What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than tasting chocolate, especially under the guidance of experts rated in the top twenty four chocolatiers in the world? A small group of our members was privileged to visit Dominique and Cindy Duby of Wild Sweets in Richmond where we tasted roasted cocoa beans from Mexico, Venezuela and Peru, the chocolate liquor, the effects of conching on the finished chocolate, and the four finished chocolates in the form of mini bar, textured bar and ganache classique. We also tasted hot chocolate mixed with water – the purest taste –and with whole milk, creamer and whipping cream, with the increasing butter fat and increasing richness. An incredible learning experience!

And how do you pair chocolate with wines? The Dubys presented a delicate "chocolate aire" dessert paired with a sparkling Asti (heavenly!) and specially designed "mendiants" to pair with a sauternes wine, a tawny port, an aged pinot noir and a Belgian beer, all very interesting and tasty.

Our thanks go to hosts Dominique and Cindy Duby and to Linda, to member Ruth Grierson for an excellent introduction to Wild Sweets and to Vince Tan and Milena Robertson for their fine photography. Also, to Susan Man for arranging a delicious "no-host" Chinese dinner for most of our members after the event.