Blogs

Go to this link Chocolate Fudge Cafe for an alternative tortilla made with raw cacao as one of the ingredients. It's on the home page right now, or look for it under recipes on the sidebar in the future.Reonne (aka Choco Mama)

If your goal in life is to write a book, allow me to share what I know about the process. Heres my first piece of good news: the books on how to write a non-fiction book proposal are really good! These are the only self-help books that ever worked for me. What they will force you to do is to refine your idea (Great ideas are a dime a dozen - how do you make yours work as a book?). They will help you think competitively about the marketplace (What other books on the subject are out there? How is yours different?) Finally, they will help you WORK and pull the answers to these hard questions together in the form of a book proposal that might actually help sell your book. Heres a link to Amazons titles http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=book+proposal. The bad news is, as you may have heard, its really hard to get an agent. The tools you need most are 1.) a great idea, 2.) resources such as these on how to write a professional book proposal and how to approach literary agents, 3.) a great book proposal, 4.) realistic and unwavering perseverance, 5.) (in my case) the blessings of the chocolate gods.My chocolate book started as a big, exotic photo-laden, coffee-table giant of a travel book - an $80 art splurge - and then morphed into a comprehensive guide to chocolate - say $32.00 - then morphed again into a gift book on chocolate with a focus on health, beauty, gift-giving and wellness - such a deal at $14.95!! Lucky for me, I loved all three of these books! It took 5 years from concept to proposal to working with my agent to working with the first publisher then working with the second and final publisher. 5 years!! Since chocolate was always at the center, much of the research was relevant to all incarnations of the project, and in the meantime I taught baking & pastry arts, produced TV shows, sold artisan chocolates and made birthday cakes. I put everything I learned along the way into the final product, just by osmosis. Once the contract came through, I wrote 2-3 hours a day for 6 months, some days more but never less. If prose ideas got stuck, I turned the classical music up loud and worked on recipes. If a recipe bombed, I went back happily to the prose. In this way of going around in circles, I got to the end. I turned the book (all 168 pages/ 37,249 words) into the editor last week, and already I miss the daily dance of making those recipes work and learning more about chocolate botany. From here, Ill get my notes, do a rewrite, go to a dessert photo shoot featuring my very own chocolate babies, work on final edits then drum up a little fanfare when it comes out in September 2009. A friend occasionally asked me Hows your book going? even though he later confided what he really meant was Have you given up on that flailing book project of yours yet? On the darkest of days, when either the book or I were in some really bad configuration of torturous rejection, I could always say, Its not all the way dead yet. It was never dead because I refused to give up on it. And now, the chocolate book, she lives.

Earth's Sweet Pleasures, the makers of Rich Rainforest Dark and Classic Semisweet fudge are debuting their products for the natural product community at the Natural Product Association's Expo in Las Vegas July 17-19, 2008. The owners, L. Hawk Cargo and Reonne Haslett, said they are very excited about this opportunity to unveil their old-fashioned, USDA organic products at the show. "This will be the very first time that the natural store buyers will get to taste our fudge and decide if they want to carry it," Reonne says. "We couldn't be more happy and excited!"Hawk has been making fudge for over 40 yrs., and when a friend of his suggested that he try making an organic recipe, Hawk took on the challenge, thinking it would take only a few months. In actuality, it took over 18 months to get the creamy, rich recipe that people around Nevada City, California, have come to know and love. The Rich Rainforest Dark, which is 65% bittersweet, fair-trade chocolate from Dominican Republic and Peru is carried in 8 locations in this small No. Calif. town with a gold-mining past. Hawk says, "The folks around here where we live have gotten used to buying our fudge in the local natural food stores and cafes. We get lots of comments on how delicious it is, so know we want to offer it to a broader community."Hawk goes on to say that one of the main reasons he and wife Reonne wanted to take the company is bigger is to help support the rainforest and the farmers who make the effort to go organic. "We give a portion of our proceeds to humanitarian and socially-conscious organizations that we feel benefit the planet. We also want to help transform the African cocoa market because we would like to use chocolate from the Ivory Coast and Ghana as well as South and Central American chocolate. We are always researching which organizations in our field that we can donate to once our company becomes profitable."After the NPA expo in July, begin to look for Earth's Sweet Pleasures Rich Rainforest Dark fudge bars in natural food stores around the country. You can also visit the website www.earthssweetpleasures.com to place an order. Hawk and Reonne are always happy to answer questions about their fudge and their business. To get in touch with them, you can call 530-292-3425.

Context: These are journal entries I made as a guest at the Kapawi eco-lodge in 2005. Kapawi is located on the Kapawari River which feeds into the Rio Pastaza which is in turn a major tributary of the Amazon. Southeastern Ecuador. Miles and miles and miles from any roads. The only ways in and out are via canoe on the river or small plane.

More Context: These were written just a day or so after taking part in a shamanic ritual in Quito that involved consuming ayahuasca which put me in a very interestingly receptive state of mind and influenced my taking of the following photo, which is iconic of my tramping through the rain forest:

1) The Achuar [the local Indians] can walk through the forest silently. Even along a path I cannot help but make some noise. I concentrate on maneuvering quietly, carefully placing my feet, avoiding brushing against plants. Soon I am striding confidently and what I think is quietly through the forest. Exactly at these moments, when I feel I have attained some mastery, my foot catches on a vine or root and I stumble, trying to catch my balance and not fall. And I realize (for the umpteenth time today) that I am not a master of the forest; it is saying to me, 'If you are to be my friend there is much, much, more for you to learn.'

2) In the forest on the hike today, Sarah asked, 'If a tree falls in the rain forest and there is no one around to hear it, is there any sound?' And it occurs to me that that that viewpoint puts man at the center of the universe. I am not the only creature in the forest that can hear. I can walk through the forest and make no visible impression. The forest was here long before I arrived and will be here long after I leave. I alone cannot bend the forest to my will. I can destroy the forest but I cannot bend it to my will. If I am to be here in the forest and flourish I must become a part of the forest and listen to what it has to tell me. There is room in this world for both of us - the forest and I - but only if I, with humility, allow the forest to be my guide.

3) On our hike today, Felipe [our naturalist guide] pointed out the interconnectedness of the trees and vines in the rain forest. High above us, often hard to see, vines connect the trees together helping them to stand up. When one of the trees falls it takes down with it many of the other trees it is connected with, leaving a 'light gap' in the forest. On the forest floor lies a scattering of seeds many of which can lay dormant for decades or more, waiting patiently for enough light to grow. A tree falling, pulling others down around it to create the light gap, gives these seeds their opportunity to flourish. However there is no way to predict from what has fallen what will grow to take its place. During our lives, we are all connected. Directly in many cases, but often in ways unknown to us. When we fall, we cannot control what grows in the 'light gap' we leave behind. The seeds that we have planted during our lives will grow ... but which ones and how their lives will proceed we have no influence over.

Its been several weeks since I first posted an in the meantime "Profiles in Chocolate" has struggled to find interested shop owners that will even take a look at unique our concept and chocolate molds , I have tried my very best to find propectius companies both locally and nation wide ,but it been very hard go ...Like Mr. Jim Sanders we would greatly appreaciate Clay's help in helping our company's begining in the chocolate area such as finding investors or companies that wish to do business with Collectible Profiles,Inc.We will be happy to send out more detailed info & actual pictues in our new product Catalog for Clay or anyone.Speaking of Jim Sanders, I have a letter of interest that I would like to send him at his place of business in Oregon, however am not being sucessful :the letter is belowMr. Jim Sanders,ownerBrownie Shotz,LLCDear Mr. Sanders:I have seen your blogs on the Chocolate Life website and have read your daily post, like you I have begun my own blog on The Chocolate Life website called Megan's "Profiles in Chocolate".Since Brownie Shotz is located in Oregon. I strongly believe that our company's Collectible Profiles Profiles In Chocolate TM line would be a perfect addition to your business. We believe that they will become a top seller in Portland!The Collectible Profiles, Inc. mission is making American History come alive for others! Our company, has developed Profiles In Chocolate for Presidents Abraham Lincoln & John F. Kennedy to surprise and delight your Customers! Our detailed candy molds produce a beautiful chocolate 3-D sculpture of John F Kennedys or Abraham Lincoln's Profile (hair, cheekbones, beard, ect.) in a finely detailed 3-dimensional chocolate image.We want to sell our Abraham Lincoln & John F. Kennedy Profiles in Chocolate TM candy molds and packaging to Brownie Shotz for your use in manufacturing these wonderful profiles for your customers!.There is an increased public intrigue in all things that relate to Abraham Lincoln as it approaches the year 2009. The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress in 2000, is charged with planning a fitting and proper celebration of Lincolns 200th birthday in the year 2009. for more info please visit www.lincolnbicentennial.govBrownie Shotz could promote the Lincoln Bicentennial with our unique Abraham Lincoln Profiles In Chocolate! The historical accuracy, beautifully detailed artwork, and the concept of the Lincoln Profile in Chocolate TM have been personally and enthusiastically approved by the leading Lincoln Historians: Harold Holzer Co-chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission & Hon. Frank J. Williams Member of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief JusticeSeven Reasons Your Customers will buy Lincoln Profiles!1. Mold profiles in your choice of chocolate-white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate for display in your case! What an eyecatcher!Suggested retail price of $5.99 each would mean more revenues for you and higher profits! Package the chocolate profiles in the Collectible Profiles Patriotic Gift CD Package for higher unit profits, suggested retail price of $9.99-$15.99 each.2. Sell and/or cater to local museums, hotels, as a unique candy or dessert! Imagine a chocolate Lincoln Profile inserted in a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Or drizzling red, white and blue sauce on a plate then placing a chocolate Lincoln in the center! For an elegant look place a chocolate Lincoln Profile on a gold foil doily!3. The chocolate profile of Lincolns face is showcased in a new innovative packaging, a clear CD jewel case. You can add an insert that can be patriotic (red, white, Blue or the American flag.)4. Its great as a tourist souvenira mini-biography of Lincoln is featured on the back of the CD for a memento long after the chocolate is eaten and has been enjoyed. Refills could be sold.5. This 4x4 size chocolate profile, thick inches is an irresistible impulse buy and its small and ideal size to take home in a briefcase/purse.6. Get free advertising by showing your new product!7. The packaging could promote Holidays and Special Occasions-such as July 4th or the Lincoln BicentennialFive ways to boost Your Sales with Lincoln Chocolate Profiles!Your customers are seeking specialty products tied to Abraham Lincoln!Your customers want something different! This fresh, new product both the candy mold and the packaging!Your customers want to give a gift that is only available in shops like yours!The gift packaging is innovative and unique! A crystal clear CD case showcases the Lincoln profile against a patriotic background and suggests a framed cameo. Both children and adults will love it!The beautiful, detailed profile of Lincolns features is a museum quality sculpture in chocolate! People say Its almost too beautiful to eat!About Me:Our President, Megan Hardgraves sense of purpose to share Lincolns legacy is strong. By age 10 she considered him to be a special man, even for todays world. At age 15 she wrote a novella about a teenager caught up with Booth, Lincolns assassin, so that young people would find Lincolns story come alive!She has collected 120 books and (growing), movies, and through the years has traveled to Springfield, IL and Washington D.C many times to visit Fords Theater, The White House, and The Library of Congress, ect to further her deep & vast knowledge of Lincoln.The inspiration for Collectible Profiles comes from her passion for Abraham Lincoln and wanting to honor his life and what his life and legacy means to her!Please see our attached picture of Abraham Lincoln Profile in Chocolate for a detailed image.I look forward to hearing from you and will be glad to talk with you about Profiles in Chocolate TM and send you more details upon request. You can contact us by e-mail info@collectibleprofiles.com or phone 972-395-3490.Sincerely,Megan Hardgrave, PresidentCollectible Profiles, Inc.1846 Rosemeade Pkwy, # 297Carrollton,TX 75007

May 19th, 2008Accepting chocolate with crubled bacon bits was a stretch for me. Love chocolate and god knows, love bacon, but the unusual combination from a very fine American chocolate company made me suspicious. When I tried it, I gained insight. Its not that chocolate doesnt go with bacon conceptually because what is bacon after all but a lot of animal fat & salt & a little piggy essence. What made this bar so very, very bad was that the bacon tasted like Baco-os (those stale, imitation brown rocks you get at a really bad salad bar). It was not the crunchy, salty, savory cured bacon I might fry up for the hungry teenagers in my house on Sunday mornings. Chocolate with Baco-like-bacon is all the way bad. But theres one worse. Mushroom gravy in the dark chocolate bon bon I tried last week in Silver Lake. Wow. I looked helplessly for a garbage can to use as a spitoon - nothing in sight. I had to zoom out to the street, doing the wavy-chicken-arm thing people do when theyre gonna hurl or spit some nasty chocolate in the gutter. The mushroom gravy was SWEET. That poor, misguided chocolatier had added some white chocolate as if to improve things. I am a patience person. I allow for many flavor adventures as long as they are earnest. I forgave the lack of originiality in the work (the chocolates were made with molds painted with cocoa butter and contrasting transfer sheets - OK, but nothing too impressive). Ill forgive the $2.00 price tag for one piece of said chocolate. But I will not forgive the miscarriage of mushroom into innocent and otherwise inoffensive dark chocolate. No, no, no, I have to say no to the Bacos and gravy. Even if the goal of the artisan chocolatier who pushes the boundaries of flavors is to surprise and entertain us - I say to them: Common Sense, Por Favor!! Mushroom sauce, mushroom gravy, and mushroom caps stuffed with garlic have no place in the chocolatiers arsenal. Make some honey caramel and call it a day, fool. Onward.

Santander gets an immediate plus in my book for being of the few companies (El Rey is another - Venezualen) that is based in the country of origin. It also is fair trade, small farmer, and kosher.It has an extremely smooth flavor and mouthfeel, and is not at all bitter. It is one of the most flavorful chocolates I have eaten, complex, with strong fruity undertones, criollo without a doubt.. The cacao nibs give it a subtle bitter crunch, which is a nice contrast to the smoothness of the chocolate itself. This is chocolat meant to be eaten slowly, nibbled and savoured.Even the packaging is elegant - dark red with light yellow lettering and two theobroma cacao beans in the upper right corner. Its packaged in foil in a box, making it easy to save for later - if youI eagerly give this bar my highest approval.This bar, like many, was provided by my boyfriend, who is, as ever, a strong facilitator of my addiction. (At least since hes moved within easy walking distance of a gormet grocery store with an outstanding selection of chocolate.) You can see why I love him.(cross-posted from http://herbertanzer.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/santander-colombian-single-origin-70-w-cacao-nibs/ )

Not just any chefs, my friends, but the best chefs in LA were on the street at Melrose Place in West Hollywood last night. The guests - fashionistas & foodies from Europe, New York, LA - were decked! Im neck-craning - where to look? Beautiful people or beautiful food? Ah, the food! Under white tents, elegant amuse bouce and bite size specialties popped out from the chefs' tables - marinated big-eye tuna from Sona, rock shrimp shooters from Zovs Bistro, sashimi & soba from The Water Grill. Meat, too: salt pork from Spago, suckling pig burgers from Bastide, roast beef from Republic. Celebrity chefs, you know em: Tom Colicchio from TOP CHEF, restrauntrepreneur of CRAFT/cookbook fame; Joachim Splichal of Patina with his new restaurant PAPERFISHoh, the list goes on. In fact, heres a link to the list of chefs and the recpetion menu http://www.jamesbeard.org/?q=node/169 . In addition to spring colors of rhubarb reductions and fava green garnishes, we had flashy cars, designer bags & kitchenware as silent auction items to support the James Beard Foundation http://www.jamesbeard.org. Could there be a Best of Show in such a spectacle of perfection? For me, it had to be chocolate of course, and it was JIN PATISSERIE from the shores of Venice, California. Pastry chef Kristy Choo brought refined style, flavor and thoughtful technique to her artisan chocolates and petit fours, and also served a marscapone, peach and passionfruit crumble that was signature stylish with a fragrant note of home. You gotta visit. www.jinpatisserie.com Was there any bad food at this event? Maybe one off dish or two. Was there bad champagne? Not a drop - this was Nicolas Feuillatte, Montaudon and Lanson. The effervescence of Chefs & Champagne united the Los Angeles culinary scene in a bubble of excellence.

Here's a post from my chocolate blog (www.chocolateallthetime.com/blogspot). Comments?You don't get to see cacao pods in the USA unless you go to Hawaii, and even there they a rare sight. Cacao trees (from whence, of course, chocolate) are cultivated only sporadically around the Hawaiian Islands. But Tony Lydgate of Steel Grass Farm on Kauai hopes to change that. His botanical garden (www.steelgrass.org) specializes in cultivating organic plants that bring value to the islanders and the earth. Cacao, bamboo (the "steel grass" namesake of the farm) and vanilla are the favorites. In these crops, he and his family hope to start a cooperative that puts Kauai on the chocolate-making map and reclaims some of the farmland once owned by pineapple growers and sugar cane companies, all long-departed for cheaper labor in far-off lands. You can take a tour, eat some dark chocolate, learn about the health benefits and see a glimpse of cacao's USA future.Another producer is Malie Kai Chocolates (www.maliekai.com), rejuvenating old sugar fields on Oahu. They offer an exceptionally smooth milk chocolate and mellow bitter-sweet made of pure Hawaiian, single origin cacao. "The natural growing conditons on the islands give cacao potential to be even bigger than Kona coffee," says Nathan Sato, President of Malie Kai Chocolates. And check out the beautiful line drawings by Lynn Soehner (www.lynnsoehner.com) that adorn the packaging! For a stronger, earthier chocolate, try The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (www.originalhawaiianchocolatefactory.com) on the Big Island. The owners (The Coopers) will tell you all about the importance of pure Hawaiian chocolate and how you can start your own crop.But you will have to move to Hawaii! Why no cacao in Florida's orange groves or next to Texas Ruby Reds? Why not nestled in northern California's salad bowl? Chocolate is finicky! Cacao trees only grow and bear fruit in a band 20 degrees north and south of the equator. They like tropical rain, shaded light and warm, moist air. They need forest mulch & midges for pollination; they are susceptible to pests and diseases. Beyond that, however, cacao is a great crop (full of color, literally, and history), and it is easily grown on small farms throughout the tropics. Hawaii is the northern tip of its growing region, so we're lucky to have it and lets hope to see more..

From over at Serious Eats , an article on decoding PLU stickers .It turns out that there is more there, there, then you might immediately infer. For example:Conventional produce gets a four-digit number. Organic produce gets a five-digit number that starts with 9. Genetically modified items also get a five-digit code, but that code starts with 8.4139: Conventional Granny Smith apple94139: Organic Granny Smith84139: GMO Granny SmithThere is also coding that will tell you that a specific item was grown in a specific country or region. Read the article for links to learn more than you ever thought you might want to know on PLU codes.But don't look for cacao (it's a fruit) - at least not in the US or Venezuela. It's not in the list of foods that have PLU codes.