Chocolate with Herbs

Certain herbs can bring out nuances in chocolate. i don't use earthy herbs such as sage, parsley, and chives because they are too strong in flavor and would overwhelm the chocolate. Floral herbs such as lavender, basil, lemon verbena, rosemary, and mint, however, are good choices because they are not dominant: they combine well with other flavors and have multiple applications. i only use fresh, culinary-grade herbs, and water, which account for much of their flavor. this natural flavor is removed along with the moisture content when the herbs are dried. When you buy dried herbs, you also have no idea how long ago they were dried and therefore how strong their flavor is. Using fresh herbs guarantees a much more consistent end result.