Blogs
Thank you all for your enthusiastic responses and showing interest in the development of Original Beans new recipe! What happened after two weeks? Is the new chocolate still so fruity?
How does Organic Grand Cru sound? I like it. We have waited for the first organic harvest from Congo (Cru Virunga) to make the change for all products.
But the most important thing we have changed in our recipe has to do with conching, a truly magic process in the art of making fine chocolate. There are many opinions and voices in the chocolate world, when it comes to conching. But you really have to experience and taste it before you can form a valid opinion.
The interesting thing at Max Felchlin AG is that they have several different conching technologies to work with (see pictures below). They are world famous for the oldest conching machines in the chocolate industry: the original long conches, or Lngsreiber. Besides those, they also use round conches in various sizes. The Lngsreiber builds temperature by friction only. All others can be heated externally.
Some people believe the Lngsreiber is the best. I agree on most issues: texture, melting, creaminess, beautiful balanced flavour development. The flavours hardly fade over time. The Buehler round conches, on the other hand, may get a more condensed, explicit flavour profile out of the bean. They work with a steeper temperature curve and as I inhaled above our Piura conch, I smelled a lot of the acidity.
So is it true that the longer you conch, the better the chocolate gets? No! Most important is to get rid of unpleasant acids and bitterness, open the fruit flavours, and create a deep, smooth texture. Every bean has a unique character, and develops its own story differently on different conches. For Original Beans chocolate we want to find the maximum fruit point. At some point during conching the aroma peaks. If you conch too long, the aroma is gone and whats left is a flat and rather boring chocolate.
I have learned that perfectly conched chocolate is not so much a matter of science, but mostly the result of long experience, continuous sampling during the process, and a good intuition.
The last few days I tasted the new recipe again and compared it with the last two batches. The existing Piura Porcelana bar (best before 12-2012) tastes mild, dark caramel, nutty and a little fruity. The new one is very different! Very fresh and fruity, you really taste chocolate is made of a fruit! Amazing!
In a few days this new batch is available in couverture drops. Im looking forward to the creations of pastry chefs and chocolatiers with our new Organic Grand Cru Piura!
I want to keep my Dragee packets cool and enhance the shelf life of the Dragees by filling Nitrogen gas into the packets.
Will the Nitrogen Gas spoil the Dragees or enhance the shelflife of Dragees? My Dragees are Chocolate covered nuts and Chocolate covered cereals.
Any advise?
Thanks in advance.
Raji from India.
As you all might know Iwork as a volunteer for Original Beans. The combination of delicious chocolate and nature conservation makes it the best in my opinion.
Two weeks ago Philipp, founder, called me. A new test production would start Thursday! If I could come to Switzerland? Wow! A dream comes true! I immediately packed my suitcase. The biggest one so I can take a lot of chocolate back home. We are on a mission: how can we get more of the fruity flavors of the bean into our Piura Porcelana chocolate?
Original Beans dont have their own factory. When the company started a few years ago the founders carefully selected a partner. Felchlin shares our values about quality and sustainability. We are delighted to co-create our chocolate with them.
Thursday at 11 A.M. I arrived at Felchlins Laboratory in Schwyz. First Sepp, Marcel and the Original Beans team did a pre-tasting of the last two batches. What do we like and what can be done better? We went to the factory and production started. Amazing: all those machines, the logistic system and the smell of chocolate! When conching started I got a grand tour through the factory. All Felchlin employees are very friendly and explained every detail. Its one happy family and all wearing red t-shirts. We got permission to make pictures! See below.
Friday we were expected in the factory at 6 A.M. Yes, this is serious business! Liquid chocolate test batches of 2 A.M., 4 A.M. and 6 A.M. were on the table and tasting the new recipe could begin. Its very difficult when you are used to having solid chocolate. Flavors are still developing over time. Even after molding you have to wait two weeks before you get a good picture. We decided to conch longer. After several hours we thought the fruity flavors to be on their best. Marcel quickly molded two bars that we took with us to The Netherlands.
In about a couple of days from now two weeks will have passed. Will the chocolate taste more fruity and better still? To be continued
In Ecuador, cocoa harvesting takes place two times per year. Harvests runs between February and April, and then again begin again between August and October. This dual harvest system means that cocoa plantations are often busy, as are chocolate makers. However, there are still seasons of the year when the cacao farms are between harvests and things are a bit slower. This naturally begs the question of what to do in the off season for chocolate?
One of the things we always recommend to visitors in the off season for chocolate is touring chocolate grower facilities. Though there isn't the buzz and hustle of harvest, growers and guides have more time to show you behind-the-scenes elements of cocoa production and the business of being a grower. Since planters are less focused on getting their cacao pods harvested, they can focus on being good hosts to visitors. This means more time for visiting multiple farms, seeing traders' patios and meeting cacao traders, and tasting and observing different cacaos.
Both the area around Quito and the coastal cacao growing areas are worth visiting in the middle season between April and August. It's a cooler time of year in Ecuador, which can be a welcome relief for anyone suffering through a North Hemisphere's summer heat. Driving some of Ecuador's famous cacao routes or trekking to remote farms is easier without the humidity and baking heat, though it's rarely truly cold despite this season being Ecuador's winter equivalent. If you do come to visit Ecuador for a cacao tour, it's worthwhile to visit the areas around Quevedo and El Empalme several hours southwest of Quito, the Amazon, and/or the Esmeraldas region. It all depends on your time and budget!
Another element of life between harvests is focusing on the newer details of chocolate production, fresh contracts, and items for the workshop. Visitors to Quito will want to stop in and taste the chocolates we've been making all month, as well as get a chance to see in the workshop before we close to visitors in August in anticipation of the harvest and harvest trade fair events.
Keeping up with local demand is also a part of life between harvests. Near the end of the April to August break, Ecuadorian schools have their graduations and end-of-year ceremonies. This means nice family dinners out with fine chocolate desserts, coffee and chocolate chat dates for friends, and special chocolate gifts for the freshly graduated. In the October to February break, you have the chocolate holiday of Christmas, followed by the games and festivities of Valentine's Day and Ecuadorian Carnival. We see a lot of chocolates leave the shop in these off seasons, together with their happy new owners.
All in all, while the cacao harvests in Ecuador are a dominant part of the chocolate life here, they are not the only part of the chocolate cycle to enjoy. Even the off seasons have something to offer visitors and chocolate lovers here in Ecuador!
Childhood is the time when kids understand the value of relations and culture. It is very important that they can develop the deep emotional relationship with each family member in their day to day life as well as on the occasion of any festival. The feelings of love and care developed in this age are going last for life time. Rakhi festival is a special festival to celebrate the emotional bonding between a brother and a sister and it should be celebrated with its real importance especially when a sibling or both of the siblings are kids.
Now The Kids world is full of imagination and fantasy. Their innocent hearts get attracted to all kinds of tender, flashy and colorful items. When it comes to the celebration of Rakhi festival, they are always excited and enthusiastic about it. Brothers love to be pampered with Rakhi Sweets Gifts and Rakhi by sisters. For them Rakhi is not only blessings of her sister but also a kind of accessory to wear. They want their Rakhi better than all their friends. Sisters on the other hand would love to do their best so that their brothers can feel proud about it.
At the time of Rakhi selection for a kid brother, it is very important to keep in mind about his favorite cartoon characters and the colors and the animals he love. We have magnificent collection of Kids Rakhi including Cartoon Rakhi, Toy Rakhi and Stuff Toy Rakhi. We offer free Tilak, one branded chocolate bar of 10gms and a handmade paper card with each Rakhi. The option of sending Home Made Premium Chocolates (12 pcs) is also available for your convenience.
For Cartoon Rakhis, motif of various cartoon characters are fabricated from various materials like cotton or silk thread, plastic, light metals, etc and fixed onto Rakhi Thread . Cartoon Rakhis are the most popular among kids. Mikki Mouse Rakhi, Pooh Rakhi, Alien Rakhi, Snoopy Rakhis, Goofy Rakhi, Donald Duck Rakhi, Spiderman Rakhi, Tweety Rakhi and many more that can make your little one happy like anything.
Toy Rakhis are available in wide range with different eye catching patterns and designs. The motifs of various toys are fixed onto Rakhis. Rakhis with the shape of different stars, plants; fruits, birds and ice-cream draw the attention of a kid and make him smile.
Our extremely beautiful and adorable Stuff Toy Rakhis are also in high demand especially when a kid sister is buying for her kid brother. In this Rakhi type, Rakhi threads are adorned with little stuff toys made with the shapes of Animals, Clowns, Teddy bear, Dolls and the Cartoon characters. Attractive designs and amazing color combination with quality material can guarantee you to lure you dearest brother.
Apart of these we have special Kid Gift Hampers that include Rakhi with the box of 16pcs ferrero rocher chocolates, Rakhi Pooja Thali and Gift box of 12 pcs Home made chocolates, Rakhi with a little toy Teddy bear and chocolates and many others.
Our Gift portal enables you to commemorate and celebrate this auspicious festival that truly adores and honors human relations in a special manner.
As these diverse influences came together, a distinct Filipino flavor and style evolved, which is redolent of the countrys native styles of cooking by oral tradition and eye, rather than relying on specific measurements and the creation of dishes that tend towards the straightforward and hearty, and that can be left on their own to simmer. The island nation, naturally, uses a great deal of seafood in its cuisine, which encourages the use of simplefood preparation techniques and spicing that is meant to improve, not smother, natural flavors.
The most regular spices used in Filipino recipes are garlic and onion. Garlic and onion are accepted , and used in a wide range of dishes, from those of seafood and vegetables to those of meat that are based on sauting. Typical Filipino food recipes are Adobo and Paksiw na Pata cuisines which are made of meat, onion, garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce. The ingredients are combined together in a saucepan, stewed until the flavors blend to perfection.
Meats are often prepared using island flavored marinades of that use vinegar, calamansi, and soy sauce. Then, the meats are roasted or simmered very slowly with spices, often for hours. Rice and corn are fundamental part of most meals, with white rice being well known as a Filipino national food.
The dense, nutritious, energy giving vegetable is also a general ingredients used in cooking Filipino recipes . Cabbage, tomatoes, and potatoes are usually are usually mixed with stewed meat , chicken, and fish. Vegetables are also sauted with meat and chicken called the Chopsuey cuisine making it a gratifying , strengthening, and simple dish for a hard working Filipino people.
Filipino food recipes is also famous for its sweet desserts, which include a range of turnovers. Some are filled with sweets and spiced fruit. Leche Flan is among Philippiness most liked dessert items. Chocolate is also a favorite.
With regards to Filipino recipes , the subtle aroma of vigorous cuisines are improved by cooking and spicing methods designed to bring out the best in each constituent of a dish. The culinary art of Filipinos are a delight to the tongue, naturally, but they also offer an enthralling glimpse into a custom that has brought together many varied elements to create a organized whole.
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan is an occasion that strengthens the unconditional bond of affection and care between a brother and sister. To give a remarkable note to this auspicious day, sisters and brothers in throughout the world look for a beautiful gift to present their dear ones, wrapped with their sentiments and lots of emotions.
First and the foremost thing that sister will shop for her brother is Rakhi. Individual choice of sister for her brother as well as age and liking of brother are the deciding factors of sisters Rakhi shopping. In this era of online shopping, you can avail Rakhis with numerous designs, shapes, and materials sitting at your home only. Apart of our wide and designer Rakhi collection, we have Family Rakhi collection that includes Family Rakhi Stes, Set of 5 Rakhis, Set of 2 Rakhis, Set of 3 Rakhis, Bracelet Rakhi Set, Bhaiya Bhabhi Hampers and many more that enables you to select your choice for your entire family.
Now the time to select a gift comes. Gift is the representation of love and affection. Well, the best gift that you can give anyone is your sincere appreciation and along with that our Gift Hampers can be the best additional flavour to make the Rakhi festival memorable.
Rakhi with Dry Fruits can be a good option for a brother with family or even for a grown up brother. Dry fruits are quite healthy and symbol the class when presented as gift. Different combinations of Almonds, Pistachios, Raisins, Cashews and Dry figs in a decorated Gift Box or Handcrafted cant tray can be an another reason to feel honoured when they are received along with Rakhi.
As a tradition, the brother and sister feed each other bits of special Rakhi Sweets. So Rakhi with sweet is most preferred gift for brothers. Traditional sweets like Kesar Maanchur Laddus, Kesar Peda, Kesar Mava Barfi, Soan Papdi, Patisa or Mathura Peda can add the traditionally sweet flavour to your celebration. Apart of them dry fruit sweets can also be a marvellous option for a special touch as they are bit lightweight, too delicious and available in wide range of verities with innovative shapes and colours. Anything from Kaju sweets like Kaju Katli, Stuffed Kaju Laddus, Stuffed Kaju Apple, Stuffed Kaju Pears, Stuffed Kaju Oranges, Kaju Chocolate Barfi, Assorted Kaju Sweets or other dry fruit sweets like Stuffed Dry Fruit Pista Cake, Anjeer Cutlets and many more can be presented to your brother.
Now-a-days Chocolates are considered as modern sweets in Indian culture. Young generation highly prefer them in each and every occasion. Our Rakhi Chocolates Hamper can be divided in three sections.
- Boxes of branded chocolates including Ferrero Rocher, Toblerone or Cadbury Celebrations.
- Rakhi Hampers with beautiful Teddy bear and Chocolates especially for a Kid brother.
- Rakhi Hampers with branded Pen set and Chocolates.
- Rakhi Hampers with branded Pen set, Chocolates and Kingston Data Traveller
On top of all these, we have some exciting and attractive Gift Hampers including:
- Rakhi with Puerperal Kurta, 4GB Flash Drive and Pizza Hut Voucher
- Rudraksh Rakhi with 16GB Flash Drive and Pizza Hut Voucher
- Different combinations of Rakhi Pooja Thali, Sweet and Rakhis
Your gifts will be delivered at the right moment in an undamaged condition. You can appreciate and honour your brothers love by presenting him anything from our collection at competitive rates. We have wide range collection for Rakhi Return Gifts as well for brothers to shop from for their sister. With the help of our services you can make the festival splendid as well as remarkable with gifts.
It is not only important to understand that there are several grades of cacao within cacao producing countries; these grades are often based on national standards set by government, industry, or a combination of the two. Even more important is the distinction between fine grade and bulk cacao. Depending on the source consulted, fine or flavor cacao accounts for as much as 20% of the worlds production, down to as low as 10% to 5%. Herein well refer to fine or flavor cacao as fine grade cacao. Nonetheless, whats important here is to know that Ecuador is the worlds largest producer of fine grade cacao. But what exactly is it?
In general terms, fine grade-also known as fine aroma cacao-is top quality cacao used in fine chocolates such as those used in pastry shops, restaurants, and other upper-tier establishments. Fine grade cacao is also used by many artisan chocolate makers around the world, from small bean-two-bar operations, to mid-size and larger industrial manufacturers such as Valhrona, Guittard, Barry Calllebaut and others. Sometimes it is used alone to produce a high-end product, while other times it is mixed with bulk grade beans to add marketing cachet or to improve on a mediocre product. The world commodity market generally distinguishes fine or flavor cacao beans as those coming from criollo or trinitario cacaotree varieties, as well as Ecuadors Nacional variety. CCN-51, a hybrid that is increasingly cultivated in Ecuador, can make a good chocolate but is not always considered fine grade.
But is there a strict scientific definition for fine grade cacao? Between 2001 and 2006, the ICCO, or International Cocoa Organization, undertook a study of the chemical, physical and organoleptic parameters to establish the difference between fine and bulk cacao. The study took place in Ecuador, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. The study was released in August 2007. The objective of the study was to find universally acceptable parameters to differentiate between fine/flavor and bulk cacao.
Prior to the study, the definition of finer flavor cacao was controversial as no universally accepted criterion existed to classify fine flavor cacao. And measurement of the criteria used (genetic origin of plant material, chemical characteristics of beans, color of beans and nibs, degree of fermentation, drying), do not objectively reflect the cacao quality.
The studys results were mixed; it added to the knowledge that can be used to distinguish between fine or flavor and bulk cacao, but some of the criteria used were inconclusive in helping distinguish between the two types of cacao. One important observation gain from the study is that the color of the beans is a poor indicator as a parameter for discriminating between fine and bulk cacao. As well, the fermentation index, polyphenol content, and other parameters were seriously influenced by fermentation, and thus are basically useless for distinguishing fine or flavor from bulk cocoa. The world commodities market has to continue to rely on inaccurate and incomplete information for defining fine grade cacao as strict, easily measurable criteria have not been established. For the discerning chocolate maker, having a trustworthy source and a direct relationship with a cacao grower or cooperative is increasingly important.
Bookmark & Share GetRealNY's 2011 Belgian Festival took place July 8-9 at New York City's Altman Building.
Featuring brewed-in-Belgium and Belgian-style beers brewed in the US, the event attracted well over 2000 beer lovers during its four sessions.Nearly 80 beers of all styles were served from an innovative central cooler and dozens more were served at other locations around the venue, many of them paired with the food being served.
The cooler in the center of the venue.
Some of the nearly 80 taps labeled.
Each session also featured a series of four seminars on various topics related to beer, including a chocolate and beer pairing seminarsponsored by Godiva Chocolatier and Grand-Place Chocolateson the downstairs stage set up to present to 70 or more people with beer garden-style picnic bench seating.
Chocolate pairing sponsor banners.
The setup of the seminar space downstairs.
What makes an event like this a lot of fun is the ready availability of literally dozens of beers to choose from to make the pairings. In many ways, pairing beer with chocolate is easier than pairing wines, especially red wines. Beers share similar roast and fermentation flavors with chocolate and the creamy bubble structure of many beers is more "sympathetic" than the structure and texture of red wine that is imparted by the tannins present.
The two Friday sessions featured the Grand-Place 36% Classique Milk chocolate, the 75% Origine Dark and three selections from Godiva Chocolatier; their raspberry swirl, milk chocolate caramel, and classic milk chocolate ganache.
The first pairing of the two Friday sessions was the two Grand-Place chocolates - both strong examples of classic Belgian-style chocolate making - with Brooklyn Brewery's "Local #2" a bottle conditioned 9% ABV brew flavored with citrus peel, dark sugar syrup, and honey. The idea here was not necessarily to present pairings that "worked" but to show how flavors interacted with each other and changed in the presence of other flavors. In this particular case, the sugars in the beer (sugar syrup and honey) enhanced the sweetness of the milk chocolate and the bittering elements of the beer (including the citrus peels) brought out bitter notes in the dark chocolate that were not present when the chocolate was eaten on its own.
We then progressed to pairing the Godiva raspberry piece with the Half Maan Straffe Hendrik Quadruppel (11% ABV). This beer has some bright citrus notes on the nose and berry coupled with brown sugar notes on the tongue. The citrus and berry went very well with the raspberry and the brown sugar note mellowed the dark chocolate in the shell. The sole purpose of a pairing like this is to show just how pleasurable pairing chocolate with beer can be. The flavor combination was enhanced by the smooth creamy bubble structure of the beer.
The final formal pairing for the Friday sessions was the Leffe Blonde with the Godiva milk caramel. In this case we also returned to the Grand-Place milk chocolate to see how the cooked sugar notes of the caramel affected the perception of the flavor of the beer.
Setting up some of the more than 300, 3-piece Godiva tasting bags used.
We gave everyone who sat through the pairing seminar an assignment with the third Godiva piece, the classic milk ganache, which was to taste it with a selection of the other beers being poured upstairs - using what they had learned during the pairing seminar to evaluate the taste and texture combinations.
On Saturday, the two Grand-Place chocolates being presented were the 58% and 64% Classique darks; the Godiva selection was unchanged.
As with Friday, we started out with the two Grand-Place chocolates, but in this instance they were paired with Barrier Brewing Co's Dubbel Down, 7.4% ABV. Because the two chocolates are, on the surface, so close to each other, the idea was to see how the beer changed the perception of the two chocolates. The differences were subtle but definite. This was not necessarily a "good" match in the sense that the chocolates and beer improved each other but it was definitely a good tasting exercise that showed how seemingly small differences in the chocolates can be enhanced (or not) in the presence of another flavor.
We stayed with the pairing of the Godiva raspberry and the Half Maan Straffe Hendrik Quad, but took advantage of the presence of a case of Dubuisson Scaldis Amber refermente for the early session seminar. This is a phenomenal brew (my favorite of the entire weekend) with pleasant slightly sour top notes and rich, thick, round caramel notes in the body with a very creamy bubble structure. The refermente refers to the fact that the beer is first fermented outside the bottle and then a second fermentation takes place inside the bottle - much like the traditional methode Champenoise for Champagne. The sour top note added some very interesting complexity to the combination with the caramel in the piece.
The late session seminar featured another Dubuisson Scaldis, the Amber Trippel. This brew lacks the depth and complexity of the refermente, but it more than makes up for it with an amazingly creamy bubble structure.
Finally, if you thought chocolate flavor wheels were complicated, below is a photo of a beer style chart. The flavor wheel builds on top of this!
A chocolate-order-break during summer time? No way! I have to taste new chocolate and will take the risk of melting problems. A few weeks ago I heard for the first time of Adi Chocolate Fiji. Chocolate from Fijian beans and made on one of these beautiful Islands.
Wow, this sounds great! I have to taste it! So I sent an e-mail to Adi. Very quickly I got a response from Tom, the owner. He was very enthusiastic about the first trip of his chocolate to The Netherlands. They even organized a farewell party for their baby.
Unfortunately the tracking code didnt work. After a few days I became obsessive about delivery vans driving in our neighbourhood. After 10 days waiting I saw our van again and I asked the driver if he maybe had a package for me. Yes, he did! Temperature was about 20 degrees (Celsius) outside so I was lucky!The chocolate arrived in perfect condition! Tasting could begin!
But there were some instructions on the wrapping about which time you may eat it and that there has to be some nice ocean breeze. So first I went for a walk on the beach, took a deep breathe and hurried back home.
This chocolate tastes very good! Nice fruity and flowery flavours. Lightly roasted, no vanilla or soy lecithin so you get a good picture of the beans. There are four different kinds of beans: an Amenolado and three Trinitarios: a yellow large pod, a red hybrid and a very nice Cundeamor. A bar called ToTo-A 80%, made ofCundeamor beans is my favourite.
And as mentioned on the wrapping, you can taste the added laughter and love!
Thank you very much, Tom!
