Blogs | TheChocolateLife

Taza Chocolate Mexicanos

By Pimm van der Donk, 2011-02-05

The Taza chocolate Mexicanos have finally arrived in our Chocolaterie in Amsterdam!

The authentic stone-ground chocolate from Somerville, MA, is direct trade, gluten, dairy and soy free and comes in 8 different varieties: Yerba Mat, Cacao Puro, Salted Almond, Vanilla Bean, Guajillo Chili, Cinnamon, Salt&Pepper and Coffee.

We also have the chocolate covered Cashews, and they're treat.

Great packaging also.

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A one-two Parisian chocolate punch

By Sweet Freak, 2011-01-30

Jean-Paul Hvin, Patrick Roger, Un Dimanche Paris I was certainly getting around to my favorite chocolatiers during my last weeks in Paris. But in the very last few days, I made visits to two brand new chocolatiers: Chloe Chocolat and Franck Kestener.

My own copy of Chlo Doutre-Roussels bible, The Chocolate Connoisseur (2005), is a tattered, stained mess from all the bonbons I consumed while reading about Criollo trees and the tempering process. And when I spoke with Chlo at the Salon du Chocolat in October about the chocolate salon she was opening dangerously close to my apartment, needless to say I was as giddy as a kid in a candy shop. She debuted her two-story sliver of a salon just days before my departure, so I got to sit and chat with her and taste some mighty good chocolate.

What distinguishes Chloaside from being the former chocolate buyer for Fortnum & Mason and one of the very few female pros in an industry dominated by menis how no-nonsense she is. She doesnt scold about cocoa percentages or eschew milk chocolate for dark. She doesnt make you feel like a chump for liking chocolate even if its not wrapped up from a beans to bar artisan or stamped with organic approval. Dont worry about where the beans come from, she insists. When you buy chocolate, youre buying an emotional experience; its sensory. Ah oui, merci!

Thats not to say shes not on a crusade to make the world filled with better chocolate and more appreciation for it. Indeed, the intent of her new Marais home is to school both amateurs and connoisseurs through classes ranging from an introduction to chocolate to comprehensive international trends. She also offers two-and-a-half-hour walking tours that pay visits to some of the citys most prestigious chocolatiers. And, once youve worked up a chocolate appetite, she offers milk and dark chocolate tablettes (in adorable packaging), both of which are divine and can be paired with carefully selected teas.

Across town, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Chocolatier, Franck Kestener offers a different, more decadent chocolate experience. Its a posh shop near the Luxembourg Gardens, peddling marzipan, macarons, mendiants and more.

I went straight for his ganache-filled bonbons, which come in a beautiful and inspired range of flavors, from buttery tarte tatin to crisp mint to fruity juniper.

I saved my square of Atlantiqueshortbread and salted caramel, topped with 66% dark chocolatefor the plane ride home, but piggishly ate two Nuages while strolling the streets of the sixth arrondissement. Another one of the young chocolatiers specialties, these treats look like cannels but are filled with a light and fluffy whipped chocolate marshmallow.

Its been over three weeks since those visits. My cupboard is finally depleted of the bars and bonbons I brought home with me. I think I need another Parisian chocolate run.

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Working with Cacao cooperatives in Southern Peru

By ChocoMuseo2, 2011-01-27

While opening the Cacao and Chocolate Museum in Cusco, we decided to travel to the "Valle de la Convencin" (5 hours from Cusco), region where most cacao is produced in Peru.

Talking to some producers or cooperatives, we saw that in fact cacao is not or poorly fermented in these region because farmers do not receive enough money to ferment their cacao so they prefer selling it without fermentation.

A lot of people here in Cusco prepare and produce what they call "Chocolate para taza" which is mainly cacao paste (or cacao liquor) that people use to prepare hot chocolate mixing it with hot water or milk. And in fact a lot of these producers do not know about fermentation and the impact that it has on the flavour of chocolate.

At ChocoMuseo we have decided to work with a small cooperative called "Cooperativa Jose Olaya" to be able to get some good fermented cacao. All the producers seem to be enthusiasmed by the project. For the moment, only 5 or 6 will ferment their cacao properly but the objective is that the whole 104 farmers in a few years will produce high quality cacao and find other buyers who can assure them good prices.

In a week we will receive our first batch of fermented cacao (Chuncho and Hybrid) and we will make our chocolate and see how it will come out. Very exciting in fact! We'll tell you more about it on our blog/website - http://Peru.ChocoMuseo.com

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Idilio Origins

By Pimm van der Donk, 2011-01-26

Our ordered chocolate bars from Switzerland, the Idilio Origins, have arrived in our Chocolaterie in Amsterdam. From the great and super 1ero Porcelana Criollo Puro to the delicious and charming 5nto Cooperativa Amazonas. The cocoa beans all come from Venezuela. A pretty new brand from the (milk)chocolate-country: Swiss honour is saved!

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Opening the Cacao and Chocolate Museum in Cusco, Perú

By ChocoMuseo2, 2011-01-24

For two months now, Clara Isabel and I are in the fantastic city of Cusco, Per.

Our objective is to open the new cacao and chocolate museum in this city.

For almost 1 month we looked for the perfect place to install this museum. We finally found a great place in the center of Cusco, on the wonderful Plaza Regocijo.

We now have 3 to 4 weeks before opening the museum and we are in the most interesting part: Cacao sourcing. We went to Quillabamba (6 hours away from Cusco) in the jungle to work with some cooperatives. We are now waiting for the cacao to arrive in Cusco and to start preparing our own artisanal chocolate.

We also work with different artists in the region and in the sacred valley to prepare some souvenirs and art pieces for the museum.

We hope to be opening between the 14th of february and the end of february.

Please check our website: http://peru.chocomuseo.com to have all the information about this future place to exchange about Chocolate in Peru

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Cocoa: NEW DEVELOPMENTS

By Vercruysse Geert, 2011-01-24

Source: http://ruraldevelopment.info/cocoa.aspx

The recent activity of Armajaro, the trading firm that has purchased stocks adding 240,100 tons constituting up to to 7% of global annual production have shaken the market with prices being pushed upwards beyond $2,800 per ton. That is a trader gain, it does nothing much to help farmers.

Armajaro has long warned of production problems in the Ivory Coast and has bet successfully on rising prices during previous rallies. Intelligence, it seems, is the most precious commodity. Beyond short-term squeezes, as the Dukes discovered, it is still largely about supply and demand. Armajaro has now released its position so it would appear to us that the strategy was a short term speculation on prices and being able to influence them.

Cocoa Facts & Figures

Number of cocoa farmers, worldwide: 5-6 million
Number of people who depend upon cocoa for their livelihood, worldwide: 40-50 million
Annual cocoa production, worldwide:4 million tons
Annual increase in demand for cocoa: 3 percent per year, for the past 100 years
Current global market value of annual cocoa crop: $5.1 billion
Cocoa growing regions: Africa, Asia, Central America, South America (all within 20 degrees of the equator)
Percentage of cocoa that comes from West Africa: 70 percent
Length of time required for a cocoa tree to produce its first beans (pods): five years
Duration of peak growing period for the average cocoa tree: 10 years

It is ambitious to develop a page on cocoa beans because there are effective commodity associations, bodies and major trading interests. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained, so we will develop this page and hope to provide food for thought.

Having experienced relatively slow growth for much of the 1960s and 70s, cocoa production has been increasing at a faster rate since. From just over one million tons per annum in 1961, production rose to 1.5 million tons by 1981 but by 2007 had risen to 4 million tons. It is an impressive growth in production and in consumption. The latter is due to increased popularity of chocolate specially in USA but also in Europe. India and China are also consuming more but started from low per caput levels. There ia a great deal of further growth likely in the two markets.

The leading four producers have had a very impressive growth rate since the 1960s. Most of them were very minor producers, especially Indonesia until 1985. I remember helping allocating a lot of land to cocoa for Repelita IV on a Mission for FAO Investment Centre on the basis of strong forecasts for demand which fortunately have proven correct. Out of the four, Indonesia started last and from the lowest point.

Even more impressive is the fact that consumption grew so fast that the increased production took place at the same time as the price increase. The rate of income per ha was impressive from the beginning and compares very favourably with that of oil palm and is above the latter today.

African countries accountfor 77% of world exports,they areby far the largest supplier of cocoa to the world markets, followed by Asia and Oceania (17%) and the Americas (seven per cent). 'The cocoa market remains highly concentrated , with the top five countries accounting for almost 90% of world net exports whilst over 98% originated from the top ten countries during the five year period from 2001/02 to 2005/06. Cte dIvoire is the worlds leading exporter of cocoa, representing 45% of global net exports, followed by Ghana and Indonesia (18% and 15% respectively). With increased processing at origin, cocoa products now represent a slightly higher proportion of total cocoa exports in most cocoa producing countries.'(ICCO). Roughly 3 million tons are exported as beans, half a million ground and half a million as butter.

Some of the main cocoa producing countries remain heavily dependent on cocoa export earnings.Higher market prices during 2001-2003 led to increased cocoa export earnings. Consequently, shares of cocoa earnings surged in main cocoa producing countries, Cte dIvoire and Ghana, from 27% and 20% respectively in 2000 to 43% and 39% respectively in 2003. The decline in international prices experienced in 2004 and 2005 led to lower cocoa export earnings in many cocoa producing countries, as in Cte dIvoire, where the share fell to 30% in 2005. Cocoa became the first source of exports earnings (US$ 1.071 billion) in Ghana in 2004, surpassing gold (US$ 840 million). This degree of dependence on export earnings from cocoa is the sort of dependence that EU-ACP Action plan is trying to diminish, particularly because cocoa prices are very volatile.

According to ICCO, cocoa is mainly consumed as chocolate confectionery, chocolate coated products (biscuits, ice creams), or in other food products containing cocoa powder including beverages, cakes, snacks, etc. The principal ingredients in chocolate are cocoa paste, which imparts the basic chocolate flavour, cocoa butter which provides the characteristic mouth feel, sugar and a flavouring agent. Milk or milk powder is added to produce milk chocolate; nuts, biscuits and other fillings are added to make filled chocolates. Cocoa powder is used in a wide range of food products and beverages. The growth in cocoa consumption in the Far East and Eastern Europe is largely attributed to an increase in demand for products containing cocoa powder. Relatively small amounts of cocoa butter are used in cosmetic products and, more recently, new products are being manufactured from cocoa by-products in some cocoa producing countries.

Processing continues to be done in importing countries near centres of consumption in Europe and North America; the Netherlands and the United States have maintained their positions as the worlds two leading cocoa processing countries. Germany became the third largest cocoa grinding country towards the end of the review period, realizing very rapid increases in processing during recent years.

Prices (red line above)in 1982 were slightly above $2,000 ton and in 2007 stood at around $1,800 while production rose over the same period from 1.6 million to 4 million tons (blue line above).Prices have risen again to above 2,500. The burning issue of the day is what happens next. Before the collapse in the speculative commodity price hike in 2008, IOCC published forecasts through to 2012. These forecasts

Reference Scenario

Forecasts

Projections

2007/2008

2008/2009

2009/2010

2010/2011

2011/2012

2012/2013

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

World production, 000 tonnes

3,713

3,915

4,076

4,193

4,324

4,459

World grindings, 000 tonnes

3,727

3,805

3,900

4,024

4,154

4,285

WORLD COCOA STOCKS

End-of-season stock levels

1,536

1,607

1,742

1,869

1,995

2,125

Surplus/Deficit

-51

71

135

126

127

129

Stocks-to-grindings ratio (%)

41%

42%

45%

46%

48%

50%

COCOA PRICES

SDR/tonnes (2006/2007)

1,374

1,446

1,414

1,343

1,297

1,257

World production Value (millions SDRs in 2006/2007)

5,101

5,662

5,763

5,632

5,607

5,605

The forecastwas for a modest 10% increase in production and in prices but we live in times where forecasts are difficult. . Given past trends, the forecast is entirely resaonable and is a change over the previous ones. However, we are in the midst of a depression which may advsersely impact on cocoa consumption. In particular, there may be a short term impact during 2009 and to a lesser extent 2010 that would bring developments closer to the original forecasts. We would not actually be surprised if prices were to fall in the face of mounting stocks due to falling consumption in the main markets.

In the longer term, increased consumption in India and China is very likely. In established markets, chocolate may actually benefit from adverse publicity on the includion of sugar in congectionery and formulations will tend to favour higher cocoa content.

If our reservationsprove true, IOCC should revise their forecasts and investors be vary of expectations made during the hike last year.

Nevertheless, cocoa at $1,200 per ha still looks like a good investment for farmers provided they avoid farming systems that are too high input which makes them risky. Having said that, we are aware that CDC achieved high yield rates in Irian Jaya, Indonesia with a high input approach. The average tield rate for low or normal inputs is around 0.76 tons per ha. There were reports of CDC being able to achieve up to 3 tons per ha.

.

The chart above traces price development by the month in 2009 and 2010. The bull market has thus far been reigning supreme and Armajaro still setting the pace at roughly twice normal trend. The same is the case for many commodities and there are new indications that prices may be in for a fall.

Cocoa beans - Monthly Price - Commodity Prices Month Value May-10 3,165.75 Jun-10 3,230.83 Jul-10 3,229.55 Aug-10 3,071.71 Sep-10 2,874.98 Oct-10 2,909.66 index mundi

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Casa Luker Chocolate: Flavour description

By Vercruysse Geert, 2011-01-24

Some people ask me about Casa Luker and flavours, I like to work with there chocolate but this is personal.

For me the tree couvertures with character are the:Tumaco 85%, Huila 85% and the very best Santander 85%.

Its difficult to compare with other brands I'm working with such as Amano, Pacari, Valrhona, Felchlin,...

I like to make my own melange for enrobing my chocolates (bonbons) and so I do for the Santander 85% wich I take 2/3 Santander and 1/3 of Maca 62% Bresil, but again this is personal.

Just gif it a try and shoot as long you enjoying yourself.

Geert Vercruysse

With Francisco Javier Gomez - Gerente Negocios Internacionales of Casa Luker Colombia

http://www.luker.com.co/

Code

Name

Flavour description

D201

MISTERIO

Pronounced chocolate flavour with delightful sweet floral tones. Smooth in texture, melts in the mouth quickly.

D202

SELVA

The sweet tones in the chocolate harmonize perfectly with the delicate flavour of the cocoa. Smoothe with sweet fruity and citric notes and a hint of nuttiness.

D203

MACONDO

A chocolate that seduces with its exotic flavour and soft acidic tones that complement the cocoas fruitiness. Delicate flavour with a fluid texture, a good balance between the typical bitterness of cocoa and sweet tones.

M204

NOCHE

With pleasant milky notes, dark in color and with a defined chocolate flavour. The acidity of the chocolate and the creamy-milk notes in Noche complement each other perfectly. Smooth and balanced.

M205

ANDINA

Balanced chocolate with a good cocoa aroma, pleasant milky notes and sweet caramel-like tones. Mild chocolate flavour that lasts and a smooth texture that melts in the mouth.

M206

CLARO DE LUNA

Recognized for its typical light colour and milky vanilla aroma. Mild cocoa flavour, with sweet notes and a touch of vanilla. Smooth texture melts in the mouth easily.

New

AVENTURA

Creamy chocolate, light in colour with a mild chocolate flavour and pronounces milky sweet notes and a touch of caramel. Smooth texture that melts in the mouth quickly. Ideal for products catered for children.

W207

NEVADO

Embodies the exotic colour and escuisite flavour of chocolate made with 100% natural cocoa butter. Marked milky notes and mild cocoa notes typical of natural cocoa butter. It stands out for its high fluidity and its melt-in-the-mouth quality.

Code

Name

Flavour description

D101

Dark Tumaco Origin 53%

Delicate flavour and aroma with delicate fruity and floral notes, and a subtle hint of bitterness that makes it ideal for those who enjoy mild chocolates.

D102

Dark Tumaco Origin 65%

Delightfully balanced bittersweet flavour with defined cocoa notes, ideal for those who seek a balance of flavour and aroma in their chocolate.

D103

Extra Dark Tumaco Origin 85%

A chocolate of exquisite character with a defined aroma, typicalof Colombian cocoa. A vigorous bitter flavour and a subtle sweetness combined with floral and fruity notes to give the ultimate expression in Dark Chocolates.

D104

Dark Huila Origin 53%

An exotic chocolate with a mild aroma and fruit candy flavour, with fruity, floral and acid notes associated to fruits of the forest.

D105

Dark Huila Origin 65%

A chocolate with a sweet aroma and citric notes and a floral flavour, where the acidity combines with the cocoa flavour for a simply delicious result.

D106

Extra Dark Huila Origin 85%

Huila 85% is characterised by its floral aroma with acid notes that blend deliciously with the fruity flavour and delicate cocoa notes.

D107

Dark Santander Origin 53%

A chocolate that leaves long-lasting sweet notes and spicy, woody flavours in the mouth.

D108

Dark Santander Origin 65%

A fruity flavoured chocolate with a good bitter-sweet balance and spicy, woody notes.

D109

Extra Dark Santander Origin 85%

A chocolate with a defined Colombian FINO DE AROMA cocoa aroma with a predominant mild cocoa flavour, fruit notes and a mild level of acidity as a perfect accompaniment for the chocolate flavour.

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Sweet Belgium

By Cioccolatomylove, 2011-01-23

Today was a beautiful sunny day... unexpected since the forecast expected snow.After a good run, I treated myself in a good way, with an american coffee, a chocolate muffin and a piece of chocolate with blackberry and ginger, which I bought at Cioccoshow .This particular chocolate comes from Belgium, a land dedicated to the production of chocolate.I like to eat this type of chocolate in the middle of the day because the taste of blackberry and ginger leave me a nice flavor in my mouth.Along with this tablet of blackberry and ginger I bought another one flavored lemon and pepper ... just special and tasty its definitely more spicy.These chocolates are produced by a Belgian company called Kim's chocolates whici is based in Tienen, Belgium, a town about 31 miles from Brussels.

The company started in 1987 thanls to Mr. Fons Maex and over the years has developed keeping on believing in the passion for chocolate. Today the firmemploys 100 people.The bars under the brand Cachet, of course are not the only product ... there are also pralines, and stuffed tablets that are sold under the name of KC Chocolatier .

All the chocolate manufactured by Kim's chocolates is done according to the Belgian tradition and the ingredients are carefully selected and its strictly prohibited the use of preservatives and genetically modified agents.

I must say I am very happy to have tasted chocolate by Kim's chocolates and even if we talk about an industrial manufacturer there is no doubt about the quality of the product.On the site there are also some nice video showing the production.. and even if its not as charming as the laboratory one, it is interesting to see how the chocolates are produced in large scale.

Have fun!

http://cioccolatomylove.blogspot.com/

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There's something going on in Amsterdam

By Vera Hofman, 2011-01-22

In 1997, when my passion for fine chocolate started, the only premium bar I could buy in The Netherlands was Valrhona's Le Noir. For many years it was very difficult to get good chocolate. At some places you saw more bars of Valrhona and if you were lucky one of Amedeis.Still there was not much going on. For the real stuff I visited Paris a lot.

But the last two years there is a chocolate revolution going on in The Netherlands!In 2009 Kees Raat, our most famous chocolatier , opened his new "Metropolitan Deli" in Amsterdam. He makes delicious truffles and lollypops with Original Beans Piura Porcelana couverture and he sells bars of Pacari, Akesson's, The Grenada Chocolate Companyand of course Original Beans.

In the same year "Chocoweb", an online chocolate shop, was launched. A lot of bars you couldn't get here before were now only a mouse click away.

In the two last months of 2010 two new chocolate shops opened in Amsterdam. The first is "VANDERDONK Fine Chocolates", it offers bars by Bonnat, Fine & Raw, Donna Elvira and many more. They also make wonderful French-style chocolates.The other one is "Chocoltl", it has an almost completely different collection: Pralus, Askinosie, Corallo, Amano, Domori, etc.

So the real chocoholic who wants his collection complete must visit them all! The owners of the shops createdtheir own unique style. But what they share is a true passion for chocolate.....and Original Beans' bars!

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My Gourmet Chocolate Recipes

By Hank Friedman, 2011-01-19

I really enjoy creating new truffles and other desserts and have had two local restaurants use my recipes (for chocolate polenta cake for their special New Years Eve dinner, and my Tiramousse). I publish all of my recipes on my website:

http://soulhealing.com/choco.htm

and invite you all to view them. Among the truffle recipes, so many are outstanding: the passionfruit, jasmine, black cherry, and pecan to mention a few.

Enjoy!

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