Hypotheses about economic complements may not seem cause for a fight, but I have encountered what I can only call schools of thought:
1. Wine
2. Spirits
3. Strawberries
4. A pinch of red chili powder
5. A quick swig of mineral water immediately afterwards
I advocate #4 and #5 only. Strawberries are too rich and too strong in flavor, if it be a fruit I nominate a few bites of a pluot or a few grapes for succulence, both in advance of the chocolate only.
You will find meditations on this topic, and others, in Clay Gordon’s inspiring Discover Chocolate: The Ultimate Guide to Buying, Tasting, and Enjoying Fine Chocolate.
Readers, will you either vote or amend this list?
At a wine tasting last weekend, the Linganore vinter’s rep paired one of the selections with chocolate. I was surprised, but first ate the chocolate, then tasted the wine, and it was good! Surprised again.
What about a little bit of orange skin inside the chocolate?
Scotch + chocolate is great. There’s a local store here in Seattle that sells mini chocolates with salt on them which go really well together.
A slice of pear, immediately after.
mandarin?
Another Vote for Oranges/Orange Juice
Though chilli is surprisingly good too
Depends on the chocolate. With something rich and crude like Domori Chateau Porcelana (no vanilla, no cocoa butter), a drink of mineral water 2/3 minutes after finishing is about right. For a refined, smoother bar like Amedei Porcelana a nice cup of fresh roasted coffee about 5 minutes after finishing works for me. Why is it that the Italians make the best chocolate? Save your scotch for chasing down the haggis next christmas dinner!!
Espresso, yes.
Raspberries! The essential fruit for chocolate. More tart and less rich than strawberries, so they accentuate the chocolate richness better.
Grand Marnier works very well in small sips. Chambord would probably also work.
Some dessert wines. I’ve had good luck with Tokaji Aszu and Sauternes. Ports (especially the so-called “chocolate ports”) usually do not work.
If you want a spice: ground cardamom.
The only fruit whose flavor doesn’t clash with chocolate’s flavor (IMHO) is the banana. A banana can sweeten the aftertaste with sugar, while the starch will make the next bite’s flavor smoother.
I also love chocolate with a good cup of french press coffee–something mild and a little sweet, like a light-roast Costa Rica pacamara.
As far as alcohol goes, I find that a good hopsy pale ale can complement the bitterness of chocolate nicely, and the carbonation of the beer can enhance the aroma of chocolate as well.
I need to go eat chocolate now.
I advocate a sparkling water. I also advocate an espresso. Actually all three in concert are a delight.
Wine good. A mellow red works best.
Nearly any berry goes well with good chocolate.
A dove mini dark chocolate with a smear of peanut butter and some milk is great comfort food.
Come to think of it, is there anything that doesn’t pair with dark chocolate?
A nice port, and a hard cheese like a parmigiano regianno. The combination of sweet and savory works extremely well in my opinion.
In my opinion, the chocolate will overwhelm a vintage port, but a good tawny port is a really wonderful pairing with a rich dark chocolate.
A cup of good East African coffee, dark-roasted, pairs well with just about any chocolate.
I’m also a fan of candied ginger — the sweetness and the bite pair nicely with it.
If you’re interested in food pairings in general, Martin Lersch over at Khymos.org has been very interested in the subject, and recently posted about pairing chocolate and meat!
I’m far too low-brow to eat “fine” chocolate and drink mineral water.
A chunk of Hershey’s and then a sip of home-roasted coffee, which right now means a mixture of India monsooned malabar, and Colombian narino, brought to a vienna roast about 3 or 4 days ago.
I’ve never chased chocolate with chili, but I eat quite a bit of salsa and have found that eating either or close together (while not close enough to be considered pairing them) has posed no problems whatsoever.
Old brown rum (7 years and up), brandy or jerez, without any ice of course.
Brother workers! Today you are oppressed and have nowhere to live but shacks and nothing to eat but bread and water while those who live off the sweat of your labor live in mansions and eat strawberries and cream. But come the Revolution you too will live in mansions. Come the Revolution you too will eat strawberries and cream.
But I don’t like strawberries and cream!
Come the Revolution you’ll eat strawberries and cream!
It really depends on the origin of the chocolate, which will affect the flavor, and thereby what pairs well with it. Scotch would go well with a Javanese chocolate, which would likely have a smoky hint to it, African chocolates are usually quite fruity and would go well with something similarly fruity-a pinot noir, possibly. Oranges are good because of the acidity, chili is nice, although the best chili-chocolate combo I’ve had included some cinnamon. Coffee works very well also.
Raspberries. Or ice wine. Both of which are too sweet really by themselves.
Orange peel.
Key lime. (Yes, I am from Florida.)
Hazel nuts or almonds.
Green tea and shortbread cookies.
Dried mango — with the chocolate melted over it.
My favorite combinations are with berries and citrus, though I’ll enjoy it with just about any fruit.
Don’t forget oatmeal. Once a Dagoba organic chocolate bar with nibs melted in its wrapper as I was hiking so I smeared it on an oatmeal cookie. Nice to be reminded of the simple things in life.
Okay, there are a lot of good nuts that would go well, but am I the only one thinking mint?
If you need to pair dark chocolate with anything, your dark chocolate isn’t good enough. I suggest Dolfin. I have yet to find a 70% or even 85% chocolate as delicious, tho the commonly-available Lindt 70% dark chocolate has the best price/performance of any dark chocolate, hands down. (It costs about half what the Dolfin does). And no. Do not pair it with anything.
Michael G is right – Belgian beer. Of the ones readily available where I live, Leffe Brun does a good job.
Overall, any beverage or spirit that you pair with chocolate (other than water) will change it’s taste a little bit – ideally, the pairing enhances the flavor of both the chocolate and whatever you pair it with, or otherwise the two interact in an interesting way.
Beer makes a really interesting pairing with dark chocolate. Lambics and Belgian-style beers can work extremely well, as can dark beers such as porters and stouts.
Personally, my favorite wines to pair with dark chocolate usually fall somewhere in the world of really big Zinfandels.
I personally like a very good Argentinian Malbec in pairing with a rich Dark Chocolate.
In order:
1. More dark chocolate.
2. Port.
3. Good coffee.
4. Good white chocolate from the same maker. (I’ve only tried this with Lindt.)
Tsk tsk. All of you recommending alcoholic beverages should keep in mind that while he does not
support prohibition, Tyler is for most Americans giving up drinking alcoholic beverages entirely,
if voluntarily. So, think about those nice chilis, if not the funny mushrooms, or maybe some good
coffee, if that is approved by the master, along with the mineral water.
And, yes, all this does depend on the chocolate…
I do 2 bong hits before good chocolate, or other highly flavored food, just enough to arouse the senses.
Female lips
Raspberries and different variations of chocolate, especially dark.
All mixed together in a bucket.
And perhaps a wafer thin mint.
Not necessarily in order:
Port
More Dark Chocolate
Chartreuse
Expresso
Sex
IMO, this is the best post I’ve read here. My vote is for coffee, and then milk, just because that’s all I’ve really tried. Now I have a fun project for the weekend – print out these comments and get tasting! Can’t wait to try the popular chili option…
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