tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710779440649417862024-02-07T01:50:16.420-08:00Charlotte Flower Chocolatesreflections, ideas, progress from a Highland chocolate makercocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-21776184517206613462023-03-02T14:58:00.001-08:002023-03-02T23:54:42.025-08:00A perfect self-guided tour of some Barcelona chocolate and patisserie shops<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8g-kdbhaT4laRg3s_eFd7Rol86AHGI-iYKqSrF0-K-vwGbBlZV097xY6sRSPd2KYMTig87pO7L49Yb6J25Vj8QX-hc9pRIems-Q6zhBIXBeMSeSRMDkuqQWuk_1vP9KW_LtQo8OhOiBNcV75NAKoVnnAK2lqGxC5TetZhFb4J28FVM8vXRMpeWI/s4160/IMG_20230302_202607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8g-kdbhaT4laRg3s_eFd7Rol86AHGI-iYKqSrF0-K-vwGbBlZV097xY6sRSPd2KYMTig87pO7L49Yb6J25Vj8QX-hc9pRIems-Q6zhBIXBeMSeSRMDkuqQWuk_1vP9KW_LtQo8OhOiBNcV75NAKoVnnAK2lqGxC5TetZhFb4J28FVM8vXRMpeWI/s320/IMG_20230302_202607.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">In January, I made a lovely trip to Barcelona, a city I have
visited many times now as we have family living there. I am always on the look out for interesting
chocolate wherever I go, and as it has been three years since my last visit
(that pesky COVID) I wondered if there was any new choc on the block. When I visited Salon du Chocolat in Paris
last year, there was a stand for the </span><a href="https://chocolatebeantobar.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Bean to Bar Chocolate Association for Spain</a><span style="text-align: left;"> – which
was interesting and indicated that there is a rising movement of craft makers
in Spain – so I was optimistic for this trip to Barcelona.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">I did some searching on the internet before the trip, and I
also had a look at the Bean to Bar Association website for some suggestions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came across a chocolate journalist on that site, Nerea Prieto de Apraiz (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/nereachocolate/" target="_blank">@nereachocolate</a>), who is Barcelona- based – so I wrote to ask for her local
advice. She is so lovely – lots of very
good advice but also an invitation to meet for coffee. What a treat – we chatted for ages, I learned
so much from her both about the scene in Spain, but also about her own work and
plans, and about the sector overall.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So the guided walk; this started where we agreed to meet for
coffee – L’Atelier in Eixample district of the city – I plotted out other places
of interest and realised that they were all only 10 or 15 minute walks from each other and so a day of delights mapped out before me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barcelona is a lovely city to walk around –
you go from small residential streets to grand boulevards at the turn of a
corner, there are Gaudi pavement tiles to fascinate at your feet, elegant
pavement cafes to tempt you, always a <i>copa de cava</i> available whenever
you feel the need. It was cold in Barcelona this January, so walking and chocolate eating/buying were definitely a good combination.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGo0QsICFZYV7uQiVL4rfnHaZjXGXPTLqgqz6ayLtifzbT-p7Z9OpjO9oGerPpFExhivhdVMDMqHBYXP2Lbzh6AJrfTDwtEAqnFOwePz72-uN12awfITqbREru7l_ZHv_aimMp4GZZMKBbVSgqvEt8ItnzqlXSiR6Y7jZRv0vgAmBB4KwJ8QXYAqE/s4160/IMG_20230126_155157.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGo0QsICFZYV7uQiVL4rfnHaZjXGXPTLqgqz6ayLtifzbT-p7Z9OpjO9oGerPpFExhivhdVMDMqHBYXP2Lbzh6AJrfTDwtEAqnFOwePz72-uN12awfITqbREru7l_ZHv_aimMp4GZZMKBbVSgqvEt8ItnzqlXSiR6Y7jZRv0vgAmBB4KwJ8QXYAqE/w150-h200/IMG_20230126_155157.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">1. <a href="https://latelierbarcelona.com/" style="text-indent: -24px;" target="_blank">L’Atelier</a>: <span style="text-indent: -24px;">this is where Nerea and I met – a very elegant coffee and patisserie shop, with the most eye-catching of ‘cakes’ and chocolates. </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">They are famous for their hot chocolate as well; weirdly for a chocolate maker, I don't really like hot chocolate (I know, how did they let me in?), but have to say this was delicious – no cornflour, not too heavy on milk – rich, warming and very chocolatey.</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">The patisserie are so, so elegant </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">I am not really qualified to judge these – just ‘Wow’ really – I am fascinated by the whole realm of patisserie but rarely have the time, patience, expertise or equipment to make these layered extravaganzas.</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;"> And very few opportunities to sample them either! The craftsmanship in these little works of art was breathtaking - I know my photos don't do them any justice - but, for example, the cactus in the flower pot had a chocolate pot, and the cactus shell was chocolate as well - filled with layers of ganaches, cakes, mousses.</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">T he Director of the business, Eric Ortuno was there, and he kindly showed us around the whole place – it extended on and on behind the shop – with kitchens where a busy team were creating more patisserie and deserts, and then ever onward to the back where there is a patisserie school.</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">Amazing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_1dJIIwZui5DEsxFuLNndC447Vvn9SZqMuN3EMFV5ZUP6sJ4_65jZi7qkRAy7uazu0MGa4Mm9T0GZXcXereyhMpM5RscTDsKOHkLy39W6E9NlI7pLvYnDYUCGr3cj5o8GCzdFTZkmnBokY1vLPYeeQaZxK_ldPKGDFiCm5fIgQBlUZiRq_Ku7EM/s4160/IMG_20230126_152049.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_1dJIIwZui5DEsxFuLNndC447Vvn9SZqMuN3EMFV5ZUP6sJ4_65jZi7qkRAy7uazu0MGa4Mm9T0GZXcXereyhMpM5RscTDsKOHkLy39W6E9NlI7pLvYnDYUCGr3cj5o8GCzdFTZkmnBokY1vLPYeeQaZxK_ldPKGDFiCm5fIgQBlUZiRq_Ku7EM/w150-h200/IMG_20230126_152049.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThaNr82OtSIwDiL_enzMU7TpFU-KAjTCa3YAqiApXo8hmArq6iyjjoJ99ntFOimEXNEM6_7tZX3OtVBoKiWVV1tFwr3f5NGyUW2FnNFTwpOlUwJS7iOhdQ5T16FMRmbfI_l4i1Sx8rZuZNar5gSgPXC0mGiD062PigkHhTh-THdNAQ1bgrUHn9CA/s4160/IMG_20230126_134715.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThaNr82OtSIwDiL_enzMU7TpFU-KAjTCa3YAqiApXo8hmArq6iyjjoJ99ntFOimEXNEM6_7tZX3OtVBoKiWVV1tFwr3f5NGyUW2FnNFTwpOlUwJS7iOhdQ5T16FMRmbfI_l4i1Sx8rZuZNar5gSgPXC0mGiD062PigkHhTh-THdNAQ1bgrUHn9CA/w150-h200/IMG_20230126_134715.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2, <a href="http://www.cacaosampaka.com" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;" target="_blank">Cacao Sampaka</a><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> This was to be my next </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">stop, b</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">ut as I had spent so much time (and
eaten so much patisserie) at L’Atelier, I skipped it (always another time) and
went straight to Lot Roasters. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">3. <a href="http://www.lotroasters.com" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;" target="_blank">Lot Roasters</a><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">: coffee and chocolate roasters, and
really the chic-est space I have ever been in; it was all stainless steel cabinets
and tables, in a high ceilinged old shop – with crooked floor tiles and
whitewashed walls.</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">Even the espresso
machine is the coolest thing I have ever seen (remember I live in Kenmore – I think I am allowed to get excited about an elegant espresso machine).</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">The photo here does none of it justice and
nor does it represent how generous Ursula was in guiding me through what they
do.</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">She offered me coffee that tasted of
cocoa beans fermenting (a smell I adore – winey, earthy, fruity), cold brew
cocoa husk tea, cocoa fruit juice (so refreshing) and some very special chocolate.</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">It was all amazing – and I loved both their
packaging, their presentation, their passion and expertise.</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">Really worth a visit if in Barcelona.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left; text-indent: -24px;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58f6m_NUnX9hTu2XQiEk8SoFml27IQ2ylQWOlXkAVkNnx4YOh0TzxpfS8apF_8aCZAe9Cc2_pvAJV7XIxFgKloGAFWPfvBY66NsDPfwgYxlha1F-OH8UYkvmsu4wHy4MWXifqCJpmu0ePaQPeaZuN5kPqmNAhieonX7D50h71PcqHiO4kgz8kUK8/s4160/IMG_20230126_164900.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58f6m_NUnX9hTu2XQiEk8SoFml27IQ2ylQWOlXkAVkNnx4YOh0TzxpfS8apF_8aCZAe9Cc2_pvAJV7XIxFgKloGAFWPfvBY66NsDPfwgYxlha1F-OH8UYkvmsu4wHy4MWXifqCJpmu0ePaQPeaZuN5kPqmNAhieonX7D50h71PcqHiO4kgz8kUK8/w150-h200/IMG_20230126_164900.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjOs12h4WyL6-9T84y7AHEgSAnldgYJR7BDSNbAK8gEe7VJ6u4YSGxWqdf7viQZDhekUXohxgY4KM1BxcMmCXvvxbm6IMjW1uPYA7i6WOA5XcYVCTfryRziX68UAORuIRlLzi85NSauxaP1wWHu5YPHXu9Gu9zi0SQD_hWj7So_ubMv_bkutO90I/s4160/IMG_20230126_164843.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjOs12h4WyL6-9T84y7AHEgSAnldgYJR7BDSNbAK8gEe7VJ6u4YSGxWqdf7viQZDhekUXohxgY4KM1BxcMmCXvvxbm6IMjW1uPYA7i6WOA5XcYVCTfryRziX68UAORuIRlLzi85NSauxaP1wWHu5YPHXu9Gu9zi0SQD_hWj7So_ubMv_bkutO90I/w150-h200/IMG_20230126_164843.jpg" width="150" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkq2ecn4TukSBVeQZ6n_tZJcFGqJuGjpa_mqAgg7JomM8iqoblQ56zrEX_arlJ-vaM443DFJoNeHu91MNruy3Aa4733j09RvnfA3dOGFecvZtQjS_AunVteR2fcn92Mv5zV4-dXAVzhOK4CKgDY91jken5DEhFRRkyMN8sCpyMNRKp4nFCvfdawM/s4160/IMG_20230126_162218.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkq2ecn4TukSBVeQZ6n_tZJcFGqJuGjpa_mqAgg7JomM8iqoblQ56zrEX_arlJ-vaM443DFJoNeHu91MNruy3Aa4733j09RvnfA3dOGFecvZtQjS_AunVteR2fcn92Mv5zV4-dXAVzhOK4CKgDY91jken5DEhFRRkyMN8sCpyMNRKp4nFCvfdawM/w150-h200/IMG_20230126_162218.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">4. <a href="http://www.museuxocolata.cat" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;" target="_blank">Museum of Xocolata</a><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">:</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">you could factor in lots of time for this
museum – I have visited in the past and they now have a whole Bean to Bar
section as well – so there is even more to see.</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">They
have a great café and shop if you just want to pop in – and a lovely range of
their own single origin bean to bar chocolates</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">5. <a href="https://hofmannpasteleria.com" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;" target="_blank">Hofmann Patisserie</a><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">:</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">there was a queue outside this tiny shop, so
I peeked in through the window only (and took a quick photo).</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">Famous (clearly – hence the queue) for
exceptional patisserie (my daughter informs me that their raspberry croissant is one of the wonders of the world), the 'cakes' on display in the window were truly exceptional. Through the window I could see that they had a chocolate section at the back of the shop - again, a return visit is needed to explore further, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkesQ-MCMTvUWrjKpUdvUxtaUK0qWPs5_wEHLWd5lOi2U2Vj-cMA7DLHjXrCcLu6IQ2ffUJTdu_S7iTNJCbl1JTCJasayMsBlv0zLt21oVoWGo3YhqC4ubMBzg9G7boz3I03PJc0Q8C4jP8RIxd3iclAwaVslikEaVGYeokKYm8htdm9SuGrEYGw/s4160/IMG_20230126_171646.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkesQ-MCMTvUWrjKpUdvUxtaUK0qWPs5_wEHLWd5lOi2U2Vj-cMA7DLHjXrCcLu6IQ2ffUJTdu_S7iTNJCbl1JTCJasayMsBlv0zLt21oVoWGo3YhqC4ubMBzg9G7boz3I03PJc0Q8C4jP8RIxd3iclAwaVslikEaVGYeokKYm8htdm9SuGrEYGw/w150-h200/IMG_20230126_171646.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">6. <a href="http://www.bubo.es" style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;" target="_blank">Bubo</a><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">: The last of my tour – again a lot of
patisserie – brightly coloured and bold, contemporary designs. This was a little cheaper
than the other patisserie; busy, so there was no chance to ask questions – but
their chocolates looked really interesting and I think a visit early to mid
afternoon would have been quieter and better to be able to ask more questions, as well as to try some of their cakes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">T</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">he last three are on the edge of
the Gothic quarter and so the shops are very busy, and draw many tourists..</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">I think I started my tour too late (1.30pm)
so if I was doing it again – I would set off at 10 – to enable more time at each
and more time to wait if busy.</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">You do see a
lot of the city, v\you are visiting and supporting artisan local businesses, and feasting your eyes as well as your tastebuds. If you would like to follow this route, I have tried to make a more detailed map online - just follow this <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1XWH8vUjhRHjck42SwD3ysSYl6QPuFtw&usp=sharing" target="_blank">link</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">T</span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">hanks so much to Nerea for her
time, friendship and advice; to Eric and his staff at L’Atelier for their time;
to Ursula at Lot Roasters for her time and generosity.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WC3wBpEAGvSoT0eWZmaizJ-4bzrXu1xZtUo5XSLu1_0DXhOsRU0tTmDPKsZlfgaAWMqOvTiJlPd5uRJIC7jls1IWxyDBZG0Bc5fcLCB7PtoV0Fs9MADu8318HvwYp2DYJtk6gsVAXqhkjhkCI8N5jkfih2icFzaR-cOZJ__uQ7BsB3_h8eb7mYM/s4160/IMG_20230302_213348.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WC3wBpEAGvSoT0eWZmaizJ-4bzrXu1xZtUo5XSLu1_0DXhOsRU0tTmDPKsZlfgaAWMqOvTiJlPd5uRJIC7jls1IWxyDBZG0Bc5fcLCB7PtoV0Fs9MADu8318HvwYp2DYJtk6gsVAXqhkjhkCI8N5jkfih2icFzaR-cOZJ__uQ7BsB3_h8eb7mYM/s320/IMG_20230302_213348.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-58721771418288030472022-08-18T06:30:00.002-07:002022-08-18T06:34:20.513-07:00Venn Diagrams and Me<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bWACdQ3_0y8Ma09g4sUPQle06bUfDkqW243fdPPg-zqp3T3oSf7pWm4-Y81kZX90u_GC16XtXRMaSyhhfMPM_NepBJuJTc4zlalUcYxmlodHNgyfheEMPSD2KOnuUxWH-qwclNeqH3_C32l57yL4ihM6i3dIm1WF7ossgSeJOz8WONDcG1y5kMM/s1980/venn%20diagram.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="1980" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bWACdQ3_0y8Ma09g4sUPQle06bUfDkqW243fdPPg-zqp3T3oSf7pWm4-Y81kZX90u_GC16XtXRMaSyhhfMPM_NepBJuJTc4zlalUcYxmlodHNgyfheEMPSD2KOnuUxWH-qwclNeqH3_C32l57yL4ihM6i3dIm1WF7ossgSeJOz8WONDcG1y5kMM/s320/venn%20diagram.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />I started thinking about Venn diagrams as an illustration for a post to try and capture some of the events and ways that I am able to learn new skills, new relationships etc to help me learn and shape my business. As I played with them, I realised that they could also illustrate how the business has brought together different aspects of my life - work, education, interests.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">There is a lot of work in making chocolate and running a small business and to be honest most of it is repetitive, laborious and more than a little dull! What keeps me going is learning and experimenting - with flavours (new plants and new ways of processing them), with new chocolates that I meet and grow to know and love, with meeting new people in the foraging and chocolate making worlds, as well as other small businesses who inspire me. These three worlds are on the whole completely separate and I often wonder if I alone occupy that large overlap in the above Venn diagram! All three worlds are full of amazing people, all very generous with their knowledge and support and I take as many opportunities as I am able to take part in any to engage with them. Over the last few months I have been involved in a couple of amazing events that have nurtured me in different ways. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In May, I joined a wonderful group of foragers in a very beautiful rewooding field in the Lake District (Oak Howe run by the lovely Deborah and Rob of <a href="https://www.wildhuman.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Wild Human</a>), at the <a href="https://foragers-association.org/" target="_blank">Association of Foragers</a> gathering. Three days that passed in a relaxed fug of cooking, talking, laughing, eating, cooking some more, laughing some more. I even roasted cocoa beans in a wood fired pizza oven, and we cracked and peeled them and ground them into a paste in a stone pestle and mortar (but once introduced to a a freshly roasted cocoa bean - most of them just got consumed!) We even tempered chocolate in the field kitchen and dipped amazing wild goodies in them (apologies - had so much fun I did not even take any photos!).</span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">And in July, my chocolate itch for learning took me (virtually) to Amsterdam and Chocoa. I have been to Chocoa and it was fantastic to dip into chocolate conversations, meet cocoa growers and chocolate makers from around the world and TASTE amazing chocolates (I wrote a blog post about it <a href="https://charlotteflowerchocolates.blogspot.com/2019/03/" target="_blank">here</a>). During COVID they ran an entirely online conference which was fabulous and during those disconnected days a real joy to spend three days in a virtual world. This year, it was a hybrid event and although I would have loved to have been there and have warm, real conversations with people - I could not spare time or budget to travel. However, I utterly loved the opportunity to listen in to presentations, discussions, and this is a really interesting time in the cocoa and chocolate making worlds. Time for another Venn diagram I think.....</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1DJ0Z1vBSSArgIFFZ9xkVD9v-oZcOm_a8unSPsGP28ZjxfmELC2a1a6D8hzbmeV9psV9aSssTkaYNFl0KZ0ejDE7e7dEgE8yh2NKc6NQipW1krPHD8EYQ3V8Y9RMAnMsDxiyL8JLzZ39bwKu67gPm95jkbFNv0_S9tpPsc4PhUud9l0trgKvA_k/s2121/venn%20diagram%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="2121" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1DJ0Z1vBSSArgIFFZ9xkVD9v-oZcOm_a8unSPsGP28ZjxfmELC2a1a6D8hzbmeV9psV9aSssTkaYNFl0KZ0ejDE7e7dEgE8yh2NKc6NQipW1krPHD8EYQ3V8Y9RMAnMsDxiyL8JLzZ39bwKu67gPm95jkbFNv0_S9tpPsc4PhUud9l0trgKvA_k/s320/venn%20diagram%202.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One of the big topics at this year's Chocoa was a new<a href="https://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/deforestation-proposal.htm#:~:text=On%2017%20November%202021%2C%20the%20European%20Commission%20adopted,and%20forest%20degradation%20within%20the%20EU%20and%20globally." target="_blank"> EU regulation</a> coming in very soon, the Regulation on deforestation-free products. Once this is in place, any EU based business importing agricultural commodities (sugar, coffee, cocoa, etc) has to demonstrate that there has been no deforestation in the production of those commodities. This has thrown the cocoa industry into a frenzy of activity - especially in West Africa, the largest producers of cocoa in the world. Agroforestry is seem as one of 'the answers' and it was strange to listen to fervent presentations extolling the virtues of combining trees and agriculture, as I have spent so much of my former natural resources career doing exactly this - accompanied with lovely diagrams of layered tree canopies and crops, and cycles of cropping. I was transported to a former life 40 years ago. Exciting to hear people enthuse and talk about it, but also depressing that 40 years-on this form of land use is still considered novel and innovative.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The other exciting new movement in the chocolate world is the rapid rise in chocolate making in countries of cocoa origin; this was far more common in the Americas where there is a tradition of eating cocoa and cocoa products, but really not happening very much at all in Africa - despite so much cocoa growing there. Cocoa farmers learning how to make chocolate from their own crop, adding value to their production - learning how to process, how to market, how to develop a domestic market that may not have existed before. I have followed with fascination and admiration the <a href="https://www.chocolaterebellion.com/cross-atlantic-chocolate" target="_blank">Cross Atlantic Chocolate Collective</a> - who are doing just that - sharing knowledge and learning from the Caribbean to Africa. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It is a little frustrating sometimes in my Highland remoteness that my only engagement with these exciting developments is passive and through the portal of social media and online events. But I am grateful for this window, and to the extraordinary people that push boundaries and make change. They influence my own way of doing things - challenge me to think differently, to reflect on my own experience and knowledge and push and expand and explore those overlaps in my Venn diagrams.</span></div></div></div>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-8876393056568943962021-08-07T07:00:00.002-07:002021-08-09T01:56:45.838-07:00By sail to Orkney - a chocolate bar adventure<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object
classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</p><p class="MsoNormal">A few weeks ago a small package of our chocolate bars went
on an extraordinary adventure of their very own (am I jealous?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You bet!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The talented and adventurous writer, <a href="https://www.lindacracknell.com/" target="_blank">Linda Cracknell</a> approached me with a magnificent proposition – she was sailing from Ullapool to
Orkney on the Bessie Ellen, and what did I think of the idea of her taking a
small cargo of chocolate bars with her and delivering them to a deli in Kirkwall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Absolutely yes! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for so many
reasons…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFfTvNTJNOslejqDWII-oVUVqR_eAxw5zMqd1MQaqVjp7sup0Hksx-MJiNKsCeYwD9oH-yVYxr6j3HDety6kUd0yfi_EdGJm-wDtxG4kReBUfoAzhhtlnptHWKD9KrT4bTpdTHkhGWw/s720/bessie+ellon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFfTvNTJNOslejqDWII-oVUVqR_eAxw5zMqd1MQaqVjp7sup0Hksx-MJiNKsCeYwD9oH-yVYxr6j3HDety6kUd0yfi_EdGJm-wDtxG4kReBUfoAzhhtlnptHWKD9KrT4bTpdTHkhGWw/w418-h278/bessie+ellon.jpg" width="418" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bessie Ellen en route to Orkney. Thanks to Chrys Tremththanmor for the photo</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Linda has been researching her family history, learning a
lot about her sea-faring ancestors in the South West.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of her relatives through her mother’s
family, Captain John (Jack) Chichester was
keen to develop his business transporting heavy cargo, and he bought the Bessie
Ellen in 1906.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a young ship then,
a 120ft trading ketch built in Plymouth
in 1904.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the slow demise of sail
over the early 20<sup>th</sup> century, they were able to use her 150 ton
capacity to transport bulk cargos around UK
and Ireland.
I wonder if she ever transported cocoa or chocolate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The age of sail though was on its way out,
and in 1947 she was sold to a shipper in Denmark where she transported goods
around the Baltic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, she was
converted to be powered by an engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her current skipper, Nikki Alford, took her on in 2000 and has fully
restored her to a beautiful sailing ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cargo hold is now a dining room and living space for guests, who can
go on sailing adventures around the UK,
Ireland
and beyond. Find out more about this beautiful ship <a href="https://bessie-ellen.com/" target="_blank">here</a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">(and maybe book your own adventure!). </span>Linda’s idea
was to take a ‘small cargo’ with her to Orkney and as she had a friend running
a deli in Kirkwall – this all linked up very
nicely!</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAG9-UvmTNT5H6eqnfmfcOR7kJ3aAUQNht6CEVX4XyHq5R5gVxJT2b8_G1viG6o_vr-vP3cp92wue1ccWWT92G80vdrEN-RnXL7q6dNQubkCA3Ra9tUNa4o3XynIEuKFHdQ1MOExkwQ/s2048/cargo+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAG9-UvmTNT5H6eqnfmfcOR7kJ3aAUQNht6CEVX4XyHq5R5gVxJT2b8_G1viG6o_vr-vP3cp92wue1ccWWT92G80vdrEN-RnXL7q6dNQubkCA3Ra9tUNa4o3XynIEuKFHdQ1MOExkwQ/s320/cargo+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda taking possession of the cargo in Aberfeldy<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUg6IXPrlTR_UroT0dlXakwGoeYkOdI6bTsgtOH-yfX_1P_45drRYZ29e6S2-mpi5bgEU85RVae0z0ERZGvfFFsusVXj6wQbKwSOGgstpXtgOYeS1UEBU_zZndYNx2dnxeEky9jTSUA/s4896/DSC06515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="4896" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUg6IXPrlTR_UroT0dlXakwGoeYkOdI6bTsgtOH-yfX_1P_45drRYZ29e6S2-mpi5bgEU85RVae0z0ERZGvfFFsusVXj6wQbKwSOGgstpXtgOYeS1UEBU_zZndYNx2dnxeEky9jTSUA/s320/DSC06515.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skipper Nikki with the cargo on the Bessie Ellen<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p class="MsoNormal">My own family history has links to the sea as well – my
mother’s great grandfather John William Pyman was a Sea Captain in the 19<sup>th</sup>
century based from the north of England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tragically he was lost at sea in June 1879
and as all his wealth went down with that ship, his widow and three children
became destitute (and what happened to them is another story in itself!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not own the ship, nor the cargo, but
sea captains at the time were allowed to develop a small business on board, selling goods
to the crew during the voyage, which would allow them to earn a little more
than their pay:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that stock would have
been their life savings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not sure
where his boat was lost, or where he sailed to and from; my mother says that
her father just used to say ‘round the Cape’ – which we assume meant Cape of
Good Hope and so maybe on to India.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether he ever did the transatlantic route or
if he ever transported cocoa – these things we just don’t know. </p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QCTb7aQwaSdGuKcOyXPavxl685pmS1pwAsxnfMigZb8ftWrF3S4zBruBE0CHnKTydE0b5EuEcXrsWofe-EhOzqDxIyrjW4q1AOcLp0aF7vcIfLBsaAKcilTWbzEVenlbt0us9f2xRQ/s1600/stromness+book+shop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QCTb7aQwaSdGuKcOyXPavxl685pmS1pwAsxnfMigZb8ftWrF3S4zBruBE0CHnKTydE0b5EuEcXrsWofe-EhOzqDxIyrjW4q1AOcLp0aF7vcIfLBsaAKcilTWbzEVenlbt0us9f2xRQ/s320/stromness+book+shop.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freyja at <a href="https://stromnessbooksandprints.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Stromness Books & Prints</a> taking the cargo, and holding for collection by Duncan from Kirkness & Gorie<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And I have long been inspired by the transatlantic
adventures of the <a href="https://fairtransport.eu/tres-hombres" target="_blank">Tres Hombres</a> – bringing chocolate, cocoa, sugar and rum from
the Caribbean by sail to the UK
and Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The slow and dedicated re-establishing of wind powered cargo transport has
been happening quietly over the last decade or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ten years or so ago, Mott Green of Grenada
Chocolate Company worked with Tres Hombres to transport chocolate bars made on
Grenada to UK and Europe, and this started a small flow of wind-powered
transport of chocolate and cocoa to makers in the UK ever since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Falmouth-based company <a href="https://www.newdawntraders.com/" target="_blank">New Dawn Traders</a> have
developed trading routes linking transatlantic trade with the UK, Portugal,
France
and The Netherlands. A few years back I was excited to see that they were going
to be calling in at Oban and Inverness, and hoped to order some of their Caribbean chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly this trip did not happen in the end – but I have been hopeful ever
since that they might replan it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuYv0h3smYlRcckdpDt9tcFTk_Aud4bRkbTfljNFdmgcTSfahG2gzgIqVth29hP97CYwYzl5KW_phcq5jYWZEswdWyV7Pw7qr29XUHMrkrEjKkv7pAyXG-KKrBC4MJ5QqBYiF6pzMBQ/s296/duncan+and+bars.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="296" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuYv0h3smYlRcckdpDt9tcFTk_Aud4bRkbTfljNFdmgcTSfahG2gzgIqVth29hP97CYwYzl5KW_phcq5jYWZEswdWyV7Pw7qr29XUHMrkrEjKkv7pAyXG-KKrBC4MJ5QqBYiF6pzMBQ/s0/duncan+and+bars.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duncan after picking up the bars from the bookshop in Stromness<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So – lots of reasons why I enthusiastically accepted Linda’s
offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what did we send?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cargo was a small box of ten chocolate
bars, tasting of Perthshire in early summer – Elderflower flavoured white
chocolate and Scots pine plain chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Linda stressed that weather and tides might mean that they might not
make it to Orkney at all – and so, just as in my great great gandfather’s time
– she could always sell it to the crew and passengers on the boat itself!</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAxD1wg7McrltL5BCBR9Yoil2Fp8s1fKOPHoB_QNkj2TJXm0ofVCypEP-8eoghhmVvp_yI28mREJKOiinHiP7AJ8NGIwSUA61TpiurR49QiKgX2CRbtBAReEMuVFJz3FiRKhJNv2Chw/s275/kirkwall+deli+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="275" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAxD1wg7McrltL5BCBR9Yoil2Fp8s1fKOPHoB_QNkj2TJXm0ofVCypEP-8eoghhmVvp_yI28mREJKOiinHiP7AJ8NGIwSUA61TpiurR49QiKgX2CRbtBAReEMuVFJz3FiRKhJNv2Chw/s0/kirkwall+deli+1.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chocolate bars reach their destination shelf in the fabulous <a href="http://www.kirknessandgorie.com" target="_blank">Kirkness & Gorie Deli</a> in Kirkwall<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Many, many thanks to all those involved in this amazing daisy chain of delivery! Linda especially, as well as Nikki and the Bessie Ellen, Freyja and Duncan. And here's to a future of sustainable transport!<br /></p>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-57386671841671311102020-08-21T09:28:00.001-07:002020-08-21T09:28:28.698-07:00Fruit leathers<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No, they don’t sound terribly appetising do they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to come up with a different name –
but this old traditional one does describe their appearance so well and gives
them a certain character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it gives
no hint to their intensity and flavour impact – and the surprise is part of the
pleasure maybe.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Leathers are a traditional technique for preserving fruits;
made well, they will keep fruits as a snack sweetmeat through the winter. They
require a lot less sugar than jam or jelly, and pack more flavour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Made carefully, they don’t need much cooking
either and so can keep flavours bright and intense.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have a ‘duplicated’/mimeograghed copy of fruit preserving
leaflet from the 80s in which leathers feature prominently, but it wasn’t until
my Wild Wonders course last year that I was re-introduced to their
possibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I struggle with how to
manage fruits in the chocolates – they are wet, acidic and often don’t carry
intense enough flavour to make a great impact in the ganache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Acquiring a dehydrator has helped – and
drying some fruits helps manage the moisture without too much boiling or added
sugar; raspberries and sea buckthorn work particularly well in this way.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But leathers offer a way to process fruits and weave round
chocolate in a different way from ganache filled chocolates, and I began to
play around with them last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blaeberries were my first real success;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I went to a great talk by Eva Gunnare, a Swedish forager, as part of the
Foraging Fortnight and she gave us blueberry leather and described how simple
it was to make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can reduce your
fruit pulp by simmering and boiling, but better still – reduce through
dehydration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sugar added can then be
more about taste than preservation as you are removing excess water through the
dehydrating process not the boiling/simmering/sugar concentration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why freezer jams for rasps and
strawberries are so delicious – preservation is managed through freezing and
not sugar concentration and moisture reduction through boiling – the flavours
are fresher, brighter and more intense.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For wet fruits like blaeberries leather making was the
answer – get it right and you have a soft, slightly chewy, intensely flavoured
nibble – that is just perfect dipped in the right chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made these for the Wild Food Festival last
year and they disappeared really quickly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They are though, a lot of work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Foraging wild fruits is in itself a labour requiring
meditative levels of patience and endurance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blaeberries, raspberries, wild strawberries (actually I have never
gathered enough of these at any one time to do anything other than eat them!) –
but the joy of leathers is that you can make from any fruit or vegetable I
imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we have tried rhubarb,
Japanese knotweed, elderberries and sloes. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I cannot really give you a recipe, more like a process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much depends on the fruit, the flavour you
want, and what equipment you have for dehydrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will describe the process for raspberries
and blaeberries, and hope that this serves as enough of a guide to help you get
started.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pick over your fruit to remove any mouldy or badly damaged
fruits; remove stalks and leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wash
carefully and drain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weigh the fruit,
and add a third of that weight in sugar (less if you think the fruit already
sweet).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mix in and leave covered for a
few hours – stirring occasionally to help bring out the juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of this period, there should be
lots of juice, possibly submerging all the fruit.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiAIqtJRA6EDYOH0MbRk5qatnhQnRh7fEKst_t1sncT_YsXM6bp38fFjRJXuqsWQwLOOvnqnAlI-vgJOig2NWRfHNmZv0kgz_r3nM0Ye7AgZHDXO7H699gv9NO7t9t8nZvHAWs0B5rQ/s2048/IMG_20200803_135517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiAIqtJRA6EDYOH0MbRk5qatnhQnRh7fEKst_t1sncT_YsXM6bp38fFjRJXuqsWQwLOOvnqnAlI-vgJOig2NWRfHNmZv0kgz_r3nM0Ye7AgZHDXO7H699gv9NO7t9t8nZvHAWs0B5rQ/w246-h328/IMG_20200803_135517.jpg" width="246" /></a></div> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Quickly bring to the boil, just to kill off any bacteria or
yeasts; if you don’t mind the seeds, then mush up into a pulp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise strain into a bowl; using the back
of a metal spoon, force as much of the juice and soft fruit pulp through the
sieve, until you have only seeds and skin in the sieve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the strained liquid is really thin, you
could heat and evaporate off some of the excess water – but be careful about
monitoring the taste, as this will change with prolonged cooking.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdms24KcULVvoOkv-TK7gRJmOUCMqN42e0gGDI6tC6eMkKBX7SnchLmNfxbhS2V5K4zXkmwXG9Qeqo4wQZKdSaFAMRuktXAHLgbK59fgFSOYrJ8j2OQOnY14yzNNIFScAMmAK1yV10w/s2048/IMG_20200814_104037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdms24KcULVvoOkv-TK7gRJmOUCMqN42e0gGDI6tC6eMkKBX7SnchLmNfxbhS2V5K4zXkmwXG9Qeqo4wQZKdSaFAMRuktXAHLgbK59fgFSOYrJ8j2OQOnY14yzNNIFScAMmAK1yV10w/w197-h262/IMG_20200814_104037.jpg" width="197" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5bqLq4ABSCbQKS9zuA2L3wAdXtmXhli2yKOA4HH5j2fSidGLOUD6V2Ylr2bNuClduVqrA1ld7LoLFGNhzB95sWJ5Tl5XaVIdoH4aQBYByjh0Zwo34rsWXhkp_567yFYERVLNZxDHumQ/s2048/IMG_20200814_104048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5bqLq4ABSCbQKS9zuA2L3wAdXtmXhli2yKOA4HH5j2fSidGLOUD6V2Ylr2bNuClduVqrA1ld7LoLFGNhzB95sWJ5Tl5XaVIdoH4aQBYByjh0Zwo34rsWXhkp_567yFYERVLNZxDHumQ/w197-h262/IMG_20200814_104048.jpg" width="197" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdms24KcULVvoOkv-TK7gRJmOUCMqN42e0gGDI6tC6eMkKBX7SnchLmNfxbhS2V5K4zXkmwXG9Qeqo4wQZKdSaFAMRuktXAHLgbK59fgFSOYrJ8j2OQOnY14yzNNIFScAMmAK1yV10w/s2048/IMG_20200814_104037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Prepare trays to go in the dehydrator – maybe line with
silicon baking paper, and pour a thin layer of the pulp (say 0.5 to 1cm deep –
depending on how thick you would like your leather to be; remember it will
shrink considerably through drying so take this into account *).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dehydrate on a low heat – 115 to 120 F – until tacky enough
to handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remove from the paper,
peeling it away carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To store, lay
the sheet onto fresh paper and then roll up with the paper so that there is
sheet of paper between each layer of the leather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrap in a plastic bag, or in a sealed food
box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you want to use, unroll and
cut into strips.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Have fun! <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wt-CH-aXzlpwBjxk_IXVZHJAJByVEMvQFBm0Z74yKOBBkJ7dOYWZ8sTqRuRFF1dj38jy6E4SDqgaVqKirtO3SotvZ0KKWNkTpsQecPp6lqa-etYuljbwP-d8XpQRSjUNuwZDQdpQYw/s2048/IMG_20200814_144126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wt-CH-aXzlpwBjxk_IXVZHJAJByVEMvQFBm0Z74yKOBBkJ7dOYWZ8sTqRuRFF1dj38jy6E4SDqgaVqKirtO3SotvZ0KKWNkTpsQecPp6lqa-etYuljbwP-d8XpQRSjUNuwZDQdpQYw/w158-h210/IMG_20200814_144126.jpg" width="158" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjDGL9ML-jFD2nkswkyWHdV48IUN_tQGFB4F9Kxw5obP1ZADoEDCtU2FktgpStcV92bqVKeMnYPmCP0ZLCfmuXfzr3dhEZmdcFkrBcsgIlet4rheVInWc-DkIIbQWo4M_MooZmNqB5g/s2048/IMG_20200814_161338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjDGL9ML-jFD2nkswkyWHdV48IUN_tQGFB4F9Kxw5obP1ZADoEDCtU2FktgpStcV92bqVKeMnYPmCP0ZLCfmuXfzr3dhEZmdcFkrBcsgIlet4rheVInWc-DkIIbQWo4M_MooZmNqB5g/w158-h210/IMG_20200814_161338.jpg" width="158" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wt-CH-aXzlpwBjxk_IXVZHJAJByVEMvQFBm0Z74yKOBBkJ7dOYWZ8sTqRuRFF1dj38jy6E4SDqgaVqKirtO3SotvZ0KKWNkTpsQecPp6lqa-etYuljbwP-d8XpQRSjUNuwZDQdpQYw/s2048/IMG_20200814_144126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wt-CH-aXzlpwBjxk_IXVZHJAJByVEMvQFBm0Z74yKOBBkJ7dOYWZ8sTqRuRFF1dj38jy6E4SDqgaVqKirtO3SotvZ0KKWNkTpsQecPp6lqa-etYuljbwP-d8XpQRSjUNuwZDQdpQYw/s2048/IMG_20200814_144126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*I tried making a rhubarb leather once that was too thin and
it dehydrated to hand-made paper thinness – infact thinking about it, it <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>was</u></b> hand made paper – edible and
beautiful pink green mottled colouring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>OK – a whole new possible craft industry – edible fruit papers!</p>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-84780829390399055152020-02-27T10:48:00.000-08:002020-02-27T10:49:17.632-08:00How to judge a chocolate?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2iMgSaS2-wHDNfzUj4ec99AID2xGIxRrz14sTEBKtQlyUig2KB5zUMkQaNPSs_oLI0VuYjgbEqTMRBiFZX60b0dIyYKBoecaCryvgRO52Dq3lEAH_WZJ9r6y29VVbvYQb8VzeboBNA/s1600/IMG_20200219_104745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2iMgSaS2-wHDNfzUj4ec99AID2xGIxRrz14sTEBKtQlyUig2KB5zUMkQaNPSs_oLI0VuYjgbEqTMRBiFZX60b0dIyYKBoecaCryvgRO52Dq3lEAH_WZJ9r6y29VVbvYQb8VzeboBNA/s320/IMG_20200219_104745.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="https://img1.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" />
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Academy
of Chocolate was
established to promote the concept of ‘good chocolate’ – chocolate that is
ethical, sustainable, creative and delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They hold an Awards competition every year, and their Bronze, Silver and
Gold awards are coveted and adorn very fine chocolates from all over the world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I saw a call out for judges for this year’s competition, and
as I was not entering anything myself, approached the organisers to see if I
would be eligible; I am not a member of the Association, I hold no formal
qualitifications in Patisserie or chocolate making – but it seems all I needed
was a passion for good chocolate, and that along with a reasonable good understanding
of working with chocolate – would qualify me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I looked forward to the experience, and told people the
reason for my trip to London, I was tickled by their amusement of the concept of spending three
days judging chocolate (was it going to be a Britains’ got Talent style affair,
with Chocolatiers vying for the top award, me and other judges sitting like
Simon Cowell pooring derision and scorn on entries?). I also realised that I
had a number of anxieties about putting myself forward for this; do I know
enough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are my tastes in chocolate too
narrow, or at worst at odds with what is ‘popular’?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are my taste buds discerning enough?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was put at ease very quickly by both AoC organisers and
other volunteer judges as soon as I arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was wonderfully relaxed, and as I chatted with others I found that I
was not the only newby, and not the only chocolate maker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participants ranged from food journalists,
chefs, chocolate makers, interested foodies, a coffee taster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were mainly but not all from the UK – but we
covered a range of professions and a range of food cultures.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSXG2LW_Ekf3IcOerMjiXRkC0x7Qm-xBr2qCQSqrXrFWNK9OzCXy5BTSV1-uEkGULRz8wlx2VaZe6ibN0UPR39XMfVrVUgIvyCuN5botDUHrhdlaa4hMWEYbfRNDJgQtfM3diPYY46w/s1600/IMG_20200219_104828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSXG2LW_Ekf3IcOerMjiXRkC0x7Qm-xBr2qCQSqrXrFWNK9OzCXy5BTSV1-uEkGULRz8wlx2VaZe6ibN0UPR39XMfVrVUgIvyCuN5botDUHrhdlaa4hMWEYbfRNDJgQtfM3diPYY46w/s200/IMG_20200219_104828.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4w5k4EyhE3HRxlOh2qQX6CF2zyGYSNRBxZTHzJ8BEcISmEj_sFKNU5x020nDYci-wWUOljkOw2OEGl2hWlEPNFybJ_rK-GmziPtLLa1c20ZdbkJ8RkcGW0CWNR8g6ashcIf_yIh9oQ/s1600/IMG_20200220_161735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4w5k4EyhE3HRxlOh2qQX6CF2zyGYSNRBxZTHzJ8BEcISmEj_sFKNU5x020nDYci-wWUOljkOw2OEGl2hWlEPNFybJ_rK-GmziPtLLa1c20ZdbkJ8RkcGW0CWNR8g6ashcIf_yIh9oQ/s200/IMG_20200220_161735.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The judging room is large, with three tables situated as far
apart from each other as possible!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
each end there are tables with entries waiting to be judged;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>small plates of 5 or 6 samples of each entry,
nervously waiting their turn to be scrutinised (Ok, they are just chocolates
sitting on a plate – but out of their sumptuous packaging they do look
vulnerable, exposed and out of place – and hence, a little nervous).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are glossy brightly coloured and
decorated ones, plain ones with no décor, simple, elegant ones – all
sorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plain ones seem more anxious,
maybe wishing they had a little colour to them – or maybe quietly confident as
they felt they would star when it comes to flavour. This isn’t as fanciful as
it sounds – the makers are not in the room and so these small confections are
their representatives and embody the nerves of their makers, just as much as
they embody their creativity and ambition.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a separate room, busy people organise the entries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Table tops, trolleys and benches are piled
high with all manner of boxes – all the entries having been sent from all over
the world – carefully packaged to ensure that they arrive in the best possible
state.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFl5TDYhWOENsNn3voWZRbrRbEtnyDEoqHoiXj1QbZumW6eqBCuV-atV8YZ9z1uBiUDiqMokTxeizv-fxj5Xqq73PyHTLNVKNxp1ba_PVEnMlFJqGlImAIUg1VW0rOgQRJCYONhqUbKQ/s1600/IMG_20200219_124706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFl5TDYhWOENsNn3voWZRbrRbEtnyDEoqHoiXj1QbZumW6eqBCuV-atV8YZ9z1uBiUDiqMokTxeizv-fxj5Xqq73PyHTLNVKNxp1ba_PVEnMlFJqGlImAIUg1VW0rOgQRJCYONhqUbKQ/s200/IMG_20200219_124706.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iy_oKnXpzwrbcKPUyGxAuOgcc7RaaRbCXa8ObSsFfa_s7k6eZ4KRMl1ZcASaxh8F-uh3ggrxrBKQpfsOKQTZ2fq0K3fE7rLitydH8fpUW1flN7qCPaAiqUBmltkFRgYDiLLnEhCHiA/s1600/IMG_20200220_125325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iy_oKnXpzwrbcKPUyGxAuOgcc7RaaRbCXa8ObSsFfa_s7k6eZ4KRMl1ZcASaxh8F-uh3ggrxrBKQpfsOKQTZ2fq0K3fE7rLitydH8fpUW1flN7qCPaAiqUBmltkFRgYDiLLnEhCHiA/s200/IMG_20200220_125325.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3NJaJvz3rPStE3h0MzlscG-0mR63FywBZNDvNuOqx389dx7GBDO6FajsI21g2UTiFzIkZoKv34_PX5HZjoO9BNvdvXmwAyZfpCtWOQIs_A9twthRRVYubPEPY17TyGpSkyEB_oO6IA/s1600/IMG_20200219_133622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3NJaJvz3rPStE3h0MzlscG-0mR63FywBZNDvNuOqx389dx7GBDO6FajsI21g2UTiFzIkZoKv34_PX5HZjoO9BNvdvXmwAyZfpCtWOQIs_A9twthRRVYubPEPY17TyGpSkyEB_oO6IA/s200/IMG_20200219_133622.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am allocated a table number and join my other four group
colleagues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Introductions, some guiding
wisdom from Silvija Davidson of AoC,<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">and we start – presented with three <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span>entries to assess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we finish those, more are randomly
delivered to the table – some enrobed or panned, some white chocolate, some nut
categories – constant variety to keep our senses busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We set about dissecting and scrutinising people’s
hard worked creations; inspecting the product visually first – is it well presented,
does it look pleasing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then cut through
the middle to see how well it is constructed and put together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smell, look and then taste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are scrutinising people’s livelihoods and
it feels deeply uncomfortable; to respect that responsibility, we have to stay
true to a critical line; is this well made? Is it balanced? Does it give
joy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even a chocolate I personally don’t
like can give joy – in texture, look and ambition – and it is heartening that
we as a group are really respectful of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are not judging on just ‘do I like it or not’.</div>
<br />
<br />
C, and we start – presented with three <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the end of the first session, I am sugared out; my mouth
is complaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stop at a café on my
way home thinking a coffee will sort me out, but it just seems to be another assault
on my overworked taste buds!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have read
that people crave salad after a session of judging – clean, crisp, cool
brightness and I fully get that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cool
swim after frenzied overindulgence</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlqV2G4NAwIPHhkcbIOnSEglEy_iyskDaZ3eVQMVaseuEn2wqw5GkrFO8Gw0hWNbwabu5YBTltF6gO58_YdDefHtY6c92vG5ViX1HXja7veQUri2sqAQSbc09vsCFMd7MxFPZJnowxQ/s1600/IMG_20200220_161726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlqV2G4NAwIPHhkcbIOnSEglEy_iyskDaZ3eVQMVaseuEn2wqw5GkrFO8Gw0hWNbwabu5YBTltF6gO58_YdDefHtY6c92vG5ViX1HXja7veQUri2sqAQSbc09vsCFMd7MxFPZJnowxQ/s200/IMG_20200220_161726.jpg" width="150" /></a>Judges are volunteers and so some do one or two sessions,
others do more; for me, this goes on for two more days. We taste on; each
session I find myself with a different group and the table has a slightly
different dynamic about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learn to
refresh my palette more often with water, plain bread and thin sliced
apples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gain confidence in putting
forward my thoughts and observations to the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my last session I am asked to be the
scribe – and have to note and summarise the group’s feedback and thoughts on
each entry – this will be the feedback that makers receive – so it needs to be
clear and constructive, helpful to the maker to further improve their product –
another level of seriousness and respect for the entries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 3 days I think I might have tasted about 120 or more
chocolates; chocolates from all over the world with flavours ranging from the
familiar – hazelnuts, raspberries, to fruits I have never heard of before
(longans), through peppers and teas, liqueurs that spill out of their chocolate
shells, to algae and fish!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each one a
discrete package that represents its makers creativity, expertise and
ambition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some with stories attached
(the descriptions of the chocolates that entrants are asked to give range from a
straightforward overview of the chocolate, to stories of local traditions that
lie behind the flavours used).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This all
helps in the judging.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I come to the end of my three days – the judging goes on for
another couple of days for this part of the competition (the filled chocolates)
and will go on for the next month or more with judging of bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those entries that we identified as silver or
gold will go to the grand jury for confirmation of award.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once in a while, we completely disagreed on a
chocolate as a table, and when opinion varied wildly, it felt fairer to ask
another table to give a second opinion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I really enjoyed the experience – and home again and making
chocolates, it has made me conscious of my own practice and challenged my own
approach to chocolate making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
volunteered to learn, meet other people within the sector, see what other
people are doing – and achieved all that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am looking forward to when the awards are announced, knowing that I
was involved in a small way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks so much to AoC for involving me – and to all their
hard work in bringing all this together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And maybe next year, I might enter the competition!</div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-31772630208144215632019-08-26T04:57:00.002-07:002019-08-27T15:27:08.250-07:00Seeking Finnish wild treasures: berries, boletes, bears and boreal forest<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="https://img1.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" />
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8uo9OCmxaG3-pT61w5osztHHSdoWTzXxozwDtM3jBzJ5Us4Rb07zUAqKFgNFDAg4DuHZ481_eVyOcEwta96UnKk1OpaFRFUIkl1-EXBIlhE1XNZYc5SLRoWDhdgI40iVvNOZnacP5w/s1600/20190817_151006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8uo9OCmxaG3-pT61w5osztHHSdoWTzXxozwDtM3jBzJ5Us4Rb07zUAqKFgNFDAg4DuHZ481_eVyOcEwta96UnKk1OpaFRFUIkl1-EXBIlhE1XNZYc5SLRoWDhdgI40iVvNOZnacP5w/s320/20190817_151006.jpg" width="192" /></a>My phone has wierdly remained in Finland time since we came back, and it is helping me
hold on to what was such a great trip – so interesting, so enjoyable, so
tasty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to Karelia – the eastern-most
province of Finland – an area that has endless
forests – interspersed with more lakes and ponds than farmland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The small town of Ilomantsi was our home for a few days, set a-buzz
(literally) by the Bear Festival – chain saw sculptures of bears ‘in motion’
(this year’s festival theme) emerged from great spruce logs lining the street
when we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We watched each time we
passed as sculptures gradually came into focus – from rough outline, to angular
forms and eventually subtle expressions of movement and character.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We did so much in just a few days; we cooked in a Lutheran
church – an amazing three course lunch that saw us raiding flowerbeds and
nearby woodlands to embellish both table and plate; we forayed into woodlands –
giddy with the abundance of the familiar and new that we found there; we visited an
award winning distillery and got tipsy and a little loud tasting Arctic Blue
and Black Tea gins; we made fresh cheese, walked beautiful farms and milked inky-eyed,
long-eye-lashed gentle cows at Cow Camp, guided and led by our equally gentle
and knowledgeable hosts; we heard stories of wolf and bear attacks, the
realities of living on the edge of the great boreal forest, as well as lessons in
plant use, and cooking fungi; we had an interesting morning hearing from two
government projects within the Forestry Service, LUKE and Lulume, on how foraging
works in Finland – marvelling at the ‘everyman’s right’ to pick, and sell (tax
free). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iNKN8fq-qPMHgFgaGRcZDA6V21iSfK7S8LTX3E5-b7QlEdmJJhI9Acpj7nvWm9G3BsSswBITnEHIJ0Kb2nMWxHJrzHE3_bmSyNLqoSgQ2rxdWSAPsvV1jOWtQphEmlCQwmfS00Y6eA/s1600/20190816_150827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iNKN8fq-qPMHgFgaGRcZDA6V21iSfK7S8LTX3E5-b7QlEdmJJhI9Acpj7nvWm9G3BsSswBITnEHIJ0Kb2nMWxHJrzHE3_bmSyNLqoSgQ2rxdWSAPsvV1jOWtQphEmlCQwmfS00Y6eA/s320/20190816_150827.jpg" width="320" /></a>We drank coffee at woodland fires, were treated to the most
generous and extraordinary hospitality throughout – delicious food, generous
sharing of knowledge and glimpses into rural lives in Finland. The
focus of our visit was the Wild Food Festival in Ilomantsi and this was great
fun – we visited on the Saturday and ate all sorts of wild delicacies – tar
icecream, wood flour biscuits, wild flavoured juices, bear meat for those that
wished it – using mobile phones and google translate to communicate when the
international language of Latin plant names failed us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Too much really to take in, and definitely too much to
describe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, a few highlights and
thoughts for me were:</div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>how ‘normalised’ wild foods are – starting with blueberry
juice on the Finnair flight, in restaurants, blue berries everywhere, in
sweets, icecreams, at every meal (both in savoury and sweet dishes), in
supermarket products.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not just
blueberries – so many other wild berries as well – crowberries, cloudberries,
lingonberries, and lovely to see sea buckthorn a ‘common berry’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our gorgeous host Mari (such fun, continuosly
ensuring that we had all we needed, translating, guiding) knew plants because
she just did – brought up using them, and still using them as food and drink.</li>
<li>so straightforward – everyman’s right; tax free sales;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mari mentioned that there is a license system
– for which you need to demonstrate that you know key species (wish I
learned a little more about this).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At different
times and in different groups in Scotland, we have tied ourselves in knots
trying to develop codes of practice, should be have licenses to pick
commercially – but in Finland they seem to have a simple system based
essentially on trust and tradition. We were spellbound to hear that ordinary
people collect 50 million kilos of berries a year (20m kgs are then sold on)
and 5-10 million kg of fungi (1.5 million kg sold on); the stats themselves are
amazing but also amazed that the stats exist, that wild gathered products are quantified in this way. The importance of wild foods to local domestic, local and national economies is both recognised and supported; the presentations from LUKE and Lulume outlined how this is being developed through widespread research and support to private forest owners.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI4jRoYwT6QgXqn3TbyKv8fIMTffndIAvrPNetcYURr_snKWVciDQQoEyIlw0nl-W5F4VrzChGhK8Gtnr71ug7zzu5RNRUM6tDJ0g-UvXlHqk16eMhmt0fojQinCrLQwaWvotUg3LKA/s1600/20190818_134140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI4jRoYwT6QgXqn3TbyKv8fIMTffndIAvrPNetcYURr_snKWVciDQQoEyIlw0nl-W5F4VrzChGhK8Gtnr71ug7zzu5RNRUM6tDJ0g-UvXlHqk16eMhmt0fojQinCrLQwaWvotUg3LKA/s200/20190818_134140.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6hh_STIprGqhdmDodTROlXX3dfZBajKQurqGDW3YBkIaglwCEsHWmQt2as3xiEwbVzF6HxFZncnf_3InWkYbHh3CdxVsvyfAlS7p0472dMelJxbl4q_UxQX9G4wJLOKZRsvy9ecN6Q/s1600/20190818_141124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6hh_STIprGqhdmDodTROlXX3dfZBajKQurqGDW3YBkIaglwCEsHWmQt2as3xiEwbVzF6HxFZncnf_3InWkYbHh3CdxVsvyfAlS7p0472dMelJxbl4q_UxQX9G4wJLOKZRsvy9ecN6Q/s200/20190818_141124.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1eEg6oCVCeWKeWwFPF3T4nf3rqm2KvN6eXWWJnlFuHfeHMT14jnHTXTtujUuXHYmrcFg6-EDHI2uvlrMClw4jLZotsW2fVB0F5oSaLvzUU8X6ELJvCfeyAW3jWiwn4mraRiZnEQ8Qw/s1600/20190818_134202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1eEg6oCVCeWKeWwFPF3T4nf3rqm2KvN6eXWWJnlFuHfeHMT14jnHTXTtujUuXHYmrcFg6-EDHI2uvlrMClw4jLZotsW2fVB0F5oSaLvzUU8X6ELJvCfeyAW3jWiwn4mraRiZnEQ8Qw/s200/20190818_134202.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>to be somewhere so abundant and rich. I am sure not all of Finland is like this – around cities
and towns, and where there is more pressure of agriculture on land it might be very different – but from
the presentation given to us by the forestry guys well over half of the land is. In and around Ilomantsi – the forest and
marsh are abundant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The forest crown is
quite open, allowing light through to the forest floor which supports a
wonderland of berries, fungi, and mosses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every footstep we took, there were carpets of plants –
mainly familiar – ladies mantle, cranesbills, rose bay willowherbs, thistles,
nettles, raspberries - so familiar but so surprising to see so much abundance
and diversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it proved a perfect
nursery ground for the fungi novices of the group – a gentle but varied
introduction to our up-coming fungi studies.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGtzy-b0J9gH4RHoUaaLelxuot4N9mK2RgFeitL_z3L1-FJnOLGAMcuQa0sGaORNY5inEEMXQYYqgA7-sOKcWnRNAG4Bz5K2UQBGyfIWq773Aqr82zmfKGGkJc3XY9HMcpSfoU2p77w/s1600/20190818_113423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGtzy-b0J9gH4RHoUaaLelxuot4N9mK2RgFeitL_z3L1-FJnOLGAMcuQa0sGaORNY5inEEMXQYYqgA7-sOKcWnRNAG4Bz5K2UQBGyfIWq773Aqr82zmfKGGkJc3XY9HMcpSfoU2p77w/s320/20190818_113423.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For me, to be surrounded and immersed in Boreal forst was a
real treat – we have the same tree species in the UK – Scots pine, Norway
spruce, birch, aspen and alder – but not so often in these open mixed
stands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A particular delight was the
abundance of aspen – one of my favourite trees – rare to come across in Scotland, but
tall and elegant in these Finnish woods – and the sound of the breeze through
the tremulous canopy still fills my ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the last day we had a wonderful walk through beautiful mixed
woodland, coming out by a large pond – skirted with water lilies, bog bean,
mosses, cranberries and an abundance of different berries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We fell to picking and eating, in a frenzy –
brought to a climax by the sight of large purple splodges on the path – bear
poo!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is so much I realise I did not ask whilst there; for
example, what is the concern story there – I think I was blinded by so much
going on, that forgot to think about why there is a LEADER project in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our own project in Scotland is driven by an urge to
reconnect people with wild foods and nature, but what is theirs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from where we stand it seems sorted, but
clearly not, as otherwise there would be no project.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Could one of the issues be a narrowing of variety?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even in this culture, there seems to be a ‘pop’
list – the berries (blue, cran, cloud, crow), mushrooms, (ceps and milk caps –
despite the huge abundance of fungi – in the festival it seemed only ceps were available
and dried), plants (goutweed, ladies mantle, meadowsweet). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are
much the same – elderflower, berries, chanterelles, ceps (amongst the foodies),
brambles, wild garlic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our list is shorter,
but it is the same issue, of expanding the familiarity with different plants
and in different uses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even with so much tradition and widespread knowledge, it was wonderful to
see the new energies in play – the gin distiller, the young chefs and many of the stall holders at the festival.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69o6dyWpUeyr2XhuJSEIcuIwHo-tSkU-ZmXuhG0cYG5wIUTOnpp6s9sOJ7v5GuD7hUlpkOKRX5sSTT39t1b8ntPq7E3hmHmkiQkdyMLjSrwoYR3g8NbutwQ218X8srHS9Qzh3bTNn9g/s1600/20190815_125733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69o6dyWpUeyr2XhuJSEIcuIwHo-tSkU-ZmXuhG0cYG5wIUTOnpp6s9sOJ7v5GuD7hUlpkOKRX5sSTT39t1b8ntPq7E3hmHmkiQkdyMLjSrwoYR3g8NbutwQ218X8srHS9Qzh3bTNn9g/s200/20190815_125733.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXJRK_rvV9Ey2DY18-A4N8LhTJJ9S0ExeITd-XMPuDc68BVXeznsEVIoPf_msSJAkTUs5r0kmIGr6eDx8S8u1hc1W3f4jCGTlm7Bowe3faf9ItVWXmL7P73ag4kiDNvPc86STxC7Cbw/s1600/20190815_180304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXJRK_rvV9Ey2DY18-A4N8LhTJJ9S0ExeITd-XMPuDc68BVXeznsEVIoPf_msSJAkTUs5r0kmIGr6eDx8S8u1hc1W3f4jCGTlm7Bowe3faf9ItVWXmL7P73ag4kiDNvPc86STxC7Cbw/s200/20190815_180304.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmT1R6ceaGTnCecPnfAwcd91KZuLfs0DwEDFs2GBwEeCuYbalEsX0_PfQ2APDTsrbwAb5I1pFJUIKWJgrjevUR2yOgALR6KPHwibqU60c0pEm-EWgBkcEMMCl4aljDWESjxWBdwDoAow/s1600/20190815_180121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmT1R6ceaGTnCecPnfAwcd91KZuLfs0DwEDFs2GBwEeCuYbalEsX0_PfQ2APDTsrbwAb5I1pFJUIKWJgrjevUR2yOgALR6KPHwibqU60c0pEm-EWgBkcEMMCl4aljDWESjxWBdwDoAow/s200/20190815_180121.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-86422676927860420222019-08-26T02:54:00.000-07:002019-08-26T02:54:24.703-07:00Wild Wonders<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="https://img1.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" />
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to be given a place on a training programme funded by LEADER, called Wild Wonders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a year long programme, led by Mark Williams
of <a href="https://www.foragingfortnight.co.uk/scottish-wild-food-festival/" target="_blank">Galloway Wild Foods</a>, and our group of 12 apostles meet up with him monthly to learn more
about foraging, using wild ingredients and how to introduce and guide others to a greater connection with our natural larder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are a mixed group of food makers (chefs, small
food businesses), herbalists, guides, community educators all brought together
with a common thirst to learn and explore </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">the wild larder’s
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">as well as our own potential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been such a wonderful
tonic for me – to expand my own knowledge, find a ‘tribe’ of like minded folk,
explore different parts of Scotland, and meet other people using foraging at the heart of their businesses. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I have already started to make new flavours as a result of the course, and constantly thinking about new ways to incorporate flavours into the chocolate. As part of the Wild Wonders programme we are organising a <a href="https://www.foragingfortnight.co.uk/scottish-wild-food-festival/" target="_blank">Wild Food Festival</a>, as part of the wider <a href="https://www.foragingfortnight.co.uk/" target="_blank">Foraging Fortnight</a> in early September. Our festival will be on 14th September, at beautiful Cardross Estate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Being LEADER, it is a cross cultural programme, working with groups in Finland, Lithuania and Latvia. We have just had a great trip to Finland to a Wild Food Festival in Karelia province and we are looking forward to spending time with foraging friends from Finland and Latvia at our September event.</span>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-52319108298999296002019-03-15T09:46:00.001-07:002019-03-15T09:46:10.847-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
Chocoa 2019, Amsterdam</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpol9sg291xjPaN8QuWIZdhxQGk7GKgKEXUrcbE-PSk9sV0RPQx1Oj-JYztaezqmc9N1M6HfYozjHggzi-Gm1qkiAYqj1nBDG0yf7tyiL7Cm-vsQKLcM_3Jc-d0aaLQvJrIeftSpiNA/s1600/20190220_102749%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpol9sg291xjPaN8QuWIZdhxQGk7GKgKEXUrcbE-PSk9sV0RPQx1Oj-JYztaezqmc9N1M6HfYozjHggzi-Gm1qkiAYqj1nBDG0yf7tyiL7Cm-vsQKLcM_3Jc-d0aaLQvJrIeftSpiNA/s320/20190220_102749%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
As a small business in a rural area, it is easy to feel a little remote from the chocolate making community out there - I don't even bump into Iain Burnett very often and he only works 10 miles or so down the road! So, with great excitement and with pockets full of business cards, I set off to meet fellow chocolate makers and adventurers at Chocoa 2019 in Amsterdam, an annual gathering devoted to all things cocoa and chocolate. It is an extraordinary event - bringing together 'big chocolate' - the Cargills, Mars and Callebauts, as well as Ministers of Trade and Cocoa from cocoa producing countrues aroud the world - and (where I fit in!) the smaller craft makers, and the various business small, medium and large who are involved in the 'value chain' of cocoa to chocolate. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bQMkOT7tXWQ0Xz_22c5Yl-XIWXdhjhU1Be4Yn5khpdLC4L08W-5MYskqD_NNKpjVTEk83IIFCEUUzwTIu2eHOzKCPMruFdq1eKDsw4Nj72tABiZjyKQuYOxRwq5OA4jYhPMwI5A3ag/s1600/20190221_094133%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bQMkOT7tXWQ0Xz_22c5Yl-XIWXdhjhU1Be4Yn5khpdLC4L08W-5MYskqD_NNKpjVTEk83IIFCEUUzwTIu2eHOzKCPMruFdq1eKDsw4Nj72tABiZjyKQuYOxRwq5OA4jYhPMwI5A3ag/s320/20190221_094133%255B1%255D.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Amsterdam port and waterfront </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Amsterdam is the centre of cocoa in Europe - the port receives cocoa from around the world, stores and then dispatches it through Europe - and there are also chocolate processing businesses along the industrial waterfront of the city outskirts. For some reason, I had not really known or thought much about this - but it was with real pleasure and interest that I met Astrid Fisser, an amazing woman whose job is to organise all the cocoa logistics in the Port, and she told me all about its role in the cocoa supply chain and then how cocoa is moved on through Europe - mainly through the waterways and by train. <br />
<br />
My first participation was in Women Network in Cocoa and Chocolate - an afternoon workshop that brought women from all over the world; through a number of fun introductory activities we got a sense of the global reach of the group (huge), the breadth across the value chain (from growers to bloggers), and rather alarmingly the disparity in how much chocolate we all ate a week! We were led through a brilliant session on negotiating - so no haggling at my market stalls in the future!<br />
<br />
On Thursday and Friday two events ran concurrently - the Chocolate Makers Forum and a Trade fair. The trade fair covered two huge halls within the Beurs van Berlage - a very handsome early 20th century building in the heart of Amsterdam - originally built as home to the Stock Exchange. As you walked into the Trade fair, you were met by a wonderful smell of cocoa - an earthy, slightly fruity and chocolatey aroma - and a buzz of conversation and exchange. There were many west African growers represented - projects from Sierra
Leone, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon - brilliant to see as
these are on the whole dominated by the large chocolate companies.
Companies also from East Africa - Uganda and Tanzania, including tree to
bar makers. Asia was also well represented - India, Philipines,and Vietnam.<br />
<br />
It is a huge sector, but possibly also a small world - lots of greeting of old friends and colleagues, hearty discussions about bean variety, fermentation, sugar types and flavouring. A couple of years ago, talk at such events was all about cocoa genetics; now it is 'post harvest' - the fermentation and drying processes that convert the raw cocoa bean into the commodity that is shipped, stored, roasted and ground into chocolate. Lots of conversations about sustainability - the pros and cons of certification, the bottom line being how to ensure farmers are paid enough to keep them in cocoa, and attract young people into the industry.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dk5BFnNEGw56O2Wn9k-DLC5Ayn70oPIn3wQt1iuQprJrFRtMtB1Rlmas5E-Me33dPkoKu39VmBk396tNIBJ5rbi9YoB6bEXgKKZEsN1qbBYKU2JGloFJgBoWANb1ZiJ67hNcTgV72w/s1600/20190222_112540%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dk5BFnNEGw56O2Wn9k-DLC5Ayn70oPIn3wQt1iuQprJrFRtMtB1Rlmas5E-Me33dPkoKu39VmBk396tNIBJ5rbi9YoB6bEXgKKZEsN1qbBYKU2JGloFJgBoWANb1ZiJ67hNcTgV72w/s200/20190222_112540%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the most exciting meetings for me was with Samuel Baruta - the founder of Marou - who it turns out has been to Aberfeldy! Marou make the gorgeous Ben Tre couveture that Dewars have matched with their Aberfeldy Single Malt - so very sorry I did not happen to have a bottle at hand to present to Samuel!<br />
<br />
What was amazing was the number of companies converting cocoa into chocolate in the country of origin - a trend that would see the value this adds staying in the cocoa growing countries - as well as skills developed, etc. The chocolates were wonderful as well - my particular favourite a Vietnamese business VNCacao.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriNCYBd7_50Bj3VMwOgdkWDnHlzT8rjnNh4zWqcXdyNa_c2IPTHGt-9eNfBj0DjmwoC3kn8DNtMkJWaRQLABVOJDZT0mTU2R_GmYDFCHnc_vzTN8q8_JiWPcbBuDqEfjznAIFejQCaw/s1600/20190221_102214%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriNCYBd7_50Bj3VMwOgdkWDnHlzT8rjnNh4zWqcXdyNa_c2IPTHGt-9eNfBj0DjmwoC3kn8DNtMkJWaRQLABVOJDZT0mTU2R_GmYDFCHnc_vzTN8q8_JiWPcbBuDqEfjznAIFejQCaw/s200/20190221_102214%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
I had a fabulous chat about Indonesia cocoa with a chap who is setting out to source from Aceh, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Flores - it was great to catch up on how things have devoloped in the fine cocoa since my two visits there many years ago.<br />
<br />
The big questions asked were mainly about sustainability; I am left with thoughts about integrity of supply chain, as well as are we at 'peak' single origin craft chocolate? the trend does seem to be moving towards flavoured chocolates more.<br />
<br />
And the event finished with a cocoa auction (I had to sit on my hands through that!) and then a rather surreal finale of an opera singer, accompanied by a harpist, singing arias she had matched to different chocolates. This felt so very, well Dutch, really!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZJOlYlw9hP8_JkLgAyGvfKjaoIAcCVXAt8VaSIxyAN46k_XBm1I5cla4HCVu28ctWtgDC2lvLK667rOnYZRAPLmpSUmcLygatkZfyORH6qpgr6M7NwZCTGT9crwmUt8h7w3L-2nmqQ/s1600/20190222_151015%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="961" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZJOlYlw9hP8_JkLgAyGvfKjaoIAcCVXAt8VaSIxyAN46k_XBm1I5cla4HCVu28ctWtgDC2lvLK667rOnYZRAPLmpSUmcLygatkZfyORH6qpgr6M7NwZCTGT9crwmUt8h7w3L-2nmqQ/s320/20190222_151015%255B1%255D.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<br />cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-71310397630679146982017-03-09T14:24:00.001-08:002017-05-27T12:50:55.015-07:00Making progress with our bean to bar<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlgH84eigWpJFfnG92gHHzeRyy6LV6RLHG2_rsXkR44tm2Y2r4Xi7cKh_KRKdEkLmcH3OW_qNnohUd63ScO4NjKCbOgNPwk4UE-JisYrx-Vgjuz_zq0GOvScdvYlEkXTMJYfQ-DFL5A/s1600/ready+to+winnow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlgH84eigWpJFfnG92gHHzeRyy6LV6RLHG2_rsXkR44tm2Y2r4Xi7cKh_KRKdEkLmcH3OW_qNnohUd63ScO4NjKCbOgNPwk4UE-JisYrx-Vgjuz_zq0GOvScdvYlEkXTMJYfQ-DFL5A/s200/ready+to+winnow.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7dJfGLltevBL_PSpeoajmBg0uuBqjRA0-E0NRGSccb75vMUtok_F0pb9d6oSGcCU18sm2vcaZC8KWxo4X8eITOFL3itt18qmENPw33-kwDqla2pD9H-Fy6x_UJARfCbcOy64jaQERQ/s1600/roasted+beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7dJfGLltevBL_PSpeoajmBg0uuBqjRA0-E0NRGSccb75vMUtok_F0pb9d6oSGcCU18sm2vcaZC8KWxo4X8eITOFL3itt18qmENPw33-kwDqla2pD9H-Fy6x_UJARfCbcOy64jaQERQ/s200/roasted+beans.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEG0M2lyDP40fdhUN5kEkk2RjLjSN_V3kaL2ppeNYRteKQVTna5G8hO-K4fpI33_LbWTrPe7-mAFBZ-qWINrtQHPTfiY1KOoydoc8nZRYEoKbKcK9R6g00GfnM4rOJSrIWR1l_ii76g/s1600/20170223_111120%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEG0M2lyDP40fdhUN5kEkk2RjLjSN_V3kaL2ppeNYRteKQVTna5G8hO-K4fpI33_LbWTrPe7-mAFBZ-qWINrtQHPTfiY1KOoydoc8nZRYEoKbKcK9R6g00GfnM4rOJSrIWR1l_ii76g/s200/20170223_111120%255B1%255D.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are making progress with our steep learning curve on making chocolate
from cocoa beans (bean to bar), although we still have a long way to go!
Limitations are both equipment and technique, but bit by bit we are
understanding more about this incredible process.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have been hand roasting small batches of about 2kg of beans at a time,
still using a domestic oven and still playing around with temperatures and
times. A recent trip to visit Duffy Sheardown taught me much and adopting
his 'roasting test' I have been able to be much more consistent with roasting,
and recently we were able to process over 10kg of beans in one batch.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We also made a major breakthrough in winnowing last
month; I have been reading about and pricing small winnowers, and dreaming
about a faster way of removing those pesky cocoa shells. Meanwhile every
small batch we have done, I ended up peeling by hand. Faced with the 10kg
of beans (an order for an event in March) we knew we had to do something and I
had another go at the 'hairdryer and bowl' technique much talked about on DIY
bean to bar chat forums (such fun!); I had found this uneffective and messy
when I first tried it, but maybe desparation or guided by a cocoa angel - this
time around I seemed to get the knack! Still messy (eye goggles and
screening off half the workshop a necessity) but as the video below shows - it
really does work and reduces a task to one day, that would have taken us 2
weeks by hand.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyR0ddtYZug_gmaXs36UOqlTvlIowzcgyKnXM6rZFbgcj99dwyU16kx1hklfjv8kEKUlxKLeXHZDHN4sfrb' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, a production process developed: we cracked the beans with a
rolling pin (no technology too complicated here!) and then into the 'winnowing
corner' and we have beautiful clean cocoa nibs ready to go into the grinder!</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx2LoCYneIWD4AL2tl443oOfM3wx7oyCCwvmNxNOr6XrlgyDcTROYV_sJQgM-mqW43jwOfL_AktmGLUBpT0' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then into the grinder for 3 days, left to mature for 3 to 4 weeks and then tempered and moulded into bars, and ready to go! From bean to bar in 4 to 5 weeks. </span></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-13221855779280354582016-07-01T01:28:00.002-07:002016-07-01T06:07:41.169-07:00The prickly case of Gorse flower and that elusive scent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSN9wdLN4IEpudL27p-673TJkbP47PslwqW70qJcFOCltoA5ckOUPTdBJsxNrI068VbjSibyqpHBjq5kJhOPYHOeYZM3qM1OHpDYlsECq4NaHvhXCwe0Q4owRe_lgYkm1U6KjqICLLVQ/s1600/gorse+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSN9wdLN4IEpudL27p-673TJkbP47PslwqW70qJcFOCltoA5ckOUPTdBJsxNrI068VbjSibyqpHBjq5kJhOPYHOeYZM3qM1OHpDYlsECq4NaHvhXCwe0Q4owRe_lgYkm1U6KjqICLLVQ/s320/gorse+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I am sure you are familiar with that wonderful heady coconut aroma that hangs heavy over a patch of gorse, resplendent in gold yellow flowers in early summer? It has teased me over the years - I have tried to capture this in chocolate for a number of years now - all to no effect.<br />
<br />
It is a prickly challenge as well - gorse <span class="st">(<i>Ulex europaeus</i>) </span>flowers are tightly clumped on prickle covered stems. Picking them requires precision; wearing gloves makes fingers too clumsy to remove the flowers, and I realise that my little finger is raised as if drinking tea with the Queen, as I focus on using thumb and forefinger to pluck out the flower, and attempt to keep my other fingers as far as possible from the needlelike spikes.<br />
<br />
Undaunted, each spring I watch out for a good sunny day, dry and warm, hopefully building up those gorgeous aromas. I seek the most aromatic shrubs, and set to with my prickly task. I take the flowers home, still warm from the sun and immerse them in melted cocoa butter in an effort to capture that fabulous flavour. I know it will work well with chocolate - we all know coconut works well with chocolate!<br />
<br />
I have left these flowers to infuse for varying amounts of time - from hours to days. Leave them too long and they start to rot a little - not a pleasant concept; but all to no avail - all I get is a cocoa butter with a slight floral teint. No coconut.<br />
<br />
So I tried infusing in cream for a ganache; again, no coconut. I have been doing this every spring since I started making chocolates! A couple of years ago, I came across <a href="http://www.chocolarder.com/" target="_blank">Chocolarder,</a> a chocolate maker in Cornwall who uses gorse flowers to flavour chocolate - and it was just as I imagined it would be; lovely coconut macaroon flavour. I wrote to the chocolate maker, and he introduced me to a new word 'enfleurage'; on looking this up I realised that this was a fancy name for what I had been doing already - but there were a number of ways of approaching it and I had only been practising 'hot enfleurage'; there was a cold version as well - maybe this was the solution?<br />
<br />
The following year, brimful of optimism, I tried this alternative technique; picked flowers and laid them between thin wafer layers of set cocoa butter. Left them for a week or two - but wildly disappointed to find that there was still no coconut.<br />
<br />
I began to wonder whether we had a sub-species of gorse in this area that has no aroma; or maybe the weather never gets warm or humid enough?<br />
<br />
One last try this year, and a glorious warm spell of weather in May - surely this must have been ideal? But no - I was to be disappointed again. In one last attempt I tried a ganache - a cream infusion of flowers, combined with milk chocolate. As I feared, no hint of coconut, but this time, maybe because I was giving up on coconut, I allowed myself to just taste the resulting ganache and stop focussing on one flavour. I realised that the ganache tasted like honey, with a slightly peppery edge and full of caramel. It was amazing!<br />
<br />
I have introduced it into the early summer selections and it has been very well received; and conversations with customers about it have revealed that I am not the only one that finds the coconut aroma elusive.<br />
<br />
So lesson learned; I need to taste with an open mind, and don't fixate on one flavour. Here's to next year's gorse season.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pvJwSREUnv2oNc2NGTARLR3xb-wMWCOL_qOzoAZbKqZr4zdK0lrJfvtWEgEzo0yM828XEIYMZH9zl_HpyFC2iI72Zi5bTbaTgGxs8L5zTVW7UIZEDQ3P7rt-T3k3s3ClrUdvM8rf6g/s1600/gorse+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pvJwSREUnv2oNc2NGTARLR3xb-wMWCOL_qOzoAZbKqZr4zdK0lrJfvtWEgEzo0yM828XEIYMZH9zl_HpyFC2iI72Zi5bTbaTgGxs8L5zTVW7UIZEDQ3P7rt-T3k3s3ClrUdvM8rf6g/s320/gorse+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-60525463604333877822015-10-29T16:23:00.001-07:002017-05-27T13:11:37.281-07:00First steps in bean to bar<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">My own bean to bar journey started with
what felt like a really random event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was doing a stall at the Rob Roy Challenge in Kenmore; it had been a slow
afternoon and by the end of the afternoon as I was packing up, a couple came
over and started talking to me about cocoa beans and chocolate; did I make my
own chocolate from beans?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(no, but
would love to)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>would I like some to
experiment with – they have some in the back of the car!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jocelyn and Aixa have a cocoa farm in Panama
and these were their first beans and they were in UK to test the market for
fine beans.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN44KO8KIECLqRVORRuXRofe-qg0obiCVw-8RSePOstMCv82iQQ3r3Qrm-Gy2my-Sy2uXycB4MGisFdxC9kIoN_EtzniXY0PUS-uh1Olei8rtc0NIBX2Q5291pOaDaIF6cO4KnyZYQwQ/s1600/20150908_121124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN44KO8KIECLqRVORRuXRofe-qg0obiCVw-8RSePOstMCv82iQQ3r3Qrm-Gy2my-Sy2uXycB4MGisFdxC9kIoN_EtzniXY0PUS-uh1Olei8rtc0NIBX2Q5291pOaDaIF6cO4KnyZYQwQ/s320/20150908_121124.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">The beans are delicious – just crunching in
to one is enough to tell you that they will make yummy chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So a plan was hatched; I would buy myself a
late congratulations present for the awards received earlier that year, invest
in a wet grinder, and set aside some time to experiment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The week of <a href="http://www.perthshireopenstudios.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">Perthshire Open Studios</span></span></a> in September felt perfect;
during the week I am unable to do normal production anyway, so could have this
bean to bar process take over the workshop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Visitors could learn about the process, as well as help out if they
wished!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Roasting:</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I had bought the wet grinder from <a href="http://www.hbingredients.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">HB Ingredients</span></span></a>, who also
had instructions on their website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
recommended roasting at about 120C for 25 minutes or so, and I had received
some advice from Jocelyn and Aixa about roasting time as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My plan was to experiment with each batch
and see what worked.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">First problem; what temperature really was
my oven at?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might set it to 120C but
was that the actual temperature?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
very old – probably over 25years old, a fan oven,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.duffyschocolate.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">Duffy</span></a></span>
had told me that they should smell of brownies when done, so we all stood in
the kitchen nostrils alert to aromas from the oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 20 minutes we opened the oven to check – were they
‘singing’ (the water in the bean escaping the shell), had the shells come
loose?, how intense does the brownie smell need to be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was already realising that simple words on
a page belied a complex process, and subsequent conversations and research
support this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a little like Mrs
Beeton<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>simply and helpfully saying
‘first take your rabbit’.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVB4m7C_ygvLzILPNoZCWjvBvkapRDl1a4-3ruY_OZBjW-HCb7BUSZMcCqI0CJ9LbRfuahXunf1jz3k2YaYVwkF2kjHr2wm7N1OkJwvDCw-HPLE-I7vA6Eq16CxCGmvhFB_qJnRjhBQ/s1600/20150908_112320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVB4m7C_ygvLzILPNoZCWjvBvkapRDl1a4-3ruY_OZBjW-HCb7BUSZMcCqI0CJ9LbRfuahXunf1jz3k2YaYVwkF2kjHr2wm7N1OkJwvDCw-HPLE-I7vA6Eq16CxCGmvhFB_qJnRjhBQ/s320/20150908_112320.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">So fearful of over-roasting (number one
cardinal sin) we pulled the beans out after 25 mins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the second batch I kept tabs on the oven temp with a
thermometer and learnt that the oven was far cooler than the dial was set to.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<h1>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Peeling and winnowing</span></span></span></h1>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">If I thought ‘roast the beans for 25 mins
until they smell of brownies’ was an understatement I was soon to learn that
‘peel and winnow the beans’ was an even greater one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We followed HB’s instructions to crush the beans in a bag with a
rolling pin – easy enough – but then were faced with this ‘Aesop tale type task
of removing the shells and separating the broken cocoa beans from the papery
covering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shell did not leave the
bean as easily as was intimated; we ended up peeling them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were hidden pleasures in this – when
you manage to keep the whole bean entire and reveal a beautiful dark shiny
complete bean rather than have it crumble into nibs in your fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked like chocolate pecans almost,
little convoluted folded coyledons of the new seedling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such small triumphs though did little to diminish
the tedium of peeling those beans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was fast becoming a sticking point.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgl_6UT0oNDWB9U9pXk_zqwa_es8S27i1p6bkEl4khCX12MDQB4NOs9yqbBugHau-xB1JB9xiFZWhq2uX8QhbbR2tT3tHRHFX-2BIthQMToxFYFZym7jxcJzmUixh95QjBl4PEiHztA/s1600/20150911_095202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgl_6UT0oNDWB9U9pXk_zqwa_es8S27i1p6bkEl4khCX12MDQB4NOs9yqbBugHau-xB1JB9xiFZWhq2uX8QhbbR2tT3tHRHFX-2BIthQMToxFYFZym7jxcJzmUixh95QjBl4PEiHztA/s200/20150911_095202.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSDzEDwB4QXdtNzMGPDs_iZMQbJIN_5dGCRKnFINOmYkRWoCnbtE-d2q6PNBdeZ40wqX6GqHuLUJIMaKNML2Nfcq5xlLbq_fdT3uVqfqGoVXdWNUnLLfuTbKXy8iJ7DSvJazUcaZqUA/s1600/20150911_095150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSDzEDwB4QXdtNzMGPDs_iZMQbJIN_5dGCRKnFINOmYkRWoCnbtE-d2q6PNBdeZ40wqX6GqHuLUJIMaKNML2Nfcq5xlLbq_fdT3uVqfqGoVXdWNUnLLfuTbKXy8iJ7DSvJazUcaZqUA/s200/20150911_095150.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">At least in hand peeling we were able to
separate most of the papery shell from the nibs; Aixa had asked if we could
keep the shells as the folk in Panama infuse them in rum to make a liqueur
(this in itself is enough to keep you going?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, there were lots of fragments mixed in to the nibs and we needed
to winnow them out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The HB oracle
suggested a hair dryer and without really thinking about it – I thought the
skins would be lighter and just blow away – I started to ‘mimic’ winnowing I
had seen in Africa and Nepal; pouring the grain from one container to another
but from a height<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so that the wind
would carry the lighter stuff away and the heavier would fall into the waiting
vessel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the wind was replaced by a
hairdryer – clearly my first mistake – a bit like winnowing in a typhoon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The skin did fly away, but so did the
nibs!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The workshop covered in cocoa
nibs and skin – after all that tedious peeling!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I turned to the fan, but this was not strong enough to blow
anything away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked on the internet
for more advice and read about the ‘dogbowl’ technique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A deepish bowl, blow air into it and the
lighter stuff comes up over the edges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This worked to a degree but I still found that the smaller nib pieces
were as light as the shells and I seemed to be losing a lot this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Winnowing’ never has such a simple concept
been so misleading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO wonder those
winnowing machine cost so much!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<h1>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Grinding</span></span></h1>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">After all that – the rest is actually
simple and straightforward; the machine takes over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The machine is extraordinary – I could not believe how well it
worked – it just kept going – whirring away in the corner of the room in a
quiet competent way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am in love with
it – machines that do what they are supposed to and don’t make a fuss, after all
that peeling and winnowing, calm was restored and we just had to wait and see.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Within a few hours the chocolate paste was
a little gritty but very liquid and a beautiful colour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to keep checking the temperature and
using the hair dryer to bring it back up to over 45C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I positioned table lamps over it in an effort to warm it but of
course modern low energy light bulbs do not give off much heat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dug out an old heat lamp that we had used
to nurse some chicks with – but the heat was too low to make much difference to
the chocolate, but did keep it between 45 and 50 – and gave a beautiful
glow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the first day,
after about 4 hours of grinding – we had a light gritty and a little unpolished
tasting chocolate – but it felt like it was on its way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not want to leave the machine on
overnight so turned it off and emptied the chocolate out.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRKLk7INYnoU7tdASBVGA93ZBPdrL2JBY7k35MUyByeHEgOWNUpG4XVyp1Y52LO2jM3RJNq5RUzIDBuQl3fTqzw1ISASMnOiIySd8YK91PsTE_G4-FCijjEqex1fXr1o1N6_6ql43vw/s1600/20150909_103849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRKLk7INYnoU7tdASBVGA93ZBPdrL2JBY7k35MUyByeHEgOWNUpG4XVyp1Y52LO2jM3RJNq5RUzIDBuQl3fTqzw1ISASMnOiIySd8YK91PsTE_G4-FCijjEqex1fXr1o1N6_6ql43vw/s200/20150909_103849.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rhzCUmURf71b1_m8p6swORLyIQZBMFd9pJKkdonqriag9hL4RYQ_nDemHkcFvPJaGiEhMGGvCtJ9JLTNvZSGRHtqFlfpF-u-HW4bxVjdGtAFXqpYrlH8reFk0Zd-SHiw1Dbgu06HLA/s1600/20150912_152118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rhzCUmURf71b1_m8p6swORLyIQZBMFd9pJKkdonqriag9hL4RYQ_nDemHkcFvPJaGiEhMGGvCtJ9JLTNvZSGRHtqFlfpF-u-HW4bxVjdGtAFXqpYrlH8reFk0Zd-SHiw1Dbgu06HLA/s200/20150912_152118.jpg" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ax7XZpfBgsXnxrtam7Bl-8wz2y_K0U8N7W1srbCotz5PkMlfG5eFoMGCjn4PnD7uTwoq4S9TTiZ1bVwIe3QkAw7O1lGaREGen7NFyjrPyIimOSOrfcmIjA2gBoIwmumf9CpEZIAxtw/s1600/20150909_103148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ax7XZpfBgsXnxrtam7Bl-8wz2y_K0U8N7W1srbCotz5PkMlfG5eFoMGCjn4PnD7uTwoq4S9TTiZ1bVwIe3QkAw7O1lGaREGen7NFyjrPyIimOSOrfcmIjA2gBoIwmumf9CpEZIAxtw/s200/20150909_103148.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">We set it to grind again at 8 the next
morning, and by mid morning was amazed to discover that the grit had gone – it
was smooth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it would need considerably more grinding and
tried to increase the temperature as much as I could to ‘conch’ the chocolate,
but could never really get it any higher than 55C, and that was with holding
the hairdryer which I could only do for a limited time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chocolate kept warmer if I kept the lid
on, but I thought I would not get any of the loss of off notes that I had read
should happen in the conching process – so even though I could not get the
temperatures – just the warm, constant turning and open to the air might do
that.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">We did this through to day 3, another 12
hours in the machine and then I was eager to get on with a second batch and
decided to call it a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From 1500g
of beans, we had created 1000g of chocolate – an 80% having added only
a small amount of sugar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tempered it
and moulded into small 5g caraques and 30g bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And could barely wait the few hours till it could be turned out
and eaten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our very first made from
scratch chocolate.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZtfzAopQeK6EXcMsqKCX5wfazqNWnYGr7dqzVchGpccjEf9uRe7uBfQTo-OQivyaYTwTNEVa5cmCvSygqeMsWjHHboW8A8GNVKaxUazVOdI1g4orxfumAp0Nj1g9sXFxinSwtl2XMQ/s1600/20150911_122927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZtfzAopQeK6EXcMsqKCX5wfazqNWnYGr7dqzVchGpccjEf9uRe7uBfQTo-OQivyaYTwTNEVa5cmCvSygqeMsWjHHboW8A8GNVKaxUazVOdI1g4orxfumAp0Nj1g9sXFxinSwtl2XMQ/s320/20150911_122927.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">It is the most transformative process; on
subsequent days that week, I was able to offer people the original unroasted
bean and then a taste of the chocolate made from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is hard to bridge the gap between the two – how did one
transform into the other?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made two
more batches that week, experimenting with roasting times and also with the
degree of winnowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second batch
we meticulously peeled and separated; the third batch was much more
slapdash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have subsequently had
conversations with others about peel and indeed the ‘stalk’; the peel contains
any contaminants, it has some fat but not much and so reduces the ratio of fat)
it has many of the off notes.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">But on the whole I am
pleased with what we did; I love the chocolate itself – which is full of flavor
and not too bitter and is a lovely texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took samples of it to Olympia (see The Chocolate Show post) and tested it on some of the experts,
who were nice enough to try it and give me feed back;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we all agree the beans are wonderful, the temper was good (one
thing I can do!), a little over roasted maybe – but on the whole – a good start</span></span>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-56708758138111769332015-10-29T15:19:00.000-07:002015-10-29T15:19:02.186-07:00The Chocolate Show, Olympia October 2015<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">A fairly last minute decision to take a
stall at this annual festival of all things chocolate, led to a couple of weeks
of intense chocolate making preparation, long days polishing, tempering,
wrapping; falling into bed in the small hours exhausted, only to wake an hour
or two later fretting about whether I needed another batch of Smoked Heb Sea
salt and Java; how much would I need?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had no idea. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">By the time I got to the sleeper to travel
down to London, I was almost too tired to fully appreciate the way traveling on
the sleeper always makes a journey seem like such an adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slept well, and woke to London, beautiful
in autumnal crispness.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Show was being held at Olympia, a first
time visit for me and a revelation – we were in the <a href="http://olympia.london/" target="_blank">National Hall</a>; a huge space
with beautifiul glass curved roof, and a deep wide first floor balcony all
around it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a few hours early –
but to my amazement, the place looked extremely unready!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some stalls were up but few were dressed or
occupied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were crews of people
all over the place focused on their own part of the busy ant hill that was
getting it all ready.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IdWM-QGl8eyYqR-rmQi6KuK5OhpDPza3iD8bZlaU8VrerDiJCBrFVSKJEqtgteGsxWwPQJXR6N6sm-7tOK2XoC3uLnOy8OTFR3nJ0xUJpfnPCv-l_kjZ2HhaIc27o09CubQYCZJing/s1600/20151015_113135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IdWM-QGl8eyYqR-rmQi6KuK5OhpDPza3iD8bZlaU8VrerDiJCBrFVSKJEqtgteGsxWwPQJXR6N6sm-7tOK2XoC3uLnOy8OTFR3nJ0xUJpfnPCv-l_kjZ2HhaIc27o09CubQYCZJing/s320/20151015_113135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDY-QgnnzSaD-3kOz3Sc4c08Ccb4ng1ikdR3YHycwqvspkGsuqVXiOGK3hqeTbJRi-8JTQccvWh4aLDqZGq1ysGHo3rIrqPYX4iLGPFo0Cg4AmMFAIupzsfloAeiYTbHlax36zLfSWQ/s1600/20151015_113520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDY-QgnnzSaD-3kOz3Sc4c08Ccb4ng1ikdR3YHycwqvspkGsuqVXiOGK3hqeTbJRi-8JTQccvWh4aLDqZGq1ysGHo3rIrqPYX4iLGPFo0Cg4AmMFAIupzsfloAeiYTbHlax36zLfSWQ/s320/20151015_113520.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I found my stall – as always in the ‘dark
corner’ – furthest corner of the show, tucked away. Not really, we were in good company - The <a href="http://www.internationalchocolateawards.com/" target="_blank">International Chocolate Awards</a> Winners Zone (lots of very lovely chats with Beverley), with their stand opposite, and <a href="http://www.highlandchocolatier.com/" target="_blank">The Highland Chocolatier</a> across the way, and next door to <a href="http://gustolato.com/" target="_blank">Gustolato</a>, both multi award winners.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">My stock and display materials were being
brought down from Scotland by Ali and Freddie of <a href="http://www.choctree.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Chocolate Tree</a> and Julie
of The Highland Chocolatier, both coming in vans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was such a blessing – and a tangible benefit of the
collaboration we are fostering through the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/scottishchocolatiersnetwork" target="_blank">Scottish Chocolatiers Network</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the afternoon progressed they both
arrived and we helped unpack and then I set about ‘dressing’ my stall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My lovely sister in law Anna had come to
help me and was slowly initiated into the world of chocolate and
bean-to-bar;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she grew to be haunted by
this phrase over the weekend and told me that she woke up in the night with the
mantra ‘bean-to-bar’ running through her head!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKMOb12tgecaOS8mMEyRaszQBBkqrNwvjv5NTAiQ7kkKNFkAC91AJwul1eCcglrb9uYgztq14zEoXNY92YJF-ytkQkj77bZAZTst9ePsRiwTRU5-yRjn7Y_CeunCx31O8IHmeo3I8lg/s1600/20151015_163628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQKMOb12tgecaOS8mMEyRaszQBBkqrNwvjv5NTAiQ7kkKNFkAC91AJwul1eCcglrb9uYgztq14zEoXNY92YJF-ytkQkj77bZAZTst9ePsRiwTRU5-yRjn7Y_CeunCx31O8IHmeo3I8lg/s320/20151015_163628.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Slowly other chocolate making friends
arrived over the afternoon – it is a smallish world, but growing fast. People I
knew already – <a href="http://www.duffyschocolate.co.uk/" target="_blank">Duffy and Penny Sheardown</a> (always so generous with time, advice,
moral support, battery charger thingies, and just all round loveliness),
<a href="http://www.the-chocolatier.co.uk/" target="_blank">Aneesh, Neena and Kirti Popat</a>, Spencer from <a href="http://cocoarunners.com/" target="_blank">Cocoa Runners</a> – all of whom who
have at different stages of my own chocolate journey been significant
‘wayfarers’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the aspects of the
weekend that really excited me was meeting many of the names I had become so
familiar with through my regular internet and Twitter voyeuristic trawls of
what is new on the scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.omnomchocolate.com/" target="_blank">Omnom</a>,
<a href="http://www.originalbeans.com/" target="_blank">Original Beans</a>, <a href="http://www.dobleandbignall.co.uk/" target="_blank">Doble &<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Bignall</span></a>, <a href="http://marouchocolate.com/" target="_blank">Marou</a>,
<a href="http://damsonchocolate.com/" target="_blank">Damson</a>, <a href="http://www.ikachocolate.com/" target="_blank">Ika</a>, <a href="http://www.seaforthco.com/" target="_blank">Seaforth</a>, <a href="http://www.forevercacao.co.uk/" target="_blank">Forever Cacao</a>, <a href="http://www.chocolatmadagascar.com/" target="_blank">Chocolat Madagascar</a>,
<a href="http://choconord.dk/" target="_blank">Choconord</a>, <a href="http://www.paulayoung.co.uk/" target="_blank">Paul A Young</a> (another sea buckthorn fan), <a href="http://www.matthieudegottal.com/" target="_blank">Mathieu du Gottal</a>… to name but a few.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNhtBLsoMkXU0QEPXbzi-W7CYbedcVCqyKAII8Z3g07ZhG_U56g73Rqis1yQchSZ8OxDtnEOEDDSJHT9QqnYw9jAxI-0fPGO6AdKfHqW4S8OPFLsQQAs_8FhhoBI6-yRkJ2IBTVFNgQ/s1600/20151015_165634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNhtBLsoMkXU0QEPXbzi-W7CYbedcVCqyKAII8Z3g07ZhG_U56g73Rqis1yQchSZ8OxDtnEOEDDSJHT9QqnYw9jAxI-0fPGO6AdKfHqW4S8OPFLsQQAs_8FhhoBI6-yRkJ2IBTVFNgQ/s320/20151015_165634.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The weekend was extraordinary – exhausting
in many ways and by Sunday I thought I was going to lose my voice;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in addition to days spent explaining my own
particular take on chocolate and answering the continual questions ‘ooh, what <b>is</b>
a Charlotte Flower?’, my evenings were spent talking cocoa; conversations about
$100 chocolate bars, barrel aged cocoa, nib-to-bar, bean-to-bar, perfect
roasting times, off notes, my white chocolate dilemma</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I have come away feeling very much more
connected to this scene, and hope to have found some new customers along the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am indebted to two extraordinary
women – my sister Jessica and sister in law Anna, who both with boundless
energy and good humour offered chocs, answered questions, encouraged people to
try something new, became fluent in this bizarre world of fine chocolate and
were just all round wonderful.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoJgwE726eeK1k_CCxVySOWO7ftaVjFfSRpGYPOCEcfZdF5QCty_fhZDGoqsJpfdmtUPqDFi046HxKxNq74e1ziwb3JJvz-Bg0azrHLR-Gea0lzWf28YB-Qq9AcnTFt1x5vlEihFi5g/s1600/20151016_182236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoJgwE726eeK1k_CCxVySOWO7ftaVjFfSRpGYPOCEcfZdF5QCty_fhZDGoqsJpfdmtUPqDFi046HxKxNq74e1ziwb3JJvz-Bg0azrHLR-Gea0lzWf28YB-Qq9AcnTFt1x5vlEihFi5g/s320/20151016_182236.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
</div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-49521779443844722192015-08-16T13:29:00.000-07:002015-08-16T13:42:24.300-07:00A flavourless summer?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">S<span style="font-size: small;">ummer has been a challenge this year! The Met Office have announced that Scotland
has had the coldest summer for 43 years, and this lack of sunshine and warmth
has had a real impact on the natural world.
Everything has been late coming into flower, but most significantly for
me and the chocolates, these flowers have very little aroma and scent. Elderflowers (<i>Sambucus nigra</i>) looked
magnificent – fulsome and waxy – but carried little flavour; meadowsweet (<i>Filipendula
ulmaria</i>) is out everywhere at the moment – fields of it – it absolutely
thrives in damp places so this is a great summer for it – but as with the
elderflower, there is little of that characteristic aroma as you walk past.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3dGnD_RrRbsvtkJGvTEiJgZ8eeBF_9wxJ8YcMqPh0Mjs2DSU1k6zAPcNnLBCMIu_Lcl_2yLGDgZLxR5REmb_jTDLdvPBhF4EPHUrrE8g5zdUK1ndjhdW3UeXLnkbz5oVDTe4UJ5NlQ/s1600/elderflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3dGnD_RrRbsvtkJGvTEiJgZ8eeBF_9wxJ8YcMqPh0Mjs2DSU1k6zAPcNnLBCMIu_Lcl_2yLGDgZLxR5REmb_jTDLdvPBhF4EPHUrrE8g5zdUK1ndjhdW3UeXLnkbz5oVDTe4UJ5NlQ/s320/elderflower.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">elderflower</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We persevere though, and just have to adjust recipes and
accept that this year our flavours may just be a little subtle and
understated. I am exploring using fruit
jellies more this year – and used a gooseberry jelly to counter the sweetness
of an elderflower white chocolate ganache – which worked really well.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have been trying to capture some new flavours this year;
gorse flower (<i>Ulex europaeus</i>) and Sweet cicely (<i>Myrrhis oderata</i>)
are two that I have been attempting for a number of years and I hoped I would
crack them this year. Gorse was
everywhere this spring – we had clear sunny weather in April and the gorse
loved it, whole hillsides were vibrant with its yellow flowers. However, even picking in bright spring
sunshine, the air temperatures were cool if not cold, and again no aroma – we
should have been bowled over with that gorgeous coconut scent – but
nothing. Sweet cicely has proved as
elusive, although I did manage to make some ganache in early summer that was
lovely, with a delicious delicate aniseed taste lingering in the mouth after
eating them. Timing though seems to be
important and the younger plants with flowers and green seed heads seemed to be
the most effective. We even tried the
root – which seems to have a powerful aroma, but as always with Sweet cicely,
heating seems to destroy that.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clove root (<i>Geum urbanum</i>) was suggested to me
by Mark Williams at <a href="http://www.gallowaywildfoods.com/" target="_blank">Galloway Wild Foods</a> and this is still a work in progress.
The roots are delicately clovey, but also delicate in size and hard to
clean off all the soil! Another member
of the <a href="http://www.scottishwildharvests.org.uk/" target="_blank">Scottish Wild Harvest Association </a>has suggested I try again in the autumn, so watch this space!</span></span>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-36810912866584905682015-05-22T00:52:00.002-07:002015-05-22T00:52:43.022-07:00Ooh la la: those Parisian chocolate shops! <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.patrickroger.com/images/actualites/mai/MUGUET-SMALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Le muguet du 1er mai, son année de naissance, les événements de Mai 68…tant de sources d’inspiration pour Patrick Roger en ce printemps …" border="0" src="http://www.patrickroger.com/images/actualites/mai/MUGUET-SMALL.jpg" title="Patrick Roger Muguet; photo taken from his website www.patrickroger.com" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In late April I was treated to a couple of days in Paris, and
what a treat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The capital of <i>chocolat</i>
in spring was heavenly, and I recommend navigating any city by chocolate shop –
but most especially Paris!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The wonderful thing about these shops is that they are as
much a feast for the eyes as they are for the taste buds – shops so
overwhelmingly chic and cool that it takes a while sometimes to realise that
they are selling chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sound
of swishing drawers opening and shutting, the white, silver or black surfaces – you would normally associate with a jewellery shop or high class dress
shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This almost seems to be the
purpose of the exquisite style – to the extent that the shop assistants seem
determined not to mention the word chocolate either; or answer any questions
about flavours or price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t bother
the assistant with mundane questions of ganache or praline, dark or milk,
cinnamon or raspberry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These delicacies
have been made by the<i> Maître</i> – that is really all that needs to be said
about it. I have to say I did find this a bit frustrating in the end – but
maybe I am too obsessed with detail?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And they are all so different – expressing such difference
in character that often but not always comes through in the chocolates
themselves (were we getting chocolate blind by the end of day?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Solid tradition in <a href="http://www.chocoparis.com/michel-chaudun/" target="_blank">Michel Chaudun</a> classic
corner shop (oh to have a corner shop like this on your street) where he
himself works creating his confections; perfect elegance in <a href="http://jacquesgenin.fr/fr/" target="_blank">Jacques Genin</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- the absolutely chicest shop, beautiful
honeyed stone walls that are almost fudge-like – with chocolates and pate de
fruit dispalyes as if treasured jewels ; bright clarity and knowledgable assistance
with <a href="https://www.richart-chocolates.com/chocolates/" target="_blank">Richart</a>, wild expressionistic art from <a href="http://www.patrickroger.com/en/chocolatier.php" target="_blank">Patrick Roger</a>, calm quality and
competence from <a href="http://www.cluizel.com/en/" target="_blank">Michel Cluizel</a>, tradional sweety shop detail from <a href="http://www.chocolat-chapon.com/" target="_blank">Chapon</a>, funky multicoloured and flavoured macarons in <a href="http://www.pierreherme.com/" target="_blank">Pierre Hermé</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In fitting with the elegance of these shops, there are no samples
sitting on the counter;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a taste was
offered reverentially, presented to you on a small plate or tray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conversation was minimal – language not
really being an issue – most of the assistants spoke excellent English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was most excited to be early enough one
morning to find Michel Chaudun in his shop, before he needed to head off to his
workshop to make chocolates for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was charming and patient and forgiving of my poor French.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the only maker I met in all the shops</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many of the shops had Muguet; May 1st is a national holiday
(international labour day) and also Lily of the valley day – traditionally
people gave those they loved a small bunch of these gorgeous flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still do I am sure – but now they can also
give a chocolate variety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw these
in many of the shops, and each followed a similar theme of a chocolate flower
pot, filled with praline and then topped with a Lily of the valley leaf and
flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of them had false
greenery – but the Patick Roger (picture above) was an artful interpretation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
We have slowly been eating our way through the many (oh so
chic carrier) bags of chocolate that I brought back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end the one that really stood out was a simple box of <i>Pavé</i><i>s </i>from Michel Chaudun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are perfect little cubes of ganache,
dusted with cocoa powder rather than a chocolate shell, and fashioned on
cobblestones; he created them in the 80s when the road outside his shop was dug
up and there were piles of cuboid stones outside his shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His chocolate versions are small, simple and
perfect and definitely a lesson in ‘less is more’.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in Perthshire and at my market stall I am a far cry
from these palaces of style!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially
recently – it has been hard work keeping cheerful in relentless rain and
wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I have taken a few
lessons from my trip; I offer samples rather than leave them on the front of
the stall; I am going to slim down the range a little – it has got a bit out of
hand; and produce some better promotional material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I have lots of inspiration for the September Perthshire Open
Studios art work! And I ask myself, where are the women chocolate masters of Paris?</div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-23049657550724197132015-03-09T03:46:00.003-07:002015-03-09T03:56:18.747-07:00Kingussie Food on Film Chocolate Tart<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vnG2kQoqRaWFA09Ogw6kdnOH2rFH_2zApfLHdCoRYw8axn9sQfw72efms1FTCiR5ib8gI2Ppvi55k0EDfNyXlBRLF81kdzBiXh8TIt9dL2acIMRHQpkS-nbcLEDMBDlrD2lm2pPlzQ/s1600/F32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vnG2kQoqRaWFA09Ogw6kdnOH2rFH_2zApfLHdCoRYw8axn9sQfw72efms1FTCiR5ib8gI2Ppvi55k0EDfNyXlBRLF81kdzBiXh8TIt9dL2acIMRHQpkS-nbcLEDMBDlrD2lm2pPlzQ/s1600/F32.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">We had a stall at the fabulous Kingussie Food on Film event in early February, and were asked to do a cooking demonstration on the stage with Pennie Latin. Decided to do a simple chocolate ganache tart; infact we did two - one flavoured with amaretto and decorated with little biscuits and the other flavoured with Raspberry Gin from Berry Good. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">(No picture of the tarts I am afraid as they got eaten before anyone could get a photo!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Pastry case</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">For a 23cm flan case:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">150g plain flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">25g icing sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">125g butter (soft)</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">M</span>ix until comes together as a dough. Wrap and put in fridge of 20 mins. Roll out and line the flan tin. Prick the bottom with a fork, chill for
another 20 minutes. Preheat oven to
190C/Gas mark 5; line the pastry case with paper and fill with baking beans.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove beans and
paper and bake for another 15 mins.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Remove from oven and leave to cool</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Ganache filling</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">200g double cream</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">300g 70% chocolate or 350g milk chocolate</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Fruit for decoration or inclusion, fresh berries,
crystallised roses, ginger, nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Liqueur for flavouring (eg Amaretto, whisky, ginger wine)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Place the chocolate in a mixing bowl; if it is a bar of
chocolate, break into small pieces, cutting if necessary so that the pieces are
the size of small chocolate chips</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Warm the cream in a saucepan to just under boiling, and then
pour over the chocolate in the bowl, ensuring that all the chocolate is covered
in warm cream. Leave for a couple of minutes, and then take a whisk and slowly
stir to mix the cream and melting chocolate.
There is no need to beat the mixture, just slowly stir until all the
bits of chocolate have melted.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If you want to add a liqueur or flavoring, do so once the
ganache is made and still warm and liquid.
Use the whisk to slowly stir it in, and add enough to get the desired
taste.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Immediately poor this mixture into the pastry shell; knock
gently to ensure the ganache levels out in the shell. Decorate the top if desired.</span></div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-61604781247016531992014-07-31T17:07:00.003-07:002014-07-31T17:07:51.792-07:00Summer time and the chocolate making ain't easy..Chocolate is a demanding medium, temperamental in lots of ways and very sensitive to temperature and humidity. Our workshop is on the whole over the year a little too cool than is ideal for chocolate work - around 18C is supposedly a perfect temperature; I remember visiting a chocolate shop in Cambodia - air conditioning kept the shop itself cool, but behind a glass wall you could see the chocolate making workshop - with the staff in coats and woolly hats as this area was supercooled to 19C! <br />
<br />
In winter, the workshop can be as cold as 5C in the morning and with heating on it can get to about 13C. In the summer usually the average temperature is about 14 or 15 - so we have become used to working with chocolate at these cool temperatures - they are not ideal but we have found for each chocolate that we use, the little idiosyncrasies that will get the result we want. For example, we used to have an annoying issue with our popular Smoked Hebridean Sea Salt bars; for some reason the edges of the bars would stick to the mould and they would never look great. We found that by warming the moulds a little before pouring in the chocolate, the bars came out cleanly and perfectly when cooled; hurrah!<br />
<br />
It has been a glorious summer and rare indeed for the sun to shine quite
so often, so unobscured by cloud and quite so effectively for so long.
It has meant that, for the first time since we started making chocolates, the temperature in the workshop has crept up to the perfect 18C and we found ourselves uncharacteristically working in 'ideal temperatures'. But of course, all our chocolate making tricks have been developed to cope with the cooler workshop and we have had to adapt again. As the temperature has risen (once to a heady 22C!) we have occasionally just abandoned any attempt to make thins or bars - the chocolate has just taken on a mind of its own and we cannot get conditions right to keep it tempered or help it cool.<br />
<br />
Sending chocolate orders through the post has been nerve wracking as well! I have been studying weather charts, judging the optimum time to take parcels to the post office to minimise the time they spend in the back of a warm van. For the last box scheme, always sent mid month, I ended up splitting the order - making one batch for 'the north', which according to the weather forecast would be coolish over the weekend, and a second batch for the following week for 'the south' when a small dip in the summer temperatures was forecast. I delayed sending an order of bars last week till the weather cooled a little, and supercooled the chocolates in the fridge for 24 hours before I sent them just to give them the best chance possible of arriving still tempered.<br />
<br />
And of course, the fine weather is wonderful for the food festivals and farmers markets that we attend - it is grand to see everyone out and about, relaxed and unfettered by windproofing and umbrellas. But we will be cowering in the shade, fussing over our delicate stock and wishing that we could be selling ice cream!<br />
<br />
I ain't really complaining - it has been a wonderful long stretch of good weather. It has kept us on our toes though in the workshop, learning new ways of doing things and being amazed at how much difference a rise of 1C in the room temperature can make!<br />
<br />
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-63445227426885826102013-06-11T05:00:00.001-07:002013-06-11T05:01:13.631-07:00Excellence Awards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH4EQwOPO6B-J9bbG-4oGY0-Z72la5yaBrEMQucD4W2-NRy6bnhJmKoKE0E1H2alq2J7n1v4R_dWvRlOeISgdAMCmqbjkawgjz7emSEOoByXI87Mwv3IXOlrb_VtuLEPdnwG22mtalw/s1600/kenmore+hill+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisH4EQwOPO6B-J9bbG-4oGY0-Z72la5yaBrEMQucD4W2-NRy6bnhJmKoKE0E1H2alq2J7n1v4R_dWvRlOeISgdAMCmqbjkawgjz7emSEOoByXI87Mwv3IXOlrb_VtuLEPdnwG22mtalw/s640/kenmore+hill+view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjZcMej1YZFNNrC_WkxAI8xakzCAFytAXO6kQh3vffzzLpqBFp6ry2xt2undIO30eogPrnZedBRNSUnSDwFY-j313XrRZjnhn6s-V3lag33udWEOohxdCqzneHcGkUhepWHjgSsA2Pw/s1600/thins+pile+all+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<span class="userContent">We were very honoured and proud to be shortlisted
in the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards, and on 30th May we attended the
award ceremony. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">I started the day at 6am, up Kenmore Hill to collect
wild flavours for chocolates for this weekend's farm<span class="text_exposed_show">ers
markets at Perth and Aberfeldy. It was a beautful start to the day,
and as I enjoyed the magnificant early morning view, I did take a moment
to wonder whether I would end the day with a covetted prize. </span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmyaBvFR0dTY3N0N2sywVY2WxdzjMQPz4Jjkj4SZ9hpvcrZ0sobQDv3WSXv0FTlhBIoPp4ncAyMrqfJeOZabxNvDkE25XYBVQKYcvIRmz8eJpoeWPwlmwUyDfF4eKqo8yUFSmGypSjA/s1600/Conf_SFD+EA+2013+Finalist.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmyaBvFR0dTY3N0N2sywVY2WxdzjMQPz4Jjkj4SZ9hpvcrZ0sobQDv3WSXv0FTlhBIoPp4ncAyMrqfJeOZabxNvDkE25XYBVQKYcvIRmz8eJpoeWPwlmwUyDfF4eKqo8yUFSmGypSjA/s200/Conf_SFD+EA+2013+Finalist.png" width="200" /></a><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">A hectic
day of chocolate making followed - getting everything ready for the
coming weekend's two markets against the deadline of the train time. Edinburgh was gorgeous
in late afternoon spring sunshine, as we made our way to the Assembly
Rooms for the glitzy event. We were promised glamour and chandeliers -
and there was certainly plenty of that. Needless to say I did not win -
but I did meet some great people. Hebridean Sea Salt (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hebrideanseasalt.co.uk&h=qAQGArdVd&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.hebrideanseasalt.co.uk</a>)
won their category - and it was lovely to get a chance to meet Natalie.
Also met fellow sea buckthorn enthusiast Graham Stoddart, from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cuddybridgeapplejuice.com&h=3AQGj4Vx5&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.cuddybridgeapplejuice.com</a> as well as the lovely guys behind the Eat Balanced pizzas (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eatbalanced.com&h=gAQHPdoiC&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.eatbalanced.com</a>). <br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">Needless to say, I did not win the prize, but the Tay valley did very
well - our category went to The Highland Chocolatier - there must be
something in this landscape! Well done to Ian and his team downstream
in Grandtully!</span></span>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-22250280388597764522012-12-31T03:25:00.000-08:002012-12-31T03:25:03.685-08:00A good year for chocolate?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am going to indulge a little in thinking about the year
past and the new year coming – forgive me; as I have not written any Christmas
cards this year, this might be my only opportunity to reflect over the last
year. It has been a really interesting year – full of new ideas, new
connections, new people, as well as reaffirming old ones – a good year in fact.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As I write this, I wondered if I had written an end of year
post before on this blog, and looking back, yes I did – <a href="http://charlotteflowerchocolates.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/year-gone-by.html" target="_blank">two years ago</a>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reading it now, much of it very adequately describes
much of this<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>year – the uncertain
economy, having to work a little harder at selling and promoting, the sector
growing all the time (I am told that there are now over 40 businesses in Scotland
making chocolates!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what was
interesting was to see my two aspirations for the following year – to ‘crack
marketing’ and to try and create contacts with cocoa producers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two years down the line I have made progress
with both – although I still have some way to go with both!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So to keep this short – the highlights for the year? Of course, the main one has to be the two trips to Indonesia and the emerging possibility of
being able to direct source cocoa beans from some amazing farmers there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to everyone who has made that
possible, including the Ellis Campbell Foundation who have funded some of the
work. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have been lucky to be working with some amazing retailers - who not only recognise good products, but work with and support the producers to promote those, and you feel part of their family. <a href="http://www.cranachanandcrowdie.com/" target="_blank">Crannachan and Crowdie</a> in the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, run by the amazing Beth and Fiona, and Sophie at <a href="http://thecocoatreeshop.com/" target="_blank">The Cocoa Tree</a> in Pittenweem. Sophie organised a brilliant event in St Andrews in March this year with <a href="http://www.chloe-chocolat.com/" target="_blank">Chloe Doutre Roussel </a>and I was honoured to be asked to talk about my chocolates and my recent trip to Indonesia. We then embarked on a mini chocolate road trip to Bridge of Allan with Sophie and Chloe to meet the amazing Kate and Fiona at <a href="http://www.iqingredients.com/#" target="_blank">IQ Chocolate</a>. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75SOqJhLPDTgsHBWbATber4v0JqI3k0QTzcW47HV8MX51ovHS5odcouZDglLTHrnWoFvT53LzxvcPAWfhue58rMoo8tM_drhvvSUQLOwA7dN0eIqaB3MW3Vtly2KkD4ZRvi_9kDGnUQ/s1600/new+bars+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75SOqJhLPDTgsHBWbATber4v0JqI3k0QTzcW47HV8MX51ovHS5odcouZDglLTHrnWoFvT53LzxvcPAWfhue58rMoo8tM_drhvvSUQLOwA7dN0eIqaB3MW3Vtly2KkD4ZRvi_9kDGnUQ/s320/new+bars+2.jpg" width="302" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And the other highlight is our beautiful new bar wrappers</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- just waiting for that direct sourced cocoa chocolate!</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There have been real low spots to the year though. I have made a couple of serious errors
of judgement this year with scammers that have been expensive, but more seriously have knocked
confidence and trust out of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small
businesses are so vulnerable to this for lots of reasons, but my most recent experience led to something much more positive. I have been really grateful to, impressed and inspired by one
business who were so angry at how they and fellow stallholders had been treated that she
researched and lobbied and led us all through a process of complaint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did not get our money back, or the lost
opportunity back, but we did get some pride and dignity back.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Flavour of the year: has to be smoked Hebridean Sea salt and
Java chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Addictive. And again - lovely to feel connected to the amazing growing artisanal food sector of Scotland. <a href="http://www.hebrideanseasalt.co.uk/" target="_blank">Hebridean Sea Salt</a> is a new company on Lewis, and <a href="http://smokedbyewe.com/" target="_blank">Isle of Ewe Smokehouse</a> smoke the salt for us.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Next year -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>hopefully our own direct sourced cocoa chocolate and a new website!</span></span>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-37813740818804874382012-10-30T06:46:00.003-07:002012-10-30T06:46:51.070-07:00A Car Spa!In a taxi today, we passed a sign for a Car Spa! And there were large black shiny cars being manicured and groomed by teams of fervent young men, carefully removing the residue of a hot dusty city from the metalwork. It made me wonder what other exotic treatments might be on offer – a bit of metal retempering, detoxing the oil sump, realigning its torque. I imagined the results, chilled out cars, fragrant and relaxed and ready to go back to the stresses and tensions of Jakarta traffic. The cars would have been treated to the sort of attention that is normally only tendered on racing cars in Formula One; they would emerge feeling just a little lighter on their tyres, zippier in their acceleration, nippier in their lane changing. They would feel like those cars in the adverts – out there on the open desert road, or the sweeping mountain bends.<br />
<br />
<br />
In reality, they just got hoovered and polished, and they had to get back out there in the bumper to bumper gridlock. But car and motorbike washing and polishing is serious business here. Those that cannot afford a Spa are as lovingly washed down in a small stream or on the banks of a large river. I shall have to get the hose and bucket out when I get home I think; I am feeling very neglectful of our poor old car.<br />
<br />cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-73385111913665542872012-10-29T19:16:00.002-07:002012-10-29T19:17:11.062-07:00A second look<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9OCtgy683slLbXUzxutF4jgtGty9LhIIx_gErB-CArhSNbK3MKF-x-NJ7q7io-UUGzDMuBOiGkEfBeG21qGkttu8YGwp5PpXX3ocAcYZOwZLrjXWHI8bc8EhSWPNU8oQoFdD4arYwg/s1600/turning+cocoa+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9OCtgy683slLbXUzxutF4jgtGty9LhIIx_gErB-CArhSNbK3MKF-x-NJ7q7io-UUGzDMuBOiGkEfBeG21qGkttu8YGwp5PpXX3ocAcYZOwZLrjXWHI8bc8EhSWPNU8oQoFdD4arYwg/s320/turning+cocoa+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>I was fortunate yesterday to be able to follow up my February visit to a plantation near Cianjur, in West Java. Back then, we had visited the plantation on a Friday, which was a holiday and were unable to talk to anyone there about it. This time I was accompanied by owner Tiara Setiadi, and how blessed was I – it was a fascinating visit; Tiara’s father set up this farm in the 1970s and so he has grown up with it himself, and knows it like the back of his hand. He is very concerned about long term sustainability issues for cocoa in Indonesia – not just for his own farm but more widely within the industry.</div>
<br />
<br />
This is a huge farm – 900 or so hectares near Cianjur, with another larger farm some distance away. Tiara is very focussed not only on rehabilitating the cocoa stock – grafting new clones, replanting old trees - but also in rehabilitating the soil and the microclimate about the tree crop. He argues that plantation culture remove cocoa trees from their natural preferred environment – as an understory plant in a forest. Growers push trees with fertilizers, pesticides and lack of shade to get the highest yields – but this, he feels, is ultimately unsustainable. His focus is now on the soil, improving the genetics of the trees (not just for yield volume and disease resistance, but also taste) and managing the trees to ensure good health and production. He has been planting an overstorey of mahogany, teak and coconuts – all helping to create a more natural microclimate for the cocoa. His observation is that this seems to work – he has not suffered the same losses as others with the recent prolonged drought.<br />
<br />
Since our February visit, the farm has received UTZ certification – judged on environmental, social and economic criteria, and new signs have appeared around the plantation<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKndigsV6O68G7kuXdbjKe_H6Dn8V_SjfF73ZwmRexV-oK8lD8iOYzm8bPXwLvRP6eSrQhB960ZaNr15VzPPgvpkCeH58PlAtFdnmdlkA6vWoK2j7TMoEVpiLaPqT0CSSeS2oyb3E7A/s1600/sun+drying+cocoa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKndigsV6O68G7kuXdbjKe_H6Dn8V_SjfF73ZwmRexV-oK8lD8iOYzm8bPXwLvRP6eSrQhB960ZaNr15VzPPgvpkCeH58PlAtFdnmdlkA6vWoK2j7TMoEVpiLaPqT0CSSeS2oyb3E7A/s320/sun+drying+cocoa.jpg" width="320" /></a>The real treat for me was the tour of the fermention processing area. I have to admit to really loving that sour, fermenting vegetation smell of silage – and cocoa fermentation is the same smell with added chocolate notes! When we had visited before we had been able to only look over the fence into the processing centre – but now I could see and understand what is going on.</div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVmeokCtbPGrK6f4PsN1Alv4f3JyqRSJg1Km99-_KvcUzNKMhXeXpnhpgkrMtDOVgjeYA4UKBsojb08izg1ZPGLwRE-WRLD53bu2Ihrf9Wuo0Uhvsh7pzksaj-sF6hEhbMfpT1RR5aw/s1600/turning+cocoa+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVmeokCtbPGrK6f4PsN1Alv4f3JyqRSJg1Km99-_KvcUzNKMhXeXpnhpgkrMtDOVgjeYA4UKBsojb08izg1ZPGLwRE-WRLD53bu2Ihrf9Wuo0Uhvsh7pzksaj-sF6hEhbMfpT1RR5aw/s320/turning+cocoa+3.jpg" width="240" /></a>Fermentation is critical to draw out the complex range of chocolate flavours that we love, and getting it right takes practice, knowledge and skill. Too little fermentation and the beans' flavour potential is not achieved, too much and Tiara tells me it smells ‘hammy’. Beans need to be turned every two days to mix them up and ensure that those in the middle of the box are fermenting as well as those on the edge. Turning brings oxygen into the mass of beans and this ensures an aerobic fermentation, producing acids and it is these that soak into the beans and initiate the changes needed to bring out the flavours.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxWpA0ff6L2vusoceG8LctQXmO0MhhyphenhyphenNFEZFyOvM0mwkSbMpdUbyoqooysLcNAiHb1VEYo5CmQ3bVS7VXfvd4eBPBbx8cQCpPsDtyWnWxBHeNfVoIMfgbL7t56KCVGQV_9yh-O0cP3w/s1600/turning+cocoa+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxWpA0ff6L2vusoceG8LctQXmO0MhhyphenhyphenNFEZFyOvM0mwkSbMpdUbyoqooysLcNAiHb1VEYo5CmQ3bVS7VXfvd4eBPBbx8cQCpPsDtyWnWxBHeNfVoIMfgbL7t56KCVGQV_9yh-O0cP3w/s320/turning+cocoa+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
To make turning easier, the boxes are arranged on a giant staircase, and as you can see the beans are easily transferred and turned to the next box below. When they are done, they need to be slowly dried I the sun; this can take 5 to 6 days, with constant stirring to make sure that the beans completely dry out and do not rot.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_d57a5bq388ek0lHWisip5KHbVH_BaYBsthtrYv6nJJjn4GQa4_Z1Cox0beeM3W6nASvxppdp0DzN4jSCjVEZq-4zlHvlyJrBFAhlyXn__vybu1nUoazhPvZVfZ95XAZy4a9F7zfPNw/s1600/drying+cocoa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_d57a5bq388ek0lHWisip5KHbVH_BaYBsthtrYv6nJJjn4GQa4_Z1Cox0beeM3W6nASvxppdp0DzN4jSCjVEZq-4zlHvlyJrBFAhlyXn__vybu1nUoazhPvZVfZ95XAZy4a9F7zfPNw/s320/drying+cocoa.jpg" width="240" /></a>I am very excited to have a bag of beautiful cocoa beans from this farm for Duffy to test. These are really fine quality; produced through exceptional good practice and knowledge.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIGpkGvU3Mw1CDNV6JdjgpX2yKckVH6G0IGNwmQNlXxr0sHX8NugV0rhagHLJjn1r2_7-kitFOxNUjiBOPZ5TcdGsN-RpaD2uZtqgMFr_vZ_sG0nqJAiu4Tx7Q59l0gQe8H7xgvtYOQ/s1600/beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIGpkGvU3Mw1CDNV6JdjgpX2yKckVH6G0IGNwmQNlXxr0sHX8NugV0rhagHLJjn1r2_7-kitFOxNUjiBOPZ5TcdGsN-RpaD2uZtqgMFr_vZ_sG0nqJAiu4Tx7Q59l0gQe8H7xgvtYOQ/s320/beans.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-37116011817650927602012-10-28T01:54:00.005-07:002012-10-28T01:54:57.985-07:00A bag full of cocoa<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdEefoNrJ9Ak_vY_6ln7_AfBjzYq77sKvadwdgAe8R9F1mN-aM9JQvFkWCcyXM3v314ezAF81cROemdZMbf2mj1dGgpUey9psZaM6k1fCKiVSf1EiaMJHWEphCH28x08dGJQ7U-b_Ug/s1600/cocoa+at+traders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdEefoNrJ9Ak_vY_6ln7_AfBjzYq77sKvadwdgAe8R9F1mN-aM9JQvFkWCcyXM3v314ezAF81cROemdZMbf2mj1dGgpUey9psZaM6k1fCKiVSf1EiaMJHWEphCH28x08dGJQ7U-b_Ug/s320/cocoa+at+traders.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the mysteries to me of the cocoa industry is the supply chain, and today we were able to meet a ‘middle trader’ in Kota Agung. There are local traders; these are guys who buy straight from the farmers, often buying one or two sacks at a time, use a motorbike to transport the sacks. They sell on to the middle traders. The middle traders buy from local traders but will also buy from farmers direct, if the farmers bring the beans to the warehouse. The middle traders check the quality of the beans, dry them more if needed, remove much of the rubbish and attempt to ‘grade’ them – by size. They then sell them on the export traders. At each stage of this chain, each agent is attempting to make a living obviously, and they all seem to be using the London Terminal Market price as a reference point. So as the farmer is getting a high proportion this means that the intermediaries are squeezed a little – so to ensure their own viability they need to deal with high volumes of cocoa fairly fast to ensure income.</span> </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv3fCmXHIV4jcp0o7CmQP7PopFJkdgmFmV6ejvxSsHaU_1Mljn1lNrgFV7F9DST7x1ySiatlSjK-NWjElXmBZmc4mT4y9L52x4-pcCBaOdhvDoPjXTEfPMnhpJgn7Oft6s1VUD3VI5g/s1600/panoramic+view+of+cocoa+trader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="77" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv3fCmXHIV4jcp0o7CmQP7PopFJkdgmFmV6ejvxSsHaU_1Mljn1lNrgFV7F9DST7x1ySiatlSjK-NWjElXmBZmc4mT4y9L52x4-pcCBaOdhvDoPjXTEfPMnhpJgn7Oft6s1VUD3VI5g/s320/panoramic+view+of+cocoa+trader.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So our visit gave me a view into this stage. We turned up at a large warehouse, lined with large sacks of cocoa and coffee. It was the middle of the day – so very hot under the high tin roof, but made even hotter by a huge wood fuelled drier at the back of the shed – on the left in the picture above. On the right and in the centre are two huge blue machines used to grade (by size) beans – either cocoa or coffee – the trader deals in both. All the cocoa beans were unfermented – the trader didn’t deal with fermented at all – no supply and no demand. If fermented beans come in they would probably get mixed in with the unfermented.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0k7DA7IfsVUmLXkwP5auQ8O3zTeL4QtOosqSMOil0mLu4MlnNABOb0wVMrTJ7NChn_eOS3qX902u4FVXcMJuNLF0RYNWJ6X1xXW6VTB2d2HQspE09uCO8dgn43pNg1RKOKikghsK6w/s1600/waste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0k7DA7IfsVUmLXkwP5auQ8O3zTeL4QtOosqSMOil0mLu4MlnNABOb0wVMrTJ7NChn_eOS3qX902u4FVXcMJuNLF0RYNWJ6X1xXW6VTB2d2HQspE09uCO8dgn43pNg1RKOKikghsK6w/s320/waste.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If beans come in from local traders or farmers that are really poor quality they would bring the price down. It turns out the that the sacks piled up were not full of cocoa beans – but waste from the cleaning and grading process, which the trader sells on as animal feed. Nothing thrown away if possible.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcj3ak9RQPLVqYfjxl301JwKwqa5a7WSkcoNdXcWg3IUImNoVNFjr_U67nzSFvtaWzjcIEhZXEYikzJ_ULPSwJ_ePdbHNqMB4nCsRvOOVfLk59n9H0MIz6bqR5GjESi_rSC3DWqf6WQ/s1600/sorting+beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcj3ak9RQPLVqYfjxl301JwKwqa5a7WSkcoNdXcWg3IUImNoVNFjr_U67nzSFvtaWzjcIEhZXEYikzJ_ULPSwJ_ePdbHNqMB4nCsRvOOVfLk59n9H0MIz6bqR5GjESi_rSC3DWqf6WQ/s320/sorting+beans.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, given that we were in a warehouse of beans and this was a trader, I felt compelled to buy some beans. A small sample was sorted for me – carefully weighed to 2kg and the IR40,000 transaction undertaken. Lovely Sumatran, unfermented beans</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A small word on the economics of this. The London Terminal Market price is the price of beans on the portside in London; this price has more to do with the price of cocoa as a commodity than the price of production of cocoa, or indeed any aspect of quality of flavour – so although it sounds great when people say that Indonesian farmers get 80% or so of the LTM price for their beans, in fact it bears little relation to how much of their work has gone into producing the beans. And as Indonesian smallholders tend to be growing low grade chocolate, and don’t ferment it – the industry imposes a reduction for this poorer quality that they term FAQ – Fair Average Quality price. </span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-81562414528947256622012-10-27T19:45:00.000-07:002012-10-27T19:45:17.721-07:00Progress at KOMIT, Kota Agung<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-sU-1mWkSoSewf3H85vFbrznv5WnSQc7pKr6lWht_gdMn3c3UCzeAb9dlGNPdhFTFimVzM7zu-KanfFOR82adCsDl1ayENz7MY5UqA6154mE1lefZDxXyHuTNj9JZFJzz65ao2ZVhA/s1600/farmer+and+wet++beans+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-sU-1mWkSoSewf3H85vFbrznv5WnSQc7pKr6lWht_gdMn3c3UCzeAb9dlGNPdhFTFimVzM7zu-KanfFOR82adCsDl1ayENz7MY5UqA6154mE1lefZDxXyHuTNj9JZFJzz65ao2ZVhA/s320/farmer+and+wet++beans+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">removing wet beans from the cocoa pods</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
After a day acclimatising in Jakarta, we set off to Lampung, to visit the WWF guys and Komit project (see March 3rd post). The harvest has been poor this year in Lampung – it has been really very dry – and it was weird to see what should be tropical verdancy looking a little lack lustre – dry river beds, dry unhappy looking cocoa trees, empty fish ponds outside people’s houses (domestic fish farming rather than ornamental). The cocoa beans are small and not good – so harvest has been poor and unrewarding. There are still a few months more to go – but unless there is rain soon it might be more of the same.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
We had hoped to visit Tampang – a village on the peninsula; the only way to get there is by a 3-hour boat ride. I was looking forward to this, but on the morning we were due to depart we heard that our plans had changed. There was a boat going – but none returning until Saturday – Friday is a big Muslim holiday here – so no boat even on Thursday the day before. Another time maybe.</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzsET0PWDkQTT3RLpqO-l0ICUSsQ0eIUyQsxsIquC-oriZWWl8mDckg62Asp4ia-jmirCssdgfHfKVFwD1xS_ljzelokpi0W-yn8Xp-sAOe86GdKr63bzUuUv7gN9DpQA4gxB4dAllg/s1600/drying+unfermented+beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzsET0PWDkQTT3RLpqO-l0ICUSsQ0eIUyQsxsIquC-oriZWWl8mDckg62Asp4ia-jmirCssdgfHfKVFwD1xS_ljzelokpi0W-yn8Xp-sAOe86GdKr63bzUuUv7gN9DpQA4gxB4dAllg/s320/drying+unfermented+beans.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">drying unfermented beans</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The project has been trying to encourage individual farmers to increase the value of their crop by fermenting their beans on their own farms. However, for a number of reasons they have proved reluctant to do this. At present they just remove beans from the pod, lay them out in the sun for one or two days until they are dried. For this if they take the beans to the trader, they can get IR19,000 per kg (current US commodity price is equivalent to IR24,000/kg for fermented beans). If they ferment the beans, it is an additional minimum 6 days work – 5 or 6 days to ferment, and time to dry. And often traders are not prepared to pay any extra for fermented beans and if they do it will be about IR21,000 if they are lucky. For most farmers this is not worth the extra work or indeed the delay in getting paid for the beans; cash flow is a real problem for subsistence farmers and often the need for immediate cash will override the potential of a better price in the future.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEiBV9s7E0B8OAWMkVcwG9AefxJbhAUOsr3GSGQFT5mlPUWPr-EQLJBK-KfNS8xj4PpIhJ2WZdZOk6F5AXWv-figj6Chw6aUhYBccjch3aemG64qkZ5i1kpFiDo7BMCHF0H3iUs7CdQ/s1600/cocoa+fermenting+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEiBV9s7E0B8OAWMkVcwG9AefxJbhAUOsr3GSGQFT5mlPUWPr-EQLJBK-KfNS8xj4PpIhJ2WZdZOk6F5AXWv-figj6Chw6aUhYBccjch3aemG64qkZ5i1kpFiDo7BMCHF0H3iUs7CdQ/s320/cocoa+fermenting+box.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fermentation boxes ready to go</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
So, what would make a difference? The cocoa industry here is investing in a range of programmes around sustainability to essentially keep farmers in cocoa. To do this, farmers have to get more reward for their cocoa, and the business sees this as coming through better management of cocoa trees as well as fermenting to increase value.</div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
So, if farmers won’t ferment for themselves, why not get someone else to do it? The model emerging is for processing centres to buy wet beans (beans removed from the pod) and then the fermentation is done in one unit, well managed, producing a high quality product. This model is proving popular with farmers where it is in place, and we visited one such community.</div>
<br />
KOMIT are planning to establish their own processing plant following this model. Training has been provided to a number of farmers and two will manage the two centres. Mr Tukiman showed us the fermentation boxes he has prepared at Pemerihan village, and the site where the processing plant will be. This village is on the edge of the national park, and those farmers on the park side of the road have given up managing their cocoa as it attracts elephants! Another village we visited had lost 4 goats to a tiger – driven into the village farms by the drought. So living next to a National Park has serious implications, and the projects aim to work with farmers to improve their livehoods is important.<br />
<br />
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-53450469984409145672012-10-27T19:05:00.000-07:002012-10-27T19:11:33.441-07:00A second trip to Indonesia starts auspiciously<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My second trip to Indonesia started with a ferry across the Clyde! I had been at the National Mod with winning choir (no desire here to be modest – Go <a href="http://www.aberfeldygaelicchoir.co.uk/news/21OCT12.html" target="_blank">Aberfeldy and District Gaelic Choir</a>) held this year in Dunoon. Buoyed by success at the Mod, I hoped that this trip would be a good one – and I would come home this time with beans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jakarta’s heat and bustle does not hit you immediately when you arrive at the airport - it is a calm, unhurried pace – until you emerge to the outside world and suddenly everyone wants your attention - luggage handlers, taxi drivers - or indeed brokers; all vying for your trade. My friends had emphasised to me that I should only go with Blue Bird – but all taxi drivers now seem to wear blue shirts and have companies that sound a little like Blue Bird – Flying Bird, Blue Taxi. Momentarily misguided I found myself being lead into a vast parkng lot and realised that the blue shirted, Blue Bird ID tag driver leading me – was not the real thing. Back to the real Blue Bird queue, thankful that I had been here before and my friend’s advice had been so emphatic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My trip to their house was quite quick – less than an hour. Last Friday evening my husband’s trip took 2.5 hours! The traffic is so notoriously gridlocked that people take their office with them – sitting in the car with 3G internet connections for laptops and mobile phones. There is even a business that plans to use this captive audience for advertising – using those back of the chair TV screens. Few hawkers though – unlike 20 years ago in Lagos, Nigeria, where traffic was as notorious and stuck in your car hawkers would bring you newspapers, food, groceries, this and that and in the early days of mobile phones a mobile telephone service!</span><br />
<br />cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-61239355567232709022012-09-06T09:50:00.003-07:002012-09-06T09:50:44.662-07:00The Milky Bar kid has come to town..<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I know that chocolate makers
are supposed to be snooty and ‘its not really chocolate’ about white chocolate
– but sometimes white chocolate is what you need to set off a particular
flavour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some time ago a very lovely <a href="http://www.hbingredients.co.uk/">HB Ingredient</a> lady suggested I try <a href="http://www.chocolateselrey.com/">El Rey</a> ICOA<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>chocolate and my eyes were opened to a much more interesting white
chocolate world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">White chocolate is chocolate
with cocoa butter but without any of the other cocoa solids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cocoa
beans are 50% fat – this glorious cocoa butter is what gives chocolate all its
magical physical properties – its body-temperature melt and its well-tempered
snap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get the cocoa butter, the
cocoa beans are pounded and then pressed – to separate the butter from the
other cocoa solids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some reason, the cocoa
butter then goes through some weird ‘de-odorising’ process to create a
flavourless white fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this is then
what goes into white chocolate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, what was great about El
Rey’s white chocolate was that they did not de-odorise the cocoa butter and you
definitely taste this in the white chocolate – yes it was sweet and a wee bit
sickly – but there was also this interesting floral flavour – something else
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It tempered to the sharpest<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>snap as well – and made a wonderful canvas
for the wild flower flavours that I was using.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">However, HB then told me
that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they were discontinuing El Rey
products – the import of their products had been too haphazard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had come across a Columbian company at the <a href="http://www.salonduchocolat.fr/visit.aspx">Paris‘Salon du Chocolat’</a> last October, <a href="http://www.lukeringredients.com/en/cacao">Luker</a>, who also did not use de-odorised<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cocoa butter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HB Ingredients sent me some samples with some others – Belcolade,
l’Opera du Chocolat, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first I
did not like any of them, but after persevering decided that the Luker Sierra
would do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have since grown to love it
– again it tempers beautifully and works well with the flowers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">However, DISASTER – HB
Ingredients now tell me that they will no longer<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be importing Luker Sierra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Back to the search all over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They have sent more samples: Luker Nevado, Belcolade, Spanish.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have been tasting these –
but nothing seems to fit the bill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have tasted them together, then one after the other – but they all seem like
Milky Bars; I try taking them by surprise – popping a callette in my mouth as I
walk past the shelf – but no – still Milky Bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little lad with the round glasses and cowbay suit is haunting
my workshop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Back to HB Ingredients and a
visit from their Scotland rep and a long phone call with David at their office
and I am a lot wiser but no nearer a batch of Sierra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David tells me that this was made for the Japanese market, has
low milk contact (and so higher cocoa butter content) and low vanilla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this is clearly why it doesn’t taste like
Milky Bar.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, used the last of the
Sierra today and very very sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
I will have to go for the Nevado – very interested in the Luker story so would
be happy to use this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it is not
perfect, and I will continue to nag about the Sierra!</span></div>
cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71077944064941786.post-29694125204936009962012-03-12T07:01:00.001-07:002012-03-12T07:01:33.385-07:00Changing times<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My last day in Malaysia and Chow Boi has arranged a really interesting trip for me to visit a cocoa farm and meet some interesting industry folk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We climbed out of Kuala Lumpur – into the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titiwangsa_Mountains">Titiwangsa Mountains</a>, home to the Genting Highland resorts. This is a very beautiful drive - wonderful forest in these hills, and cool. We meet up with a whole group of cocoa industry movers and shakers; they are all good friends and associates and have been involved in cocoa for many years. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We head off to a small town and meet Kou – a farmer who is also a trader. We meet him in his ‘shop’ full of cocoa bean sacks, and then head off to see his farm – and end up in a beautiful valley – with forest on the upper slopes, and cocoa and palm oil at the base of the valley. Kou’s cocoa farm is exemplary – he has been farming here since the mid 80s and the trees are extremely well managed and cared for. He can get 3000kg from a hectare through good management – including grafting, pruning, spraying against disease, and good hygiene. He is an innovative and intuitive farmer – taking on ideas from experts and then developing them further to work for him.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, after 28 years in cocoa, he is about to give this all up and next year will replace the cocoa trees with oil palm. There are many reasons for this; the main one he gave was that he just cannot get the labour needed to work his plantations. Cocoa needs one person per hectare to carry out the intense management needed to ensure good harvest; Malaysians do not wish to work on farms, and so the only labour available is immigrant – but the government manages this very tightly and according to a model based mainly on oil palm – in which one person can manage 10 ha. So Kou finds it difficult to attract labour, train them (tending cocoa is very skilled) and then retaining them. He feels it is time he needs to step back from the farm (he is in his 60s) and so oil palm will provide his pension. Cocoa costs MR6000 a year/ha to produce and sells at only MR7000 a year/ha. The economics of oil palm are very different and earn a great deal more.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ud_AzewN89SbV1a1KSGGzrzVfs7OMWLZ3JGefLZWszR3WjMLrGbR8WEXum6Z34tTfzFAY2KERcyPPXX8sBYJa8FagU2pnNHfc1fQCdg7ilQUPBWYKMtEcSATVm5Lq7UkrPFHZEIj-w/s1600/kou's+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ud_AzewN89SbV1a1KSGGzrzVfs7OMWLZ3JGefLZWszR3WjMLrGbR8WEXum6Z34tTfzFAY2KERcyPPXX8sBYJa8FagU2pnNHfc1fQCdg7ilQUPBWYKMtEcSATVm5Lq7UkrPFHZEIj-w/s320/kou's+trees.jpg" width="240" yda="true" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our talk that day was mainly about this – the last death throws of the cocoa industry in Malaysia. The Malaysian Cocoa Board claims that the annual production is 20,000ha, but no-one I met that day could identify where that production came from. Cocoa is disappearing fast, being replaced mainly by oil palm, but also rubber. The talk was about resisting being sentimental about this, but the need to look to the future and the industry’s need to focus elsewhere on securing future cocoa supplies. Hence the industry’s focus on work with small holders in Indonesia, and also on the new ‘wild east’ of cocoa production – Vietnam and the Phillipines.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IO-danYW1HQauOzr5t-Gu3FeOv0bFsrStthoVRnLKj9luBdUHkRdaBpXDHluxSgbYE38Unp5W71vJo1ACswi_msdaR2DR2jRXs9UUTsR8eBE-CcC2ODr5IAnQtM8-pi9XHaZrG-f8g/s1600/Kou's+shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IO-danYW1HQauOzr5t-Gu3FeOv0bFsrStthoVRnLKj9luBdUHkRdaBpXDHluxSgbYE38Unp5W71vJo1ACswi_msdaR2DR2jRXs9UUTsR8eBE-CcC2ODr5IAnQtM8-pi9XHaZrG-f8g/s320/Kou's+shop.jpg" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>cocoa flowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401700399054120220noreply@blogger.com0