Forum Activity for @Ivica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi to all hoping to attend Salon du Chocolat!Is anyone visiting on 14th and/or 15th of October?Clay suggested "meeting up in {an Hotel called} Pavillon Porte de Versailles (37, rue du Hameau) which is just off the Rue de Vaugirard and the Porte de Versailles metro stop and within a couple of minutes' stroll of the Expo Center where the Salon du Chocolat is being held.I will be in the lobby of the hotel on Friday morning, October 16th, from 8:00am on to meet with everyone who wants to gather and have a coffee or chocolat chaud before heading over to the show to be there for the opening bell".I personally can't make that Friday morning, but would be very happy if anyone visiting the two previous days wanted to meet.Cheers, Ivica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Robert, which event are you attending?Ivica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Clay,I am looking forward to receiving the names/e-mail regarding bean samples. We are still on for Paris but each day the dollar is weakening and travel out of Brasil is really becoming a budget problem. We have lost 35% of the dollars value this year....B RegardsJim

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Oooh! That'd be fun. My husband and I will be doing a detour to Eurochocolate during our Italy trip as well.

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

It may be fun if those of us going could plan a time to meet if scheduling permits.CheersRobert

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hi Anna, I'm really glad that you responded- thanks so much! Could you add a bit more info on the courses you mention?I'll look at your page...THANKSIvica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Dear Ivica,I'm Anna Franceschini Eurochocolate International and FairTrade Officer. How can I help you to find info about Eurochocolate ?Are you a consumer? chocolate specialist ? maitre?This is the link where you can find the expositors list of 2008 Eurochocolate commercial area ( called Chocolate show) http://www.eurochocolate.com/it/perugia2008/chocolateshow.html? You can find also more on my page on the chocolate life.Anyway, I will tell you more about the festival.From 1994 Perugia City center host on the second half of october ( this year from 16th to 25th) the chocolate event most famous in Italy and one of the most important in Europe.The format is:A chocolate selling area ( called Chococolate Show) a big opean air selling exposition with the most representative chocolate italianartesanals firms and multinational firms among whose: CApitano rosso ,de bondt, dolcevita, vanini, drei maister, giraudi,l'albero degli dei,maestrani,piluc,coppeneur...Eurochocolate world - special section dedicated to cocoa producers country with expo and selling corner of fairtrade chocolate and atresanals chocolate came from ghana , ecquador, Indonesia, peru..ecc.Master an d courses for professionalsSpecial events dedicated to chocolate as chocolate sculptures live, chocotasting,Dabates and meetings.please visit my page.Best regards

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Genaro, thank you very much for putting the links here- great help!Does anyone have more info on EUROCHOCOLATE?Cheers, Ivica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hello,Thank you Clay for answering. I'm new to this network and still discovering, but you answered better than I would do.About the website, I know it can be very confusing, we're working on a fresh and easier version for the end of the year, after the Paris Show.You'll find the list of exhibitors for the consumer show here : http://www.salonduchocolat.fr/home.php?titre=1&id_code=3&ca... and the list of exhibitors for the professional show here : http://www.salonduchocolatprofessionnel.com/uk/visiter.php I Hope it can help.Genaro

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Clay, thanks so much for your response and I do hope it is help to other members not just me.Would it be too much trouble for you or the international marketing manager for Eurochocolate to please paste a link where I could view the list of exhibitors? I simply cannot find it on the website. I can't be too early for such a list, or is it?Also as such a first-hand-knowledge person is a member of this forum, perhaps they could write a little bit about Eurochocolate?....I wouldn't mind swapping Paris for Perugia Cheers, Ivica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Jim:If I end up making the trip I will probably (as I explained below) make the opportunity to visit Paris as well as London. In which case let's definitely plan to meet. I have someone for you to send sample beans to, I'll get that to you privately.:: Clay

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Ivica:Truth to tell the major reason is that I've been to Paris (though not the show) and I've never been to Perugia. Also, the international marketing manager for Eurochocolate is a member of TheChocolateLife and even though I have known the organizers of the Salon du Chocolat since the first event, they have never reached out to me.In fact, what will probably happen is that I will arrange a trip that takes me to Perugia, Paris, and London if I can afford it.:: Clay

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Jim, if I do go to Paris, I'd be delighted to meet you! Thanks for replying.Clay, I see you're going to Eurochocolate, why did you choose this one? I must say, I find their website also pretty impossible to navigate (I'm beginning to wonder if it is me?!).... that is if I visited the correct one www.eurochocolate.com .Have you seen the list of exhibitors?--------------I do hope there is someone among the members who can tell us more about the exhibitions?Best, Ivica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hello Ivica and Clay,From what I have heard you are right Clay. For the first time I am going to attend the Salon in Paris. As soon as I find out more details I will let you know.I am a cocoa grower from Brazil and want to get new contacts/info also as you Ivica. It would be nice if we could meet there.Clay are you going to attend it? Do you know of any other members who are planning to attend?It would be nice to meet face to face and exchange ideas.Lola Gedeon

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Only the ones in the US which are much, much smaller than their Parisian counterparts so there is no comparison.

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Clay, thanks a lot. Yes, I saw that Eurochocolate is at the same time- quite anoying.Regarding the Salon du Chocolat, I've tried to find the list of exhibitors, but no luck so far.Have you been to any of these fairs?Cheers, ivica

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Ivica:The organization of the Salon du Chocolat sites is (and always has been) confusing, I have to agree, but here's what's up:The Professionnel Salon appears to be a two-day bi-annual fair-within-a-fair aimed specifically at the industry. It overlaps the annual general consumer fair, which lasts five days.Whether or not this event is of value to you is largely dependent on the companies who will be exhibiting. However you schedule your trip, should you decide to go, just make sure that it overlaps the two days of the professional event. You can go to both days of that and one day of the consumer show.The only other similar event is Eurochocolate which is in Perugia, which starts - believe it or not - on the 16th of October. This show lasts over a week. Again, take a close look at the list of exhibitors before making up your mind.:: Clay

Salon du Chocolat 2009 in Paris

Posted in: Travels & Adventures

Hello everybody.I need advice from anyone who happened to visit previous years of this chocolate event, or someone who knows more (anything) about 2009 Salon du Chocolat exhibition.It seems there are two following events:14-16. October 2009 Salon du Chocolat Professionnel and 13.-18. October 2009 Salon du Chocolat. It is the same venue, but is it the same thing?My main reason for going is to gain new contacts/info as I have a shop with artisanal chocolate in Slovakia and I'm new to this business. However, I can only go for 2-3 days, when is it best to attend, which event etc.?Or perhaps someone more experienced than I could suggest a worthwhile event in 2009/2010 in Europe?Do please write, I'm a bit stuck about booking the tickets- I want to learn as much as I can, but I don't want to waste my time/money....Many thanks, Ivica
updated by @Ivica: 04/13/15 01:53:57

The Craft Chocolate-Maker's Handbook. Call for Submissions.

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I like the sound of the book Clay, I look forward to it.

The Craft Chocolate-Maker's Handbook. Call for Submissions.

Posted in: News & New Products Press

I'd be happy to make my little contribrution to your book, Clay. I have recently written about a 6 page (in Word for Windows) description of the process of home cocoa roasting and processing through to finished chocolate using the Chocolate Alchemy machines. I've included photos and a dozen hyper-links to reference sites supporting the process. In exchange, I'd like to get someone to help post this to Wikipedia. There is such a description for home coffee roasting but none as yet for home chocolate roasting. My "tome" is finished but the Wikipedia posting process is a maze to me. I don't have time to put the pages up; the hard work is done, just posting it is all that's left.The Best to YouGood Luck on your next Book

The Craft Chocolate-Maker's Handbook. Call for Submissions.

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Ever since I got done with my first book, people have been asking me about the next one. After nearly two years of considering a bunch of different ideas, I've finally decided what the next book will be all about:Making chocolate from the bean for fun and (maybe) profit.From the attached Call for Submissions document:

Cacao is a New World plant and since the conquest of Mesoamerica and the subsequent appropriation of the cocoa bean by Europeans, New World chocolate makers, chocolatiers, and confectioners have suffered from an inferiority complex regarding the quality of chocolate produced in the lands of origin of theobroma cacao (t. cacao cacao): the food of the Gods.

For nearly a decade, a new generation of chocolate makers have shaken the very foundations of the world of craft chocolate production and now the New World is home to companies producing much of the most interesting chocolate in the world.

The Craft Chocolate Movement in the New World is just now approaching the threshold of interest and awareness that the craft brew movement reached some two decades ago. What catapulted the craft brew movement was the availability of information about process, technique, and equipment, as well as access to sources for equipment and ingredients. While much of this information is available to the person interested in craft chocolate making today, it is not as accessible or as well organized as it needs to be. This book is being produced to address that need.

Interested in contributing? Download the Call for Submissions to learn more. Questions? Post them here.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Cadbury Old Gold - The Travesty Continues. Can you say Recall?

Posted in: News & New Products Press

In this thread, Tom brought to our attention Cadbury's less than realistic presentation of cacao in (just barely) pre-Colombian Mesomerica.Today they announced another chapter in the Old Gold Saga: a voluntary recall "to protect consumer safety." After they've offended our sensibilities in so many other ways.

Cadbury is conducting a voluntary recall in Australia for one of its products in the Old Gold Dark Chocolate range due to the possible presence of milk protein, which is not labelled on the packaging.Cadbury said the product, which is currently distributed in Australia and Guam, should not be eaten by people who are allergic or intolerant to milk protein.Apart from this labelling irregularity, Cadbury said there is no other fault with the Old Gold Dark Chocolate 70 per cent cocoa 200g blockThe Old Gold Dark Chocolate 70 per cent cocoa 220g block is not affected by this recall, which is being undertaken as a precaution to protect consumer safety and maintain standards.

updated by @Clay Gordon: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi Emma, I am wondering if you found out how to source cacao directly from Satipo as I would also be very interested to find out.

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Eric-My company, Big Tree Farms based in Bali, Indonesia operates two separate cacao divisions; One is specially focused on the needs of the Living Foods community throughout the world, and our the other is devoted to helping smallholders here in Bali connect with manufacturers around the world. Bali is a treasure trove of old genetics and the mix of cacao from smallholders can be fruity, chocolatey or earthy depending on the micro-origin. Should you need some nibs, we are very close. Send me a note at ripple@bigtreefarms.com if you are interested.

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Emma -I'm glad I just caught this discussion! I am the Founder of Big Tree Farms, a sustainable supply chain company based in Bali, Indonesia and we have what we believe to be the very first ever commercially available cold-processed (below 118F) cacao butter and cacao powder. I know the production in Satipo (although admittedly I have not been there myself) and I have been sent photos of the presses in use. A major US Raw/Superfood company pulls out of Satipo as does the largest Raw Chocolate company in Australia. Both are concerned about the integrity of the product. To learn more about the issues have look at the Blog and ensuing discussion here on Chocolate Life regarding Raw Cacao: Fraud vs Fact http://www.thechocolatelife.com/profiles/blogs/raw-cacao-fraud-and-fact?commentId=1978963%3AComment%3A36812&xg_source=msg_com_blogpost Also I think you would appreciate a youtube video I just posted about 10 days ago.... www.youtube.com/bigtreefarmsbali 28uklbs/kg! That is truly unacceptable no matter HOW you slice it! When price becomes a indicator of integrity every consumer should begin DEMANDING transparency...SUPPLY TRANSPARENCY, PRICING TRANSPARENCY, SOCIAL EQUITY TRANSPARENCY.....yet currently there is NOTHING available. Go figure.

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

EricI want to source some good cocoa nibs in Australia to start manufacturing my own chocolate. Can you give me any suggestions as to where to start?regardsJohn

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Hi EricAt the moment I am just launching one bar, so only 10-20kg, but once it is live, hope to be more.Sounds like you might be dealing with much bigger quantities.I am seeking the elusive 'raw cacao' which means officially it hasnt gone over 120 degrees, and they are cold pressing the cocoa beans into a cake, then the cacao is cold ground and sifted. Do you think this is similar to your suppliers procesess?Kindest RegardsEmma Clacher

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

Emma,Drop me a note at cacaufarmer@yahoo.com. I am a cacau farmer in Brazil and would like to send samples of our superior cacau. Brazil's cacau beans are not well known because the country consumes far more than it produces. Brazil is a huge importer of cacau beans that are processed for cacau butter and then exported world wide. There are some excellent quality cacau produced and processed here. I am not a resales house, we are as close as you can get to the source..Best regardsJim Lucas

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

It depends on how much you are wanting to import. I know several companies that will ship at a much lower price than that. Let me know quantities and grades and I'll make a few calls and see if I can hook you up with some good sourcesEric

Sourcing raw cacao from Peru - Satipo?

Posted in: Classifieds ARCHIVE

HiI live in the UK and would like to source raw cacao and cocoa butter from Peru. I have heard of Satipo and wonder if anyone knows how to source/other sources in Peru. Many of the suppliers here in the UK have only Ecuadorean cacao (and the prices are hugely inflated and not viable eg 28 UK pounds/kilo!!)I am really interested in positive intention in sourcing!All recommendations gratefully received,Emma, The Chocolate Heart Ltd, Sunny Brighton, UK.
updated by @Choc Heart: 04/07/25 13:00:14

dri ice

Posted in: News & New Products Press

Make sure your chocolate is vac sealed, dry ice is around -80 degrees Celsius and will condense any moisture out of the atmosphere onto your chocolate. The length of time it lasts depends on how much you use and how insulating the packaging is. DHL should be able to advise you and should have packages you can use, some companies do top-ups if it is a long journey. From my experience most courier companies don't give a rats about your stuff though. I haven't tried shipping in hot weather but I would imagine that a good cold pack and properly insulated foam package would keep the choc below 25 degrees Celsius for quite a while. Personally I just ship when the weather is conducive, in bubble wrap, I just had a package of choc come in from San Francisco and it was fine, it is winter here but the height of Summer in San Fran. I find packages sit around much longer at the destinations than they do at the departure points. My brother sent me some stuff from Canada when it was Summer here and it sat on my doorstep on the hottest day of the year, 45 degrees Celsius, needless to say chocolate was melted.

dri ice

Posted in: News & New Products Press

hi alli want to know haw i can save chocolate from the worm in the summer if i`ll deliver by DHL what`s about dri ice and haw many days it will save the chocolate and haw i can use it in the best waythanks
updated by @saeed@bostani.ch: 03/11/26 06:20:34

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Clay,Thank you again for your advise. I will let all know how I do and post with pictures.

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

Roxanne:I think you're trying to do too much in one tasting. Focus on one thing at a time, and think about doing this in multiple sitting. If you overload it you risk taking the fun out of it. I would say at most 8 chocolates in one tasting, all the "same type" (whatever that happens to be).And, because people's individual taste sensibilities are involved I have to beg to differ: it's nowhere near close to a science. Think of a tasting as a piece of performance art that's supposed to be fun.:: Clay

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

Thank you Clay and Mindy, I'm pleased that you offered your expert advice on tastings, and yes this is my first one. Not a novice to chocolate, but this is close to a science and I do want to compare apples to apples, or should I say...cocoa to cocoa. I now have your book and I will refer to the tasting pyramid section. I live in New York, therefore, I have access to the best. I'd like to include the newest trend- Raw chocolate. I'll stay with bars, and will include just one round of milk chocolate. It's all a matter of taste, I can see that milk chocolate may get bumped in the early round, since I and most of my friends prefer dark. So does a great Milk like Askinoise's, stand a chance to holding up in round 2 against a premium dark? Will the fix be in? The findings will be noteworthy and will post.

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

If you've never done this before (and it sounds like you might not have), then the first order of business is to just have fun and use it as a learning adventure as much for yourself as for your guests.My advice to you is to go to the local supermarket and look in the candy section and, if you live in a reasonably metropolitan area, you'll find at least a half-dozens bars you can choose from from a variety of manufacturers. (if not, try a Whole Foods or some other gourmet store.) You don't have to spend a lot of money on exotic chocolate to get started. The first time I did this I found four different Lindt bars in a local A&P all labeled bittersweet. I (and my guests) were astonished at the range of bitterness and sweetness that we found. In many ways, that's a more impressive discovery than working with really expensive chocolate.Now because you don't have much experience doing this, the best way to get the discussion going is by comparing the tastes of two chocolates at a time. It's easy for people to make comparative judgments about which one is sweeter, which one is more bitter, which one is fruity (or not), which has more vanilla in it, etc., than asking them to identify specific flavors. You can ask your guests which one of each pairing they prefer. If you do a round-robin tasting where you pair all of the chocolates with all of the others, you can get to a good understanding of what you like in a chocolate pretty quickly.Comparing apples to apples (as Mindy points out) is good. Milks with Milks, Darks with Darks. If your guests don't have a lot of experience, asking them to guess origins might be a little frustrating - though that depends on the group dynamics and how the question gets asked and answered.

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

Hi Craig, you're kind of suggesting that milk is worst than dark. It would well worth it, Roxanne, if you gave a regular piece of milk chocolate to your guests, then gave them an outstanding piece of milk chocolate, say, from Askinoise, or Recchiuti, or Bonnat. You're sort of comparing apples to oranges the other way.

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

Thank you Craig for your sound advise, I look forward to your print out on different chocolate origins. Yes, you are right about having fun.

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

Roxanne: A blind tasting works really well. First, give them a piece of regular mik chocolate - (just say, "TRY THIS". Then give them a piece of good, dark chocolate and say, "NOW TRY THIS". I have done blind tastings with chocolates from different origins. I will print out a sheet with the different origins and they have to guess which one comes from Venezuala, which comes from Switzerland, Belgium, etc Have fun!

Host a Chocolate tasting-anyone have an experience to share?

Posted in: Opinion

I'd like to host a chocolate tasting with friends, have them sample the best dark & organic chocolate in a blind taste test, if you have any thoughts on your tasting, please share
updated by @Roxanne Browning : 04/19/15 16:31:26

What types of chocolates best in World???

Posted in: Opinion

HiiiiI want to know that what types of chocolates are best in world..If any one have this answer ..please reply me...I an very addicted for this!!!!! Chocolates
updated by @SofiaRaj Chocolates: 04/19/15 20:15:58

Vanilla Beans

Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, Techniques

No, I never tried it both ways, but I will try it with my next batch and compare it with the one I just made, same recipe. I'm curious also.Andrea