David Wolfe The Chocolate Pope About Raw Organic Chocolate Xocolatl

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Interesting presentation of the Pope of Chocolate, but he preaches eating cacao raw. I have not for myself seen much more hold a real cacao. So it would be so magical for me to eat and taste it raw.... that I look forward to.

Listening to this guy's presentation I think I am close to finding the divine chocolate - raw chocolate, hmmm...

He is the author of this book : Naked Chocolate caused a revolution:  It made raw food sexier than ever!

Part1

 

Part 2

 

Part3

 

Chocolate ads postcards: Clark and Chocolat Lombart

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I asked permission to post here some of these chocolate ads postcards from a forum called - http://postcardcollector.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/1486#Item_12


According to wikipedia - The Clark Bar is a milk chocolate peanut butter bar that is similar to a Butterfinger or Crispy Crunch made by Cadbury in Canada. It is manufactured by the New England Confectionery Company (NECCO).

CHOCOLAT  LOMBART

A french chocolate that first appeared in 1760 and the production was stopped on 1957.Believed to be the first chocolate company in France that existed ten years before Pelletier established in 1770.Chocolate Lombart was dubbed  as "the largest factory of Paris"with  address at 75 Avenue de Choisy.  Among its famous clients was Madame Victoire, then the Duchess of Angouleme, also known as Madame Royale.  In 1957, the company "Chocolat Lombart" was absorbed by the company chocolates Menier. (source - wikipedia).

More interesting images here - http://bit.ly/M2EO8h

Chocolate for men

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Image source - http://choco-locate.com/

From wikipedia:

The first European contact with chocolate came when Montezuma (then tlatoani of Tenochtitlan) introduced Hernán Cortés, a Spanish conquistador, to xocolatl in the 16th century.^[14] Antonio de Solís, Philip IV's official Chronicler of the Indies, described Montezuma customarily taking a chocolate beverage after meals, as part of a sumptuous daily ritual:

He had Cups of Gold, and Salvers of the same; and sometimes he drank out of Cocoas [i.e., coconut shells], and natural Shells, very richly set with Jewels.[...] When he had done eating, he usually took a Kind of Chocolate, made after the Manner of the Country, that is, the Substance of the Nut beat up with the Mill till the Cup was filled more with Froth than with Liquor; after which he used to smoak Tobacco perfum'd with liquid Amber.^[21]

Jose de Acosta, a Spanish Jesuit missionary who lived in Peru and then Mexico in the later 16th century, wrote of it:

Loathsome to such as are not acquainted with it, having a scum or froth that is very unpleasant taste. Yet it is a drink very much esteemed among the Indians, where with they feast noble men who pass through their country. The Spaniards, both men and women that are accustomed to the country are very greedy of this Chocolate. They say they make diverse sorts of it, some hot, some cold, and some temperate, and put therein much of that "chili"; yea, they make paste thereof, the which they say is good for the stomach and against thecatarrh.^[22]

Chocolate was then a drink by a powerful ruler that was introduced to Spanish conquerors, was then kept secret by monks and priests. A drink made famous in Europe by nobilities.

Today most of the famous artisan chocolatier are males. Although there would be more moms, grandmoms, aunt, sisters or daughters who bake chocolate cake.

But definitely chocolate is not only women's favorite luxury food, men too love chocolates. As suggested by this article with this link - http://blogs.menshealth.com/guy-gourmet/taste-the-21-best-chocolate-bars-for-men/2012/02/22/

I quote:

How do we know? As chocolate lovers ourselves, we’ve noticed a trend of chocolatiers marketing more of their products toward men—chocolates with flavors such as chile pepper, bacon, and beer (yes, beer!).

Still, it’s one thing to come up with a wacky new flavor; it’s another to create something that genuinely tastes good. So we at Guy Gourmet decided to devise the greatest chocolate smackdown the Internet has ever seen. We asked the best chocolate makers in the world to send us samples and then, in true journalistic fashion, tasted more than 100 different flavors to determine our favorites.

So what’s a magazine with the word “health” in its title doing testing chocolates? Save your smirk: A 2011 study from the University of Cambridge found that high levels of chocolate consumption might help reduce the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, by 37 percent. Over the years, Men’s Health has also reported on dark chocolate’s benefits for your brain, your eyes, and even your sexual performance.

Of the authors list of chocolate for men it is only the commercially produced Lindt that I have tasted. Most of the chocolates in the list are not locally available here in the country.

Here goes a quote of one of those exotic chocolates:

For the adventurous palateWant to try something really crazy? Enter  Theo’s Ghost Chile Salted Caramels, buttery caramel infused with the capsaicin king of all chile peppers—Bhut Jolokia—and sprinkled with Hawaiian red sea salt. It’s not a party in your mouth. It’s a rave.
—Jennifer Messimer, Christa Sgobba, and Jerilyn Covert 

I am adventurous and would love to taste for myself this chocolate.

Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer

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OLD DRAWING OF AN AMERICAN INDIAN; AT HIS FEET A CHOCOLATE-CUP, 

CHOCOLATE-POT, AND CHOCOLATE WHISK OR "MOLINET."

 (From Traitez Nouveaux et Curieux du Café, du Thé, et du Chocolate. Dufour, 1693).

Published in 1920 this ebook is courtesy of Project Gutenberg. Most of the historical account on chocolates that I have come across with seems to have reference from the published work of Arthur Knapp.

Enjoy this almost century old publication.



Other link - https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1K31tSbc4mBTG9xb28zMTVzblE

Original source - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19073/19073-h/19073-h.htm

Anthony Bourdain interviews chocolatier Enric Rovira

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                                             Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via pete on Pinterest

In this video Anthony Bourdain interviews Enric Rovira a Spanish chocolatier. Rovira is inspired by famous architect Gaudi for his chocolate masterpieces.

 

Enric Rovira has known chocolate all his life. Rovira grew up surrounded by sweets in his father's pastry shop and from an early age he demonstrated a unique passion towards art and sculpting, using chocolate as his medium of expression.  Rovira's passion for art and chocolate is revealed in his beautifully and uniquely presented bonbons, covered fruits and nuts, and chocolate bars. (http://www.chocolatierra.com/Enric_Rovira_Chocolate_s/118.htm)

Offical site of Rovira here:
http://www.enricrovira.com/enricrovira/Enric_Rovira_-_History.html

Pinterest Link:
http://pinterest.com/rahonpete/enric-rovira/

Facebook Link
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ENRIC-ROVIRA/179996448724523

Chocolate Postcards

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source - http://www.vintagepostcards.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=VPC&Product_Code=ADVEFO-F7406&Category_Code=ADVEFO

I only knew about the term deltiology few days back after attending a lecture by the Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Society Historical about historical places of Manila through postcards. I do postcrossing and was active in the past but not these days.

 Deltiology (from Greek δελτίον, deltion, diminutive of δέλτος, deltos, "writing tablet, letter"; and -λογία, -logia) is the study and collection of postcards. Professor Randall Rhoades of Ashland, Ohio, coined a word in 1945 that became the accepted description of the study of picture postcards.[1][2] It took about 20 years for the name to appear in the dictionary the first time.[1] Compared to philately, the identification of a postcard's place and time of production can often be an impossible task because postcards, unlike stamps, are produced in a decentralised, unregulated manner. For this reason, some collectors choose to limit their acquisitions to cards by specific artists and publishers, or by time and location.(source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deltiology). Postcards indeed are very interesting and significant historical artifacts.

So I thought why not collect some of these postcards about chocolate and blog about them here at the same time. The foto above is from an online site that sells vintage postcards.

Source - http://www.oldpostcards.com/b/bla001617.html

For those interested in postcards check these links:


http://www.jewelspostcards.com/del.htm
http://postcardcollector.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deltiology
http://www.postcrossing.com/

Google Alert - tsokolate, chocolate

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                                                                             Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com via pete on Pinterest

News

The stirring enterprise of chocolate pudding for two Washington Post By Edward Schneider The way chocolate pudding ought to be: smooth, ... a little pure vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

Mars Botanical(TM) Revamps Popular CocoaVia(TM) Brand Healthcare Global "Although all chocolate is made from cocoa beans, a natural and abundant ... "That's why the percent of cocoa (cacao) is not a reliable indicator of the ...

A Peek Behind The Plywood At Dandelion Chocolate in the Mission Eater SF This, friends, is Dandelion Chocolate. The owners, Todd Masonis and Cam ... chocolate houses of 100 years ago, everything will center around cacao products. Oakdale Chocolate Festival this weekend Manteca Bulletin The festival has over 200 vendors: unique arts & crafts, Chocolate Explosion in Chocolate Avenue (fudges, truffles, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cheese cake, etc.), a variety of food to satisfy every pallet (giant onion rings, Lockeford Sausage, ... See all stories on this topic » Web Dark Chocolate Truffles - Ghirardelli Chocolate Directions. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the chocolate chips. Stir until completely melted and ... www.ghirardelli.com/recipes-tips/.../dark-chocolate-truffles Gala Blue Foiled Crispy Rice Chocolate Truffles • Chocolate Candy ... Buy and Save on Cheap Gala Blue Foiled Crispy Rice Chocolate Truffles at Wholesale Prices. Offering the largest selection of Gala Blue Foiled Crispy Rice ... www.ohnuts.com/buy.../gala-blue-foiled-crispy-rice-truffles

Chocolate more fun in the Philippines at Chocolate Fire

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Indeed a very catchy phrase to ride on with the tourism industry's slogan. But looking at the choco products of Chocolate Fire indeed they look fun and interesting. I hope that the taste would be as stunning as they are represented visually in the poster below.

The company does not have a website but they have a facebook page here - https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateFireLive

( From the comment section - Chocolate FireMay 20, 2012 4:33 PM
Hi --- our website is now live --- www.chocolatefire.com )

Check out also their membership/sign-up page.

                                                                           Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via pete on Pinterest

Profile of the company taken from facebook:

About
Step into our comfy lounge in Salcedo Village, Makati & enjoy a world of pure creativity.. all with chocolate! Ignite the passion today!! For more info on our location & store hours, please check out our Info Page in here ;) WE'RE ON TWITTER: Chocol8FIRE

DescriptionAt Chocolate Fire we offer a scrumptious selection of fresh & healthy savoury dishes, with an extensive drink list, including the CF Bar's Chocolate Cocktails & wine list from around the world, plus don't miss our huge chocolate display counter with over 70 varieties of fresh chocolate creations. All made with pure Belgian chocolate & the finest local and imported ingredients. No preservatives, additives, emulsifiers or chemicals... when it's time to treat yourself to something sweet, give yourself the purest & finest chocolates. For those dining in, experience the CF Sweet Treats menu, melted chocolate is simply divine! Check out our photo albums (also find our menu there) for more of the visual experience that is Chocolate Fire... a world of pure creativity! 

          
          Contact information

To contact us ~ please call:
+632 840 FIRE (3473) or after office hours: +632 840 0808
For reservations, pls text 0928-2826527

          PDCP Bank Centre,
          Corner of Leviste Street & Rufino Street,
          Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati, Philippines

Check my pinterest link for them here: http://pinterest.com/rahonpete/chocolate-fire/

US Chocolate History on You Tube

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I think this video should be titled more aptly as the History of Chocolate in the US, rather than History of Chocolate. Particularly the latter parts of the video is a documentary of chocolate business enterprises in the United States of America.

Wow, so drinking chocolate in the US was an expression of anti-British sentiments, British are known to be  tea drinkers, as clamor for independence grew, so it got expressed as well into a national past time of  drinking chocolates instead of tea. They even have chocolate salons then like the tea and coffeehouses of this time.

The History Of Chocolate Part 1 of 4

Clay Gordon: conditioned culturally to like chocolate: Valentines, Christmas, Easter...  


Joan Steuer: Chocolates strikes the strongest emotional memory chord on any food...

The History Of Chocolate Part 2 of 4

This part of the video discusses the progress of a 5cent Hershey's chocolate bar that democratized access to what used to be a luxury food. By adding milk and producing milk chocolate, uses lesser cocoa so it the finished product was more affordable to a mass market. Then kisses got introduced...

The History Of Chocolate Part 3 of 4

Chocolate factories shutdown during summer so a new chocolate was created the M&Ms, melts in your mouth....

Ingenuity, even soldiers are provided their chocolate ration that does not melt with the temperature of the tropics... when chocolates goes to war the soldiers get fed for their sweet cravings hmmm...

When packaging literally matters, so boxes of chocolates were made beautifully to enhance chocolate makers image and make their products compete with others out in the market. So the Whitman's sampler box of chocolates became popular.

The History Of Chocolate Part 4 of 4

Hershey's no advertising department and TV commercials in the early 60's. But it came up with a slogan, a "creative piece of genius" of Hershey's as the great American chocolate bar.

So movies was used as an ad campaing, Reese's choco chips were used to lure E.T., I forgot that part, or I can't remember the brand used, but for Americans it must be something they can easily identify. Besides I think I am not so found of Reese chocolate.

It is fun time for chocolate, its popularity continue to grow, most importantly by artisan chocolate makers. Not the mass produced ones but premium and quality made by artisans, these are quality chocolates most of the time dark chocolates that pride for its cocoa content and source or origin.

Clay Gordon: ... we have this special notion of chocolate that grows out of childhood experiences, as adults what we perceive to be our favorite chocolates are often very rooted in these emotional experiences we have in childhood.

The best chocolate is the one tht you love the most...

Enough with watching and writing history of chocolate, time for me to do my tasting or rather eating....

Slavery in the Cocoa Industry

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A spoiler to eating sweet chocolate is the bitter reality in these videos that will definitely leave some bile after taste to our choco sweetened palate after watching them. Indeed the call for a fair trade in the chocolate industry should be a concern for us chocophiles.

Below are several video docus that show slavery in the cocoa industry. For that reason some advocates for a fair trade chocolates. Or cocoa products that were planted, harvested and processed for export without  the use of slave, trafficked children or child labor. It is one of the biggest issues in the cocoa industry - slave or child labor.

The proverbial drink and food of the Gods and nobility seems true after all especially in this case of  slave/ child labor from third world countries in particular Africa. Serving to benefit the interest of chocolate makers in making big profits from their young lives spent at work. And their sweat, blood, life is licked out of them to provide sweet and life pleasure to first world consumers to satisfy their cravings for chocolates.

Fair trade in chocolates!


The Dark Side of Chocolate

 




Music video from the documentary above



Video campaign for a fair trade chocolate. Take action by passing this video along to friends and family, buying fair trade products, and sign petitions at: http://www.raisethebarhershey.org/ and/or http://cocoapetition.org.au/about.html





... we have become slaves because of cocoa...

Early History of Chocolate - Mayan and Aztec Period

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This scene painted on an ancient Maya vessel reveals how the people drank chocolate as a beverage and often presented it to their gods as an offering.

© Justin Kerr (http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/pop_ill1.html_

The history of chocolate begins in Mesoamerica. Chocolate, the fermented, roasted, and ground beans of the Theobroma cacao, can be traced to the Mokaya and other pre-Olmec people, with evidence of cacao beverages dating back to 1900 BC.[1]

Chocolate played a special role in both Maya and Aztec royal and religious events. Priests presented cacao seeds as offerings to the gods and served chocolate drinks during sacred ceremonies. All of the areas that were conquered by the Aztecs that grew cacao beans were ordered to pay them as atax, or as the Aztecs called it, a "tribute".[2]

The tasty secret of the cacao (kah KOW) tree was discovered 2,000 years ago in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. The pods of this tree contain seeds that can be processed into chocolate. The story of how chocolate grew from a local Mesoamerican beverage into a global sweet encompasses many cultures and continents.

The first people known to have made chocolate were the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America. These people, including the Maya and Aztec, mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink.





Timeline

2000 BC, Amazon: Cocoa, from which chocolate is created, is said to have originated in the Amazon at least 4,000 years ago.

Sixth Century AD: Chocolate, derived from the seed of the cocoa tree, was used by the Maya Culture, as early as the Sixth Century AD. Maya called the cocoa tree cacahuaquchtl… "tree," and the word chocolate comes from the Maya word xocoatl which means bitter water.

300 AD, Maya Culture: To the Mayas, cocoa pods symbolized life and fertility... nothing could be more important! Stones from their palaces and temples revealed many carved pictures of cocoa pods.

600 AD, Maya Culture: Moving from Central America to the northern portions of South America, the Mayan territory stretched from the Yucatán Peninsula to the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. In the Yucatán, the Mayas cultivated the earliest know cocoa plantations. The cocoa pod was often represented in religious rituals, and the texts their literature refer to cocoa as the god’s food

Chocolate has impacted the ways in which some humans worshiped, and expressed their values

1200, Aztec Culture: The Aztecs attributed the creation of the cocoa plant to their god Quetzalcoatl who, descended from heaven on a beam of a morning star carrying a cocoa tree stolen from paradise. In both the Mayan and Aztec cultures cocoa was the basis for a thick, cold, unsweetened drink called xocoatl… believed to be a health elixir. Since sugar was unknown to the Aztecs, different spices were used to add flavor, even hot chili peppers and corn meal were used!

Aztecs believed that wisdom and power came from eating the fruit of the cocoa tree, and also that it had nourishing, fortifying, and even aphrodisiac qualities. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma, drank thick chocolate dyed red. The drink was so prestigious that it was served in golden goblets that were thrown away after only one use. He liked it so much that he was purported to drink 50 goblets every day!

The cocoa beans were used for currency… records show that 400 cocoa beans equaled one Zontli, while 8000 beans equaled one Xiquipilli. When the Aztecs conquered tribes, they demanded their payment in cocoa! By subjugating the Chimimeken and the Mayas, the Aztecs strengthened their supremacy in Mexico. Records dating from 1200 show details of cocoa deliveries, imposed on all conquered tribes.


Sources:

http://www.chocolatemonthclub.com/chocolatehistory.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_chocolate
http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/history.html

Addtitional Reading
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/brief-history-of-chocolate.html

History of Chocolate - Documentary

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Part 1 and 2 on the History of Chocolate from an Indigenous People's perspective or native americans. It depicts of the tradition of chocolate drink from America that spreads through Europe by way of the Spanish conquistadores.

I support Patric Chocolate - A Sweet Success

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Watch and like this video from this site - http://smallbizvid.challenge.gov/submissions/7277-patric-chocolate-a-sweet-success

Source: missouribusiness.net via pete on Pinterest

"If chocolate is the way to a woman's heart, Alan Patric McClure thinks that path to love should be a little more refined. McClure is the brains behind Patric Chocolate, a mid-Missouri business experiment that brought the gospel of better sweets to mouths across the U.S. and small business success to the community."

Read more here -  http://smallbizvid.challenge.gov/submissions/7277-patric-chocolate-a-sweet-success

Alert - Chocolate on Mother's Day

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Mom's Dream Gift for Mother's Day: Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club Seattle Post Intelligencer What woman wouldn't consider a chocolate club featuring world-class confections the perfect way to feel special each month? Members receive creative interpretations from international chocolatiers dedicated to quality, such as Skellig's Champagne Fizz ... See all stories on this topic »

Mom's Dream Gift for Mother's Day: Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club San Francisco Chronicle What woman wouldn't consider a chocolate club featuring world-class confections the ... resulting in signature cacao bean blends or Grand Cru single-bean ... Mom's Dream Gift for Mother's Day: Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club PR Web I decided to give her a 6-month Gift membership to Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club ... resulting in signature cacao bean blends or Grand Cru single-bean ... Strong reaction to sting may foreshadow trouble San Antonio Express Is cocoa as good as the chocolate that is touted as beneficial to our health? ... is lower in the antioxidant cacao flavonoids that offer health benefits. Mother's Day gifting: Locally made truffles from South Sound chocolate makers TheNewsTribune.com (blog) If you were the kind of person who planned ahead, you already would have found a recipe, borrowed the molds and purchased the ingredients to make a magical batch of chocolate truffles for mom's special day this weekend. But you're just like the rest of ... See all stories on this topic » Chocolates for Mother's Day WZZM Some of Sweetland's top seller are turtles and truffles because so many Mom's love chocolate. John Naum, Jr. of Sweetland Candies says, "They're just the hallmark item, top shelf item, they're always a top seller and moms love chocolate. See all stories on this topic » WZZM KUNC Entertainment Report KUNC Celebrate the 5th Annual Chocolate Festival today and tomorrow (5/11 & 12) at the Denver Merchandise Mart 4-9 on Friday, May 11th, Saturday, May 12th, 10-6. Chocolate Candy, Chocolate Fountains, Cakes, Cookies, Truffles, Fudge, Brownies, Toffees, ... See all stories on this topic » Mother's Day and more with the 'Dish' The Trentonian And if you think you know all the chocolate gifting options out there, you'll be interested to know that CLC offers more than just bags of truffles and covered pretzels—though I tasted a delicious Honey Bee Truffle during the interview (seasoned with ... See all stories on this topic » Meal in a Minute: Oreo Truffles Today's THV (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted Make It MIX cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended. SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie ... See all stories on this topic » chocolate truffles Tacoma | TNT Diner - The News Tribune Tag: chocolate truffles Tacoma. May 10th. Mother's Day gifting: Locally made truffles from South Sound chocolate makers. Locally made truffles. From left is a ... blog.thenewstribune.com/tntdiner/.../chocolate-truffles-tacoma... Chocolate Truffles or other gluten free chocolate dessert - Home ... Need to bring something chocolatey to a dinner party that will pair with a red wine and be gluten free. Thinking chocolate truffles are the way to go. chowhound.chow.com/topics/848675 Some Chocolate May Be Good For You CBS2 Chicago The key is to make sure the chocolate contains a higher amount of cocoa or cacao, with the least amount of added sugar or milk. "The more, higher percentage ...

Belgium Part Two: A Gastronomical Delight... Eat, Drink, And Be Merry
Santa Monica Mirror
Belgium is not only home to the infamous Godiva chocolates, it also boasts over 2000 chocolate shops, one of which belongs to famous Chocolatier, Laurent Gerbaud. For a seriously divine chocolate tasting, swing by his shop and prepare to be dazzled, ...
See all stories on this topic »

Whittaker's Dark Block

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To make great chocolate you need great ingredients. After that you need people who work with those ingredients like artisans - controlling all processes from beans to bar. We source these cocoa beans fresh from Ghana. We then batch roast them here in New Zealand. This dedication creates chocolate with a taste and texture that has made Whittaker's famous for quality since 1896.

                                                             - Andrew and Brian Whittaker

My first chocolate from New Zealand and it was a pleasant choco-experience. I found the review below online and I totally agree with it. Sweet-bitter, with strong sweet cocoa smell, no lingering bitter after-taste, and silky. Thanks to my friend Mel for making me taste this fine chocolate. 

Grade -  Excellent

Posted on Jun 15, 2011

big_trev

Reviews: 1 

Pros: Taste smooth and healthier then other chocolates

Cons: a bit hard to find, Foodland stocks sometimes

Overall: Whittakers Dark chocolate block is the tastiest dark chocolate around and it's good for you so they tell me. Whittakers is little known but i think it just tastes great and no bitter kickback. The kiwis got this one right....

Whittakers Bittersweet Dark is recommended by big_trev

source - http://www.productreview.com.au/p/whittakers-bittersweet-dark.html




Company Overview

James Henry Whittaker got his taste for chocolate when he was just 14 years old, working in the British confectionery industry. He arrived in New Zealand in 1890 and began manufacturing confectionery from his home in Christchurch just six years later, selling his chocolate direct to his customers by horse and van.

In 1913, Whittaker established a partnership with his two sons, Ronald and James. Thus, J.H. Whittaker & Sons was created, with a base in Wellington and a mission to bring the Whittakers' fine confectionery to the rest of New Zealand.

The business took off, prospering at a steady rate during the war years. In 1931, Woolworths Australia opened stores in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin and we were selected to supply them with a wide range of confectionery.

J.H. Whittaker & Sons became a limited liability company in 1937, and the Whittakers still own the business: third-generation Whittakers Andrew and Brian are the sole shareholders.

source - https://www.facebook.com/WhittakersNZ/info

Chocablog Tasting Notes

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I need to learn the way chocablog.com, or Asleigh for that matter make his chocolate tasting notes. Mine lacks the creativity of describing the chocolate tastes. Perhaps I need more chocolate eating experience (hehehe), even so, I need to eat more variety of chocolates to be able to perceive their subtle nuances and differences. I am wanting myself to get hold of those dark chocolates with a high percentage of cocoa in it. But lately what I am buying and getting are those chocolates with fillings/ganache with lower cocoa on them.

But just the same with pure or lesser cocoa content on chocolates I still have to learn this art of choco tasting and describing them the way they are described below. My apology to the writer for lifting them here.

Tasting notes from the chocolate selection:

Jaffa: The chocolate is dark and very pleasant. Inside is a vibrant orange flavoured ganache which jumps out and sings, and then just melts gracefully away. The chocolate and the ganache are not excessively sweet. This is a delightful modern take on the classic Australian Jaffa confectionery.

Dark Swiss Rock: The label in the shop gave the game away, but we didn’t go back and read it until after. This is a mix of caramelised slivered almonds mixed with dark Belgian chocolate. Of course, we had to figure this out because of not reading the label beforehand. This has a fantastic texture: the almonds cry out with flavour, and have a wonderful crunch. We’d guessed roasting or coating the almonds in toffee, and were pretty much right. Great flavour, the best chocolate with almond I’ve ever tried.

Opal finger Lime: The hard shell, looking like a speckled bird egg, is mainly for appearance. The dark chocolate of the shell does grow and enhance the flavour, but the ganache inside is where the magic lies. This starts with a rich chocolaty aroma. To taste, it begins soft and richly chocolaty, then melts with a huge burst of rich intense lime flavour which goes on and on. As wine writers would say, it has great length. These contain a Finger Lime jelly. Suddenly I can see why the fuss is made of this Australian fruit. Brilliant flavour.

Raspberry Dreamer: The shell, again, looks like it is mainly for appearance. I don’t actually think this is the case, though, because the shell is a milk chocolate which melts reasonably quickly and helps change the flavour of the ganache. The ganache has an intense flavour which leaps out and grabs hold of you – then shakes you as it builds over time. It’s intense, and almost like orange in some respects. Whilst not kicking quite as hard as the finger lime, this is most impressive – many raspberry flavours have either no discernible taste, or are horrible. The label in the shop says it is a natural Raspberry puree, and the flavour proves this to be true. Just plain delicious.

Foto and quotes text source here - http://www.chocablog.com/features/mclaren-vale-and-bracegirdles-house-of-fine-chocolate/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Chocablog+%28Chocablog%29

Villa del Conte Cioccolato: Banana Praline and Ovicini

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Got to taste the last of the chocolates I got from Villa del Conte. For the banana praline, it really have a very strong banana flavor in it it is overpowering that you feel like eating a real banana. The ovicini have a hard and thick sugar coating and it is so sweet for me.

banana praline stick

 ovicini

Related read/blog post - http://pinoychocophile.blogspot.com/2012/04/villa-del-conte-cioccolato.html 

No Chinese word for chocolate

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Historically, there is no Chinese word for chocolate. It is only now that the word chocolate is getting prominence as big chocolate businesses are wanting to capture a big Chinese market for chocolate. Why is that? Well China has a long tradition of tea drinking and when chocolate was first introduced in Asia  by European colonizers and traders it is by way of chocolate drink.

Today chocolate bars and sweets are gaining ground into the Chinese palates. And promoting chocolate is through a theme park called Chocolate Wonderland, a place solely dedicated to chocolate.

Here was a news about it:

BEIJING, Jan. 25 --The Chocolate Wonderland will finally open to the public on the square at the north side of the Bird's Nest Stadium on January 29th.

As the first chocolate theme park in China, the Chocolate Wonderland will feature artifacts made from 80,000 kilograms of chocolate.

Aside from enjoying a visual feast of chocolate-made famous Chinese sculptures, visitors will also be able to learn how to make chocolate and taste their creations during the three-month display.

The 20,000-square-meter chocolate wonderland consists of five indoor halls, including the World's Chocolate Hall, World's Candy Hall, Wonderland Theme Hall, Sweet Experience Hall and Sweet Gift Hall, and outdoor activity areas Sweet Stage and Sweet Shopping Street.

The chocolate exhibition includes the largest chocolate replica of the Great Wall in the world; life-sized chocolate replicas of the Terracotta Warriors and chocolate waterfalls.

Zheng Yaoting, general manager of Beijing-based Artsource Planning Company, says all the chocolate comes from Belgium, and costs more than 200 yuan a kilo.

A regular ticket for the Chocolate Wonderland will cost 80 yuan, while it will be 60 yuan for the elderly and other concessionary groups. 

(Source: english.cri.cn  http://www.webcitation.org/5n9f6DDkH) 

Related read here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8486259.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chocolate_Wonderland

http://seekingalpha.com/article/319942-china-loves-chocolate-and-you-can-profit