Ritter Edel-Vollmilch

Ritter Edel-Vollmilch is a milk chocolate, and the name says as much: "Edel-Vollmilch" is German for a fine whole-milk chocolate. The listing doesn't give a cocoa percentage, weight or bar format, so check the pack for those. Milk chocolate of this kind usually tastes of cocoa, cream and caramelised milk, and the texture is smooth and melts easily. For the best flavour, eat it at cool room temperature, roughly 18 to 20°C. Straight from a warm shelf or a fridge, the cocoa butter is either too soft or too firm to release its aroma properly. Let a square dissolve on the tongue rather than chewing it, because the milky, vanilla-leaning notes show up as it melts. It pairs well with drinks that are bitter or roasted, which offset the sweetness. A black filter coffee, an espresso or a strong black tea all work. A glass of cold whole milk is a simple match if you want to keep it mellow. In the kitchen, a bar like this can be chopped into oatmeal or shortbread cookie dough, or melted gently over a water bath to coat strawberries, banana slices or pretzels. Melt it slowly and stop heating as soon as it turns glossy, since milk chocolate scorches more easily than dark. Once opened, store it in a cool, dry cupboard away from strong smells, which chocolate absorbs readily. The brief described this as a beverage-alcohol product, but the listing is a chocolate snack. I wrote it as a snack and left out cocktails and glassware, which don't apply.