29. why chocolate in america sucks

this week's hyperfixation is on the heartbreaking intersection between cadbury chocolate and american capitalism + reviews of the glass animals and childish gambino albums

Jul 22, 2024

CADBURY SILK HEART BLUSH

One of my mom’s friends brought back chocolate from India and this bar is DELICIOUS, even beats out Tony’s Chocolonely. It’s the most addictive chocolate bar with a smooth and rich consistency with a crumbly texture and makes me so confident that the differences between American and Indian chocolate are so stark and not as negligible like they want us to believe. Plus a cute lil surprise heart at the center of the bar 💗

FRIENDS VISITING

Okay so N had a close friend visiting LA with his girlfriend for a couple of days and I’m so happy we got to hang out with them!! There’s something so satisfying when you can just instantly click with someone, regardless of romantic or platonic connection, and this couple was just so fun to interact with. Something the four of us talked about during dinner was that despite any combination of us, there was a good balance of lighthearted moments and deep conversations that could take place and moments were literally never awkward.1

So I started writing this out while I was a little buzzed after Tuesday night’s dinner, and I don’t know if I feel the same level of excitement as before. Not that they’re not amazing people, but I definitely was just drunk on the new social interaction and the high from meeting new people. I generally dread leaving my home and am eternally exhausted after going out, but while I’m with people I become the most extroverted person in the world—can be a true out-of-body experience sometimes.

But I can’t deny that I felt very much myself and that the four of us instantly clicked, so while looking into this phenomenon, I encountered the term “interpersonal synchronization” to describe the dynamic and reciprocal adaptation of the temporal structure of behavior between interactive partners.

Apparently, humans spontaneously coordinate CNS and hormonal activity with both friends and strangers where we subconsciously adapt through language, movement, and emotion to bond. Understanding the importance of rhythms and patterns in communication and connection helps us further understand personalities in defining actions and social relationships!! Super cool concept when trying to optimize fulfilling interpersonal relationships and fostering meaningful communities.

WHY DONALD GLOVER IS SAYING GOODBYE TO CHILDISH GAMBINO, Reggie Ugwu

An exclusive interview confirming that this is Donald Glover’s final album as Childish Gambino 💔 Goes on to explain that he’s retiring his moniker because he finds his alter ego to be unfulfilling, especially after fatherhood. Also defines grace as the ability to move away from an artistic persona before losing identity and passion.

PROOF THAT AMERICAN CHOCOLATE IS NOT GOOD

Does Cadbury Chocolate Taste Different in Different Countries?, Elle Metz
- Comprehensive taste test results prove that the US Cadbury has a waxy taste and hard texture with a bitter aftertaste, while the UK has a rich flavor, creamy mouthfeel, and a pleasant meltable quality
- Ultimately, the factors that determine the taste of chocolate are:
  1. Amount of cocoa
  2. Time the chocolate is mixed
  3. Flavor of the milk
We Compared the UK’s Favorite Chocolate to the Version sold in the US, Mary Hanbury
- A literal side-by-side comparison of both bars from wrapper design to bar aesthetic. Obviously, also a taste test and composure check research.
- Findings include that the British Cadbury has a higher fat content with the main ingredient as milk, while the US Cadbury bar lists sugar as the primary ingredient. US Cadbury bars are made of soy lecithin, an emulsifier that reduces the viscosity of chocolate
Cadbury’s Chocolate Didn’t Taste the Same, Mikhaila Friel
- Journalist Friel investigates why Cadbury chocolate tasted ~~horrible~~ different after moving from UK to Pennsylvania, US chocolate capital, for school in 2016
- Upon analysis, she discovered the reason was the cocoa ratio and fat content with the US using cocoa butter and the UK using shea and palm oils
After a Deal, British Chocolates Won’t Cross the Pond, Tatiana Schlossberg
- UK Cadbury imports were banned in 2015 once the Hershey company owned the sole rights to manufacture Cadbury in the US
- An anonymous UK retailer attempted to import chocolate herself, but found that dealing with the FDA, US Customs, and US Department of Agriculture was too complex to be worthy :’(
Why British Chocolate Tastes the Way it Does, Veronique Greenwood
- Describing the science behind the chocolate-making process through a simplified explanation of the Maillard reaction to produce the caramelized flavor of non-American chocolate
- Differences between chocolate in various countries include:
  🇧🇪 Belgium: High cocoa-to-milk ratio ∴ darker milk chocolate
  🇨🇭 Swiss: High milk-to-cocoa ratio ∴ melty and soft
  🇬🇧 British: Made of chocolate crumb ∴ caramelized taste
  🇺🇸 American: Milk broken down during manufacturing process ∴ more shelf-stable, acidic taste

PLANNED A CUTE BIRTHDAY DATE

yes, i forgot to take pics at the science center but food/drink were both so good

Celebrating my boyfriend’s birthday over two weeks later feels like a crime, but in my defense, we had literally so much going on. N was out of the continental country for most of the past 2 months, then we went to SD to celebrate our anniversary last week, and then his friends came to visit earlier this week, so here I am finally taking him out for his birthday. Coffee, museum hopping, lunch, Costco stop, and dessert. Highly recommend grabbing an iced Camel coffee from Camel and the ceviche mixto and scallop aguachile from Holbox. Perfect summer day out in LA!!

INDIA VS UK CADBURY, Insider Food

I’m clearly on such a Cadbury chocolate kick…Nikhil and Harry are so articulate in explaining taste and texture through this video describing the differences between Cadbury in India and the UK. Not only are they taste-testing and reviewing their way through the catalog, but also informing viewers of the differences in ingredient and food guidelines in both areas.

I LOVE YOU SO F***KING MUCH, Glass Animals

If you know me, you know that I love the alt-indie rock genre and bands2 that defined the early(ish) 21st century so to see Glass Animals this decade has been a testament to how consistent you have to put in the effort to attain worldwide fame and success. Also how important capitalizing off a viral hit can be.

Anyway, after ‘Heat Waves’ on Dreamland (2020) catapulted them back into mainstream music consumption, they must have had a lot of pressure to put out another equally, if not greater, record out there and… they delivered!! This is the band’s 4th studio album and to say I’m obsessed is an understatement. This psychedelic synth-pop album boasts their signature sound with upbeat African and Indian drum machine beats complemented by buttery vocals and existential lyrics.

I appreciate how the band puts such extreme thought into their unique storytelling through their layered lyricism to their ethereal music production to deliver the most impactful, yet entertaining message of how the world, and individuals, contain multitudes. This album is an emotional exploration of the complexities behind how love is beautiful, terrifying, painful, complicated, and, ultimately, what connects us all. 10/10 ⭐️

BANDO STONE AND THE NEW WORLD, Childish Gambino

Donald Glover’s final album is not just a musical piece, rather it serves as a transitional art to bridge his work directing his eponymous movie, where he plays a famous musician navigating a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world alone until he bumps into a mother and child (played by Legend, Glover’s eldest son + his acting debut!!) And the cherry on top? Hiro Murai, producer of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Bear, and Atlanta, is working on this film, so you know the film will be shot meticulously and become wildly successful (and an Amazon exclusive LOL).

Back to the album though: Okay so I need more time for this album to breathe, it’s only been like 3 days since it came out, but it’s so characteristic of the Childish Gambino sound. It has campy aesthetic rap and provocative lyrics, with a really strong vision for his future film in the very jungle-ish distorted (?) chaos. And similar to how Beyoncé had included up-and-coming Black country visionaries, I appreciated how Gambino featured young R&B artists like Jorja Smith, Flo Milli, Michael Uzowuru, and Amaarae on this capstone project.

Musically and lyrically, I really liked the creativity, but I had different expectations for what his final album would sound like. But overall, not mad. Right now, I feel that the good songs are reallllly good and the songs I don’t love are the ones I realllllly don’t like. My current favorites are Steps Beach, Lithonia, A Place Where Love Goes, Survive, and Running Around. 7.5/10 ⭐️

UP ALL NIGHT, James Bay (ft. The Lumineers & Noah Kahan)

James Bay announced his fourth album, Changes All The Time coming out on Sept 20, with this beautiful single. I have such high expectations after hearing this single and I’m so excited for more of the folk-rock pop sound and excellent songwriting!! 10/10 ⭐️

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