How to Know if you’re a Chocoholic

…and what to do about it.

Please note: This article will not tell you how to to give up chocolate, that’s not the point.

The “Chocoholic”, as defined by Google and the English Oxford Dictionary reads: ‘A person who is addicted to, or very fond of, chocolate’, Wikipedia goes on to state: ‘A chocoholic is a person who craves or compulsively consumes chocolate.’ Sound familiar? There is even evidence to support this theory.

Now the drugs don't work, they just make you worse. But I know you should eat chocolate instead. — Now the drugs don’t work, they just make you worse. But I know you should eat chocolate instead.

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The Science of Tasting Chocolate

Our tongue is an amazing muscular organ, capable of detecting a range of different flavours on its taste buds. Until fairly recently it was believed the tongue resembled a ‘map’ of regions that detected these different flavours in groups – salty, sweet, sour, bitter etc as presented by German scientist David P. Hanig. Recent findings show this was in fact, a miss translation. But it’s not just the tongue and its taste buds that is important when it comes to taste and flavour detection, the nose plays an equally, if not more important role. Without your sense of smell, the range of different flavours that your tongue can detect is dampened by a staggering 60%, that’s why when you are sick you can’t taste your food much.

The Map of the tongue - actually shows areas that pick up on flavours more quickly than others. — The Map of the tongue – 1. bitter, 2. sour, 3. salty, 4. sweet – actually shows areas that pick up on flavours more quickly than others.

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Join the Cocoa Revolution

Did you know chocolate grows on trees? Have you ever wondered how fruit from this magical tree gets turned into chocolate and how you can make your own delicious creations from it?

Cacao pods on a tree

Chocolate pieces

Join me this September 10th at one of London’s most exciting foodie venues, Carousel in Marylebone as I share my passion for chocolate with you. Here you can discover chocolate and learn the magic of making it yourself. Over 2.5 hours you’ll be taken on a delicious journey of the history of chocolate, its origins and processing methods, and after a quick demo be guided in making your own delectable fresh cream chocolate truffles to take home and wow your friends and family.

Tickets are going quick, so grab yours HERE and master the magic.

The workshop includes all your ingredients, equipment, everything you make (as long as you don’t eat all of it), and a two course dinner and drinks in Carousel’s award-winning restaurant!