Quotable Quotes
Posted in: Opinion
This is a forum thread where we can share our favorite quotes about chocolate.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/15/15 12:52:32
Forum Activity for @Clay
Posted in: Opinion
This is a forum thread where we can share our favorite quotes about chocolate.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/15/15 12:52:32
Chocolate and Health News
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
This forum thread is for news articles and other online resources about chocolate and health. This thread serves as a collection point for all of those references that don't need a forum thread or blog post of their own. Please reply to this original post (unless, you want to comment on a specific entry, in which case, reply to the entry).
updated by @Clay Gordon: 12/13/24 12:16:07
Online Chocolate Sources
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Cybele:AS near as I know Steve DeVries does not generally allow anyone else to sell online. I managed to convince him to let me sell the 72% Costa Rican as a part of my "Young Turks" collection, and I also have the 70% Patric Madagascar if you are interested.Taza appears to be available only from their web site although there is a place in Venice, CA that sells it: Market Gourmet 1800A Abbott Kinney Blvd.:: Clay
Take The Chocolate Personality Test
Posted in: Opinion
You can blend a dark chocolate (it doesn't have to be cocoa mass) with a milk chocolate to get a new percentage in a dark milk. The temper point may be a little different but I do it regularly.
Take The Chocolate Personality Test
Posted in: Opinion
Finally, a test you don't have to study for! Take the chocolate personality test .I tested one level down from "hardcore" dark. I do believe that there is such a thing as good milk chocolate and I do eat it on a fairly regular basis - so my answers to the quiz did a good job of predicting the kind of chocolate I like to eat.How about you? What's your chocolate personality and did the quiz provide an accurate assessment of your chocolate personality.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/22/15 18:46:15
Chocolate shops in Quebec, Canada?
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
I know that this is not the insider local tips, but try the following two searches: http://www.google.com/search?q=quebec+canada+chocolatier and http://www.google.com/search?q=quebec+canada+chocolate+festival When you find a result (a shop) that you like, Google that and you'll probably find some comments from a local.This page ( http://www.culture.ca/featuredarticle-articlepublie-e/chocolate-cho... ) also has a number of interesting links to shops and other festivals. If you make it to St Stephen in New Brunswick DO NOT miss Ganong Chicken Bones - one of my all-time favorites. You might be able to find them in Montreal, too.Although it might not make sense immediately, try this page for a list of exhibitors at a festival in November - some of them are in Montreal: http://www.salonpassionchocolat.com/Exposant.aspx?lg=A&Annee=2008
Comparing the styles of Chocolate Makers
Posted in: Tasting Notes
While I have to applaud the FCIA for what they are attempting to do, one reason I don't heartily endorse the organization (I am not a member and am not interested in the politics of organization) is that they consistently get basic facts either mixed up or totally wrong.The star above is just another example of getting things mixed up: it confuses chocolate makers (people and companies who make chocolate from beans) with what the French refer to as fondeurs - people or companies that buy chocolate from chocolate makers and then melt and mold that chocolate into bars and/or turn it into confections (truffles, bon bons, etc.).So I don't agree that the facets as presented are relevant to the discussion and contribute anything meaningful to a chocolate maker's trademark flavor and style unless we agree that:a) We are only talking about chocolate makers; andb) We agree that artistry and presentation do not contribute to the taste of a chocolate.For a chocolate maker, I contend that issues such as proper tempering and molding techniques fall under the Technical Expertise point and - if we're getting really technical (and we're just talking about chocolate makers) - Technical Expertise and Production Practices can be considered to be one and the same.For chocolate manufacturers we might consider reconfiguring the star thusly:1) Cacao Origin2) Post-Harvest Processing (which is usually beyond their control)3) Roasting Expertise4) Technical Understanding of, and Control over, Production Processes5) Non-Chocolate Ingredient QualityJust my $.02:: Clay
Comparing the styles of Chocolate Makers
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Here's the link to the first page of the series of articles on house chocolate styles Brady refers to.
Comparing the styles of Chocolate Makers
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Brady:All of these are very good concerns. I do not plan to implement OpenRecord exactly as it is; in fact I probably won't use the software at all. What I will do is use it as a template to create something that does what we need it to do. For example, I would want the software to integrate with the NingID sign-on, so that you would not have to use another password and I could give interested ChocolateLife members administrative privileges to that application.I also want to make it prettier to look at (make it seem to be like a natural part of TheChocolateLife and not something completely alien) and I have no intention of putting Google ads anywhere. (In fact, I plan to remove the Google ads from this site when it starts generating revenue through book and chocolate sales.)Search is high on my list as is a "suggestion" facility. A forum could easily be created by creating another "page" within the application (like the "suggestions" in the demo for the book club only a little more sophisticated.In fact, if I could figure out a way to import all of the content from this site, I could probably do a complete social network using a tool like this with the correct pages and plug-ins.:: Clay
Comparing the styles of Chocolate Makers
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Brady:I ran across the following piece of software that looks like it might be a perfect way to implement this. Please take a look at the following screencast to see if it looks like that to you. http://openrecord.org/screencast.html If you think it might work, I will do what I can to download it and install it as a sub-domain of TheChocolateLife.com (e.g., chocolatemakers.thechocolatelife.com AND chocolatiers.thechocolatelife.com) and we can figure out how to structure the content before making it available to everyone.:: Clay
Its Grand Opening time!!!!
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Jeff:Congratulations on the opening and the success you deserve through all of the hard work and dedication to vision and craft you've displayed over the years. I remember when you first got in touch and sent me the first samples to taste. How long ago was that? 5 years? You are right. WOW. What a trip.I also want to applaud you for reaching out into the community and finding a way to use people's love for chocolate in a positive and beautifully constructive way. It speaks well to who you, Belle, and Lillie are as people and to the values you want LillieBelle Farms to represent.
Where to Buy Cookbooks and Reference Books
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
This purpose of this forum thread is to create a place where members can recommend their favorite places to purchase cooking and other books about chocolate. Please keep in mind that everyone knows the obvious sources (e.g., Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, etc.) what we're looking for here is the specialist sources that cater to people like us who are crazy about chocolate.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/07/25 13:00:14
Chocolate Slotting Mapping Idea
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Theo B:Chocomap is a start, but usability is not the greatest. Try searching by a city in the US (arranging alphabetically so that the US is at the bottom of this list is just plain wrong). Takes forever, and NY, for example is broken down by borough so that's at least 5 searches - except there are three boroughs missing (Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx) and I know that there is at least one chocolate shop in each.What Sera is asking for is the next level of this, which is to identify what chocolates are sold at those shops. This can get excruciatingly detailed with companies like Whole Foods which seems to carry a different selection for each store.I think the way to tackle this is to get the data, figure out how to put it in a usable form, and then make it pretty.
Chocolate Slotting Mapping Idea
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Sera:I spent a large part of my pre-chocolate career actually trying to build applications like this so I am fairly familiar with the field. This is one of the most promising I have seen. However, it's not visually sophisticated and it's missing some really important features (especially hierarchical categories).I have worked with a really smart young developer who's got a great User Interface building tool and we are going to take the general idea of openrecord and fix its deficiencies rather than try to fix openrecord. I should know in the next week or so when it will be ready to play with. Hopefully by mid-April.
Chocolate Slotting Mapping Idea
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Casey:Thanks for these suggestions. Although the design is really bad, I want to encourage you to go to http://openrecord.org/screencast.html and take a look at as many chapters as you can sit through. This is the sort of flexibility in a tool that I am looking for.I am interested in everyone's comments on this.
Chocolate Slotting Mapping Idea
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Brady has suggested a very different idea that requires a similar database infrastructure in order to make it work. While I encourage any of you to do the research, you might want to wait a week or two to start entering the data here. I am working with a colleague to develop an application that will make it easy to create this database as well as the database that Brady is looking to do - and maybe even connect them somehow.We are looking into making this a widget that any social network hosted on Ning can use!
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Brady:
One of the things that people don't always consider to be part of "terroir" is post-harvest processing and manufacturing techniques. Champagne is not just a defined region, it's a method of production AND the use of particular grape varietals.
A controlled denomination of origin system would include all of these aspects (e.g., Maraon pure Nacional as the type, a specific geographic descriptor, and then a description of the general protocols for fermentation [e.g/. 2/2/2] and drying.
I think it's pretty easy to appreciate chocolate without really knowing where the cocoa beans come from. However, more knowledge leads to a different depth of appreciation. Recently, I came across a definition of connoisseur as someone who can say, "I can appreciate that - even though I don't like it."
Getting to specific genetics will be interesting and depend upon confounding political factors over which there is no control.
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Seneca:
When you're ready, let's set up a discussion forum in the Hawaii Cacao group and invite the members there to contribute.
Have fun in the weeds!
:: Clay
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Seneca:
How about starting on Hawaii? It's a small group and there is the resource of Skip Bittenbender's group and access into the Ag department in the Hawaiian state government.
Kona is a good example in coffee ....
:: Clay
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
And there is this other release on "pure nacional" being found in Peru. Apparently, they are genetically more or less identical to the Nacional found in Ecuador and have the same aroma, but have a higher proportion of white beans than the Nacional found in Ecuador.
The Peruvian Nacional is also different in that it grows between 3500-4100 ft, the highest recorded for any cacao.
If you take a look at Motamayor's map you'll see that the range for Criollo is quite large - which makes sense for cultivated varieties. However, there is some distance (not only as the crow flies but also in elevation) between the Cacao Nacional in Ecuador and the Cacao Nacional in Peru - which leads to the questions of how the distribution occurred, which is the "original home" (if either was, there may be a different common ancestor), and rethinking the range of habitats suitable for growing cacao.
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Brady:
The old one (3+1) is clearly broken and Motomayor et al is not complete, and the recent announcement of pure Nacional found in Peru is confusing.
Any new classification scheme is probably going to be based on new genetic research but anything new is going to have to go up against all of the marketing that has been done around 3+1 even though it's woefully inadequate.
Any ideas on what you'd like to see that might be useful without being too complicated?
Personally, I think any new system should start with a geographic overlay - named denominations that are protected as in the AOC in France and the DOP in the EU.
:: Clay
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Brady:
Here's one summary of the research you mention, published, today. Here's the official release from Penn State.
From the Penn State article:
"The Theobroma cacao genome sequences are deposited in the EMB:/Genbank/DDBJ databases under accession numbers CACC01000001-CACC01025912. A genome browser and further information on the project are available from http://cocoagendb.cirad.fr/gbrowse and http://cocoagendb.cirad.fr ."
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Brady: I read of the research, which focuses on Central American "criollos." If you take a look at Motamayor's map, the geographic distribution of what that research labels criollo is vast.
We may see some distinction within the criollo group but I don't know that the new Penn State research is broad enough to add new varieties or if it can only add varieties within the criollo group.
I guess we'll have to wait to find out. Whatever is technically correct, the larger issue is how to communicate this to consumers. It's clear that the trinity+1 view is wrong but the industry (me included) has done such a good job in the last 20 years promoting criollo, forastero, trinitario (+ nacional) that it's hard to see what use and/or outcomes might be. I personally have abandoned the trinity+1 naming in all my new work and writing, just as I advocate for the use of "origin" over "single-origin."
updated by @Clay Gordon: 09/14/15 17:15:53
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Jim:
Samantha was one of the strongest contributors, technically, to TheChocolateLife, and her contributions will definitely be missed. It was a shock to me that she left in such a peremptory fashion. If you are interested, it's possible to retrieve much (but not all) of what Samantha contributed through the magic of Google's cache.
Search on Google for "samantha madell thechocolatelife" then click on the 'cached' pages link. In most browsers you can save the page as an HTML file. However, you only get this one page, the page navigation links at the bottom don't point to cached pages, but to the pages on TheChocolateLife that no longer exist.
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Some long-time members of TheChocolateLife may realize that Samantha Madell recently left the community and chose to delete all of her contributions when she left.
Among those contributions was the link to a research paper by Juan Carlos Motamayor, et al , (Geographic and Genetic Population Differentiation of the Amazon Chocolate Tree) referring to a new classification scheme of 10 distinct varieties. Published in 2008, this list has already been updated to include at least three more genetically distinct varieties of cacao, up from the more conventionally understood 3+1 (criollo, forastero, trinitario, and nacional).
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
As an FYI - here is a link to the page on icco.org where you can download the study Sam mentions.From the project brief: Brief Description The project aims to evaluate the characteristics of fine/flavour and bulk cocoas through a series of scientific evaluations of physical, chemical and organoleptic parameters, and to provide methodologies, standards and instruments for universal use in differentiating fine/flavour from bulk cocoa. Project Objectives The main objective of the project is to provide universally acceptable criteria to differentiate between fine/flavour and bulk cocoas. More specifically, the project aims to evaluate the characteristics of fine/flavour and bulk cocoas through a series of scientific evaluations of physical, chemical and organoleptic parameters and provide methodologies, standards and instruments for universal use in differentiating fine/flavour from bulk cocoa.Project ComponentsThe project has six components towards achieving the stated objectives. The project components are:* Fermentation and drying trials;* Chemical assessment of quality parameters;* Preparation and analysis of cocoa liquor;* Organoleptic assessment of sensory characteristics;* DNA profiling and spectral image analysis;* Analysis and interpretation of results.
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
For the forseeable future, I think that this is only going to be of interest to researchers. From a consumer perspective I don't see the expansion of the classification system to be of much use - it will only make things more confusing. As Volker pointed out - where is Nacional on the list? Where is Trinitario? The industry has spent so much time and money educating people to this level of classification that I don't see them wanting to go any further.Sam is right to a large extent - Trinitario is almost meaningless as a useful descriptor these days, and the old "all forastero is trash" attitude is, well, old. I've personally tasted how proper fermentation and drying can affect the taste of liquor made with the "lowly" CCN-51 in Ecuador.As a chocolate professional I think it is important to work to preserve as much diversity as possible for many different reasons. However, most consumers don't care (and probably shouldn't have to) about the meaning of the differences between Iquitos and Maraon varieties of cacao - as they are expressed in the chocolate they eat.
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
Brady:You raise a lot of interesting questions - which is what I have come to expect (and respect) from you.You are right, as far as the consumer is concerned, there are three major types of beans, criollo, forastero, and trinitario. Forasteros and trinitarios are grown around the world, criollos have a much more limited range. Because of the way cacao is pollinated, there is a huge amount of natural hybridization going on and it is usually the case that you can spot pods with different genetics on the same tree, not just in the same area of an orchard. Morphological analysis (shape) reveals little, and genetic testing makes no sense as it takes too long and is too expensive.From what I have learned, Arriba is the name given to the unique flavor of the true Nacional bean. The Nacional has been described as a forastero with many criollo characteristics, but no-one knows how the bean evolved. I have been told that attempts have been made to plant Nacional varieties outside of Ecuador, but none of those experiments resulted in plants that produced cacao that remotely resembled the flavor of Nacional planted in Ecuadorian soil upriver from Guayaquil. Colombia is a net importer of cacao and my understanding is that much of the cacao that is used for Santander bars is actually Ecuadorian and not native Colombian. The Colombian beans are of lesser quality and are used for the domestic market. Santander is owned by the largest chocolate company in Colombia - if not South America. They are best known for the Jet brand of candy bars.The idea of using classification is an interesting one that would make a lot of sense if grading systems around the world were standardized. The grading systems are used to determine the price of cacao and are mostly used in the commodity market. However, the grades that are used in the Dominican Republic are different from Venezuela. Here is a quote from the ICCO site on grading: "Cocoa grading differs across producing and consuming countries. However, over the years, the physical market has developed standard practices set out by the main international cocoa trade associations: the Federation of Cocoa Commerce Ltd (FCC) and the Cocoa Merchants' Association of America, Inc. (CMAA). For example, the FCC distinguishes two grades: good fermented cocoa beans and fair fermented cocoa beans. Samples of good fermented cocoa beans must have less than 5% mould, less than 5% slate and less than 1.5% foreign matter. A sample of fair fermented cocoa beans must have less than 10% mould, less than 10% slate and less 1.5% foreign matter. These tests are carried out through the so-called cut-test. Such a test involves counting off a given number or weight of cocoa beans, cutting them lengthwise through the middle, and then examining them. Separate counts are made of the number of beans which are mouldy, slaty, insect damaged, germinated or flat." But you're right, knowing that a bar was made from Madagascan Trinitario hybrids with the highest grade would provide some useful information. I think this would make the most sense would be for the smaller artisan producers and hope that the trend trickled up.
Reclassification of cacao varieties?
Posted in: Opinion
While the reclassification of cacao is a laudable goal, I'd first like to lobby the FDA to create a standard of identity for dark chocolate.Right now, any "chocolate liquor" can, by law, contain dairy fats - e.g., butter oil - so any chocolate in the "sweet" category (which also includes semi-sweet and bittersweet) can automatically have dairy ingredients because they're grandfathered in by the mandated inclusion of chocolate liquor as an ingredient.I'd like the FDA to make an explicit "dark chocolate" category that says to consumers that there are no dairy ingredients in a chocolate. This is not the same thing as Kosher Pareve, which is a religious certification and not a technical one.Just FYI, there has been some reclassification in the taxonomy of t. cacao . For many years it was in the Sterculiaceae family and in the past five years has been reassigned to the Malvaceae family although this is at least one step above the level of classification being talked about.The classic work in this field - the one that is cited by everyone working in this area - is Cuatrecasas (1964). This is a longish paper originally published in volume 35 of Contributions From the United States National Herbarium . I spent a long time looking for this and the only copy I was able to locate is in the Library of Congress. However, I was able to find it online, thanks to a very helpful person at the Smithsonian.If you are interested in taking a look at this seminal paper, this link takes you to the title page (after page 377) of this research paper, which is part of a collection of papers. If you like, the entire document is downloadable in PDF format. The FDA Standards of Identity for chocolate are here .
Chocolate design
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Take a look at this article from a web site devoted to package design.From the text: "The concept behind Tokyo's 100% Chocolate Cafe is to put your senses in the middle of a chocolate kitchen. They live up to their name with over 56 types of different chocolates, even cheese and black pepper chocolates. They also serve chocolate drinks, chocolate pastries, chocolate ice cream, and even chocolate sandwiches. Their packaging is pretty neat too! Continue reading below to see more." Another entry from the same blog about Mast Brothers Chocolate in NYC.
Chocolate design
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
One of the best package designs I have seen in the past couple of years is the packaging for Askinosie Chocolate's products - and that's not just because I was involved in its evolution. What is most important is that the packaging really does convey the "brand DNA" of the company - you can learn a lot about them just by looking at the package, not having to read it. I can tell you that it took months of going back and forth with the design team to select the logo, finalize the text, and then develop the exact form that the envelope took. In the end, it was Shawn's insistence not to settle for anything less than what was exactly right that led them to the final result. Shawn is real approachable so I would contact him directly if you haven't already.
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Actually, Chocosphere has a thriving wholesale business. All you have to do is call them to get instructions on how to set up a wholesale account and to receive a wholesale price list.
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
I know Mark Douglas and Kim Carlson at Culinate. One of my blog posts there actually had over 200 replies! A record for me.I know I really dated myself when I mentioned I was working in the late '70s. Ever hear of a Portland band called Seafood Mama? Old friends. The only literary connection I have to Portland is that I once met Ursula K LeGuin. She wrote one of my favorite SF books ever - The Left Hand of Darkness.I like the icon even better knowing they are modern and that you make them (and I presume sell them). Cool. Did you get the material for the molds from Chef Rubber?
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Sarah:Of course I know Alma, I just never connected the two together. Do you know the people over at culinate.com? I wrote five blog entries for them in December/January. Do take the time to meet with Shawn when you go out there. If you want an introduction beforehand let me know. Finally, I used to live in Portland - 1977-80. Spent most of my time working for KBOO and enjoying the music scene. Love the photos of antique molds on your site .
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Sarah:I am really sorry you couldn't make it on the trip. The alumni are a pretty accomplished bunch including Shawn Askinosie (Askinosie Chocolate), Marc Boatwright and Patricia Hinajosa (Choctal ice cream), the founders of ScandChoco - an importer of gourmet chocolate into Scandinavia, and Sam Madell and Langdon Stephenson of TAVA in Australia.A simplified and reorganized version of the classroom curriculum from the University of Chocolate is being given on the trip to Belize next month. Don't know if there are any last-minute places, but send a message to Holly Stabin (she's a member here) to find out.Also, I am looking into alternative sources of organic couverture for another Chocolate Life member and if anything comes of that I will let you know. Where is your shop and what is its name?
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Casey:I am not totally sure as Chocosphere sells to retail, not wholesale, customers. I do know that wholesale customers who Hershey considers to be competitors to their brands are not going to be able to get the chocolate going forward. However, they still might make it available to home chefs. Best to contact Jerry at Chocosphere and ask him what he's been told.
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
Gwen: This is a really interesting discussion in its own right - what are chocolate makers, chocolatiers, and their customers looking for when it comes to various certifications?I happened to speak to Frederick Schilling of Dagoba about the recall after I blindly published the news feeds concerning it. First off, Frederick said, the amount involved was nowhere near the 20 tons cited in the reports, it was a small fraction of that amount and it only applied to bars made from Ecuadorian beans grown in areas in or near the mountains that form the central backbone of the country.Why is this? Volcanic soils typically contain very high levels of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. If someone were to eat chocolate made from beans from these areas then there is the possibility of heavy-metal contamination. This is going to be an especially big issue for cacao grown in Hawaii because all of the arable land is volcanic in origin.Heavy metal contamination has nothing to do with any kind of certification. Anyone can grow cacao "organically" in volcanic soil and it would still qualify as organic. Organic certification mostly cares about is the use of chemicals and certain other farming techniques and does not, as far as I know, address the issues of compounds that are naturally present in the soil.It turns out that virtually no chocolate made in the world is routinely tested for the presence of heavy metals. I do know that when I was in Venezuela and Mexico with Shawn Askinosie on a bean buying trip in 2006, Shawn was very careful to take soil samples in several of the orchards of the co-ops he was looking to buy beans from. He had the soil analyzed for heavy metal content and was prepared to walk away from any co-op growing cacao in soil contaminated with heavy metals.One of the "problems" with virtually all of the certifications is that they don't really try to deal with issues related to quality. If I were creating a certification program I would absolutely require the testing of soil not only for synthetic chemicals but for naturally occurring substances that are poisonous to humans when ingested.
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
I've known the founder of Vintage Plantations since late 1998 and took part in his University of Chocolate trips to Ecuador in 2003 and 2005. (Also on the 2005 trip were Shawn Askinosie, founder of Askinosie Chocolate ; Marc Boatwright and Patricia Hinjosa, co-founders of Choctal ; and Samantha Madel and Langdon Stevenson of TAVA (Tropical Agriculture Value Added) in Australia. Elsewhere, someone posted a link saying that Askinosie Chocolate was now available in Scandinavia, and the founders of that company, ScandChoco , were also on that 2005 trip. I feel honored to have been in such an accomplished group.)Unless I am missing something, it looks like the only certified organic product is the cocoa powder. Everything else is Rainforest Alliance certified - but not organic. I have to agree with you on two counts, though, the cocoa butter is one of the better ones you can buy (I don't think it's deodorized) and the quality has been steadily improving since its first introduction.
Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture
Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE
For the past several years, one of the better sources for organic couverture for artisan chocolatiers has been (believe it or not) Dagoba. Several well-known and award-winning chocolatiers have built their businesses on that chocolate.However, since its acquisition by Hershey's Artisan Confections company, Dagoba has been forced to close down several lucrative side businesses, which include short-run bar production and selling couverture. Presumably, Artisan Confections views this as selling basic raw ingredients to competitors.I've been asked on several occasions to help chocolatiers locate sources for organic couverture. One of those came in my e-mail yesterday and I decided to follow up on it because of an increase in interest in this subject overall.There is the obvious choice: Barry-Callebaut. They are arguably the largest supplier of organic couverture to artisan chocolatiers. Valrhona has recently entered the business, but its prices make it a no-go option for many. In fact, couvertures imported from Europe are getting increasingly expensive as the dollar shrinks against the Euro.So - what are you all using these days? Who are you looking to to provide organic couverture of high technical quality (i.e., consistent workability) that also tastes good?One Canadian (Ottawa, Ontario) company my research unearthed is Cocoa Camino . They offer only three couvertures (70%, 56%, and a milk) but they are all certified organic, fairtrade, and kosher.Does anyone have any experience with these - or have other recommendations for organic couverture?
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/07/25 13:00:14
Review of Sucre (New Orleans)
Posted in: Tasting Notes
New Orleans has an outsized reputation for many things: it's a world-class party destination with great parades featuring lots of beads, great music, great food, low-class strip/clip joints, and a fascinating history, not to mention drive-through daquiri bars.The list of culinary classics on the savory side of the menu from this part of the south is almost endless. But from a dessert perspective, New Orleans' rep does not shine nearly so brightly. Apart from the Bananas Foster it's hard to name a truly great New Orleans dessert. And yes, I know of the beignets at Cafe du Monde with their heavy dusting of powdered sugar. And although you can order the beignets at the Cafe du Monde most any time of the day or night, the best time to eat them is in the stillness of the very early morning before the heat of the day starts to enervate the Quarter's inhabitants; washed down with a cafe au lait where the cafe is laced with chicory - so I don't really think of them as dessert.The one confection that New Orleans is known for is the praline (pronounced praw'-leen). Real New Orleans-style pralines resemble large cookies, but these cookies are made from boiled sugar in which you can find swimming pecans. The best pralines are really quite good, but for every place that makes a good one there are dozens that don't measure up. One of the best-known makers of pralines in New Orleans is Laura's Candies . While they do sell what they call truffles at Laura's, they fall into the category of "hometown favorites" and are best compared with the products of other companies at their price point, such as See's.From 2000-2005, the "Best Candy Shop" in New Orleans (as voted by the readers of Gambit magazine) was Blue Frog Chocolates . I would also categorize Blue Frog as being a hometown favorite, but one with aspirations to reach beyond their hometown. The signature Blue Frog chocolate is a molded frog made from white chocolate that is colored blue. From what I can see from the pictures on their site, these will turn your tongue blue - which may be their major attraction. Other Blue Frog specialties I would call "novelty" chocolates: molded alligators, Mardi Gras gelt, chocolate voodoo dolls, and such like. In addition to these novelty products, Blue Frog also sells products made by other companies, most of which command a higher price point. Brands include Joseph Schmidt, Green and Blacks, and Michel Cluizel. They do, however, carry one very downmarket brand of truffles imported from France, Chocmod Truffettes. Many flavors can't even be called chocolate because they don't actually contain any cocoa mass (the ingredients list for their "Original Flavor Truffettes de France is: partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, sugar, low fat cocoa, whey powder, cocoa powder, emulsifier: soy lecithin, natural flavor: vanilla). To be fair, the ingredients list for their Organic Truffles (note truffle, not truffette - a real giveaway) is not at all bad: organic cocoa mass, organic coconut oil, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa powder, organic cocoa butter, soy lecithin.With the opening of Sucr (French for sugar) in April 2007, New Orleans finally has a local artisan chocolatier that it can truly be proud of. Located betwixt and between the Garden District and Uptown on Magazine St just two hops, three skips, four jumps and some bon temps (not to mention TurboDogs) from Tipitina's. Sucr is the handiwork of successful local restaurant entrepreneur Joel Dondis and Pastry Chef/Chocolatier Tariq Hanna formerly of MotorCity in Detroit.(By an odd coincidence, I happen to have spent some time with Tariq in the Arizona desert in 2005 when he was a contestant on a Food Network Challenge that was being filmed at the Marriott Desert Ridge during the World Pastry Forum, just before the National Pastry Team Championships.)The physical presence of Sucr is quite impressive as the following photos of the exterior and chocolate case attest to. In addition to their chocolates, they make traditional breakfast pastries (Viennoiserie), a range of petit pastries, entremets (cakes), macarons, pate de fruits, chocolate-covered nuts, a selection of seasonal gelatos and sorbets, in addition to coffees, teas, and drinking chocolates, rounded out by a lunch menu that includes sandwiches and soups.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/09/15 19:07:08
Review of "The Chocolate Guide: Western Edition"
Posted in: Opinion
One of the things that I am going to be setting up in the next week or so is a version of the chocolate-makers database for chocolatiers. In this way we can create our own guide.At a minimum the database will include the name, street address, city, state, and postcode, country, phone numbers, website address, founder(s) names(s), chocolatier name, and type of sales (retail, wholesale, online, retail store).I also think that a comment space for specialties, year founded, and the ability to upload a copy of the logo as well as a photo (or two) of work.If you have any ideas for what that database should include, please click the Feedback link at the bottom of this page and let me know.:: Clay
