The great taste of chocolate

Welcome to the curiosity of a Charles. It's been awhile since we had a show. Hasn't Anton been getting back into sync with your homework schedule at school?

Yeah, we've got a really exciting show lined up for you and we've got two very special guests as well.

Yesterday we got the curious Granny and the curious. Do you wanna introduce yourself? You've been on before.

We have, yes, it was very enjoyable last time, but we have upped the ante this time with chocolates.

Yeah, that's right, we're going to be tasting different chocolates.

But I've got a green and Blacks selection box. Here are the chocolates are available and we're going to try the different flavours. We got white chocolate, dark chocolate. We got some of butterscotch hazelnut and I'll give a tiny fact on each bar and then we will taste them and see what we think of them.

Yeah, so let's get on with the show.

Chocolates, say chocolate, has been used since at least 450 BCE, where it was often used as a fermented drink back then.

So it wasn't any kind of bar form that we find today and throughout its history, its been worshipped and revered. It's been used for currency. It's been used for offerings, so the Aztecs would have had it when they were sacrificing somebody they would have given chocolate to the unfortunate persons being sacrificed beforehand. Is such a valuable commodity for them. Then they saw their trees as kind of a link between the heavens and the earth.

Yeah, I'm not sure how it was because I the the.

Aztecs with the Ingos. They thought gold was just a normal thing, like it hasn't got much value. Chocolate was pretty much their money.

Yes, their currency, so yeah, they didn't value garden centre in Cortez was taking over. Yes there are 16 five goals so just be giving it to the Spanish now. It arrived in Europe in the 1600s and sugar was added to it then. So we get that kind of sweetness that we had associated with chocolate and its popularity grew since then.

And now there's also several types of chocolates, so there's dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate, and I really don't think this real, do you?

But it is. And then there's also since 2017 Ruby Chocolate.

Ruby.

Yes, and you type amount exactly so we can write on this later.

They say this to the end.

Tesla came, there aren't any steering system.

Well, my hair is very valuable. Yes, exactly how we talked. It's made is still regarded secrets. It could be a type of red cocoa bean or some people say maybe it's the slightly unripe.

Kind of being so, pods be something there already colour back. Then it gives its colour and Sky distinct flavour which some people describe it a little bit like Raspberry coming for else's Godfrey flavour and some.

FIFA **** glands. Yeah, we have found out that it isn't quite people a new guns. It's close to.

Ask how you found this out.

Put gas.

But my friend Ruby. She's had Ruby chocolate before an yeah. My friend Ruby has had Ruby chocolate before.

And she did say that it tastes like a lot like raspberries stars, hoping that I like it.

Yeah, yeah, it's an interesting flavour.

These little pieces are cause nibs.

Yeah, season NIPS, so these are made.

I have been telling.

Exactly, yeah, so this is without the butter as well. They receive extract the master from the beans.

That's not bad. Speak about that. This will be one of our Guernsey great. There was a guy he went to Costa Rica and brought football to Costa Rica.

William Nasha and.

Yeah, and brought cocoa beans or back to Guernsey from Costa Rica.

Good fact.

Bit better for you is it? Yeah yeah we get the opposite is interesting.

Had a slightly sour taste I found.

Yeah, it's interesting that that's how the raw products doesn't relate to what we expect. The taste of chocolate would be. It's yeah, prepares for yeah, but that's how.

It would have been consumed for.

The longest period is a decent like the 1600s when it came to Europe and start adding sugar, so saving the aspects of drinking they would have added other ingredients, which I'll cover a little bit later on. Some when we're testing. So should we get down? Touchy some chocolate.

But actually I really like chocolate, but I didn't like another part of what chocolates made off.

I love chocolate, but I wouldn't be hooked on the little bits.

The rule bits.

We can have a very quick pause here which we have to let Gran and Gramps cat in.

Okay, we've let the cat in now putting meowing at the door. So if you hear that, do not worry. Let's let's choose our first chocolate. I'm done. If you won't do the honours.

This is Hazel nuts.

Hazelnuts, AK South. If we chop out some small squares and I find my little hazelnut fact.

OK, so hazelnuts they've been used since at least the Mesolithic.

We have hundreds of thousands of shells found in a study pit in Scotland dating from 6000 BC.

Then you can't.

Yes, we need a long time. Today, Turkey is the largest producer. Grow about 70% of all the hazelnuts in the world and about 25% of the global number of hazelnuts is brought by Ferrari. Well, so they really control the market. Yeah, and I think there's actually just one village in Turkey were kind of on the outskirts where most of them are grown. So if there's a drought there can really affect.

Yeah, the whole.

Market yeah yeah. I say should we try?

Not be hazelnut help, thank you.

Thank you.

Can't shake.

So what you do get, you get the nuts, give an added texture.

There's a dark chocolate, yeah.

I just see that.

Yeah, the boys in the crunch there well under this light nutty flavour.

I actually like this.

Stock because.

So you should go for another one then, Yep.

Bus Scott right now.

Pieces

please. Okay, said butterscotch sauce made from bossa surprisingly Brown sugar and sometimes got cream or vanilla and quite similar to toffee, but probably a bit cheerier.

This is not heated as Heights at different cracking point to topping.

It became famous in 1851 when Queen Victoria was presented with a tin of butterscotch, was visiting Doncaster.

Alright, so let's try a bit.

I'm talking to some apps which.

Is a lot sweeter.

Noticeably.

Still got texture with the butterscotch tiny crunch.

Tastes that sort of Austria's taste at the end. I'd actually like this that much.

Who's Got Talent?

They come for you then.

70% dark dark chocolate.

Eating a lot this month, thank.

You gonna do these two together actually 85 as well if they are quite similar. So if you can't be 71st and the 18th please.

This is going to be in my least favourite I think.

Interestingly, this is.

As all of them, I believe there all organic.

They are.

Yeah.

Okay, says we said chocolate comes from Central America originally. And the Aztecs believed as a gift from their guard. Quincy Kutil, who works there. God of wisdom.

He wants it for.

You gave us chocolate. I think that's pretty wise.

Legend.

Yeah, yeah.

And as Anton said, the cocoa beans themselves were used as currency. Then they also drank hot or cold chocolate. I think the Aztecs head coach opted for the Mayans, had hot chocolate.

This is the.

The 70 that was.

A 70 and it's definitely got that characteristic. It's a bit.

Which I personally like stop, but this next one is the heavyweight. This is an 80% yeah, 85% AC 5% through its intense not much room for anything else but chocolate.

Now the chocolate at the Aztecs drunk. Some of us actually put their wedding ritual, see the married couple, David kind of share a cop, an it was documented that four just 100K beans. You could buy a slave really well.

I don't gossip that much.

Shows two things, the, the fact, the low value put on slaves, but the also their incredible value.

On cocoa beans.

You can just taste the difference.

To the 17.

Yeah, I'm it's. The bikes are tiny bear.

Lot more brittle are.

You sure that was more brittle?

Us

further.

It was very smooth. Very yes.

It's it's stronger in this in if you like, but it is got smoothness.

Could be the type of being.

Used to wear explain, perhaps you don't, you know.

I'm not sure they will from same place.

Okay, what's next?

Almond milk chocolate.

Talking almond milk Choc Yahoo. My favourite things is on Bar will see.

Say, does anybody know about almonds? Are native to originally?

Albania.

That be Arminda bania.

I'm.

Other Middle East.

Yes, so their native to Iran on the fruit is called a droop or stone fruit sets like Peaches, and it's actually related to them.

Yeah, but it's kinda staying inside the fruit clearly taste the dazzlings. Yeah, that's my favourite so far.

Could do with a little bit more chocolate with it.

I like.

Choc no, that chocolate was actually there's a lot more chocolate now, but that tasted a bit like some of the biscuits in their heads.

Before, when you say this, more joking. That's because chocolate and almond have actually share some similar flavours and they got that said they worked really well together because there's various aromatic components which combined to create complementary flavours.

Unfortunately, with the massive increase in almond farming, it does seem to be affecting bee populations.

I don't know, I think please, large tracts of lands are mother culture exactly. Yeah, yes, there's not the variety for the beast.

Well, I've already mentioned I like dark chocolate. I think the milk chocolate with the almond is a better combination.

The Dark Choc was overpowered by think of Nephew degree.

Yeah yeah, let the milk chocolate there.

Next time.

See suits.

Milk chocolate milk chocolate again, no, there's not much.

This will be interesting, but that's not an obvious mix to me. I'm probably going to be surprised, although sort works in a lot of things that I believe it enhances flavour in a lot of cases, so let's see if it works, yes.

Anglesey sea salt. This one so as you know, sources. When the five flavours of sweet, sour, bitter, savoury or mommy.

I'm shooting us. It can help reduce business and also balance and improve other flavours and some enhanced flavours as curious bumptious saying so. Dinner Anglesey S Amazon.

Wales.

News, I think there might be a whisper of help there just in the.

Top tip of Wales.

And a small piece like that. I need the computer small piece. I can't really say this sort.

3.

They say the so it helps to reduce the business, so maybe it's making these sweetness more pronounced.

Actually, Interestingly, assault is coming through there actually. Yeah, maybe some chocolate smell so that suits you can taste it.

Next one OK. Yep, white chocolate.

With Internet over.

30% cocoa

interesting facts on how white chocolate makers.

Well, why chocolates? Nobody says it's real chocolate, but it uses more DKK Buster from there, so it's still a product of the KK. Been technically is chocolate, yeah, but it's often being kind of a cheap chocolate and maybe not really had much cake here in there or any or cake butter, so that's why it's maybe not as real chocolate.

So the actual beams.

Himself, so there's maiden. Ipswich tried earlier and also the bottom. It's about 5050 mix.

Of the two actually intervene.

And 50.

In the bean, yeah.

Yeah, I didn't know that.

Andy Buster gives kind that rich mouthfeel that kind of luxurious, silky feel that you get from chocolate.

I don't like that.

First, like I like, you had a flavour develops. I think it improves.

Yeah, I guess you can taste it.

Yeah you do it.

Well, I know so that it's got very little kind of chocolate solids in there. Yeah you yes.

Certainly sweet, but it's not chocolate as we know it. No.

It was okay.

Yeah, you like I talked, I think it's in that kid seems like a lot more, isn't it?

Okay, don't choose the next time I'm done.

Okay, milk chocolate milk chocolate so.

This is just chocolate with no other bits and.

Actually says on the packet it's got 37% of the code.

How do you say Okay say or cow cow?

So, do you know when milk chocolate was invented?

Yes, so you chocolate Member came to Europe in the 1600s.

Was it it was Swiss invented in Switzerland? Yes it was. Yeah then give me the name of the inventor. You get a bonus point. You get to keep above your choice. Yes, Nestle, even the neighbour of Henri Nestle really. So did Nesley look over the garden fence and Nikki idea. So yes, first developed in 1875 by Swiss confectioner called Daniel Peter, or probably sees it differently.

It contained condensed milk, which been invented by his neighbour, Henri Nestle.

Wow, now the EU specifies that you need at least 25% cocoa solids.

Okay, well I'm not really you anymore, are we?

Yeah, it's good I was going.

Is allowed, 20% would just just say it's a bit boring when there's these other chocolates. It's just. It's just a bit boring. Yeah, I don't even.

Really know studies in that way?

Yeah, I wouldn't be a chocoholic if that's the only chocolate, my boy.

I didn't have the kind of complexity.

So next one yes please.

Three left, I'm going to get sounds quite interesting, so that's the hazelnuts and current one. And it's dark chocolate.

Hazelnut and Karen okay?

Okay, so currents there are important part of the English and Irish kind of bakery and cakes.

That being used in puddings and Christmas cake.

A mince pies are no Samsung. They are an important breeding and spotted ****.

I think you'd like that. Thank you.

Rick.

Now their joy grapes and they get their name from the ancient Greek city of Corinth.

Yeah, yes.

Face the fruitiness. Really different philtres Yep.

That's not bad. I have had some other current ones before. I have been a bit stronger than current, so that was quite slightly faint.

Could be careful at strong currents.

Dangerous.

I like that the sweetness is it a more natural sweetness because it's a. It is. So guess because the fruit, but again, we're back down to dark chocolate, which is going to be the way.

To go yeah, yeah.

Let's do ginger. I think I'm I'm saving my hopefully favourite one till last.

OK, so ginger Anton.

Du dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate thank you. Do you remember that turmeric from our first episode as a member of the Ginger family?

Yep, and it turmeric's the root.

System that's right, yeah, so originates from South Eastern Asia, but it spreads throughout the Indian Pacific region and was also one of the first Asian spices streets Europe and it was used by the Greeks and the Raymond's.

It's commonly used in.

Pickery both sweet and savoury and sweet. Hot spicy flavour.

Yeah, I don't mind ginger.

Thank you, thank you very much.

That's true, so I might have to have and if I don't like this.

Not really good. Sorry for anything cool with having these tiny little bits so much. Do you need? Isn't it to get the flavour but you have to have a great big bar among agencies a little bit for that.

Famous, this is so strong, so actually how I'd like to enjoy my chocolate. I love chocolate. I can make a bar last for days.

I started this. I just have a little bit favourite.

You got that tiny bit, but then it's a mild heat all the way around you, but it does warm yourself up.

That's a good description.

I don't know actually.

I think so. For that, it's probably been my favourite. Is clear something like ginger, which itself is quite as a note notables taste, but it adds a nice complexity to the whole. Yeah, just illustrates well how plain milk chocolate is made, how plain plain milk, yes.

And then if you think the Indians get into these a lot of it's.

It's not native to Europe, so imagine what cooking and food was like in the Middle Ages or before that they didn't have these spices.

Okay, so we got one left to try and she's been saving, haven't you?

It is stuffy.

Sophie yeah Toffee toffee crunchy toffee.

Have fun all right.

Hyper ticks.

Really is going to find it too sweet coz it's.

Got for you, but.

There we go. Let's see, let's see.

So toffee similar butterscotch, but it's heated to the higher crack point so it gets hotter and it's made by Carol icing sugar and butter together. So Camel Ization breaks down the sucrose, which is like the Commons should get into delusion photos and it causes a reaction that creates hundreds of new aromatic components that form new flavours.

Okay, see if it lives up. I've saved the biggest piece for you. As you said it might be your favourite, thank.

You might be.

Crunchy.

Quite such with the toffee in mind anyway.

Yeah, mine tastes quite fruity.

No, don't sweat.

I can't say it takes a toffee.

No, I don't really know.

It's almost knock it with your favourite, didn't? You? Could almost can't find any flavour in there.

Is a little bit of the crunchy texture yes, really really special that one.

Was a disappointment. Anton was it not worth keeping it to last?

Yeah, was a bit disappointing. I thought was going to be a little bit better than but never mind.

So that's all of our flavours or are different types of chocolate? Try it now.

Did you enjoy yourself in this experience?

Yes, my favourite one was probably actually the sea salt one.

Alright, well thank you very much for inviting me because this was.

Pure heaven.

Free, interesting how various today some normally by 1 bar of chocolate and finish it and buy another bird. Chocolate. So it was really.

Informative to try them next.

But I've learned a lesson and that's save chocolate for later.

Exactly, you can just enjoy it, and then I think the ingredients here from all over the world to the chocolate itself is from Central America. Most of its grown in other parts of the world are like the IP cases, the largest producer of chocolate today.

And then I made the hazelnuts their basic to Europe. But then the almonds from Iran and the ginger from Asia S all these different things coming together. So this looks like the history of sort of human expansion and kind of yeah, actually in these chocolate bars.

Is what unites humans then?

There's been a currency that cause of different cultures to to trade with each other. So yeah, it's play that in form part. I'm sure in development of Commerce and travel and.

Cultures yes, now got one last thing for you to try here and I mentioned the Ruby chocolate earlier. Oh yes, so and there's four of us and I got a Ruby Kit Kat.

No.

Looks like.

Never trust disabled give it smell.

Off

there's a saying.

Somewhere along the lines you eat with your eyes. Well, I'm not looking so hungry at the moment. It's not the best colour, is it no?

Listen to it now.

I'm trying to read the expression set. I've found this really odd.

No, I don't like that. I'm not having anymore.

I have like either.

Not gonna happen if.

I like it in the way that I don't like it just because it's odd and that kind.

Of I think I do recognise that rosbury undertone.

Lots William Vince. New chocolate. When you've got such good originals.

But then again, I don't know you help you with all the other topics. Will try this being noticed.

So variety of flavour there, so maybe there's other Ruby chocolates which are different, but it is unusual, but I thought I'd give you a new experience.

What possessed them?

Marketing money Commerce.

Well, thank you for joining us today.

Thank you for the invitation. Anytime chocolates involved some new man.

But we are actually very lucky that Granny actually came on the podcast. She didn't really didn't want to up first, and until we started begging.

You better cakes out with more chocolate bars. Actually, as a symbol of thanks and gratitude, I'd like to present the two of you with this 70% dark chocolate bar.

Thank you very.

Much you at least keep an.

Eye we will share it with you.

So you think very much.

And hope you enjoy the episodes.

Yeah, like it.

Right goodbye goodbye. Thank you very much.

Bye.