Do you find yourself staring at things and pondering, as I do, frequently? Most often it is trees and clouds, or the rise and fall of a verdant rural hillside, which attracts my attention. But there are many other things, such as the fold and creases of a discarded crisp packet nestling against a wall, a road traffic sign, mildewed and weatherbeaten, or a distressed piece of concrete wall with a patina of grime and dirt.
Anyway, I found myself alone with a Mars bar the other night, staring at it and considering it’s aesthetic qualities. Now I have always considered a Mars bar a thing to be savoured; a rich and dense sweet confection. Surely a Mars bar is confectionary perfection. The perfect way to deliver sugar to the human body, in an efficient and attractive package. I have seen people devour a Mars bar apparently without proper consideration for its content or form! For me it requires a small considered bite, or cutting into small mouth-sized pieces, which are rolled around in the mouth. It is not to be eaten lightly, a real treat and indulgence.
The surface of the bar is a glossy and creamy outer shell, the liquid chocolate frozen in luxurious folds, as though molten lava had become stone. Smooth, crisp and shiny. Inside is a chewy and fluffy nougat layer, beneath a viscose and golden caramel. A feast for the discerning eye and tongue.
So there I was alone with the bar, having peeled back its papery outer cover, and found my eyes roving over it’s rectangular chocolatey form, about to begin my journey of sugary titillation. Needless to say, I devoured the thing of beauty, and enjoyed every bite. A real treat to eaten consumed in moderation!
PS. I do recall children’s author Roald Dahl (of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) speaking very passionately and knowledgeably about chocolate confectionary. I believe he was buried with some chocolate. I must look into this further.
