What I learned: Chocolate only grows within about twenty degrees of the Equator, whichis to say, where it is hot! Growing and harvesting Theobroma Cacao is very labor intensive work, and there are many references to "the natives" in the descriptions of how the growing, harvesting, preparing for market, transporting, and such are accomplished. For example, a tree may produce 6,000 blossoms, of which 200 will set fruit. Each fruit pod contains 2 to 4 dozen beans. They are cut open by "native men, who hold the pod in one hand, and whack it open with a machete held in the other hand. They have to be careful just to crack the hull, ..." There is no mention of great salaries for "the natives", though they "are really devoted to their work."
Chocolate Gourmands place a small piece of chocolate on their tongue, and press it gently against the roof of the mouth to begin the melting process and release the flavor and aroma near the nose. The melting temperature of chocolate is just below human body temperature. The chocolate will melt faster if there is a higher milk or cocoa butter content, and more slowly if there is a higher cocoa powder content.
I've always known I didn't much care for milk chocolate, but I never knew what a purist I am until this tasting, where I learned from experimenting thatI really prefer the intensely rich flavor of unsweetened chocolate. There is a lot more to say about this, and it raised political issues that were not surprising, but very uncomfortable for a chocoholic like me. I must go sleep now, because I'm off to a funeral at early o'clock. but I will write again, time providing.
