On the web pagefor "1906" Tumaco dark chocolate , the following two statements are made:

"Minimum 53% cocoa content" --and -- "Luker 1906 Tumaco Extra Dark Chocolate 85%".

So is it 85% cocoa or "minimum 53% cocoa content"? And Just what does "Dark Chocolate 85%" mean?

Last year in July, Suzie Hoban came to Kortrijk for a visit at my place, see her writing on her blog:
http://www.cupcakeq.com/blog/2011/7/9/chocolate-vercruysse.html
Later she started her own business in Colombia, where she is now a chocolatier in Bogot:Guau!
The City Paper "business" asked her to do some preview of the future of the Colombian chocolate. Read her story:

Consider yourself a chocolatelover? Well, you are amongfriends, many friends in fact,that are growing in number every day.Fuelled by the developing economiesof Brazil, Russia, India, and China, theworldwide demand for chocolate is increasingat 2.5% a year. This may seemlike a small number, but it presents adire problem for chocolate manufacturersas they struggle to source sufficient
quantities of chocolates raw material:cacao.
The Theobroma Cacao tree whichproduces cacao beans, will only growwithin 20 degrees of the equator. Over70% of the worlds beans are grown inAfrica whilst the remaining 30% are
cultivated in Asia and Latin America.If chocolate consumption continuesto grow at this rate, by 2020 we willneed another million tonnes of cacaobeans, equivalent to the current outputof the worlds largest producer, theIvory Coast.
This problem for chocolate manufacturersis a great opportunity for cacaoproducing countries, including Colombia.To capitalise on the worlds growingdesire for chocolate, the Colombian Government has released an ambitiousten year plan to transform Colombiafrom its current status as cacao importer,to major cacao exporter. Accordingto the Plan Decenal, Colombia will increase production of cacao from the42,000 tonnes produced in 2010, to79,000 tonnes in 2014, and to 246,000tonnes by2021.
Fedecacao, the national associationof cacao growers, will be instrumental inachieving this plan. By providing technicalassistance to farmers, they aim totriple the current yield on existing plantations,and will expand cacao productioninto new regions, including manyareas formerly used for coca production.Edgar Aldana Rosillo of Fedecacaosays the Plan Decenal will not only helpfarmers, but entire rural communitiesby providing permanent jobs and liveable incomes for families, thus reducingthe displacement of rural populations.
Fedecacao estimates that the PlanDecenal will create 76,500 jobs directlyinvolved in cacao cultivation and38,250 additional jobs in the broaderindustry.

The success of Plan Decenal relieson consistently high prices for cacao andthis is not something that can be guaranteed,especially not for a crop that theUnited Nations Conference on Tradeand Development described as one ofthe most volatile commodities in theworld. Whilst global demand for cacaois currently pushing prices up, many factorscan bring them back down, suchas the introduction of substitute productsfrom other countries. Malaysia recentlybegan exporting huge quantitiesof cocoa powder, a product that can beused in many chocolate flavoured foodsin place of cacao, for approximately onesixth of the price. Fedecacao reportedin March that a sudden influx of cocoapowder in Colombia caused the priceof cacao to drop nearly 50% in just sixmonths.
Producers of bulk or low-qualitycacao have no choice but to sell on thecommodities market, however producersof high-quality beans can sell themdirectly to quality chocolate manufacturers,
who pay a premium up to threetimes the market price. Amounting toless than 10% of global cacao producion,these Fine Aroma beans arehighly sought after by the growing numberof artisanal bean-to-bar chocolateproducers.
According to international chocolate consultant Chloe Doutre-Roussel,these artisanal producers prize beansfrom Venezuela, Madagascar, Peru, andMexico, however they know little aboutthe quality of Colombian cacao. Totackle this problem, Fedecacao is busypromoting quality Colombian beans
to international buyers. In October2011, through the support of this entity,farmer Sal Tirado Fuentes won aCocoa of Excellence award at the Salondu Chocolat in Paris, for cacao grownon his Valparaiso plantation in Arauquita,Arauca.

The judges noted thatthe beans, from a tree developed by theresearch department of Fedecacao, exhibiteddistinct sweet caramel aromas.Awards such as these are crucial in establishingboth the high quality, andthe unique regional characteristics ofColombian cacao.
At the farm level, Fedecacao agronomistsare advising farmers on cultivation,fermentation and drying techniques tomaximise the unique characteristics oftheir land and their trees.Colombian chocolate companyCasa Luker is also working hard to improvethe quality of Colombian beans.Traditionally a manufacturer of drinkingchocolate, in 2009 the companybegan selling couverture, the chocolate
used by chocolatiers. To meet the highstandards demanded by their internationalclients, Luker conducts researchon their own cacao plantation, GranjaLuker. By working with 35 growingco-operatives in Colombia, Luker canshare its research findings with over5,000 cacao growing families, ensuringa steady supply of quality beans, nowand in the future.
With this assistance at the plantationlevel, and the right exposure internationally,Colombian farmers mayjoin their neighbours as some of thebest paid-cacao growers globally, whilstensuring the worlds chocolate lovers afuture for their favourite treat.

A visit from the International Business Director, Francisco Javier Gomez B. of Casa Luker at my place to see how I create chocolates with the Casa Luker Colombian FINO DE AROMA couverture.
http://www.lukercacao.com/

Help...I'm new to chocolate. Have a Rev 2. Following instructions except for dark chocolate I raised the melting temp to 120 per Valrhona instructions. Wont release.
What am I doing wrong. the only thing I can think of is when I fill up the mold for the shell I drain it back into the Rev 2 bowl and then use it for caping. Every thing I read says it won't release because of over or under tempering. When I first tried the Rev 2 I left the melt temp at factory setting of 108 and moulded chocolate came out perfect. Should I stick with Rev 2 instructions rather than Valrhona? HELP Please

Hello,

It's been a while since I've visited The Chocolate Life. When I was here last, my favorite place to eat chocolate was a small place in Philly called Naked Chocolate Cafe. From what I have heard, they aren't there anymore. Their website was never much help (and still isn't).

So, my question is, is there a cafe type of place where I can get some really nice chocolate in or around Philly?

Thanks for your suggestions!

I started Making chocolates when i was 8 years old, I would put them into decorated egg boxes as gifts for my family and ever since then I have had the bug. I studied at the Cassio College in Hertfordshire and was the recipient of the Renshaw Challenge cup in 1987..... that basically set the tone for the rest of my carreer. I ran away to the Netherlands in 1993 and became pastry chef, head chef and chocolatier at the extremely popular Ma Brown's in Haarlem, there made the British tradition of Afternoon Tea an Institution baking and creating to sell out "audiences". Walking through the cobbled streets of Amsterdam , one afternoon, i happened upon a curiously shaped shop filled witha table groaning under the weight of all the opulent chocolate treats on display.... it looked like a surreal jewelry boutique! My reaction to the gentleman behind the table was "wow! I want to work here!" he hurried to the door and locked it " we have him!" he cried to the owner who was secluded in the atelier behind the shop.

My career at Puccini Bomboni spanned 7 years and I lived the life of 'chocolate couture' to the hilt.... we crossed boundaries that have now become commonplace, nevertheless the intricacy of our bonbons and the complexity of our flavours is in my opinion unsurpassed. Tamarind, Sereh, Rhubarb,Star Anise..... crates of fresh seville oranges boiling to puree for the Cointreau Ganache..... it was a love affair .

In 2006 a bid a fond farewell to the Netherlands and set sail for the south, after a season on the Canary Islands I hopped to the Mediterranean isle of Mallorca where i tasted and tested and cooked and 'chocolated' at home , at private Villas and businesses. When I traversed the Atlantic in the autumn of 2007 my life changed forever..... on the tiny Dutch/ French island of Sint Maarten/Martin I found my Valhalla.... at the former home of the legendary Diana Ross i hosted , managed and held culinary theatre to enthusiastic vacationers and residents. Jaunting between Villa Mille Fleurs and the boutique Rainforested Island of Saba i currently Create chocolates for the Queen's Gardens Resort and hold workshops in chocolate making and pastry.

My most recent memorable acheivement was designing and creating a Praline for Her Royal Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands during her state visit to the islands, other acheivements include A custom made Bonbon for the closing concert of the Montreal Baroque Festival , the theme in 2009 was Death By Chocolate, a celebration of the works of Henry Purcell; my creation was a combination of Champagne Ganache with a Caramel Pate Sable flavored with bitter almond ( said to contain arsenicum) . I have also recently harvested wild cacao from the slopes of Mt. Scenery, Saba and produced an audacious Grand Cru chocolate which I will be submitting this May as my award entry In the European Leg of the International Chocolate Awards.

I am embarking on an exciting venture in the USA this summer and will be producing for an Expanding Young business Called The Caretakers, North Georgia's Premium Home Services exclusive signature bonbons for a high end villa agency and also holding organised events including workshops, tastings and even pairings at some regional vineyards. The spring of 2013 will herald the debut of Blue Pearl Chocolate, my own enterprise, producing free form Hand dipped Ganaches and organic fair trade chocolate and raw chocolate products. All I can say is "WATCH THIS SPACE" .

The Innovators In Pursuit of the New for 100 YearsFelchlin

Company histories are usually all about change, about leaps forward, highs and lows; they are a patchwork of differences. However, the Felchlin company history is different. In the 100 years since its foundation, it has been shaped by a remarkable amount of continuity:

- The products these have developed over time but always have satisfied a sweet tooth.

- The customers although they have changed, they have always stayed the same, pastry chefs and, more recently, also confectioners.

- The pursuit of the new the company founder, his son and todays management have always believed in innovation and have always been ahead of their time.

-The unorthodox mindset Felchlins management cared little for convention but looked for new approaches in order to arrive at different solutions.

In 1908, during the Belle Epoque period, 25-year-old Max Felchlin from Schwyz opened a shop. This timewhen women wore large hats and wide skirts and men sported carefully twirled moustaches and fine cloth. Felchlin sold honey and also made spread for bread that was aptly named Ambrosia. He spoke German and Swiss German and was also fluent in French and Italian. He was qualified merchant with boundless energy and had inherited his business acumen from his mother who, widowed at a young age, ran first a distillery and then a trading business.

A time of change At that time, Schwyz was in a state of transition: the new postal building near the main square had just caused a stir, Zeppelin and other pioneers of aviation were launching airships that generated ripples both in skies and amongst the onlookers below. It is not surprising that the young, multi-talented Max Felchlin wanted to take his fate into his own hands. It was in his nature to try different things: he became chairman of the Mythen mountaineering club, was a passionate skier, sold typewriters, took lots of photographs and wanted to train as a photographer in Berlin. Hoever, his trip to the German capital was of short duration and, after returning to Schwyz, he founded the Kaufmnnischer Verein and became head of the Kaufmnnische Berufsshule. This chopping and changing from one thing to another all came to an end in 1913 when Felchlin set up the Honigzentrale Schwyz. He took on two permanent employees, thus demonstrating his decision to dedicate himself to this line of business. The young company went from strength to strength. Felhlin perfected Ambrosia, the spread made of honey, butter and fat known locally as Luussalbi. He became an adroit trader in honey; during the First World War when the honey trade had all but collapsed, Felchlin seized every favourable opportunity to import Italian, Dutch and American honey and went on to sell this not only in Switzerland but in other countries, too. As soon as the borders for both honey and people had reopened after the war, Felchlin embarked upon a fact-finding mission to America. In 1920, he visited honey suppliers, trading centres and a centre for the breeding of queen bees. He learnt all about the latest technologies. In 1922, back in Schwyz, Felchlin started to produce artificila honey. He also gradually expanded his product range. It became increasingly clear that his most important customers were bakers and pastry chefs, whom Felchlin supplied with semi-finished products. He sold baking powder, Vanilla-flavoured cream powder and even pure chocolate (Cacao Couverture Cacaobutter). This was quite remarkable. At the beginning of 1920s, Switzerland had hit rock bottom economically; it was shaken by strikes, foot and mouth disease was threatening agriculture, and it was at precisely this time that Felchlin decided to stake everything on chocolate, a luxury product. Once again, this demontrated his canny nose for business. Sure enough, the situation started to improve and Felchlin had made the right decision as Switzerland entered the Golden Twenties. As it was too complicated for pastry chefs and bakers to make chocolate themselves, Felchlins couverture was just the right product at just the right time. People danced the Charleston, wore short flapper dresses and sported Eton crops, watched with awe as high-performance racing cars sped through the mountains, discovered the cinema and the music halls and added a little sweetness to their new way of life. Felchlin was the first to offer chocolate couverture to pastry chefs. He also sold almonds, hazelnuts, sultanas, currants, coconut, figs, candied orange peel, egg white, malt extract, bakers ammonia, baking soda, sodium silicate, spices, pear-bread and gingerbread spices and fruit essences. As the name Honigzentrale did not properly reflect this impressive range of products, the company was renamed Max Felchlin, Schwyz, Spezialhaus fr den Konditoreibedarf.

Rechnung Schwyz 1929, Felchlin Honig-Import

Work in the laboratory History is not doubt that Max Felchlin was a resourceful businessman. However, he was more than just someone who was fortunate enough to have a few lucky breaks. In 1928, he set up his headquarters and home in Liebwylen. His laboratory was located directly below the office and this was where he experimented with new recipes until late in the night. The French novelist Victor Hugo once said, Genius is about patience. Felchlin liked to quote him and certainly lived up to spiret these words. He was dogged in developing both his products and company; his personal development was also remarkable. By the time he had reached middle age, Felchlin was an established businessman. He had a flourishing business, a beautiful home and office, a capable wife and three children. Thanks to his foresight, he had successfully achieved a clever mix of continuity and innovation. He confidently steered his company through stormy times, such as the world economic crises and the Second World War. At a propitious time, he purchased such vast quantities of sugar that the beams of the warehouse bowed under its weight. He developed the Pralinosa praline filling and the Sowiso cream powder. The extent of the popularity of Sowiso was largely due to fact that the next generation had a part in its succes: the youngest son of the family, Max Johannes, born in 1923, took the lead in selling Sowiso. He used his remendous wealt of ideas to marketthe cream powder that, with or without cookin, introduced fine vanilla, chocolate and caramel creams into domestic households. However, it was decades before Felchlin could hand business over the next generation. As is so often the case in companies managed by founder and owner, Max Felchlin senior initially despaired of his son. He finally handed over the reins to 39-year-old Max Felchlin junior in 1962 when he had proven himself by working at companies in Switzerland and the USA.

A marketing heavyweight First and foremost, Max Felchlin senior was a manufacturer who did his daily rounds of the factory and was actively involved in the production process. His son, on the other hand, was a marketing man who never spent any time in the production; he had products manufactured to meet the demands of the market. Despite this diffrence, they had one important thing in common: they were independent and wanted to remain so. Although the Schwyz region was Catholic through and trrough, Felchlin senior was a freemason; Felchlin junior was an untameable free spirit. He celebrated his independence by taking off on numerous study trips abroad. In January 1962, he took over the directorship of the company and, in the summer of that year, spent three months studying at the Harverd Graduate School of Business Administration in Boston. The company continued to flourish in Schwyz, mainly thanks to the established management team with Robert Lumpert (finance, sales), Felix Lappert (development, production) and Lilly Volpi (purchasing). Speaking of his extensive travels, Max Felchlin joked: My company never does better than when Im away. This was meant aa a compliment to his executive employees.

Perhaps Felchlin needed the freedom afforded him by his travels to Chili, India, Italy and the USA to continue to supply his tremendous wealt of ideas. On thing is certain: when abroad he always looked for new sales markets for his products. An extended trip to Japan opened up a new market there that soon became the most important export destination for Felchlin products. Whichever way you look at it, Max Felchlin was an unconventional company director. He once asked his employees about their hobbies. He urged those who did not have any to take one up. He believed it was important that his employees hadsomething else in life apart from work and that, should the need arise, they would be able to find solace in this is something bad were to happen to them. He also believed in emplyee training. In fact, so committed to this was he that his head of finance, Robert Lumpert, once asked teasingly, What is actually the purpose of our company: to train employees or to generate profits? Max Felchlin even wrote vocational training brochures entitled Werni Wild wird Beck-Konditor, thus demonstrating his talent for making less attractive areas seem more appealing to specific target groups. He was a talented marketing man. He had a quatation from Goethe mounted above the entrance to the company headquarters: The spirit out of which we act is the highest. However, Max Felchlin did not always displays this fine spirit himself: he could be very loud and overbearing. He burst into offices, forcing people who were talkng on the telephone to put down the receiver because he had something to say to them. If he didnt like someone, he made it quite obvious, once he had made up his mind, there was no changing it. On the other hand, he was both loyal and generous to those people he held in high esteem.

There is no doubt that Max Felchlin had a complex personality. He was an enigmatic figure: eccentric, with a touch of genius. His never-ending wealth of ideas was of tremendous benefit to the company. As competition increased and the domestic market became smaller, brilliant ideas were required and it was necessary to open new markets. In Swizerland, Felchlin tool pains to develop relationships with pastry chefs but was unsuccessful in this. However, he strengthened realtionships with wholesalers and the food service industry and cultivated commercial customers with sales promotions. He also developed the world-wide export side of the business; Felchlin headed the export department, after all, he was the most widely-travelled person in the company. He opened up the markets in America and Japan, accompanied by his American wife, Suzanne Felchlin-Eppes.

Felchlin acted with foresight and, in 1963, purchased a large area ol land in Ibach. In 1964, he openeda new warehouse on this land and, ten years later, it became the manufacturing site for all non-chocolate products. Nevertheless, however well-versed in the ways of the world, Max Felchlin kept his feet firmly on the ground and remained true to his roots. He commissioned a historian to research the history of the Felchlin family in the Middle Ages. He had a strong interest in local traditions, which he encouraged as well as he could. He supported the Chlefelen, a type of Swiss castanet, as well as the Geissechlepfe, the crack of the whip, by financing courses and offering prizes. Felchlin not only researched but also promoted, with a scientific meticulousness, Trentnen, the almost forgotten card game from Muotathal.

New training centre Since training was a subject so close to his heart, in the warehouse where the Sowiso cream powder was manufactured, Felchlin established Condirama, the industrys first training centre for pastry chefs and confectioners; this became an outstanding customerloyalty tool. At the opening in 1987, Max Felchlin again showed his unconventional side by dressing up as a radio reporter in order to find out what the public really thought of the new venture. Felchlin was just as singular when choosing a successor. In 1990, he founded the Verein zur Frderung der Wirtschaft und des Kulturschaffens (an association to promote the economy and cultural works), issuing the majority of votes to Max Felchlin AG and thus separating capital and decision-making authority. Since then, the company has experienced a very positive development. Max Felchlin appointed Christian Aschwanden as his successor; a food engineer and former Lindt manager, Aschwanden is a specialist in his field and, born in Schwyz, also completely conversant with local customs.

Condirama in Schwyz is a training centre for confectioners and pastry chefs.

We wish to earn money by providing services freely, honestly, cheerfully and optimistically, Max Felchlin remained true to this belief until his death in 1992. However, his successor had a long way to go before he could even start to think about making money again. The economy faltered, fey customers bailed out, small customers had to fight to survive and, in the midst of all this, the cantonal authorities for food control threatened to shut down chocolate production because it was housed in a simple wooden building in Seewen. The company was in the red.

New strategy In two closed meetings, the company management under Christian Aschwanden decided to tackle the problem head on. After all, previous company directors had demonstrated tremendous reserves of strength and the new management endeavoured to reinforce and develop the strengths of both production and sales. Management became a powerful team of specialists who knew how best to employ their strengths. By means of clever marketing, it was possible to win back customers and the new management also finally succeeded in securing a foothold with confectioners. Furthermore, production was made as flexible as possible, and this set Felchlin apart from larger suppliers. Finally, the most important step was the decision to concentrate production on high-quality goods. Felchlin wanted to control production quality from start to finish. This meant selection cocoa at source, transporting it over long distances and processing it with tremendous care. In 1999, in order to underline the high quality claim and standard, this fine flavour chocolate was named Grand Cru. One year later, the new factory was built on the plotof land bought by Max Felchlin in Ibach and this became the manufacturing site for all products. The success of new strategy was not long in coming. Customers were delighted and, in 2004, so was the strict jury: at the blindtasting of the famous Accademia Maestri Pasticceri Italiani, Maracaibo Clasificado 65% was crowned the best fine flavour chocolate in the world a great honour for the chocolatiers from Schwyz! This succes was all the sweeter in view of fact that Felchlin hadnt even entered the chocolate in the competition in the first place; the Italian importer had seen to that. Fechlin thus built on the succes of a previous award; at a blind tasting by bakers and pastry chefs in 1968, the outstanding qualities of dark couverture from Schwyz secured it first prize in the overall ranking !Whereas Max Felchlin seniors unconventional nature manifested itself in trying out new recipes, Max Felchlin junior was a man of unusual actions who liked to push through original ideas. Today, the unconventional is firmly anchored in the company strategy. Felchlin is not interested in compromise and believes in high quality in all stages of production, always translating its beliefs into actions. Customers appreciate this; they know where they are with Felchlin. As in the early days of the comapny, the majority of Swiss customers are still small traders and products are still predominantly semi-finished goods for confectionery and bakery products.

Today, 104 years since the foundations of the company, people no longer wear crinolines and sport twirled moustaches. Howevern they still love the exquisite confectionery that is produced using Max Felchlin AG products and today they also benefit from the added experience and expertise that has been developed over the last 100 years !

Hygiene und Idylle Felchlin in Schwyz

Raw cacao nibs just arrived and how lovely the scent of roasting them fills the air. I smell chocolat brownies and yummy goodness. Roasting Nib Time: 250'F - 30 minutes

I am learning to appreciate the taste of the cacao nib. When they arrived they were sharp, violently bitter, aggressive, abusive. My kind oven tamed them and now, they're delicate, soft, obedient, pleasing and ready to be made into chocolat. Batch #7 will be made with roasted nibs and batch #8 raw nibs. Raw, on occasioncan be exciting, at least interesting.

Batch # 5 is under my belt and I am feeling like a proud momma. Ive made a 70%, 55% and a milk chocolat 45% all with a Peruvian bean. After much making and tasting I have decided the Peruvian bean is not for me. Yes it makes Chocolat. The Chocolat is not bad but the Chocolat it makes is tart and fruity. Maybe its great Chocolat and Ive just eaten too much. My audience has been pleased. Ive ordered beans today from Ghana, Venezula, Madagascar and Ecuador. I joyfully await there arrival as I wonder what stimulation it will bring.Ive also made hazelnut butter from toasted hazelnuts and a pinch of salt as well as coconut butter. The coconut butter is made with dried unsweetened coconut with the addition of granulated sugar. For the nondairy lover coconut butter added to a 70% is purely rich, creaminess satisfaction.

I designed these 4wrapper yesterday evening with the goal of using them on my bean to bar chocolat. The two artist of the images are Bolivian and African You are only seeing the front view. The back view entails the ingredient listing, weight and a paragraph about making the chocolat from bean to bar in studio. I would love any feedback, criticism or suggestions. We are all consumers, what do these images inspire?