Chocolatiers

Chocolate with Alcohol

Lee — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:24:24 +0000

Chocolate liqueurs are so old hat. With brands such as Zotter creating some fantastically boozy chocolate treats there’s no need to fall back on the staple Mon Cherie and high street brands this Christmas. There’s just so much to choose from these days. Here’s a quick selection of chocolate with alcohol in that we just adore.

Amaretto Marzipan
The flavour of Amaretto has to be the most gorgeous and indulgent of all liqueur flavours and is a must for any marzipan or almond fan. What’s more, if you’re craving a sweet hit of flavour then this certainly has to be the liqueur chocolate bar for you!

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Orange Liqueur
Were you the kind that always left the orange chocolates at the bottom of a tin of Cadbury’s Roses? Well this Orange Liqueur chocolate bar is nothing like those exceptionally sweet small chocolates. Instead you get a great 70g bar jam-packed full of orange flavour that undoubtedly has a decent dose of alcohol in it.

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Tequila with Salt and Lemon
This has to be the best chocolate bar with alcohol we stock. The tequila is very noticeable but perfectly balanced against the salt and lemon to give it an undoubted Mexican quality.

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Scotch Whisky
With 9% of this chocolate bar containing Scotch Whisky you know it’s going to have a kick, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The flavours are clear and direct and ultimately satisfies.

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Red & White Wine Duo
Half of this chocolate bar contains red wine and the other white wine. Together they’re exceptional and they’re perfect to start at the one end and work towards the other – which end you start from is perfectly up to you.

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Vodka and Sweet Potato
This is one of the most unusual alcoholic chocolate bars we stock. For some reason this strange combination of flavours actually does work. But are you brave enough to try it?

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Rum & Coconut
This has to be one of my favourite bars as the rum is just out of this world and the coconut just seems to blend so well. We run out of this bar quickly – and it’s understandable why!

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Cherry Brandy
This is a sweet, and utterly alcoholic. It’s also one of our most popular chocolate bars of any kind.

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Plum Brandy
If you just couldn’t get enough of the brandy then this plum version plays on a slightly different flavour profile but is incredibly unique nonetheless.

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Other
We also have some alcoholic chocolate bars made with local wines to the region of Austria where Zotter are based. These include the Umathum-Blaufränkisch and Steirisches wine bars.

Zotter Amaretto Marzipan £3.55 Add to cart
Zotter Cherry Brandy and Marzipan £3.09 Out of Stock
Zotter Orange Liqueur £3.45 Out of Stock
Sale! Zotter Plum Brandy ~~£3.09~~£2.47
20% off! Out of Stock
Sale! Zotter Potato Vodka Milk Chocolate ~~£3.55~~£2.66
25% off! Add to cart
Zotter Rum & Coconut £3.09 Out of Stock
Zotter Scotch Whisky Highland Harvest £3.09 Out of Stock
Sale! Zotter Tequila Ganache Dark Chocolate Bar ~~£3.55~~£3.02
15% off! Add to cart

What Flavours Of Zotter Drinking Chocolate Are There?

Lee — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:25:32 +0000

What I love about Zotter is that even though you can get some very unusual flavoured chocolate bars, but also you can get some unique flavours of drinking chocolate – that you just won’t find in the supermarket. We’ve all seen the likes of Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have mint and caramel drinking chocolate powders on their shelves, but they never seem to stock anything out of this world. For the most interesting hot drinking chocolate you really do have to go online.

Currently we stock the Honey and Cinnamon drinking chocolate bars, as well as the standard ones from the Zotter drinking chocolate range. But soon we’ll have an extended range of the Rich Almond, Banana Milk, Mango Lassi and White Vanilla. Whilst we hope that this will expand as we start to get the cold, winter nights.

The suppliers’ guide suggests that their drinking chocolate be made one of two ways; either shaken with their special, branded shaker. To me this seems a lot of hard work. If you’re like me and a bit resistant to this form of activity, you could whisk the chocolate and hot milk together. The way to do this is to let the drinking chocolate stick to melt for a couple of minutes in the milk then whisk and then let settle again for another couple of minutes and then drink slowly.

Dietary Requirements
If you wanted to go for a milk free recipe then you should try the Bitter Classic, which is also suitable for vegetarians. The Nut Nougat (not currently stocked) is also both milk free and suitable for vegetarians.

Fairtrade
What’s more all of Zotter’s chocolate is Fairtrade – to some degree. They can’t always get the entire list of ingredients from Fairtrade sources, but the cocoa at least is always (as far as I’m aware) from Fairtrade sources.

Current Zotter Drinking Chocolate Selection

What is the weirdest chocolate you sell?

Lee — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 10:18:28 +0000

When it comes to strange and unusual chocolate the brand that comes to mind for most people is Zotter Chocolate. In the past I’ve tried bars that contain peanuts and ketchup and other bars that have a small amount of fish included – thankfully you can no-longer buy those, but what weird chocolate you can buy the most unusual has to be the bacon chocolate which is made from about 7% pork crackling. Other than that you’ve got the cheese, walnut and grapes bar, there’s also the ginger and carrot bar, and the goji berries and sesame nougat chocolate bar.

In recent months we’ve extended our range of unusual chocolate greatly and now feature some chocolate aimed at children that includes sour apple vinegar that we find delicious. We also have a great bar with cashew nuts and pineapple that, although fairly unimaginative when consumed individually, when combined does provide a very interesting flavour, but perhaps not as strange as the Pineapple and celery bar. Personally I struggle with celery on its own, but combine it with pineapple and chocolate then I’m perfectly capable of enjoying it.

From Bouga Cacao we have the 70% dark chocolate bar with the South American spice ishpink or very bitter chocolate with figs. From the Madagascan countryside we have a 63% bar with combava and pink pepper. There’s also a range of Indian chocolate from Devnaa.

Chocolate Mentioned

What are cocoa nibs and are they good for you?

Lee — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:17:42 +0000

During the lengthy chocolate making stage there’s a process called winnowing which removes the outer shell of the cocoa bean to leave the central part which contains the natural acids and fats which, when processed some more, give chocolate its distinctive flavour. During this separation process it is beneficial to keep these nibs or cotyledons as they’re more technically called, in a fairly large form so they can be separated easily from the shell. These nibs are about half fat and are hence much denser than the shell so by vibrating separated.

Essentially there are three main ways of making chocolate; you can roast the whole beans and then winnow; winnow, roast and grind; or winnow grind and roast. There are pros and cons of each but it is important to know as if you are buying bags of cocoa nibs then you may want to know if your nibs have been roasted or not – as that affects the flavour and the ‘health benefits’ some may claim.

During the roasting processes many of the astringent, volatile acids are removed, whilst many others aren’t. This serves to reduce the bitterness of the nib and make it more palatable. What’s more, during the roasting process and during what’s called the Maillard reaction much the natural proteins are turned in amino acids which then give chocolate its characteristic flavour.

What do they taste like?
Just as different chocolate bars with the same beans can taste wildly different, there’s still an opportunity for cocoa nibs to taste different. There are some general characteristics however. To me, at least, they have a sweet and sour flavour. There is a very small amount of natural sugar present in chocolate and cocoa nibs. If you take the 100% Grenada chocolate bar, that has 0.3% sugars which are naturally occurring and is why there are issues with labelling chocolate as ‘diabetic chocolate’. But there are those natural acids present which give it a tartness that I and many others find very appealing. There’s a husk, bran like flavour that seems to carry the other two top and bottom notes.

Many people may have tried 90% or 100% chocolate and found that far too bitter for them and may think that cocoa nibs would similarly be as bitter and acute, but cocoa nibs are far milder than the very biter chocolate you can buy. There’s a great deal more depth of flavour present immediately too.

Are cocoa nibs good for you?
Firstly I’m no medical professional so I’m not qualified to make any claims. What I can say however, is that both the Aztecs and Mayans believed their chocolatl version of chocolate had health-enhancing properties. According to Stephen T Beckett in The Science of Chocolate there are some benefits of the cocoa butter in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The flavanols in chocolate have been said to have anti-blood clotting, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which may combat the detrimental effects of free-radicals.

Cocoa nibs also contain caffeine, although less per mg than strong ground or instant coffee. To me, at least, they do provide a noticeable stimulating affect. Interestingly, cocoa nibs also contain theobromine which have been said (by S.T. Beckett) to help treat nervous excitement and insomnia.

There have also been studies that chocolate improves your mood. I’m not sure if they needed to run an expensive study to find that out. If cocoa nibs do, due to the lack of crystalline sugar and highly-processed fats is another matter.

What can I do with cocoa nibs?
Of course they can be eaten raw – as I do. But you can also add them to smoothies, cakes in savoury foods. If you’re in the kitchen baking or cooking then feel free to experiment. They’re good to give a lift to food and provide a more interesting flavour.

Cocoa Nibs and Chocolate with them in

Artisan Chocolate

Lee — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 11:02:34 +0000

Artisan chocolate when I was a child was the sort that you could find on the top shelf of the confectionery aisle in Tesco’s. Well I thought Lindt and Green & Blacks were artisans – perhaps they were compared to the omnipresent Cadbury’s and Nestle. Today, with thanks to the introduction of the EU Fortnum and Mason, Selfridges, Waitrose and the odd boutique will stretch to Pralus and Venchi. Although that’s certainly an improvement, there is a wide world of utterly fantastic chocolate which unfortunately goes unnoticed by all but the most inquisitive of chocolate connoisseurs.

There are many self-styled artisan chocolate makers
Artisan chocolate is an over-used phrase. It can mean two things depending if the word chocolate is plural or not. Artisan chocolates are made by highly-talented people typically using couverture – chocolate they haven’t made but melt, temper and form into various filled chocolate or add flavouring to make chocolate bars. Without the ‘s’, I would contend, lie the small-scale (typically called small or micro-batch) chocolate makers. These chocolate makers take the cocoa bean; go through the entire chocolate making process of roasting, winnowing, milling, pressing, conching, tempering, moulding and packaging. To me, this is where the real art lies. When you look at a bar of chocolate and see ‘artisan chocolate’ written please do have a look at the ingredients and tasting notes and make up your own mind.

Tinker, tailor, chocolate maker
These people are what are called ‘bean-to-bar’ chocolate makers. They tinker, experiment with various roasting lengths, conching times, try different equipment and reconfigure the whole chocolate making process to suit their own style. Some may prefer have the cocoa nibs stone-ground instead of using steel which is a more modern process. This all affects the end product as grinding not only makes produces smaller particles small enough for later stages of the chocolate making process, but also to remove as much fat as possible from the structure of the nib to coat the cell surfaces. Artisan or craft chocolate makes understand each bean variant and origin and tweak their process dials accordingly. They typically don’t operate a ‘one size fits all’ approach as the largest chocolate makers appear to do. With such volumes they simply can’t give as much attention to detail.

In recent years the likes of Hershey have bought up small-scale chocolate makers to muscle in on the market. To me when that happens the soul of the company is lost and the raison raison d’être is no longer to make awesome chocolate while improving the world and become the desire to simply make yet more money.

Blood, sweat & tears
For craft bean-to-bar companies the chocolate making process can be an arduous one. Some I know have ‘wasted’ significant volumes of cocoa bean trying to get the right flavour profiles and textures. This experimentation takes a great deal of time and energy. But it’s this emotional expenditure that can be tasted in the chocolate they make. For me at least, you can get a far more wonderful and intense experience from enjoying a bar of artisan bean-to-bar chocolate than that is the case when that bar is one of several hundred thousand produced. Many of the bars that pass through this shop or that I have reviewed are micro-batch where they may produce as few as five hundred to a couple of thousand bars at most.

Originality
However, you’re not only paying more for a more flavoursome, bar of chocolate made by true craftsmen, but you’re also trying chocolate that comes from beans that the big chocolate makers don’t get hold off. Most artisan chocolate makers have strong links with the local cacao tree growers and farm owners. They’re able to source small harvests of beans and create chocolate with a tailored process to make the most of the individual characteristics of the bean. Over the past few years some of the world’s historically finest cocoa beans have been acquired by larger commercial enterprises and this has pushed artisan chocolate makers to pursue more original beans from smaller-scale and remote estates. They’ve been forced to innovate and you can benefit from those more obscure, flavoursome beans.

Giving more back to communities
Without wanting to make sweeping generalisations; small-scale chocolate makers typically pay more for their cocoa beans and those that grow and harvest them also get more than from the multinational companies with shareholders to please. Artisan bean-to-bar chocolate makers are truly passionate not only about the bean, but those that are responsible for growing and harvesting it. They go beyond FairTrade, and pay a higher price than the market would dictate as they understand the toil going into making chocolate from the very first time a new cacao tree is planted and more mature ones tendered.

Sustainability
The whole sustainability of the chocolate industry is key to the business of artisan chocolate makers, and while they can’t fund large scale agricultural initiatives, they can help at the micro level. There is an extra cost to keep the small plantations and farms going and that appears in the price you pay for your unique chocolate. Every bar you buy from most small-scale bean-to-bar chocolate makers goes towards supporting the hyper-local economies of some of the world’s more fragile economies.

More choice
What’s more artisan chocolate makers are willing to produce chocolate that isn’t constrained by the types of chocolate that highly-paid marketers instruct us to buy. You’re unlikely to find the rustic style chocolate of Manufaktura Czekolady in any supermarket, nor are you likely to find anything as expensive as Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé or chocolate from a company as socially beneficial as Naive. Doing something different and original costs, and there just isn’t enough money in it for the high-street shops.

Supermarkets and department stores may be good for bread, milk and £100 jumpers you don’t need, but when it comes to flavoursome chocolate that improves the world? Probably not.

If you would like to go one step further you could lend $25 or more to those that produce cocoa beans in the developing world via Kiva. At the time of writing you can make a difference to 19 people wishing for support for their cocoa based business.

Photo © Sukcesmagazyn

What is Porcelana Chocolate?

Lee — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:03:04 +0000

With the likes of Amedei, Domori, Beschle, Valrhona, Scharffen Berger, Zotter, Pierre Marcolini, Idilio, Bonnat, Pierre Hermé, Coppeneur and even the less well-known Rózsavölgyi Csokolade now making chocolate from the Porcelana bean I thought it right that I should explore its background and explain why I believe that often chocolate made with it is some of the best the world has to offer.

Porcelana is a rare sub-variant of the fine flavour Criollo cocoa bean which is often identified by the white appearance of the pod that encases them. The issue is that often cacao is labelled as ‘Porcelana’ as their pods may also have white pods, without having the same genetic lineage. My grandmother looks like the Queen, but she has no German blood in her, let alone have the original surname of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (it was changed to Windsor during the First World War). And this represents the problem that frequently goes un-noticed in the world of chocolate – often provenance cannot be proven, which allows some to claim origin that cannot be determined.

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Previously Porcelana cocoa was called Maracaibo given that it was grown around the lake of the same name in Venezuela, however, you can also find Porcelana a couple of thousand miles away in Mexico which has been used by both Coppeneur and Pierre Marcolini to produce ‘Porcelana’ bars as well as Peru with the Original Beans chocolate. My view has always been that when you look at the natural history of the cacao tree that with the transit of the species throughout south and central America and then the rest of the tropics, that the flavour has typically become bred out of the bean – comparatively at least. Those beans that have managed to be isolated from mass domestication and cultivation seem to exhibit more of a ‘fine flavour’, those that have been selectively bred to be disease resistant and high yielding are much less ‘flavoursome’. Much like the Chuao beans grown some 400 miles to the East, Porcelana beans have largely managed to prevent the extreme cross-pollination that other sub-variants have. In Chuao’s case this largely due to the local geography which largely protects it from genetic dilution.

Does it Produce The Best Chocolate Though?
Some still market the Amedei as the “most expensive chocolate in the world”, but I feel that this is to patronise chocolate-lovers that may not have experienced a wide range of chocolate or have moved forward with the opening up of the market for Chauo beans or tried chocolate made with cocoa from the close-by farms around Ocumare, or indeed many of the less well-known origins and plantation. There is awesome chocolate grown in Ecuador, Belize, Bolivia and very interesting chocolate coming out of the ‘New World’ of Australia and some deliciously spicy chocolate from Thailand and Vietnam. It’s just more convenient to stick to the ‘Porcelana is best’ line as you can keep your customers ignorant of the wider chocolate world.

I recently judged for the European round of the International Chocolate Awards, where the ‘best’ amongst a massive range of chocolate experts was given to the Los Anconès by Michel Cluizel from the Dominican Republic, and is even from a hybrid bean. This just proves that, a cocoa bean is just one element of a bar of chocolate. How those beans are fermented, how they’re roasted how long the liquor is conched for, how the beans have been transported, the quality of other ingredients, how it’s stored after manufacture all impact the ‘quality’ of the chocolate that to state that it’s the best would be disingenuous of any chocolate reviewer or ‘expert’.

The secret to find the best chocolate is to try a great deal of chocolate an iterate. Note down which beans, where they originated from and, of course, who make the chocolate and compare notes. Your perception of the ‘best chocolate’ will be different from others.

For me, I loved the Rózsavölgyi Csokolade Porcelana 71%, but I still love Chuao and Ocumare chocolate.

Image from the Chocolopois blog.

What is Dairy Free Chocolate?

Lee — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:09:22 +0000

Dairy free chocolate is generally sought by those who suffer from a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance, though it may be consumed for a variety of reasons. Dark chocolates are often a good bet when it comes to seeking chocolate that does not contain dairy products. However, this is not always the case. Many chocolate manufacturers do carry a line of dairy free chocolates for those with allergies, but it can be difficult to find. Label reading is essential for those with lactose intolerance or other allergy.

What are Dairy Allergies and Intolerances?
There is a difference between a dairy allergy and lactose intolerance. Likewise, there are varying degrees of dairy allergies. Some individuals may experience an inability to digest lactose, which is a natural sugar that is present in milk. Others may have an allergy to certain proteins in milk, such as casein, albumin or whey. Depending upon the specific allergy or intolerance, some people may be able to tolerate certain dairy products while others can’t digest any.

Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance and dairy allergies can vary. Those with lactose intolerance may experience eczema, hives, abdominal pain, sneezing, shortness of breath, wheezing, watery eyes, a rash, bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, running nose, coughing and any number of other allergic reactions. Typically, those with lactose intolerance experience stomach cramps and other symptoms related to an inability to digest the product. Individuals with an allergy to one or more of the proteins in milk will most likely experience similar symptoms. Typically, a dairy allergy will produce a sudden reaction, while lactose intolerance may be more gradual. Dairy allergies and intolerances are complicated, and the search for non-dairy chocolate can be just as difficult.

In Search of Dairy free Chocolate
Finding chocolate that is not made from milk or animal products can be a challenge. While quality dark chocolate is generally thought to be free from dairy products, some manufacturers today still use ingredients derived from dairy products in the creation of dark chocolates. In addition, some chocolates may be labelled as milk free, but may still contain animal products or other ingredients that can trigger an allergic reaction. One solution to finding chocolate that is dairy free is to closely read the ingredients. Any chocolate that lists “milk powder” as an ingredient should be avoided. Even some chocolate that is labelled as dark chocolate may contain milk powder. As an example, the Zotter Ecuador 50% includes “full cream milk powder” as an ingredient. Those searching for non-dairy chocolate should note that cocoa butter is not a dairy product, but a vegetable fat. It should also be noted that there is a difference between dairy free ingredients and a dairy free environment. While chocolate may be free from dairy products, it does not necessarily mean the chocolate was created in a dairy free environment. If it was created and packaged in a factory that also manufactures chocolate made with dairy products, there is a chance of cross-contamination. Those with extreme allergies and intolerances might want to seek out specific brands known for manufacturing chocolate in a dairy free environment, such as Moo Free or Plamil.

A large number of manufacturers now carry a line of dairy free chocolate specifically for those with allergies and intolerances, as well as vegans, vegetarians and others who desire to purchase dairy free chocolate for health or other reasons. Chocolate companies such as the Stamp Collection, Plamil and Booja-Booja sell a line of delicious dairy free chocolates. The Stamp Collection was even founded by actor Terence Stamp, who suffers from wheat allergies and dairy intolerances. Products from these companies are generally available at health stores and whole-food shops, as well as various other locations and online.

Advantages of a Dairy Free Diet
People don’t just choose dairy free diets because they suffer from intolerance or an allergy. Some also select dairy free foods for the health advantages they offer. Dairy consumption has been linked with an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease as a result of the high saturated fat content. Additionally, it has been linked to prostate and breast cancer. Milk is also an inflammatory product, which means it may contribute to excessive mucus, a blocked nose, gastrointestinal problems or asthma.

Consider These chocolate bars

The Benefits of Wheat and Gluten Free Chocolate

Lee — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:48:31 +0000

While a gluten free diet is essential to those with Coeliac Disease, research has shown that removal of gluten from the diet can be beneficial and relieve the symptoms in many cases for people who suffer from a variety of conditions and ailments including IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), dermatitis herpetiformis, auto immune disorders, multiple sclerosis, ADHD, anaemia, autism, thyroid disease and cystic fibrosis. Doing away with gluten in the diet has also been considered to benefit some sportsmen and women by increasing energy levels.

Coeliac disease is sadly under diagnosed in the United Kingdom, although awareness is growing within the medical profession. Estimates suggest that 1 in 100 people are affected by this condition far fewer are diagnosed with it and many sufferers are in denial.

The symptoms of Coeliac disease vary from sufferer to sufferer however some of the more common ones are intense fatigue, anaemia, intestinal discomfort, muscle cramps, diarrhoea and a high rate if miscarriages. Gluten is naturally found many cereal crops such as wheat, rye, oats, malt and barley. A wide variety of processed foods also contain gluten.

Going gluten free and finding gluten free food can be a bit of a nightmare and while gluten free products are clearly marked, and labelling laws insist that gluten containing foods have notification in the allergy advice, the majority of people following a gluten free diet are avid label readers.

A few years ago gluten free also meant taste free, however today this is not the case and tasty gluten free alternatives are now available for most foods; in many instances these are indistinguishable from the foods they are replacing. The one issue we have, however, is that often food may not contain any gluten or wheat, but they may actually be manufactured in an environment which cannot be guaranteed to be free of gluten.

On lighter note experts keep telling us that chocolate is good for the heart, well in our opinion it is also good for the soul. So feel free to indulge yourself in some excellent quality gluten free chocolate, justification is easy, simply tell yourself that it’s a health food.

Below is a list of products where we have been notified that they are free of gluten. But please do research before you buy. For your assistance you can read the Zotter dietary information here (pdf). It’s a table, in German, but ‘Gluten’ translated into German is also ‘Gluten’ and ‘no’ is ‘nein’. The ones that do contain gluten are the “Christmas Chocolate” (not currently stocked), the advent calendar,

Albéric Guironnet

Lee — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:58:39 +0000

Founded in 1922, Valrhona is a French manufacturer of quality chocolate. Alberic Guironnet, an artisan pastry chef from the Rhone valley, founded the company in the wine-growing district of Tain l’Hermitage under the name “La Chocolatier de Vivarais. It was not until 1947 that the company took on the name “Valrhona,” which was created by combining the words “valley” and “Rhone.” Alberic, a master of cocoa production, firmly upheld his philosophy to “use only the best to make the best” in the production of his chocolate, selecting only the finest, most rich and luxurious cocoa beans to be used in his factory. Thanks to Mr. Guironnet’s dedication to tradition and quality, as well as the desire of his successors to carry on his philosophy, Valrhona has maintained its position as one of the world’s finest producers of quality chocolate products.

Ecole du Grand Chocolat Valrhona
Today, Valrhona boasts 60 international distributors and five subsidiaries. The renowned chocolate company also maintains the Ecole du Grand Chocolat Valrhona, a school for professional chefs. The school maintains a focus on chocolate-based confections and pastries. Each year, chocolatiers and professional pastry chefs from all parts of the world travel to the famous school in Tain l’Hermitage to intently watch how this world-renowned producer of quality chocolates manufacture and create their delectable delights.

A New Concept in Packaging
Valrhona is known in the industry as the chocolate pioneer that introduced the tradition of displaying the percentage of cocoa solids and the origin of the beans on the packaging. With the introduction of their famous “Grand Cru” chocolate bars in the 1980s, Valrhona led the way for a new concept in the packaging and distribution of chocolate. The “Grand Cru” selection featured plantations such as “Guanaja,” Manjari” and “Caraibe.” Their “Chocolates du Domaine” line appeared in 1999 and carried the name of the region and vintage of the beans harvested.

What Sets Valrhona Apart
What makes Valrhona special is not just the taste of the chocolate, but the ingredients used in its production. The company takes pains to make certain that every raw material used in the creation of its luxurious and delicious chocolate is the absolute finest available. Similar to gourmet coffee, what really makes chocolate delicious is the beans. Valhrona sources its cocoa beans from some of the finest plantations around the globe. The company is also known for being the first to bring a cocoa plantation to the lush island of Trinidad, where some of the best cocoa beans in the world are now cultivated.

Yet another aspect that sets Valrhona apart from many of its competitors is the fact that the company refuses to use vegetable fat in the manufacturing of its chocolate. Vegetable fat sticks to the roof of the mouth, lessening the overall flavour of the confection and taking away from the joys associated with consuming a deliciously rich and luxurious piece of quality chocolate. The company insists on only using natural fat generated from cocoa butter, as it melts away more easily and allows the customer to fully experience the flavourful sensation of Valrhona’s chocolate.

François Pralus

Lee — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 08:38:37 +0000

In 1948, a pastry cook by the name of Auguste Pralus began a tradition of excellence with the opening of a French patisserie in Roanne. Less than a decade later, in 1955, Auguste invented the “prauline.” This delightful brioche with praline contained pink, sugar-coated hazelnuts and almonds. He soon became known for this specialty, as well as a variety of other delicious inventions, and won a number of awards throughout the years. Auguste’s son, Francois, developed a love for crafting delicious and luxurious chocolates at a young age. He intently watched his father in the patisserie and dreamed of following in his footsteps one day.

After training with his father for many years, Francois worked in a variety of renowned restaurants across Europe and even took an internship in the chocolate department at Ecole Lenôtre in Paris. He also apprenticed with legendary chocolatier, Maurice Bernachon, who is recognized as France’s godfather of the modern chocolate movement.

Stirring a Dream
When Francois later returned to Roanne and his father’s beloved patisserie, he began thinking about the creation and development of his own chocolate. He desired to achieve the ultimate peak of aroma and flavour in his chocolate by creating it from the bean. This would require a deviation from the industrialization that had become an everyday part of the business and a return to the traditional methods of patisseries.

In 1988, Francois took over the running of Pralus and soon set off to expand on his father’s success with the exploration of the fascinating and intriguing world of gourmet chocolate. Francois once again set out traveling as he searched the world for the finest Trinitario, Criollo and Forestero cocoas to create his luxurious chocolates. His search for only the finest and richest cocoa beans available led him to the lush forests and plantations of Africa, Brazil, Madagascar and Indonesia.

Nosy Be Island
It was in Madagascar that Francois Pralus took the idea of creating quality, gourmet chocolates from the rarest and most splendid beans in the world a step further. In 2004, he purchased a planation on the island of Nossi-bé, or “Nosy be.” Francois said that he immediately fell in love with the island, which is often referred to as the “Scented Island” because of the deep and delicious aroma of vetiver, vanilla, pepper and ylang-ylang thriving on the island. Sixteen hectares of land located on the island quickly became the first Pralus-owned plantation.

Today, the plantation on Nosy Be Island employs a staff of 44 workers and has developed a reputation for producing some of the finest and richest beans available. The plantation cultivates beans for three types of Pralus’ mouth-watering Madagascar chocolate.

Francois Pralus is one of only a handful of French chocolate makers who grow and create their own chocolate from bean to bar. Approximately 100 tons of Pralus chocolate is produced and sold every year. He chooses to work only with the best beans available from various plantations across the globe. Eighteen different types of beans are imported to his company in Roanne from the Pacific, Asia, Africa and South and Central America. Certain varieties of Pralus’ blends reach 80 per cent cocoa content.