Chocolate University Online Blog
Pinot Gris, or Pinot Grigio wine is light, crisp, and dry. I make a point these days to pair chocolate with any wine I happen to be drinking. Since I have never put any chocolate together with a Pinot Grigio before, I had to dig into my chocolate stash and pull out things I had on hand.
My first choice was a mid-range dark, 60% cacao solids, sourced from Ghana. I knew that the Pinot Grigio was on the dry side and I was curious to see if the fruity notes in the chocolate would complement the wine.
Oops. Wrong!
To start, the chocolate actually had more coffee notes than fruity notes. It was also too bitter for the wine. At first, the flavor was tolerable but I could not distinguish any specific flavor notes, just a clashing of “stuff.” At the end, the aftertaste was terrible (that, too, was indescribable which is probably ok since I didn’t want anymore anyway!).
Thank goodness my next choice was much better. I chose a milk chocolate with an Ecuador cacao content of 42% – which really made it a “dark milk” chocolate. I love that term; it isn’t very fancy but it is descriptive! Many typical milk chocolates will have between 10% (the minimum according to U.S. FDA standards) and 20% chocolate.
This time the flavors of the wine, predominately floral and fruity, matched up very well with the slightly floral and elevated fruity notes in the Ecuadorian without overpowering the wine. The creamy and caramel notes tempered the bitterness of the chocolate so I avoided the previous disastrous aftertaste.
Now you know what to have with a Pinot Grigio, if you’re so inclined. Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate pairings
Tags: dark milk, Ecuadorian chocolate, pinot grigio, wine
I live in Wisconsin and, believe it or not, we have wineries and vineyards here! We are not as well known as California or Virginia but we do all right. If you haven’t had a Wisconsin wine recently, try a selection from Parallel 44 in Kewaunee, WI.
I have fallen in love with their Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend called “44”. It is dry, bold, and intensely fruity up front. I am a fan of Malbec for many reasons, but the main reason is that it pairs so well with chocolate.
Malbec is a medium-bodied wine, with flavors of cherry, plum, raspberry, and most of the time, a hint of chocolate. If the Malbec is aged in oak, you’ll also taste vanilla.
This great combination of flavors naturally matches up with dark chocolates that carry similar flavors. Choose a mid to high range cocoa content dark chocolate, say 60% to 70%, that presents flavors of red berries or dried fruit (raisin) mixed with pronounced cocoa notes.
I enjoy the “44” with a 70% Lindt Excellence bar. The Valrhona Manjari 64% is also an excellent choice with Malbec.
Because of the robust tannins, Malbec wine also goes good with grilled steak. (OK, that’s not chocolate, but I do have to eat other things from time to time.)
This is making me hungry. I think I know what I’ll make for supper!
Categories: chocolate pairings
Tags: malbec, wine
My mom came for dinner last week and she  (as any properly trained mother should do) brought with her a bottle of wine. We enjoyed a remarkably delicious Green Truck Organic Sauvignon Blanc.
After dinner, I (as any properly trained daughter should do) brought out chocolate for dessert. I was in the mood for a Lindt Excellence Intense Orange Dark Chocolate bar. As I took a bite, I noticed I had a swallow of wine left in my glass and drank it. The chocolate was still in my mouth, and the result of this accidental pairing was, well, it was meant to be!
 Green Truck Organic Sauvignon Blanc had crisp flavors of lemon peel, grapefruit and orange blossom. The citrus flavors from the wine brought out the delicate orange notes from the chocolate as well as the bitter, dark cocoa flavors.
The combination was out of this world good.
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are organically grown by the Bartolucci Family of Mendocino, California for Red Truck Winery. Their organic line of wines are under the Green Truck label.
My mom is coming for dinner again tonight. I wonder what after-dinner discoveries are waiting for us!
Enjoy!
Categories: chocolate pairings
Tags: chocolate covered fruit, dark chocolate, grocery product, wine
A few days ago Bryn mentioned a cheesecake and Pinot Grigio pairing.
 What she failed to mention is that it was I who suggested the Pinot Grigio as a potential pairing with the cheesecake.
Having tasted several of the wines earlier in the evening, I knew upon the first taste of the cheesecake that we would have a winning combination. Since the last of the Pinot was already in my glass I had to take it over to Bryn and tell her to taste the combination.
Somehow that experience developed into a crazy article about cheesecake and the Olympics. Hmm. Maybe the holiday stress is started to get to her. 
Anyway, I thought this might be a good opportunity to share the recipe for the cheesecake. After all, I am the cheesecake master in our house!
Chocolate Marble Cheesecake
1 package of basic brownie mix (8 or 10 ounces)
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
Lightly grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Prepare the brownie mix as recommended on the package. Then spread the batter into the springform pan. Bake for only 15 minutes at 350°F even if the package says you need more time.
While the brownie bottom is baking, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Then add one egg at a time, blending well after each. Pour the cheese batter over the baked brownie layer.
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring often until smooth. Using a spoon glop the the chocolate into 5 or 6 areas on the surface of the cream cheese layer. Now use a knife to cut through the batter to obtain a swirled effect.
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until center is firm but still jiggles. Immediately loosen the cheesecake from the rim of the pan. Cool before completely removing rim.
Cut a slice for yourself and enjoy! |
And, if you want to try something great, open a bottle of Pinot Grigio and sip along while you eat.
Categories: chocolate recipes
Tags: cheesecake, chocolate dessert, wine
The 2010 Winter Olympic Games begin February 12, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. But what, you may ask, does this have to do with cheesecake?
Well, thanks for asking. Cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece and was served to the athletes during the first Olympic Games held in 776 B.C.
In 1872, America dairyman William Lawrence, is credited with inventing modern day cream cheese. He accidentally created it when he tried to reproduce a French cheese called Neufchatel.
 William Lawrence started selling his new invention and called it PHILADELPHIA Brand Cream Cheese. Today, cream cheese is by far the most popular cheese used to make cheesecakes.
I recently enjoyed eating one of my favorite cheesecakes; brownie marble cheesecake. During this most enjoyable experience, I “accidentally” stumbled upon something spectacular. I had a sip of a Pinot Grigio as I took a bite of my cheesecake slice and Bam! The cheesecake/Pinot Grigio pairing was amazingly delicious.
I recommend you celebrate the Winter Olympics with a cheesecake and a Pinot Grigio. Raise a toast to ancient Greece and accidental inventions!
Categories: chocolate pairings
Tags: cheese, chocolate dessert, tasting, wine
Recently Bryn wrote a post about experiencing fine chocolate. I’m wondering what other fine foods and/or drinks you might enjoy?
People who have a strong love for chocolate often enjoy other fine foods and beverages as well. Perhaps you like drinks such as coffee, wine, or scotch.
Are you picky about your morning cup of coffee? Do you want a gourmet blend with exquisite flavor? Or will any dark-brown sludge do as long as its got caffeine?
Do you like a fine French Bordeaux wine or do you pick up the $2.95 bottle of “Red?”
How about a Single Malt Scotch from Islay or do you say, “scotch, whiskey, vodka, what’s the difference?”
You might also enjoy fine flavorful foods like cheese. Or you might enjoy certain combinations. Of course cheeses and wines often pair well. Chocolate and wine pair well. Chocolate and coffee pair well. Perhaps chocolate and scotch pair well too. (Hmm, I might have to try this.)
Anyway, this brings me back to the question… As a lover of chocolate what other fine food or drink interests you? Whether it’s one I mentioned above, or something I forgot about, please give me your thoughts.
Categories: fine foods & beverages
Tags: cheese, coffee, flavors, scotch, wine
For dessert tonight Bryn’s mother made Rice Crispy bars. She melted some Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chips, spread it on the bars, and then put another layer of bar on top. So it was kind of a layer cake, the layers being rice crispy bars and the frosting being semisweet chocolate.
It’s a rather simple dessert, yet quite tasty. But here’s the best part – we had a wine that worked real well with the chocolate. It was a Shiraz from Layer Cake. So with our pseudo- layer cake dessert we drank a Layer Cake wine. There’s something quite appropriate about this.
OK, that’s all interesting, but the reality is that this particular Shiraz combined well with the sweetness of the bars and the chocolate notes, leaving an impression that said, “give me more!” I think I had three bars when my mother-in-law said, “doesn’t anyone want to eat any of these?”
Yikes, if I ate any more, I wouldn’t be able to drive home.
Categories: chocolate review
Tags: tasting, wine
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