to add to this, if you think about the best hot chocolate you have ever had, it is usually associated with a memory or events surrounding it and not necessarily the quality of the ingredients.
heston blumenthol talks about this in his book on The Fat Duck, a 3 star restaurant in the UK.
Absolutely. I noticed recently that context is a big factor in how I enjoy wines. I had a great bottle of red with some friends over dinner at a nice restaurant. A few weeks later, I had the same wine at home by myself and while it tasted the same, I wasn’t as blown away like I was at the restaurant. Context is important.
heston blumenthol talks about this in his book on The Fat Duck, a 3 star restaurant in the UK.