Chocolates!!!

Frankly speaking, I had never been a fan of chocolates or anything chocolate. Only quality chocolates can covert me into a chocolate lover in an instant. And these do not include the likes of boutique chocolates, like Godiva, and the Belgian chocolates that many love. Boutique chocolates are more renowned for the brand name instead of the taste while Belgian chocolates are the best among supermarket brands only. Just check the list of ingredients to know if it is quality chocolate. More often than not, they have artificial flavouring, such as vanillin, and oil added.

Good chocolates will not feature these additives. The creaminess will only come from the cocoa butter, nothing else. Real vanilla is added, sometimes, some varieties do not even have vanilla incorporated. In fact, depending on the origins of the cocoa used, gourmet chocolates have unique tastes of their own, ranging from rich, smoky, smooth, acidic, fruity to tangy. The cocoas are sunned dry instead of being smoked dry to ensure the flavours are preserved and untainted by the smoke. Some of the best cocoas come from South America. Yes, quality chocolates will have the origins of the cocoas stated.

For le créme de la créme chocolates, go for Amedei, Valrhona and Michel Cluizei chocolates, which are from Italy and France. Chocolate cakes made with these chocolates are definitely a league above their counterparts.

Other chocolates that make great gifts or for savouring are Royce Chocolates and German chocolates. I like Royce for the nama chocolates, which are incredibly smooth and creamy due to lots of fresh cream added. This is very different from other chocolates, thus will definitely impress if given as gifts to family or friends. While German chocolates are not gourmet chocolates, I prefer these over the Belgian ones since these do not contain artificial additives and not as cloyingly sweet.