Chocolates! Yes, with an exclamation mark. Well, chocolates are something which can be considered heavenly. The mere name of the word stimulates you and excites your taste buds. You instantly get the visual of your favorite chocolates, the distinct aroma and the melting effect they have as soon as they are placed on your tongue and you are lost in your own little world full of chocolates. As a child, everybody has their fantasies and the most common ones were to wish that the entire world would turn into chocolates. Even today whenever I see those chocolate fountains in the shops, it immediately brings back the memories of the childhood fantasies. Such powerful is the aura of these that one can immediately relate himself with them.
Although, children have always loved chocolates their mothers have been equally worried about their child eating them owing to its negative effects since it is high on the fat contents but surprisingly enough its positive effects on health have also been proved. Delving into the scientific aspects, extensive research in the field have shown that chocolate has positive effects like reducing the stress levels, anti aging and is widely lauded for its antioxidant properties. In fact, scientists at Harvard Medical School have suggested that drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day may help keep the brain healthy and prevent memory decline since according to their study hot chocolate can help preserve blood flow in working areas of the brain. According to one of the researches published in BMJ (British Medical Journal) consuming chocolate could help lower the risk of developing heart disease by one third. Further, as per the study carried out by a group of Canadian scientists they found that people eating chocolate were 22 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who didn’t. So, all the mommies out there, chocolates are not that bad for your child but yes of course, not in excess.
Since chocolates are so popular among every age groups, there are a wide varieties of it available in the market in order to suit according to the variegated taste palettes of the people. There are dark chocolate variants available while sweeter versions like milk chocolates for the ones not accustomed to the strong tastes. These variants differ according to the countries as well. Say for instance Kit Kat has a banana flavored variant in Japan which is not available in India. So this was only just a small example. Let us introduce to various other unusual flavors of chocolates that you should definitely try at least once in your lifetime. Even if you are not a chocolate lover, you should still do it because may be the variant in the chocolate excites your taste buds too. So watch out for these especially all the chocoholics out there!
7. DOGOBA CHAI CHOCOLATE
Yes, you read that correct- the ‘chai’ chocolate. For all the non Hindi natives, chai is a Hindi word for tea. So this chocolate is an amalgamation of tea spices, crystallized ginger and milk chocolate, so I am guessing it would taste more like the very famous Indian ginger tea. The actual taste would obviously be revealed on trying a bar. Apart from being novelty and hence a must flavor to try, it can actually be a very good and new option for all the addictive tea drinkers. Since it is gluten-free, so you can have them guilt free and it is economical too. A bar of 2oz.(56gm) would cost you around 4$. For all those who are thinking of getting it and wondering from where you can get them, they are readily available online in the official website of Dogoba and about the chocolate a perfect fusion of the east and the west, so should taste best too.
6. PIG’S BLOOD CHOCOLATE
As grisly as its name might sound, it is actually an interesting flavor of chocolate to try. Not surprisingly enough, this is one the most unpopular of Chef David Briggs’s chocolate flavor and hence is only available during Halloween and Valentine’s day and that too only 100 of them and is sold only at Meat Cheese Bread in Portland during the stated occasions, or through special order online This savory is made with cinnamon, smoked Spanish paprika, and blood, then enrobed in Felchlin which is 72 percent Ecuadoran chocolate and dusted with more paprika. This can actually be an option for the sausage lovers out there while I can understand some of you might have repulsion just by reading the name.
5. CAMEL’S MILK CHOCOLATE
As the name suggests, the chocolate is made up of Camel’s milk and it was founded by Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and the company Al Nassma is the first and the only company to make chocolate out of Camel’s milk. Owing to its value, camel’s milk is considered to be liquid gold. Camel’s milk has half of the fat contents as present in Cow’s milk and about three times more Vitamin C as compared to cow’s milk but the only problem is that camel yields milk in scarce quantities. The chocolate is available in the form of bars and also in interesting hollow shapes of camels with various variants other than the basic one. It is readily available and can be quite costly. A bar of 70g would cost around 12$ but it is worth trying at least once and who knows it turns out to be your new favorite chocolate.
4. KIT KAT GOUDA CHEESE CHOCOLATE
Cheese in chocolate- Well, this unique combination is one of the variants of the much coveted Kit Kat chocolate bar. Talking about the contents, the striking one is the European cheese, which contains 58 percent Gouda by weight hence giving it a smoky, salty, and sour taste. Placing one of the pieces in your mouth, the immediate flavor would be sweet and milky owing to its milk chocolate base and then within few seconds you would get that smoky, salty taste of the cheese and then it lingers on for a while until a tinge of sweetness is added by the wafer when it is crunched upon. According to one of reviewers, the taste is not as exciting as both of the major ingredients taste separately but all in all, it is palatable and would provide your taste buds a unique experience. It is readily available online.
3. VOSGES MO’S DARK CHOCOLATE BACON BAR
I don’t know about you all but the name did sound exciting to me. Chocolate and bacon in one bar would be something that I personally would love to try and it seems most of the people concur with me owing to its popularity. The contents include Hickory smoked bacon, Alderwood smoked salt and 62% dark chocolate. To add cheery to the cake, it is gluten-free too! What more can one ask for? Although it is in the categories of the exotic chocolates but still is affordable with 3oz.(84g) costing around 7$. Since this flavor was so popular, the company came up with the milk chocolate version of the flavor so that the people who don’t like dark chocolates could also get a hang of it. They are available online too. So, how many of you are gonna try them!
2. HAVANA TOBACCO CHOCOLATE
It is more of a truffle and is made with cigar leaves marinated in rum and cognac. As soon as you take one down your throat it gives a peppery feeling leaving the stimulating sensation of smoking a cigar. While it is readily available in countries like Germany, Bruges etc. it is illegal to get these chocolates in some countries including the U.S. So for all of you, all who want to know the feeling of smoking a cigar without actually smoking one, get this ASAP!
1. SHIITAKE MUSHROOM CHOCOLATE
Shiitake mushrooms are commonly used type of mushrooms in Asian cuisines and combining them with the chocolates give a unique taste. The contents include 65% Peruvian chocolate and the savory shiitake mushroom. The earthiness of the chocolate combined with the dried shiitakes that are steeped with cream give a mild, fragrant ganache. The chunks of mushrooms in between add a pleasantly chewy texture and leads to a deeply satisfying taste experience for your taste buds.