Forum Activity for @Dirke Botsford

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Where can I get the DVD's?
updated by @Dirke Botsford: 09/08/15 03:09:18AM

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Lana, you said you did the courses at Ecole. I just registered but am a little apprehensive with it only being an online course, I'm a hands on person and prefer to see the tasks done correctly to fully understand it. In your experience how did you find it? where there any pro's and cons?Any insight would be appreciated.

Need Ideas for an Advanced Chocolate Course - what would people want to learn?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Have you checked out ecole chocolat? that's right here in Vancouver. I believe they have an advanced course ( Master chocolate program ). Not sure of the details exactly but worth a checking out, If you haven't already. Cheers.

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Product Press

A laser thermometer you say? I am always interested in cool gadgets and toys, a laser ooh that sounds like a must have. I will search one out, thanks.

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Great information thanks. After reviewing the clearly marked information on the package that I missed (thank you Melanie), I was way off on the tempering temperature by about 15 degrees, that's what I get for reading a book instead of a package. So from what you are saying is that you heat up, and don't mix all the much until it gets to the tempered state? which is the enrobing temperature on the package? Starting to feel I need a degree in chemistry to understand how tempering works. Any idea how a Crystallization curve works? I see that on the package but don't really understand it? or do I really need to?I'm curious, why does a certain temperature range for enrobing give you a the desired effect and not higher or lower?I'm sure once I've done some training through ecole chocolat I'll understand it better but I sure seem to have a lot of questions. I'll just have to play some more...I will try the microwave approach as well. Thanks again

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Product Press

Funny you should mention Ecole Chocolat, I just registered for that yesterday, in the hopes of learning all the trick and tips. I appreciate your comments greatly. I much prefer working with Dark chocolate, in some way it is sexier? is that a good description for it? the milk chocolate I find dull, does it lose a little color when tempered? I found the finished milk chocolate was a little lighter than it was before. Is that normal?I definitely won't give up as I'm just starting and would like to leave the high tec industy to do this instead one day. thanks for the inspiration!

Temper, temper!

Posted in: News & New Product Press

I just tried tempering for the first time, I followed a book but it doesn't explain to what degree chocolate comes out of temper nor how to get it back into temper. I assume trying to keep Milk chocolate at around 30 degrees? would that be safe? I did three different flavored ganache all with the same coating and got all different results. One was perfect ( pure fluke ) and the other two...well not bad I guess.I did milk chocolate, am I right to have tempered it from 27 degree up to 30 several times? what temperature does it come out of temper? Any help would be appreciated.
updated by @Dirke Botsford: 04/20/15 04:13:34PM

Chocolate and wine, my two favorite things

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I am a newbie into the world of making chocolate, I have been reading about making chocolate, playing and experimenting and lovin every minute of it. As a new found passion and a great lover of wine I would like to pair the two and do tastings with friends and family. Now I have read there are people out there doing tastings and wondering what is your best approach. ie. What kind of wines go best with what kind of chocolate? Any flavored truffles that go nicely? I believe the sweeter the wine the darker the chocolate? Please correct me if I'm wrong.Any advice or idea's would be appreciated. this is my first experience with this site and am glad I found it to bounce my million questions off.
updated by @Dirke Botsford: 05/12/15 07:20:17AM

Chocolate Packaging...

Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted

Working in the Print industry there are many paper suppliers you can buy direct from or whom have off cuts of a variety of papers stocks they either can't sell or are end of stock pieces. you can get them rather cheaply. You can even go to a local printer who has end of run stock that just sits idle that they would be happy to unload, sometimes free. Trick is to be creative in finding your sources.Good luck

Chocolate Technique: What would you like to learn more about?

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

Small business idea's to start your chocolate making adventures.How to make a Mold.Why do you use some ingredients, ie, corn syrup, butter over none. what are the advantage or disadvantages?What not to do....LOLLet me know when this comes out, I'd love to see it being a newbie to making chocolate, all I am doing at this point is reading and drooling about making them.

Online buying/selling?

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

I will be starting Ecole chocolat in January so I hope it is as good as everyone says, I'm sure it is. I hope your having fun! Online business is tough, I've had a few, not chocolate related. Shipping is usually been a deterrent as it's expensive. Best option is, from Canada anyways was to have a Nafta/Tax number for shipping though the USA to avoid delays. Personally I wouldn't buy something I would eat online unless it came highly recommended and be very special. Supplies sure, but I would be apprehensive about buying something edible. Although I will undoubtly have an online presence when I fully get into this world of chocolate making as I believe you kinda have to these days, it's expected. Just my two cents.

Chocolatiers = Re-melters?

Posted in: Opinion

Really has it comes to terms that define what we do? I am a chocolatier, I melt chocolate to create new and exciting things. Why would that be a bad thing? Call me a re-melter if you wish. LOL

We are all artisans in our own way regardless of what we do. " re-melter " sounds negative but in the grande scheme of things does anyone care? I don't think the average consumer or even a more savvy chocolate lover would really care what you call it.....As long as it taste good, looks good and people enjoy it, that's what matters most, no?

Be proud of what you do. Just my two cents.

updated by @Dirke Botsford: 07/04/15 06:51:23PM

Weird Flavors and Inclusions in Chocolate

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I made a wasabi pea praline for fun, it was a very interesting flavour. Would I make it again, probably not unless specifically asked as it was a very unique taste. One was enough for me. Although some of my asian friends enjoyed them significantly more then I did.

Weird Flavors and Inclusions in Chocolate

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I just made a white chocolate wasabi ganache piece, probably the oddest I've tried and made. Some people like it some....not so much. So far 50/50 Still testing but that's the oddest for me