Forum Activity for @Andre Costa

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you, Andy.The issue is that my pieces are mostly very colorful and they follow the same shapes. So black and white is really not an option for me.Thank you, though.Andre

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Valerie,I know printingforless.com, but I have completely forgotten about them. Thanks for refreshing my memory.Andre

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi Dirke.Thank you for the link to moo.com and for offering your assistance with design. I may need your help in the future, when I need something more complex.Thanks again,Andre

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Yep. You can find some really nice textured rice and other papers that are made to go through a laser printer. Lots of ways to make the presentation special.A zero-extra-cost-yet classy option for custom jobs is to "watermark" or "ghost" the customer's logo on the key ...

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Ooh, I like that idea Clay. Allows for a lot of flexibility and you can pick up some really nice paper styles.

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

One workable solution for printing keys to put into boxes that I have seen - even by very high-end chocolatiers - is the use of translucent vellum that you can run through a laser printer. You can get translucent vellum made to go through laser printers at many specialty paper stores on-line and off and many sources will cut it to exact size for you. You can print in black and white or color depending on the application. You can print only as you need them or to a production schedule - and you can alter them at will.Very flexible option.Once you run the paper through the printer it might not be sanitary any more, so you'll probably have to look into clear food-safe acetate sheets the same size or put the printed key on top of the candy pad. If you opt for the clear acetate and use very translucent vellum you may be able to see slightly through the key to the pieces below.

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

We use our Dymo Labeler to do the job. I've made EPS files of all the shapes and then we lay them out on one of the larger printing squares. Self adhease to the top of the box or to the padding has worked well. It's not color but it does allow for a lot of flexibility early on.

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

moo.com is one that has some really unique stuff that you could create. Quality is pretty good as well. Everyone I know is local to me since I occasionally do design work with them, If you need help with creative or print maybe I can help? Just let me know.

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

www.printingforless.com is a good resource. I haven't used them for insert printing, but have used them for business cards and postcards. Instead of inserts I usually buy large oval labels, print directly on them what each box contains (I can usually verbally differentiate between my chocolates) and stick them to the inside lids of boxes.

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Being someone who has printed these for Purdies, you will want to take into consideration the smell of offset printing, digital might be the way to go as it is usually high end ink droplet printing much like your home printer. It is also cheaper and you can do short runs. Google digital printers in your area, if you can't find one let me know and I can probably forard you some.

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hey Gina:This is an open forum and any answer you have for Andre may work for other members of TheChocolateLife. So it'd be appropriate to share publicly.:: Clay

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

yes email me and I can help you out. Gina

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you, Clay.

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Andre:Try 4over4.com.:: Clay

Insert - printing solutions

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Good day.I need to print a very small run of inserts. These are the inserts people include in the boxes to tell which bonbon is which flavor.Do you guys know where I can go to get a small run? Any online printing shop?Thank you.
updated by @Andre Costa: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Chocolate and wine tasting

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hmmm, I hadn't considered breaking the bottle down like that, don't want to have too many half bottles sitting around. The limiting factor last time was the chocolate, being as the tasting was done at the wine institute. Thanks

Chocolate and wine tasting

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Tom:My experience is that the maximum number of people for a tasting of any sort is how many people you can serve without the service being intrusive. If you're serving wines near the end of a tasting that need to be cold you need to figure out how to pour and serve at the correct temperature at the correct time without interrupting the tasting. Of course you could start with those first.Another way to look at this is the size of the pour. A 750ml bottle holds 15, 50ml pours (14, really to account for dribbles, etc. A 50ml pour may seem a lot, but when you're tasting several chocolates with each wine (as I like to do), it's pretty handy to have such generous pours. As a general rule, I figure no more than 16 people per bottle of wine + plus me. This is 17 40ml pours - plus some for dribbles and sediment on the bottom of the bottle.I have done as many as 6 wines and twice that many chocolates in a single tasting over the course of 90 minutes-two hours. Never had a complaint about there being too much.HTH,:: Clay

Chocolate and wine tasting

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I have done this before but at a University for students so I didn't charge participants or pay for anything. I am just wondering from others experiences, what is a good number to do these tastings on, how many pairings and what have people charged. This tasting wouldn't be for friends it is to make money from.When I did it I paired 4 chocolates with 5 wines/spirits. This was about the limit I thought, I remember bench testing and feeling a little overdone palate and stomach wise. I also gave a seminar on parallels in chocolate and wine making which was well received.
updated by @Tom: 07/27/15 02:55:39

Chocolate Show - New York 2009

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

The 12th annual Chocolate show just ended yesterday at the Metropolitan Pavilion. If you did not get a chance to go, take a look at the pictures. The only time eating chocolate is acceptable at 10am! View Photos on my page.
updated by @Roxanne Browning : 12/13/24 12:16:07

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

You can fill chocolates will "real alcohol"; however each State has different laws regarding this. I live in CT and I am not allowed to produce or to sell them in the State. They are being made in Nevada; but they are not allowed to even ship to me in Connecticut.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

Does anyone know who would be best to contact at the state level to see about getting the laws amended? I live in Oklahoma where you are limited to confections only containing alcohol found in extracts - all other forms are strictly prohibited. I would like to open my own store but 90% of what I make contains alcohol so I either have to figure out how to get this outdated prohibition law changed or move to another state. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

Yes, wine can be added to chocolate. To make a wine ganache you use the same amount of wine (4oz) and butter (4oz) then double the amount of chocolate (8oz). Or you can use the same recipe except replace the wine with reduced wine syrup. Slowly reduce the wine then add only 1 to 2 Tablespoons to the ganache - this gives it a more enhanced wine flavor (1 bottle of wine reduces down to 1 cup of syrup).

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

I guess I'm going to have to do a bit more research than I thought! :)Just one quick question - is it possible to infuse chocolate with wine?

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

I found a useful resource on this topic: http://www.candyusa.com/Resources/FAQDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=1684 The table seems generally accurate, however you should double check your individual state laws.The laws vary state to state, sometimes considerably, sometimes only in detail.In many states, food with less than 0.5% alcohol is considered 'non-alcoholic'. In some states this is 0.5% by weight, others go with 0.5% by volume. In some states the alcohol can be from any source, in other states the rules are different for 'extracts' versus 'liquors'. Some states have different rules for confections versus other foods.In Oregon, _food_ is considered 'adulterated' if it contains more than 0.5% alcohol by weight. At less than 0.5% alcohol the source could be anything used for flavoring, eg. an extract or a liquor.There are also provisions under the Oregon liquor laws for making 'non-beverage products' at up to 5% alcohol by volume, which require sales through liquor stores. (As I recall, the liquor law applies from 0.5% alcohol by volume to 5% by volume, leaving an overlap area, but this is from distant memory.)-Jon

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

We did not need to obtain a license until we wanted to purchase alcohol at wholesale prices. We did need to list it in the ingredients, but as we were such a small manufacturer, the rules were not as stringent as they might have been.This was in Maryland.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

You know, if you were to approach your state lawmakers on this you might actually make some progress. In Sam Calagione's Brewing Up a Business he describes petitioning for legal changes in Delaware that allowed him to open the first Dogfish Head brewpub. I work in a bureaucratic environment, and I can testify that a lot of irrational policy is enforced because no one has invested the time and energy to make a change.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

Hi Clay,I'll jump on your bandwagon. Was wondering if I could secretly switch out truffles, awesome ones, with the ones they have at the gov't christmas parties...Could send them each a gift basket...Fill the mail room with sweets? If you find anything ut on this let me know. I'm still waiting for the state ATC to call me back and let me know exactly how to interpret Missouri's statute. Trying to open a business that is more than just friends paying for ingredients because they dont make them but want them. Cant get anyone to tell me what I can and cant do. I've talked to ore voice mail than people, frustating. If there is a lobby grou I'll sign petition.Heather

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

Copied from a new post by member Beth MansfieldIn the contradictory state of Ohio, no alcohol is allowed in confections without a license - and yet they have no provisions to issue licenses to confectioners. But you can add vanilla and other flavorings that contain alcohol. The key is it can't be an alcohol meant to be consumed as a drink. Who makes up these rules? How do you label alcohol that's been cooked down to reduce its percentage? And does the flavor suffer? Does anyone have any good flavor alternatives to Cointreau, Brandy, or Amaretto? I feel that in Ohio we are at a competitive disadvantage to the rest of the country. And how about the issue of shipping. Do those of you in states that allow alcohol content have to be careful not to sell to minors? And can you ship anywhere to anyone? I'm trying to decide if I should become an activist in politics. Is there a chocolate lobbying group? Jeez - Prohibition all over again. Ship truffles to Congress. Forget the budget deficit, health care reform, etc. By God, I want alcohol in my truffles! Ok, I'm done ranting. But I would like to know what y'all are doing on this topic.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

I make them only for gifts and to bring to holiday gatherings. Something they can't easily find and something special they come to look forward to over the holidays.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

In Washington State, we either have to cook it down to 1% or get a license. And you do need to show it in the labeling.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

There are laws regulating the use of liquor in confections (as with so many food-related things). Where I am, it was regulated at the state level, and they specified how much alcohol the confection could contain. You have to list the alcohol in the ingredients the same way you would anything else (the FDA has a guide on labeling).

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

Yes. My favorite are sugar crust liquors. Over the holidays I make Brandy, Bourbon, Red Wine, and Fruit (for the kids). The shell looks like a geode, and the filling is almost the consistency of the original liquor or wine. You can cast into starch, then enrobe, or deposit directly into hollow shapes (similar to those used for ganache but much smaller hole) using LIMOBA technique.

Alcohol in Chocolates

Posted in: Recipes

My question is can you use real alcohol in chocolate candies? Do you need a liquor license? Do you need to show the alcohol and content in labeling? Any information on this would be appreciated.
updated by @Jettsub: 04/13/15 07:42:14

Storing Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I store chocolate in a wine fridge and plastic bags or boxes in case of occasional condensation on the fan. I'm in upstate NY USA. We are having a freakishly temperate fall so I'm also keeping some in a padded thermo bag (my traveling bag for chocolate) and pulling stuff to eat it. I was traveling in Italy for two weeks and the thermo bag evened out all the crazy temperature fluctuations.

Storing Chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hello,Firstly I'd just like to say hello and introduce myself; my name is Louise Thomas and I run a company called The Chocolate Consultant in the UK, which has the aim of educating people through different disciplines and events about the world of fine chocolate. I previously worked as a pastry chef, where I discovered this secret world, before leaving the kitchen to work in the industry with British chocolatiers to learn more.I have seen similar posts, so you will have to excuse me for reposting a similar topic. I have, luckily, lots of chocolate in my flat. I live in a basement flat in London and the temperature changes variably throughout the day depending on which neighbours are in, if it is windy or rainy, if it's hot it's close to unbearable. Now winter is upon us, but I don't have the need to turn on the heaters yet, as it is still comfortable in the flat. I am worried about my chocolate and have bought a specific chocolate fridge to try and keep it at a regulated temperature. The maximum I can keep the fridge at is 10C, and I obviously understand that chocolate is best kept at 16C. So a few questions:1. Is it ok to keep chocolate at 10C so long as I let it reach room temperature before tasting?2. Is it better to keep it switched off?3. Is it better to keep it at room temperature even though it is variable throughout the day?4. How do you store chocolate at home?Thank you for letting me pick your brains. It just makes me fret a little!Many thanks in advance,Louise
updated by @Louise Thomas: 04/11/25 09:27:36

Tips for pairing chocolate and whisky?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

hi all,I did the pairing, and it was wonderfull ! Though you really have to look for good combi's though. It's not an easy one.read more details on my blogpost on this superb experience: http://www.choqoa.com/blog/2009/11/choqoa%E2%80%99s-first-whisky-and-chocolate-pairing/ some more pix on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/evert-jan/sets/72157622720964326/ thx again for your inputEvert-Jan

Tips for pairing chocolate and whisky?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

thanks Alan & Molly for the links so far!I've been trying out a first mini pairing today (I happened to have Talisker, another single malt, and some Akesson) and I felt that whisky's are very strong to pair up.However I also seemed to me that unlike wine, where you better have both in your mouth the same time, with whiky it's better to have a sip and only have the chocolate afterwards...Any further experiences on the techniques of best tasting this particular pairing?thx!Evert-Jan

Tips for pairing chocolate and whisky?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi,We also had a chocolate and whisky tasting earlier this year -- a rather simple one to start with... tasting we should be having another soonhave fun!!!

Tips for pairing chocolate and whisky?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hello,This might help: http://patric-chocolate.blogspot.com/2009/05/single-malt-scotch-whisky-fine.html Any of the Madagascar chocolates from Akesson, Pralus, or Cluizel would share some characteristics with the Patric Chocolate 67% Madagascar that I used.Best,Alan

Tips for pairing chocolate and whisky?

Posted in: Tasting Notes

hi Cacao lovers,I'm preparing a first whiskey / chocolate pairing and would love to hear your tips/expertise and adviceI have mainly European brands like Bonnat, Cluizel, Pralus, maybe some Akesson as well.Whisky is ao first Cask, Berry Bro's & Rudd, Alchemist, Blackadder, Clydesdale, Wemyss, Adelphi.Any tips that save some definite 'bad' pairings and guide to 'great' pairings are more than welcome!thx for sharing!Evert-Jan
updated by @Evert-Jan De Kort (Choqoa.com): 04/21/15 10:52:58

Printing on chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

There is a unit I went to look at in Grimbsy Ontario at a chocolate shop called Monks. I seem to think it did something more like a label - wasn't what I wanted at the time so I didn't pay much attention to it. I think the folks there might actually have been the distributors of the unit.Might be worth giving them a call at 905-309-6161 - they could certainly tell you the name so you could do more research.

Printing on chocolate

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thank you. This was helpful. I am still looking where it can be bought, but there is also something else that prints directly onA paper and pulled off like a labewl and put directly on the chocolate.Thank you for directing me to this site. I will look further into that but would also like to find this other product.Thank you again for your help.