Forum Activity for @Clay

Farmers' markets and other mobile options

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Robyn -

The health department regulations are going to vary state by state, county by county, and city by city (where is Scandia?). The only way to find out is to go ask, or if you are lucky, go on-line. NYC government bureaucracy is messed up in a lot of ways, but the nyc.gov web site does an excellent job of letting any who wants to open a food business in NYC know that they need to know to open any kind of food business. Unfortunately, none of that applies to where I live in Westchester if I wanted to open up exactly the same business in Westchester.

The only way to know is to ask your local health department. Oh, and keep in mind that there may be state and/or county permits and/or licenses that may be required as well as local ones.

As for the type of mobile unit you're talking about ... decide what you want to do, then choose the vehicle (pun intended) that will let you do it. A small hot-dog cart may be good only for selling prepared items. A food truck would mean that you can prepare stuff to order ... if that's what you want to do. Another thing to consider is that except for storage (ingredients, finished product to be sold), a food truck, kitted out properly, could be large enough to produce product for a million dollar plus business and could cost less than the same amount of space in a commercial structure.

As for farmer markets, there are a number of ChocolateLife members who've started successful businesses at the markets and I will let them tell their stories ...

The Perfect Chocolate Kitchen ...

Posted in: Opinion

I am writing the second in a series of articles for Dessert Professional magazine on "Perfect Kitchens" (the first was on ice cream and gelato kitchens).

When you think about your "perfect kitchen" for making confections, what comes to mind?

When you think about your current work space, what things come to mind that you wished you knew before you made some critical decisions ... before you went ahead and implemented them?

The answers can be on any topic from design and construction (including utilities), to licensing and permitting, to equipment and tool selection. This isn't an article about ingredients so opinions about specific chocolates is not something I am looking for.

I am also interested in hearing some real-life stories of good (and not so good) experiences using rental kitchens. You don't have to name names, just let me know what did and did not go well - and how you might approach this issue in the future now that you have more experience.

The article is for the June-July issue and the editorial deadline about May 1, so any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated. I know it's the Easter rush so I've waited this long in the hopes that in the relative quiet of early next week you might have some time to help me out.

I am going to try to work a deal on discount subscriptions to the magazine not only for everyone who contributes but also for any ChocolateLife member who contributes.

Thanks in advance,
:: Clay

PS. Contributions can be attributed or anonymous, and I will send everyone whose writings I use a heads up on how I used them before I submit the article for final approval.

updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/26/16 13:30:59

Superb taste

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Arnold:

Did you keep the label / outer wrap? If so, please take a picture with your phone (or scan) of the entire label and post it here.

The description you provide is very, very general and could apply to many chocolates - translated it basically means "74% cocoa Superior Dark Chocolate Square."

Options to find a chocolate manufacturer

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Yes, the comments apply to bars as well.

Bars present different issues in production, not the least of which is packaging.

In the end you have to make it interesting for the manufacturer to do business with you.

Options to find a chocolate manufacturer

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Geetha:

You are in a classic startup situation here: You see an opportunity but want to gauge the marketplace before committing to large production. The challenge here will be to find a confectioner (I am assuming you are talking about some sort of bonbon here and not bars) who is willing to work with to develop custom recipes without any commitment on your part with respect to eventual purchases of the recipes you develop.

In the cases where I've been involved in brokering relationships like these where the client has limited resources (i.e., not a lot of money to invest) it has always turned out that the first products to be tested were variations of existing products the manufacturer already made. For example, a specific center (e.g., a caramel or pralin) in a different mold or decorated differently. In this way the concept you are trying to develop can be tested. Once the concept proves out and there is some basis on which to plan production, then custom flavors can be discussed.

I have yet to be successful in persuading a manufacturer to do all of the development work "on the come" so to speak, especially where the client feels that their recipes are differentiable.

If you do have the resources, be prepared (and offer) to pay for the recipe development; it can be surprisingly inexpensive. This way it's much clearer who "owns" the recipes and you can establish a mutually beneficial working business relationship from the very beginning.

Help with transfer sheets please (:

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Klassy:

In addition to waiting until the chocolate is completely crystallized (how long depends on temperature), I would also recommend using something soft and flat to press the transfer on to the chocolate. Many people I know use wine corks (cork, not synthetic).

:: Clay

Epuipment

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Sebastion:

Before it's possible to answer this question it's important to know exactly what you want to produce and in what quantities:

• Nib
• Liquor (how refined?)
• Butter
• Powder
• Finished chocolate

:: Clay

Epuipment

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Sebastion:

Sebastian is right: your budget is unrealistic.

You will find it difficult to produce this amount of finished chocolate for this money.

You may be able to purchase equipment used but it will most likely need extensive (and expensive) refurbishing.

One thing you may not have budgeted for: If your location does not have the necessary power (at least 400 amp 3-phase 480) the cost of getting the necessary service installed from your local utility company and your facility wired could easily cost $40,000all by itselfif it were being done in the US . I can't speak for what it might cost on the island you want to build on.

Another thing to consider at this scale (it's less of an issue in smaller batches) is materials storage and handling.

:: Clay

alcohol in chocolate by volume

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Carol:

It's easier if you do everything metric and my recommendation is to weigh everything: get away from volumetric recipes. This relies on the fact that in the metric system, for these purposes, 1cc = 1ml = 1gr (close enough; it's really only precisely accurate for distilled water at 20C/68F (?) at sea level).

If the total weight of the ganache (chocolate, dairy, alcohol, other ingredients) is 1000 grams and you've added 10gr of alcohol, then the alcohol is 1% ABV. Simple. 5gr of alcohol in 350gr of ganache? ~1.4%

However, as I think about this, that's not entirely correct, because you need to consider proof. An 86 proof alcoholic beverage is only 43% alcohol. So if you add 10gr of - say - 86 proof rum to a recipe you're only adding 4.3gr of alcohol. The rest is water and flavorings. The math is still easy. In the case of 10gr of rum in a 1000gr recipe, the alcohol content is ~.43% ABV.

Now as I said, this is not 100% accurate past the first digit. But for hobby work, it should be more than close enough. If you plan to sell commercially interstate, then the labeling laws may require more precise measurement.

:: Clay

PS. Take your existing volume measures across making the recipe 5 or 10 times and weigh them. You'd be shocked to find out how inconsistent volume measuring is. Average the weights and use the average as the weight in your recipe.

alcohol in chocolate by volume

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Carol:

The usual method of production is to add the alcohol to the ganache and then pipe the flavored ganache into the shells, wait for the ganache to crystallize, and then enrobe.

The right amount to add isto taste and would depend on a number a number of factors including the kind of chocolate in the ganache and the strength (flavor and proof) of the spirit you're using. You'd use a lot less of a huge peaty Scotch like Peat Monster (for example) than other alcohols because it's so strong.

Keep in mind that you subtract the amount of alcohol you're using from the amount of other liquid (milk, cream) you're using for the ganache.

:: Clay

What it means to be "Featured"

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

In response to a question from ChocolateLife member Dee:

As the creator of TheChocolateLife one of the options I have to is to "Feature" members. I do this as a way to recognize ChocolateLife members who post photos of themselves in their profiles.

Practically, what being Featured means is that the member's profile photo is displayed on the home page as well as on the Members page. Only the five most recently featured members are shown on the Members page; 27 members are featured on the Home page.

As new members are featured, older ones are no longer displayed even though they are still tagged as featured. I never "unfeature" members.

How does a member get featured?
I only feature members who post pictures of themselves in their profiles. If you use the default avatar image, post a company logo, a photo of your work, a photo of a smoking chimp, a cartoon image - anything other than a photo of a recognizable person - then you aren't featured. If you post a photo of someone who is obviously not you (e.g., a celebrity) you won't get featured.

It's not a perfect system as I never feature more than a few members at a time. So - you may have added a photo to your profile but it escaped my attention in the Latest Activity listing.

Iwant members to post photos of themselves, when they feel comfortable doing so, as a way to grow the feeling that TheChocolateLife is a real community composed of real people - not a group of strangers.

updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/16/15 06:37:15

Machine to Measure Cocoa Power Fat Content

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Sebastian is right ... there is no inexpensive machinery to do this. You can either do the solvent extraction yourself (not recommended unless you are comfortable with bench chemistry and have the equipment already) or send it out to a lab for analysis.

There is at least one machine you can buy to do this. I don't know the price but it uses NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) techniques so it's not likely to be cost-effective unless you are going to be measuring hundreds of samples. Attached is a PDF brochure.

:: Clay

PS. Search for "cocoa fat content measure" on Google. The first search result is this discussion.

chocolates won't release from new moulds

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

This discussion was (for some reason) continued here .

This discussion has been closed to further comments. Please add any comments to the new discussion.

Discover Chocolate in the Dominican Republic

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Emilio -

This is not the best place to have this particular discussion but as there are replies I will make mine here.

The main challenge you face is the quantity of production. 1MT is not very much. What I am afraid is is that the cost to find other buyers for the beans be more than the increased price he can get on such a small quantity.

For example, while you may find buyers for the beans (especially if they are unusual genetics or of unusually high quality or both), the export costs are going to be extremely high, and your father is going to need to get export licenses. This does not include the costs (and time) associated with marketing the beans.

It may make more sense for you father to do something with the beans (turn it into a finished product) and sell that than selling the beans themselves. If he's only getting 50kg/Ha of dried beans he's probably growing other things that could be combined with the cocoa/chocolate in a unique way that can bring in more money.

Discover Chocolate in the Dominican Republic

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Jodie:

There are several ChocolateLife members who are going to be in the DR at that time. While I will put together a list of suggestions for everyone, I suggest you follow up with Bent Ahm about the co-op in Hato Mayor as well as get in touch with ChocolateLife member "Marabel Farms" who operates a plantation along the north coast.

Here is a link to another discussion where people are discussing plans.

:: Clay

Discover Chocolate in the Dominican Republic

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Is This Trip For You

Trips "in country" (that is, to a country where cacao is grown) do involve a fair amount of physical activity. On this trip to the Dominican Republic we will be doing a fair amount of walking (during a guided tour of the Zona Colonial as well as through cacao plantations), swimming (river and ocean), and potentially horseback riding.

It is not necessary that you speak Spanish. Of course, a little familiarity goes a long way in helping you understand what's going on. There will be at least one bi-lingual guide accompanying the group the entire way.

You should also have experience traveling internationally and feel comfortable negotiating foreign airports. If this is the first time you will be traveling internationally , contact Clay to determine if this trip is right for you.

One of the great opportunities a trip like the offers is exposure to different cuisines. While we will make all reasonable efforts to cater to specific dietary requirements, it is not possible for the organizers to guarantee, for example, that a guest requiring a 100% raw or vegan diet, or that some types of food allergies, can be accommodated. If you have specific dietary requirements, please contact Clay.

Traveling to the Dominican Republic

R/T airfare is not included in the price of the tour. Las Americas (airport code SDQ) is the country's major international airport and is nearest to Santo Domingo, the capital. Unless you have plans to arrive early and/or stay late, it's best to plan to book your flights into SDQ. There will be someone at SDQ to greet your flight after you clear customs and immigration and help you get to the hotel.

Travel Documents, Visas, Health Information

Documentation and Visa requirements vary from country to country. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have any necessary tourist visas, vaccinations (please contact your health professional), etc. For travelers from the US, visit:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1103.html
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/dominican-republic.aspx

Tourist Card

If you do not already have a valid tourist visa you will be charged US$10 for a tourist card on arrival. This must be paid in $US or EUROs (). Local currency, GBP, etc, will not be accepted. A departure tax of US$20 (cash) is payable on most charter and some scheduled flights. If you are flying on a US carrier, the departure tax is always included in the taxes when you purchased your ticket, so you will not have to pay anything when leaving.

Airport Transfers (not included in the trip price)

A taxi from SDQ Airport to Santo Domingo Zona Colonial) is about $40 (official rate as of October 2008, but sometimes you can get it for around $25-30 and we are working to negotiate special rates with a local taxi provider). There are no hotel courtesy shuttles at airports in the Dominican Republic.

Taxis and other transportation

Transportation to all activities listed in the trip itinerary (with the exception of airport transfers) is included. However, not all time is scheduled and you may wish to take a taxi somewhere.

Taxi services are available. In all cases, its a good idea to go with a licensed driver and negotiate a price for your destination before you get in the taxi. Good drivers are often easy to identify by licenses worn around the neck, uniforms, and clean air conditioned vehicles. When calling a taxi company (it's best to have the hotel or restaurant do this for you), you will be given a number to verify your driver. When being picked up, make sure your driver gives you the right number as false pickups are often a prelude to robbery.

Exchanging Money

At the airport, you can exchange your US$ and to Dominican Pesos. You may not be able to exchange back local money to US$ and in your home country, so do it before leaving. As always, the best deal on currency exchange is to withdraw cash at an ATM machine as you need it rather than exchanging bills or traveler's checks at a cambio.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is recommended for the trip (and is not included in the cost). At a minimum, you should plan to purchase insurance that covers the full cost of the trip, including transportation, in case for any reason the trip is canceled or you cannot make it because of weather or other delays.

What to Bring

A complete list of what to bring will be provided to everyone who signs up for the trip.

Cancelation Policy

Available upon request.

Discover Chocolate in the Dominican Republic

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Discover Chocolate in the Dominican Republic is for chocolate professionals and serious chocophiles with a passion for chocolate who want to experience cacao first hand: to see cacao pods growing on the tree, taste fresh cacao pulp, see and smell fermentation and drying ... in short, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the magical and complex process of growing, harvesting, and processing wet cacao into the dried cocoa beans used to make chocolate.

Discover Chocolate in ... trips are comprised of a mix of local culture and cacao/chocolate activities because knowing about the local culture - history, food, society - is important to understanding cacao and chocolate. The Dominican Republic (or, more precisely, the island of Hispaniola) holds a special place in the history of cocoa and chocolate. Santo Domingo, the capital, is the oldest European city in the New World and the island is one of the first places outside Central America where cacao was transplanted by the Spanish.

Discover Chocolate in The Dominican Republic starts in Santo Domingo with an exploration of the Old City (the Zona Colonial) and follows a counter-clockwise path around the island to Hato Mayor, the largest city in the Oriente (the east) and the center of cacao production in the area. In the region we'll be visiting two cacao plantations, one a small co-op and the other an older farm selling cacao to respected chocolate makers internationally.

We will spend a night at one of the quirkiest hotels anywhere, located on the edge of a vast nature preserve, and enjoy some fine tipica comida y criolla beforecrossing the Bay of Samana to spend some time enjoying the world-famous Dominican beaches and other scenic beauty.

From the Samana Peninsula we head west towards San Francisco de Macoris. In the west and along the way we will visit four cacao plantations, including a model cacao farm maintained by one of the largest cacao processors on the island as well as a farm being newly rehabilitated.

Each day of the trip will be a mix of cultural and cacao/cocoa/chocolate activities which, taken together, will increase your understanding of cacao, cocoa, and chocolate, and the local culture. A feature of every Discover Chocolate In ... program are the optional informal evening gatherings in the hotel where the group is staying that are forums wide-ranging discussions covering all things cacao, cocoa, and chocolate. Two evenings will include tasting events - chocolate one night, and Dominican rums another. On the recent Discover Chocolate in Paris trip (October 2010), these discussions often started around 7pm and lasted until past midnight on at least one occasion. Any topic about chocolate is open for discussion, from very technical discussions about post-harvest processing to talking through retail business concepts.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Saturday, May 21st

Today you fly to the Dominican Republic, landing at Las Americas airport, located to the east of the capital city of Santo Domingo. After clearing customs and immigration, a greeter will get you to a taxi to the Zona Colonial, the heart of the old city, where you will check in to the Hotel Beaterio (or similar).

Depending on when you arrive, you will have an opportunity to freshen up, relax in your room, or start to explore the Zona Colonial. A welcome dinner at a restaurant in the nearby Parqueo Colon is scheduled for the evening. In addition to being able to meet everyone on the trip), Clay will go over the itinerary for the week, answer any last-minute questions anyone might have, and generally get the week off to a great start.

Sunday, May 22nd

Today will be spent easing into the time zone. After breakfast in the hotel, we will take a guided walking tour of highlights of the Zona Colonial. The tour will include a visit to the Mercado Modelo, the major market in the city. After the morning walking we'll lunch at Meson de la Cava before returning to the Zona Colonial to continue our tour of the city. Optionally, you canreturn to the hotel where you can partake of a very excellent local custom (siesta). Dinner is on your own. Clay and the hotel staff will work with you to arrange your evening which can include a visit to a local casino.

Monday, May 23rd

Be sure to wear swimming gear under your clothes! After an early breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we're on our way to the town of Hato Mayor. There we will visit a small cocoa cooperative that sells beans to CONACADO. In addition to walking through their cacao farms and seeing how they do their post-harvest processing, everyone will have the chance to taste the other products the group makes from cacao - including chocolate para la taza (drinking chocolate), cacao pulp marmalade, and cacao vinegar.

From there we travel just outside the town of El Valle for a catered al fresco picnic lunch at Rio Yanigua reserve. Rio Yanigua is known locally for the special grey clay (no relation) on the river bottom, revered for its curative and restorative powers. The water really is nice and a dip/dunk (souvenir towels provided) is an option while lunch is being set up.

After lunch we're off to Hacienda Elvesia (the Swiss Farm). This is the farm that supplies beans to Felchlin for their 74% Cru Hacienda bars (among other chocolate makers). Here you will have the opportunity to see a much larger scale operation than the co-op we visited earlier in the day. The differences in post-harvest processing techniques will be explained.

After we leave Elvesia it's off to our hotel, El Paraiso Cao Hondo .To say that Cao Hondo is a little quirky is an understatement. The architecture reminds me of a cross between Swiss Family Robinson - if the head of the Robinson clan was actually the Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi ... with streams running everywhere. It's a truly special place. After checking in and relaxing we'll sit down to dinner - the fish soup I had the last time I was there was stellar. After dinner there will be an optional informal gathering to discuss the day ... and a chocolate tasting.

Tuesday, May 24th

After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, the morning will be spent in a group activity in the Los Haitises National Reserve to learn a little about the natural history of the island and the native Taino Indians.

From there, it's across the Bay of Samana to the Cayo Levantado, a small island near the mouth of the bay. There we will have lunch, relax, explore, and swim. After lunch we travel to Las Terrenas on the North Coast of the island, famed for its beaches. Our destination is the all-inclusive resort El Portillo, where rest of the day is free to enjoy on your own. After dinner, the group will gather for the optional discussion.

An aerial view of Cayo Levantado.

Wednesday, May 25th

The Dominican Republic is known worldwide for the beauty of its beaches and other natural attractions. Just past the mid-way point of our trip, this day has been set aside to relax and explore the natural beauty of the Samana Peninsula. The day will start with an (optional) trip to Limon Waterfall (on horseback or on foot if you prefer; snacks and water provided), where you will have the opportunity to swim in the pool under the waterfall.

El Limon Waterfall

From Limon Waterfall we return to El Portillo where the rest of the day is free to relax, explore, or enjoy the resort's attractions. We will dine together as a group and the after-dinner group discussion will include a Dominican rum tasting.

Thursday, May 26th

After checking out of the resort, we head along the coast to the town of Nagua where we will turn inland on our way to San Francisco de Macoris. Our first stop will be the new in-development Cacao Prieto farm where we will see their nursery and learn about their plans to grow the first large-scale plantation in the world that will be planting stands of 100% white bean porcelana strains. Two other cacao plantations are on the itinerary for the day as we travel to the town of San Francisco de Macoris wherewe will check into our hotel, Las Caobas. After dinner will be the group meeting.

Friday, May 27th

On today's calendar is a visit to a model cacao farm operated by Rizek Cacao, one of the largest cocoa processors in the Dominican Republic. The planting of the farm itself is a contrast to some of the others we've seen. After the visit and lunch, it's time to return to Santo Domingo.

After checking in to our hotel and freshening up, it's off to Restaurant El Conuco , famed for its Dominican cuisine ... and dance and music demonstrations. A fitting send off for our week together!

Saturday, May 28th

Check out of hotel, return home.

Optional

Additional nights are available in Santo Domingo at a good rate at the end of the trip for those who would like to extend their stay.

Discover Chocolate in the Dominican Republic

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

THIS TRIP HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL 2012.

Discover Chocolate in the Dominican Republic is for chocolate professionals and serious chocophiles with a passion for chocolate who want to experience cacao first hand: to see cacao pods growing on the tree, taste fresh cacao pulp, see and smell fermentation and drying ... in short, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the magical and complex process of growing, harvesting, and processing wet cacao into the dried cocoa beans used to make chocolate.

Price
$1850 p/p single occupancy
$1599 p/p double occupancy

There is a 12 person minimum required to make the trip, 15 people maximum.

Early-Bird Pricing
Paid in full by March 30, 2011
$1650 p/p single occupancy
$1399 p/p double occupancy

Referral Discount/Commission
$50 discount/commission (single rooms only)

The price includes:
All breakfasts, most lunches, and all dinners specifically mentioned.Transportation via private charter coach.Accommodation.Souvenir beach towel.Two group tasting sessions.

NOT included in the price:
R/T airfare to Santo Domingo.Arrival and departure taxes.Airport transfers.Meals not specifically included.Tips at hotels.Your bar bills.Personal expenses (e.g., souvenirs).

To make Reservations and Payment

Send a message to Clay Gordon.

updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/12/15 10:16:34

Hawaiian cacao and chocolate in the news

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Nat: Thanks for pointing this out. I've tweeted/FB'd it and promoted it and more ... http://www.lavidacocoa.com/thanks-to-honolulu-weekly-for-calling-thechoc

Is Chocovic really going out of production?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Callebaut has a lot of experience making these kinds of acquisitions work, and they have a lot more experience in the market segment than Hershey did (and still does not have). So - Callebaut are far more likely to be able to make it work, given the will to do so.

Is Chocovic really going out of production?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

The previous owners of Chocovic (Nederland Group) sold Chocovic to Barry Callebaut in 2009.

BC bought the company (the deal closed December 2009) because they needed the production capacity - and it was (I heard) cheaper to buy the company than to build a new factory from scratch.

Last I checked, Chocovic's recipes were still being produced and sold under the Chocovic brand.

Slow-food

Posted in: Opinion

Rodney:

To be clear, it's not the type of beans that are being grown it's the system of agriculture that is employed. It's possible to grow any type of bean in a "modern" (i.e., high density, no shade, intensive agricultural input) way- irrespective of "resorting" to pioneer farming (the clear cutting of primary or secondary forest for agricultural use).

The origin and source of the fertilizers being used also needs to be considered. There are examples of appropriate-scale on-site organic composting in the cacao industry.

Cacao is a good choice for rehabilitating degraded land if the planting is managed carefully for the long term and organic techniques are used (e.g., nitrogen-fixing plants are incorporated into the shade tree selection) - and in part because of the potential for economic return.

Correct?

Slow-food

Posted in: Opinion

Pimm:

Having just got done doing a very successful chocolate tasting for the NYC Slow Food chapter I would have to say that all of these companies fall within the constellation of attributes that Slow Food embraces. However, the chocolate brands themselves may or may not consider themselves to fit the Slow Food mantra.

Much chocolate is among the least-sustainable, least "locavore" gourmet foods going - beans grown in the tropics, shipped to Europe, converted to chocolate, shipped to NY and then to LA to be made into confections and then shipped ... around the world in some cases.

Something to consider.

:: Clay

Need "ganache" help quick!

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Sebastian:

Thanks for the technical clarifications on coconut oil ... especially on the melt point.

When I go into my local health food store I do see coconut oils that are solid at "store temp" which is maybe ten degrees lower than 76F, hence my saying that it's solid at "room temp."

Anhydrous milk fat (sometimes called butter oil) is a good option as you suggest - a little harder to find, but if the chocolate shells covering the ganache are done with properly tempered chocolate and are thick enough, they should form a sufficient oxygen barrier, no?

:: Clay

Need "ganache" help quick!

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Klassy:

There is no "standard of identity" for ganache, so there's no legal reason why you can't call it a ganache instead of a "ganache-like substance" even if there is no dairy in the mix. Many ganaches have ingredients like invert sugars (e.g., sorbitol) and those don't disqualify them from using the term ganache.

Technically, emulsions consist of two different substances (water, oil) mixed together. Chocolate is a suspension of cocoa powder particles in crystallized cocoa butter, so I suppose that what you're making is still a suspension (because there is nothing to emulsify lecithin, which is an emulsifier, won't help).

Canola oil is used because it's cheap. Because cocoa butter is solid at room temp I like the idea of using coconut oil because it has a similar melt point and it's also a tropical plant. Another name for canola oil is rapeseed and I just don't like the sound of that in my chocolate.

As for the 4-6 month claim, you're best off getting these tested so you can feel confident making the claim. There is a potential liability issue if someone gets sick eating one before the "best by" date.

Need "ganache" help quick!

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Shelf life of confections is determined by many things, but water activity plays a big part. Water is the medium in which spores grow, turning dairy sour and inviting mold. However, the science is not that simple ...

What kind of shelf life at room temperature are you looking for?

Ganache is a usually a water/fat emulsion. The chocolate provides the fat while the liquid (most commonly dairy, including cream and butter) provides the water. By replacing the dairy with another fat you introduce a number of challenges.

The first things that occur to me in your description:

A) There is no need to freeze;cover the ganache (with plastic wrap) let cool to room temp, and then put in the fridge to set.

B) Though you say you are mixing it well, my guess is that you're not mixing it well enough. Don't use a wooden spoon or a balloon whisk, use a stick blender.

C) Choose another fat ... a cold-pressed coconut oil comes to mind. It's much better for you and the fat is solid at room temp; the melting point is closer to that of cocoa butter. The quantity of added fat you use will determine the texture. More fat, more fudge-like texture.

Finally, what are you using to cover the ganache? If you're just rolling balls in cocoa powder shelf life will be shorter. If you're covering the ganache centers with chocolate, the covering chocolate will have to be tempered, the ganache, because of the addition of the fat, will never temper.

HTH,

:: Clay

Stone Grinder for Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)

There is a small export market for pods into the US, mainly for decorative floral applications. The pods must be fumigated, and because the supply chain is not as tightly integrated as it is in flowers, by the time the pods arrive they are way past their prime. You could eat just the seeds, but the pulp is the real treat here and once a pod has been off a tree for a more than a couple of days it starts to dry out inside and is far less appealing.

Stone Grinder for Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)

Yvonne, Matt Monarch is a very interesting character. The machine he is hyping is a Santha (Spectra) stone grinder from India. These have been used in the US (and around the world) as grinder/refiner/conches for years. I personally have been using them to make nut butters for years, and I know many others who've been using them this way, too.

I notice the machines were added to the catalog May 21, 2011 - and Matt is hyping them up something fierce. Might news in rural Ecuador where he is, but not in the chocolate world.

That said, my personal experience with these machines is that the basic running temp is around 115F as measured by a laser thermometer pointed right at the point the grinding wheels contacts the stone bottom of the grinder. If you read closely, Matt suggests pointing a fan into the machine to move the heat out more quickly. Not a bad idea, overall. However, no one I know of has actually done any testing to figure out what the instantaneous temperature generated by the sheer action of the wheels on the base is. It might be much higher than the average/spot temp that can be measured by an infrared thermometer.

Stone Grinder for Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)

Brian:

47C (~118F) is the most common max temp I have heard for raw anything.

It's possible to fully ferment below 118F, though pile temps "naturally" want to tend to peak around 122-125F.

While raw chocolate people talk about ferment and roast temps, they almost never consider the temp beans are exposed to during sun drying. As you point out, they can easily reach 140-150F on a drying pad in direct sun. Actually, anything above 140F is counterproductive as the shell tends to crust over at that temp, slowing evaporation of both water and acetic acid. The technique they use in Chuao, though labor intensive, may actually be more efficient from a drying perspective because peristaltic pressure builds up that "pumps" water from the interior of the bean during the mid-day rest.

I know that at least one company is using a large dehydrator system to dry their beans "low and slow."

Is there any great tasting raw chocolate? When you consider the raw chocolate world in and of itself there are some that are much better than others. If you start comparing them with conventional chocolate then raw chocolates still fall short and are generally recognizable. That may change as people start working from the moment of harvesting to optimize techniques to deliver interesting flavors in raw chocolate. I was at a tasting last week hosted by Maricel Presilla featuring Santiago Perralta of Pacari and I have to say that I was very surprised at what they have been able to achieve in this regard. I know that Vanessa Barg of Gnosis just got back from Grenada and that's such a good starting flavor it will be interesting to taste what she's been able to achieve working with Mott Green of Grenada Chocolate Co.

Stone Grinder for Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)

Michel:

The FACT is that there is no proof that the Howell's enzyme theory of nutrition has any legitimate basis.

The fact that there is no firm consensus as to what defines what is, and what is not, raw.

What we DO know is that different foods have different sensitivities. Lettuces are a lot more delicate than nuts, for example. To hold them to the same temperature standard makes no sense. Another issue that raw foodists don't talk about is time/temp. If I expose a cocoa bean to a temp of 120F for 1/100 of a second does that denature all the enzymes in the bean? Of course not. In fact (and this is a test I've done personally), you can subject an intact cocoa bean to a temperature in excess of 300F for a considerable time (minutes) and not raise the surface temperature of the bean inside the shell above 110F. One reason is evaporative cooling. Think about the volume of a bean if 0.5% of the mass of the bean hits 118.01F and stays there for 10 minutes but 99.5% of the bean stays below 118.0F I think it's silly to say that all the enzymes in the bean are dead.

There's also contact time. There is research that shows that many enzymes survive in aqueous environments above 150F for extended periods of time - hours even.

I have been studying this subject for years and not one raw foodist (in the chocolate world or not) has ever been able to show me one credible scientific study (and no, Gabriel Cousens is not credible) that supports the enzyme theory of nutrition and any scientific basis for picking one temperature over another as the maximum.

THAT SAID, the idea that minimally-processed food is better for you is something I buy into, but it has to be done on a food by food basis - not at an arbitrary cut off that is the same for all foods. There is evidence that broccoli is better for you if it's lightly steamed - better in the sense that more nutrients are more bioavailable.

There is also scientific proof that cooking can create beneficial compounds not found in the raw food. A good example is the antioxidant levels of roasted coffee are far higher than green coffee.

One day, I wish the "raw chocolate" segment of the market would fund a study that proves their claims. Not one company has done the analysis. Having made the claim, the burden is on them to prove their claims - the usual response is, "Prove us wrong." That's not the way it's done.

Stone Grinder for Raw Chocolate

Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)

Michel:

Why 40C? Virtually everyone I know in the raw chocolate business works at 47C (~118F).

I can confirm that the CocoaTown will easily pass 40C as Cheebs says - I have measured it. The overal "continuous" temperature in the small (5L) machines hovers between 45-49C based on measuring over a number of hours; the larger machines generate more heat but I've never measured it. With a frequency controller on the motor you can slow the rotational speed down some to keep the temp under 47C, but if you tried to slow it down to keep it under 40C the processing times might become so long that any aromatics would volatilize out.

One thing no one has done (and, frankly, I don't know exactly how you'd do this) is to measure the "instantaneous" shear temperature immediately between the grinder wheels and the base. I am fairly confident that this is at least a couple of degrees higher than whatever the "continuous" temperature might be.

Call for Entries: 2011 Academy of Chocolate Awards

Posted in: Tasting Notes

The deadline for entries in the 2011 Academy of Chocolate Awards is Friday February 25th.

If you're interested in participating, all of the information and instructions you need are attached for you to download. If you have questions about the instructions, forms, or anything else post them here, I have notified the organizers and they will be monitoring the discussion.

updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/17/15 12:45:27

What's YOUR Desert Island Chocolate?

Posted in: Opinion

You're stranded on a desert island and for some reason, you have the ability to choose some of what you're stranded with, including chocolate.

Okay - it's a mythical desert island, of course, because you have unlimited amounts of the chocolate you want to eat, plus working refrigeration to keep it in good condition until you get around to eating it.

So ... what chocolate do you take?

:: Clay

PS. My Desert Island chocolate is the trio of Indonesian 65% dark milks from Bonnat - Surabaya, Asfarth, and Java. (I know it's more than one it's my question so I get to interpret the rules.) In addition to the fact that I like the taste, milk chocolate has been shown to be me more complete nutritionally (overall, even though lower in antioxidants) and a better choice for "survival" situations.

updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/10/15 10:32:16

Lovey Dovey?

Posted in: Opinion

Lowe:

It's simple ... you have to become a "Dove At Home" chocolatier, buy their equipment and chocolate and start a small chocolate business (a bit like Pampered Chef) so you can join THEchocosphere.com, contribute to the community and get points for contributing.

I wonder if that would work on TheChocolateLife. 1 point for uploading a photo, 1 point for a comment, 2 points for starting a discussion or blog ...

I don't think it would make TheChocolateLife any better (and it might diminish the value as people would post to rack up points, not because they had anything useful to contribute).

:: Clay

Lovey Dovey?

Posted in: Opinion

You must be invited and be given a username and password to log on to the site. You can't just sign up, like you can here at TheChocolateLife.Apart from everything else - does anyone see a problem with usurping the name of chocosphere.com (which BTW is a registered trademark)?TheChocosphere.com is operated as a "private on-line community" by a third-party - a company called Think Passenger. Interestingly, Mars is not listed as one of Think Passenger's customers. If you want to be totally disgusted, read the "Rules of Participation" and Privacy Policy (they own all the content contributed, among other things, and you have to provide a valid mailing address and agree to receive mailings ... "We only collect your Personal Information for the purposes of managing and monitoring your account and passing such Personal Information to the relevant Passenger Client on whose behalf we have collected it. ")When will they learn that it's just chocolate?:: Clay

Interesting Visitors....

Posted in: Opinion

To all participants in this conversation and members of TheChocolateLife:

Rarely do I get as much private mail about a discussion as I have about this one. It's pretty evenly split, but there are several members who believe that I have overstepped my bounds in responding as I have to Brad. So, to all of you who feel that way now or who may come to feel this way after reading what I have to say - and to Brad - I apologize. Brad has been a long-time contributor to the community and his comments are appreciated by many. Including me: though there are times I wish he would choose to express himself differently.

I would like to add, not by way of excuse (there is none), but of explication, an analogy I believe I have offered to Brad privately: If I walked into Brad's store in Calgary and started talking in a loud voice using language he thought was disrespectful of other customers it would be within his right to walk over to me and ask me to quiet down and to refrain from using the language he found disrespectful. My "shop" (TheChocolateLife.com) is open to anyone, anywhere in the world, who is willing to spend a few moments signing up to join - free of any charge or obligation. Most of the people who visit my shop do so quietly, anonymously, reading, learning, but not contributing (or buying anything). There is no compulsion on my part to contribute in any way.Those who wish to contribute do so.What I ask, however, is that when visitors to my shop do contribute they do so in a reasonable tone of voice using respectful language.

If I was being disrespectful to Brad (and by extension to every member of TheChocolateLife), again I apologize to those who took offense and contacted me. I have invested a lot of time, effort, and love in creating and nurturing TheChocolateLife community over the past three years to the point where it now counts nearly 4000 members in over 100 countries. One of the things that has contributed to this growth, I think, is the work I have done publicly (leading by example) and privately (when I felt necessary) to maintain a certain level of civil discourse.

We may not all like white chocolate, but we all like chocolate ... and that provides a common ground for gathering together to share what we know. Collectively, we know a great deal more than individually. That is the reason I started TheChocolateLife in the first place; to create a place where people (including me) could come to get their questions answered. Though we may disagree at times, we are all united by our fascination and passion for this thing called chocolate.

Thanks for your support, consideration, and patience:
:: Clay
Creator/Moderator

Interesting Visitors....

Posted in: Opinion

Brad:

I don't want to get into an argument with you about the way you choose to run your business. You're free to do whatever you want - it's your business. And I completely respect your growth/cashflow argument.

What I do want to mention is that the person who was interested in buying a bar of chocolate from the UK is NOT a "dufus" as you referred to him. This is a person who had heard about your chocolate and was interested in trying it so inquired if there was a way to get any. The fact that his inquiry did not fit your business model does not make him stupid and there is absolutely no need to denigrate him - nor anyone - by using such dismissive language.

I know you have very strong opinions on many things, including sampling, PR, and more. I would love to be able to drive business your way ... lots of people do visit Calgary, some of them have to like chocolate, and some of them may read TheChocolateLife, subscribe to one of my Twitter feeds, find me on Facebook ... or learn about your business from me in one way or another.

I can only conclude that you don't care whether I taste it or not, what I think. You have more than enough market in the Calgary area to keep you busy. Good for you. However, take a look at it from my perspective for a second ... there is a community here that I have nurtured for three years. You have been an active (and mostly welcomed) member of the community for more than eighteen months, and I have received comments from members supporting you in response to my post. I don't charge you a penny for being a member and I have to assume that you get some value and satisfaction from being a member here.

Isn't that worth a bar (or three) of chocolate? Without requiring me to spend a couple of thousand bucks?

:: Clay

Interesting Visitors....

Posted in: Opinion

Brad's approach to marketing his product has always been interesting to me ... he requires people to physically go to his shop in Calgary to get product: he does not ship anything to anyone (including me, as I have mentioned). This makes it incredibly difficult for those of us in the chocolate community who care about such things to get our hands on his products to taste them for ourselves and form our own opinions - and communicate those opinions to the rest of the world.

Intrigued by the opinions of two BC reps who visited, I had to ask myself, even if what Brad makes is some of the best chocolate in the world ... is it worth the cost? Not the price - the cost. I can walk into a local store in NYC and buy a 2oz bar of the 2002 Valrhona Chuao for $35. That's about $250/lb. A lot, I know, but $35 is something I can easily afford for special occasions.

The least expensive r/t flights I can find from NYC to Calgary cost US$552 with a route time totaling over 20 hours. I can get a non-stop for over $832 that takes about half the time. When I factor in the time it takes to get to the airport, overnighting (at least) in Calgary, incidental expenses (airport transfers, accommodations, meals), one of Brad's bars of chocolate costs me, what? At least $800 but only if I don't factor into the equation the value of my time (after all, I am a chocolate professional, and I do need to factor the value of my time into this whole process as I am not likely to choose Calgary as a vacation destination). That brings the cost (time and expenses) of a bar of Brad's chocolate to be between $1500 and $2500.

I don't know about you, but even if it is the best chocolate in the world, it's not worth the cost (the price of a bar is only $12) - to me - to go find out if it's as good as some people say it is.

Interesting Visitors....

Posted in: Opinion

Lowe:

The ONLY way to get chocolate (bars or confections) from Brad is to visit him in Calgary. I've asked him on numerous occasions in the past and he has categorically refused on this point.

:: Clay

What's on YOUR chocolate bucket list?

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Okay, I am neither Jack Nicholson for Morgan Freeman and I don't have a note from a doctor saying my time on earth is coming to an end anytime soon.

I have done a lot in the last 17 years that I've been involved with the wonderful world of chocolate - traveled to about a dozen countries (not nearly enough), met a lot of people (but not all of them), ate A LOT of chocolate (some bad, but most good). And every time I turn around, there's some new place or person to visit and some new chocolate to try.

I definitely want to visit Bali, never been there, and I have always loved the chocolate made from the beans that come from Java, Surabaya, and elsewhere in the region. I have some good friends there and know a top pastry chef at a top hotel so I know I can eat and sleep well in addition to roughing it in the countryside.

But what about you? What's on your Chocolate Bucket (not Charlie Bucket) List?

updated by @Clay Gordon: 06/01/15 15:41:43

Wet grinders in the U.K

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Mariano:

A device like the Robot Coupe might make a good pre-grinder but it's not going to work for the extended periods of time necessary for flavor development and particle size reduction in making chocolate.

I agree with you about making pralins and grinding nuts and they are also good for ganaches as long as you're careful to make sure that the ganache covers the blades.

Robot Coupes may be expensive but they are versatile multi-taskers and well worth every penny.

:: Clay

Marañon Chocolate - Cacao Thought to Be Extinct Found in Peru

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Just visited http://maranonchocolate.com/ and it's there.