Forum Activity for @heather andall

Cocoa Helpers

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks to The Chocolate Life, I now know the importance of midges or sand flies, as we call them here, in relation to the fertilization of the cocoa flower. Lying under a cocoa tree today, I observed lots of other visitors. Does anyone know if lizards, millipedes, ants, birds or any other insect/ creature play an essential part in the development of the cocoa?

updated by @heather andall: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Hotel Chocolat floats Chocolate Bond Issue

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Beats every other investment I own. It was unclear from the site if they would ship the "dividends" to the US.

Hotel Chocolat floats Chocolate Bond Issue

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Hotel Chocolat, the UK-based chocolate company (with a US presence in Boston) is floating 5 million pound bond issue repayable in chocolate.Rather than standard cash coupons that bonds usually pay, chocolate lovers will be paid out in their favourite indulgence: monthly Tasting Club chocolate boxes.

For an initial layout of 2,000 or 4,000 pounds, the prospective "bondholders" can expect an annual yield of 6.72 percent or 7.29 percent respectively on the three-year bonds based on the value of the boxes of confectionery.



updated by @Clay Gordon: 12/13/24 12:16:07

DaCosta Chocolates Project On Kickstarter.com

Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)

Hi everyone.

updated by @Andre Costa: 12/13/24 12:16:07

Are "chocolate jams" shelf stable?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you SO much Danielle! I will do this and let you know what they tell me. I really hope that this is a product that I can start making because it is so wonderful! I still have a lot to learn about canning though! Thanks again! ~Wendy

Are "chocolate jams" shelf stable?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Wendy-Check with a food science professor at a university. I would be concerned with the method used (water bath/pressure) to can/preserve this item and the amount of fat added. The acidity will assist with the pH level, but it may not offset the fat content of the chocolate added in to the recipe. University of California, Davis and Penn State have 2 very good food science departments (as well as many other universities in the US).As an ex-Master Food Preserver I would love to know what kind of feedback you recieve. Good Luck.Danielle

Are "chocolate jams" shelf stable?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I recently made a "chocolate dipped strawberry jam" just as you would any other jam with the addition of some 72% dark chocolate and lots of lemon juice to increase acidity. It worked really nicely and it is very good, but I want to make sure that it is shelf stabile. I don't want to sell it unless I know it is safe. I know that chocolate sauces do not have a good shelf life and so I hope that that this jam will not have these same issues. Does anyone know how to find this information out? Thanks for any suggestions! ~Wendy
updated by @Wendy Buckner: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Lowe,How have you been? Back to Hawaii anytime soon? Our newspaper the merged Honolulu Advertiser and Star Bulliten, now the Star Advertiser I think will be running a feature on Cacao June 30th.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Besides Steelgrass ,Koa Kahili is in Kauai and does a few chocolate bean to bar classes, His profile is on the Hawaii Cacao Page. I think overall what is happening in Kauai is small and probabl more focused on raw chocolate.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Lowe,I've been trolling the group's page and will hit them up with a message/shout out today. Kaua'i will be my first island destination this July. I'm keen to see what's going on. Thank you!

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Thanks, Melanie. Great tips!Looks like my venture to the islands is going to be to Kaua'i in July. If you have any ideas for that island I'm all ears.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Seneca Klassen would also be another good person to contact about cacao in Hawaii.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Melanie,I'm so glad to see you respond here. I was just getting ready to suggest to Vanessa that she should contact you.Cheers,Lowe

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

The Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory in Kona gives tours as does Tom Sharkey on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island. His website isn't much but his farm is nice, with vanilla growing up the cacao trees and surrounded by coffee. He also has a vacation rental and does chocolate making classes. http://www.konasharkscoffee.com/ The Hilo Farmers market usually has cacao pods for sale. A third farm on the Hamakua coast will be offering tours in about another year.MAlie Kai does not own the trees- it is the Waialua Estate on the North Shore of Oahu and is owned by Dole. They do not give regular tours except to large groups.Let me know if I can answer any other questions- I live on the Big Island and have 2 chocolate shops. My production kitchen, Sweet Paradise Chocolatier, is located in Waimea on the Big Island, the main store is in Kailua, Oahu.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Vanessa,Have you checked out Clay's group Hawaii Cacao ? It has lots of information. For example, the directory of cacao farmers should help you.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Ps- Did you visit the group on here Hawaii Cacao?

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

HI, I was just in Hawaii and wished I would have done this! I was on Maui and there didn't seem to be any chocolate operations there. But I did have a bar from Malie Kai , Honolulu. I don't know if they do tours or not but they are a small company so it may be worth contacting them about it. As I was writing on my blog about my vacation and chocolate in Hawaii someone left a comment from Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory and stated that they do have tours, though I know nothing about this company but they are located on the big island. Good luck and have fun! Hope to hear about it and maybe see some pictures.

Hawaii

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

I'm researching a possible trip to Hawaii and would like it so that I can visit cacao operations while I'm there.

Can anyone offer advice on places to visit or even how to navigate the varius cacao growing operations on the different islands (I'm pretty clueless as to the possibility/efficiency of inter-island travel for short trips)?

Thanks in advance for your time.

updated by @Vanessa Chang: 04/15/15 21:43:10

Looking for monogram script molds.

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi there Kayla! I bought plain 2" x 2" square molds from CK Products and I pipe all of my monogrammed chocolate squares by hand. I always practice a few times on parchment paper before I pipe onto the squares. It really isn't hard to do at all. They can look very beautiful this way. I haven't seen monogrammed square molds anywhere. Good luck! ~Wendy

Looking for monogram script molds.

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I am looking for square molds. Maybe 2"x2" with capital script letters. I've seen molds with Hebrew lettering and block lettering, but no script lettering. The monogrammed chocolate squares for weddings from Atlanta Chocolate Company are very similar to what I'm looking for. http://www.atlantachocolatecompany.com/custom-chocolates.htm Thanks in advance!Kayla
updated by @Kayla Holloway: 04/07/25 13:00:14

Antique equipment

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Thanks for the reply!! I looked all over and not sure how i missed that!

Antique equipment

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Check out the "Buy Sell group" and look for the April 15 post by Colin Gasko. Was sorely tempted myself but shipping to the UK would be expensive.

Antique equipment

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

I think there is one for sale in the classifieds here, but its pretty large.

Antique equipment

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi everyone,
If you were located in the U.S. and was looking for an antique stone melangeur, where would you look?
Does anyone know where I could start; I've been looking through the post but no success.

Thanks

updated by @Dimond Atkins: 04/07/25 13:00:14

Why is it so difficult to do? (some time ago a question from Joanna Miles)

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks, I think I am too scared to go high. I will try that.

Why is it so difficult to do? (some time ago a question from Joanna Miles)

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Very very important to melt to the higher temps of approx 55 Celcius. Make sure you follow the temp requirements on the bag. Valrhona has a high amount of cocoa butter in the chocolate.

Why is it so difficult to do? (some time ago a question from Joanna Miles)

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

O yes I have to add that Valrhona is still very scarce in South Africa and I do not have a lot of chocolate to use as seed if I keep on making a mess. I am not able to temper by any other method as I am still very new in the game. So, problem is, how do I learn to temper Valrhona without using too much chocolate!

Why is it so difficult to do? (some time ago a question from Joanna Miles)

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi, I am really having trouble with tempering Valrhona. I am able to get a reasonable result with Callebaut, but this Valrhona gets me down. I melt with a bain marie and use the seed method for tempering. We are now only going to use Valrhona and for dipping I have to temper the Equatoriale Lactee and it is a nightmare. The other day my chocolate was ice cold and still fluid, you could drink it, and today it is rubbery. I am in big trouble here as we have a BIG market next Saturday and we have already marketed our chocolates as the best and now I have to perform on short notice as we had problems with stock and I could not practice before.

I can control the temperature of the room I work in at the moment as it is not yet too hot and if needs be I can use a heater to make it warmer. I try and keep it at about 20C. Humidity I cannot control, at the moment it is 14%, but is set to go up as there is a little rain coming.

Anything I should be aware of with the Valrhona. I see it is very fluid and I love the thin coat it gives. Help Please!

Why is it so difficult to do? (some time ago a question from Joanna Miles)

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques


updated by @Vercruysse Geert: 04/11/25 09:27:36

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Thank you Seneca, that is a subject I really want to study., although, thanks to The Chocolate Life i have learned a lot I didn't know!

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Knapp's book on fermentation is especially worthwhile...I've haven't seen it digitized (yet), but you can sometimes find copies on abebooks or alibris.

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

sadly Amazon won't deliver to the West Indies.

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Thanks Vercruysse, and yes, I thought so too.

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Thanks Clay, will put it on my wish list, nothing like a hard copy to peruse.

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Thanks Alan, I came across this by chance but am enjoying every page.

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I have to agree with Alan here. I purchased a reprint of this book off of Amazon several years ago after finding it on Project Gutenberg. A really worthwhile addition to my reference library.

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

IMO all of Arthur Knapp's books on cacao/cocoa and chocolate are worth reading.

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Great and interesting,thanks for sharing,Geert Vercruysse

"Cocoa and Chocolate Their History from Plantation to Consumer"

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I just found this free online e book (Click to view)

 Cocoa and Chocolate
        Their History from Plantation to Consumer
 

 Arthur W. Knapp

and thought it may be of interest to those who have not read it before. Written in 1920, I would be interested to know how accurate this information is today. I live where there are not any books available to me on this subject. Thank you.
(All thanks go to The Project Gutenberg.)

Heather.

updated by @heather andall: 04/12/15 19:05:40

What relationship do high quality, non-artisanal chocolate makers have with the cacao farmers/plantations?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Jim, i have been reading your post and i thank you for sharing your insights and experience. I am particualary interested in hearing more about you experiences production.I went through your numbers and had a question :you say you haveArea 10 hectaresProduction per area (kg) 2250So i just wanted to clarify your yield is 225 kg per hectare? So your breakeven is 320kg per hectare? Are there any major reason for the low yeild?In venezuela most of the old haciendas that are now run as small plots by farmers have a low yeild of around 250 - 300 kg / hectare, this coupled with economic issues, political issues in the country and a spiraling inflation is what makes venezuelan cacao much more expensive. But the main issue for low yield is that the idea of running a farm like a business is what is missing. small farmers do not invest in the land, they do not prune the trees for fear of loosing a producing branch today even though the output will most likely be greater the next harvest. You mentioned that farmers do not know the return of investment or profits margin of their land and from my experience working hands on with coops and small farmers i echo this oppinion. We hold workshops with local ngo to educate farmers but it is a slow road.look forward to hearing from you.

What relationship do high quality, non-artisanal chocolate makers have with the cacao farmers/plantations?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

I want to second this sentiment, this discussion is invaluable to me, especially since I have no experience growing cacao or making chocolate, but want to connect the people who EAT chocolate to the kinds of challenges that are being faced by cacao farmers and chocolate producers. Jim, thank you for sharing so much information on your farm and the struggles with efficiency and survival. This is exactly the kind of transparency I would like to see other producers sharing.Samantha, thank you for sharing your knowledge, both in this post and elsewhere on TCL. I appreciate how thoroughly you answer all questions you address. And the depth of your knowledge.Brian, thanks for your thoughts on direct relationships with the farmers and how this will perhaps automatically improve the results on both sides. You cited your company, what is your company? What kind of chocolate do you make?

What relationship do high quality, non-artisanal chocolate makers have with the cacao farmers/plantations?

Posted in: Chocolate Education

Correction, just rereading Clay's post, I see UTZ pays for the certification. Sorry about that.