Chocolate University: Is it Worth Enrolling?

A couple of months ago, Chris discovered an article about Chocolate University online and he shared his initial thoughts on the program. A curriculum that revolves around tasting chocolate can't be too bad, right?

After looking over a preview of the first lesson, however, I have to say that I'm a little more skeptical. The program is 40 weeks long ($19.95/month), with one lesson arriving conveniently in the students' inboxes each week. The first two weeks deal with milk chocolate, the next two with dark chocolate, then chocolate tasting, a couple of weeks focused on specialty and single origin chocolates, and then a few weeks of a chocolate play-off of sorts.

Now, I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a purist, so starting with lessons on milk chocolate makes me wary right off the bat. This might be simply a personal preference: I can understand how milk chocolate could be a considered the ‘lowest common denominator’ and therefore a suitable starting point for chocolate neophytes. In my opinion, however, it seems much more logical to analyze and appreciate chocolate in a more pure form, before introducing the additional milk, caramel and vanilla notes that exist in milk chocolate. (Again, I'm no expert, and Bryn Kirk certainly does have credentials- she spent 10 years in R&D for Ambrosia Chocolate Company.)

Curriculum aside, I have significant doubts about the cost-benefit value of enrolling in this course. I recently read Discover Chocolate by Clay Gordon, founder of chocophile.com. In 150 pages, Gordon provides a complete understanding of chocolate, covering every aspect from cocoa harvest to wine pairings. His writing is sophisticated yet approachable, unlike the rather dumbed-down version provided by Chocolate U. In the first chapter alone Gordon provides a thorough and interesting guide to chocolate tasting, something Chocolate U fails to do in their eight page first lesson. Further, because I borrowed it from my local library, this guide to connoisseurship was completely free. Call me crazy, but the idea of paying $19.95/month for something I can get for free doesn't seem like a particularly 'sweet' deal.