Conclusion

MANILA, Philippines?After the tour, I realized that producing a single, delicious chocolate bar is truly an art. Depending on the region where the cacao is grown, chocolate can have fruity, berry-like tastes that would complement a classic glass of red wine, or it can have a citrus-y tangerine/orangey taste with a zing.

After the tour, we ended up in the quaint gift shop, which sold Scharffen Berger goodies, recipe books, chocolate flavored Chap Stick, and chosen brands of premium chocolate. I particularly enjoy the Dagoba brand. They produce 100-percent organic chocolates some flavored with distinct, unusual herbs such as lavender, chili and sage.

Quick chocolatey facts

Did you know that:

Dark chocolate is good for the heart.
It?s not the caffeine that perks people up when they munch on these yummy treats, it?s the theobromine.
Theobromine is poisonous to cats and dogs as it overstimulates their immune system.
Cacao beans were used as currency in the ancient Mayan and Azten civilizations.
The word chocolate comes from the Aztec word cacahuatl or xocolatl. This means bitter water.

You can make many different delicious recipes with chocolate, but my favorites are the ol? plain and simple chocolate chip cookies. I found this great recipe for ?the best? chocolate chip cookies on the Scharffen Berger website. You can find more recipes there.

Chocolate chip cookies
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
12 tbsp (1? sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
? c granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1? c semisweet chocolate chunks (approximately 8 ounces)
? c coarsely chopped toasted nuts (your favorite), optional

Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350?F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until well blended, about two minutes; scrape down the bowl.

Beat the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture and blend well; scrape the bowl again. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until just mixed; scrape down the bowl. Add the chocolate and optional nuts and mix until incorporated into the dough.

Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about two inches apart. Bake, switching the position of the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown but the centers seem slightly underdone, about 13 minutes. Do not overbake or the cookies will be crisp throughout instead of chewy. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely. The cookies will crinkle as they cool. (Store at room temperature in airtight containers for up to one week.)

Visit www.scharffenberger.com, www.scharffenberger.com/allrecipes.asp, www.dagobachocolate.com

E-mail the author at serenaswam@mac.com