Chocolate and Wine 101

Valentine's day need not be the only time you can celebrate with chocolate and wine...and thank goodness! After the Wine and Chocolate class I just experienced hosted by Taste of Chocolate at the College Club of Boston, I can easily see both fitting quite nicely into my daily diet.

This class, An Evening of Chocolate and Wine, is one of many such chocolate inspired evenings offered by the Boston Chocolate School.  This particular one is offered twice a month.

The set up is simple and elegant, easy going and informative...all good things!  Although the College Club of Boston is a fancy accomodation spot, (I got a sneak peak of one of their suites) the class is held in the dining room, which has a distinct homey feel.

You enter and each place is set up with an array of different wines and six different pieces of chocolate. (and a few take home chocolate treats as well!)

Once seated, you will be guided through a brief history of wine and chocolate by the wine expert and pastry chef respectively.  I learnt some fascinating fun facts as well as the proper etiquette when it comes to wine tasting...most notably the 5 Cs...see, swirl, smell, sip and savor.

Each wine is paired with an El Rey chocolate square, (excluding the white chocolate which was lindtt).  For instance the white chocolate was paired with a Muscato di Asti from Italy and the Apamate (73.5%) was paired with a robust Port.  I was surprised at how well the wines complemented their chocolate, some paired through sweetness while others were on a battlegroud for boldness. It was quite an exhilirating experience!

I really loved the casual feel of the class, it's perfect for a fun, informative activity and you are encouraged to participate and ask questions, which I seemed to be doing a lot of...not to mention you come out high spirited and full of antioxidants!

For more information, check out their website:

http://tasteofchocolate.com/

They have a lot to offer!