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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!

Getting ready for the 2010 “Salon du Chocolat” in Paris!

By on October 18, 2010 in Interviews & Video, Trips

It’s that time of the year again: at the and of this month I’m visiting again the Salon du Chocolat in Paris! It will be the third time now, and so far every year has been an important boost for Choqoa, thanks to the enthusiasm of a growing fanbase!
Also this year I’m looking forward to it a lot for several reasons. Not only will we dive again into a fascinating chocolate universe, share passionate stories, but also  meetup again with both new people and others I met last year.
I’m eager to experience how AMMA’s chocolate bar evolved from a test series to a true product range. Rumours about some new origin bars from a great French chocolatier may come true, and after having read her book, we’ll also meet Chloe Doutre-Roussel in real life. We will be loaded with our videocamera and I hope to bring back some inspiring interview moments as well!

Pre-order the new Salon du Chocolat Selection!

Above all, this is what is getting me excited the most. Just like every year Choqoa will put together a new, special selection with bars discovered at the Salon du Chocolat. It’s what thrives Choqoa: sharing great cacao, and have you rediscover chocolate. And every year so far it was a unique surprise. This year I’m already establishing contacts for a fantastic edition… It’ looks to be an exclusive and limited again.

For a smooth followup I have setup a special order page to make pre-ordering as easy as possible for you. So reserve your Salon 2010 Selection by Choqoa now!
Thank you for spreading the news, and stay in close touch!

Choqoa opens its new chocolate season with taste!

By on October 4, 2010 in Tastings & Events

Thursday last week, it was ‘officially’ the moment to reopen the chocolate rediscovery season with Choqoa’s Tasting Events. From the very first time I organized such a chocolate tasting with a group of people, I realized it is a great setting for curious minds to join their senses, and enjoy sharing their experiences and sensations.

From all the past tastings, I gathered the constructive feedback and spontaneous suggestions that were given by enthusiasts aficionado’s. So I reworked the tasting concept a little bit to give it another vibe. Next to that, a lot of people subscribed, we were actually heading for a full house, first time! And amongst them, we had both a lot of totally new people joining Choqoa and some first-hour superfans who returned again for another Choqoa discovery. That felt absolutely awesome, thanks to all of you!
There were also some students from the C-MD project, twitter folks who got to Choqoa via my “1000th Tweet” contest, and even a young researcher from the CacaoLab at the Ghent University, how cool is that? So although it wasn’t the first time, I was a bit nervous though, really.

Choqoa
(foto by Choqoa fan Peter Pvw04 – Nettooor)

Lucky all those who were there, since my recent trip to the USA (a post on that soon) made me return with a lot of exclusive offerings from great chocolate makers like Amano, Taza, Patric, the Mast Brothers (who I met in person) and Rogue Chocolatier, my current “editor’s choice“. I put a lot of those fantastic american bars in the line-up, sure enough it made the whole evening a fun time to rediscover chocolate.
For extra fun I even opened the world’s infamous “Mo’s Bacon Bar” from Vosges chocolate. And yes: for those who dared, there was eventually on popular demand a piece of Cote d’Or “Noir de Noir” available. For those who were a bit skeptical on the differences… it convinced all that we are on a new level with Choqoa, oyé!

And that’s precisely what we all enjoyed: a great evening rediscovering chocolate, the wonderful world of premium cacao, a bit of its production, a touch of history and a twist of culture. And off course, all these wonderful aromas and flavors that you would never have believed to find in pure cacao. It was great to find all your positive reactions so swiftly on Twitter and Facebook, keep sharing the passion for Choqoa and help everybody to rediscover chocolate!

Every last Thursday of the month, that’s the day that I mostly try to schedule my tasting events on. So keep an eye on the events on the Choqoa Facebook FanPage or our event listing on EventBrite.

Here is the list of bars we had this time: (after the break)

  1. Bonnat “Trinité” 75%
    deep chocolatey bar, the brand that started it for me
  2. Pacari “Esmeraldas” 60%
    surprises you with its fresh, floral tones but also the dextrose feeling
  3. Patric “Madagascar – Sambirano” 67%
    chewy and citric, great development
  4. El Ceibo 71%
    the bar from Chloé, not too bad at all, a very nice discovery with a typical Bolivian touch
  5. François Pralus “Djakarta”
    very unexpected, and therefore very good
  6. Taza Stone Ground 70%
    almost everybody was in awe, and appreciated the unique taste beyond the typical ground grittiness
  7. Cote d’Or Noir de Noir (54% – what’s in a name)
    yeah yeah, finally I am sure and (re)assured that eveybody tastes the difference!
  8. Mast Brothers “Ocumare de la Costa”
    waw this is top-notch liquorice experience
  9. Rogue Chocolatier “Piura”
    I love Colin’s bars and this very very exclusive Piura proves his passion and craftsmanship again. Wonderful.
  10. Amano “Dos Rios”
    the Dos Rios is far beyond chocolate, the aromas you experience with this cacao change everything you think about chocolate
  11. Vosges “Mo’s Bacon Bar”
    hilarious, food innovation awarded, just for fun!
  12. François Pralus “Le 100%”
    the ultimate cacao experience; it was, is and will always be the last bar I will serve at my tasting events

Pairing Chocolate & Whisky at the Choqoa & WIB Masterclass

By on July 7, 2010 in Tastings & Events

Since Choqoa and WIB found each other, we recently had a third Whisky & Chocolate Masterclass, which was initiated ‘due to popular demand’. At regular Choqoa tasting events people are often inspired trying out the rich tasting chocolate they just discovered with other premium foods and drinks, and if I mention the whisky option, well it boosts the interest let’s say!
After the first Masterclass at The House of Marketing, we also had a private one for a global company Agile as the cherry on the cake for an intimate VIP event with their top clients and preferred partners. Our latest one welcomed both new people and those who even already attended a Choqoa tasting.

Choqoa & WIB: Chocolate & Whisky Masterclass

With Whisky Import Benelux we have an excellent offering that specifically works with pairings of the Carn Mór Vintage Collection. More than just putting some whisky and chocolate together, we have been specializing and having fun in taking the idea of whisky and chocolate a step further with carefully selected one-on-one pairings. Bart from WIB is a truly passionate whisky ambassador and has an excellent nose for matching aromas. We have been working on a list of wonderful whiskies that create an exciting combination with special selected origin chocolates.

On the list are chocolate from François Pralus, Bonnat, Michel Cluizel and even a superb Pacari pairing. So far my two favorite combinations are the fruity Pralus Papouasie with a single cask Balmenach 2001 and the iconic and incredibly sour “Le 100%” with a very wholesome Caol Ila 1983. It’s just wonderful to feel how both build upon each other in new dimensions.
The whiskies have enough power to give balance to these upfront tasting origin chocolates, and blending something edible with something aromatic fluid must be a key to give a delightful experience on the palate.

Though taste is always personal, it’s encouraging to surprise people to change their mind with this level of both chocolate and whisky. So you could never believe dark chocolate can taste like this? I didn’t know whisky can be so fine either :) . We learned from our first tasting, and now people really where enthusiast about the idea, the combinations and the way we present them. After all, great taste is something to share anytime!

If you ‘re inspired, we’ll continue our tastings after the summer break, so stay in touch with our blog, websites, and both our Facebook Fanpages (Choqoa – WIB)!

Choqoa introduces the finest origins to Barry-Callebaut

By on April 8, 2010 in Tastings & Events

Who would have ever thought of this scenario? I could have dreamed about it,… but it actually happened! This week I gave a Choqoa Tasting workshop for the European team at Barry Callebaut HQ in Wieze, and introduced them to ‘my world’ of premium origin chocolates.

Both my curiosity to their reactions and above all what I could learn from them myself, overruled any reason of being nervous. In the end this was not about pleasing them with good chocolates, it was about sitting together and explore the amazing varieties great cacao has to offer us.

We started our session with a Pacari, and I also brought Francois Pralus, Bonnat, Michel Cluizel, Domori, and Akesson’s. Especially for this Callebaut team I equally shared a nutty TCHO bar from the US and opened an extraordinary fine Criollo ‘Porcelana’ bar from Domori.
With every bar I gave some inspiring background on the brand, the region and bean type, shared a personal memory from my youth or revealed a very particular process that creates signature tastes for a passionate chocolate maker.
We talked about the idea and relevance of percentages, complex genetics of cacao, the ‘myth’ of Belgian chocolate, and consumer preferences across countries as well.

It was just great to discover together with such a team how different cacao flavors can develop, even within a single small geographical area. There were several Venezuela’s on the table and most of the participants were astonished how very different these cacao bars did taste! Whether it was wonderfully fruity or way too sour, very balanced aromas or flavors jumping around, all together we rediscovered the incredible variety fine origin cacao brings to our palate.

The personal Top 3 from the participating Vice President?

  1. Michel Cluizel “Vila Gracinda”
  2. Bonnat “Hacienda El Rosario”
  3. Domori Criollo “Porcelana”

Let’s hope this saga continues, for there is so much more we can learn from each other, when a passionate guy meets and innovative leading company. A big thanks to Barry Callebaut for inviting me to share my obsession!
Once more it confirmed that chocolate is one of the most inspiring, intriguing and passionate products in the world :)

Continue reading for details on the tasted bars…

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