The elevator opens with a bing, and the smell of chocolate and coffee is immediately recognizable. Vested waiters carry trays of chocolate beverages and chocolate desserts through the café and restaurant at Fassbender & Rausch in Berlin, Germany. A host seats chocolate enthusiasts at tables laid with crisp white tablecloths, where they can peruse a dinner menu of salads, soups and entrées that use chocolate in unexpected ways. At Fassbender & Rausch, the German appreciation for fine chocolate is obvious. We are four journalism students from the University of South Carolina who traveled to Berlin with plans to explore the importance of chocolate in German culture, knowing from the start that Germans have a cultural love and appreciation for quality chocolate. With artisan chocolate shops available in train stations and on street corners throughout the country, we chose to dine at the fine chocolaterie of Fassbender & Rausch for a glimpse of how chocolate can be incorporated in every aspect of their menu, and we found it easy to appreciate luxurious chocolates the way the Germans do. The number of beverage options was almost overwhelming. Out of several coffees, nine flavors of hot chocolate and a comprehensive wine collection, we chose the Shocko Chai hot tea. It arrived beautifully as a tea set: a white teapot of hot water, a glass container of brown sugar, a spoon and a tea bag of loose chocolate chai in a ceramic

FOUR COURSES OF DECADENCEA DIVINE DINING EXPERIENCE AT A 150-YEAR-OLD CHOCOLATE SHOP IN BERLIN, GERMANY

tea cup. After our drinks arrived, the waiter brought out a basket of bread. The savory bread was made with finely ground cocoa beans and served with a butter that had a sweet potato and cheese base with milk chocolate flakes. The sweet potato butter spread onto the cocoa bread proved a delicious way to stimulate our appetites. After we eagerly awaited the first plate of the meal, a salad far from ordinary arrived. Poached veal laid over a bed of vegetables, in a dressing of lemongrass, coconut milk and mango, and topped with fine milk chocolate. Before the waiter left, he grated a piece of combined chocolate and chili flakes over the salad, dusting the meal artfully. The presentation was completed with dainty yellow and purple flowers. The first bite was a surprise of creamy

coconut dressing, which emphasized the tender veal, and was finished off with the sweetness of chocolate. The salad quickly vanished and it was time for the next course. Another clear indicator of German appreciation for chocolate is their inclusion of chocolate from countries around the world in artisan shops and at Fassbender & Rausch’s cuisine. We visited shops that featured chocolate selections from Belgium and Switzerland, and Austrian chocolate is another popular choice among Germans.

Written by Sarah Marchbanks, Lia Grabowski and Ashleigh Ferguson

Cocoa bean bread with sweet potato cream gave the meal a savory chocolate start.

Spicy sweet potato soup and peanut chicken satay were heightened with dark chocolate.

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Fassbender & Rausch includes cocoa from Peru, Venezuela, Madagascar, Costa Rica, and Grenada, showing their desire for the highest quality has a global reach. As a prelude to our entrée, we selected a sweet potato soup served with a chicken satay. The artistically arranged soup was accented with spicy cactus fruit and a swirl of Peruvian 60% dark chocolate, which gave each bite a subtle heat and rich depth of flavor. The chicken satay, marinated in peanut butter, had a crispy skin and delicate balance of spices that perfectly accompanied the creamy soup. From the four enticing entrée options, we chose the beef fillet. Three grilled slices of beef were drizzled with cocoa butter and topped with crumbled cocoa beans, which offered a crunchy texture variation. The velvety, sweet chocolate sauce offered a surprising complement to the sa-vory beef. It was served with sweet potato crisps that were seasoned with salt to bring out the natural flavor of the root vegetable. The wild herb and strawberry salsa with 65% dark chocolate chunks throughout and topped with edible flowers added a fresh component to the meal. It too was dusted with hand-grated chili and cocoa powder, which gave it a delicate spice. The bright flavors and crisp textures provided a perfect counterpoint to the hearty beef. Even after indulging in chocolate through each course, we were enthusiastic to order from the wide variety of desserts. Cafés, bakeries and dessert shops are common throughout Germany, from major cities to quiet villages. However, Fassbender & Rausch sets their own chocolate café apart with their artistic designs on each torte and praline dessert they present. The decision between over a dozen sweet treats was a

difficult one. We finally determined that pure chocolate is perhaps the only appropriate option in a chocolate restaurant, and we ordered two different chocolate mini tortes. One included milk chocolate ganache, dark chocolate mousse, and dark chocolate sponge cake, adorned with a chocolate piece with gold swirls and dusted with cocoa powder. The other had milk and dark chocolate mousse and chocolate sponge cake formed into a dome shape with an outer shell of dark chocolate and topped off with an elegant gold leaf garnish. The decadence of each torte was clear from the first bite, with each component distinct but melding together to form the rich flavor. The most important factor to note about these desserts was its restraint in sweetness. Though both were entirely comprised of chocolate, it didn’t become overwhelming and we finished them without trouble. The hot chocolate selection was nearly as impressive as the dessert menu. Guests could create their own beverage by choosing 43% milk chocolate, 70% dark chocolate, or a half-and-half mixture of the two for the base, and adding a flavor from nine options. From simple flavors like latte, crema or mocha, more adventurous options like chili or orange, and alcoholic alternatives with peppermint liqueur, brown rum, whiskey-cream liqueur, or espresso with Amaretto, we chose the basic milk chocolate crema and the milk chocolate with orange. Both were silky and well accented by the cool whipped cream they were topped with. The orange hot chocolate had a very clear and distinctive flavor that didn’t overpower the chocolate finish. It was an appropriately sweet finish to our inspired chocolate meal.

The orange hot chocolate came with a small glass of water as a break from the rich quality. Chocolate torte with gold swirled piece and crunchy chocolate beads.

Pure decadence in the form of a chocolate mousse dome, topped with elegant gold leaf.

Chocolate with steak provided a surprising and pleasant combination, served with strawberry and herb salad and sweet potato sticks.