Category: News

Happy Chocolate Lover’s Month! February, 2021

 

Happy National Hot Chocolate Day! January 31, 2021

 

Montpelier chocolate company wins national award

WCAX.COM

Thirteen Vermont businesses recently received a national award for their tasty goods and good deeds, including one that makes sweet treats in Montpelier. Rabble-Rouser Chocolate and Craft Company is a locally-owned business that can now add a 2021 national award for its Dulcey chocolate to its repertoire. Employee-owned Rabble-Rouser won in the Good Foods awards confection category. It was selected out of more than 1,900 entries in 16 categories. The chocolatiers say they pride themselves on not just making sure their products taste great but also having a strong emphasis on supporting others in the process.

Godiva to close its boutiques by end of March.

USATODAY.COM

Godiva is closing all of its U.S. locations as in-store visits for its luxury chocolate dip during the coronavirus pandemic. The company plans to shutter its 128 locations in North America, which includes 11 in Canada, by the end of March. But Godiva chocolates aren’t disappearing completely. You can still get them online as well as at grocery and other stores.

 

Happy National Chocolate Cake Day! January 27, 2021

 

Can you lose weight with chocolate?

TIMESNOWNEWS.COM

The chocolate diet is about the consumption of dark chocolate, in moderation. The diet works on the principle of tricking your sweet tooth to get used to low levels of sugar. According to studies, chocolate can activate the pleasure sensors in your brain. This helps elevate stress, which helps in improving metabolism and thus in weight loss. Since the chocolate diet is about dark chocolate, the food item has many health benefits such as relieving period pain, high antioxidant levels and more. As per a nutritionist, you should use the following tips when including chocolate in your diet for weight loss: Differentiate between good and bad chocolate; determine the right amount of chocolate consumption; use chocolate when you crave something sweet; avoid eating chocolate as comfort food or when you are stressed; use chocolates as a pre-workout snack to boost your energy levels.

Happy National Chocolate Day! December 28, 2020

 

Sweet deal! Drinking hot chocolate makes you smarter, study shows

NYPOST.COM

Hot chocolate makes you a smarter and faster thinker, according to new research. In a study of 18 men, researchers at the University of Birmingham found that drinking cocoa improved participants’ ability to quickly solve a series of complex mental tests. The team chalked up the heightened sharpness — including that subjects finished tests up to 11 percent faster — to the brain-boosting compound flavanol, which is found naturally in chocolate, according to the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Ferrero To Build Its First North American Chocolate Manufacturing Center In Bloomington, Illinois

PRNEWSWIRE.COM

Ferrero North America, part of the global confectionery company Ferrero Group, today announced plans to build a new chocolate manufacturing center in Bloomington, Illinois. It will be Ferrero’s first chocolate production plant in North America.

The Healthiest and Easiest Ways to Get Your Chocolate Fix

SNACKLAZY.COM

If you don’t satisfy the craving with healthy chocolate snacks, you may end up binging on chocolaty sweets that will ruin your mood and add to your waistline. While there are many health benefits attributed by the cacao bean, the added ingredients to make chocolate (processed sugar and often dairy) are unhealthy. Check out these 10 healthy snacks, here.

Chicago candy icon Fannie May celebrating 100th anniversary with new flavors, redesigned stores

ABC7CHICAGO.COM

A beloved Chicago chocolate and candy icon celebrates a hundred years in business this year. Fannie May has more than 50 stores in the Midwest – most of them in Illinois. As part of their anniversary, they’re re-designing stores and adding a few new flavors.

Happy National Chocolate Day! October 28, 2020

 

The Toxic Ingredient in Chocolate You Need to Know About

YAHOO.COM

Cacao + sugar + a few other things = a food we all know and love: chocolate. It is commonly known that a diet high in chocolate candy can be bad for your health because of the high amount of sugar. But that isn’t the only thing making chocolate potentially harmful to your health. Although cacao is a natural ingredient derived from seeds, it can also carry some toxic properties. This is because of the soil the potentially toxic ingredient in chocolate is grown in. Much of the world’s cacao trees are located in Latin America. Here there are more traces of cadmium, a metal that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and even kidney disease, according to the CDC. A team of researchers from Ecuador and Belgium are now looking to develop ways to reduce the amount of cadmium that ultimately ends up in cacao beans, according to a new report in the Journal of Environmental Quality.

Foodies are losing their minds over ‘hot chocolate bombs’ that explode when warm milk is poured over them – oozing cocoa and tiny marshmallows

DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

Millions of foodies are obsessed with a DIY ‘hot chocolate bomb’ which cracks open when it comes into contact with warm milk, revealing a sweet surprise. Self-taught baker Jen from Sweets by Jen shared a video showcasing what the decadent dessert can do, with a number of Australians commenting on how ‘amazing’ it is. The footage from Jen’s kitchen in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has gone viral on social media with more than 15million views to date. Click, here, to view video.

Must See Video: 5ft-Tall Telescope Made With Chocolate – Looks Too Good To Eat!

FOODNDTV.COM

A pastry chef from Las Vegas has built a five feet tall telescope in his kitchen that is made entirely with chocolate. Take a look! (click HERE)

Real life Russell Stover given chocolate-themed wedding by candy brand

FOXNEWS.COM

Jessica Russell and Rich Stover had one chocolatey wedding. A bride and groom were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime wedding because of their respective last names: Russell and Stover. Bride Jessica Russell and her husband, Rich Stover, were given a chocolate affair to remember after American chocolatier Russell Stover caught wind of the pair’s unique surname combination.

A Huge Chocolate Museum With The World’s Biggest Chocolate Fountain Opens

SECRETMANCHESTER.COM

Lindt is opening a new Willy Wonka-style chocolate museum and tour, and rumour has it Grandpa Joe may actually hop out of bed for this one. While we can’t promise you Oompa Loompas or Mr Wonka himself, from September 13 this magical museum will offer guests a unique insight into the wonderful world of chocolate. Lindt Home of Chocolate is located in Kilchberg, Switzerland and just like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, you’ll learn all about the history and production of their legendary bars, truffles. and pralines. Fortunately, you won’t need a golden ticket to enter, just a regular one that you can purchase.

Happy International Chocolate Day! September 13, 2020

 

A brief history of chocolate – and some of its surprising health benefits

THECONVERSATION.COM

Chocolate in all its forms is something that we like to indulge in on an almost daily basis. But chocolate as it’s enjoyed today is quite different from when it first arrived in Europe from South America around the 16th century. Click, here, to learn of its history and surprising health benefits.

Cadbury reveals we’ve been eating chocolate wrong for years

BIRMINGHAMMAIL.CO.UK

Cadbury. the chocolatier, based in the West Midlands and owned by US confectionery giant Mondelez, who is a regular fixture in any convenience store, supermarket or corner shop, has some advice for us. Namely: stop storing its iconic products in the fridge.

Why does chocolate need to be tempered?

THETAKEOUT.COM

Most of the chocolate consists of cocoa solids, sugar, and milk solids that are emulsified with cocoa butter—the fat extracted from cocoa beans that, when crystallized, gives the chocolate its physical structure. When melted, these crystals are broken apart, and all those components separate into microscopic clumps. When the chocolate recrystallizes and solidifies once more, it’s nothing more than a shadow of what it once was: grainy, crumbly, discolored, and utterly disappointing.  If melted chocolate is going to reset into the gorgeous, glossy dessert covering it was meant to be, it needs to be “tempered.” Tempering chocolate is the process of controlled cooling and agitation that creates teeny, tiny crystals that are evenly sized and arranged in perfect alignment. And the good news is that all this microscopic mumbo jumbo is easy to do at home, even if you’ve never worked with chocolate before.

A new type of milk chocolate may contain the health benefits of dark chocolate – without the bitter taste

INSIDER.COM

Creamy, delicious milk chocolate is one of the most beloved treats worldwide. But with that appealing taste comes a hefty amount of sugar (and fat), making milk chocolate far less healthy than its more bitter counterpart, dark chocolate. There may be a way to boost the nutritional value of milk chocolate without sacrificing flavor, according to research presented at the American Chemical Society’s 2020 conference. The new, higher antioxidant form of milk chocolate can be made by recycling food scraps that would otherwise go to waste, such as coffee grounds, discarded tea leaves, and peanut skins.

Snowing cocoa? Chocolate factory glitch dusts Swiss town

ABC27.COM

Residents of a Swiss town got a bit of a shock when it started snowing particles of a fine cocoa powder after the ventilation system at a chocolate factory malfunctioned. The Lindt & Spruengli company confirmed local reports Tuesday that there was a minor defect in the cooling ventilation for a line for roasted “cocoa nibs” in its factory in Olten, between Zurich and Basel. The ventilation system has now been repaired.

6 Ways Dark Chocolate Can Help You Lose Weight

LONGEVITYLIVE.COM

Mmm… chocolate. Even the mention of it is sweet. However, its impact on our waistline is not. Chocolate is the ultimate indulgence, yet despite its many benefits, may still look at it as a guilty pleasure that we really shouldn’t be indulging in. That said, you may be surprised to learn that eating a little chocolate now and then may be exactly what you need to do if you want to keep that lockdown weight off.

Tesla designer helps create new chocolate chip shape for Dandelion Chocolate

CANDYINDUSTRY.COM

The shape of a typical store-bought chocolate chip is an arbitrary result of the industrial manufacturing process used to make it. As you might expect, a drop of molten chocolate is deposited onto a flat surface and left to cool. Chocolate chip taste varies widely by brand, but the shape of the chips does not. A Tesla designer came up with a completely different shape, featuring pointed edges and smooth sides. The new chocolate chip design creates a different mouthfeel.

QUIZ: HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT CHOCOLATE?

FAIRTRADE.ORG.UK

How much do you really know about chocolate? Love chocolate? How much do you really know about it? Take this quiz to find out how your knowledge ranks…(click here).

Americans are buying more chocolate at the pandemic rages on

USATODAY.COM

The coronavirus crisis has steered the national trend of conscious eating in the other direction. Early in the pandemic, Americans stocked up on junk food, frozen meals and various breakfast cereals. Now, data indicates that chocolate was also top of mind throughout stay-at-home orders and the ease into reopening the economy. During the 17-week period that ended on June 27, U.S. consumers spent $3.7 billion on chocolate, up 6.3% from that time period last year, according to Nielsen data. Milk chocolate was the favorite choice, with Americans spending over $2.9 billion on single serve and multi-serve versions of the snack. Dark chocolate sales were up 13.6% while mixed and white chocolate sales slid, according to Nielsen data. Scientific studies show that dark chocolate and other cocoa products can be a stress reliever.

Why Data Is Like Chocolate

FORBES.COM

Data is often granted metaphors. People like to suggest that data is the new coal, the new fuel for modern business, or perhaps even the new snake oil i.e. a cure-all elixir that can transform and transport any organization to the new age of cloud-native, mobile-enabled, information-enriched business. But perhaps data is also like chocolate.

San Francisco’s Iconic ‘Ghirardelli’ Chocolate Company Sign to Go Dark

SF.EATER.COM

SF’s huge “Ghirardelli” sign will be removed by the owners of Ghirardelli Square. Jamestown Properties, a company that since 2013 has owned Fisherman’s Wharf-adjacent tourist destination Ghirardelli Square, will remove the structure’s massive “Ghirardelli” sign piece-by piece in coming days, with a plan to erect a new sign later this summer. It appears that the years have taken a toll on the sign. It’s suffered from persistent “electrical failures” in recent years. The new sign will be revealed later this summer.

Cadbury will reduce size of popular chocolate bars in a bid to tackle childhood obesity

HEART.CO.UK

Cadbury are to shrink the sizes of their famed chocolate bars Chomp, Curly Wurly and Fudge bars to reduce their calorie content to less than 100 calories each. The changes come as the confectionary giant is hoping to tackle childhood obesity seeing as the bars are very popular with children.

 

Costco discontinues half-sheet cakes; people say coronavirus is to blame

KIRO7.COM

The $20 cakes, which were advertised as appropriate for up to 48 people, have been a fan favorite for graduations, weddings and birthday parties. Measuring 12 by 16 inches, they came in two flavors: white cake with vanilla cheesecake mousse and white buttercream or chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and chocolate buttercream. But Costco has halted the production and sales of half-sheet cakes in all its locations across the country. The reason? Many people are saying coronavirus is to blame. State guidelines have recommended limited gatherings in many areas.

 

Tony’s Chocolonely reveals plans to build a chocolate circus with a roller coaster

METRO.CO.UK

Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any more bizarre, it’s been announced that a Willy Wonka-style chocolate circus is coming to Amsterdam. Dutch chocolate company Tony’s Chocolonely has joined forces with architecture firm SeARCH to create a unique choccy-themed attraction. The magical wonderland is set to be made up of three buildings – one of which will have a roller coaster.

 

Chocolate Consumption in Relation to Blood Pressure and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in German Adults

NIH.GOV

To investigate the association of chocolate consumption with measured blood pressure (BP) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), dietary intake, including chocolate, and BP were assessed at baseline (1994-98) in 19,357 participants (aged 35-65 years) free of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke and not using antihypertensive medication of the Potsdam arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. The conclusion: Chocolate consumption appears to lower CVD risk, in part through reducing BP. The inverse association may be stronger for stroke than for MI. Further research is needed, in particular randomized trials.

Chocolate Ice Cream Was Produced Before Vanilla.

SOUTHFLORIDAREPORTER.COM

Chocolate was one of the first ice cream flavors, created before vanilla, as common drinks such as hot chocolate, coffee, and tea were the first food items to be turned into frozen desserts. Chocolate ice cream is the second most common flavor, surpassed only by vanilla. The chocolate-flavored ice cream has been in existence well over a hundred years and has been popular in the United States since the late 19th century. The earliest frozen chocolate recipes were published in Naples, Italy in 1693 in Antonio Latini‘s The Modern Steward. For more chocolate ice cream facts, click here.

Cadbury sparks debate with its advice on storing chocolate

MASHED.COM

For some, there is nothing worse than when chocolate gets too warm and turns into a squishy, melty mess in your hands. For others, biting into a rock hard bonbon is the worst confectionery offense imaginable. Recently, chocolate company Cadbury set off a series of arguments on Twitter over the proper way to store your chocolate by replying to a Tweet soliciting the brand’s advice. User Bruno Bouchet tweeted at the company’s official Cadbury Australia account, asking for an ultimate ruling on how chocolate should be stored. The brand replied that Cadbury customers should keep their chocolate in a cool, dry place at around 21 degrees Celsius, which is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

5 healthy benefits of dark chocolate

TODAY.COM

Who doesn’t love chocolate? This sweet treat can be part of a healthy diet … In moderation. Too much of a good thing can certainly outweigh the benefits, but there are a few good reasons to support your chocolate habit. Fortunately, there has been quite a bit of tried and true evidence suggesting the benefits of chocolate when you choose a type that is at least 70% cacao, and incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle.

Happy World Chocolate Day! July 7, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Pudding Day! June 26, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Eclair Day! June 22, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! June 7, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Macaron Day! June 3, 2020

 

Swiss chocolate giant Barry Callebaut snaps up Australia’s GKC Foods

INSIDEFMCG.COM.AU

Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut is set to make its mark on the Australian and New Zealand markets with the acquisition of local B2B chocolate manufacturer GKC Foods. Barry Callebaut is one of the largest chocolate and cocoa manufacturers in Asia Pacific, with 10 chocolate and cocoa factories in operation across Asia. The GKC factory in Melbourne, which produces chocolate, coatings and fillings for consumer chocolate brands, will be upgraded with a state-of-the-art chocolate production line and an integrated management system to enhance automated production.

Dark chocolate can help you deal with hair loss

INDIATIMES.COM

Dark black chocolate is a variation of chocolate that contains cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, sans the milk found in usual milk chocolate. And, it has a wonderful reputation of being a better alternative (health-wise) when compared to other varieties of chocolates. In fact many researches have claimed that dark chocolate can help in improving a lot of bodily issues, especially those related to skin and hair. And, if you have been facing hair related issues and a extreme hair loss, then dark chocolate could be your savior after all, don’t believe us? Read on (CLICK HERE)

The Science Behind a Chocolate Chip Cookie

WFAA.COM

Chocolate chip cookies are one of the most beloved desserts in the world. They’re so deliciously simple, yet, scientifically, a single cookie is incredibly complex. Most of the science behind a chocolate chip cookie happens inside the oven. The oven is like a tiny laboratory where a bunch of chemical reactions are happening to make a chocolate chip cookie ooey, gooey and irresistible.

What Do Tea, Wine And Dark Chocolate Have In Common? They Reduce Dementia Risk

MEDICALDAILY.COM

Wine, tea and dark chocolate — no, these are not the ingredients to the potion of life, but they might as well be. For one thing, they all contain compounds that can ensure good quality of life for the years to come. Apparently, a new research study has found that tea, wine, dark chocolate and certain fruits and vegetables can significantly lower the risk of having dementia or even Alzheimer’s disease later on in life. This is all thanks to the flavonoids they contain.

Does Chocolate Go Bad?

YAHOO.COM

A crumpled bag of baking chips in the pantry. The linen closet stash you forgot about. The kids’ old Halloween haul. A fun-size piece in the glove compartment. There are few things as exciting as discovering a piece of surprise chocolate from who knows when. But does chocolate go bad?

Happy National Chocolate Chip Day!  May 15, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Custard Day!  May 3, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Mousse Day!  May 2, 2020

 

Happy National Chocolate Parfait Day! May 1, 2020

 

Dark Chocolate vs. Milk Chocolate—Which Is Healthier?

SHAPE.COM

When it comes to the dark chocolate vs. milk chocolate, one sweet treat reigns supreme. Read on to find out which variety is the champion, and end the clash of the chocolates once and for all (click here).

5 healthy benefits of dark chocolate

TODAY

Who doesn’t love chocolate? As a nutritionist, Keri Glassman, R.D. can tell you this sweet treat can be part of a healthy diet … In moderation. Too much of a good thing can certainly outweigh the benefits, but there are a few good reasons to support your chocolate habit.

Use a Fork Instead of a Spoon to Stir Chocolate Milk!

SKILLET.COM

A tall, cold glass of chocolate milk is a nice treat for young and old alike, but most people use a spoon to stir it which, and a spoon, I am sad to say, is an inferior stirring implement. What’s the correct tool, you ask? Why, a fork of course!

Doesn’t a Career in Chocolate Sound Nice Right Now?

GLAMOUR

As soon as people find out what Ann Czaja does for a living, she knows what’ll come next: First, “Do you have chocolate with you?” And then, “How can I get your job?” The job is master chocolatier with Lindt Chocolate, the world’s leading producer of premium chocolate.

Happy National Chocolate Souffle Day!  February 28, 2020

 

Chocolate bar ends hostage situation in Irish prison

TRIBLIVE

Media outlets in Ireland, including the Irish Post, report that a five-hour standoff with hostages at Midlands Prison in Ireland was brought to a peaceful end when one of two inmates agreed to trade his weapons for a chocolate bar. A Mars bar specifically. By the way, the European version of a Mars bar contains caramel and nougat coated with milk chocolate — similar to a Milky Way.

World’s largest Craft Chocolate Experience set to sweeten San Francisco

7×7

San Francisco has a chocolatey heritage – the city is the birthplace of Guittard, Ghirardelli, and Scharffen Berger. So it’s only fitting that the world’s largest gathering of craft chocolate makers should kick off here in the city. Coming to the Palace of Fine Arts March 6-8, the inaugural Craft Chocolate Experience is about as close as you’re ever going to get to a grown-up, gourmet Willy Wonka fest. Touted as a learning experience as well as a tasting and shopping event, the three-day happening will feature cacao-centric talks, an Insta-worthy cacao-bean ball pit, and a massive marketplace of more than 90 artisanal chocolatiers from 25 different countries.

Make-Your-Own Chocolate Workshop Coming Soon to Disney World!

HOTEL, WALT DISNEY WORLD

The Ganachery, an exquisite chocolate shop located in Disney Springs, will soon be offering an all-new experience at the newly opened Disney’s Riviera Resort. If you’re unfamiliar with The Ganachery, the chocolatier creates delicious (and beautiful) chocolate treats that are a must-try. Everything is handcrafted, and now, Disney World guests will get to learn all about the artistry of chocolate and even make their own Ganachery treat.

Elementary school students learn about engineering using chocolate

ORLANDO.COM

As part of National Engineers Week, Florida’s Turnpike engineers taught students how to build roads from the bottom up using “Chocolate Asphalt.” Students used ingredients like chocolate, walnuts, oats, coconut, and sugar to build their road. The project is a way to raise awareness about STEM-related careers.

Hot Chocolate Could Help Ease Painful Clogged Leg Vessels

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

Could hot chocolate deliver relief to those suffering from the painful condition known as peripheral artery disease (PAD)? A small, new study says it’s entirely possible. The chocolate used in the study is commonly available natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. This type of cocoa powder is rich in the flavanol epicatechin. This flavanol is found in larger quantities in dark chocolate containing more than 85% cacao. Dark chocolate that isn’t “alkalized” (a process to improve taste that removes some flavanols) would likely offer similar benefits. Regular chocolate wouldn’t be expected to have a similar effect. Study volunteers drank a warm mixture of milk or water and a powder packet containing cocoa and epicatechin, or a placebo three times a day for six months.