Forum Activity for @Bong Willy

An Indonesian Chocophile

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Selamat malam Nat. Oh, dan Selamat Natal juga

I see. So, if the cacao only fermented without roast, aren't they suppose to be like wine and cheese? I mean, those two products can be consume without any pathogen problems, rights? Is any research have done to look for any pathogen problems in this 'raw' chocolate?

The taste sure very different, but is it as delightful as the roasted one? It will be very popular if it taste the same delightful. Me myself, must taste them first, Big Tree in Ubud sure be on my chocolate travel destination list.

An Indonesian Chocophile

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Wow! I must see the process and taste it too, I can't imagine what the taste will be like, cause the fermentation process, in my knowledge so far, that take charge for the flavor development in cacao bean. But, isn't nibs, cocoa butter and powder need process from cacao bean, to make those form?

See your raw group soon,

Willy

An Indonesian Chocophile

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hi Suki,

Nice to know you. I've been spent my holiday at Bali in 2004, it's been a long time and I never go to Ubud though. And I just knew when I learn about chocolate recently, that Bali have cacao plantation too. Need saving money from now for go to Ubud, visiting your plantation. I have spent a lot money for chocolates and books about chocolate recently:-p

I don't get what is raw chocolate mean, can you explain it for me? Or, is there any discussion about raw chocolate here?

Regard,

Willy

An Indonesian Chocophile

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Wow! It's shocking me, for someone here greet me with Indonesian :p

I live in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Are they member to this community too? I'm looking forward to meet them.

Thanks for your support, your Indonesian is good, have you been here before?

An Indonesian Chocophile

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Greeting everyone!

My name is Bong Willy, you can call me Willy or just Will.

I live with my family that work in micro scale garment industry. So, I'm a newbie to this gourmet food thing, especially chocolate (before knowing fine chocolate, just knew chocolate as a snack and in cheap confection). Oh, and also, pardon for my bad English, not having any formal course except from school.

When first met with Jeffry Lukito (TCL member too) and a pastry chef, named Markus Andrew, opened my mind about real chocolate (they using couverture term) and compound. Then, after tasted Valrhona, I realized that there is a different categories for chocolate, it is fine chocolate.

Not satisfied with the last meeting, I start looking about fine chocolate from internet. The more I learn, the more I don't know about this. Start with how to taste it, how it become from cacao plant into chocolate bar, the brief history and then, this community. My mind was blew with this information about fine chocolate and make me have this passion to jump in chocolate industry.

In my country, only people who have been live abroad (Europe, Australia, or USA) or have formal study in culinary school that have this passion about gourmet food, especially fine chocolate. So, I rarely have friend to discuss and share this passion. But, I see this as a good challenge for me.

Before I read Discover Chocolate, I've got plan to write a book about fine chocolate in Indonesian, so people will know this and get passionate about fine chocolate too.

The problem is, I don't have the needed experience and support yet, so it will take a long time for this plan to realize. Hope from this community, I will learn faster from another chocophile who have more experiences and knowledge.

Oh, not just write book about fine chocolate, I want to make my own bean-to-bar chocolate company too, so I can help local cacao farmer gain more living from their plant; arrange tour and travel to the chocolate maker country; educate people with tasting event.

Wow! There are so many home work to do, and hope my passion can keep me on track. Still not find the track though, so I start with learning from books and internet (thanks to Discover Chocolate that have book reference); improve my English so I can learn faster from this community and other site; learn French and other languages used in chocolate maker country; and the most important one, make some money first (not from chocolate industry yet), so I have the capability to travel around chocolate maker country and learn directly from the plantation to chocolate factory.

Well, that's about me, nice to know everyone. Hope we can meet someday.

updated by @Bong Willy: 04/16/15 11:33:03AM

Bean to bar chocolate makers

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi Duffy

Yes, and I've read about you at Seventypercent.com, wanna taste yours too, but I can't order them from my country *sigh*

Someday when I can make it to Europe and UK, I will definitely go to your workshop to learn and taste some sample, if you don't mind

Willy

Bean to bar chocolate makers

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I've updated the database with Rogue Chocolatier, from Minneapolis, MN. The founder, is the youngest chocolate maker that I know, and if I'm not mistaken, Colin Gasko is also a TCL member too. Can't wait their chocolates, that I've ordered, arrive in my home in January :-p