Five steps to the ultimate chocolate experience

One does not need to be an expert to fully enjoy fine chocolates, or know how to distinguish single-plantation from single-origin chocolates. Chocolate-tasting is a far more informal affair, guided by one’s own personal preference and palate. Some may prefer the strong bitter taste of pure dark chocolate while others might lean towards creamier, lower-percentage chocolate confections.

Good chocolate, when savored properly, allows you to appreciate subtleties of flavor and tones that you would not want to miss out on. The key thing to remember is to engage all your senses to make it truly an ultimate sensorial experience. Here are a few guidelines.

1. Assess its looks.

The appearance of chocolate—its silky sheen, the appetizing depth of color, its shape and form—is what first attracts and tantalizes. Notice the smooth, glossy surface of the chocolate. Observe the color and how uniform it is, while keeping in mind that it is not the measure of the chocolate’s quality or richness. Chocolate comes in different shades—it may range from creamy ivory, a russet brown hue, to something as dark as charcoal. That all depends on the type of chocolate, the percentage of cacao it contains, the presence and quantity of milk or cream, and the source of the beans from which the chocolate was made.

2. Listen for the snap.

That snap or “craquant” is the feel and sound of a piece of chocolate when you first break it or bite into it. High-quality chocolate produces a sharp, crisp sound and a clean edge. It indicates the amount and quality of the cocoa butter in the chocolate, how finely ground the chocolate particles are, and how well the chocolate was tempered.

3. Smell the chocolate.

Your nose helps your taste buds discern the subtleties of chocolate. At first, it may seem that all you smell is simply, well, chocolate. Rub the chocolate with your thumb to warm it and release its full aroma. As you breathe in the aroma and perhaps even compare one piece with another, you may detect the differences in intensity and flavor. Some chocolates may smell fruity, nutty, or even floral. Some may remind you of roasted coffee or rich red wine. Most artisans create a signature aroma for their chocolate brand, depending on the beans used, as well as on the roasting and conching methods.

4. Feel and appreciate the texture.

Pop a chocolate into your mouth but don’t eat it right away. Just hold it there against the roof of your mouth, and let your tongue pass over it. Luxuriate in its texture. Does it feel smooth and silky? Velvety? Or gritty and dry? Does it have the desirable melt-in-your-mouth quality? Be it a bar or a truffle, chocolate should feel rich and luscious in your mouth.

5. Savor the flavor.

Stay in the moment as the chocolate starts to melt on your tongue and fills your mouth. Let it melt instead of chewing it and you will notice how the flavors change in character as the chocolate dissolves. Does the flavor linger in your mouth or quickly dissipate? This is what is called the finish. Good chocolate should have a complex, interesting finish.

Ultimately, the best way to discover the finest chocolate and hone your judgment is to taste as much of this not-so-guilty pleasure as you can, whether alone or with fellow chocolate lovers. With every sensorial experience, you deepen your appreciation of chocolate and all its glorious complexities. As photographer and author Karl Petzke wrote: “Chocolate symbolizes, as does no other food, luxury, comfort, sensuality, gratification, and love.”



Originally appeared in Vault Magazine

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tickled pink: Japan lovers taste new chocolates on Valentine's Day

TOKYO -- It is a marriage made in heaven for cute-obsessed Japan: this Valentine's Day, lovers can present the object of their affection with a world first -- naturally bright pink chocolate.

The KitKat store in the glitzy shopping area of Ginza in Tokyo is a riot of wall-to-wall pink, as marketing departments go into overdrive to promote the "fourth" type of chocolate, after milk, dark and white.

And the salespeople have chosen their moment wisely: Valentine's Day is massive business in Japan -- with tradition dictating that the women give presents to the men.

"I love pink. I love chocolate. So this is just great for me," said 24-year-old Natsuko Takeuchi, searching for a sweet treat at the Ginza store.

"Knowing that this chocolate is created purely naturally, without any additional flavour or colour. I think it's really good," added Takeuchi, who operates a food trolley on Japan's iconic bullet trains.

For more than 80 years, when white chocolate was invented, the world has had to be content with just three varieties. Then in September, Swiss group Barry Callebaut unveiled its new "ruby" type -- the fruit of more than 10 years of research -- and five months later, bars appeared on shelves in both Japan and South Korea.

The pink color is obtained naturally, without using additives or artificial colouring, explained Akiko Hara, a manager for Barry Callebaut in Japan.

The color comes from ruby cocoa "that can be found in normal plantations," Hara told AFP.

The firm's R&D department keeps the recipe a closely guarded secret, locked away in a safe.

The result is a chocolate that tastes both creamy and fruity, with a subtle hint of raspberry. 

'Obligation choc'

If Japan is the testing ground for the new variety of chocolate, it was well chosen.

The Japanese chocolate market is worth nearly $5 billion per year, according to figures from research group Euromonitor. This places Japan still way behind the United States ($18.9 billion) but still at the top of the Asian league table.

Japanese consumers also crave a huge variety of products, as can be seen from the enormous range of KitKat flavours -- from wasabi to green tea to sake.

So consumers have a huge choice in what chocolates to buy: "Honmei-choco" for lovers, "giri-choco" for male bosses and colleagues and "tomo-choco" for close friends.

In a sign of how seriously Valentine's Day is taken, Belgian chocolate firm Godiva created a storm when it called on people to forgo the chocs for colleagues (known as "obligation chocolate") to focus on loved ones.

Convenience stores on every corner are packed with potential presents and master chocolatiers also go to town for the occasion, creating ornate shapes such as pink high-heeled shoes made of chocolate.

The result: huge sales. This year, love-struck Japanese are expected to shell out 130 billion yen ($1 billion) on Valentine's Day chocolates, according to Kinenbi Culture Laboratory, a research group on Japanese festivals.

The tradition of women giving chocolate to men stems from a promotional campaign at the end of the 1950s.

"Males reciprocate the favour a month later on a holiday called 'White Day', where female significant others receive a gift in return for their Valentine's Day present," said Megumi Matsunaga, an analyst at Euromonitor.

Frederic Madelaine, a French pastry chef who runs several shops in Tokyo, said Valentine's Day was the be-all and end-all for the industry.

"A Japanese woman will hand out on average between eight and 10 presents. Then the man has to return the favor -- and triple or quadruple the value of the gift," he told AFP.

"You have to try things out, be innovative, stand out from the crowd," he said.

This year is no exception and among his offerings at this year's annual chocolate fair in Tokyo were a Camembert-shaped chocolate and "dalmatian eclairs" to celebrate the year of the dog.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Ferrero nears deal for Nestle's US candy operations

MILAN - Italy's Ferrero is closing in on a $2.8-billion deal for Nestle's US candy business, Bloomberg said Wednesday, amid signs a deal could be completed by Sunday.

Nestle USA registered sales of some 900 million Swiss francs (828 million euros/$900 million) in 2016, in a market worth an overall $8 billion, according to Ibis World -- equivalent to around a fifth of the global market.

The firms declined to comment on the deal.

Earlier reports had said Ferrero, above all known for its Tic Tac, Nutella and Ferrero Rocher brands but which has traditionally preferred organic growth to acquisitions, had been vying with Hershey and private investor groups including France's Rhone Capital for the deal.

Nestle owns brands including Crunch, Butterfinger, Baby Ruth and Skinny Cow.

The acquisition would see Ferrero, world number three in the candy sector after doubling turnover to 10 billion euros in the past 10 years, become the third-largest sweets producer in the United States behind Hershey and Mars.

Currently, its US business only accounts for around 5 percent of its business having bought Ferrara Candy in December.

Family-owned Ferrero has 22 production sites and more than 40,000 employees and sells in more than 170 countries. Its Nutella chocolate spread has 32 million fans on Facebook.

In 2014 it bought Turkey's Oltan, then a year later Britain's Thorntons, before setting its sights on the US market.

With demand for sugary fare stagnating Nestle has been moving toward healthier foodstuffs, while holding on to its prepared-dishes, ice cream and global confectionery businesses, Bloomberg noted.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

New Japan Kit Kat factory opens to meet exotic flavor demand

GENEVA, Switzerland - Wasabi and Okinawan sweet potato may not be everyone's preferred type of Kit Kat but booming demand for exotic flavors in Japan has prompted bar-maker Nestle to open a new factory.

The Switzerland-based food giant announced Wednesday that it will on August 1 open its first new Japanese Kit Kat production site in 26 years, located in the western city of Himeji.

The move was made to "respond to (the) popularity of Made in Japan" Kit Kat bars, Nestle said in a statement.

In Japan, where Kit Kat was introduced in 1973, the bar is not a typical four-fingered chocolate treat.

Aside from Wasabi, a notoriously hot condiment served with sushi and sashimi, Nestle currently offers around 30 Kit Kat flavours in Japan -- raging from green tea to ginger, to Yokohama cheese cake and Kobe pudding.

Nestle said the bars made at the new Himeji site will be sold at boutique shops -- a popular destination Kit Kat aficionados with unorthodox tastes -- and online.

But these speciality flavors are often far more expensive than the standard version.

A special edition gold-coated Kit Kat bar introduced in 2015 sold for a jaw-dropping $16 (13.75 euros) when it first hit shelves, while an average high-end flavour currently sells for about $13.

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source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nutella maker to buy British rival Thorntons

LONDON, United Kingdom - The board of British chocolate maker Thorntons said Monday it had agreed a takeover deal by Italian rival Ferrero that values the firm at about £111.9 million (156.2 million euros, $177.4 million).

Thorntons chairman Paul Wilkinson urged shareholders to accept the offer of 145 pence a share, a 42.9 percent increase on Friday's closing price.

"Ferrero is a successful global confectionery business with a strong family heritage and as such represents a good cultural fit for Thorntons," he said in a statement.

"The board of Thorntons therefore has given its unanimous recommendation for the offer from Ferrero."

The Italian company, which makes Nutella spread and the Ferrero Rocher and Kinder chocolates, said it wanted to expand further in an important market.

"Our business was founded nearly 60 years ago out of a passion for chocolate and with a commitment to quality," said chief executive Giovanni Ferrero.

"We delivered our best ever results in the UK in 2014, giving us confidence that now is the right time to broaden our roots in this important market."

Thorntons was established in 1911 and employs about 3,500 people, many of them located at its key factory in Alfreton in Derbyshire in northern England.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How much chocolate is good for you? New study finds out

New research has added to tentative evidence that eating chocolate in modest quantities may be good for the heart, its investigators said on Tuesday.

Scientists in Britain looked at data from nearly 21,000 people who filled out questionnaires about their lifestyle, and had their health monitored for more than 11 years.

Their average daily consumption was seven grams (0.25 ounces) of chocolate, ranging from none to 100g.

The top fifth of chocolate-eaters were 12 percent less likely to develop heart disease and 23 percent less likely to suffer a stroke compared to the bottom fifth of consumers, the researchers found.

The study, published in the British journal Heart, noted that most consumers of the confectionary ate milk chocolate, not dark chocolate which famously has a higher percentage of protective molecules called flavonoids.

"This may indicate that not only flavonoids, but also other compounds, possibly related to milk constituents, such as calcium and fatty acids, may provide an explanation for the observed association," it said.

The team, headed by Phyo Myint of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, admitted the probe had limitations.

The study was observational, meaning it could not show cause and effect, merely an association which may be circumstantial.

Another question mark was to be found in "reverse causation": participants who knew they had cardiovascular problems may have followed a healthier diet and eaten less chocolate.

The team also did a review of other published studies, covering more than 130,000 people in total, and said they had found a similarly beneficial association with regular chocolate consumption.

"Cumulative evidence suggests that higher chocolate intake is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events," it said.

"There does not appear to be any evidence to say that chocolate should be avoided in those who are concerned about cardiovascular risk."

A couple of squares of chocolate are around 16g, and an average bar of chocolate about 50g.

Commentators not involved in the research were cautious, noting too much chocolate can lead to weight gain, which is bad for the heart.

"You can't draw a medical conclusion from this study," said Arnaud Cocaul, a nutritionist at the Pitie Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.

"People who refrain from eating chocolate are not necessarily those who eat the most balanced diet."

Added Tim Chico, a cardiologist at the University of Sheffield in northern England: "I would not advise my patients to increase their chocolate intake based on this research, particularly if they are overweight," in remarks to Britain's Science Media Centre (SMC).

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How 'chocolate greenhouse' is saving the world's cocoa

LONDON - Chocolate lovers take heart: a steamy greenhouse near London is helping to ensure that cocoa crops globally remain disease-free and bountiful to cope with the growing appetite for sweet treats.

On a winter morning, the temperature is a chilly eight degrees Celsius but inside the International Cocoa Quarantine Centre (ICQC), which simulates tropical conditions, the air is a balmy 23 degrees.

"Cocoa plants are generally quite difficult plants to grow," said Heather Lake, a technician at the newly-revamped centre, which is funded half by the British chocolate industry and half by the US government.

"They don't like too much sunlight, they don't like too much shade. It's quite difficult to get the climate correct," she told AFP at the facility, which is hosted by the University of Reading.

Situated in the village of Arborfield, west of London, the ICQC boasts around 1,000 square metres (10,760 square feet) of greenhouse space and 400 cocoa plant varieties.

The centre's aim is to reduce the amount of disease affecting cocoa plants by quarantining them before sharing them with different countries to produce new, more resistant varieties.

The plants are often collected in the wild on expeditions to the tropics on which researchers collect cuttings or seeds from disease-free samples.

At a time when changing tastes in emerging economies like China and India are fuelling global demand for chocolate, the centre acts as a vital resource for producer countries when pests or droughts strike crops.

"That's where we come into play," said Andrew Daymond, manager of the ICQC, which was set up 30 years ago. "We are the main hub for international movements of cocoa plants."



- Keeping chocolate affordable -



Cocoa originates from South America but west Africa now dominates production, accounting for 73 percent of global output, according to the International Cocoa Organization.

Such a heavy concentration of production in one region -- Ivory Coast and Ghana alone represent 60 percent -- makes it vulnerable to shocks.

Prices leapt to almost $3,400 (3,000 euros) a tonne in New York in September amid fears that the Ebola crisis in west Africa could affect cocoa supplies.

Both Ivory Coast and Ghana have, however, so far been spared by the outbreak.

The three countries worst hit by Ebola -- Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia -- represent just 0.7 percent of world cocoa output and saw their yields plummet.

Cocoa prices later fell back again but still rose 15 percent overall during 2014.

There is also the potential threat to the industry from plant diseases, which in west Africa can mean up to 30 percent of the annual harvest is lost.

"In each cocoa-growing country, they face particular challenges to do with pest and diseases, low yield potential of planted materials, extreme weather events," Daymond said.

"The basic objective of the project is to allow safe movement of cocoa plants from one part of the world to another."

In Britain, which has no endemic pests or diseases affecting cocoa, the centre can grow resistant varieties before dispatching them around the world, though few people would recognise these as cocoa trees.

"When we do an export, we send the small branches off a tree," Lake said. "We then remove all the leaves and we just send a stick."

Daymond explained that producer countries can then "establish a plant that is genetically identical to the plant that they received the cutting from".

The centre also researches the effects of climate change on cocoa crops and is looking at developing new varieties that would be more resistant to droughts or increased carbon dioxide levels.

All of which could help to make a box of chocolates that little bit more affordable.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How a former kasambahay got rich with chocolate

MANILA, Philippines - Instead of lady luck blessing her with a golden ticket to her own chocolate factory, Raquel Choa, a former "kasambahay", built hers from scratch.


"Mano-mano," Choa told Karen Davila on ABS-CBN's "My Puhunan," referring to the Filipino way of doing things with their own hands.

But everything didn't start out as sweet. Her humble beginnings resembled the bitter taste of chocolate nibs before they turn into the sweet confectionery that everyone loves.

Like Charlie Bucket from Roald Dahl's classic "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", Choa was born into poverty and was forced to sell candles and sampaguita on the streets as a child.

"Kung ano-ano lang talaga ginagawa namin basta mabuhay lang. Pag Biyernes, nagbebenta ako ng kandila. 50 centavos yung kuha and then piso ang benta," recalled Choa. "Yung sampaguita din."



 At the age of 12, her grandmother took her from Cebu to Laguna to work as a kasambahay.

"Hindi naman ako natakot sa trabaho kasi akala ko yung buhay trabaho lang talaga," Choa tearfully confessed.

"Hindi ako naka-experience ng electricity sa probinsya so hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko sa plantsa," Choa added.

With the money she earned from working as a kasambahay, she went back to visit her parents in Cebu, who were hiding from debt collectors at their house in a squatters area.

"Hindi sila makalabas ng bahay dahil marami silang utang na kailangan bayaran," she said.

Going into chocolate biz

But like Charlie's family, it would be chocolate that would provide them refuge.

So Choa persevered, using her grandmother's recipe for tablea --those small circles of grinded cacao beans used to make chocolate drinks-- to experiment with the process of making chocolate.

She used the remaining P10,000 she had and bought a hundred kilos of cacao beans. And from then on, grinding, roasting and turning the beans into different kinds of chocolate herself, Ralfe Gourmet was born.

But a year on, Choa feared that boxes and boxes of unsold chocolate sitting inside their house, would waste away. Choa's chocolate was labeled as 'dirty chocolate' because chefs wouldn't believe the quality of processing her chocolates went through.

But today, Ralfe Gourmet uses around a thousand kilos of cacao beans every month and makes over 5,000 different kinds of chocolate that includes alfajores, tablea rice crispies, chocolate sticks, and tablea singles.

Ralfe Gourmet also supplies chocolate to various high-end local hotels, resorts and airports throughout the country.

With the success of Ralfe, Choa managed, along with her husband, to buy 33 hectares of cacao plantation at Cebu. Ralfe, today, makes around P200,000 per month.

Chocolate factory

Hidden away in Cebu, Choa's chocalate factory may not be as huge or as avant-garde as Willy Wonka's, but it is certainly more welcoming.

Visitors will find a cup of hot chocolate waiting for them as they enter Choa's humble abode turned chocolate factory rather than "Oompa-Loompas" and their sinister smiles.

Together, Choa lives with her husband, Alfred, and 8 children in their chocolate dream house, where the ceilings are painted with chocolate. The house, aside from being a chocolate factory, is also a mini-boutique restaurant.

Helping a kakanin seller

As part of My Puhunan's program of bringing together aspiring and established entrepreneurs, they took Choa to her old neighborhood in Laguna to meet Pilita Formales, a local "kakanin" seller.

Choa tearfully hugged her old friends and recalled the places she used to work as a "labandera."

When Davila asked Choa why she was crying, she answered, "hindi ko kasi aakalain na malalampasan ko ang buhay na mahirap."

Formales then shared how her mother taught her how to cook.

"Kahit walang trabaho ang asawa mo, kahit yan lang ibubuhay mo sa mga anak mo, makakaraos kayo," Formales recalled her mother's words.

Choa suggested that Formales add chocolate to her recipe and together they made a chocolate-flavored "biko."

Choa also gave boxes of processed tablea and chocolate powder to further help Formales along with a additional capital of P5,000.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

7 health benefits of chocolate

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, and no, it’s not just wishful thinking – chocolate really is good for you! Dark chocolate has a whole host of health benefits and is good for just about every part of your body. If you’re looking for an excuse to indulge on one of the world’s most popular treats then look no further – here are 7 health benefits of chocolate.




1. Chocolate makes you slim
Chocolate may not be an obvious food choice for dieters, but research findings suggest that eating chocolate in moderation could actually keep you slim. The study conducted by the University of California tested the theory that, as chocolate is believed to increase your metabolism, these benefits may cancel out the calories consumed. The results suggested that chocolate may not only be calorie-neutral; it can also help you to lose weight. The researchers discovered that adults who consumed chocolate frequently had a lower BMI than those who didn’t, despite them often eating more calories and not exercising more.

2. Chocolate makes you smarter
Got a tough exam coming up? Boost your IQ and indulge your taste buds at the same time by snacking on a few squares of chocolate. Dark chocolate is rich in brain-boosting chemicals, called flavonoids, which can enhance your cognitive skills by inducing the creation of new neurons in the brain and improving their ability to form new memories, as well as improving blood flow to the brain. One study of adult women found that when given flavonoid-rich chocolate drinks, the blood flow to participants' brains increased within two hours and they performed better on a complex mental task.

3. Chocolate gives you energy
Chocolate not only offers many amazing health benefits, it is also a great pick-me-up snack so can help you stay energized for your workouts. Chocolate is high in energy-boosting chemicals including theobromine (a stimulant found in many popular energy drinks) and caffeine. Furthermore, chocolate is a great source of magnesium and chromium, which both play a role in energy production. Have a few squares of chocolate in the afternoon or before a workout to help stay energized for longer.

4. Chocolate prevents wrinkles
While skin creams are great for keeping your skin looking more youthful, they can only do so much; to really keep the wrinkles at bay, you need to look to your diet. Antioxidants, found in fruits and vegetables, help to fight the free-radicals that can lead to wrinkles, and luckily there is an even tastier way to get your fill. Research has suggested that, when it comes to fighting free-radicals, chocolate could be even healthier than fruit! When tested and compared to juices from "superfruits" such as blueberries and pomegranate, dark chocolate was found to be higher in antioxidants.

5. Chocolate slows down muscle ageing
This may sound too good to be true, but shockingly scientists have discovered that small amounts of dark chocolate can improve your health in a similar way to exercise! Researchers from Wayne State University found that a plant compound (epicatechin) found in chocolate stimulated the same muscle response as vigorous exercise, which could help to slow down muscle ageing. Now, we’re not suggesting you should swap your workouts for chocolate, but surely this is a good excuse to treat yourself post-workout with a few squares of your favourite bar!

6. Chocolate helps you live longer
Jeanne Louise Calment – the oldest verified human being to have ever lived – lived a grand total of 122 years and 164 days, and put her good health down to her regular chocolate consumption. Now researchers have found that there may be some truth in the claims that chocolate can help you to live longer. Cocoa beans are packed with antioxidants which studies have found can help fight disease and cut your risk of heart disease – the biggest killer in the Western world. Indeed, US researchers published in the British Medical Journal believe that chocolate can lower your risk of heart disease by over a third.

7. Chocolate makes you happy
If you ever find yourself reaching for chocolate to ease a bad mood, it seems you could be onto something. Chocolate is known to be high in mood-boosting chemicals, and findings published in the scientific journal Nutritional Neuroscience have suggested that the food can even help reduce the symptoms of depression. The popular treat is not only high in magnesium, which can aid relaxation, but it contains anandamide, a neurotransmitter which can help to regulate mood, and phenylethylamine, which raises endorphin levels. Read more at www.realbuzz.com.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Mars puts Snickers, Twix on a diet

Mars Inc., the maker of Snickers and Twix candy bars, will stop selling chocolate products with more than 250 calories in them by the end of next year, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The McClean, Virginia-based company, which also makes M&Ms and Skittles candies and Juicy Fruit chewing gum, said the goal is part of an ongoing effort to improve the nutritional value of its products and to sell them in a responsible way.

The new calorie limit target means fans of the 540-calorie king-size Snickers bar might want to enjoy the big bar while they can. Come 2014, it's going to be gone, part of what Mars says is a broader push for responsible snacking.

In 2007, the privately held company said it would stop buying advertising time or space if more than a quarter of the audience was likely to be under 12 years old.

Mars has also said it will reduce sodium levels in all its products 25 percent by 2015.

Spokeswoman Marlene Machut said the plan to stop shipping any chocolate product that exceeded 250 calories per portion by the end of 2013 - a target first announced last fall - was part of Mars' "broad-based commitment to health and nutrition."

Several media organizations, including National Public Radio, reported on the chocolate bar downsizing this week.

Mars is one of the world's leading food manufacturers. In addition to candy, it makes Uncle Ben's rice and Dove ice cream bars as well as Pedigree and Whiskas brand pet food.

source: interaksyon.com