20-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-chocolate-package-designs...

In need of a confection to go with your Lord of the Rings: Return of the King boxset? Look no further! Check out this and 20 of the other most beautiful chocolate-package-designs in the world...

Chocolate Event with Belgian Chocolate Ambassador Chef Bart Van Cauwenberghe

Dear Followers,
As you know, I am a Trinidadian chocolatier and owner of Delft Cocoa Plantations Limitied which was formed in 2010 to manage our cocoa estate in Brasso Venado. The company’s mission includes aiding in the effort to revitalize the local cocoa industry. We aspire to increase awareness and appreciation of Trinidad fine/flavour cocoa by capturing the interest of our local population, and thereby the next generation of cocoa industry stakeholders, in the glamourous world of chocolate.

To this end, we will be hosting a 3-day Chocolate Event led by Belgian Chocolate Ambassador Chef Bart Van Cauwenberghe with a purpose to teach and demonstrate chocolate technique as well as sensitize the broader public about the high quality chocolate our cocoa beans can yield. Below is an overview of what the event entails.

3-day Chocolate Event – July 6th, 7th and 8th 2011

Venue: The Tobago Hospitality & Tourism Institute (THTI)


EVENT DAY 1 - Introduction to Chocolate

Intended audience: culinary students, hotel/restaurant chefs, general public



EVENT DAY 2 - Chocolate Work Demonstration

Intended audience: cuilinary students, hotel/restaurant chefs, general public


EVENT DAY 3 - Wine and Chocolate Luxury Evening Guided Tasting

Intended audience: general public


Please join us in beautiful Tobago for this fabulous event!

Wettest January Ever!

Ok, now this is getting ridiculous!  We're supposed to be well into the dry season here but it's been overcast almost everyday. And here I was thinking we'd be able to finish up the last bit of this harvest and sun dry the beans and finally learn to 'dance the cocoa' in the old traditional way ... :( *sigh

Anyway, atleast we won't have to sell the beans wet this time thanks to the Montserrat Farmers Association! This is a cocoa farmers co-op that has come together to produce finest grade dry cocoa from the Monserrat Hills - a region which also encompasses our estate! I had the pleasure of meeting with gentleman heading the co-op at the Fine Cocoa Workshop held up at the University of the West Indies. (Which incidentally was so much fun, with so many lovely people passionate about cocoa ... I forgot to take pictures!)
Once a member, they'll be able to dry our beans for us in the nice old fashioned drying houses and I'll actually be able to get them back to start making some chocolate! The really interesting thing about this association, is that, thanks to the high quality of dried beans and the quantity they are able to produce, they qualify for the special export license which would allow them to export out of the country. They're in the market for a foreign chocolate maker to produce a single origin bar... Here's where yours truly comes in *^_^ Something tells me 2011 is gonna be one awesome year!

Wettest December Ever!

Sad news my dear followers!
Due to the heavy rains the ground is all saturated and so we can't get in to harvest the cocoa! Let alone dry any beans :..( The only thing to do now is wait for the rain to stop - atleast long enough for the land to dry out and harden up the ground so we can get in there to pick. At that point, we'll have to sell the beans wet (undried,unfermented, straight outta the pod) as there's no sign of the dry season in sight. But when it comes, some farmers are saying, it's going to be a pretty dry one. Let's pray it's nowhere as dry as the last!

Master Chocolatier Course in Belgium

October 3rd -8th 2010

The most exciting, action-packed week of my life!
So much so, that my plan for journaling the entire week day by day went completely out the window! Consequently, I must know reconstruct a week of advanced instruction, factory tours, shop visits and chocolate boutique walking tours from memory!

Let's see if the official itinerary from EC's website can help :)

About Callebaut:

With Barry Callebaut, there is a history of over 150 years in the world of cocoa
and chocolate. With their first steps into the processing and production of high
quality chocolates, they laid the foundations for their current expertise and
research into new products and techniques.

Tour Itinerary:

Sunday: Independent arrivals in Brussels, Belgium.
Monday: We leave at 8:00 AM for The Chocolate Academy in Weize. Welcome Dinner that evening after we settle into our hotel in Aalst.

Tuesday,Wednesday: Full day of classes at The Chocolate Academy.

Thursday: We complete our program at The Chocolate Academy including a tour the Barry Callebaut chocolate factory and a private laboratory visit with Barry Callebaut Ambassador and Master Chocolatier.

Friday: We return to Brussels in the morning to check into our Brussels hotel, enjoy our Farewell lunch and a tour of the important chocolate boutiques.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Stay tuned for my commentary and links to pictures from the week!

(Thanks for the push Matt!)

In Brussels!

After an eventful trip full of tricks and turns, suspense and intrigue ...*sniff* I'm here in Belgium but my luggage is not! American Airlines lost my luggage! And all I got is this sheer scarf and bare arms! Time for a walk to the mall!

But I have to say - the city really is beautiful. Already spotted a chocolate shop called Chocopolis right next door! Hopefully I can get some pictures up by the end of today.

Today's hotel - Best Western Carrefour de l'Europe - +32(0)2 504 9400 - feel free to call or send flowers LOL.

AA 1818 destined to Miami International. Just saw The honourable PM Aunty Kamla on the way in to Trinidad! She really does look exactly like mom! This sure was a morning of surprises! ;) Can’t believe I’m on the way to Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Belgium. Me! Hasn’t really sunk in yet. Probably once I get though this day of flying and transfers :)

Tobago Cocoa Estate! ... Finally!

That was so great! And Mr. Dove was lovely - he answered all my questions, humoured me while I rambled on and on about every cocoa related thing that flew in and out of my head all while maintaining his warm and charming demeanour. Maybe I should study some hospitality - and maybe then people would stop running away...

Anywho, I learnt soooo much. My Ecole Chocolat studies definitely came in handy when discussing cocoa growth, plant varieties, diseases etc. And it was cool that I had met with the super nice folks at the CRU in UWI before so

Mr.Dove was able to put things into context as to who(m?) I should be contacting for which stage. Even though I'm reading all the literature I can get my hands on, nothing can replace seeing the real process in action. I can't wait to come

back after the next harvest to see the fermentation and drying first hand. Assuming I'm not busy processing my own super-micro-mini batch of Delft Cacao!

Now to see how much I can remember before it all slips out of my head... hmm.. maybe some pictures might jog my memory...

Off to Tobago Cocoa Estate !

Yup! Rockin the Queen Amidala lipstick! Jus kiddin! Wish the rest of the club could make it :..( But don't worry- you'll all be there in spirit! No, not that kind of spirit - it's ramadan for crying out loud!

Pics as soon as I pick up a wifi signal!

Check out the estate site here.

And a magazine article with some gorgeous cocoa photograpy here!

I wonder if any university kids wanna come check out my cocoa too!

Cocoa Futures is an article about Penn State ppl and cool cocoa stuff going on in my own backyard I didn't even know about. Also a brief overview of cocoa trends over the last few decades in Trinidad. Cocoa propogation, cloning, and some nice watercolour illustrations :)