Forum Activity for @Heidi Ash (Zaslasky)

Question About Renting Kitchen Space

Posted in: Uncategorized

Hi Jake,I don't know what part of the county you live in, but it sounds like a good price to me.From experience I'd ask some questions about any space I rent:Who does major and routine upkeep on the space?If there are problems who do I contact?There are more questions but you'll think of them.Good luck,Heidi

Question About Renting Kitchen Space

Posted in: Uncategorized

morning,I have the opportunity to rent kitchen space (storage, prep, all the good stuff) for $250 a month. So I'm wondering: is that a good price in peoples' experience?thanks everybody! :D
updated by @jake: 04/14/15 13:09:35

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

This discussion saw no activity for several months until a new member (a Xocai rep) posted, apparently without reading the discussion or the Guidelines. I am closing this discussion to further replies.

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

You may find out more info on xocai chocolate at my website http://mxi.myvoffice.com/randypipkin/ . Have a great day.Randy

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread. I have not been online since Tuesday morning (it is now Saturday afternoon) and I did not witness this thread unfold. Reading it demonstrates the importance of maintaining a balance and openness that creates an environment where members feel comfortable sharing what they know. Also, by (for the most part) avoiding issues of style, tone, and personality, I think that this thread on Xocai has been the most informative and productive of all the discussions so far.I just want to let everyone know how proud I am to have played a part in fostering the growth of this community. You make it all worthwhile for me.:: Clay

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Melissa,In the 15 years of cacau farming and production I have delivered several hundred tons of fermented, dried, cacau beans. Although I have witnessed many processes utilized, I am unable to find one that fits the description "cold pressed unproccesed and in is naturalest form possible". In addition, conversations with other producers and chocolate manufacturers in our region are unable to recognize the process.Please let me know who and where this process is applied.I will not speak to blueberries as we are not fortunate enough to grow them in my region of Brasil, BUT.....in the collection, pod opening and transport of cacau beans, there are many inoculations made of things "unhealthy." Since the beans are "in is naturalest form possible", I'm assuming the are not systematically fermented or dried. What do you do with this slurry of beans and liquor now?One other item worth mentioning...Acai is notorious for housing the "charga beetle", and if the acai is also "in is naturalest form possible", the riisk of developing a serious heart disease is highly possible. This disease causes the heart to enlarge until death occurs. There is no known cure.I'm for healthy lifestyles, but, that includes caution with regard to what is consumed.I will be waiting for more details regarding "who" and "where" of the referenced procedures.

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Further to my note above, the following publication from the American Public Health Association, states that "...it is absolutely necessary to handle cocoa beans as a contaminated raw material."In all I was able to read over 50 different publications by (apparent) accredited industry professionals, who more or less all said the same thing: Cocoa beans have salmonella on them.What I also read which was disturbing too, was that the fat in the cocoa bean acted as an insulator for the bacteria, and allowed it to survive longer in the chocolate, and through higher refining and conching temperatures. Two publications noted temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Celcius. Because of the insulating effect, it also took less bacteria to cause infection.Here's a link for you to read for yourself: http://books.google.com/books?id=nz851G-cZf0C&pg=PA557&lpg=... As I stated before: I wouldn't touch chocolate made from raw or unroasted cocoa beans with a ten foot pole. I'm sure none of the health industry professionals I've referenced here would either.Brad

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Regarding Salmonella and cocoa beans, please see the following link. It refers to page 474/475 of a book called "Microbial Ecology of Food Commodities" and is written by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications For Foods.It states that the presence of salmonella in raw cocoa beans is unavoidable, a fact confirmed by the regular detection in environmental samples taken from the raw bean storage and handling areas.The article also goes on to state that roasting or boiling is the only way to eliminate salmonella, and that most often salmonella contamination after roasting is because of something I mentioned before - cross contamination.This is one of the books used by HACCP professionals, and as you will see also references many other industry accepted publications, including Minifie - a commonly accepted bible for making chocolate. http://books.google.com/books?id=Yy_oBodctoIC&pg=PA474&lpg=... Happy Reading Everyone.Brad

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

I don't know why but it won't let me reply to you directly, but I'm responding to this;Samantha;You were so busy unneccessarily defending yourself, you forgot to add in my thanks to your corrective post about cocoa alkalization.Actually.... I thanked you TWICE in the same post for two different things.Wow..... I DID get the picture in Blue Ray Hi-Def. The picture is that you have some serious issues.I hope you resolve them some day, and truly wish you the best in all your endeavors.Respectfully,BradBrad~ We can all see that you thanked Sam twice and that it was very sarcastic and condescending. This last post is the second time you told her to get over her 'issues'. As far as I can tell you seem to be the only one with issues here. Sam KNOWS what she is talking about on this topic and it's ridiculous to argue about third world cocoa production with her, someone who has much more experience than you. How many times have you visited the plantations you buy your beans from? I know you claim that you're "an expert in the field' but you still have a lot to learn.I've also noticed you only seem to take the arrogant tone and make snide "I'm better than you" comments when debating with women. Does it make you feel good to put us women in our place? Maybe you just don't see how the way you write thing looks to everyone else, or maybe you're just a bully with a huge inferiority complex, I've wondered this for a while (honestly, I can't imagine anyone being that mean all the time).This may be one of the most condescending comments I have ever read from you (notice it's to a woman also?), it seems to fit this very well. "One last thing (I know I said that before, but I get the impression Gwen Brad, that your business is quite small. Hopefully you can use this tip to your benefit):" Listen and learn from others that have the knowledge to teach you. The world is not out to get you, you don't have to keep fighting everyone, and believe it or not, you're NOT always right.I know you'll try to make me regret posting this..... I'm not going to argue with you, I've said my piece and I'm done.Andrea

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Samantha;You were so busy unneccessarily defending yourself, you forgot to add in my thanks to your corrective post about cocoa alkalization.Actually.... I thanked you TWICE in the same post for two different things.Wow..... I DID get the picture in Blue Ray Hi-Def. The picture is that you have some serious issues.I hope you resolve them some day, and truly wish you the best in all your endeavors.Respectfully,Brad

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

The cocoa beans freshly harvested have the highest antioxidant levels. Once the beans are fermented they lose much of their antioxidants, and alkali treatment reduces it even further. Many dark chocolates are alkalized to reduce harshness. Some companies have used more unfermented beans, either for the higher AOX levels or because the beans are cheaper, but they don't taste much like chocolate.

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Samantha;This is EXACTLY what a forum like this is for! You finally got it!Thank you for sharing and correcting what I knew about alkalization of cocoa.As far as "baiting" the Xocai rep... Nobody has ever given me a clear definition of cold processing - either here or on another forum. If someone is going to go online and make claims such as the Xocai rep has, maybe they should be able to help people understand the basis of the claim. If I'm curious, I'm sure others are too.Thanks again for correcting me without attacking me.Brad.

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

You're exactly correct that pathogens such as Ecoli and Salmonella are also rampant in first world countries.However it's interesting to note, that all cocoa beans we import from both Venezuela and Brazil, require phytosanitary certificates prior to leaving the countries. The samples tested must pass minimum pathogen requirements.If there wasn't an issue with regard to pathogens, why would these countries be so particular about requiring such certification???Just something to chew on there...One can never be too cautious when it comes to food and public safety.As far as sitting around complaining that our suppliers are dirty... well... I'm not complaining, I'm certainly not sitting around, and you should let go of whatever issues you have, and stop trying to turn a forum of sharing information and thoughts into a personal attack. Nobody's out to get you.I regard the third world as the root of all food borne illness????Yeah... Right.Give me a break.Brad.

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Samantha;Thanks for the information. I'm not trying to scare people at all. Salmonella and ecoli are real, and potentially business crippling concerns.When I first got into the business, two of my mentors (one was head of research and development for Cargill Foods, and the other worked for Lindt for almost 25 years setting up and supervising factories for them) impressed upon me in no uncertain terms the dangers of raw food products from third world countries. Those food products included cocoa beans.Case In Point: There was a HUGE recall of chocolate products last year from a (I think it was) Hershey's plant as salmonella was discovered in their end confections. I can't remember the exact date, but the plant had to be shut down, and almost their entire production line disassembled to clean, and sanitize the equipment. ...No small task at all, and at a cost of millions of dollars to that company.For those of us in North America who travel to places such as Mexico and other third world locations, we have it drilled into us, "DON'T DRINK THE WATER." Why? because it can make us sick. (Ecoli and Salmonella are just a few pathogens on the list). Cocoa beans grown and processed in the same countries carry the same risk. To think anything different and to not take significant precautions, is in my opion playing a very foolish game of russian roulette with your business.Cross contamination is huge in businesses that handle food. For example: Walk by a sack of cocoa beans and lean against the sack, putting your hands on the sack picks up a bug. Then, without even thinking of it, make a buttercream truffle center. You've just transferred pathogens from the sack to every tool you touch, including most likely the nice, wet, buttercream "incubator".As far as the message being disguised as spam... Well... If it is or isn't we're now learning about chocolate and pathogens.

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

And not very well 'disguised' either. As I understand it the Xocia branded chocolate is one of those pyramid type companies, just like Pampered Chef or Avon....so people have an interest in promoting it for their advantage. Are any of the claims they make true at all?By the way, I tried a raw chocolate bar the other day (can't remember the name) and can honestly say I will never ever ever eat another raw bar again. BLAH!Andrea

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

It may be just me, but the way this post is written reeks of disguised "spam."

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Melissa;You seem very "matter of fact" knowledgeable about xocia...Given that we're all here to learn, maybe you can explain to all of us exactly what the difference between hot compressing and cold compressing chocolate is, what the temperatures are that cause the nutritional loss, and how to avoid taking the nutritional value of the chocolate some of us actually make.I also have a second question: Seeing that cocoa beans come from 3 world countries where diseases like Salmonella, ecoli, and dissentary run rampant, how are the significant risks of contracting one of these illnesses eliminated from the beans, if they are "cold processed, and in their naturalest" form???Inquiring minds want to know!

Has anyone heard of xocai the healthy chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

This chocolate has a high level of antixodents in it. It is extremely healthy for you. Yeah I know all chocolate is but what most people do not know is when you process chocolate, they do it through hot compresses and that takes most of the nutritional value out of it. So you are getting some value but not what you could be getting. This chocolate is cold pressed unproccesed and in is naturalest form possible. Then they add acai berries and blue berries making this chocolate an antixodent super treat. With orac values that are extremly high. It is very healty for you; I myself consume it daily and have noticed alot of changes in my health and I am very glad i replaced my unhealth chocolate with these
updated by @Melissa Beaver: 04/16/15 09:52:05

Chocri would like your help for a chance to win customized chocolate

Posted in: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Hi,My name is Carmen and I am a new member here on TheChocolateLife. I work with a chocolate company from Germany, chocri.com. We are known for our personalized chocolate. On our website you combine Belgian chocolate and ingredients like fruit, spices, nuts and decoration elements to create your chocolate bar how you want it. People have found it to be a great present, especially since you can also name it.We are soon expanding to the US and we could use your help. Please visit the following link to take our 10 minute survey. Everyone who finishes the survey has a chance to win 2 free bars of personalized chocolate. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=y2B6sEFS9gzh2NMtXFSlyw_3d_3d Thanks!Carmen
updated by @Carmen Magar: 04/17/15 14:08:58

Win a Trip to the Askinosie Chocolate Factory!

Posted in: News & New Products Press

From the Askinosie Chocolate Facebook account (so you may have to be a member of Facebook):TWEET! TWEET! ASKINOSIE CHOCOLATE TWITTER GIVEAWAYS!Follow us on Twitter because during the run of the Fancy Food Show well be offering some amazing giveaways. Our biggest giveaway is the chance of a lifetime: win a trip to our chocolate factory for 2 full days! The trip includes round trip airfare, accommodations in one of our employees guest rooms at their home, and the chance to work in one of the only small batch, single origin chocolate factories in the world.To learn how to enter, visit the page for all the contest rules.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Costa Rica cocoa plantations.

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can make it to that area. Do you just stop by, or do you notify him ahead of time?

Costa Rica cocoa plantations.

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Hugo is a nice guy, I met him on my last trip to Costa Rica in 2008. He supplied lots of beans used for Dagoba bars, among many other products. A lot of his production is sold to Debelis, which is a part of Puratos.

Costa Rica cocoa plantations.

Posted in: News & New Products Press

The largest and best-run (by far) is FINMAC, run by Hugo Hermelink. It's located near Guapiles.

Costa Rica cocoa plantations.

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I'm going down to Costa Rica in a week and a half, and I was wondering if anyone knew of any working cocoa plantations I could possibly visit.
updated by @Luis Dinos Moro: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Agreed-too many hang ups. We are over judgemental in general. Imagine being the wrong sex, race, size, hair color with reputations, wrong country and yellow teeth!! "Luckily" I only fulfill some.I bet someone out there has all this- and yet against all odds is successful.Small mindedness is hard to tolerate.

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

All other factors asside, what about statistics? Has anyone counted say the number of proffessional chocolatiers for example and split them by gender. If there are a lot less women than there are men in the field, not that I am saying there are....I haven't done the count, then there will be a lot less women at the top than men.

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Clay;Here Here! I hate office politics too. (and gossip). It's also a big reason why I'm in business for myself too.Brad.

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Andrea,I meant no offence at all. In fact if you re-read my post above, you will see that I'm in general paying a compliment to women.I am also a single father, and very well understand household/children stress.Personally, I don't know how stay at home parents (men OR women) handle that kind of stress. I can't do it full time. It's a constant, steady pressure, 24 hours a day. I can't fire my daughter if she's whiny or makes me mad. The house won't clean itself. The bills won't pay themselves. Just going to the mailbox knowing there's more crap coming down the pipe makes my skin crawl. I hate that kind of "all the time" stress, and respect those who can.Also owning a commercial kitchen, I can definitively say that the stress that's present there is VERY different, and can be very intense - so intense that a lot of people (both men and women) can't hack it. I've had people quit after only 4 hours on the job.I'm not posting in here to stereotype anyone. I'm simply sharing. If people are offended with my experiences, well... there's nothing I can do about that. Good or bad, it's what I've experienced in my career/life.

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

"the exact type of pressure a lot of women don't traditionally handle well."I take offense to this statement. You try juggling being on the phone to make a doctor appointment for a sick two year old while he's throwing up all over you, during which you're cooking dinner for a large family (on a time crunch), the other kid's whining that they don't like what your cooking...all while keeping a smile on your face so everyone else in the house doesn't have to deal with all hell breaking loose. And don't forget you have to keep it all cleaned up and don't burn the dinner because the last thing you want after all of that is for anyone else to be grumpy. Sort of how you would handle a commercial kitchen I'd say. Honestly I think women handle stress great, we just don't expect a pat on the back for it. Maybe that is what our problem is.Andrea

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Let's generalize this last statement. There are -isms in every culture and they can be very hard to see if you are not a member of class being victim-ism-ized and you're not looking.Sex, age, race, size, weight, hair color (especially redheads [me!] and blondes), religion (or lack thereof), ethnicity, country of origin, sporting team affiliation, whether or not your teeth are white enough, Mac/Windows, do you open your eggs little end up or big end up? - what prejudices we may see as "natural" in our culture others will abhor, and vice-versa.My personal pet peeve in the workplace? I intensely dislike working with people who refuse to think for themselves - irrespective of gender or any other factor. I also hate office politics. It's one of the reasons I am self-employed.

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Over the years I've had the opportunity to work with men and women in many different professional capacities. IN GENERAL, what I've found is that women are FAR more creative than men. Did I say FAR? So "far" it's not funny. However that creativity comes at a cost. That cost being emotionally involved with what they are doing.I can name numerous examples - cake decorating, graphic arts, advertising, packaging - just to name a few. These are professions where the end result is to ellicit an emotional response from the client. As a general rule, men just "don't go there" emotionally.The reason I think more women haven't risen to the top of the culinary industry isn't because men are better, but rather because of atrition. In a commercial kitchen, the pressure can be incredibly intense, and in bursts, and in many ways politically ignorant - the exact type of pressure a lot of women don't traditionally handle well.I'm sure there's also discrimination and sexism (there always will be to some degree), but I can't personally attest to seeing any.Those who get past the male egos, machoism, harsh and direct ways that men communicate, and do so without cracking will, in my opinion do better than any of their male counterparts.Having said all of that, I've just let my shop manager read this, and as a professionally trained chef, and having had experience in commercial kitchens she's seen it all, and agrees. Those on this forum may disagree with my 2 cents here, but at least I have one professional female's opinion before pressing the "reply" key.Brad

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

I agree with both Sam and llana. Men aren't usually the ones managing their families lives like the majority of women do. A man has an easier time of being accepted as 'professional' over a woman, even if she has better qualifications. Any field that is seen as a hands on type business is usually expected to be a mans field. Just the other day I had a jerk mechanic tell me "What do you know, you're a woman." This was over the transmission in my truck. I have a bust so there for I must not know anything? Pffft!! By the way, I was right and he was wrong.To me it's just crazy that the chocolate industry is not dominated by women. I mean come on folks, women have an intimate relationship with chocolate. More of the woman that try my chocolate taste a lot more of the flavors than the men, the guys usually say something like, "yeah that's really good" where as the women will say, "there is a slight fruity flavor here or the after taste is like this or that". Women, I think, are not as black and white as most men, we see things in many different perspectives. I think this is the main problem for woman and what helps out the men advancing in the field. That of course is not to say ALL women or ALL men fit this description.Wow, sorry for ranting! AndreaOK, just have to add....it also seems that the prettier the woman, the harder it is to be taken seriously as a professional. But for men the more handsome they are the better they are treated.

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

hmmm. Men are still more able to emerse themselves whole heartedly and totally into their careers. Less juggling. Not right but still true. That is my 2 cents.

Women and Chocolate

Posted in: Opinion

Most of the nationally renowned chocolatiers are men. Why is that?
updated by @Christine Doerr: 04/16/15 03:38:34

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

hi mindy,,,,if u take it in wrong way then i want to say sorry!!!but actually i want to your response about my website..... Chocolates ...and i also want to know about Panning Chocolates. Thanks and waiting your response.....Ashish

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Don't know exactly how you're a solution for me, but thanks anyways.

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Hi,,,,,Mindy FongGood Morning,,,SofiaRaj are solution for you.The company was founded in 2007 and quickly established itself as a designer gourmet chocolates and corporate gifts.You can visit.. Chocolates

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Thanks for the info! I didn't think that San Francisco weather would force me to use dry ice, something I have never heard of using for panning. But this seems like the answer to my problem.

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Clay,I think the pictures have been lost from the demo that shows the item my hubby built for me from PVC tubing that allows me to blow the cold air over the dry ice for the polishing stage.I really like your ides of the hose embedded in the ice coil. You could also jury rig one of those portable air conditioners to blow cold air.While this demo shows the use of polish to shine the product - I really like the technique where you heat up the coated product until it becomes mallable, then cool until it shines.

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Here is the direct link to the demo (it's post #25).I've never seen dry ice actually dumped into the pan before.To make this more friendly, make a cooling chamber by using an ice chest. Attach a small fan on one side of the chest and a flexible hose (e.g., vacuum cleaner) on the other. The fan blows air over the dry ice cooling it and creating positive pressure in the chest forcing it out the hose. You can direct the cool air into the pan using any number of simple rigs. You could use regular ice but that would pick up moisture which you don't want - so don't.Spend a few more bucks and get a variable speed fan and by introducing slots into the hose that can be covered up you can also alter air flow and have a way to alter the temperature of the air flow.There are other ways to do this, like have the fan pull and blow over the contents of the pan instead of the other way around. You embed a hose into a container that you fill with water and put in the freezer. This is cheaper than using dry ice and uses a lot less energy all the way around. The hose (embedded in a coil) in the ice acts as a heat exchanger and the fact that the air is not exposed to the ice means that the air doesn't pick up any moisture.:: Clay

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

Haven't got a copy of that -but have taken the panning course from the NCA. Link to a demo I did on eGullet here http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=87996&view=findpost&p=1198779

Basics for Panning Chocolates

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

I was told that there is a great article in Manufacturing Confectioner about the Basics of Panning Chocolates. Unfortunately, when I googled the article, only the first page shows up. Does anyone have a copy of the September 1996 issue? Does anyone have any basic tips for panning macadamias?
updated by @Mindy Fong: 04/11/25 09:27:36