I was munching on a nice piece of dark semi-sweet chocolate after dinner
recently and as I got up from the table there was still about a mouthful of
Cabernet Sauvignon left in the bottle. I poured it in the glass and tossed
it back and was surprised how much it complimented the chocolate flavor.

This more or less serendipitous pairing for me is actually the recommended
pairing, and there is quite an industry built upon complimenting wines with
chocolate. I was wondering what experiences people here have had, and if you
know of any recipes that take advantage of this pairing.

So far I've tried pouring a little over a double-chocolate
brownie --excellent, but dangerous to have around. I can justify a piece of
chocolate with a bit of wine for the anti-oxidant rush value though..

Lefty
--
Life is for learning

Lefty wrote:
> I was munching on a nice piece of dark semi-sweet chocolate after dinner
> recently and as I got up from the table there was still about a mouthful of
> Cabernet Sauvignon left in the bottle. I poured it in the glass and tossed
> it back and was surprised how much it complimented the chocolate flavor.
>
> This more or less serendipitous pairing for me is actually the recommended
> pairing, and there is quite an industry built upon complimenting wines with
> chocolate. I was wondering what experiences people here have had, and if you
> know of any recipes that take advantage of this pairing.
>
> So far I've tried pouring a little over a double-chocolate
> brownie --excellent, but dangerous to have around. I can justify a piece of
> chocolate with a bit of wine for the anti-oxidant rush value though..


I have also had good experience with bombastic fullbodied fruity wine
with chocolate (which over-seas cabs, such Californian cabs, are).

I beleive the official pairing for chocolate is something called
something like "Banyul"?

"Lefty" > wrote in message
...
>I was munching on a nice piece of dark semi-sweet chocolate after dinner
> recently and as I got up from the table there was still about a mouthful
> of
> Cabernet Sauvignon left in the bottle. I poured it in the glass and tossed
> it back and was surprised how much it complimented the chocolate flavor.
>
> This more or less serendipitous pairing for me is actually the recommended
> pairing, and there is quite an industry built upon complimenting wines
> with
> chocolate. I was wondering what experiences people here have had, and if
> you
> know of any recipes that take advantage of this pairing.
>
> So far I've tried pouring a little over a double-chocolate
> brownie --excellent, but dangerous to have around. I can justify a piece
> of
> chocolate with a bit of wine for the anti-oxidant rush value though..
>
> Lefty
> --
> Life is for learning

Lefty, I have nothing to add about pairing except the greatest pairing is
just that a little wine sipped and a little chocolate melted in one's mouth.

I have been buying/hoarding TJ's bittersweet chocolate and having a little
as often as I wish in the evenings after dinner and with a movie. There are
a couple of ports that I like with this chocolate. I also like Tuscan wines
with this chocolate. I'm not as keen on white wines with chocolate. There
is not any desserts that could give me more pleasure.

I made ganache truffles about a week ago and tried having them with a sip
of wine/port, but there is nothing like having both straight.

I always justify the anti-oxidant rush value of these two products.
Dee Dee

Lefty > wrote:

> I was munching on a nice piece of dark semi-sweet chocolate after dinner
> recently and as I got up from the table there was still about a mouthful of
> Cabernet Sauvignon left in the bottle. I poured it in the glass and tossed
> it back and was surprised how much it complimented the chocolate flavor.
>
> This more or less serendipitous pairing for me is actually the recommended
> pairing, and there is quite an industry built upon complimenting wines with
> chocolate.

Here is what I posted a year or two ago...

Chocolate requires something that has a strong flavour of its own and
can stand up to it, as far as I'm concerned. Tawny port (10-year-old
and above) will go well with chocolate, as will a good Banyuls, Malmsey
or Bual Madeira, or the Hungarian Tokáji Aszú (5-6 puttonyos). Cabernet
Sauvignon-based wines can sometimes match bitter chocolate surprisingly
well. Try also a good Asti Spumante or, better yet, a good sparkling
Moscato d'Asti. The latter two are usually light and low in alcohol.
5-6 puttonyos Tokáji is low-alcohol, too.

Still, I would say that chocolate and any of those wines should be
served separately...

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:
> Chocolate requires something that has a strong flavour of its own and
> can stand up to it, as far as I'm concerned. Tawny port (10-year-old
> and above) will go well with chocolate, as will a good Banyuls, Malmsey

In a hardcore wine newsgroup I was slashied for recommended port with
chocolate. They said blue cheese for port, chocolate for banyul.

I was in Scotland in September last year and by some splendid
coincidence, caught the last half-day of a whisky festival in Speyside.
For 15 quid I sat in on a talk & tastings on 'sherried whiskies' by a
Danish illuminary where he paired the whiskey tastings with dark
chocolate. It was amazing. A square of chocolate melted in the mouth
followed by a sip of whisky.
I'll look up the names of the particular malt whiskies later if anyone
is interested.

After this tasting, for 5 pounds there was the Dregs Party to finish
the bottles of whiskies opened over the past 3 days. Thought I had
died and gone to heaven - a table of maybe 60 whisky bottles -
wonderful malts etc and boutique labels. The Scots are so polite,
everyone stood around chatting nicely and sampling it all! I kept
thinking, that home in Australia, everyone would have been legless and
under the table by this time LOL
Very refined it was.

Cheers
Bronnie
Qld Australia

I read one actual recommendation for chocolate and Guiness -- timely.

We have a local Scotch tasting group nearby in Ontario (no chocolate). When
they do their tastings they have a drawing for the dregs.

I am efinitely going to look into scotch and chocolate -- just the thought
tastes good.

Lefty
--
Life is for learning




"Bronwyn" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I was in Scotland in September last year and by some splendid
> coincidence, caught the last half-day of a whisky festival in Speyside.
> For 15 quid I sat in on a talk & tastings on 'sherried whiskies' by a
> Danish illuminary where he paired the whiskey tastings with dark
> chocolate. It was amazing. A square of chocolate melted in the mouth
> followed by a sip of whisky.
> I'll look up the names of the particular malt whiskies later if anyone
> is interested.
>
> After this tasting, for 5 pounds there was the Dregs Party to finish
> the bottles of whiskies opened over the past 3 days. Thought I had
> died and gone to heaven - a table of maybe 60 whisky bottles -
> wonderful malts etc and boutique labels. The Scots are so polite,
> everyone stood around chatting nicely and sampling it all! I kept
> thinking, that home in Australia, everyone would have been legless and
> under the table by this time LOL
> Very refined it was.
>
> Cheers
> Bronnie
> Qld Australia
>

Michael Archon Sequoia Nielsen > wrote:

> In a hardcore wine newsgroup I was slashied for recommended port with
> chocolate. They said blue cheese for port, chocolate for banyul.

They? Is there a Cabal there, too?

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:
>
> They? Is there a Cabal there, too?

The self-claimed experts.