蔡老師の賞味特區

巧克力與咖啡的搭配好像比茶來得適切，因為兩者有濃烈的性格，

但我必須要說，對於茶與巧克力的組合，若不是透過我們的講師Michael Olsen我想或許我都不太會把茶與巧克力聯想在一起！

It seems chocolate and coffee together are making more sense, but I have to say surprisingly, if it's not for this paring session, I might alway have hard time thinking the tea and chocolates can match so well together! 

到了終場下半，是該輪到咖啡上場了！

第一杯咖啡是Rouge Blend Expresso，搭配的巧克力是Boheme.

我其實不是太喜歡牛奶巧克力，因為糖度較高，我喜歡不是太甜的甜點，我想很多台灣人都是，哈！

這杯義式濃縮咖啡味道直接明瞭，很香，不但不苦而且有種淡淡的水果韻，含一小塊Boheme牛奶巧克力在口中，兩者互相調和，非常協調！

With second half of the session, finally it's when chocolates meet coffee.

The Rouge Blend Espresso is very strait-forward, no bitterness and has strong aroma than flavor,

With 41% Milk Chocolate Boheme, the espresso tones down the sweetness of the chocolate, and came out with great balance.

坐在我右邊的一對夫婦是住在附近的居民，就像我說的住在東上城的紐約客，他們總是溫文儒雅、很有禮貌、比較保守，也很厚雅(台語)，哈！

老先生說La Maison Du Chocolat的熱可可是最棒的！哇～我聽起來就覺得很嚮往，但又怕發胖的我，總是壓抑自己的慾望！

尤其當你進入"吃"這個行業，怎麼能夠不發胖呢？

我知道一個瘦瘦的糕點師父是非常沒有說服力的，人家都會想"她做的東西一定不好吃～"

啊～～ 我其真的需要很壓抑自己對吃、對甜食的慾望，

不過我也不是沒胖過，我真的覺得瘦一點比較舒服、比較輕鬆！

These are the couple sitting on my right side, they are the Upper East Siders, living in the neighborhood.

According to the gentleman, La Maison Du Chocolat makes amazing hot chocolate, which I must try and put my figure behind!

It's really a struggle to stay in and keep a good figure when you are in food business, 

it's almost not convincing when you are thin and make food at the same time,

people get suspicious by looking at you thinking "food she makes must not be good, otherwise how can she stay thin?"

I know, it's hard!  But I do feel better both physically and emotionally if I am thiner rather than being chubby.

哇～我真的很小一隻！坐著都不覺得，常常站起來以後才知道自己的渺小，嗚嗚～

這是我們的講師Michael Olsen, 他同時也是La Maison Du Chocolat 在麥德遜大道上旗艦店的店經理。

真的好開心能夠來學習及品嚐巧克力、茶葉與咖啡之間的關係

This is our teacher for the chocolate paring session, Mr. Michael Olsen, he is also the store manager for La Maison Du Chocolat on Madison Avenue.

Great thanks to my dear friend Alan, knowing me for 20 years and know my great weakness for chocolates, sending me to this wonderful chocolate paring session as a gift, let me learn and enjoy a great deal of this 3 hours up on the Madison.  It certainly is one of the best high lights for my trip to New York this year.  Thank you Alan, I'm certainly grateful!!