Tempering chaos.

Tempering is used in creating steel, glass making and chocolate candies.  It is fascinating to realize just how much energy (heat) is required to temper these materials.  I believe it is one of the laws of thermodynamics that says it takes a lot of energy to turn chaos into an organized calmness.  Basically, forcing certain forms of crystals in molten chocolate, to line up in a nice neat line.  Of course, this is a simplified version since I don't really understand the math of thermodynamics, but I understand the gist of it and as a cook, I am always working within the confines of the four laws.  What I find even more fascinating is that, once chocolate (or glass or steel) is tempered, it is never still, giving up its latent heat while becoming hardened and glossy,  but once that heat is gone it begins moving back towards chaos.  So gaze quickly at that glossy piece of chocolate and enjoy it right away.  Chaos is the norm and getting the chance to eat a near perfect tempered piece of chocolate is somewhat fleeting.

The time it takes to temper.

Tempering chocolate is similar to riding a bicycle; once you learn how you never forget.  Even the most experienced chocolatiers make mistakes, especially when it is close to a meal and for reasons unclear, the chocolate is not tempering properly and you have been waiting for an hour for it to work its magic. So everyone walks away and returns thirty minutes later to find the chocolate is now overtempered, a thickened, hardened mass that defies gravity, climbing up and out of the machine like the blob. The clean up is terrible.  The lesson well learned; never walk away from the task at hand.  And as important, you have learned the other lesson; get back on the bike and start again, because you still have chocolate to temper and candy to create.