning genetically modified foods; and the popularity of nutella) Americans were a bit slow on the chocolate uptake. Heartening though, there is now a heightened enthusiasm for quality, artisanal chocolate on a national and local level as evidenced by a proliferation of cocoa-centric stores, book and magazine coverage, and the sheer variety of products now available at grocery stores.

Here in Charleston, Christophe and Carly Paume are among the vanguards of local artisanal chocolate crafting. A visit to their shop at I’On in Mount Pleasant or King Street downtown (www.christophechocolatier.com) will have you embracing your inner gourmand and making the chocolaterie a regular destination.

I asked the Paumes about their impressions of the general American approach to chocolate and learned that many of us tend to be accustomed to very sweet chocolate (whereas dark chocolate contains a lower proportion of sugar) and may also prefer quantity of product to quality in some instances. However, they feel that the public’s knowledge and appreciation of artisan chocolate is burgeoning and that their efforts have been well-received in Charleston because of its gastronomically-inclined culture. As with the penchant for area restaurants to seek local purveyors of high-quality ingredients, the Paumes feel that Charleston is "ready for a higher quality of chocolate."

I also garnered their opinion on current chocolate trends such as combining chocolate with bacon, curry powder, etc. Christophe reported that one of his more unusual flavors is a bleu cheese and dark chocolate truffle, but that "anything can be [paired] with chocolate and chocolate usually makes everything taste better." Carly concurred with her appreciation of unique flavor combinations, but stated that while trends are fleeting, classic pairings like fruits or nuts will ultimately "outlast the trendy pairings that are being made."

From avant garde innovation to enduing classics, the Paumes’ mission is to heighten our understanding and enjoyment of premium chocolate. According to Christophe’s personal philosophy, "chocolate is from very exotic places and we get to experience those flavors in the chocolate that we eat…chocolate is like a trip…through your senses [to] many different lands." (And fortunately Daniel Islanders need not venture too far afield to experience Christophe’s creations—they are also available at Etcetera Gourmet.)

While I still do not consider myself a chocolate devotee (as I sit here and write with a cocoa-scented candle burning, truffles cooling on the counter, and Chocolat queued in the DVD player…), I have come to appreciate its rich history and cheer its continued ubiquity. Whether you call it Xocoatl, Theobroma, or Breakfast, I hope you are inspired to treat your palate to the myriad varietals available—or, using the included recipe, create your own signature flavors. As with life, baking is a process—enjoy being "in progress."

The Theobroma Code:  How to interpret a Chocolate label Many of us have heard the jokes surrounding the amusingly excessive choices afforded us by the gourmet coffee movement (e.g. "I’ll take a half-caf/venti/skinny/frappa/Americano with foam…"). With seemingly intimidating terminology and variations, chocolate is poised to usurp this coffee cliché—fear not—understanding a few key terms common to many chocolate labels will instantly turn you into a chocolate sophisticate. Cacao Percentage: The percentage of ingredients in a bar that are garnered from the cacao bean. The higher the cacao content, the lower the sugar ratio, which allows you to taste the pure flavors of the chocolate without being inundated by excessive sweetness. Origin: Where the cacao beans were grown. (Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Indonesia are the top three cacao growing regions.) The environment in which the cacao plants were raised greatly affects their taste. Some climates lend the beans fruity, floral, caramel, or even wine-like undertones. Some chocolate makers combine beans from multiple regions, while single origin bars are sourced from one area. Organic: In order to be labeled "organic," chocolate bars must contain at least 95% organically-grown ingredients including cacao, sugar, vanilla, et al. Fair Trade: Chocolate with this label has been produced by farmers who utilize sustainable growing practices, have safe working conditions, and are paid fair wages for their labor. Artisanal: This designation generally connotes chocolate that has been thoughtfully handcrafted in small batches. (To learn more, read The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg.)