Art and Chocolate ~ A walk in the city

This post was inspired by a walk this weekend in Calgary.  I came across a mural with faces and hands, and looking up at it I realized it was the many stages of enjoying any food.  So here are my thoughts on enjoying chocolate, with matching photos of the mural with art by Adam Zhu.

First you see the chocolate.  You look at the packaging.  Notice its bright colours, its subtle tones.  Read the details you see there.  Check out the percentage.  Decide if it excites you and you want to dive in.  After looking at it you decide that yes, you do want a piece of this chocolate bar today, so you go even further and open it up.  Maybe it’s wrapped in foil, and you still haven’t had a glimpse of it.  Maybe it’s in a clear compostable wrap that lets you see its beauty.  You unwrap it, still looking with your eyes.  Noticing the intricacies or simplicity of the design on the bar.  Your eyes soaking it all in.

The smell.  Oh, how delightful.  You smile as the scent of the chocolate reaches your nose.  You close your eyes and can smell it even better now.  Maybe you can pick out more than one scent.  You hold it closer to your nose and inhale, your mouth begins to water.

You can’t help but touch it, and with intention, you break it.  It’s then you hear the snap, or lack of.  A sharp sound as the bar breaks in two.  The smell may become even stronger now as you expose whatever is inside.  Maybe it’s a solid chocolate bar.  Maybe there is a filling that is oozing out, your eyes noting its texture as you nose smells yet another scent.

It’s time.  You lift the piece of chocolate to your mouth and pop it onto your tongue.  Maybe you chew it and revel in the bursts of flavour in your mouth.  Maybe you let it sit on your tongue and slowly melt, savouring the different flavours and textures within this one tiny bite.

Enjoy.

There is no right or wrong way to enjoy or eat chocolate.  Do what feels right.  Chomp on the bar sometimes, let it melt others.  Eat a whole bar, or just one piece.  Just enjoy the chocolate, the sight, smell, feel, sound, and taste of it.

Happy chocolate eating.