Chocolate University Online Blog
Japan’s confectionery world may be centuries late in regards to using cocoa, but they sure are keeping up and doing very well at it. “Japanese chocolate” may still come off as strange, but cocoa is definitely a rising star in Japan. The once foreign flavor is now starting to become a staple.
Japanese chocolatiers and pastry chefs were the star guests at the 17th Salon du Chocolat which was held in Paris. One of them, Susumu Koyama, even won as the “Best Foreign Chocolatier”. Japan was able to outshine other renowned chocolate-making nations such as Belgium and Switzerland. Susumu was born to a family of pastry chefs and claims to be relying on “instinct” and “nature” in practicing his passion.
Since chocolate made from the cocoa bean has reached the Land of the Rising Sun 250 years later than the West, almost all of Japan’s famous and well-loved pastries have zero chocolate content. But today, the number of Japanese chocolatiers is on the rise, and Susumu says he is doing his part to heighten the interest of his fellowmen in chocolate even more.
Susumu produces chocolate exclusively in Japan at his 200-employee factory, which is also his store, called “esKoyama”. He even set up a school in 2004 to have a new breed of chefs “trained in Japan”, while making sure they are still adopting the French tradition.
Even Japan’s remarkable confectionery house Toraya, one of the pioneers in making traditional Japanese sweets that has provided for the Imperial Royal family since the 16th century, has embraced the trend. They started selling their pastries in Paris 31 years ago. Now, they present the classic yokan, a thick jellied dessert with the native azuki, or red beans, and sweetened cocoa.
“The essence of creation is knowing how to combine new flavours,” said a Toraya official.
Variety is indeed the spice of life. As much as you can, try to taste every food possible. You never know when you’ll find something that you might just add to the top of your favorites list. 
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate exhibit, chocolate novelties, confectionery, Salon du Chocolat, world chocolate
Is chocolate your favorite food? Recently a study was completed that asked an open-ended question of people from 17 different countries to name their favorite food. Chocolate made the published list of top 15 favorites in only 5 of those countries.
Today we can celebrate with the Australians. Australia was the only country on the list that named chocolate as its number 1 favorite food! A total of 8.9% of the surveyed population gave that answer. I’m going to have to visit Australia and hang out with the abundance of chocolate lovers.
In the U.K., where I’ve had a chance to try a variety of chocolates, they gave chocolate as their favorite food 4.2% of the time making it number 6 on their top food list.
Participants in the U.S. picked chocolate as the #10 most favorite. At least it made the top 10 list, but I’m a bit disappointed. Only 2.4% chose chocolate as their favorite. Even ice cream scored higher with 2.6% putting it one position ahead of chocolate. (In case you’re curious, the top pick in the U.S. was pizza with a whopping 15.2% response.)
In South Africa they picked chocolate as their #11 most favorite with 2.2% chiming in. And in Germany 1.5% picked chocolate making it their 14th overall pick.
I think it’s time for more people to join us over here at Chocolate University Online to learn more about chocolate. The guided tasting lessons will help anyone’s appreciation of this marvelous food and start to sway those numbers.
The survey does not mention the movement of foods up or down from previous years so it leaves me curious as to whether chocolate has changed positions, becoming more or less popular. I guess I’ll have to watch for the next survey.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy some chocolate and assure it that it’s still number one to me.
Categories: chocolate in the news, fun chocolate facts
Tags: favorite food, world chocolate
Here’s are some facts and tidbits of the early history of the use of cacao tree, the main source of chocolate!
Chocolate was first developed in the area now called Mexico. In 1519 it was served during breakfast by emperor Moctezuma to his guest, Hernan Cortes Pizarro.
The Spanish conquistador was so impressed with the delicious taste of the “chocolatl” made from cocoa beans that he brought the recipe back home to Spain. He also brought cacao trees with him and he named it the precious tree.
The Spaniards added cane sugar to chocolate, which made it sweeter and tastier. In 1631, Colmenero de Ledesma, an Andalusia physician, published the first recipe for chocolate drink. Soon after, more chocolate drink recipes were created and became a stylish drink enjoyed by the rich.
Soon these chocolate discoveries began to travel to other European countries.
The first recognition of chocolate in England took place in 1657. It became visible in an advertisement as a West India drink that is readily available in a Frenchman’s house in Queenshead Alley. Since then, chocolate drinks have been very popular in England.
At present, chocolate remains popular in Mexico, Spain, and England, but it has spread to all corners of the world. Chocolate is beginning to play an essential role in the diets of people everywhere. Today we can find chocolate producers and consumers in nearly all countries.
Categories: fun chocolate facts
Tags: chocolate drinks, Hernan Cortes Pizarro, hot chocolate, Moctezuma, West India drink, world chocolate
Chips Ahoy is a popular cookie product that many of us grew up with. These cookies were a blessing for those of us who desire to eat chocolate chip cookies but lack the time to make them ourselves.
In 1963, Nabisco started manufacturing this wonderful product. With a genius slogan of “Betcha bite a chip,” this cookie product gained popularity all through out America, and the road to fame later spread all throughout the world. Through the years, Nabisco kept on producing Chips Ahoy varieties like reduced fat, snack packs, peanut butter flavored, chunkier chips, and more.
There is even a wide selection of Chips Ahoy versions produced in most parts of the world. China has their own Orange and Chips Ahoy variation while Russia has Limited Edition Banana and Orange Flavored Chips Ahoy. Canada’s versions consist of Rainbow Colored Chips Ahoy, White Fudge Chunky Chips, and Chips Ahoy Ice Cream Sandwiches.
Today, America’s favorite chocolate chip cookie just got even more chewy and gooey with its new variety. Just in time for National Fudge Day on June 16, 2011, Nabisco is releasing two new Chips Ahoy flavors that have a burst of soft and smooth fudge in the center. This fresh addition is called Chips Ahoy! Chewy Gooey Cookies. They are sold in two varieties – Chocofudge and Megafudge. Both flavors offer a rich, creamy and smooth chocolatey taste that can surely satisfy your cravings.
Chips Ahoy Chewy Gooey Chocofudge is made up of a real chocolate chip cookie that is packed with a layer of soft and creamy fudge. On the other hand, Chips Ahoy Chewy Gooey Megafudge is a brownie-like cookie sprinkled with bits of white chocolate chips with a layer of smooth and flavorful fudge.
Everyone can enjoy eating this treat in a number of ways. In addition to just eating them right out of the package, Chips Ahoy! Chewy Gooey Cookies can be served warm or cold. They can be eaten along with your favorite ice cream flavor to cool you down during the intense heat of summer. Or warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds to have a taste of warm, chunky, fudge-filled cookies that burst in your mouth.
These new varieties are expected to be available nationwide starting May, surely providing more chocolate-chip-cookie-eating-fun for your whole family!
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: Chips Ahoy, chocolate cookies, grocery product, Nabisco, National Fudge Day, world chocolate
Good news. With the former president of Ivory Coast negotiating an exit strategy with UN authorities, it appears that chocolate prices may be headed down.
Cacao shipments from Ivory Coast had dropped to near zero after the election conflict in late 2010. That’s a problem since the country supplies about a third of the world’s supply. Because of the reduced supply, prices have been on pretty much a constant increase.
Now that a surrender is being negotiated, cocoa futures prices dropped immediately to the lowest point in the last three months. This is based on the speculation that the 350,000 tons of cacao held in Ivory Coast port warehouses would be released while the European Union removes its trade embargo.
That’s a huge supply that could come back into the market. And there’s still another 150,000 ton stockpile waiting to go to port. All of this is good news for chocolate lovers everywhere!
The International Cocoa Organization expects that world cocoa production will post a substantial surplus in 2011. So, it sounds like prices may continue to drop for a while.
Perhaps the dropping chocolate prices will help offset the rising gas prices! Well, I suppose that depends on how much chocolate you eat vs. how much you drive.
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate prices, Ivory Coast, world chocolate
Check out this fascinating chocolate sanctuary. Yes, it’s an actual room with walls, furniture, and home décor all made out of chocolate.
Heaven? No. Vilnius, Lithuania.
The chocolate room was created by artist Mindaugas Tendzia Golskis in order to provide “a festive dinner” for a couple in love, using all their senses.
This may be the first of many such rooms. The first chocolate room in Vilnius is at a supermarket and will be on open until March 8th.
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: world chocolate
Some museums may have an exhibit or a small display about chocolate but there are a few museums around the globe that are dedicated exclusively to chocolate. I wish my state had a chocolate museum, but alas, we have the Mustard Museum!
Here is a list of the top ten chocolate museums to visit before you die, as recommended by VirtualTourist.com:
- The Cologne Chocolate Museum; Cologne, Germany
- Musee Les Secrets du Chocolat; Geispolsheim, France
- Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate, Phillip Island Chocolate Factory; Newhaven, Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia
- Choco-Story Chocolate Museum; Bruges, Belgium
- Museu de la Xocolata; Barcelona, Spain
- The Chocolate Museum (Musee du Chocolat); St. Stephen, New Brunswick
- Choco-Story Chocolate Museum; Prague, Czech Republic
- Candy American Museum, Wilbur Chocolate; Lititz, Pennsylvania, USA
- Chocolate Museum; Jeju-do Island, South Korea
- Nestle Chocolate Museum; Mexico City, Mexico
I have to mention that I have only visited one of these on the list so far; the Wilbur Candy Americana Museum. The collection of antique chocolate memorabilia is outstanding. Cocoa tins, chocolate molds, and chocolate companies advertising materials show a remarkable history of chocolate in the U.S. It is a must see!
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate museums, world chocolate
Bryn was feeling a little pinched for time so I decided to jump in and post something interesting for today.
Friday is typically a “chocolate in the news” day so I spent a little time scouring the internet for chocolate stories that would be worth repeating.
In the past, Bryn has made several posts about large chocolate sculptures. Well, today’s feature only looks like chocolate, you can’t really eat it. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to. But it is still chocolate art!
Mercedes-Benz is releasing this new chocolate themed Smart Car in time for Valentine’s Day. Here’s a video of it’s debut in Japan.
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.
In Japan the tradition is for women to give the men chocolates on Valentines Day. If Bryn were to give me one of these, I would know it to be completely self-serving. But what a great vehicle to drive to a chocolate tasting.
With the chocolate-themed wrap designed by Tadaaki Wakamatsu, this car is on sale for just under US$29,000.
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: not quite chocolate, Valentine's Day, world chocolate
I’m absolutely fascinated by sculptures crafted in chocolate. Perhaps it is because I don’t have an artistic bone in my body. I do, however, have a deep admiration for those that do.
I have had several blog posts in the past showing off many chocolatiers’ incredible artistic skills.
Most, if not all, of those were carved from milk or semi-sweet chocolate.
Recently, one of Italy’s well known chocolatiers, Mirco Della Vecchia, formed his creation from white chocolate.
His project was to sculpt and display famous tourist destinations from around the world.
Here is one I especially like, a model of Stonehenge in white chocolate. The worn look on the stone is so realistic!
Besides England’s Stonehenge, the artist also used white chocolate to portray Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, Greece’s Parthenon, Italy’s leaning Tower of Pisa, and Egyptian temples.
All these are on exhibit in Hong Kong at the Chocolate World Heritage show.
Vecchia started entering competitions in 1996. He currently holds the Guinness World Record award for the largest chocolate sculpture in the world – he and his team created a white chocolate “Dome of Milan” which measured at 1.5 meters tall, 2.5 meters long and weighed 5.37 tons.
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: chocolate art, Chocolate World Heritage, white chocolate, world chocolate, world record
According to industry analysts as reported on www.prweb.com, the global confectioneries market could reach $186.3 Billion US dollars by 2015.
The confectionery products category contains market data for chocolate, candy, and gum. The emerging confectionery markets are China, India, Indonesia, and the Middle East.
In the future, analysts say that the global confectionery market will be looking for growth in areas of sugarless, low fat and functional confectionery. It is assumed that the consumption of dark chocolate will continue to increase due to the interest in health benefits of dark chocolate.
Boxed and assorted chocolates fared rather well during the 2008-2009 economic recession and new chocolate products that were introduced in 2009 fared the same or slightly higher compared to 2008 (mostly in the countries of Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America).
The biggest news in 2010 regarding competition in the chocolate marketplace was acquisition of Cadbury by Kraft Foods.
Europe is still the largest consumer of chocolate products.
And, I suppose, I may be a close second!
Categories: chocolate in the news
Tags: Cadbury, confectionery, Kraft Foods, world chocolate
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