The Origin of Chocolate
Posted in: History of Chocolate
Wow! it's awesome! i never heard or read the history of chocolate origins and i'm impressed by this article! Thanks Greg and thank you Aztecs for this wonderful product!
Forum Activity for @jason
The Origin of Chocolate
Posted in: History of Chocolate
http://www.cocoainitiative.org/origin-of-chocolate.html Cocoa has its origins in the upper Amazon basin and many believe we can trace our love affair with chocolate as far back as 2,500 years ago. There is evidence of Mayan use as far back as the 5th Century AD and we know that the Aztecs used cocoa as a means of payment as well as the ingredient for a "drink of the gods". In fact, the Mayans allowed only societys elite to consume cocoa and as they migrated into the northern regions of South America, they established the earliest known plantations (AD 600).In 1544, Mayan nobles visited Prince Philip of Spain, bringing jars of cocoa, mixed and ready to drink where it quickly became fashionable. Spain and Portugal did not export their favourite drink to the rest of Europe for nearly a century by which time it had become traditional to add cane sugar and vanilla to make a sweeter beverage.Slowly, cocoa, as a beverage, conquered the royal courts and noble houses of Europe. The first chocolate house was opened in 1657 in London, although the proprietor was a Frenchman. Because so much of the cocoa bean consists of cocoa butter, the drink was thick and bitter bearing little, if any resemblance, to the hot chocolate we might drink today.In 1838, Conrad Van Houten invented a revolutionary new process the cocoa press. His press improved the quality of chocolate by reducing its cocoa butter content thereby producing a smoother consistency. Only 20 years later, the first chocolate bar was produced and for the remainder of the late 19th century, new and innovative chocolate products were launched to an appreciative public. From bonbons, to heart-shaped boxes for Valentines Day, to chocolate brownies, to milk chocolate our taste for chocolate is well and truly developed.In the mid-19th century, cocoa cultivation began in West Africa on the island of Principe and the neighbouring island of Sao Tome, and from there it spread to the African continent. In Ghana, the members of the Basle Mission successfully promoted its cultivation and many small and medium farmers develop this country into one of this worlds most important producers.
updated by @Greg Rice: 04/17/15 20:16:10
Imagining the music as you take "The Journey of The Pod"
Posted in: News & New Products Press
Reverie', music from the Ivory Coast, some Happy Feet...what else would capture the essence of the journey as the pod describes its passage from the past, present and future? I have some ideas, yet what would you want to hear?Let me know and I'll check it out as the final details on the exhibit for the Bucks County Chocolate Show come together. Check it out.
updated by @Gretchen Tartakoff: 03/11/26 06:20:34
The C-Spot Chocolate Rating Site Online Soon
Posted in: Tasting Notes
This discussion will be closed until the site comes back on-line.
The C-Spot Chocolate Rating Site Online Soon
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Ooops,The C-Spot.com chocolate rating site was online for a few hours and then removed. It will be remain online permanently in 3 weeks.
The C-Spot Chocolate Rating Site Online Soon
Posted in: Tasting Notes
It isn't online anymore apparently.
The C-Spot Chocolate Rating Site Online Soon
Posted in: Tasting Notes
After several years in development the new chocolate rating site, the C-Spot will soon be on-line. www.c-spot.com
updated by @Bruce Toy (Coppeneur): 04/10/15 19:44:28
Fermenting Cacao Seeds: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Remember that oxygen is the fuel for your aerobic fermentations, so the more you turn your fermentations, the more fuel you put on that fire. LAB are aerobic buggers (or facultative aerobes in some cases), so the more O2 you feed them, the hotter, faster, and more acid they're going to generate. Had you done a fermentation for the exact same duration, but not turned it, or only turned it 1x, you'd find a very, very different flavor and chemical profile (for example, after your 4th turn, the heart healthy bits of your cocoa beans are going to be all but wiped out).
Fermenting Cacao Seeds: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
sebastian is right based on my experience (as he should be as he is vastly more knowledgeable than me). I have run 2 trials on fermentation while not allowing as much of the "miel" or sugary liquid in the pulp to run off. you can't keep it all in but we kept more of it than normal. this miel also ferments, almost immediately upon liberation from the cacao pod. our results were a faster, hotter (relative to our standard fermenting profile) ferment. at the first turn, 48 hours in, we noted a stronger than normal alcohol production. at the following 24 hour interval turns we noted higher faster temps than usual (around 48C in much of the box by the 2nd turn, and 52C thereafter) and vinegar fumes that caused us to wear respirators to be able to breathe while working the beans (which sometimes happens anyway). there was visible vapor rising out of the box for a while.
the heat and acetic acid production caused some of the skins of the beans to kind of slough off by the 4th turn and by the end the beans were overfermented and too strongly acidic for our purposes. the over-fermentation can be remedied and probably the other problems too if it were really desirable to do it this way. summary: its totally possible to do and may be advisable for someone who wants that flavor profile.
re: water tub fermenting, that's how coffee is fermented, at least here, in ceramic lined concrete water tubs, for 24 hours, were they adapting a coffee procedure to cacao? how did it work? how long did they leave it in?
brian
Fermenting Cacao Seeds: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
What's better, fermenting a zinfandel on the skins, or fermenting it off of them? Neither, it all depends on what type of wine you're making.
Same with cocoa. Depending on what type of chocolate you want, you tailor your fermentation. Think about what happens in fermentation. You're going to start by inverting the sugars and forming alcohol (ethanol to be precise). that ethanol is then further metabolized into organic acid (mostly acetic). if you don't allow those materials an out, your beans will soak in them and take on their characteristics, and allow them to affect other cellular chemistry.
If you do allow them an out, you can end up with a vastly different flavor profile.
Of course, there are a thousand additional variables you can manipulate to change the outcome as well. Net/Net - there's no one right way.
Fermenting Cacao Seeds: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Good question. I will attempt a wet fermentation (fully soaked in liquid) and report on my findings. I drain the liquid from my micro-batches to separately ferment into cacao wine.
Fermenting Cacao Seeds: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
A ChocolateLife member from Hawaii sent me the following question (lightly edited). As there are a number of cacao growers who are members, I thought it best to let them add their experiences to this question.
Everything that I have read on the fermentation process for wet cocoa beans indicates that the liquid be allowed to drain off. The fermentation boxes have slits and the heaps on banana leaves allow the liquid to run off. When you make a mash for fermentating grain, the liquid is not drained and the grain ferments OK. Some of the old Japanese here [ed: the big island of Hawaii] will actually add water to a tub of beans and allow fermentation to occur. They don't seem to feel that it affects the beans and provides a better fermentation. Any thoughts on the correct method of fermentation and whether the liquid helps or hinders the process?
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/11/25 09:27:36
Maglio Bars
Posted in: Tasting Notes
What I know about this is that they do not make their own chocolate. Had read some rumors that it was Cacao Barry who supplied it, and perhaps another maker. After making inquiries with the company, and elsewhere, never did get to the bottom of it. Of the six origin chocolates I tried, four were terrible, one was pretty good, and the other very good. The Africa was the pretty good one, and the Cuba the very good. Cuba is a distinct origin and this was memorable, and so is the Pralus Cuba, but of different character. I've reviewed these two Cuba chocolates here . I've found Maglio filled chocolates to be good, nothing too special, but admittedly have not tasted a great number of these.
Maglio Bars
Posted in: Tasting Notes
Has anyone tasted bars by Maglio of Italy? Any information about the company, etc.
updated by @Susan C: 04/12/15 03:41:06
Chocolate con Novaventa
Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
Here is the English Translation (courtesy of Google) for the above:MissionNOVAVENTA Company SA is an alternative channel of direct sale to consumers.We contribute to building brands and creating lasting and profitable relationships with our consumers, customers and suppliers.We encourage the continued development of our human talent and value creation.Entrepreneur referenced:SAUL MEDINA O.Tel 57 +096 +3306112Mobile: 3117971979Dosquebradas, Risaralda, Colombia
Chocolate con Novaventa
Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself
MisinNOVAVENTA S.A es una Compaa de canales alternativos de venta directa al consumidor.Contribuimos a la construccin de marcas y a la creacin de relaciones duraderas y rentables con nuestros consumidores, clientes y proveedores .Fomentamos el desarrollo continuo de nuestro talento humano; y la creacin de valor.Empresario referenciador:SAUL MEDINA O.Tel. 57+096+3306112Celular: 3117971979Dosquebradas, Risaralda, Colombia
updated by @saulmedinaos: 04/17/15 12:52:02
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Good Afternoon Everyone;Here at Choklat, we're just beginning to wrap up our first fabulous year of business, and beginning to budget for next year. In light of trying to save money on advertising, while still get the word out about our business and continue to increase sales, I have created a Community Initiatives Campaign, called "A Million Smiles".Through the Million Smiles Campaign, we hope to propagate the word about our busines throughout the community by assisting grass-roots, and non-profit organizations raise money.Understanding that word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising, the Million Smiles Campaign works like this:We register with us an organization (Calgary Food Bank for example). They then appeal to their volunteer base, to pledge the purchase of boxes of truffles from us. The price for each box of truffles is a bit higher than our regular price. However ONE HALF of the gross proceeds go back to the Food Bank by way of donation from our company. It is their responsibility to "sell" the concept to their volunteers, such that they purchase. Their volunteers, if committed, will also ask friends and family to pledge the purchase of a box of fresh truffles to help the Food Bank.The order system is completely online, and completely seperate from our regular business. Each organization is given the domain http://MillionSmiles.SoChoklat.com They can sell as many boxes of truffles as they like.At the end of each month we issue a cheque to the organization for their half of the proceeds of the boxes they sell.
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
I have a policy about charitable/fundraising events that has generated a lot of business.... I will donate 20% of their purchase.I like the events where there is a dinner and theme involved. So if they spend $1000 for chocolate at the dinner tables I give them $200 off the bill. The $200 doesnt cost me $200 so its worthwhile.
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Thank you for the insights about donations--I had a feeling they weren't paying off (and I have noticed the increased mail from charities wanting handouts)Brad, you are soooo right about education. I teach "the chocolate snob's guide to tasting" and "single origin chocolate" through a local community ed program, and it is a nice side gig. My problem is that our shop is TINY, so I haven't been able to host classes there. Your success encourages me to figure something out.Clay, thank you for your in-depth response. Many of your suggestions are in line with what we're already doing, but the co-marketing idea was new to me and I had forgotten about the farmer's market option. I'll try it. I do want to point out Facebook Ads to you (cheebs wrote about them too). You can make them ridiculously targeted now (i.e. resides within 10 miles of your shop, specific age range, education, interests, marital status etc.). I just started my ads, so I'll tell you a couple weeks down the line if I get any business from them.THANKS!
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Well Written Clay;There are some points I agree with and some points I don't 100% agree with. However the overall message is "Get Out There!" and that's what's most important.I'd like to ad two of my own "two cents" to Clay's contribution:DONATIONS:When people hear you're donating product, there will be a veritable flood of representatives of non profit organizations at your door with their hands out. It's happened here at Choklat. Put in place a "community initiatives" program that your company adheres to, and work extensively with one well known organization. Don't fall into the trap of giving gift baskets and collections to every "Silent Auction" and charitable event that comes through your door. You'll forever be giving product away and not realizing any benefit from it. Most well run organizations WILL have a small budget for their event, and will be happy to negotiate some product from you at your cost.SAMPLE SAMPLE SAMPLEWe don't sample in our shop. Our chocolate is extremely high quality and less expensive than the premium chocolate in local supermarkets and other stores. You don't walk into a supermarket and crack open one of their bars to try it before you buy it do you? Neither do we. In fact this policy helps us sell more product, because people have to PAY for the product to try it, so they generally buy more and of different varieties.If however you see fit to sample, MAKE SURE you have some of your competitor's product on hand to let them try it side by side, and insist that to truly understand how much better yours is, they have to try your competitor's. Remember, you are SPENDING MONEY when that person tries your product. Hammer it home by letting them compare directly on the spot.EDUCATIONPeople like to be educated. Our customers pay us $40 per person every Monday evening to spend 2 hours taking them on a tour of our facility, sampling the bars we make, and pairing wine with chocolate. We're sold out usually a month in advance. Our "Choklat Snobbery 101" events are great date nights, and aside from making $400 for a couple of hours of public speaking, the customers generally spend a couple of hundred on product at the end of the evening. At the end of the year we will have had personal time with 10 people X 50 weeks = $20,000 in revenue just from door admission, and that doesn't include chocolate they buy, and friends they tell of the event.What is our cost for the event? A couple of hours per Monday, a couple of bottles of wine, and that's it.The best part is that they are PAYING US to explain why they should do business with us.Hope this helps too.Brad.Choklat.
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
One challenge with social media marketing (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) specifically with respect to getting people in to your shop (to buy stuff) is that 99.999999999999% of Facebook members live nowhere near you. Trying to find the ones who do is nearly impossible. If you have an online store, then less than .001% of Facebook members are interested in your business and trying to find them is next to impossible. In my experience, Fan Pages work when you already have an established presence and you have more friends than Facebook allows you to have on your personal profile. Otherwise, it's a lot of repetitive work (you have to spend time every day) for little or no return. The same is true of Twitter and Craigslist. To be effective you have to develop a reputation and doing so requires daily activity. If you want to do some B2B (business to business) online marketing and promotion try LinkedIn. Or Plaxo. But concentrate on one.E-Mail MarketingE-marketing (through services like Constant Contact) enables you to reach out to people you already know about and are on your e-mail list. To be truly effective, you need to constantly grow this list AND you should be sending them out on a monthly basis AND when there are special events, holidays, or when you have other news about your business or special promotions to share.One effective use of your e-mail list is to offer incentives that get people to come into the shop. If you're mailing out monthly, include at least one coupon for each week of the month. Rather than give stuff away, offer discounts or something "free with purchase." Try a different type of offer each week and keep track of the coupons that are turned in so that you can learn what kinds of offers work best with your customers.You should also keep printouts of each month's newsletter/coupons in the store and offer them to customers as an incentive to sign up for your e-mail newsletter.Finally, have a "refer a friend" coupon in every newsletter. In this coupon, the recipient writes their name on it and gives it to a friend. The friend comes in to the store and gets something (must also provide e-mail address), and then the referrer gets gifts based on the number of new referral customers. Refer 1 friend a get a free cup of coffee. Refer 10 friends and get a 4-piece box free. (These are wimpy incentives but you get the idea.)Co-MarketingIf you purchase ingredients from a local business to use in one of your products is there a way to turn your supplier into a wholesale customer? Say you buy coffee from a local roaster to turn into a truffle. Is there a way to get the roaster to sell that product (or some other one you create just for them)? Other co-marketing partners are event and wedding planners. Make sure that all sales to planners (other than in-house corporate planners) earn them a commission (give chocolate as a thank-you gift after teh event to those) and encourage them to bring their customers into the store for consultations and sample your product (see below).Farmer/Local MarketsBelieve it or not, these can be a very effective form of marketing while generating some sales. Pick a market in an area where you want to grow your customer base and commit to at least 6 weeks. Use this as an opportunity to find local co-marketing partners (above) and be sure to give out the newsletter coupons and sign people up for the newsletter.SAMPLE, SAMPLE, SAMPLESampling is the way to introduce people to your product. Use seconds and bits and pieces you'd otherwise relegate to rework. If you get to know a customer really well and know that they like a particular piece, and you have a "second" in the back, give it to them to reward them for their loyal business. Make sure that all your counter help is empowered to do this.Know your customerOne way to grow repeat business is to make it a priority to know your customers. Remember how they take their coffee, remember what flavors they like. Stuff like that. Showing that you are paying attention is the surest way to get them back into the store.Another aspect of this is to do your homework with respect to the demographics of your town and the neighboring communities and how they are the same or different. In my town (which is composed of three distinct villages/towns) one village has a median income that is double the media income of the rest of the town. Where your store is located should affect product mix and pricing. The rest of the town has a media income that is slightly higher than the median income for the county and that is nearly 50% higher than the median income for the entire state. The population has a slightly higher percentage of females and the average age of adults is about 1 year greater. Knowing all of this helps you position your business properly. Go an look it up.DonationsI make it a rule never to donate to an event I can't attend, especially if it is a silent auction. Plus, I always make sure that there is some other sort of other immediate PR benefit I can claim, which might just be a newsletter letting people know that I am donating and encouraging them to lend their support. Also, make sure to develop a relationship with someone at each organization you donate to who is a high-powered networker and who can introduce you around. In other words, you have to do work in order to ensure that you get something (sales) for the donation. It's not just a "if I give it they will come." That has NEVER happened for me.Networking GroupsWhether or not a networking group works for you is entirely dependent on the makeup of the group and how it's run. I paid to attend breakfast networking meetings over the course of several months and the group generated only one lead that turned into a sale. Set a maximum amount of time and $ your are willing to spend and then look at the return on the invest made when you hit those limits. If the return is not up to the investment, then stop supporting the group. It's a business decision, they'll understand.PressMake it a point to find out who the local food writers (daily/weekly) and bloggers are. Make sure to let them know what you are doing. Make a point of reading what they write and figuring out what kinds of stories they like to run and then not only pitch them those stories (or provide them mostly written in the form of a press release).
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Thank you for your feedback...here's hoping it works!
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Try not to limit your Facebook advertising only to fan pages. Facebook ads have very specific targeting options, but those limit the scope and reach of the ad.In my experience, the most successful Facebook campaigns have just targeted adults over 18 in the specific city or county I want to advertise in. I have had 0.2% click-through, and of that, 10% converts into a sale. By any measure this is quite good.Another cheap, effective way of making yourself known is flyers. They are very inexpensive to print and cheap (or free if you do it yourself) to distribute.
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
get some writers to write a story on you in a local paper or magazine.
Getting customers in the door
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques
Fellow shop owners, what have been the most effective and cheap/free ways to get customers to your store?It's time to pay rent and I'm feeling the pinch!Things we have tried: Craigslist, Facebook fan pages, Constant Contact email marketing, various business networking groups, advertising in small local papers, donating to silent auctions, showcasing at events.............am I missing something?
updated by @Malena Lopez-Maggi: 04/11/25 09:27:36
2010
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
Michael:Get in touch with ChocolateLife member Holly for 2010 dates. You can also post your question here .:: Clay
2010
Posted in: Travels & Adventures
What are the dates for Chocolate Week in Belize for 2010?M. Mills
updated by @Michael B. Mills: 04/13/15 17:17:42
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Okay. Time to close this discussion for a while. Things are getting a little out of hand. It's Friday, November 6th and this will be closed for at least the next 10 days.:: Clay
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Forgot to mention something else...the .57 is our total CACAO content, not CACAO SOLIDS content. And since we add some cacao BUTTER to the Ginger Chocolate, that .57 number is actually REDUCED in the equation 34,300 / (.57 x .4). However, the exact amount of reduction I am not at liberty to tell! The effect of this, though, is that the ORAC value that Clay computes would be a little higher. Also, I am sure that the USDA probably used something like HERSHEY'S COCOA POWDER to run its test. Hershey reports .5 gram fat in a 5 gram serving or 10%, so my .4 figure should be .5 which would reduce the number. It is probably a close wash!Hearts!
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Commercial cocoa powder generally falls into the range of 10-12% residual fat (low-fat) or 20-24% residual fat (high fat), not 5%.The fat content of cocoa beans tends to be in the range ~ 47-53% but can vary outside these norms.Other than sites selling raw foods I have never heard a number as low as 40% (and one, Detox Your World, proposes a range of 12-50%). If someone can point to a more authoritative reference with these lower numbers, please let us know.One of the challenges with comparing ORAC values head-to-head is that of comparing apples with oranges. Does anyone else see the logical fallacies in Steve's approach?Steve's equation (34,300 / .57*.4) = ~150,438 ORAC per 100 grams of non-fat cocoa powder (because there are negligible amounts of antioxidants in the fat he is only considering the non-fat solids in the chocolate). However, to make the comparison fairer, we have to apply the same logic to the non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder (or any other chocolate to consider only the non-fat solid component).Thus, we need to divide the base ORAC score (80,933) by the non-fat solids component (.78 avg for high-fat cocoa powder and .89 for a low-fat powder) for a value of ~103,760 (high fat) or 90,935 for low-fat). Thus Steve's claim for relative high antioxidant levels for the non-fat powder in his chocolate holds true.BUT - and this is a big but - when someone purchases the 57% Ginger chocolate, they are buying and eating a product with an ORAC of 34,300 per 100 grams - not the "pure" non-fat cocoa powder. However, when someone purchases non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder they are getting the full 80,933 ORAC per 100 grams. Thus, on a straight gram per gram comparison of what you're actually buying, unsweetened cocoa powder would seem to have a higher ORAC (809 versus 343).Unless I am totally missing something here again - so please feel free to tell me where the logical fallacies in my arguments are.Now, all of this said and done, there is an unquantifiable aspect to consider, which is the raw food community's belief that there are other aspects of raw foods - including but not limited to the higher levels and higher vitality of the enzymes that are consumed - that need to be factored into the efficacy equation; that there is more going on than the raw numbers reveal. This makes sense on an intuitive level but, from what I have discovered, there is a lot of difference in opinion about the true value and efficacy of these non-quantifiable (or at the very least, difficult to quantify) factors.Another way to think of the comparison between the ORAC level of Sacred Ginger Chocolate and non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder (or any set of foods) is, "How much do I need to ingest to consume a specific ORAC level?"When asking this question it's important to note that although there are DRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes) and RDAs (Recommended Daily Allowances) for many antioxidants (e.g., Vitamin C, beta-carotene), to the best of my knowledge (and if anyone knows a specific reference please cite) there is neither a DRI nor an RDA for ORAC. Nonetheless, the ORAC "community" has set a recommended minimum daily ORAC intake at 5000, and assumes that all components of the ORAC score have the same value.At an ORAC of 34,300 per 100 grams, it is necessary to eat about 14.5 grams (a little over a half-ounce) of the Sacred Chocolate Ginger recipe to hit the magic number of 5000. Assuming that 40% of 57% of those 14 grams are fat (Steve's figures), that's about 27 calories from fat.At an ORAC level of 80,933 per 100 grams, it is necessary to eat about 6.2 grams of non-alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder less than one-quarter ounce) to reach the same ORAC level. At a residual fat level of 22% (high fat cocoa powder), calories from fat are about 12, for low-fat cocoa powder, calories from fat are half that.In reality, there's not a whole lot of difference here (other than cost) based on the known, quantifiable factors. I can eat a half-ounce of Sacred Chocolate Ginger chocolate or find some way to add a quarter-ounce (about a teaspoon) of non-alkalized cocoa powder into what I eat every day. Either way, it's not a bad thing to have chocolate and cocoa in your diet.The difference in preference has much to do with what each of us believes to be the value of "living foods" - whatever that means with respect to cocoa beans that have been processed into chocolate at any temperature.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Clay,Sorry, but we do have scientific proof.I already explained this in a prior post. Take note that everything is measured on a per WEIGHT basis! Cocoa Powder is DEVOID (or has perhaps 5% only on a per weight basis) of fat, which has virtually no antioxidants. Most 100% cacao content dark chocolate is about 60% fat. So, REMEMBER to SUBTRACT THAT OUT on a per WEIGHT basis. Therefore, if you want to do a rough APPLES TO APPLES comarison of our 57% Cacao Content Ginger Chocolate to USDA COCOA POWDER, Take our number of 34,300 and DIVIDE it by (.57 x .4) and you will have a rough number to compare head to head with the USDA value reported for COCOA POWDER.Hope that helps!:-)Hearts!SS
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:Sorry, but you do not have scientific proof that all raw chocolates are higher in antioxidants than all roasted/cooked chocolates.What you have is a lab test that says that one specific sample of your chocolate has a specific ORAC level that appears to be higher than the reference standard for chocolate posted by the USDA as shown in this online database for ORAC scores.Please help me understand the Brunswick Lab report, which reports a combined water/fat ORAC count at 343 micromole Trolox Equivalents per gram. If I multiply by 100 (which is to put it in the same scale as all the rest of foods listed), I get 34,300 micromole Trolox Equivalents per 100 grams. This puts your ginger chocolate below the value for unsweetened baking chocolate and dutched cocoa powder on the list. Am I missing something or misinterpreting something in the report?From OracValues.com:"The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) unit, ORAC value, or "ORAC score" is a method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. It was developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health. While the exact relationship between the ORAC value of a food and its health benefit has not been established , it is believed that foods higher on the ORAC scale will more effectively neutralize free radicals. According to the free-radical theory of aging, this will slow the oxidative processes and free radical damage that can contribute to age-related degeneration and disease." (Emphasis added by me.)
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Hi Samantha,I am responding to your post ABOVE since you must have replies turned off or something?Anyway, I am glad to hear that you believe we are making progress on this point!Unfortunately, due to the fact that we are holding on to proprietary processes and information, I can't disclose everything you want me to, so I won't be as strong a candidate for an "INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY ON RAW CHOCOLATE" as you wish me to be. That being said, I can disclose this document. They key to keeping our loose definition of RAW chocolate as high in antioxidants as possible is not so much worrying about whether or not fermentation is taking place at 122 or 125 or 130 degrees F, but in the LENGTH of the fermentation process.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
again, and again, and again, huh? hmmm...to my count it is only twice in two separate but related threads....
Hearts!SS
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
it sure seems like you are threatened by this, since you are now calling a scientific report spam. You should review the definition of spam
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Samantha, your put downs like "what planet are you on" in the prior post really don't behoove you. Like I explaind in a prior post, ORAC is a measurement of Antioxident levels present in a food...please do your own research to determine this for yourself. The lab report provided proves that our raw ginger chocolate has a higher antioxidant level than cooked/roasted chocolate at the same cacao solids content. Our Ginger chocolate was tested at below a 57% cacao solids content.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Most of the Raw Community that may be following along appreciate the other certifications, so that is why I list them. As far as I know, other than the typical, there are no strict relevance rules on this forum, and the moderator is free to delete whatever he wants to based on his own discretion.Like I explained before, which you did not read obviously from your current question, the raw world has a variance of anywhere from 105 to 125 degrees F -- max typical surface temperatures to be found on the planet at any location. I feel comfortable with the mean of 115.I don't really care if people believe my claim of 115. I have been a reputable leader in the raw food community since 1993 and so has my partner David Wolfe. If people don't want to believe what we are saying, they are free to make that choice of course. I did this for MY PERSONAL BELIEF, not others! That is the crux of the issue you have with me Samantha...you believe I am in this and claiming what i am claiming JUST to sell, sell, sell and placate the beliefs of others. That would be a WRONG assumption on your part if you think that, and would be the basis of the energy you have "against" me. I personally built the machines. I have to sleep well at night knowing I am telling the truth on temperature. Otherwise, i would not be in this. If it is just about money, I would be doing something else guaranteed!Hearts!Sacred Steve
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Oops...forgot to repost this, since obviously, Samantha, you did not see it...Here is our ORAC lab report on our Ginger Recipe. This recipe is only 57% cacao content and the ORAC score is reported on a per gram basis. Please provide a similar report on some cooked or roasted chocolate so we can compare. Please provide the roasting temperature and time, so that can be factored in.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
My claim is substantiated by scientific data provided by a reputable independent lab the results of which I have posted in this forum. Sorry to hear that you think my response is "asinine".I rest my case.
Hearts!Sacred Steve
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:I am not asking you to do an A+ research paper for the members of this forum or to disclose any proprietary processes. I am asking you to do it for everyone who is interested in raw chocolate everywhere. If you can convince us, well, we're a tough bunch so it might mean something.What you may wish to consider, though, is the creation of an A+ research paper that helps everyone in the raw food and raw chocolate worlds truly understand the challenges of producing a raw chocolate - and the benefits.To create such a report, however, it will be necessary to cite sources outside the raw world. Just pointing to Howell, Cousens, Wolfe, et al, presents only one side of the argument. Though Sam has pointed out flaws in the Wikipedia article on raw foodism (I would like to know your thoughts on it) it's well cited on both sides of the question.With respect to your ORAC analysis. It was run on beans harvested what, 3 years ago? 5? Are you claiming that the ORAC analysis is still valid? How can it be - the chemical composition of harvested beans changes from month to month? You are using exactly the same beans processed (or not processed) exactly the same way with no changes to the equipment or process since the last ORAC analysis?If anything has changed the ORAC analysis may no longer be valid. I am not saying that a new ORAC test won't reveal that your ORAC scores are higher than chocolate processed using "regular" techniques - just that you may be over-reporting (or even under-reporting, you never know) your scores.
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Sam:You are not wrong - but if we are to lead on this we need to do more than just publish a definition for raw chocolate. The larger questions are buy-in, certification, and compliance. Without them a definition alone is not going to be useful to anyone but ourselves.:: Clay
Raw chocolate, how raw is it really?
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Samantha,What do you think? The answer is: nope. It is just a suggestion, since it appears people concerned are grasping for a definition. I am happy to supply one if necessary as a starting point.
Hearts!SS