Wednesday, December 12, 2007

MMMM. GOURMET CHOCOLATE..


I just heard the most wonderful thing on NPR's Diane Rehm Show this morning. Ms. Rehm, who recently featured an hour of Paula Deen (isn't she popping up all over the place these days? Seriously), had the perfect guest for this or any season: Clay Gordon. You may have no clue who this guy is, and before 11:00 today, neither did I. He's the author of the book Discover Chocolate, which I will be going out to buy at some point in the near future. He spent all hour talking about, as stated on Rehm's website, "the intricacies of buying, storing, tasting, judging and, most of all, savoring the world's most heavenly chocolates."

And he's not just talking about Belgium and Switzerland. A true chocolate gourmand, he waxed over the subtleties of flavor in chocolate from Mexico, Peru, Cote d'Ivoire and Papua New Guinea, not to mention Belgium and France. And here's something one caller got him excited about: chocolate and
beer pairings! We hear so much about chocolate and wine pairings, and he's a big avocate of that, too. But he mentioned that some beers can complement chocolate even better, as they aren't overpowered by it the way most wines are.

Did I also mention that the New York-based author runs the Chocophile website and sells chocolate on it?

Listen to the entire hour's worth of choclate-ness here (scroll down to "Clay Gordon" and choose either one of the audio options - either RealAudio or Windows Media File).

5 comments:

Summer said...

I agree with the chocolate and beer... that's what Belgium is FOR. I had so much fun picking out a huge box of chocolates, piece by piece, and then doing the same with my beer at dinner. Ahh... the memories...

John said...

Especially with a good stout. I can picture it now - lounging onmy couch over the Christmas holiday eating Belgian, no, Swiss chocolates and Guinness, or a good chocolate stout.

Anonymous said...

Baltimore Food Bloggers:



I just had an opportunity present itself that can be a win-win all the way around.



On Saturday, February 23 at the Tremont Grand will be Great Taste – a foodie & wine forum with celebrity chefs, food, wine, seminars etc. I have spoken with the Moorea Marketing and told him a panel of Baltimore’s food bloggers would make for an interesting seminar. It gives you the blogger more exposure, you get to go to the event for free (eat and drink). Moorea is keen on the idea and will do it if those who choose to be on the panel write about the upcoming show (pre-show)-spread the foodie word, some gorilla marketing. Being the foodie that I am I will enjoy helping promote a successful food and wine show here in town.



Last year I helped out with the “culinary” talent (Sara Moulton) and did her food styling and was on stage with her. I will moderate or coordinate the blogger panel…we can come up with an outline. This year I'm doing my own cooking demo and coordinating food prep for the culinary "talent".



Please feel free to call me to discuss this or email.



Dara Bunjon (aka Dining Dish)

410 486 0339

roopa said...

I'm a huge fan of beer pairings - cheese and beer, chocolate and beer, too. Now I want some Chimay cheese and Chimay beer, the best combination ever!

John said...

Roopa: I hadn't even considered cheese and beer. And my wine snob friends would just roll their eyes at me. I'LL TRY IT!

DD: Hmmm... That actually sounds very intriguing. I've been sort of a curmudgeon about these sorts of things but I think I may be interested in that.