Forum Activity for @Mark J Sciscenti

What happened to De Vries?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I saw Steve in July last year up in Denver. Yes, his mother is ill. Steve also contracted a bug while down in Bolivia which he has been fighting since that trip in early '09, I think... maybe earlier then that. I do not know whether that has changed or if he is still fighting that. I am sorry to hear that his mother is so ill. Sorry Steve. Hope you are better though. -Mark

What happened to De Vries?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I was told by a fellow chocolatier that Steve's mom has been having health issues, so he has suspended operations until further notice. Sadly, IIRC the illness is terminal.

What happened to De Vries?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Steve DeVries appeared at a chocolate event in Dallas (along with Alan McClure of Patric) in late August, at which point his online portal was already indicating that no chocolate was available for retail sale. He appeared to still be in the business, despite the unavailability of retail product. He is also scheduled to do a presentation on chocolate next month in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with National Geographic.I'm reluctant to assume anything from the recent unavailability.

What happened to De Vries?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Anyone know what happened to De Vries chocolate? The website is down and I tried to email Steve, but no answer. I hope everything is okay.

updated by @Matt Caputo: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

This are some maps I gotSole

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

VanessaIm sorry. I got this from a pdf, much bigger doc. Im trying to get it right for you.Sole

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

It is lovely One of the few around, at least, what I've come across.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you, Maria.Unfortunately, I can't see the map since my computer doesn't support ClipFile documents. Do you have another version?

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The New Taste of Chocolate by Maricel Presilla has a lovely map. Page 32 is a world map of cocoa's disbursed cultivation.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I have one that might interest you. It is a map of the Ecuadorian Nacional. The only forastero in the world to be considered aroma cocoa . Consider Ecuador produces the 60% of the aroma cocoa of the world. I send you an attached doc. The arriba subtype is not mentioned in the map, but corresponds to the Los Rios and Guayas provinces, southwest of the country. It is the one Samantha talks about.I hope this is useful to you.Sole

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Brilliant. Let's go for it.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

A collaborative Google map is not a bad idea.There are tools to draw regions as well (to describe boundaries), attach pictures, and more.If this is of interest, I could set up the framework for people to work from.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

V- if there's something that needs doing Google had probably developed something to help. Have you considered using Google Earth to help keep track of plantations and areas? In the short term it can at least give you some basic info like coordinates.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks, Clay. I agree that it will be harder. And the end personality of a chocolate comes after its rearing in a certain environment and how it's handled after the fact. After assessing everyone's input, it might be a worthwhile project to explore that on my own, slowly but surely.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Vanessa:There are no generally available maps that provide the information you are looking for; some companies might have ones they use for their own purposes (I have seen ones Nazario Rizek has for various plantations they manage in the Dominican Republic but I don't remember if they have elevation data on them). But finding the underlying stratigraphic detail is going to be very hard - so correlating the geography with soil conditions (and then climatic patterns) is going to be even harder.I think that most of us in the industry with experience and knowledge agree that terroir is somehow involved, however, it's a lot more complex with cacao than with grapes - especially because the bulk of the crop is produced by smallholder farmers who don't care.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks all for your replies.Samantha, yes I'm very much interested in cacao terroir. I'm a bit of a cartogrpahy geek, so literally mapping out the area in terms of orientation, elevation, climate and soil make up among others to me are fascinating. I'm curious if the concept of micro terroir that's prevalent in French wine appellations also hold true for a product like cacao and various regions where it's cultivated by smaller growers. Sounds like in terms of resources, I'll have to start compiling my own findings.I'll read up on your link on Notes on Flavor right now.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

The web site Lowe is referring to is in support of the book, "Chocolate: History, Culture, and Heritage" published by Wiley and funded in large part by Mars.The web site itself (at the URL mentioned in the book http://cocoaknow.ucdavis.edu ) is still very much a work in progress. As near as I can tell, there has been no substantive work done on the site in the last nine months or so.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Oh yeah, here's a chart about re-classifying cacao varietals that you might find interesting too.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Here's someone that might be able to help you:Louis Grivetti-- FOOD GEOGRAPHY -- Louis Grivetti , a food geographer in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition, can talk about a variety of subjects, ranging from the history of chocolate to the Mediterranean foods of 1,800 years ago and how they relate to today. He is also leading a team effort to develop a comprehensive Web site on the history of chocolate. Contact: Louis Grivetti, Nutrition, (530) 752-2078, legrivetti@ucdavis.eduI don't know him; I just got this information from a website.I also uploaded 2 maps. I'm not sure if they're what you're looking for, but maybe it's a start.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

That was my feeling. At the very least, it's a very inspire project to pursue 'I was hoping there might exist some topographical resources online somewhere for map geeks. Considering some of these spots are land tantalizing to fossil fuel surveyors, maybe they might be quite hard to come by.

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Nothing like this exists that I have ever seen. Cacao/chocolate is many decades behind wine, but maybe you can start to pull one together over time. Still, I've never seen any real detailed information on terroir in different cacao-growing countries.Alan

Cacao Info Resources?

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Love this site. Love the forum. I've amassed a decent collection of texts recommended on this site and other chocolate geeks, but find that I'd like to discover more about cacao.

Specifically, maps. I'm a sucker for cartography and am wondering if there is an Atlas of sorts detailing the cacao growing regions of the world. If such a thing isn't available, what other options are there for me to take a good look at these regions -- their elevations, soil content, etc.? Such things have been easier to source in the wine world, so I'm hoping that such is the case with cacao.

Obviously, it need not be bound in a book. Online references are fine. I am looking to literally visualize these places I have yet to visit each time I taste a bar and associate terroir with appropriate factors.

Thanks in advance.

updated by @Vanessa Chang: 04/11/25 09:27:36

anyone producing easter chocolates in a nut-free environment?

Posted in: Uncategorized

Mary Jo -Are you looking for personal consumption because you (or someone you plan to gift to) is allergic? Or is there some official FCIA reason for the request? Your classifying this as news and including your FCIA affiliation makes me ask. If this were for personal consumption I would put this in the category "Where Do I Buy?"

anyone producing easter chocolates in a nut-free environment?

Posted in: Uncategorized

I often receive a variety of questions fromboth ourmembers and non-members. One consumer contacted me recently asking for companies who are producing premium Easter chocolate (solid and confections) that are not only nut-free--but produced in a nut-free environment. While I've sent an inquiry out to our members, many are heads-down working on their easter production. So, in the spirit of providing good and timely information, I thought I'd ask this community as well. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
Mary Jo Stojak
executive director
Fine Chocolate Industry Association
www.FineChocolateIndustry.org

updated by @MJ Stojak: 04/09/15 12:53:43

Strange chocolate-no saturated fat?

Posted in: Opinion

okay. Thanks. Yes! nature was not meant necessarily for our pleasure-obviously!! Thanks for reminding me of that!!

Strange chocolate-no saturated fat?

Posted in: Opinion

I've come across equally perplexing questions and requests in regards to finding chocolate. Sugar-free. Gluten-free. Some answers are obvious. Some, like the one for your situation, is not."Ultra Metabolism" obviously doesn't take into account a typical fine dark chocolate bar's ingredient list that as Clay alluded to is something even Michael Pollan would approve of. And though fine chocolate as we know it are several procedural steps away from the cacao bean itself, I would argue that the beans have always done the body good to fuel long distance messengers and inspire warriors. But then again, many nuts and seeds get a bad wrap for its high fat content. People seem to forget that these things are meant to nourish another potential tree/plant and therefore requires dense -- and very pure -- energy.

Strange chocolate-no saturated fat?

Posted in: Opinion

70% cocoa solids is no problem as, technically, the solids refer both to the fat and non-fat content of the chocolate.Cocoa butter is a saturated fat - it's solid at room temp. So, no go there. You could, I suppose, use a 100% non-fat cocoa powder and some other fat - but I don't know of an unsaturated fat that is solid at room temp with some very serious processing (e.g., hydrogenation). And then, at least in the US, if you replace the cocoa butter with another fat, you can't call it chocolate.Sort of by definition, a 70% cocoa content chocolate contains about 30% sugar. You could replace the sugar with something else, of course.So, you're right. Whatever it is, it's not natural (and it's not chocolate). I will pun on Michael Pollan and call these (what ever they are) chocolate-like substances.:: Clay

Strange chocolate-no saturated fat?

Posted in: Opinion

A potential customer asked me this question:

Do you have chocolate that fulfills these requirements:

1. At least 70% cacao solids

2. A minute quantity of sugar

3. No saturated fats

After a back and forth including lengthy explanations about chocolate he came out and told me that he is reading a book called "Ultra Metabolism" in which they suggest a chocolate like this. I assume it is that Mars invention of CocoaVia or Hersheys new invention of a "healthy" bar.

Anyway it is something not "natural" .

Any ideas on what else it could be? Anyone read the book? Got curious, if not a bit flustered (to be polite)at the idea.

updated by @Ilana: 04/19/15 06:41:07

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for all of the advise everyone. Those bunnies are awesome Lana. Here is a picture of our bunny packaged.

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

they are adorable! You have done an excellent job using chocolate's natural colors to decorate-I really like them! Kids must also go crazy for them! The "cow" bunny is my fav!

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Lana,Those are very cute!I have a bunch of the clips that hold double molds together - but I often find that the rubber bands work just as well and are a whole lot easier to get on.

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

In pic 1 the ears are not filled with chocolate. Does your ,uhmm , vibrator get the chocolate into the ears? I love the human spinning machine-I do that too with a double mold I have. Turn it around up and down, this way and that!!! Oish! Only chocolatiers of our status can really identify with all the odd things we do!! Imagine that in all different countries there are human spinning machines doing their thing!

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I am not sure which mold you have. I have one that has a front side and a back side of a squirrel, for ex. I make them hollow and demold. What I do is use my hairdryer to heat up an area on my stainless steel table. I place the two halves on the warm area and move them around a bit. Then I "glue" them together by just lining up and holding closed for a short time. Mine come out really well...This is the only picture I have.

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

We haven't done it before. This is the first time we have used mold where you take the two sides out of the mold and than place them together.

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

how have you been doing it up until now?

I need some advise on two piece chocolate molds.

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I am trying a two piece chocolate bunny mold for the first time and need some
advice on how to put the piece together to minimize the seam.

updated by @Sweet Morsels Toffee & Chocolate: 04/11/25 09:27:36

the dilemma of using color tinted cacao butter/white chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

I am not too fond of transfer sheets and colors and am usually in the minority when it comes to this. That being said I do a tiny bit of decoration with natural cocoa butter colors that I have from chef rubber. I believe that in the Uk homemade chocolate (I think it is called that or something similar) also has it. In my pictures there is a bar and a square bon bon using this effect. Using the natural colors of chocolate and texture can also be nice. The technique of spraying and swiping colors is cool and interesting and caused me to play around with it a bit. I have used transfer sheets a few times (as per request here and there) but everyone has the same ones and the color just doesn't seem attractive to me.

the dilemma of using color tinted cacao butter/white chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

I'd love to find these natural colors if there is something fairly bright out there. I've tried a few and the look is the light pink, light green etc. I have thought of experiencing with beet powder but I don't think that the flavor would go..thanks for responding despite my provokotive statement.

the dilemma of using color tinted cacao butter/white chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

There are natural colored cocoa butters available.

the dilemma of using color tinted cacao butter/white chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

In a world where Ed Hardy isn't the same as ed hardy and where imitation candy coating doubles for real chocolate at half the price, the dilemma is only par for the course with the rest of the business world. I use colored cocoa butter and transfer sheets, but aside from staking a claim to using real, genuine chocolate, I stay away from the "all natural" claim. However, I think "all natural flavors" and using transfer sheets is apples and oranges. Transfer sheets aren't a "flavoring". Now, if a chocolate was stated as being "all natural", then I would expect the chocolate to contain only natural ingredients in its entirety, including its decorations.

the dilemma of using color tinted cacao butter/white chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

talking about purity of cacao varieties and such - I am quite confused over the array of transfer sheets/ air brushing etc using artificial colors in the practice of many chocolatiers.
updated by @Mimi Wheeler: 04/10/15 10:29:11

Heading to Guatemala next week

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Come visit me at Danta Chocolate in Guatemala City. I can also get you in touch with my two cacao suppliers and see if they're willing to give a tour. One of them is quite close to Atitlan, on the coast side of one of the volcanoes. Are you here for Easter week? If so, most places of business are closed except in tourist areas (which will be completely overrun).