October 06, 2014
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The more you share the better your chances of winning! Winner will be announced on the blog, October 14, 2014. You will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen, so be sure to check our blog next week to see if YOU are the lucky winner! I’m so excited to be celebrating my birthday with all of YOU! Thank you for helping us spread the word. On your mark. . .Get set. . . Go! And, Good Luck! ~ Linda JohnsonSeptember 30, 2014
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI&w=560&h=315]
And what about that famous line in Forest Gump? Do you remember it? If not, here’s a refresher: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJh59vZ8ccc&w=560&h=315] Remember when Johnny Depp licks his fingers after Juliette Binoche guesses his favorite chocolate in the movie Chocolat? Just about any scene from this movie could be included here, but we thought this one was pretty good. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhkCGApLP30&w=560&h=315] On this episode of Friends, things get a bit out of hand when Monica tries to impress her neighbors by making candy. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou76DXq57MI&w=420&h=315] We hope you enjoyed these clips. Chocolate is so universal that even the movie makers like to include it in their story lines. Check out Rotten Tomatoes for more chocolate covered movie themes. We probably could have included countless others in our collection here, but we want to hear from you! What is your favorite chocolate scene from a movie or television show? We’d love to know what it is! Share it with us in the comments section or on Facebook. Who knows? We might include it in an upcoming blog post! And don't forget to check out our website for some delectible chocolates you might enjoy at your next movie night!September 22, 2014
“Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me” ~ Jill Jackson MillerSunday, September 21, was International Day of Peace. The day was set aside by the United Nations in 1982, in hopes of promoting tranquility among nations and spreading the message that peace is vital to human rights and happiness. Many countries, cities and neighborhoods celebrated with festivals, peaceful gatherings and quiet meditation. Others perhaps just paused and reflected on the possibility of a more peaceful world. So, what did Chocology do for International Day of Peace? Well, we celebrated with chocolate of course! Madeline and I came up with the idea to share chocolate and the message of peace by making chocolate peace pops. This was our first real project with Chocology Kids, a division of Chocology that we are looking forward to developing. We headed to the kitchen and made 100 lollipops in the shapes of peace signs. Our idea was to mail fifty boxes to family, friends and colleagues. We even mailed one to the United Nations! Included in our Peace boxes were the following:
2 Chocolate Peace Pops that Madeline and I made. One to eat-One to share
A bag of moldable chocolate
A set of four peace pop candy molds
Instructions on what to do – One set written by Madeline (the easy version) and one set written by Linda (The more detailed version)
The instructions were to keep one of the already made peace pops and share the other with someone else. We encouraged our friends to use the molds and the chocolate to make even more Peace Pops and share them in their communities. The feedback was wonderful. Many of the people who received our chocolates became aware of International Day of Peace for the first time. Some were inspired to gather groups of kids to make lots of chocolate peace pops to share in their neighborhoods. Madeline and I made extra chocolate pops, and then hit the streets on Sunday to pass them out to neighboring businesses and strangers. Madeline passed them after her violin lesson they made everyone smile. [caption id="attachment_457" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Madeline making Peace Pops in New York[/caption] [caption id="attachment_445" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Making Peace Pops in Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_450" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Peace Pops Made in Texas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_443" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Caleb and Lucy set out to spread a little Peace in the neighborhood.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_454" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Peace Pops in San Diego[/caption] [caption id="attachment_455" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Making Peace Pops in San Diego[/caption] [caption id="attachment_456" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Making Peace Pops in San Diego[/caption] We at Chocology love sharing chocolate. We especially love promoting peace and tranquility in the world. Combining our love of chocolate along with our passion for a peaceful world made for a very gratifying experience. We hope it inspired others to share a smile, a chocolate or just become more aware of what they can do to promote peace in their family, communities and world. Sometimes all we need is a new perspective to make the world a kinder more gentler place. So what did you all do for International Day of Peace? We’d love to hear about it. Join us on Facebook and share a bit about how you strive to bring about peace in your world. And if you received one of our Peace boxes, we'd love to receive your pictures with a note about your experience with International Day of Peace. And remember to check out our website for delicious chocolates that you can share all year long.September 15, 2014
September 08, 2014
September 02, 2014 1 Comment
August 25, 2014
August 18, 2014
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August 11, 2014
August 04, 2014
The Harvest
Growing the Cacao Tree
Chocolate begins in the field, not the factory. Growing a healthy, vibrant tree is the first step in making quality chocolate.
The cacao tree originated in Central America but now grows in many areas of West Africa, Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia. There are about 2 to 2.5 million producers worldwide, 90% being small-scale farmers with 12 acres or less. Cacao trees thrive in these areas because of their humid tropical climates with regular rains and short dry seasons.
The trees can produce pods year round for 25 to 30 years. Thousands of flowers grow from the tree’s trunk each year but only about 1% will bear fruit called pods. The pod is of similar size and shape to a football and grows from the trunk or limbs of the tree. It takes five to six months for the fruit to ripen. Pods can grow in a range of colors: brown, orange, red, green and yellow.
Many modern day chocolatiers are working diligently to empower the farmers of the cacao tree by trading fairly, paying above market value and assisting with better working conditions. This helps both the farmer and the manufacturer to produce higher quality chocolate while encouraging more humane and fair practices.
Harvesting the Pods
Once the pods are ripe, they are harvested by cutting the stalk with a machete or long sharp pruning loppers. This is done with great care, as the stalk must be preserved for further pod production. If the stalk is damaged, that area of the tree becomes infertile and will no longer produce the flower or the pod. Pods can be harvested year round but are usually harvested every six months, coinciding with the rainy seasons.
Removing the Cacao Beans
Once on the ground, the pods are sorted by quality and placed in piles. In many areas this is a social affair, where stories, news and jokes are shared as everyone works. Skilled craftsmen will open the pods with a machete, with just enough pressure to open the pod but not damage the beans inside. The beans are heaped upon large leaves, usually banana leaves. The group socializes as they watch the fruits of their labor pile up.
The empty hulls are gathered and placed in the sun to rot. This will later be used as compost for nourishing the next crop.
Some farmers take their crop to fermenting houses, selling their beans by weight. For these farmers, it’s the end of the road. Others choose to ferment the beans themselves. Whether the fermentation happens on the farm or at the fermenting house, the harvesting has now ended and the beans move forward for further processing.
Many of the farmers who produce the cacao have never tasted a chocolate bar. The cacao trees are a source of community, spirit and livelihood among the farmers and their commitment to growing a quality product touches the world. Without the farmer, there would be no chocolate. Join us next week as we follow the next phases of the chocolate journey.July 29, 2014
July 21, 2014
Chocolates with lower cacao contents pair well with lighter wines such as a chardonnay, sherry or dessert wine.
Dark or bittersweet chocolates pair well with a fuller body wine. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir or Merlot are good selections when your chocolate of choice has a higher cacao content.
A good rule of thumb is to choose wines that are a bit sweeter than the chocolate you are going to taste.
Select quality chocolate, with impeccable origins and superb manufacturing practices.
In a wine tasting, it is customary to start with the lightest wines first and work your way up to the more robust reds. When pairing chocolate and wine, start with the lighter cacao content and work your way to the denser dark chocolates.
Cream and filled chocolates will have a delectable impact on the wine you are drinking. A boutique box of chocolates will pair well with wines that enhance the same flavors in the wine.
Match your wines and chocolates by color for a fun pairing experience.
Have fun and experiment! There’s no wrong way to pair. If you like it, then it’s right!
With those guidelines in mind, let’s have a sneak peak at the Chocology chocolates we feel will pair well with that bottle of red wine you’ve been saving in your pantry.Ingredients
2/3 cup (160 ml) Fresh Cream
150 Gram Dark Chocolate Bar
3 Medium Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 TBL Sugar
Unsweetened dark Cocoa Powder (for dusting)
Directions Heat the cream in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer through for a few minutes. Do not allow overheating or boiling. Break up the chocolate bar and add to the cream. Stir a few times until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool. Separate the eggs. Whisk the whites with the sugar until soft peaks form. When the chocolate mixture has cooled, in a small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add very small amounts of the chocolate mixture to the yolks, beating constantly so the egg yolks don’t scramble. Add enough chocolate to the yolks to make it look chocolaty. Add the egg yolk mixture back into the chocolate mixture and stir. Fold in the egg whites. Continue folding until all is mixed well. Pour into ramekins. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour to set. Dust with dark cocoa powder right before serving. Serves 5