Report: Choqoa Tasting with Carlos Eichenberger, Danta Chocolate, Guatemala.

By on September 8, 2011 in Tastings & Events

Our latest tasting event with Carlos Eichenberger from Danta was truly inspiring. We tasted his various home made origin bars, starting from dried beans and worked out carefully step by step. Carlos works closely together with two ‘finca’s or cacao plantations.

From “Las Acacias” (Criollo) and “Los Ujuxtes” (Trinitario), we were guided along his various percentages from 60, 70 and 75%. The different formulations were very well done, better it seemed than the bars I had some months ago, and it was a treat to discover the potential of Guatemela grown cacao. The cacao flavors from this country are unique, the only bar that came to my mind as reference was Duffy’s “Indio Rojo”. Not unknown to Carlos, who kept going in detail on many aspects of cacao and sharing his passion and knowledge with us.

Danta chocolate guatemala tasting carlos eichenberger choqoa

On top of the range, Danta now also offers their Chuao bar, one that certainly deserves your attention. The roast is in between Amano (too light?) and Pralus (too much?). Carlos’ mild version puts this bar one a good spot amidst the growing Chuao releases. A creamy melt with various very gentle tones makes it a very pleasant experience.
We then also compared the Chuao’s from Pralus and Domori, which unfortunately weren’t in best shape, and didn’t match Danta’s freshness. Carlos also brought Chuao beans to taste, which were delicious! Finally I treated all on a single estate bar from hacienda San José, Venezuela, made with the Canoabo Criollo variety. Great way to end this evening. :)

Thanks to Carlos for being a wonderful guest and taking all who attended down the cacao trail. Next tasting event is soon, some themes in consideration, so keep an eye on our events and I hope to seduce you to join Choqoa.

 

Choqoa Video: Charley “Woodblock” Wheelock, on tour in Costa Rica.

By on August 31, 2011 in Interviews & Video, Trips

Meet Charley Wheelock, craft chocolate maker and owner of Woodblock Chocolate.
On the Costa Rica tour I shot tons of video. Finally here’s a first one to share with you!

I still remember the first night at the hotel bar in San José, Costa Rica. Charley just came in late from the airport when he shared some of his samples. His intriguing Rio Caribe was one of the strongest I ever had, well hello nice to meet you too.

Charley Wheelock only recently decided to become a craft chocolate maker. His designer background will surely help him to develop a personal take on the chocolate experience. We shared a lot of time together as two cacao comrades. On the tour he absorbed all knowledge and experience to strengthen his skills, so I’m very happy to see Woodblock came alive. And from what I tasted then, I hope the world gets more of it.

He was a great guy to share this amazing Costa Rica experience with, and I hope our chocolate trails may cross again one day soon. Enjoy the video!

5 People Who Changed My Chocolate Life

By on August 21, 2011 in On Chocolate & Cacao

I guess this is a nice time to share something different with you. Looking back at my trail to a growing passion for chocolate, I was seeking the stepping stones to Choqoa. Sharing what bars changed my chocolate life is for another blog post, first I wanted to look for people.
Keeping it brief was rather difficult, but these people definitely helped shaping what Choqoa is today.

My Aunt (and Stéphane Bonnat)

Once upon a bean, my aunt came back from France. Since long I was the chocolate guy of the family. She gifted me 6 different bars of Bonnat, a first glimpse on the goods, total disappointment.
What is this French brand I had never heard of? They’re all the same 75% bars?! (yeah the percentages, he). Thanks though. Let’s just unwrap and tuck into it.
And I still remember that couch where I ate a chunk of all 6 different origin bars. For those in the know, that’s where my lust became a passion. My aunt changed me from candy to chocolate with the discovery of origins .

Bertil Akesson

Bertil AkessonMeeting Bertil was a fine coinicidence. He reacted to a blogpost on one of my tasting events, where we had tasted his bar. I replied with enthusiasm, and at all odds, he happened to stay in Antwerp for a while.
We scheduled and soon I ended up spending a whole morning with Bertil. I had no agenda, just driven by curiosity to learn. Our encounter was pleasantly informal, and we enjoyed talking things on chocolate and life.
Bertil Akesson changed my knowledge about how plantations – and its owners, work with chocolate makers. I had never been in talk with a person on the trader/plantation side. But Bertil shed light in that dark knowledge spot of me, with simple facts and personal stories.

Steve Devries

Steve DeVriesI feel very fortunate to have spent a 10-day cacao tour in Costa Rica with Steve DeVries, and a fine gang of other cacao aficionado’s. Needles to say, this trip changed a whole perspective.
Steve was a geiser of knowledge, guiding us through the fields of chocolate uncensored. The whole gang talked beans and bars 24/7. I have some videos coming up soon.
Hightlights can be read on my posts on Costa Rica.

You & All Choqoa Fans

Yes, all of you too 100%.  Those who read, and eat, those who share, those who come to taste. I should do more on helping you spreading the passion for fine chocolate still. Inspire me!
All your encouraging responses to Choqoa Selections and the Choqoa Tasting Events so far, change a bit how I look at cacao and appreciate chocolate. Because you share with me how you rediscover chocolate, and I’ll be happy to give more in return.

Looking forward to your comments, and keep on sharing Chocolate!

Choqoa Launches a New Tasting Season, with Themes, Guests and Stories.

By on August 15, 2011 in On Chocolate & Cacao, Tastings & Events

As summer holidays are crawling towards their end, it is time to awake from our chocolate wintersleep. While I’ve been a bit low on my efforts putting chocolate in a new perspective, in the meantime chocolate didn’t stand still.
Amano released some new bars, Rogue has moved from Minneapolis to a new home, Pralus could have his Vanuatu bar in stock again, Stéphane Bonnat went to the Americas in search for great beans and plantations,… And also my friends from the Costa Rica trip, like Cameron and Charley are actively crafting their Dandelion and Woodblock chocolate bars. And I got a special delivery straight from a wonderful cacao hacienda in Venezuela soon. It’s gonna be a great bunch of discoveries again!

Meet Carlos Eichenberger from Danta Chocolate, Guatemala.

The new Choqoa Tastings will carry adventurous themes, and our first session features a special guest, all the way from Guatemala!
Carlos Eichenberger from Danta Chocolate is producing his own chocolate in the country of origin, Guatemala. He buys already fermented cacao and then starts with roasting and goes all the way to wrapping each bar.
Sourcing beans from specific “fincas” (or cacao estates) he currently offers crafted bars from ‘Los Ujuxtes’ and ‘Las Acacias’. On top of that he’s also trying to work some legendary Venezuelan beans, let’s hope we will be able to taste all of them…

While Carlos is in Europe, he will join Choqoa to share his stories with you at our tasting event soon, on September 7th, in Antwerp.

Register now

You can register directly here below for this unique occasion, or on this event’s page for this tasting session. RSVP required! And don’t hesitate to share this with your friends.

For our other future tasting events, more info and details will be updated and shared with you through our tasting events overview.
Let’s rediscover chocolate!

The Fruit of Costa Rica

By on March 17, 2011 in On Chocolate & Cacao, Trips

As said I went to Costa Rica with an open book, no expectations, just an extra big sponge under my preverbial cranial hood to soak it all up. From the first day it was subject to unexpected information, however all the more relevant regarding my first ‘food of the gods’ experience.

On Saturday, Steve voluntarily took some of the early arrivers to the vibrant fruit market and showed us around through the various colorful stalls, exposing a wealth of fruit known and unknown to me. The usual mango I had turned out to be unlike any mango I had before, and the cainito was unlike any fruit I ever saw. There were varieties of pineapples, guavas, papayas and limes, fruits with flesh or pulp, with seeds or juice. A contest of deliciousness in flavors unknown!

This extremely tasteful start of the Costa Rica tour triggered a first reflection on appreciating cacao, and more specific chocolate bars. What is the relevance of reviews that focus on listing a series of references to what we know. What use in describing a food to taste like apple, peach and mango if everybody may have a different experience and reference to that flavor? Or even doesn’t know the fruit. I’d love to point out a bar has hints of cas or limon dulce, who will tell me wrong where I live.

In extension of these philosophical meanderings, it reminded me that the places where cacao grows and where chocolate is eaten are far away from each other. Another disruptive thought on appreciating chocolate as we know. Well, just some ‘food for thought’ here, but it intrigues me.

Steve warned us, at the end of the week you will merely know what you don’t know. So what are your thoughts on appreciating and reviewing food?