Chocolate News
A DARK, HANDSOME RIVAL PLANS TO MUSCLE IN ON NUTELLA
QZ.com It’s being called the jar wars. For decades, the Italian spread known as Nutella has sat placidly upon its throne—the undisputed queen of the chocolate (and chocolate-hazelnut) spreads, with 54% of global market share. Now there’s a pretender looming in the wings. Pasta manufacturer Barilla—you know them by their blue boxes—is formulating a rival chocolate spread that aims to knock Nutella from its lofty shelf. The spread is to be called Crema Pan di Stelle—a liquid form of the famous, star-studded chocolate cookies.Five Steps to the Ultimate Chocolate Experience
One does not need to be an expert to fully enjoy fine chocolates, or know how to distinguish single-plantation from single-origin chocolates. Chocolate-tasting is a far more informal affair, guided by one’s own personal preference and palate. Some may prefer the strong bitter taste of pure dark chocolate while others might lean towards creamier, lower-percentage chocolate confections.
Good chocolate, when savored properly, allows you to appreciate subtleties of flavor and tones that you would not want to miss out on. The key thing to remember is to engage all your senses to make it truly an ultimate sensorial experience. The following are a few guidelines.
Chocolate flows down German street after factory accident. Willy Wonka couldn’t be reached for comment
A ton of chocolate hardened on a German street, leaving 25 firefighters to clean it up using hot water, shovels and blow torches. German newspaper, Soester Anzeiger, reported that a “small technical defect” involving a storage tank caused the liquid chocolate leak from a DreiMeister chocolate factory in Westoennen on Monday night. It apparently overflowed. Quite a bit. Onto nearly four miles of a nearby street.
Mum makes reward chart with chocolate prizes – and one big twist parents love.
Parenting is tough – so a mum has developed a chocolate-based reward system for herself. Lots of mums and dads like to encourage their kids’ good behavior by rewarding them with sweets or gold stars. One mum has totally flipped this on its head and created a system to treat herself for her patient parenting – and it’s brilliant. Maralee Bradley, a blogger from Nebraska, has created a chart where she gets a different kind of chocolate snack for being a good mum.
EATING CHOCOLATE COMBINED WITH ZINC COULD HELP YOU ‘LIVE LONGER,’ STUDY SUGGESTS
Eating chocolate and drinking coffee and tea may help you live longer, according to a new study. To reap the benefits of the treats, however, they must be consumed with zinc supplements – which together activate a compound that slows down aging. According to the researchers from the University of Erlangen in Nuremberg and Auburn University in Alabama, the combination can lengthen life by protecting against naturally-occurring “oxidative stress” – a gas that leads to aging and other illnesses such as cancer, inflammation or degenerative diseases.