How useful is certification for guaranteeing the quality of cocoa beans from a given source? And how does it benefit the farmers in producing countries? It’s a debate that has raged within the cocoa community for some time and it… Read More ›
Chocolatiers
Willie and the chocolate factory
In my previous post, I mentioned how more and more chocolatiers are turning away from big wholesale manufacturers of chocolate in order to make their own chocolate from beans they have sourced themselves directly from producers. Willie’s Cacao, based in… Read More ›
The revival of bean to bar chocolate-makers
With the festive period in full swing, many of us will be savouring chocolates of different kinds and types. But what do we know about how and where the cocoa beans used to make our chocolates are grown and processed ?… Read More ›
Inaugurating Valrhona’s cocoa plantation in the Dominican Republic
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of working with Valrhona, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fine chocolate, on the inauguration of their Loma Sotavento cocoa plantation in the Dominican Republic. It was an important occasion for Valrhona. The… Read More ›
Tain l’Hermitage: where fine chocolate meets fine wine
Tain l’Hermitage is a small town on the left bank of the Rhône in south-eastern France. Located in the northern part of the Côtes du Rhône appellation contrôlée area, Tain l’Hermitage produces some of the world’s finest wines. It is… Read More ›
Chocolate tasting in the Basque country
Although the Basque Country has a strong history in chocolate-making, there are today very few artisan chocolatiers of Basque origin, let alone chocolatiers who make their own chocolate, from bean-to-bar. A century ago, nearly every chocolate craftsman would have made… Read More ›
The first cocoa recipes
I thought that I would share these two drawings that show the early stages of cocoa consumption. What I finding amazing about both of these drawings, are their similarities, and it really shows how the Spanish were influenced by the… Read More ›
France’s first chocolate-makers
Who would have thought of the Basque Country as one of the first places in Europe to be home to chocolate-making as we know it today? Surprisingly, this aspect of the region’s rich heritage is only beginning to receive recognition…. Read More ›
When the cocoa trail becomes the chocolate trail
All good things come to an end. Now it is time for me to return to Europe. But rest assured! It is not the end of the cocoa trail! It is going to swiftly lead into the chocolate trail. With… Read More ›
Peru’s most exquisite white cacao beans
I am now in the Northern tip of Peru, where you can find Peru’s special white cacao, a genetic variety that is highly appreciated by leading chocolatiers around the world. Some of the world’s top chocolatiers, including Pierre Marcolini, Pierrick… Read More ›
