One might want to think about the fact that chocolate triggers dopamine release in the brain. I suspect that eating a lot of 100% solids could have a mildly consciousness-altering effect. One might draw parallels with the various other civilisations that got their warriors all ****ed up on drugs before sending them out to fight...
A Brit-blogger spoke with a U.K. chocolatier and found a few things which should inform you, the consumer, about the quality of the chocolate you buy to enjoy. Apologies for his naming UK and European chocolate companies, but, well, that's what he's used to.
Now, one key element, the nature of the bean (premium Criollo, hybrid Trinitatio, or Forastero waaay down there at the bottom) is something which we probably will never get the USDA to require we be told. Right now, we're not told whether coffee comes from Arabica or Robusta beans, and coffee does not have the tie-in to the enormously influential sugar industry which chocolate does. But, if ever you see any of those words on a chocolate advertisement or label, please write back to Clackablog (e-mail address at top of the blog web page) & let me know.
However, if you see the words 'acid' or 'cacao solids' you're getting factory chocolate. The more different oils and fats you see on a label other than the original cacao butter, the more it's been adulturated.
I'll ask Mrs Clackablog, the chemist, to give this a once-over, and help with more label-reading tips.
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