SUSUMU KOYAMA’S CHOCOLOGY 2018 What A Aonderful World – Capturing the Transience of a Finite Life –
For example, if you turn over a stone, you will find a whole world that you would not normally see spreading before you. Or consider a strawberry. The main part is the fruit, and we rarely look at the stem, or leaves at the root. Also, the aroma is transient, in that it can only be experienced in a moment during the growth process. However, in the places where we do not look, there are truly wondrous and interesting things in the world, which we do not notice. This realization leads us into a world which is wider and deeper than we previously thought, and we feel the sentiment behind “What a Wonderful World”.
If we use our five senses, we can discover a whole range of interesting things deep within that which we usually see. I encountered the aroma of cassis buds on a farm in the Burgundy region of France. This aroma overflows with growth energy and is one that I had never encountered before. I captured my impression in chocolate.
I aim to bring this wonderful world, which is all around us, to people around the globe through sweets.
No.1 Aroma of Wild Chrysanthemum (Flower & Leaf)
The sweetness of the chrysanthemum flower, which has a passionfruit- and apricot-like aroma, and the bitterness and sweetness of the leaves spread in a three-dimensional manner. The flower and leaf are combined with chocolat au lait, made from the brilliant and fruity tasting cacao of Chanchamayo, Peru, and divided into two layers. The flower grows wild on a mountain in Taiwan with an altitude of over 1,100m. It is picked three days after blooming, in the moment when the color and aroma are at their best.
No.2 Aka-Jiso Praline
A combination of Wakayama Prefecture’s Aka-Jiso, which has a refreshing and expansive aroma, and our own make of praline, created from hazelnut with a well-rounded aroma and taste, and produced in Piedmont. A powerful deep taste emerges from the calming Aka-Jiso, which gives the rich praline a flower-like aroma, and produces an elegant finish. The refined Japanese taste, created by the flavor of Aka-Jiso, leads on to the third chocolate.
No.3 Cassis Bud – with a hint of Romanee Conti Fine de Bourgogne –
The aroma of cassis buds is enhanced by two kinds of Peruvian cacao, and they are combined in the bottom layer in a cassis ganache. The bottom consists of chocolat noir, made from cacao produced in Madagascar and Piura, Peru, which enhances the berry flavor. It is combined with Romanee Conti Fine de Bourgogne to create an intricate and deep aroma and taste. The chocolate is an expression of the delight felt when encountering cassis buds at a restaurant and farm in Burgundy.
No.4 Oaxaca – Duet of aroma and invigoration –
The main characteristic of Mexican Chile pasilla de Oaxaca is its smoky flavor. This is combined with cacao from Peru to create a ripe, fruity sweetness followed by a pleasant, invigorating sharpness. If one returns to the first chocolate after finishing this offering, scenes will appear in the mind, like the sudden opening of a chrysanthemum flower spreading from the heart of invigoration, and invite one into a Wonderful World.