by Ernest Capraro

Created on: December 08, 2007   Last Updated: December 02, 2010

Everyone has unique taste buds, so there is a caveat to this article - it cannot help but be subjective in part. I'm delighted to share my chocolate knowledge and experience though, it's almost as much fun as sharing the actual chocolate.

The first thing that the American chocolate consumer should be aware of is that European chocolates commonly differ from ours in three important ways:

European chocolates usually have a higher cocoa content, giving them a stronger flavor that the unsuspecting American will sometimes find to be somewhat bitter. That flavor is seductive, however, and grows on you. Americans who already enjoy dark chocolate will appreciate the flavor difference immediately.

European chocolates are smoother than American chocolates. America is a fast-paced nation, and our chocolates reflect that trait. Europeans are more patient and spend more time blending their chocolates, giving them a smoother texture. They will also often have a higher content of cocoa butter, also contributing to their creaminess.

European chocolates usually aren't as sweet as American chocolates. Europeans don't tend to saturate their diet with corn syrup sweetened foods the way we do, and don't need everything to be artificially sweetened. This also contributes to the slight bitterness that Americans may perceive when eating European chocolates. There's less sugar covering up the actual flavor of the chocolate. (Pure cocoa is bitter.) Between the higher cocoa content and the lessened sugar content, one could generalize and say that European chocolate is healthier than American chocolate. (Chocolate even has health benefits too...you can read some at http://www.momscape.com/articles/chocolate.htm if you like.)

When you're out to buy some delectable European chocolates, try to keep a few things in mind:

Price does not indicate quality. Price is usually a reflection of brand name recognition, mark-up fees by middle men who do the actual importing and distribution, and a store's willingness to take advantage of consumer ignorance. In general, the "European chocolate" you find at the grocery store is over-priced and of unimpressive quality. Read labels carefully, for often it will only be "European style" and not even an actual import. Worse, if it's a well-known brand here in America, it means that the company has spent years marketing specifically to American tastes - meaning less cocoa and more sugar, making it an Americanized product rather than truly European. In short,

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