Is Chocolate Healthy?
Posted in: Opinion
All of Mr Cera's other contributions have been deleted because they were determined to be spam. Mr Cera has been warned that continued postings of this nature will result in his membership being revoked.
Forum Activity for @Clay
Posted in: Opinion
All of Mr Cera's other contributions have been deleted because they were determined to be spam. Mr Cera has been warned that continued postings of this nature will result in his membership being revoked.
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Lana:The Professional Salon takes place every other year. So, the next is in 2011. The next World Chocolate Masters will take place in 2011 - maybe at the professional salon, maybe not.The exhibitors are a mix of industrial chocolate makers, growers associations, equipment makers, and the like. If you are looking for inspiration by looking at others' work then the consumer show is where you should spend your time.You can see all you need to see at the consumer salon in at most two full days - one if you really hurry and don't spend any time talking to anyone; just looking. There is not a lot of free tasting going on. However, not everyone involved in chocolate in Paris (let alone France) exhibits at the salon so you'll want to spend at least a couple of days in Paris on your own visiting shops around the city.:: Clay
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
The 15th it is. Same hotel, same time.
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Duffy:I am arriving on the 17th in Perugia and leaving on the 21st. Not exactly sure of the lay of the land yet but will keep you informed).:: Clay
updated by @Clay Gordon: 06/15/15 10:40:41
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
We could also meet the morning of the 15th if that works better for everyone.
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Jim:If I end up making the trip I will probably (as I explained below) make the opportunity to visit Paris as well as London. In which case let's definitely plan to meet. I have someone for you to send sample beans to, I'll get that to you privately.:: Clay
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Ivica:Truth to tell the major reason is that I've been to Paris (though not the show) and I've never been to Perugia. Also, the international marketing manager for Eurochocolate is a member of TheChocolateLife and even though I have known the organizers of the Salon du Chocolat since the first event, they have never reached out to me.In fact, what will probably happen is that I will arrange a trip that takes me to Perugia, Paris, and London if I can afford it.:: Clay
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Only the ones in the US which are much, much smaller than their Parisian counterparts so there is no comparison.
Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Ivica:The organization of the Salon du Chocolat sites is (and always has been) confusing, I have to agree, but here's what's up:The Professionnel Salon appears to be a two-day bi-annual fair-within-a-fair aimed specifically at the industry. It overlaps the annual general consumer fair, which lasts five days.Whether or not this event is of value to you is largely dependent on the companies who will be exhibiting. However you schedule your trip, should you decide to go, just make sure that it overlaps the two days of the professional event. You can go to both days of that and one day of the consumer show.The only other similar event is Eurochocolate which is in Perugia, which starts - believe it or not - on the 16th of October. This show lasts over a week. Again, take a close look at the list of exhibitors before making up your mind.:: Clay
The Craft Chocolate-Maker's Handbook. Call for Submissions.
Posted in: News & New Products Press
Ever since I got done with my first book, people have been asking me about the next one. After nearly two years of considering a bunch of different ideas, I've finally decided what the next book will be all about:Making chocolate from the bean for fun and (maybe) profit.From the attached Call for Submissions document:
Cacao is a New World plant and since the conquest of Mesoamerica and the subsequent appropriation of the cocoa bean by Europeans, New World chocolate makers, chocolatiers, and confectioners have suffered from an inferiority complex regarding the quality of chocolate produced in the lands of origin of theobroma cacao (t. cacao cacao): the food of the Gods.Interested in contributing? Download the Call for Submissions to learn more. Questions? Post them here.
For nearly a decade, a new generation of chocolate makers have shaken the very foundations of the world of craft chocolate production and now the New World is home to companies producing much of the most interesting chocolate in the world.
The Craft Chocolate Movement in the New World is just now approaching the threshold of interest and awareness that the craft brew movement reached some two decades ago. What catapulted the craft brew movement was the availability of information about process, technique, and equipment, as well as access to sources for equipment and ingredients. While much of this information is available to the person interested in craft chocolate making today, it is not as accessible or as well organized as it needs to be. This book is being produced to address that need.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34
Cadbury Old Gold - The Travesty Continues. Can you say Recall?
Posted in: News & New Products Press
In this thread, Tom brought to our attention Cadbury's less than realistic presentation of cacao in (just barely) pre-Colombian Mesomerica.Today they announced another chapter in the Old Gold Saga: a voluntary recall "to protect consumer safety." After they've offended our sensibilities in so many other ways.
Cadbury is conducting a voluntary recall in Australia for one of its products in the Old Gold Dark Chocolate range due to the possible presence of milk protein, which is not labelled on the packaging.Cadbury said the product, which is currently distributed in Australia and Guam, should not be eaten by people who are allergic or intolerant to milk protein.Apart from this labelling irregularity, Cadbury said there is no other fault with the Old Gold Dark Chocolate 70 per cent cocoa 200g blockThe Old Gold Dark Chocolate 70 per cent cocoa 220g block is not affected by this recall, which is being undertaken as a precaution to protect consumer safety and maintain standards.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34
Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?
Posted in: Opinion
Roxanne:I think you're trying to do too much in one tasting. Focus on one thing at a time, and think about doing this in multiple sitting. If you overload it you risk taking the fun out of it. I would say at most 8 chocolates in one tasting, all the "same type" (whatever that happens to be).And, because people's individual taste sensibilities are involved I have to beg to differ: it's nowhere near close to a science. Think of a tasting as a piece of performance art that's supposed to be fun.:: Clay
Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?
Posted in: Opinion
If you've never done this before (and it sounds like you might not have), then the first order of business is to just have fun and use it as a learning adventure as much for yourself as for your guests.My advice to you is to go to the local supermarket and look in the candy section and, if you live in a reasonably metropolitan area, you'll find at least a half-dozens bars you can choose from from a variety of manufacturers. (if not, try a Whole Foods or some other gourmet store.) You don't have to spend a lot of money on exotic chocolate to get started. The first time I did this I found four different Lindt bars in a local A&P all labeled bittersweet. I (and my guests) were astonished at the range of bitterness and sweetness that we found. In many ways, that's a more impressive discovery than working with really expensive chocolate.Now because you don't have much experience doing this, the best way to get the discussion going is by comparing the tastes of two chocolates at a time. It's easy for people to make comparative judgments about which one is sweeter, which one is more bitter, which one is fruity (or not), which has more vanilla in it, etc., than asking them to identify specific flavors. You can ask your guests which one of each pairing they prefer. If you do a round-robin tasting where you pair all of the chocolates with all of the others, you can get to a good understanding of what you like in a chocolate pretty quickly.Comparing apples to apples (as Mindy points out) is good. Milks with Milks, Darks with Darks. If your guests don't have a lot of experience, asking them to guess origins might be a little frustrating - though that depends on the group dynamics and how the question gets asked and answered.
Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate
Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
This discussion saw no activity for several months until a new member (a Xocai rep) posted, apparently without reading the discussion or the Guidelines. I am closing this discussion to further replies.
Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate
Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread. I have not been online since Tuesday morning (it is now Saturday afternoon) and I did not witness this thread unfold. Reading it demonstrates the importance of maintaining a balance and openness that creates an environment where members feel comfortable sharing what they know. Also, by (for the most part) avoiding issues of style, tone, and personality, I think that this thread on Xocai has been the most informative and productive of all the discussions so far.I just want to let everyone know how proud I am to have played a part in fostering the growth of this community. You make it all worthwhile for me.:: Clay
Win a Trip to the Askinosie Chocolate Factory!
Posted in: News & New Products Press
From the Askinosie Chocolate Facebook account (so you may have to be a member of Facebook):TWEET! TWEET! ASKINOSIE CHOCOLATE TWITTER GIVEAWAYS!Follow us on Twitter because during the run of the Fancy Food Show well be offering some amazing giveaways. Our biggest giveaway is the chance of a lifetime: win a trip to our chocolate factory for 2 full days! The trip includes round trip airfare, accommodations in one of our employees guest rooms at their home, and the chance to work in one of the only small batch, single origin chocolate factories in the world.To learn how to enter, visit the page for all the contest rules.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34
Costa Rica cocoa plantations.
Posted in: News & New Products Press
Hugo is a nice guy, I met him on my last trip to Costa Rica in 2008. He supplied lots of beans used for Dagoba bars, among many other products. A lot of his production is sold to Debelis, which is a part of Puratos.
Women and Chocolate
Posted in: Opinion
Let's generalize this last statement. There are -isms in every culture and they can be very hard to see if you are not a member of class being victim-ism-ized and you're not looking.Sex, age, race, size, weight, hair color (especially redheads [me!] and blondes), religion (or lack thereof), ethnicity, country of origin, sporting team affiliation, whether or not your teeth are white enough, Mac/Windows, do you open your eggs little end up or big end up? - what prejudices we may see as "natural" in our culture others will abhor, and vice-versa.My personal pet peeve in the workplace? I intensely dislike working with people who refuse to think for themselves - irrespective of gender or any other factor. I also hate office politics. It's one of the reasons I am self-employed.
Basics for Panning Chocolates
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Here is the direct link to the demo (it's post #25).I've never seen dry ice actually dumped into the pan before.To make this more friendly, make a cooling chamber by using an ice chest. Attach a small fan on one side of the chest and a flexible hose (e.g., vacuum cleaner) on the other. The fan blows air over the dry ice cooling it and creating positive pressure in the chest forcing it out the hose. You can direct the cool air into the pan using any number of simple rigs. You could use regular ice but that would pick up moisture which you don't want - so don't.Spend a few more bucks and get a variable speed fan and by introducing slots into the hose that can be covered up you can also alter air flow and have a way to alter the temperature of the air flow.There are other ways to do this, like have the fan pull and blow over the contents of the pan instead of the other way around. You embed a hose into a container that you fill with water and put in the freezer. This is cheaper than using dry ice and uses a lot less energy all the way around. The hose (embedded in a coil) in the ice acts as a heat exchanger and the fact that the air is not exposed to the ice means that the air doesn't pick up any moisture.:: Clay
How small can a small shop be?
Posted in: Opinion
Andre:There are a couple of things to consider that have not been touched on, yet. IN GENERAL:1) The more different things you do the more space you need. For equipment and for storage and for space to have the equipment out to be used (otherwise you waste lots of valuable time moving stuff around to clear up on from kind of work and get set up for another). You need to think about the number of techniques/styles you want to employ and the space required for each one.2) If you decide to go with a split store/kitchen arrangement either your hours go through the ceiling (because you are in the kitchen when the shop is closed) or the number of employees you need increases (you're in the kitchen and someone else is in the shop). If the shop and the kitchen are in the same physical location then you have to multi-task between production and serving customers.3) It's important to consider how you are going to "store" your pieces while the chocolate is crystallizing. On pans in sheet racks at ambient temperature? In a cooling cabinet?4) Standardize on your packaging. The more different kinds of packaging you have the more space you need to store it.The smaller the physical space you have, the more important it is to be extremely organized and to think through the mechanics of production in terms of the space needed and the steps and movement required.I am a little unconventional in the sense that I emphasize refrigeration as the key element in kitchen design. In particular, as the space gets smaller you need to focus your attention on under-counter (lowboy) units. This way you get your refrigeration needs covered without sacrificing work surface (most lowboy refrigeration units have NSF-approved stainless steel tops). Also, not to be overlooked, is that commercial vertical units can seem oppressively large (and loud) in small spaces making the space seem even smaller than it is.
Best chocolate school
Posted in: Opinion
I see that you are in California along the coast north of Santa Barbara - do you care where these schools are located? West Coast? Outside the US?
Tempered Chocolate
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
You may be able to, but why? Why waste the energy?
Tempered Chocolate
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I am still confused.If you are not going to be using the chocolate for several days, there is not any value in tempering it in advance and using it after a few days. Temper it when you need to use it.
Tempered Chocolate
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
If you're making solid chocolates (shape is no matter) then you can melt, temper, and mold the pieces months in advance as long as you store the chocolate properly.Having said that, chocolate never stops crystallizing so eventually the chocolate will get crunchy and sandy. Fresher is always better, but with solid chocolate the window is weeks and months, not days.
Tempered Chocolate
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
What are you planning to do with the chocolate? Is this solid bars? Confections?
Growing Cacao Trees
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
There is already a discussion on a closely related topic - growing cacao trees from seed. Please refer all answers to this question there. This discussion is closed to further comments.
custom made chocolate
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
All:We should keep in mind that Saeed is in Syria.:: Clay
custom made chocolate
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Chef Rubber is one place to go for mold-making supplies.
Fermenting small batches of cacao in a controlled temperature oven
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I think this is the thread Tom is referring to.
The C-Spot Chocolate Rating Site Online Soon
Posted in: Tasting Notes
This discussion will be closed until the site comes back on-line.
Fermenting Cacao Seeds: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
A ChocolateLife member from Hawaii sent me the following question (lightly edited). As there are a number of cacao growers who are members, I thought it best to let them add their experiences to this question.
Everything that I have read on the fermentation process for wet cocoa beans indicates that the liquid be allowed to drain off. The fermentation boxes have slits and the heaps on banana leaves allow the liquid to run off. When you make a mash for fermentating grain, the liquid is not drained and the grain ferments OK. Some of the old Japanese here [ed: the big island of Hawaii] will actually add water to a tub of beans and allow fermentation to occur. They don't seem to feel that it affects the beans and provides a better fermentation. Any thoughts on the correct method of fermentation and whether the liquid helps or hinders the process?
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/11/25 09:27:36
Chocolate con Novaventa
Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
Here is the English Translation (courtesy of Google) for the above:MissionNOVAVENTA Company SA is an alternative channel of direct sale to consumers.We contribute to building brands and creating lasting and profitable relationships with our consumers, customers and suppliers.We encourage the continued development of our human talent and value creation.Entrepreneur referenced:SAUL MEDINA O.Tel 57 +096 +3306112Mobile: 3117971979Dosquebradas, Risaralda, Colombia
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
One challenge with social media marketing (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) specifically with respect to getting people in to your shop (to buy stuff) is that 99.999999999999% of Facebook members live nowhere near you. Trying to find the ones who do is nearly impossible. If you have an online store, then less than .001% of Facebook members are interested in your business and trying to find them is next to impossible. In my experience, Fan Pages work when you already have an established presence and you have more friends than Facebook allows you to have on your personal profile. Otherwise, it's a lot of repetitive work (you have to spend time every day) for little or no return. The same is true of Twitter and Craigslist. To be effective you have to develop a reputation and doing so requires daily activity. If you want to do some B2B (business to business) online marketing and promotion try LinkedIn. Or Plaxo. But concentrate on one.E-Mail MarketingE-marketing (through services like Constant Contact) enables you to reach out to people you already know about and are on your e-mail list. To be truly effective, you need to constantly grow this list AND you should be sending them out on a monthly basis AND when there are special events, holidays, or when you have other news about your business or special promotions to share.One effective use of your e-mail list is to offer incentives that get people to come into the shop. If you're mailing out monthly, include at least one coupon for each week of the month. Rather than give stuff away, offer discounts or something "free with purchase." Try a different type of offer each week and keep track of the coupons that are turned in so that you can learn what kinds of offers work best with your customers.You should also keep printouts of each month's newsletter/coupons in the store and offer them to customers as an incentive to sign up for your e-mail newsletter.Finally, have a "refer a friend" coupon in every newsletter. In this coupon, the recipient writes their name on it and gives it to a friend. The friend comes in to the store and gets something (must also provide e-mail address), and then the referrer gets gifts based on the number of new referral customers. Refer 1 friend a get a free cup of coffee. Refer 10 friends and get a 4-piece box free. (These are wimpy incentives but you get the idea.)Co-MarketingIf you purchase ingredients from a local business to use in one of your products is there a way to turn your supplier into a wholesale customer? Say you buy coffee from a local roaster to turn into a truffle. Is there a way to get the roaster to sell that product (or some other one you create just for them)? Other co-marketing partners are event and wedding planners. Make sure that all sales to planners (other than in-house corporate planners) earn them a commission (give chocolate as a thank-you gift after teh event to those) and encourage them to bring their customers into the store for consultations and sample your product (see below).Farmer/Local MarketsBelieve it or not, these can be a very effective form of marketing while generating some sales. Pick a market in an area where you want to grow your customer base and commit to at least 6 weeks. Use this as an opportunity to find local co-marketing partners (above) and be sure to give out the newsletter coupons and sign people up for the newsletter.SAMPLE, SAMPLE, SAMPLESampling is the way to introduce people to your product. Use seconds and bits and pieces you'd otherwise relegate to rework. If you get to know a customer really well and know that they like a particular piece, and you have a "second" in the back, give it to them to reward them for their loyal business. Make sure that all your counter help is empowered to do this.Know your customerOne way to grow repeat business is to make it a priority to know your customers. Remember how they take their coffee, remember what flavors they like. Stuff like that. Showing that you are paying attention is the surest way to get them back into the store.Another aspect of this is to do your homework with respect to the demographics of your town and the neighboring communities and how they are the same or different. In my town (which is composed of three distinct villages/towns) one village has a median income that is double the media income of the rest of the town. Where your store is located should affect product mix and pricing. The rest of the town has a media income that is slightly higher than the median income for the county and that is nearly 50% higher than the median income for the entire state. The population has a slightly higher percentage of females and the average age of adults is about 1 year greater. Knowing all of this helps you position your business properly. Go an look it up.DonationsI make it a rule never to donate to an event I can't attend, especially if it is a silent auction. Plus, I always make sure that there is some other sort of other immediate PR benefit I can claim, which might just be a newsletter letting people know that I am donating and encouraging them to lend their support. Also, make sure to develop a relationship with someone at each organization you donate to who is a high-powered networker and who can introduce you around. In other words, you have to do work in order to ensure that you get something (sales) for the donation. It's not just a "if I give it they will come." That has NEVER happened for me.Networking GroupsWhether or not a networking group works for you is entirely dependent on the makeup of the group and how it's run. I paid to attend breakfast networking meetings over the course of several months and the group generated only one lead that turned into a sale. Set a maximum amount of time and $ your are willing to spend and then look at the return on the invest made when you hit those limits. If the return is not up to the investment, then stop supporting the group. It's a business decision, they'll understand.PressMake it a point to find out who the local food writers (daily/weekly) and bloggers are. Make sure to let them know what you are doing. Make a point of reading what they write and figuring out what kinds of stories they like to run and then not only pitch them those stories (or provide them mostly written in the form of a press release).
2010
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Michael:Get in touch with ChocolateLife member Holly for 2010 dates. You can also post your question here .:: Clay
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Okay. Time to close this discussion for a while. Things are getting a little out of hand. It's Friday, November 6th and this will be closed for at least the next 10 days.:: Clay
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Commercial cocoa powder generally falls into the range of 10-12% residual fat (low-fat) or 20-24% residual fat (high fat), not 5%.The fat content of cocoa beans tends to be in the range ~ 47-53% but can vary outside these norms.Other than sites selling raw foods I have never heard a number as low as 40% (and one, Detox Your World, proposes a range of 12-50%). If someone can point to a more authoritative reference with these lower numbers, please let us know.One of the challenges with comparing ORAC values head-to-head is that of comparing apples with oranges. Does anyone else see the logical fallacies in Steve's approach?Steve's equation (34,300 / .57*.4) = ~150,438 ORAC per 100 grams of non-fat cocoa powder (because there are negligible amounts of antioxidants in the fat he is only considering the non-fat solids in the chocolate). However, to make the comparison fairer, we have to apply the same logic to the non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder (or any other chocolate to consider only the non-fat solid component).Thus, we need to divide the base ORAC score (80,933) by the non-fat solids component (.78 avg for high-fat cocoa powder and .89 for a low-fat powder) for a value of ~103,760 (high fat) or 90,935 for low-fat). Thus Steve's claim for relative high antioxidant levels for the non-fat powder in his chocolate holds true.BUT - and this is a big but - when someone purchases the 57% Ginger chocolate, they are buying and eating a product with an ORAC of 34,300 per 100 grams - not the "pure" non-fat cocoa powder. However, when someone purchases non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder they are getting the full 80,933 ORAC per 100 grams. Thus, on a straight gram per gram comparison of what you're actually buying, unsweetened cocoa powder would seem to have a higher ORAC (809 versus 343).Unless I am totally missing something here again - so please feel free to tell me where the logical fallacies in my arguments are.Now, all of this said and done, there is an unquantifiable aspect to consider, which is the raw food community's belief that there are other aspects of raw foods - including but not limited to the higher levels and higher vitality of the enzymes that are consumed - that need to be factored into the efficacy equation; that there is more going on than the raw numbers reveal. This makes sense on an intuitive level but, from what I have discovered, there is a lot of difference in opinion about the true value and efficacy of these non-quantifiable (or at the very least, difficult to quantify) factors.Another way to think of the comparison between the ORAC level of Sacred Ginger Chocolate and non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder (or any set of foods) is, "How much do I need to ingest to consume a specific ORAC level?"When asking this question it's important to note that although there are DRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes) and RDAs (Recommended Daily Allowances) for many antioxidants (e.g., Vitamin C, beta-carotene), to the best of my knowledge (and if anyone knows a specific reference please cite) there is neither a DRI nor an RDA for ORAC. Nonetheless, the ORAC "community" has set a recommended minimum daily ORAC intake at 5000, and assumes that all components of the ORAC score have the same value.At an ORAC of 34,300 per 100 grams, it is necessary to eat about 14.5 grams (a little over a half-ounce) of the Sacred Chocolate Ginger recipe to hit the magic number of 5000. Assuming that 40% of 57% of those 14 grams are fat (Steve's figures), that's about 27 calories from fat.At an ORAC level of 80,933 per 100 grams, it is necessary to eat about 6.2 grams of non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder less than one-quarter ounce) to reach the same ORAC level. At a residual fat level of 22% (high fat cocoa powder), calories from fat are about 12, for low-fat cocoa powder, calories from fat are half that.In reality, there's not a whole lot of difference here (other than cost) based on the known, quantifiable factors. I can eat a half-ounce of Sacred Chocolate Ginger chocolate or find some way to add a quarter-ounce (about a teaspoon) of non-alkalized cocoa powder into what I eat every day. Either way, it's not a bad thing to have chocolate and cocoa in your diet.The difference in preference has much to do with what each of us believes to be the value of "living foods" - whatever that means with respect to cocoa beans that have been processed into chocolate at any temperature.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:Sorry, but you do not have scientific proof that all raw chocolates are higher in antioxidants than all roasted/cooked chocolates.What you have is a lab test that says that one specific sample of your chocolate has a specific ORAC level that appears to be higher than the reference standard for chocolate posted by the USDA as shown in this online database for ORAC scores.Please help me understand the Brunswick Lab report, which reports a combined water/fat ORAC count at 343 micromole Trolox Equivalents per gram. If I multiply by 100 (which is to put it in the same scale as all the rest of foods listed), I get 34,300 micromole Trolox Equivalents per 100 grams. This puts your ginger chocolate below the value for unsweetened baking chocolate and dutched cocoa powder on the list. Am I missing something or misinterpreting something in the report?From OracValues.com:"The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) unit, ORAC value, or "ORAC score" is a method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. It was developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health. While the exact relationship between the ORAC value of a food and its health benefit has not been established , it is believed that foods higher on the ORAC scale will more effectively neutralize free radicals. According to the free-radical theory of aging, this will slow the oxidative processes and free radical damage that can contribute to age-related degeneration and disease." (Emphasis added by me.)
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:I am not asking you to do an A+ research paper for the members of this forum or to disclose any proprietary processes. I am asking you to do it for everyone who is interested in raw chocolate everywhere. If you can convince us, well, we're a tough bunch so it might mean something.What you may wish to consider, though, is the creation of an A+ research paper that helps everyone in the raw food and raw chocolate worlds truly understand the challenges of producing a raw chocolate - and the benefits.To create such a report, however, it will be necessary to cite sources outside the raw world. Just pointing to Howell, Cousens, Wolfe, et al, presents only one side of the argument. Though Sam has pointed out flaws in the Wikipedia article on raw foodism (I would like to know your thoughts on it) it's well cited on both sides of the question.With respect to your ORAC analysis. It was run on beans harvested what, 3 years ago? 5? Are you claiming that the ORAC analysis is still valid? How can it be - the chemical composition of harvested beans changes from month to month? You are using exactly the same beans processed (or not processed) exactly the same way with no changes to the equipment or process since the last ORAC analysis?If anything has changed the ORAC analysis may no longer be valid. I am not saying that a new ORAC test won't reveal that your ORAC scores are higher than chocolate processed using "regular" techniques - just that you may be over-reporting (or even under-reporting, you never know) your scores.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Sam:You are not wrong - but if we are to lead on this we need to do more than just publish a definition for raw chocolate. The larger questions are buy-in, certification, and compliance. Without them a definition alone is not going to be useful to anyone but ourselves.:: Clay
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Samantha:I said the Wikipedia article was imperfect but it's a start. It's also something that could be used to form the basis of a definition of raw chocolate. My supposition is that anything that's not based on some accepted external definition will be ignored by the more hard-core members of the raw foods community because it does not serve their needs.:: Clay
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:With respect to the sweetener not being raw, then we can say that your chocolate hearts consist of a mix of raw and non-raw ingredients. Correct?Why is this important? Because at some point the product might end up containing a high proportion of non-raw ingredients. So - instead of being "Raw Chocolate" it might more accurately be described as "'Chocolate made with X% Raw Cacao' and processed at low temperature with Y% non-raw ingredients added." This would be consistent with organic labeling and the labeling requirements for other forms of certifications (e.g., fair trade). It makes sense to follow those guidelines, no?With respect to my referring to your being an engineer, it is manipulative in the sense that I want to remind you that one tenet of being an engineer is that it is important to document your work and follow through. I am sure that the engineering leads at NASA needed lots of documentation to support bills of materials to build things (and probably demanded detailed assays of new batches of the same materials); they didn't accept "trust me, I read some books by this dude who's really well respected," or, "this batch should have all the same physical charactersits as the last one because we made it the same way - there's no need to test it."I ask that you please consider the following:If you were to spend just a few more moments providing us with documentation (or at least some references more specific than "go look it up for yourself on Google" for your statements before you posted them, you might find that you'd spend far less time in rebuttal defending yourself. For example, if you'd looked for the Matt Monarch videos with Dr Cousens you might have noticed that they were no longer available and not cited them because their content could not be verified. This is a standard I hold myself to - I don't cite a reference that can't be found when I cite it. Because you are making the claims it is incumbent upon you to back them up. Or just don't make the claims in the first place. Otherwise people are going to call you on them.Finally, I can acknowledge that you have contributed more than any other raw chocolate maker to these discussions.At the same time, through my work with another raw chocolate company (Gnosis), I am very aware of the issues involved not only with raw chocolate specifically but with raw foodism in general (I had my first contact with raw foodists and juice-ists in Portland, OR in 1977-8 or thereabouts).The upshot is that I believe the entire raw foods industry needs an independent raw certification program that uses a part of the money that it collects to perform some of the basic scientific research needed to support some of its claims. This certifier cannot be run by David Wolfe, Shazzie, Matt Monarch, Dr Cousens, you, or anyone else in the raw foods world and it needs to work with an outside lab (e.g., Brunswick) to do the testing.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:Again - PLEASE cite your references and INCLUDE them in your posts rather than forcing us to do the homework. You found the YouTube videos ... make it easy for us to see them, too. DON'T LEAVE IT TO US TO GOOGLE. I personally find it to be inconsiderate and disrespectful of our time. (Please note that the videos are unavailable - the videos have been removed by Matt for some unstated reason.)As an engineer, I think you'd be interested in the nature of the energy tests you say Cousens has performed on your chocolate. Plus, I think that it's incumbent upon you to substantiate the claims you are making, rather than forcing us to follow up for you. I find this approach of yours to be the single most frustrating aspect of your contributions and it is one of the reasons that people continue to be skeptical. Assume that I want to learn the science and engineering of this and that I am sympathetic to the basic stance that there is some value in a diet that includes raw and minimally processed foods. I want to understand and because you are making some specific claims I want you to help me understand, not force me to re-do the research you've already done.A question about the erythritol you use. While erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, most that is available commercially is produced by fermenting glucose with the yeast Moniliella pollinis . Does your producer certify that this meets raw temperature standards? Overall, I am interested in claims for any sweetener that claims to be raw (or for which claims for being raw are made) - most are not.:: Clay