Chocolate University Online Blog
The Festival of Chocolate, Florida’s only all-chocolate event and the grandest celebration of everything chocolate in the Southeastern United States, will be taking place on January 14-16, 2012 at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI).
Local and regional chocolate and confection companies will be featuring and selling treats such from truffles and cupcakes to ice cream and chocolate drinks.
Guests and patrons can also participate in fun chocolate competitions conducted for the young and the young-at-heart. Go nuts in piling a skyscraper of cookies or in their signature “Face the Cookie” contest.
If you’re a chocolate geek, eat your heart out as you learn about the history of chocolate and the process it undergoes from tree to treat. Fulfill your fantasies about becoming a detective in a hunt where you’re supposed to uncover fun chocolate facts in the Chocolate Museum.
Chocoholics of all ages will surely have fun creating chocolate lip balm and armpit fudge. Get to witness models in “Yum-way” as they strut their stuff made out of candy bar wrappers. The tasteful (pun intended) and artsy creations will be displayed at 2:30pm on Saturday, January 14.
Renowned pastry chefs and chocolate makers will be sharing some chocolate treat creation tips. You can do this at home whether you are a chef looking to master your skills in working with chocolate, or a die-hard chocolate fanatic on the lookout for new, creative, and interesting chocolate treat recipes to whip up for yourself or for people in your life. Also, you’ll get to see these experts in the flesh and live in action as they compete with another.
As you may have seen in previous blog posts, wine and chocolate pairing is becoming all the rage. We know for a fact that chocolate per se is a pleasure, and so is wine. Get down to details to know how to match these two properly as you take part in interactive classes hosted by a professional wine and a chocolate expert.
Head to Tampa, Florida, to experience the Festival of Chocolate and have the sweetest three days of your life!
Time: January 14, 2012 at 9am to January 16, 2012 at 5pm
Location:
Museum of Science And Industry
4801 E. Fowler Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33617
http://tampa.festivalofchocolate.com/
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate celebrations, chocolate companies, chocolate destinations, chocolate exhibit, chocolate facts, chocolate museums, working with chocolate
Probably by now, you know that chocolate is made from the fruit of the cacao tree. Let me share some tidbits about all you chocoholics’ own version of “tree of life”.
Cacao trees are tiny evergreen trees that are only about 6 meters tall. These trees produce fruit and flowers all year round and they are cultivated in countries within 10 degrees North and 10 degrees South of the Equator where the climate is most favorable for the cultivation of cacao trees as they require warm and humid environment. Furthermore, cacao trees need fertile and well-irrigated soil along with regular rainfall to grow their best.
Cacao trees are naturally found in rainforests where they make use of the shade of the heavy canopy, since they grow best when they are covered by some sort of shade. In the wild, these trees grow underneath the larger evergreen trees and are often found along rivers.
For the record, cacao has been grown for at least three millennia now in Mexico, Central America and South America. The leading suppliers of cacao are Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Indonesia.
It takes around five years for a cacao tree to yield its first crop. It becomes an adult plant come year ten. It yields between 300 and 1000 pounds of cocoa per acre for approximately 50 years.
The seed pods grow directly off the trunk of the cacao tree, rather than the ends of the branches. Each pod is as large as a pineapple measuring 5 to 12 inches long and 3 to 5 inches wide and generally contains about thirty to fifty seeds. It takes about 400 to 500 seeds to produce one pound of chocolate. Cocoa beans, which are used in making chocolate, are the dried and fully fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree.
Just so you know, cacao flowers are not pollinated by bees or butterflies like most flowers, but by forcipomyia midges which are like tiny flies. And just a fun fact, these midges have the fastest wing-beats of any creature on earth, about 1000 times per second!
Categories: fun chocolate facts
Tags: cacao tree, chocolate facts, cocoa, cocoa beans
The queens of France were allegedly the ones held responsible for the craze of drinking chocolate during their times. They brought the practice along with them from their countries of origin, or so they say.
The first queen was Anne of Austria who married Louis XIII. When the king died, she became regent and declared her immense love of chocolate. She was even given a personal chocolatier!
The second queen who had extreme love of chocolate was Maria Theresa of Austria who married Louis XIV. It is said that she only had two passions in life… the king, and you guessed right, chocolate. And according to the king, chocolate tricks hunger but does not fill the stomach.
After Maria Theresa of Austria died, Louis XIV married Madame de Maintenon and she laid down the order to serve chocolate at feasts and celebrations.
David Chaillou was the first official chocolate maker in France during the 16th century. Vendors of soft drinks were then allowed to sell drinking chocolate. In 1800, chocolate became all the rage that more and more people engaged themselves in the chocolate sector, consumers, and traders, among many others.
The mistresses of Louis XV were also huge fans of chocolate. Madame de Pompadour used it as an aphrodisiac to treat her sexual dysfunctions. Reportedly, the king’s remark was that she was “a cold fish.” On the other hand, Madame du Barry, being nymphomaniacal, gave chocolate to her lovers so they could keep up with her almost unappeasable lust.
The circle of queens went on, and then came Marie-Antoinette who married Louis XVI. She originated from Austria along with her own personal chocolatier. The chocolate maker usually prepared chocolate with sugar and vanilla, but there were other more intricate recipes such as chocolate mixed with an orchid bulb for strength, chocolate with sweet almond milk to aid digestion, or chocolate with orange blossom to calm the nerves.
Yep, even several hundred years ago, chocolate was such a delight that royalties themselves couldn’t get enough of it!
Categories: fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate facts, chocolate history, European chocolate
Young couples volunteered to have their hearts and brains monitored and were then asked to melt dark chocolate in their mouths before kissing their partners.
The research was led by Dr David Lewis, formerly of the University of Sussex, and now of the Mind Lab. “These results really surprised and intrigued us,” he said. “While we fully expected chocolate – especially dark chocolate – to increase heart rates due to the fact it contains some highly stimulating substances, both the length of the increase, together with the powerful effects it had on the mind, were something none of us had anticipated.”
The romantically attached volunteers who were all aged in their 20s, had electrodes hooked up to them by scientists as they put a piece of dark chocolate on their tongue and, without chewing, indicated when it started to melt. The couples then had to kiss each other the way they normally would.
The scientist also compared their resting heart rates with those where they had the chocolate and kissing tests. The discovery was that even the most passionate kisses were no match to the buzz chocolate can give. At the point which the chocolate was melting in the mouth, all regions of the brain were stimulated far more intensely and lasted way longer than the mental excitement they got from kissing. The lumps of chocolate also allegedly made the heart beat faster.
And albeit the fact that more women love chocolate, and not to mention, are more romantic, both sexes yielded the same results.
“There is no doubt that chocolate beats kissing hands down when it comes to providing a long-lasting body and brain buzz – a buzz that, in many cases, lasted four times as long as the most passionate kiss,” said Dr Lewis.
Chocolate is known to have several substances that give natural high, namely phenylethylamine, which is elicited when we are in love, theobromine, and caffeine.
The study used a 60% cocoa dark chocolate. “You’d think people would be shy about kissing in a laboratory, but that wasn’t the case at all. We’re not talking about a quick peck here,” said a spokeswoman for the chocolate makers.
Categories: fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate facts, chocolate studies, kissing, phenylethylamine, theobromine
Did you know that some centuries back, the Catholic Church used to associate chocolate with heretical behavior such as blasphemy and even witchcraft? Intriguing? I know.
Does the word ‘Inquisition’ ring your bell? If not, let me shed some light. The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis (inquiry on heretical perversity), depicts religious overkill, torture, and intolerance. It was the fight against heresy by the Roman Catholic Church.
What certain behavior connects such disheartening event to chocolate, you may ask. Well, it was the act of drinking chocolate alone while attending an event. As morbid as it may sound, there were even stories wherein Charles II, King of Spain, drank chocolate while witnessing Inquisition victims being killed.
Inquisition documents even recognized some activities of chocolate merchants that are involved in anti-Christian behavior and actions, chocolate was also used in seduction and witchcraft. Those documents also presented how people turned against each other, deliberately or inadvertently.
Many of the people in those times were accused of using chocolate in “non-Christian” ways. Some chocolate makers were denounced for being observant Jews.
Today, chocolate is almost synonymous to anything cheery. Let bygones be bygones, it’s a thing of the past! That was quite a transition though.
Categories: fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate, chocolate facts, chocolate history
Consumers of all ages (especially those 24-35 years of age, mostly women) across all USA are embracing specialty foods this year, according to a new report from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT). Needless to say, chocolate has always been popular. But now, chocolate has already triumphed over coffee as the top specialty food purchase.
For the time being, Chuao Chocolatier in San Diego County has won a sofi Gold award from the NASFT in the hot-beverage category for its Spicy Maya Hot Chocolate. The just-add-water hot chocolate drink is a blend of cinnamon, pasilla chile and cayenne pepper, giving a spicy finish to it. They all come together with a blend of premium 58 to 72 percent Venezuelan chocolate to make this particular beverage gourmet.
The progress of well-made artisan chocolate was unrelenting even during tough economic times, that’s why the emerging popularity of gourmet chocolate came as no surprise to Michael Antonorsi, president of Chuao. “We’ve been seeing the growth, and I was excited to see that chocolate was at the top of the list,” he said. “Ever since we started we have always had this culinary approach to chocolate. Our mission is to arouse your senses – to take it to a much higher level than (just) sweets or candy.”
“Economic challenges spell opportunity for the $70 billion specialty food industry,” said Ron Tanner, Vice President, Communications and Education for the NASFT. “Specialty foods like dark chocolate, artisanal cheeses and creative condiments have become an integral part of the culinary landscape and consumers continue to enjoy them.”
Chocolate reigns as the top specialty food purchases reported this year and olive oil and specialty oils come after it. Next come cheese, yogurt and kefir and then cold non-alcoholic beverages. Coffee ranks sixth. Farmers markets are ahead as a source for specialty food, but supermarkets still lead.
Again, chocolate is 2011′s number 1 specialty food. So let me see that smile on your face, you little chocoholic you! 
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate drinks, chocolate facts, favorite food, hot chocolate
New studies have revealed that a moderate amount of high quality dark chocolate can be as good as a session in the gym. Cocoa was found to contain a certain compound called epicatechin and this allegedly enhances muscle the same way exercising does.
Researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, conducted an experiment on three groups of 12-month-old mice, the equivalent of middle aged humans: one was given epicatechin twice a day for 15 days, the second one was given epicatechin as well and spent 30 minutes on a treadmill, while the third exercised without receiving the extract.
There was an observed increase in the number of energy-producing mitochondria, the ‘powerhouses’ of cells, in the mice that only took epicatechin and they had significantly better muscle performance and took longer to tire than those that only exercised. It was unusual as these mitochondria are normally a byproduct of getting aerobic exercise such as running or cycling.
More mitochondria equal more energy, enabling you to perform work longer. The research team is hoping that their studies could ultimately be of help in counteracting the dreaded age-related muscle wasting.
According to research leader Dr Moh Malek: “Those getting only epicatechin had a significantly better muscle performance and took longer to tire than those that only exercised. The group doing both showed even greater improvement, so it appears epicatechin combined with exercise may be a viable means to offset muscle ageing.”
They were fascinated to know how natural products can imitate and improve the effects of exercise. Unluckily, the study is too premature for them to conclude that humans could get the same benefits as the mice.
Dr Malek also added: ”At the moment it would be a leap of faith to say the same effects would be seen in humans. But it is something we hope to identify in future studies.”
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate facts, chocolate science, chocolate studies, epicatechin, research
We all have chocolate cravings, but women seem to have stronger desire for it than men do. Why is it so? Research has found that these cravings may be in relation to blood sugar levels, stress and hormonal changes caused by a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Chocolates have sugar and caffeine content and these can alter your blood sugar levels. One reason why we sometimes crave chocolates is because sugar in our blood hits the low levels and chocolates can be a good source of a quick sugar fix.
Eating chocolate never fails to make you feel good and this is due to the serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that can enhance the mood. This is the main reason why chocolate is a renowned comfort food.
Days before menstrual periods, women’s serotonin levels are low. In addition to that, hormonal changes cause depletion in the levels of minerals in the blood, such as magnesium, which can also be found in chocolates. These are some of the reasons for such powerful chocolate cravings.
Some scientists say that such cravings are just caused by cultural factors since research has shown that American women have stronger yearnings for chocolates than those of other nationalities. While some researchers claim that chocolate cravings are basically psychological in a sense that menstruating women feel that they are socially entitled to eat chocolate albeit its high fat contents.
Additionally, chocolate is arguably addictive. Research has shown that it contains alkaloid, compounds that make alcohol addictive. Scientists also found that it contains anandamine, another compound that gets marijuana users hooked.
Phenylethylamine is also a substance found in chocolates and this is a chemical found in the body which is just like the addicting amphetamine. It gives people feelings like those of euphoria and giddiness. These compounds are said to stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain and it peaks during orgasm, which is why women reportedly choose chocolates over sex. Interesting, eh?
Nevertheless, chocolates are not proven to have enough contents of these compounds for it to be actually addictive.
The last and main reason for such intense cravings is because chocolate is good, period. Good is an understatement even. The exact word to describe chocolate? You decide.
Categories: fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate facts, neurotransmitters, phenylethylamine, pleasure, serotonin
What is Fair-trade chocolate, and does it taste as good as non-fair trade chocolate?
The Fair Trade chocolate model is intended to ensure cacao farmers receive a fair price for their harvest. Fair trade seeks to create more trade links between farmer and buyer with the intent of eliminating the “middleman.”
It is about sustainability, responsible farming, and supplying a community of growers with better education, health care, and the elimination of child and slave labor. It all sounds like good stuff.
 You know the chocolate you are buying is fair trade certified when you see it on the label.
Importers and manufacturers have the opportunity to buy from Fair Trade certified
farms. The number is still small, but it is growing.
To be certified fair trade, a farmer or co-op must comply with certain standards and inspections. In return, the farmer or co-op gets a better price for their beans. Getting cacao farms to comply, and manufacturers to source only certified beans, is not a quick and easy process.
Imagine for a moment that you commit to eating only certified organic and fair trade foods. Your commitment would bring about a change in where you buy your food, the amount of money you spend on the food, and the availability of certain foods. Perhaps your choices would be limited so there is a change in diet. Some of your favorite foods may not be on the “list.” Clearly your commitment would not be easy.
It is similar in the chocolate world. Committing to Fair Trade is not impossible, but it requires changes in the way things are done.
When the process changes, the end product can change. Perhaps that is why a common complaint I hear is that the flavor gap between fair trade and non-fair trade chocolates is noticeable. Sometimes it is enough to discourage purchasing of that fair trade item.
To the credit of the fair trade effort, I believe this gap has been decreasing over the years, and flavor improvements have been vast.
I do believe that chocolate companies, large and small, do commit to one thing: sourcing good quality ingredients to make the best chocolate possible. In the future, I hope that commitment includes fair-trade practices.
Categories: chocolate education
Tags: chocolate facts, fair trade
 No one knows for sure how St. Valentines Day became synonymous with romantic love. There are a number of theories, but that is not really important. Once the tradition got started, all kinds of things naturally presented themselves as part of the language of love…
Like chocolate, for instance.
Chocolate and romance go together.
Throughout history, people have believed chocolate to be an aphrodisiac. It is said that Montezuma drank chocolate to increase his amorous energy and stamina. From ancient Mexico to Europe and then to America, this legend spread across the globe and survived the centuries as a powerful love potion.
Chocolate is a complex food and scientists try to unlock its secrets. When eaten, it changes human behavior, especially in women. Chocolate contains two substances called Phenylethylamine and Serotonin. These are responsible for lifting one’s mood and making us experience feelings of well being, love and happiness.
When Phenylethylamine and Seratonin are released into the body, they can produce arousing effects and give us instant energy. No wonder chocolate has gained a reputation as an aphrodisiac. Women are more susceptible to the effects of Phenylethylamine and Seratonin than men.
Still, the debate continues as to whether or not there is scientific evidence proving chocolate as an aphrodisiac. Sure, there are chemicals in chocolate that makes us “feel good” but so does the act of eating the chocolate because it TASTES good. And I, for one, feel good when I receive chocolate as a gift. It gives me feelings of being loved.
There is no doubt about one thing – chocolate and romance do go together.
Enjoy some chocolate this Valentines Day!
Categories: chocolate education, fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate facts, chocolate history, holidays, phenylethylamine, serotonin
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