Chocolate News
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!
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
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
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.
Everything You Don’t Know About Chocolate
You probably think you already know everything you need to know about chocolate. For instance: The higher the percentage of cacao, the more bitter the chocolate, right? The term “single origin” on the label indicates that the chocolate expresses a particular terroir. And wasn’t the whole bean-to-bar movement started by a couple of bearded guys in Brooklyn? Wrong; not necessarily; and definitely not.