The Chocolate Life

Discover Chocolate and Live La Vida Cocoa!

A community for chocophiles - and aspiring chocophiles - to explore, learn, and share.

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Latest Activity

Hi Jennifer, Got a couple of suggestions to make the shell thicker with just 1 coating, let it stay in the mould a little longer before tapping out. It can also be in your fillings. Some fillings, if you let it crystallize in a chiller contracts mo…
1 hour ago
Jacqueline Juarez Laudico added a discussion
Can anyone suggest a great website to see pictures of chocolate pralines competition pieces? I've only seen the chocolate masters and the World pastry Cup so far. Most sites only have the chocolate showpiece.   Thanks  
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
Kristina added 4 photos to the album 'Some of my Swiss chocolate impressions'
2 hours ago
This is a very sweet and wholesome photo - I would most certainly buy chocolates from you! :)
4 hours ago
Please send me your zip code, and email address. and i will send you a paypal invoice.
6 hours ago
Everette White, Katie Poore, Alex Freuman and 1 more joined The Chocolate Life
7 hours ago
7 hours ago
Adriennne Henson and Bertil Åkesson are now friends
7 hours ago
9 hours ago
Great! Thanks! I would be interested in the bottom one. Just one of the molds, though, with 24 cavities. How do we pay you?
9 hours ago
Wow!
9 hours ago
That boy in the red jacket looks hungry :)
9 hours ago
OMG I love your floor!
9 hours ago
Robbie Stout Check out our eco Valentine's Day Chocolate selection at Elephant Journal: http://ning.it/alLpAu
11 hours ago
Reonne (aka Choco Mama) added a blog post
You can make a difference with your pocket book. I recommend choosing Valentine's Day gifts that are made responsibly and sustainably. Of course I am going to offer up our delicious Rich Rainforest Dark Gourmet Fudge from Earth's Sweet Pleasures, b…
12 hours ago
 

Forum

Jennifer Thamer

Molding question -- help! 4 Replies

I molded chocolates today (using 2 different types of molds) and had the same problem -- a super fine separation between the top (what I call the cap) and bottom layers of chocolate. To mold the cho…

Started by Jennifer Thamer in Tips, Tricks, and Techniques. Last reply by Jacqueline Juarez Laudico 1 hour ago.

Jacqueline Juarez Laudico

Chocolate Pralines Competition

Can anyone suggest a great website to see pictures of chocolate pralines competition pieces? I've only seen the chocolate masters and the World pastry Cup so far. Most sites only have the chocolate s…

Started by Jacqueline Juarez Laudico in News 2 hours ago.

Andy Ciordia

Stabilizing Chocolate Sauce

We usually don't stabilize anything (we encourage refridgeration and timely consumption) and some of the retail stores we are looking at have asked us to do just that.   Our current recipe includes e…

Tagged: sauce, preservation, shelf-stable

Started by Andy Ciordia in Recipes 13 hours ago.

April Susan

Where can I find for purchase a wide selection of chocolate from a variety of different fine chocolatiers? 7 Replies

Greetings to my fellow chocolate lovers. The passage of time effects surprising changes.... I was the girl on the block who gave away her Halloween candy. I didn't like sweets - especially chocolate!…

Started by April Susan in Where to Buy. Last reply by Olorin 14 hours ago.

Gary Shieh

Water Ganaches 6 Replies

I am looking to experiment with water ganaches. I am hoping to get some opinions, recepies, comments on the shelflife. I am thinking to make some Oolong tea truffles for my brother's Wedding. Cream o…

Started by Gary Shieh in Recipes. Last reply by Mark J Sciscenti 15 hours ago.

Amber B.

Guittard/callebaut/Valrhona ? 6 Replies

I'm looking to get a good basic chocolate for enrobing (and using in ganaches). As my truffles tend to fall apart and not set up very firm (despite butter & invert sugar), I'm guessing I need a "…

Started by Amber B. in Top 10 Lists. Last reply by xinhong liu 16 hours ago.

Lisa

Who has the best tasting chocolate? 2 Replies

Hi all, I'm very new to working with chocolate so I have a question for all the pros out there.  So far I am enjoying making special chocolates and tempering has not been an issue thus far. I'm using…

Started by Lisa in Opinion. Last reply by Olorin 17 hours ago.

Mindy Fong

Chocolatiers = Re-melters? 126 Replies

I was a little perplexed a few months ago while doing a joint chocolate and wine pairing event. The neighbor next to me, a chocolate maker whom shall remain nameless, kept on informing the patrons th…

Started by Mindy Fong in Opinion. Last reply by Sunita de Tourreil 1 day ago.

Casey

Chocolates of Ecuador -- Arriba, Nacional, CCN51 35 Replies

There is debate about the Arriba bean and whether indeed there is any such thing any longer. Some say that Arriba is one bean in a category they would like to call Nacional, and others say it synonym…

Tagged: ecuador, ccn51, nacional, arriba

Started by Casey in Opinion. Last reply by María Soledad Troya 1 day ago.

Nancy Nadel

The high cost for farmers of organic and fair trade certifications 1 Reply

As a chocolate maker working with Jamaican farmers who were interested in organic certification, we were astonished to find out that certification that allows such designation on their/my label costs…

Started by Nancy Nadel in Opinion. Last reply by Mimi Wheeler 1 day ago.

Search the Web from TheChocolateLife: No retrievers or cell phones here ...

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Members

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Blog Posts

Reonne (aka Choco Mama)

Eco Friendly Valentine's Day Gifts - Change the World With Your Change!

You can make a difference with your pocket book. I recommend choosing Valentine's Day gifts that are made responsibly and sustainably. Of course I am going to offer up our delicious Rich Rainforest Dark Gourmet Fudge from Earth's Sweet Pleasures, but I would also like to add two gift compani… Continue

Posted by Reonne (aka Choco Mama) on February 8, 2010 at 5:00pm

Sunita de Tourreil

Transparency and Original Beans

I am wondering if any of you can shed some light on this new company:

http://www.originalbeans.com/

I recently purchased a few bars to taste and consider using at chocolate tastings that we host and I am unable to determine basic things about the bars, like where they are made?! Very surprisingly this information is nowhere to be found on their packaging.

I am hoping some of you might be able to shed some light on this comp… Continue

Posted by Sunita de Tourreil on February 8, 2010 at 2:29am — 2 Comments

Gary Shieh

My Vancouver chocolate tour

I was visiting families and friends this past holiday season and I had the chance to check out several chocolate shops in town. The chocolate scene in Vancouver is definitely booming. New stores and more convenient branch locations for some famous names are blooming to the excitement of the coming Winter Olympics/ Valentine’s Day combo. Although I wouldn’t advise anyone to go for a Vancouver chocolate tour during the Games unless that’s what they are also there for, the huge infrastructure upgra… Continue

Posted by Gary Shieh on February 6, 2010 at 3:30pm — 1 Comment

Dee

Brownies are my Valentine!

I love brownies, but they must be perfect! I do not like cake-like brownies (does anyone?). The gooier the better! In order to get perfect brownies, you need to do 2 things. Stop stirring when *most* of the dry ingredients are mixed in (using a spoon, never a beater). And undercook them. Don't take them out when they're absolutely still uncooked (when wet batter comes off on your fork or toothpick). But take them out when some sticky crumbs come off on the fork. If the fork i

Continue

Posted by Dee on February 5, 2010 at 4:51pm — 3 Comments

Des Mullahy

LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES?

Desmond says: There has been a demand for luxury chocolates for centuries, "From the foamy drink of the Aztecs to the rich confections of Europe, chocolate has long been celebrated as an indulgence fit for Kings, Desmond says ;
"We feel that other than celebrating the wondrous cocoa plant, International Chocolate Day brings the opportunity to celebrate everything chocolaty," he says. "A little bit of decadence never hurt anyone, so we are encouraging people to celebrate this day by joining i… Continue

Posted by Des Mullahy on February 4, 2010 at 6:00pm

Stan Phillips

Foot Print Lollipop mold

I need a foot print lollipop mold about 2" to 3" long ASAP.

Stan

Posted by Stan Phillips on February 4, 2010 at 3:20pm

julia arcuri-mullan

geodesic mold

Does anyone have the geodesic chocolate mold from jbprince? Does anyone know the candy weight of it. I know other websites like pastrychef.com has them but with less cavities. I tried contacting their customer service 4 TIMES but no responces yet.

Posted by julia arcuri-mullan on February 3, 2010 at 3:30pm — 1 Comment

Stan Phillips

Next show in San Francisco?

This is the dumbest question on this blog but I can't find the answer anywhere here.

Date of next large trade(?) show in San Francisco?

Posted by Stan Phillips on February 3, 2010 at 2:36am — 1 Comment

Dee

Poking around the interwebs

I finally managed to find a Whole Foods that was convenient for me to visit. I must say, I'm hooked on that store now. They had beautiful flowers, and I heard my favorite music in there that I never hear anywhere else!

But onto the chocolate... I went to the chocolate section, and was overwhelmed by brands that I never heard of. Someone reccomended that I try Kilari, but they didn't have any of that. So, I picked up a small bar of Lindt 70%, and they had tiny squares of another brand that I'm b… Continue

Posted by Dee on January 31, 2010 at 10:54am — 4 Comments

Christine Doerr

Tour of the Straus Family Creamery

In November we were invited to take a tour of my favorite creamery, Straus Family Creamery near Pedaluma. Although we didn’t get to see any actual cows, the pasture was too wet, we did get to observe a family-run business and try some of their tasty experimental ice cream flavors!

I was particularly excited as I have been using Straus cream in my truffles since I started my business. It really does make a difference in the taste and texture of the ganache. Most people I talk with know of the Cr… Continue

Posted by Christine Doerr on January 30, 2010 at 4:47pm — 4 Comments

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Cocoa beans - Monthly Price - Commodity Prices
 
 

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