Chocolate is a very curious food stuff. Not only does it taste great, have a master-key to the brain’s pleasure center, and have various health benefits (all in moderation of course), but it is a universal food, meaning that it goes well with a wide variety of other foods. Short of perhaps salt, chocolate may very well hold the record for the most combinations. Some of the most popular include chocolate+
- Milk – eg chocolate-milk
- Ice-cream – eg chocolate ice-cream
- Butter – eg chocolate+butter is used in many baked goods like muffins, cakes, etc.
- Coffee – eg mocha coffee
- Toast – eg chocolate spreads
- Strawberry – eg chocolate-covered strawberries, eg Valentine’s Day
- Banana – eg chocolate-dipped bananas
- Orange – eg Terry’s chocolate-orange
- Raisins – eg Glosettes
- Nuts – eg chocolate-covered almonds
- Peanut-butter – eg Reese’s peanut-butter cups
- Coconut – eg Bounty chocolate bars
- Chili Peppers – eg Mexican mole sauce for chicken
Obviously it doesn’t go with everything (chocolate doesn’t go particularly well with grapes, tomatoes, or potatoes, nor is it ideal with eggs or even apples), but it goes with many things. If you are a “gastronaut” or an experimental chef, then try chocolate in different ways to find new and exciting culinary experiences.