July 27th, 2010
— Ed Engoron, Co-Founder
 Many chocolatiers hang up their molds and close their doors for the summer because it is normally too hot to work with chocolate and it’s also typically the only time chocolatiers can get away from it all before the busy holiday gift-giving season kicks in. But our team of Choclatique artisans and chocolatiers continue to run our Chocolate Studios in Southern California all year ‘round. The warmer weather does make it a little more challenging (but not impossible) to ship our boxed chocolates, but the summer months do not affect our ability to ship our fantastic Drinking Chocolate Beverage Mixes. In fact, iced chocolate beverages mixes are some of the most refreshing drinks you can enjoy on a hot summer day.
 Even the earliest residents of the New World knew about chocolate as a cold beverage. It is a well know fact that chocolate has been enjoyed as a beverage for thousands of years. The Olmecs, thought to be the oldest civilization of the Americas (1500-400 BC), were probably the first to use cacao, followed by the Maya; they drank cold cacao-based beverages by the gallon, all made from beans off their Chontalpa plantations from what is now eastern Tabasco. Chocolatl, the original cacao recipe was a thick, foamy, slightly fermented mix of ground cacao beans, water, wine and peppers. I think of it as a kind of chocolate beer!
 After the Spanish conquered the native civilizations, it didn’t take them long to begin heating the Chocolatl and sweetening it with sugar. Later, the mixture was introduced in England where the Brits added milk to the blend for an after-dinner hot beverage similar to what we now consume for breakfast.
 Today, most chocolate beverages are actually made with cocoa, not chocolate. There is a big difference between the taste of cocoa-based beverages and those made with chocolate. Sometimes the terms are incorrectly used interchangeably;  technically they are as different as milk chocolate and bittersweet dark chocolate. Cocoa-based beverages are made from cocoa powder—chocolate, pressed free of all its richness, meaning that the fat of cocoa butter has been reduced. Hot or iced chocolate beverages are from chocolate (not cocoa) melted into cream. The latter is a much richer, decadent beverage. And, that’s exactly how we blend our chocolate drinking mixes at Choclatique.
 Choclatique Dark Chocolate Drinking Mix is a blend of our award-winning crushed dark chocolate and select cocoa powders, pure Tahitian vanilla and Hawaiian cane sugar. Our special ingredients are all-natural making for a richer, more flavorful hot or iced chocolate beverage.
But we don’t stop there… we now offer Choclatique Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Drinking Mix made with our lightly roasted, high-protein peanut flour, and Choclatique Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Drinking Mix made with the finest and most intense Saigon cinnamon. This fall we will be introducing our new Choclatique Dark Chocolate Mocha Drinking Mix, made with imported Italian espresso.
For those who want to try a sample of each this summer we are offering our Chocolate Trifecta—a delightfully tasty trio that has a flavor for everyone… zesty Cinnamon Drinking Chocolate, nutty Peanut Butter Swirl Drinking Chocolate, and our original rich Dark Chocolate Drinking Chocolate at a 20% discount on Choclatique’s Drinking Chocolate Sampler.
How to Make Really Cool or Iced Chocolate!
 For hot drinking chocolate—simply add 4 tablespoons of the Dark Chocolate Drinking Chocolate Mix of your choice to cold milk (whole, 2%, 1%, non-fat or soy); whisk and heat for a steamy cold-weather chocolate treat. Add a dollop of whipped cream or a marshmallow for a wonderfully warm chocolaty indulgence.
 For iced drinking chocolate—simply add Drinking Chocolate Mix to cold milk (whole, 2%, 1%, non-fat or soy) and blend with ice for a summer time refresher. Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an iced chocolaty treat.
 
Tags: Chocolate Beverages, chocolate drinks, drinking chocolate, hot chocolate, iced chocolate
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July 15th, 2010
— Ed Engoron, Co-Founder
 There is substantial evidence that chocolate was a major food during most of California history—it was a pleasure to drink and a pleasure to eat. California can claim a long history of savoring chocolate. Recently discovered documents show that chocolate was part of the supplies during a 1774-76 Spanish expedition to San Diego, San Gabriel, Monterey and San Francisco. Chocolate served as a stimulant to kept soldiers alert during their sentry rounds and as a way to ease hunger during long overland treks and as a popular social beverage served to family members and guests alike.
 Accounts of the early Spanish and Mission era extol the merits of chocolate, as noted in the diaries of Mexican and Anglo pioneers making the trek to California who found chocolate available at stopovers in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Evidence found at Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento (where gold was first discovered in California) showed chocolate was made there and served to members of the Fremont expedition in 1845. Ledgers in the fort archives record the sale and prices of chocolate in Sacramento both before and after the discovery of gold.
 Chocolate is found in the accounts from the Gold Rush. Miners took “chocolate breaks” to brew their favorite beverage, and hard-working women served chocolate to their children. Getting lucky with chocolate? In San Francisco, chocolate was served as a refreshing beverage in various gambling saloons where miners were at a “loss” for words or even something more substantial.
Tags: California History, Chocolate Beverages, drinking chocolate, Gold Rush, Spanish-Era California
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July 9th, 2010
— Ed Engoron, Co-Founder
This is just the news I have been waiting for. According to Dr. Karin Ried, a researcher at Adelaide University, “Just a chunk of chocolate a day could have the same effect on high blood pressure as half an hour of exercise.”
 As it turns out, while people have been looking for the fountain of youth, the silver bullet or Holy Grail has been right there on the shelf in the candy aisle of your favorite supermarket or confection store all along.
We now know for certain that chocolate—and especially dark chocolate—contains chemicals known as flavanols which naturally open up blood vessels in the body. That means blood flows more easily and blood pressure drops.
 The study showed that for those suffering from high blood pressure the effect of chocolate was so dramatic it could reduce their chances of having a heart attack or stroke by 20% over five years. Hey, I’ve been eating chocolate for over 50 years. I’m going to live forever!
 “You don’t always need medication to reduce blood pressure,” said Dr. Ried who carried out the research. “This [study] shows that there are some [functional] foods that can help.”
Millions of people around the world suffer from high blood pressure–also known as hypertension; around half of them undiagnosed. About one in 10 patients cannot control the condition with medication or cannot tolerate the drugs, leaving them at greater risk. Hundreds of millions face a lifetime on medication to reduce the risk of suffering heart disease, strokes or even kidney failure.
 For the latest research, Dr. Ried and her team of doctors and medical researchers combined the results of 15 other studies looking at chocolate and cocoa between 1955 and 2009 covering hundreds of people. They found that for people with hypertension, eating chocolate could reduce the blood pressure by up to five per cent. For those with normal pressure it had no effect. “This is a significant finding,” said Dr Ried.
“We’ve found that consumption can significantly, albeit modestly, reduce blood pressure for people with high blood pressure, but not for people with normal blood pressure.”
 She said it will take more research to determine the optimal amount of chocolate that was needed to make the most difference. Any volunteers who want to eat massive amounts of chocolate are welcome to sign up here.
She said the studies varied from just one chunk (6g) to a whole bar (100g) a day. People with high blood pressure are seen to have it consistently higher than 140mm Hg systolic or 90mm Hg diastolic. Normal is 90/60. The results showed that chocolate would make it drop 5mm in systolic pressure which is comparable to the known effects of 30 daily minutes of moderate physical activity such as brisk walking or swimming.
 Chocolate has been found to have health giving benefits in the past. Research published earlier this year showed that people who eat just one bar a week are 22% less likely to suffer a stroke. Choclatique’s Q-91 may be just the answer to your functional chocolate needs. Q-91 is our super-dark, bittersweet premium chocolate high in cacao mass. One of the most pleasant effects of eating Q-91 chocolate is the “euphoric feeling” that many people experience after indulging. Chocolate contains more than 300 known beneficial compounds including alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which are said to have positive physiological effects on the body, and have been linked to increased serotonin levels in the brain.
Scientists claim that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can not only lower blood pressure, but prevent tooth decay as well. Dark chocolate has recently been promoted for its additional health benefits, including a substantial amount of antioxidants that reduce the formation of free radicals and reduce the effects of aging. However, the health giving benefits have to be weighed against their contribution to weight gain.
Tags: Antioxidants, chocolate's health benefits, Dark Chocolate, flavanols, lower blood pressure
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July 2nd, 2010
— Joan Vieweger, Co-Founder
These days, with so much doom and gloom in the news and our nation’s leaders and representatives bickering like spoiled children, we need to find more reasons to celebrate each and every day. Here at Choclatique, we celebrate with chocolate, of course!
 #5… It’s our birthday! Our country turns 234 on July 4th… seems like a great big chocolate birthday cake is in order, right? A Coca-Cola® Chocolate Cake1 sounds perfect. What could be more all-American than that? Happy Birthday, America!
 #4… Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer! Nat King Cole got it right with the soda, pretzels and beer, but where was the custard? I’m a Milwaukee girl; growing up our summers always included plenty of trips to Gilles or Kopp’s Frozen Custard stands and I’ve spread the word like an evangelist. So much so that Ed was inspired to create Deep Dark Chocolate Frozen Custard1.
 #3… No more mandatory vuvuzela! While it might be a bit sad that America is no longer in the running for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, I think we can all celebrate not having to endure the maddening reverberations of the vuvuzela with Intoxicating Chocolate Peanut Butter & Jelly Shots1.
 #2… 3-D technology has gone mainstream! Not that long ago, 3-D movies were travelogue-type documentaries released every couple of years to be viewed at a handful of theaters across the country. Today any number of movies are playing in 3-D at our neighborhood theaters and soon we’ll be watching all of our favorite TV shows in 3-D, too. Celebrate with 3-D Chocolate Filled Pancakes1!
 And the #1 reason to celebrate… the book is finished and off to the editor!! Here at Choclatique, we’re definitely celebrating the completion of Ed Engoron’s Choclatique… Ed’s new chocolate adventure book coming out next year! Filled with the most wonderful chocolate recipes you’ll ever dream of and an array of exciting and exhilarating exploits and escapades, this is definitely not your mother’s cookbook. So join us… we’re celebrating with a pan of Ed’s Best “Got Milk?” Chocolate Brownies1!
1Recipe from Ed Engoron’s Choclatique, coming soon (2011) from Running Press.
Tags: 3-D, Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Custard, Coca Cola® Chocolate Cake, Ed Engoron's choclatique, July 4th, World Cup
Posted in Chocolate, Food, Holidays | 1 Comment »
June 11th, 2010
— Ed Engoron, Co-Founder
It’s easy to think of our military as just another “department” of our government or to conjure of images of men and women in their fatigues serving in outposts that most of us couldn’t spell let alone find on a map. But these are “real people”—sons and daughters, moms and dads, brothers and sisters—serving us and our country. Let’s put some faces to some who are supporting our American efforts over in Afghanistan.
 Last Christmas, Choclatique adopted the marines of SOTF-81 from Camp Pendleton, California, deployed to eastern Afghanistan near Herat. The good news is that they are all coming home in the next month or so. The bad news is they have to be extremely careful as the first and last month of deployment are the riskiest times to be “in country.”
Over the last several months, one of our marines (name withheld by request) has shared with us some insights (nothing of a secure nature, of course) that you never seem to hear about on the mainstream or cable news programs. I wonder how many of us could endure for a day what they must live with for months on end.
 Early in their deployment their cots were replaced with some makeshift beds. The odd thing was the springs in the beds were positioned sideways. So, instead of getting an up-and-down motion when they sat on the bed, they’d get thrown out of bed when they rolled over in the middle of the night.
The food is pretty standard fare, but a lot of it is fried (maybe Mrs. Obama could focus some attention on military meals, too?). They miss the fresh fruit and all of California’s healthful foods such as avocados, which are a rarity.
The camp was built from the ground up in 2009. The base is small and their unit provides for all of their necessities, but not much in the way of luxuries. And believe me, what they have come to consider a “luxury”, we would consider a necessity. Occasionally, they get to travel to one of the other larger bases which have an actual Exchange with restaurants like Burger King or a Pizza Hut, along with other long missed American items.
 The weather in Afghanistan is about as dangerous as the bad guys. In late January, they were exposed to about 120 days of winds that blew every day like a bad nor’easter (not that there’s a good nor’easter). Most of the camp has heating and air conditioning, so even when it does snow or is 120º, they manage to keep relatively comfortable. Of course, all bets are off when they’re out on patrol and exposed to the natural elements of Afghanistan.
 Young Americans make friends easily and these Marines feel blessed that the locals have taken kindly to them. The locals are mostly friendly and the Marines see the waves from children as they pass by in the streets. This brings smiles to their faces. It’s described as a 100% experience—50% because they feel like they’re making a difference in Herat and 50% because it reminds them of their homes with neighbors waving as they drive by. Of course, there is a “bad” for every “good.” They must always remain vigilant because the enemy will also have a smiling face right up until they attack. It is very hard not to become complacent.
Our US Marines are serving in a country that is very dusty, rocky, and at high elevations. The water, even though clean and drinkable, has a taste that won’t be forgotten for years to come. They have been working side by side with Special Forces and have told us that as Marines, it has been a pleasure to work with them.
 One thing for sure is that no matter what the news reports tell us here at home, these soldiers cover one another’s backs and always feel safe because of the Marines’ special bond. They have told us that the great training they received back in the states and the quality of men and women with whom they are serving gives them confidence to know that they’ll all come home to their loved ones safe and sound.
These volunteers really love their jobs, but one thing they have learned is “the most important thing you can do is to cling on to 3 or 4 memories which you are willing to die for to get back to the states safely. And thankfully, Choclatique Chocolates have become one of the 4 memories which we have that brings us back to what we know is waiting for us.” We are humbled to play a small part in supporting these brave Marines.
Please say a prayer for their safe return and thank them for their service.
Tags: Afghanistan, Military Life, Special Forces, Special Operations, U.S. Marines
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May 28th, 2010
— Joan Vieweger, Co-Founder
This weekend our nation “celebrates” Memorial Day… you know, the 3-day weekend that marks the unofficial start of summer. The weekend of baseball, barbecues and blockbuster movie debuts. The weekend of legendary mattress, car and stereo sales for those who venture out and Law & Order, and NCIS marathons for all you couch potatoes.
 What seems to get lost in all of the eating, watching and shopping is the real significance of the holiday… a day of remembrance and respect for those who died in service to our country. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic; it was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1971, as part of the National Holiday Act, Congress made the holiday a three-day weekend, a move the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) believes has “contributed greatly to the general public’s nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.”
This spring, I re-watched HBO’s excellent Band of Brothers series as the lead-up to the new series The Pacific. Though the docudrama was very compelling on its own, the video vignette interviews of the actual servicemen from World War I and World War II were moving beyond words. Even all these decades later, the pain of their experiences was evident on their faces, yet they were proud of their service of their fellow soldiers so many of whom never made the trip back home.
 Those of us who have never served in the military can never begin to fathom what thousands and thousands of brave soldiers have endured—and are enduring—to protect us and our allies in conflicts. We owe these brave men and women—and their families—a debt we can never repay.
In December 2000, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution was passed in hopes of re-educating and reminding Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day. The resolution asks that at 3:00 PM local time, for all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps.’” It would seem that this is the very least we can do to pay deep respect to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live in freedom.
 At Choclatique, we proudly support the men and women of the military—past, present and future—who defend our country. We have been very fortunate to become acquainted with many troops currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They and their families inspire us and help us put life’s little inconveniences into proper perspective.
If you find yourself compelled to watch a marathon this weekend, at least tune in to the AMC channel. Beginning at 9:00 AM, you can view 7 classic war films, including The Devil’s Brigade, The Enemy Below and To Hell and Back. But please… don’t forget to take a moment to stop and remember those who gave their lives defending ours.
Tags: AMC, Armed Services, Heroes, Memorial Day, Sacrifice, Servicemen, Veterans, VFW
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May 17th, 2010
— Joan Vieweger, Co-Founder
It was a Friday… like any other Friday until… I clicked open the e-message from Urban Daddy/LA. In a moment, my spirits were lifted as I read the headline that I would soon be able to enjoy Enchiladas and Tequilas from one of my favorites, Rick Bayless, in Los Angeles. My only disappointment was the Red O would not be open until the 26th of May, as I was looking for a great spot to share dinner with friends on the 22nd.
 So, what’s so special about Rick Bayless… and why am I writing about his new restaurant in a blog dedicated to all things chocolate? Quite simply, he’s nothing short of a culinary genius, he’s a really nice guy to boot and he loves chocolate, too! Some of his chocolate creations were the inspiration of our wonderfully rich and exotic Azetca chocolate available in Tablets, Tapestries and Ingots and select truffles as well.
I first became aware of Rick Bayless during one of my many trips to Chicago back in the late eighties. Chicago is one of the best restaurant cities in the country though, at the time, there wasn’t a lot of great Mexican or Latin cuisine in the mix (not withstanding some killer taco stands). Frontera Grill changed all that. Chef Bayless introduced vibrant flavors, bold colors and exciting textures from Mexico that, while foreign to most Midwesterners, created a buzz so intense that even one of his fabulous margaritas couldn’t extinguish it. Just two short years later, Topolobampo was born… an elegant sister to Frontera Grill located right next door. Chef Bayless educated Chicagoans about the regional flavors of Mexico and showed that the French have nothing on Mexico when it comes to fine cuisine.
 While I could always count on finding a great chocolate dessert on either of Chef Bayless’ menus, his next creation—XOCO (slang for “little sister”), put chocolate front and center. Believe me, there’s nothing like quite being handed a rich and frothy cup of hot chocolate ground from Mexican cacao beans on a cold Chicago morning. It’s the perfect chaser for one of Rick’s sinful chocolate churros and is guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart and other body parts, too. YUM! Of course, you can enjoy a similar sensation—piping hot or chillin’ out—with Choclatique’s beverage mixes, each made from real ground chocolate (no cheap cocoa powders here!).
I’ve never met the Chef, but after watching him on Top Chef Masters last year, seeing both his creativity and humility on display under pressure, I can’t wait to do so. So, rest assured that come Tuesday, I’ll be priming my dialing finger to get a table at Red O as soon as the reservations line opens!
Are you a Bayless fan, too? Let me know what you love about Chef Rick… and chocolate, too!
Tags: Azteca Chocolate, chocolate tablets, hot chocolate, Mexican Cuisine, Red O, Rick Bayless, Top Chef Masters
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April 19th, 2010
— Ed Engoron, Co-Founder
This week, Spanish medical researchers reported that chocolate may be good medicine for patients with severe liver disease. Those Spaniards must have known something very early on know since they’re the ones who first brought chocolate to Europe from the New World in the Americas.
 Reuters of London was all abuzz about comments made by Dr. Mark Thursz, a professor of hepatology at London’s Imperial College, when he said, “This new study shows a clear association between eating dark chocolate and (lower) portal hypertension and demonstrates the potential importance of improvements in the management of cirrhotic patients with chocolate.” Cocoa, rich in dark chocolate and low in sugar, could be prescribed for people with liver cirrhosis in the future. This is yet another new study among a body of research to demonstrate the amazing potential health benefits of chocolate.
 The Spanish researchers said that eating dark chocolate capped the usual after-meal rise in abdominal blood pressure, which can reach dangerous levels in cirrhotic patients and, in severe cases, lead to blood vessel rupture. Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver as a result of long-term damage. It is caused by various factors, including hepatitis infection and alcohol abuse.
Found in cocoa, antioxidants called flavanols are believed to be the reason why chocolate is so good for the control of blood pressure because the chemicals help the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels to relax and widen.
A study of 21 patients with end-stage liver disease found that those given a meal containing 85% cacao dark chocolate had a markedly smaller rise in blood pressure in the liver—or portal hypertension—than those given white chocolate.
The results were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver in Vienna and follow a number of earlier scientific studies suggesting that dark chocolate also promotes heart health.
 At Choclatique, we have developed a great-tasting chocolate low in sugar and high in antioxidants, called Q-91. Choclatique’s Q-91 is a uniquely complex blend of several different cacao beans from each of the major cacao growing regions around the world. With the first taste, you will discover that the rich, natural flavors of ripe cherry and deep chocolate foreshadow complex layers of tart citrus, red fruit and nutty notes held up by a solid chocolate base.
Even though Choclatique’s Q-91 tastes great, it still contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which are said to have positive physiological effects on the mind and health benefits for the body. Dark chocolate like Q-91 has been linked to increased serotonin levels in the brain because it includes a substantial amount of antioxidants that reduce the formation of free radicals and lessen the effects of many diseases and aging.
Tags: Antioxidants, Chocolate Health Benefits, Dark Chocolate, flavanols, liver cirrhosis, lower blood pressure
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April 8th, 2010
— Ed Engoron, Co-Founder
Joan and I left Los Angeles on the “Windstar Express” carrying a load of chocolate at about 6 am on Friday morning headed for our favorite chocolate show—The Fourth Annual San Francisco International Chocolate Salon held at Fort Mason. We knew that we had won several more awards that had been pre-judged and already announced. On the trip up, I spoke with my editor, Geoff Stone, about the new adventures of Old Ed—an editorial device that is another way to describe some of my world travels in search of great chocolate to be featured in the upcoming Ed Engoron’s Choclatique by Running Press.
 After checking in at the Hilton on Fisherman’s Wharf, we met up with my brother Roy and chef Wayne, fielded telephone calls from clients, customers and the office and finally took some time to have a great dinner at North Beach Restaurant and then to bed to prepare for the morning onslaught of chocolate lovers. The alarm went off at 5 am and it was up and at ‘em to set up for the salon. The doors opened and we served nearly five thousand pieces of chocolate and sold many more between 10 and 6. Then it was time to break everything down and pack up. Before collapsing for the night, we had a horrible dinner at Castagnola’s on the wharf—disgusting food and despicable service. After all, it is a tourist trap. What were we thinking?
Sunday morning we were on the road back to Los Angeles, arriving at 3pm, just in time to get caught in the Los Angeles Marathon traffic. When I got home, I had just enough time to change and repack my suitcase for two weeks in Portugal.
Monday morning Joan and I arrived at the office at 7am and spent the whole day taking care of everything that we didn’t do the week before while preparing for our client meetings in Lisbon. It was an all nighter on Air France to Paris and another two and a half hours to Lisbon. We had just enough time to check into our hotel rooms, clean up and meet our client for dinner.
I brought samples of CHICKS and Chocolate Almond Butter Toffee Bites—our best in show toffee. The next morning it was back-to-back meetings for nearly 12 hours. Our clients like to get their money’s worth. We visited Colombo, a beautiful upscale shopping mall for dinner before retiring for the night.
 The next day and each succeeding day it was store visits, kitchen inspections, checking the competition and eating lot of traditional Portuguese food from the far north to the south like Duck Rice, Cozido (don’t ask) and Bacalhau. Bacalhau is made from salted Icelandic cod. The Portuguese claim that there are 1001 ways to make Bacalhau, but oddly enough, none of the recipes include chocolate.
On Monday we headed up to Braga near Porto to see their newest hyper store—a 3-hour drive in each direction. The entire trip was peppered with chocolate from Hustle, chocolate mousse from Pingo Doce and other chocolate delights from flans to brûlées and from truffles to tablets—everything chocolate.
 The last day was preparing for a board meeting in a picturesque fishing village, Ericeira, about 30 minutes outside Lisbon. Many Portuguese families have summer homes there and why not… it is just what you would think Portugal should look like. We feasted on a lunch of Tiger Prawns, locally-caught steamed prawns, and char-grilled Dorado which my client claimed tastes just like lobster. It didn’t, but was good just the same.
 The board meeting was cancelled at the last minute, but undaunted, my client and I found time to check out two more supermarkets and then find a great pizza joint that served wonderful Italian wines, fantastic chocolate tiramisu and a wheat berry cheese cake, better than Mario Batali’s; you can find my recipe in the recipe section of our blog. The only thing that would have made it a little better would have been a drizzle of Choclatique Prestige Milk Chocolate. Oh, by the way, the wood-fired pizza was pretty terrific, too.
So, after over two weeks on the road, here I am on Flight 063 Paris to Los Angeles, writing my adventures before I forget any of the details. Tomorrow it will be business as unusual (as it always is) and, of course, no day is ever complete without a visit to the Choclatique Chocolate Studios and a tasting of our latest production. This job is tough, but someone has to do it. Welcome home, Ed!
Tags: Fisherman's Wharf, Portugal, San Francisco International Chocolate Salon, Travel
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April 1st, 2010
— Joan Vieweger, Co-Founder
This Sunday, April 4th, is Easter Sunday. Beyond the religious significance to the faithful, Easter has become one of the candy and chocolate industries’ biggest holidays. From jelly beans and marshmallow chicks to foil-wrapped chocolate eggs and hollow bunnies, Easter gives kids of all ages an excuse to indulge a little. Perhaps it’s the effect of the particularly long, cold, wet and snowy winter, but the fact that the holiday arrives ten days earlier than last year hasn’t dampened expectations for a banner year in sales. The National Retail Foundation reports that total Easter spending is expected to reach over $13 billion! Of course that total includes food, flowers, decorations, greeting cards, clothing and yes, candy and chocolate.
 Easter was a major holiday in my childhood. I remember that my Great Uncle Tony, a pharmacist and proprietor of a local drug store (similar to the one shown), always brought me a taste of the newest seasonal candy when it came into the store. I wasn’t very discriminating back then—if it had sugar and/or milk chocolate, I was game.
 As a young child an over-sized hollow bunny or extra large bag of jelly beans did the trick. But as I got a little older, nothing brought me the excitement as the newest seasonal chocolate assortment did. The ritual of removing the outer wrapper, sliding open the lid and breathing in the sweet aroma of chocolate… there was—and is—nothing like it. Were it not for my Granny interceding at just the right moment, I’m certain I could have polished off that one-pounder in no time flat. She helped me to appreciate those chocolate moments.
She allowed me to have just two in that first moment, so selection was critical. Not being a big fan of the coconut back then (I used to refer to it as eating hair), nor having yet acquired the appreciation for the richness of a solid piece of gourmet chocolate, I ultimately learned to look before I leaped.
There wasn’t much color used back then and the fillings and designs were very simple relative to today’s offerings, so I looked for the subtle differences in size, shape, the twist of the drizzle, the hint of a possible nut… all were clues to treasure inside. Even shaking the chocolate could even be rewarding if one was in pursuit of the elusive chocolate covered cherry. My favorite was the nutty caramel.
 I’m happy to say that I still have that childlike excitement whenever I open up a box of assorted truffles—whether ours or another artisans’. I still stop and take in with full measure the chocolate aroma when I open the box, and then I let my eyes dance from piece to piece to piece, struggling to decide which one to try first. Fortunately, I went from candy store kid to chocolate studio owner, so I don’t have to choose just one or two and I don’t have to wait for a holiday to enjoy our chocolates… neither do you. But there is still something special about savoring Easter memories of my Granny and Uncle Tony and those special boxes of chocolate.
Create your own holiday memories with Choclatique…
Tags: Chocolate Gifts, Easter Chocolate, Gourmet Chocolate, Holiday Chocolate
Posted in Chocolate, Food, Holidays | No Comments »
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