The 19th century French writer, Brillat-Savarin said, "Chocolate
is health". Brillat-Savarin, had a passion for chocolate similar
to Voltaire who drank 12 cups a day! He suggested it be used for
anything from lethargy to hangovers long before the medicinal
benefits were confirmed by the scientific community.
The cocoa bean is native to Central and South America and wasn't
known to Europeans until the 1500's when Spanish explorer,
Hernando Cortez brought it back with him from the Americas. In
the early 1600's chocolate was brought to the city of Bayonne in
Southwest France by Jewish immigrants who had been driven from
Spain. Not long after that Spanish chocolate was introduced to
the French Nobility by the 14 year old Spanish princess who was
to wed Louis XIV. The French have been known for being experts
in making chocolate ever since and their chocolate is the most
sought after in the world.
Chocolate making techniques today are the best they have ever
been and the master recipe of blending the regular Forastero
bean with the fine quality Criollo bean is known to all
chocolate connoisseurs. However, many European chocolate makers
are concerned that the quality of chocolate in Europe will be
harmed due to new Common Market regulations that are now
authorizing chocolate makers to use vegetable fat in chocolate.
This is currently banned in France, which is why they have the
finest chocolates.
The French are very strict legislators of all matters pertaining
to food and cooking and chocolate is no exception. Their laws
strictly prohibit the use of any vegetable or animal fat in the
making of French chocolate, only allowing pure cocoa butter.
Additionally they require that French chocolate be at least 43%
cocoa liquor and a minimum of 26% pure cocoa butter. Most proud
French chocolate makers exceed the cocoa liquor requirement;
indeed the better quality bonbons contain as much as 80% of the
dark substance which gives chocolate its taste. Knowing this, it
is no surprise that French chocolates have the best flavor.
The flavor nuances of French chocolate also depend on the
quality and origin of the cocoa beans used to make it. The best
chocolates are an artful blend of four or more different beans,
each with its own flavor, force and persistence -- each from a
different geographical origin: Venezuela, Brazil, the Ivory
Coast, Madagascar.
French consumers rank among the world's most discriminating when
it comes to chocolate. Parisians are particularly picky, and for
good reason: What other metropolis offers such an impressive
array of chocolate marvels from the world's most delicate and
costly bonbons, to the most mouth-watering chocolate cakes and
tarts imaginable?
About the author:
Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online
and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16
year old son. For fine French chocolate go to
http://www.gourmetfrenchchocolates.com
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