Blood & Chocolate

My uncle took me aside at my cousin's christening at the weekend on a matter of utmost importance.

"Petra - you have to get yourself over to Boca di Lupo asap for the Sanguinaccio", he insisted.
"Whatthehecksthat?"
"Chocolate and pig's blood that you spread on bread and sprinkle with salt - it's out of this world".

The hair on the back of my neck bristled with glee and I was sat at B di L's long marble bar two days later sipping on some friulli in anticipation of the main event. The lovely Irish bartender presented it to me with a glint in his eye and after my first thick slather of this sweet, rich, iron-tinged pate I was twinkling from the inside out too.

Some chocolate is greedy, some an academic pleasure, some just an abuse of a brilliant raw ingredient. But when it's done well, with intelligence and respect, the mind and body waltz. Like a brilliant movie I don't want to say anymore but do, if you're in the area, pull yourself up to the bar and prepare to get primal.