The Chocolate Life

Discover Chocolate and Live La Vida Cocoa!

Barbara Wilson's Page

Latest Activity

Barbara Wilson's event was featured
Thumbnail

Chocolate Making Origins: Hands on Chocolate Making from Tree to Bar at Mindo, Ecuador

June 10, 2013 at 9am to June 14, 2013 at 4pm
This course includes all steps of chocolate making from visiting the cocoa plantation and harvesting yourself, tasting fresh fruit, fermenting, drying, roasting, grinding, winnowing, conching, tempering and molding. We will also make truffles using artisan chocolate. You will package what you made to take home with you. We will have daily discussions about the different aspects of the chocolate making business and we will also taste and compare chocolate each day. Hours: vary each day contact…See More
Feb 19
0 Comments
Barbara Wilson commented on Barbara Wilson's photo
Thumbnail

Chocolate Making Course at Mindo

"Hi Stephen,  Our next course in Mindo, Ecuador. June 10-14, 2013 contact me directly for more information at bwilson@mindochocolate.com Barbara"
Feb 7
Barbara Wilson posted an event

Chocolate Making Origins: Hands on Chocolate Making from Tree to Bar at Mindo, Ecuador

June 10, 2013 at 9pm to June 14, 2013 at 4pm
This course includes all steps of chocolate making from visiting the cocoa plantation and harvesting yourself, tasting fresh fruit, fermenting, drying, roasting, grinding, winnowing, conching, tempering and molding. We will also make truffles using artisan chocolate. You will package what you made to take home with you. We will have daily discussions about the different aspects of the chocolate making business and we will also taste and compare chocolate each day. Hours: vary each day contact…See More
Feb 7
0 Comments
stephen Sembuya commented on Barbara Wilson's photo
Thumbnail

Chocolate Making Course at Mindo

"Hello Barbra Wilson, am Stephen from Kampala, Uganda. am interested in a short bean to bar course, please advise where i can go for one."
Jan 25
Predrag Miladinovic liked Barbara Wilson's photo
Thumbnail

Chocolate Making Course at Mindo

Oct 23, 2012
Barbara Wilson commented on Barbara Wilson's photo
Thumbnail

Chocolate Making Course at Mindo Chocolate Makers

"Only two weeks until our Bean to Bar hands on Chocolate making course starts. Sign up now if you are interested in Joining us in Michigan. Contact me at bwilson@mindochocolate.com"
Sep 11, 2012
Samantha Fox and Barbara Wilson are now friends
Aug 14, 2012
Barbara Wilson shared their photo on Facebook
Thumbnail

Chocolate Making Course at Mindo Chocolate Makers

Aug 14, 2012
Barbara Wilson shared their photo on Twitter
Thumbnail

Chocolate Making Course at Mindo Chocolate Makers

Aug 14, 2012
Samantha Fox might attend Barbara Wilson's event
Thumbnail

Bean to Bar: Hands on Chocolate Making Course at Mindo Chocolate Makers in Dexter, Michigan

September 24, 2012 at 9am to September 28, 2012 at 12:30pm
Mindo Chocolate MakersBean to Bar: Hands on Making Artisan Chocolate from the BeanLocation: Dexter, MichiganDates: September 24-28, 2012Times: 9:00 am-12:30 pm Cost: $750.00 per person(price does not include housing, meals, or transportation to and from Dexter, Michigan) MondaySeptember 249:00 am-12:30 pmChocolate Making from the Bean: micro batches of pure chocolate, milk and whiteTuesdaySeptember 259:00 am -12:30 pmFlavor of ChocolateWednesdaySeptember 269:00 am-12:30 pmProcessing Cocoa…See More
Aug 13, 2012
0 Comments
Barbara Wilson posted photos
Thumbnail
Thumbnail
Thumbnail
2 more…
Aug 12, 2012
Barbara Wilson's event was featured
Thumbnail

Bean to Bar: Hands on Chocolate Making Course at Mindo Chocolate Makers in Dexter, Michigan

September 24, 2012 at 9am to September 28, 2012 at 12:30pm
Mindo Chocolate MakersBean to Bar: Hands on Making Artisan Chocolate from the BeanLocation: Dexter, MichiganDates: September 24-28, 2012Times: 9:00 am-12:30 pm Cost: $750.00 per person(price does not include housing, meals, or transportation to and from Dexter, Michigan) MondaySeptember 249:00 am-12:30 pmChocolate Making from the Bean: micro batches of pure chocolate, milk and whiteTuesdaySeptember 259:00 am -12:30 pmFlavor of ChocolateWednesdaySeptember 269:00 am-12:30 pmProcessing Cocoa…See More
Jun 27, 2012
0 Comments
Barbara Wilson posted an event

Bean to Bar: Hands on Chocolate Making Course at Mindo Chocolate Makers in Dexter, Michigan

September 24, 2012 at 9am to September 28, 2012 at 12:30pm
Mindo Chocolate MakersBean to Bar: Hands on Making Artisan Chocolate from the BeanLocation: Dexter, MichiganDates: September 24-28, 2012Times: 9:00 am-12:30 pm Cost: $750.00 per person(price does not include housing, meals, or transportation to and from Dexter, Michigan) MondaySeptember 249:00 am-12:30 pmChocolate Making from the Bean: micro batches of pure chocolate, milk and whiteTuesdaySeptember 259:00 am -12:30 pmFlavor of ChocolateWednesdaySeptember 269:00 am-12:30 pmProcessing Cocoa…See More
Jun 25, 2012
0 Comments
Joseph Meza is attending Barbara Wilson's event
Thumbnail

Mindo Chocolate Makers Chocolate Making: From tree to Bar at Mindo, Ecuador

June 25, 2012 at 9am to June 29, 2012 at 4pm
Mindo Chocolate MakersChocolate Making: From tree to BarLocation: Mindo, EcuadorDates: June 25-29Cost: $750.00 per person (price does not include housing, meals, or transportation to and from Mindo) You will get hands on experience in the following areas:  Monday June 259:00 am-12:00 pmChocolate Making from the Bean: micro batches of pure chocolate, milk and white Tuesday June 269:00 am -3:00 pmPlantation tour to an organic, shade grown, family farm  Wednesday June 279:00 am-12:00 pmProcessing…See More
Jun 11, 2012
0 Comments
Mimi Wheeler left a comment for Barbara Wilson
"Hi Barbara. Thank you for your note. As I wrote to Joe, unfortunately, Norm and I will not be able to make it to Ecuador this spring. I am hoping for November. The tickets were too expensive when we started looking too late. Hope you both are doing…"
Feb 14, 2012
Barbara Wilson left a comment for Mimi Wheeler
"Hello Mimi, good to hear from you.  I am in Mindo, Ecuador right now.  Things are going well here, we are growing and producing more chocolate.  Some people that know you have come here and visited.  Are you coming to Ecuador any…"
Feb 14, 2012

Profile Information

Dark, Milk, White?
Dark
Most memorable chocolate experience:
The first time I made my own chocolate.
My favorite chocolate is:
Mindo chocolate 77%

Barbara Wilson's Photos

Loading…
  • Add Photos
  • View All

Comment Wall (5 comments)

You need to be a member of The Chocolate Life to add comments!

Join The Chocolate Life

At 12:25pm on February 14, 2012, Mimi Wheeler said…

Hi Barbara. Thank you for your note. As I wrote to Joe, unfortunately, Norm and I will not be able to make it to Ecuador this spring. I am hoping for November. The tickets were too expensive when we started looking too late. Hope you both are doing well!

Warm regards, Mimi

At 11:09am on May 6, 2010, Clay Gordon said…
Barbara: I've been following your conversation with Matt and visited your site. I appreciate and encourage what you're doing in-country. The world needs more of these kinds of operations.

However, the following statements in one of the paragraphs on your site are not correct:

Cacao originated in the Amazon basin in Ecuador and the cacao tree variety is called Nacional (or criollo) and is considered to be in the top 2% of quality cacao beans. Nacional only grows in Ecuador.

- Cacao did originate in the Upper Amazon River basin. There is no evidence that conclusively points to its origin in what is now Ecuador. Provenance could just as easily be Peru, Bolivia, and/or Brazil.

- Nacional is not a variety of criollo, but a variety of forastero that exhibits fine flavor cacao characteristics. Criollos were bred from forastero varieties introduced into Mesoamerica thousands of years ago.

- Nacional is considered to be a fine flavor cocoa bean. Fine flavor cocoa represents about 3% of the world harvest at the moment. Nacional is in that 3% - but is not considered to be the top 2% of the top 3% - which is what is implied.

- Nacional will grow anywhere in the world that cacao grows. However, there is a particular flavor profile associated with Nacional (called Arriba) that does not develop when Nacional is planted outside of specific areas of Ecuador.

I hope this clears things up.
At 5:39pm on May 4, 2010, Matt Caputo said…
Barbara,
I would love to buy wholesale, but first, do you offer samples?
Thanks,
Matt
www.caputosdeli.com
At 11:24pm on May 2, 2010, Matt Caputo said…
Do you have a website? I would like to check it out. Also, do you sell wholesale?
Thanks,
Matt
At 8:20am on May 2, 2010, Matt Caputo said…
what is Mindo chocolate?
 
 
 

Member Marketplace


Notice to members:
OpenX took their service offline permanently without notice over the weekend. I am looking for a replacement hosted ad server.

Promote TheChocolateLife

Bookmark and Share

Follow Clay on:
Twitter :: @DiscoverChoc
F'Book :: TheChocolateLife
F'Book Group :: LaVidaCocoa
Paper.li :: @DiscoverChoc

Badge

Loading…

Get Badge

Top Discussions 

1 melanger necessary?

melanger necessary?
2 Emerging Chocolatier with questions.

Emerging Chocolatier with questions.
3 Where to buy transfer sheets (USA)

Where to buy transfer sheets (USA)
4 Tempering Machine VS Melter

Tempering Machine VS Melter
5 Choosing the right chocolate?

Choosing the right chocolate?

© 2013   Created by Clay Gordon.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service