European chocolate tastes different

[AliceWonderland]

I sort of knew this... but my SO just got home tonight from Bulgaria, where he was recording an opera, and I've been conducting a hell of a taste test. He came back with a pile of chocolate! We have: milk chocolate mocha, dark chocolate with cocoa flakes, almond nougat, fruit and nut, and white chocolate. Mmmm. It tastes creamier and I swear, much less sweet. The white chocolate is the most dramatic. I don't really like white chocolate, but this wasn't hypersweet at all. He got some in Bulgaria, some in Germany.

BTW, he said Bulgaria is freaking fantastic. The people are a little gruff in Sofia but very sweet, the chicken soup and sausage are amazing, the prices are cheap, the mountains are splendid, the buildings and winding streets are incredible, and the language lovely. Politically, there seem to be some ambivalent feelings about the Russians, post-East Bloc era. His Bulgarian friend hates Bush too, so they got along just fine for the whole trip. He's a little sad to come down from the high of travelling. Now I want to go myself, too!

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

1. I agree European chocolate does taste different

So much creamier !

[Kellanved]

2. hmm

French, German and Belgian chocolate is different, as those nations used to ban fats other than cacao butter in it; the EU changed the rule, but most producers haven't changed their recipes (and hopefully won't).
The East European market is mainly controlled by Cadbury/Nestle - not bad, but no match :evilgrin: .

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

3. Do you like Milka ?

Its the only one I ate while in Germany :)

[Kellanved]

4. Sometimes

Milka is very good; and the history is quite interesting: Suchard emigrated to America, but failed to sell his product there. Thus he went back to Switzerland.

However I usually stick to Rausch's 75% Tobago chocolate or Leysieffer. Not because I don't like Milka, but I rarely eat chocolate and have turned into a snob on the matter.

[AliceWonderland]

5. You know your chocolate!

You're right; the chocolate he bought in Bulgaria was actually more German chocolate -- checked the wrappers. More of the superdoubleplus creamy goodness. Long may the EU regs be flouted!

Yeesh, now I'm on a sugar high and can't sleep.

[Kellanved]

6. You didn't accidentally eat a Schokakola?

Chocolate with a hefty dose caffeine... seen frequently during exams.

[AliceWonderland]

7. Heh, no

Though I will keep that in mind the next time I need a pick-me-up. Chocolate plus extra caffeine, what a clever invention, mmm.

This is just an ol' fashioned sugar rush.

[TheMightyFavog]

9. Can you get that stateside?

Sounds like something perfect for my trivia collection!

[Kellanved]

13. I guess so

The problem in locating a source is that Schokakola was standard issue for German pilots - the militaria buffs seem to like the old tins :grr:


http://www.germandeli.com/stolchoc.html


You can order online directly, but I believe customs and shipping might make this equally expensive :
http://www.schokakola.de

Edit: stupid spellchecker :-)

[Bamboo]

8. Rock me Amadeus Mozart kugeln

Romanian wine bottle has inspired a hairstyle.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/advertising/story/0,7492,1141845,00.html

[SOteric]

10. Higher butterfat content.

Most of Europe actually has food laws, - which are taken seriously. In order to call itself chocolate in Europe it must contain specific ratios of cocoabutter/chocolate liquor (that's not alchohol, its a by-product of the cocoa bean).

Also, the U.S. uses mostly sugar from cane. Europe uses mostly sugar from sugarbeets. There is a subtle difference in the tastes even when used in fairly equivalent ways. Cane sugar has a sweeter, more plastic flavour.

I love European chocolates. :hi:

[Pithlet]

11. My stepdad brought me chocolate from Belgium.

He goes there on business frequently, and usually some back. It is heavenly; it spoils me. I can't eat Hershey's any more.

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. Yeah - BETTER

Better ingredients, better sugars, better milks... processing designed to make it taste good, as opposed to US processing, which is designed to make it last a long time on the shelf and be easier to produce.

Yum yum!

[TheMightyFavog]

14. Holy. Farking. Smeg....

http://store6.yimg.com/I/gdcom_1774_35843532

:o

Wendler is my last name....

[IrateCitizen]

15. You want amazing chocolate -- go to Switzerland

I know, it's cliche. But it is also absolutely true.

When my wife and I were in Interlaken and Zurich for a total of less than a week between them this summer, I think we each put on about 5 pounds. We must have eaten AT LEAST one Lindt's bar each, every day.

Seriously, just thinking about it right now, I'm almost drooling on my keyboard!

[Love Bug]

16. Are the Lindts bars you get here the same?

I love Lindt chocolate but I wonder-- is it the same stuff?

[BonjourUSA]

17. I wouldn't like to break your enthusiasm for Lindts but...

It's just a good industrial product (thousands of tons per year) absolutely not representative of the Swiss chocolate or of anywhere else in Europe.

A good chocolate must be made with 90 or 95% of cocoa and there are many differences between the countries where this cocoa comes from. (like the wine).

Two years ago, the EU authorized the chocolate production to use only 50% of cocoa (the rest is made of vegetal oil). Excepted in GB, the sales fell down in the supermarkets and now the cocoa level for the industrial products is never below 75%

[AliceWonderland]

18. Having done some more taste testing today...

I can say that the French chocolate *rocks*.