La Roche-Posay, France

We took the morning off from cooking and drove to Tours for market day. The Tours market is a showcase of local products (this area is known as the breadbasket of France) and the bounty of the rest of the country as well. The fresh vegetables, cheeses and meats are second to none.

The afternoon was spent learning the fundamentals of chocolate including tempering, molding, ganache, mousse and stenciling. Taste testing different varieties illustrated the remarkable differences that the location of growth, preparation and concentration have on the taste and impact of chocolate.