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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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Report: Choqoa Tasting Event 10.1

By on February 10, 2010 in Tastings & Events

The first Choqoa Tasting Event this year was again very different from the previous editions, and not only for the reason that people came from across the country to attend our Antwerp session!

Choqoa Chocolate Tastings

Among the attending chocolate explorers we had Gunther, one of the founders of a chocolate brand (Baru, Diepenbeek), eager to learn about making his own chocolate in some future; Geert, a dedicated chocolatier & patissier who passionately cares about his base Valrhona couverture (Patisserie Vercruysse, Kortijk); and Mo, who runs an inspiring lunch bar and is a former winner of the Best Sandwich competition!

I found it pretty intriguing given their background they often did heard of several of the top chocolate brands we tasted, but hadn’t take the effort or had the chance to taste every variety that they could get their hands on? On the other side also some US brands like Taza and TCHO were not unknown and I was happy to have a TCHO ‘Fruity’ bar on the tasting table (thanks to @ActiveLife). And with brands like Zotter and Pacari, I had something new to offer even for these professionals :)

It was utmost pleasant and charming to see how participants discovered variations in freshness, color, melting patterns and lingering aftertastes by themselves. Even to the detail where they felt one bar more coming up in front or gathering in the back of their tongues and palates. All added their views and knowledge on chocolate and food so we got some lenghty talks along the tasting session as well.

Eventually, again this gourmet chocolate tasting event was full of fun, sharing tasting impressions and notes, discovering the immersive world of real fine chocolate, and brainstorming on future possibilities!

Continue reading for details on the tasted bars…

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Cacao Chemistry. Films by TCHO pt.3

By on July 4, 2009 in Marketing, On Chocolate & Cacao

This eventually is the 3th and final video documenting TCHO chocolates. After introducing processing cacao, and going behind the scenes in the TCHO labs, this one ends up with the BoignBoing team eventually tasting TCHO chocolate.
You’ll learn about the tasting universe, just as with wines, and see them discovering the true essence of cacao and its characteristics. “Hey, It tastes like a cigar”…Enjoy!

(via BoingBoing)

Cacao Chemistry. Films by TCHO pt.2

By on November 8, 2008 in On Chocolate & Cacao

The second movie out of 3 that is available from TCHO and BoingBoing TV, takes us further in the development process of cacao beans. Beware, in this film we are moving far away from exotic locations and plantations, and leave fascinating flora and cultivation culture outside.
In exchange we make a technical journey into mighty machines and minuscule molecules.  Former NASA engineer and co-founder Timothy Childs shows us what machines are used at the factory, how some of them are ‘hacked’ together with NASA tape and grinders from Indian restaurants, and how omnipresent camera’s increase the geek factor of TCHO. Enjoy the show!

Chocolate Origins. Films from TCHO

By on October 23, 2008 in Marketing, On Chocolate & Cacao

TCHO is a new kind of cacao company that has Louis Rossetto, founder of the übertech magazine Wired.com, and a space shuttle technologist, Timothy Childs amongst its partners. This US brand is based in SF Bay Area, and plays on the geeky ‘beta’ concept in its serial launches of origin bars. The company philosophy is very close to my personal business ideas, and though the professional reviews might not be raving (yet) on their bars, still the concept is well working out. TCHO also plays a lot on so called ‘transparancy’, but puts more efforts in marketing this proposition than competitors. This avid tactic surely will have its roots in the geek and Web2.0 background they have.

The big SF bloggers from BoingBoing TV treated their friend and neighbour on a visit in its ‘open house’ and deliver a nice series of short documentaries taking us behind-the-scenes at the TCHO offices. The first video result in this series is rather a very nice and appealing introduction in the cacao processing from ‘bean to bar’, or much better: from ‘pod to palate’! Enjoy Xeni Jardin and David Pescovitz rocketed into the world of cacao.

(mind you, there is short intrusive ad halfway)