Exploring the Variety and Science of Chocolate

 A video explains how the taste of chocolate can vary wildly according to a dizzying array of factors.

Having watched this video, I tried my own investigation.

The woman recommends Nicaraguan, so I tried that first. The first bar's "flavor profile" reads thusly:

Argencove - "Cocibolca" Nicaragua 70% Dark Chocolate - Smooth texture, flavor notes of cardamom, Turkish coffee, cherry, and brown sugar with a mild tobacco finish.

Now, for some reason, when I read that description as well as the descriptions depicted in the video, I was kind of ignoring them. I was hearing what they were saying but not really listening. I suppose the years of watching wine connoisseurs saying that a wine has "hints of almond and orange peels," I've become numb to it, thinking it's just hot air. But no, that description of having a "mild tobacco finish" is absolutely true, it really does taste like tobacco... and it's disgusting.

The second and third bars:

"Delicate citrus character, not too bitter, well-balance dark chocolate with a smooth and creamy melt."

"Ripe fruits, raisin and cranberry, with a peppery body and blackberry finish."

And they're accurate. The video is 100% accurate that the flavor of chocolate can and does vary wildly. And, again, the thing is, I don't like it. Maybe I'm a simpleton, maybe I'm the dumb American but the "corporation chocolate" that made chocolate standardized and homogenized tastes better to me than the boutique chocolate.

But there is another aspect of the video to explore. Though the host recommends Nicaragua, the general consensus of the people in the video is that the star of chocolate is the Philippines. So it's time for Phillipino chocolate...

Puchero 75% Philippines Nibs "Paquibato" Dark Chocolate Bar - Tasting notes: Lightly roasted nuts, ripe banana.

More attempts may be on the way but I think I know how this is going to go... The video is accurate: the flavor does vary from your standard chocolate and it is an improvement on Nicaragua. But still, it's different but not better, "normal" "boring" chocolate tastes much better to me.

The research is ongoing but two more data points.

Coming back to the "corporate, boring" chocolate world, I have heard some say that the best chocolate is Swiss chocolate and some have said Belgian is the best, so I'll try some of those some time if I can. And if you want to know my ideal, the best chocolate in my opinion is still French - Truffles by Mathez. Fantastic.

Late Show - Barbara Gaines Favorite Moments (2)

 

Barbara "Box of Parts" Gaines.

One Week of Paul Blart

 

I have never seen "Paul Blart Mall Cop" and no nearly nothing about it. Have I made a mistake? Further, is it so good as to warrant 7 viewings? We shall see.

The First Plinko and Etc.

In a previous post, "Various TV Series Online," I spread the good news that the entire "Joy of Painting" series with Bob Ross was on Amazon. I thought that this was so singular and special it never occurred to me to check my assumptions. It turns out that the entire series is also on youtube and has been for a few years without me knowing.

They also have new shows (different painter), a podcast (not sure what it is and how that makes sense)  and are currently doing a Memorial Day Marathon, which you can be just in time for.

In that same previous post I speculated about the future of "The Price is Right" coming to streaming. I should have also checked those assumptions - I think I was looking at Amazon at the time - because there is an official "The Price is Right - The Barker Era" youtube channel. The only hitch is that it's a highlights channel and not full episodes.

So with that in mind, here is the first ever game of Plinko:

I may be wrong but it seems like an excessive amount of explanation for such a simple premise. And it really feels like Bob's trying to sell it, like it's a failing game that needs help.

This Is My Milwaukee

 

A marketing video inviting you to visit Milwaukee.

Actually it's pronounced "Mil-ee-wawk-ay" which is Algonquin for "the good land."

The Joys of the Middling 90s Song

Psychological studies have indicated (or suggested) that you can change a memory merely by accessing it. It is possible that my current memory of being 6 years old, for instance, is not just my exeperience of that time but my experience plus my remembering it when I was 10, plus my remembering it when I was 20, 30, etc.

One of the best ways to become nostalgic for a place or time is to listen to the music that corresponds to it, but the above suggests that ironically you don't remember the 80s (for instance) best by the big 80s hits because you've been hearing those hits ever since. What you would ideally want is a great song that was everywhere at that time but that hasn't made it into constant hit rotation (by you, the radio, or anywhere else). It's a tall order. I can't think of any.

But failing that, the next best thing is a moderate hit or a song that was never a hit, that was very much of its time but you haven't heard even a single time since then.

The above music video is very enjoyable and I suppose it's because it somewhat fits the criteria. It's also just an earworm. On its face, it's a simple song, perhaps even a braindead simple song. But what I like about it is that it's very slyly constantly changing all the time - new elements are introduced, new instruments, additional melodies. Not that being braindead simple is necessarily a bad thing anyway, that's one of the distinguishing features of the 90s.

I expect the young people in Current Year, will react completely differently to the lyrics. Back when the song was released, a phone was just for phone calls.

Oh, and one more thing, if you're like me and you're wondering what happened to the "I miss the rising action... but it rocks" part, you're thinking of this. Very tricky.