Forum Activity for @ChocoFiles

World Chocolate Awards

Posted in: Opinion

Ian,

Am I correct that you're responding to Clay's question about the judges? Knowing who the judges are is definitely a key component to any award. Are you the sole "judge" who determines these awards? And for transparency how many "agents" do you have? Since the word "agent" has several meanings please clarify what your agents do. Are they literary agents since this is a book? Did the agents do more than buy chocolate?

If you tasted over 1000 bars and the average cost is $7/bar then the ~$7000 invested is quite a chunk of cash to invest in chocolate. But what could be more fun? How many bars did your agents buy for you? And where can I get some these agents to buy me chocolate too? ;>)

World Chocolate Awards

Posted in: Opinion

Ian,

In your book are you attempting to list the "best" chocolates or your "favorites"? To me there's quite a difference between those 2 aims.

World Chocolate Awards

Posted in: Opinion

You did an excellent job summarizing the pitfalls of other awards that have been done in the past.

How many chocolates were included in your book? Is it only about bars or a wider range of chocolate products? How long did it take you to taste all of your entrants? I assume that you provide all of the answers for questions 1-11 that you asked above. Are those answers about your methodology included in your book?

World Chocolate Awards

Posted in: Opinion

I guess that the World Chocolate Awards are different from the International Chocolate Awards . < http://www.internationalchocolateawards.com/ > Is that right?

How much chocolate do you eat per day, on average?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Bars I've reviewed, sorted by price per 100 g:

How much chocolate do you eat per day, on average?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

If I think a chocolate bar is worth the expense I'll pay premium prices for it. I track the bars I've reviewed by calculating the price per 100g to make a standard that I can easily compare. The most I've paid is $53.57/100g for some small Pierre Marcolini pieces. The most I've paid for one bar is $22 for the Bonnat "Marfil de Blanco Porcelana". In my next post I'm going to attach a list of the bars I've tasted, sorted by price per 100g.

updated by @ChocoFiles: 06/16/15 09:52:42AM

How much chocolate do you eat per day, on average?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

My focus is reviewing fine chocolate bars (see ChocoFiles ) and I usually try to taste one 6-8g piece at a time. Depending on various factors my tastings vary from 1 to maybe 5 per day. (The less I like a chocolate bar the quicker I eat it to get rid of it, and the more I like it the more slowly I savor it.) So I guess I eat 7-40 g per day. I'll average that to 20g per day.

With really fine chocolate that I highly enjoy an 8g piece more than satisfies me for several hours!

How much chocolate do you eat per day, on average?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Here is some information about where to buy chocolate bars in NYC. (Brady B sent it to me in 2009.)

#1. Food Emporium / The World of Chocolate , 1175 3rd Ave. @ 68th St..

Adrienne Henson

What this is, is actually a separate room inside of a grocery store.

Pro's: It's fun and has tons of different bars to choose from.There are a couple goodemployeesusually on hand. What you'll find: Madecasse, Vao Vao, Malie Kai, Valrhona (they have some that you don't have on your list), Vestri, Republica del Cacao, Maglio, Amano, Askinosie, Santander, Bonnat (they still had some of the Porcelana bars last I checked but they are $$$), Santander. Plus a bunch of other mediocre bars. Some you may be interested in. It's fairly easy to get to but it is not near any tourist attraction that I imagine you'll already be at. Open later than most places.

...Most of the Felchlin is gone. LastFelchlin itemsleft were Elvesia and Madagascar. Cru Sauvage is definitely gone and there is no other place in the city that carries it.

The Chocolate Library (aka Chocolate 101 because of a naming dispute)

111 St. Marks Place (Avenue A)

(212) 995-5001

Owned by Byron Bennett

Also, you are within walking distance to. It is now called:

Borne Confections: ( the old Pierre Marcolini store) 485 Park Ave between 58-59th St.
The store now sells another Bean to Bar, from Oriol Balaguer.Oriol only has one bar.
Theyve sold off their Pierre Marcolini bars. Considering you haven't had Pierre Marcolini, you might make this your #1 stop as I don't know you can order it online either. He is bean to bar and it's the only Belgian chocolate that is actually great!. Bars run 11$ ea.but are currently not on the shelf. They have them behind the counter but you have to ask for them.

Borne Confections

485 Park Avenue, New York NY 10022 ( map )
212-755-5150
www.borneconfections.com

The next options are places that you might be near while touring.

Near Empire State Building: Actually inside the Empire State Building is La Maison du Chocolat. It is only a temporary outpost for the holiday but worth it. They are known for their truffles, which are very good but pricey. They also have good bars (approx. 10$ each). They are worth the $. They are made by Valrhona.

Near the NY Stock Exchange: 1. La Maison du Chocolat, 63 Wall st. 2. Christopher Normans, 60 New St. He does not make bean to bar but has good truffles. Owner John Down is originally a painter. His truffles have his paintings on them and he has some artwork hanging in the shop that he painted with chocolate. It is very close to the NY Stock Exchange and the famous statue of the Stock Market Bull, however it is in an alley that you wouldn't expect something to be in.

Near Rockefeller Plaza:

La Maison du Chocolat, 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Brooklyn

Depending on how much time you have, a trip to Brooklyn could net you somebars you can't get in Manhattan. I'll just tell you what is available and if you have enough time I can help you get around. To hit all four of these places you'd need at least two hours of free time from your group. However you could do just the first two (Chocolate Room and Brooklyn Larder in one hour, including travel time to Brooklyn). The second two stores are a bit of a hike but are doable if you don't mind walking.

Brooklyn Larder ,228 Flatbush Ave.: Claudio Corallo, Patric, Taza, Mast Bros, Madecasse, Askinosie, Amano

Chocolate Room ,86 5th Ave: Bonnat, Madecasse, Pacari, Vintage, KiXocolatl, Theo Phinney

Blue Apron, 814 Union St.: Bonnat, Patric (including the new Rio Caribe), Madecasse, Valrhona, Vintage, El Ceibo (Chloe's line), Dolfin, Askinosie, Taza (including the Chiapan bar)

Green Grape Provisions ,753 Fulton St: Rogue (the only place in town that I'm aware of selling Rogue), Taza, Vintage, Patric, Vere, Vosge, Askinosie, Madecasse, TCHO(last I was there, the bars were out of stock. No worries, they are horrible).

There are good shops for truffles in SoHo. #1 choice is Kee's Chocolate , 80 Thompson St.

One other interesting place is L.A. Burdicks , 5 East 20th st. Tel: 212-796-0143

Directions: Between 5 ^th Ave. and Broadway. 4 blocks from Union Station.

Owned by Larry Burdick

He sells barsproduced by Felchlin, packaged in Burdick packaging, as well assome really good truffles and pastries.

What's the best dark chocolate you tasted in 2011?

Posted in: Opinion

See the attachment for a list of the 101 bars that I reviewed in 2011. I taste them all, so there were some that I didn't enjoy very much (to put it politely).

What's the best dark chocolate you tasted in 2011?

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Vera and everyone,

I agree with Geert that it's not really possible to talk about "best" so I prefer to only talk about "favorite" instead. Here are some of my favorites from 2011:

Company	Name	Percent	Class Rating	Overall Rating
Fresco	212 Dominican Republic	72	9.7	9.7
Fresco	210 Jamaica	70	9.5	9.5
Mast Brothers	Brooklyn Blend 2010	74	9.4	9.4
Rogue	Rio Caribe 2011	70	9.3	9.3
Pralus	Vanuatu	75	9.2	9.2
Christophe Morel	Fortunato no.4 2011	68	10	9.1
Duffy's	Corazon del Ecuador	72	9.1	9
Friis Holm	Johe 2011	70	9.1	9
Mast Brothers	Chuao 81%	81	10	8
Vosges	Peppermint Candy Cane 2010	62	10	8
Moonstruck	Fortunato no.4, 2010	68	9.2	8
Askinosie	Tenende 2010	72	9	8
Askinosie	Cortes 2010	70	8	8
Duffy's	Honduras Indio Rojo	72	8	8
Fresco	213 Dominican Republic	72	8	8
Mast Brothers	Chuao 76%	76	8	8
Madecasse	80%	80	9.5	7

If I had to choose my favorite companies of 2011 they would be Fresco and Rogue. I'd like to have more Christophe Morel and Duffy's, but they are hard for me to get. Askinosie is one of the most consistently enjoyable companies for me too. Mast Brothers also has 3 bars on this list.

Understanding percentages

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Many dark chocolate bars have vanilla and/or soy lecithin as ingredients. In a typical bar with both of these what are the percentages of these ingredients. I've been using 0.5% for each as a rule of thumb. Is that accurate? Or is it more like 1% each-- so 1% for vanilla and 1% soy lecithin for a total of 2%.
updated by @ChocoFiles: 04/10/15 12:26:47PM

Lovey Dovey?

Posted in: Opinion

Casey,

As always, thanks for the laugh with your inimitable style! I didn't even catch the humor or your title until I clicked on the link. Unfortunately, I don't think that poor Ashley knew what might happen if you become inimical to her though.

Gotta love Dove. I liked this:

GREAT INCOME OPPORTUNITY:... Sponsor and mentor a team and the possibilities are endless.

Plus there are "Success stories". Nice MLM!

Lovey Dovey?

Posted in: Opinion

I wish I was cool enough to be invited. sniffle, sniffle.

And you could get rich too! I found this on the User agreement

Participants will receive one (1) five dollar ($5.00) Amazon.com E-mail gift card for every two hundred (200) points earned.

• Points are earned by completing tasks in the community. The point value for completing each community event will be clearly stated in the event description.
• A participant may not receive more than $595.00 worth of rewards, or any other items of value from Think Passenger, Inc. during any calendar year.

Wow! If you earned a mere 23,800 points you could make $595!! (Now how do you earn points?)

Interesting Visitors....

Posted in: Opinion

Clay,

Thanks for your response. If you posted this from the East Coast then it was about 2:30a.m. when you posted. That speaks to me of your concern about this issue.

As I see it, you both make some valid points. The bottom line is that respect is paramount and you've shown respect and restraint in your posts. I appreciate the humility of your apology.

I think that, along with every member here, you and Brad both benefit from this community, and you both add value to it (unless there is contention and a lack of respect). To add this value with your contributions takes your time, energy, and often research. Clay, you of course contribute more to this community than anyone, but you also probably directly benefit more from it than anyone. I think that you both need to think of the rewards you get from this community (both direct and indirect).

Brad should certainly gain more customers from his OP.

After the claims that Brad made about the quality of his chocolate it's a shame that it isn't more widely available, but I can understand the rationale that he explained why he's not set up to ship. I'm glad that I never emailed him to inquire about getting some of his chocolate, though.

Now I think I'll just contemplate and imagine eating a Chuao or Porcelana bar...

Peace,

Lowe

ChocoFiles

Interesting Visitors....

Posted in: Opinion

'Tis a pity. I'm always up for reviewing a new b2b company, especially one that received such high accolades. I'm on a quest to taste, review, and compare every Chuao and Porcelana bar made, but I guess this will have to wait indefinitely. Oh well...

Lowe

ChocoFiles

Interesting Visitors....

Posted in: Opinion

Brad,

Are your Choklat Chuao and Porcelana bars available anywhere in the U.S.? If not, do you ship to the U.S.? I'm interested in these bars, so I'd like to know how I can get them.

Feel free to PM me too. I can give you my email address if you need to send me any shipping information.

Thanks,

Lowe

ChocoFiles

P.S.- If I can make a friendly suggestion-- on your TCL page you should put the name of your company and a link to how to learn more. It's not readily apparent, at least that I could see, so it took me a little bit of detective work to track down the information.

Marañon Chocolate - Cacao Thought to Be Extinct Found in Peru

Posted in: Chocolate Education

All of the marketing with the launch event and the videos, advertising, and promotion must have cost a lot of money.

Marañon Chocolate - Cacao Thought to Be Extinct Found in Peru

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Whenever anyone refers to "the best chocolate in the world" I dismiss the claim as marketing hype. First, finding the best islogisticallyimpossible unless you've tasted every single chocolate in the world. Second, it comes down to a matter of taste and even mood. It's the same with any aesthetic experience. It's like asking "what is the best song in the world?", "what is the best painting?", "what is the best bottle of wine?". The answer all depends on the experience, the taste, and even the mood of the one who is asking. Speaking frankly, when someone says "the best chocolate" it decreases my respect for them because I think they're just trying to push a product. Now, if someone says "this is my favorite" I can't argue with that.

For more on the topic of Best vs. Favorite you can read about my review philosophy .

updated by @ChocoFiles: 09/10/15 11:39:19AM

Marañon Chocolate - Cacao Thought to Be Extinct Found in Peru

Posted in: Chocolate Education

French Broad Chocolate in Asheville NC was the first American chocolate maker to make and sell bars made from the Fortunato no. 4 beans. (Another American maker made a batch of bars but they were never sold.)

New Moonstruck Peruvian Fortunato Dark Chocolate Bar

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Moonstruck is soon coming out with a new bar, made from couverture produced in Switzerland. It's made from Nacional beans that were just discovered in Peru . The bar is called " Peruvian Fortunato Dark ".

For a mere $144 you can pre-order this 2 oz bar made by a fondeur. Better hurry while supplies last! (Can that really be the asking price, or is it a typo?)

updated by @ChocoFiles: 05/04/15 05:38:44AM

Dark Chocolate and migraines, some thoughts

Posted in: Opinion

Please reply to my latest posts on the " Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Solids " thread.

Note: I guess that "Cocoa Solids" should have been "Non-fat cocoa solids".

Dark Chocolate and migraines, some thoughts

Posted in: Opinion

From Clay "FYI generally, cocoa butter is generally more expensive than cocoa powder- often much more expensive."

So why do think there's generally higher fat content in higher percentage bars? By adding extra cocoa butter the makers are decreasing their profit margin. It doesn't seem like it's for taste because IMO extra cocoa butter weakens the taste. But maybe the makers just think most people couldn't handle that much "non-fat cocoa solids". What's your opinion?

Dark Chocolate and migraines, some thoughts

Posted in: Opinion

Clay,

Thanks. Using the most precise language possible helps to avoid confusion, so I'm all for using the most accurate terms possible.

Unfortunately, many people aren't that precise or use terms in the wrong way. I think I took my use of these terms from an article in The Nibble : "Cocoa butter is the natural vegetable fat present in the cacao bean. Beans are approximately 52% cocoa butter by weight (the amount varies by the variety of cacao bean ); the rest is cocoa solids"

My line of inquiry started with wondering if there was any correlation between fat content and my enjoyment level (designated by my rating). Thus far I haven't really found out any such correlation, but I still want to differentiate them. So overall a cacao bean has fat and non-fat. I'm trying to be even more precise than cocoa powder since that also has some fat in it. For example, the Mast Bros and Rogue Piura bars that I'm currently reviewing only list cacao/cocoa beans and sugar as their only ingredients. What are the best terms for the 2 components of the beans? How about "cacao fat" or just "fat" for one? What is the other part? Solids, powder, liquor, or mass all seem problematic since they actually have some fat. Is there any term for the non-fat part? It sounds like "non-fat cocoa solids" may be the closest even if that contains some fat.

BTW, I've also been using "cocoa butter" as synonymous with "cacao fat" although I guess they're not really identical. I assume that all of the fat is in the cocoa butter, but that cocoa butter has more than just fat. Is that accurate?

Thanks for your patient help with splitting hairs in this minutia.

Dark Chocolate and migraines, some thoughts

Posted in: Opinion

In my experience, the general practice seems to be that the higher the overall percentage, the higher the relative percentage of cocoa butter (without increasing the cocoa solids much).

[My guess on why they do this is it that this it's for economic reasons. That assumes that cocoa butter is cheaper than solids.]

Dark Chocolate and migraines, some thoughts

Posted in: Opinion

Nat is right on and extremely informative! Thanks for this excellent contribution.

Although my current understanding is that there is some debate about whether or not cacao seeds actually even contain caffeine. Nat, can you confirm that cacao seeds really do contain caffeine? Any external references that you have to validate it would be much appreciated.

FD, to add to what Nat said, I've been gathering data on the cocoa butter to cocoa solids amounts on bars that I've tasted. You might want to check my file on Choco Files called "Cocoa Butter and cocoa solids sorted alphabetically" to see if there any you've eaten. Then compare the amount of cocoa solids to try and find a pattern.

Zokoko Australia weighs in!

Posted in: News & New Product Press

"I also think it was a bit cheeky of the Morgans to claim that Haigh's is the only other company "believed" to make chocolate from bean to bar in Australia"

It was Helen Pitt, the author of the article who said in the article:
"Only one other company, Haigh's, is believed to make chocolate from bean to bar in this country." This was not a quote attributed to Michelle Morgan, so I don't think she was being cheeky.

I think that Ms. Pitt was the one who was saying that she believed that there was only one other bean to bar company in Australia, so she was the person with wrong information.

Pralus Chuao - a stylistic discussion

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Matt,Have you recently tasted the Amedei Chuao? What are your impressions?I tasted it in April 08 and April 09. Here are my Taste factor notes:2008- Sublime! Complex and multifacted with 3 or 4 movements. Fruit and Roast. The initial subtle brown sugar/ molasses fades to roast. Middle- a few tangy notes, like mild citrus. Notes of figs, molasses, caramel, and mild nuts.2009- Although still my favorite, this bar doesn't seem to have the same intensity or as wide a range of flavor.(From Amedei- fully matured redcurrant and cherry, expanding in all directions. It evolves into a flavour of fresh fruits and closes with a sensation of honey and preserves.)(from others- almonds, blackstrap molasses, blueberries, cashew, cherries, coffee, olives, plum, prunes, red fruits, raspberry, spicy raisins)

Pralus Chuao - a stylistic discussion

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I tasted and reviewed Pralus' Chuao on 4/11/10. Here's my note on the taste:"I love it! Bold and powerful, yet oh so tasty. Initial- grain, malt; Middle- A small flash of honey. A good background note of wood smoke. Sometimes the smokiness seemed a little strong, maybe a sign of over roasting? Finale- still strong of malt. Long lasting range, very complex. You can get many different notes with different tastings."You can read my full review notes for this and many other bars at my review website: " Choco Files ". I attached it here too.It's currently my #2 all time favorite, behind only the Amedei Chuao.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Seneca Klassen would also be another good person to contact about cacao in Hawaii.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Melanie,I'm so glad to see you respond here. I was just getting ready to suggest to Vanessa that she should contact you.Cheers,Lowe

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Vanessa,Have you checked out Clay's group Hawaii Cacao ? It has lots of information. For example, the directory of cacao farmers should help you.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Oh yeah, here's a chart about re-classifying cacao varietals that you might find interesting too.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

Here's someone that might be able to help you:Louis Grivetti-- FOOD GEOGRAPHY -- Louis Grivetti , a food geographer in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, can talk about a variety of subjects, ranging from the history of chocolate to the Mediterranean foods of 1,800 years ago and how they relate to today. He is also leading a team effort to develop a comprehensive Web site on the history of chocolate. Contact: Louis Grivetti, Nutrition, (530) 752-2078, legrivetti@ucdavis.eduI don't know him; I just got this information from a website.I also uploaded 2 maps. I'm not sure if they're what you're looking for, but maybe it's a start.

Belgian Chocolate Makers

Posted in: Opinion

Here's what Callebaut says on their website : Were proud to offer you the Finest Belgian Chocolate There are many reasons why Callebaut is called the Finest Belgian Chocolate. For already 100 years, we have been making chocolate to be proud of in the heart of Belgium. Its at this precious moment that the chocolate merits its stamp of quality and authenticity as "Callebaut Finest Belgian"....From cocoa bean to chocolate: Callebauts Finest Belgian Chocolates are produced with 100% Belgian craftsmanship"

Belgian Chocolate Makers

Posted in: Opinion

While we're talking about Belgian chocolate I really enjoyed Alan McClure's Patric blog article " Chocolate-Myth Busters #2: Belgian Chocolate Is the Best in the World? " Very informative and well written, but also spot on.

Belgian Chocolate Makers

Posted in: Opinion

I recently read somewhere online that in Belgium there are only 2 companies who make chocolate from the bean. Two I know of are Belcolade and Barry Callebaut.

First of all, is this true? Are there only 2 companies in Belgium that make chocolate from the bean?

Secondly, can anyone point me to where this is written so that I can reference it?

I just can't find the source, either a blog or a website, where I first read this, and it's bugging me.

I'd appreciate your help.

updated by @ChocoFiles: 04/10/15 02:56:49PM

Favorite Chocolate Bar Retailers

Posted in: Opinion

Online is Chocosphere. (The Meadow had higher prices than Chocosphere.)Biaggio in Washington D.C. has a great selection and many great events.The Food Emporium in NYC has a pretty wide selection.Here in my area, A Southern Season in Chapel Hill NC has the best selection available locally.

Simple Chocolate Love

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Dee,Welcome to TCL! We all started somewhere. My journey into exploring the world of fine dark chocolate only began in 2007. At that time I was exactly where you are now. We all have to start somewhere. I've learned a lot over the last few years, and tasted lots of great chocolate (and some not so great), so I may be a few steps ahead of you, but not much. I've learned a ton from this site, and met some knowledgeable people who are further down the road than I am. We all share the same joy over eating a great chocolate bar. So just dive in and ask about anything you want to know more about.BTW, I don't make chocolate either. I'm just a taster and reviewer, so I don't understand any of the technical stuff either.Also, I just started a Chocolate Review website that you might want to check out.Enjoy your journey!

Where can I find for purchase a wide selection of chocolate from a variety of different fine chocolatiers?

Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

Chocosphere has a great selection. The owners are very helpful and I've always been very pleased with how promptly and efficiently I get my orders. The Meadow has a good selection, but their prices are higher than Chocoshpere (at least the one time I ordered). World wide chocolate also has a great selection, but I haven't ordered from them.

TCL Chocolate Makers Database

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Now that the " Bean to bar makers " thread is locked we need a place to post about the TCL Chocolate Makers Database . (BTW, the hyperlink on the database tells people to post updates on the locked thread too, so that needs to be changed.)I'm enthusiastic about this database and I'd love for it to become the authoritative source for information. Many more entries need to be added, though.I'd also like to suggest that all TCL members be given access to updating, adding to, and deleting from the records. As it now stands once a record is entered I can't go back and make any corrections. I have to go somewhere like this forum, and ask someone (Clay I guess) to make and additions or deletions. This is very cumbersome and a waste of time for all involved. I'm afraid that it will inhibit people from adding more information.Case in point... I just added the entry for Debelis but I've already found a better website. http://www.debelis.org/about_us/Debelis_Corp/default.asp . So what would be very simple for me to change now becomes very tedious. Anyway, O Powers That Be, please change the website to this one. (BTW, I also entered an incorrect email address when I made a typo, but I can't change that now either.)The database currently also has other limitations, but I'm very glad that at least it can now be printed.
updated by @ChocoFiles: 04/19/15 06:00:57AM

Fondeurs

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Debelis From their website: "Debelis Corp., headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin (USA) is a dedicated producer of chocolate ingredients for professional users."A line of couverture. Connected with Belcolade. From their website: "Debelis is the brand for all chocolate products manufactured by one of our 2 other dedicated factories and supplied directly to the industry."So who makes the chocolate? It seems like Belcolade. If so, does that qualify Debelis as a fondeur? I doubt that Debelis is making any chocolate b2b in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Fondeurs

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Andrea Stainer .An Italian company. Here's a list of their products.Are they a fondeur? I suspect so because I can't find any information about the chocolate itself. They have beautiful packaging and a very wide range of products.