Discover Chocolate and Live La Vida Cocoa!
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Clay Gordon
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Clay Gordon's Groups
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Classifieds - For Sale...
72 members
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Startup Central
110 members
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OFF Topic
6 members
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The Chocolate Swap
27 members
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Tastings, Travel, & Ad...
40 members
Clay Gordon's Discussions
methodology of the broma process
Replied 1 day ago
facts about the broma process
Replied 1 day ago
Giving Thanks to Chocolate ...
Started Nov 25
Clay Gordon's Events
Clay Gordon's Chocolate Life
Latest Activity
Kenneth:
With respect to your question about how warm the answer is the warmer the better. The higher the temperature the more fluid the fat in the chocolate liquor will be. If you have a cabinet or room where you can control the temperature I'd ...
This topic has been closed for further discussion. There is another discussion on this topic by this author and any contributions should be added there.
ChrismaHanuKwanzakah: A Holiday Anxiety-Relief Spectacular at Galapagos Art Space
December 16, 2009 from 7pm to 10pm
This holiday season give the gift of chocolate, and make a difference in the lives of African cocoa farmers.
Global Gifts That Matter is an online store produced by the Global Giving Circle that highlights social enterprises and high impact non-p...
This group is for Chocolate Life members who either make chocolate (not chocolates/confections) at home or are interested in learning how to make chocolate at home - bean to bar.
At most auctions, items are sold as-is. If you have any questions about specific items, contact the auction company and ask.
Just checking out the auction items, and noticed that none of the equipment descriptions mention whether they are functional, is this normal for an online auction? I'm tempted to bid on some stuff, but if its potentially broken, then bidding gets ...
Tomorrow is Turkey Day and I wonder how many of us are incorporating chocolate into our plans to celebrate.
Not many people know that the turkey is native to the New World. In fact there is a chance that the Pilgrims when they crossed the Atlanti...
Profile Information
- Dark, Milk, White?
- Dark, Milk, White
- Most memorable chocolate experience:
- The night in 1994 when I discovered the delights of origin chocolate.
- My favorite chocolate is:
- One that challenges my assumptions of what a chocolate can be.
How I Live The Chocolate Life
Living The Chocolate Life (or Living La Vida Cocoa) means something different to each of us.
I began my chocolate journey in 1994 after I discovered Bonnat chocolate. I quickly realized that there was no one talking about chocolate the same way as wine, so I decided, in an entrepreneurial epiphany, to become a chocolate critic.
My mission and goals have evolved along with my knowledge about, and appreciation for, chocolate. I did not decide on chocolate because I was passionate about it, I became passionate about chocolate through my long study and close association with people who are passionate about it. For me, chocolate is a lens through which I learn about geopolitics, history, agronomy, science, technology, cuisine, cultural anthropology, and much more.
I spent seven years teaching myself about chocolate and figuring out what I needed to know to become a credible chocolate critic. I started publishing chocophile.com in May 2001, and here I am nearly seven years later.
It's even more fun now than I had ever imagined it would be. In large measure it's because of people like you and the other members of this new community who share my passion for chocolate; your interest and enthusiasm energizes me.
More Clay @
Serious Eats
Bravo for Foodies
Culinate.com
Twitter
Facebook
George W. Bush: The Thinking Man's Dan Quayle
Apparel, magnets, mousepad, and more.
Share your love of the English language with others.
I began my chocolate journey in 1994 after I discovered Bonnat chocolate. I quickly realized that there was no one talking about chocolate the same way as wine, so I decided, in an entrepreneurial epiphany, to become a chocolate critic.
My mission and goals have evolved along with my knowledge about, and appreciation for, chocolate. I did not decide on chocolate because I was passionate about it, I became passionate about chocolate through my long study and close association with people who are passionate about it. For me, chocolate is a lens through which I learn about geopolitics, history, agronomy, science, technology, cuisine, cultural anthropology, and much more.
I spent seven years teaching myself about chocolate and figuring out what I needed to know to become a credible chocolate critic. I started publishing chocophile.com in May 2001, and here I am nearly seven years later.
It's even more fun now than I had ever imagined it would be. In large measure it's because of people like you and the other members of this new community who share my passion for chocolate; your interest and enthusiasm energizes me.
More Clay @
Serious Eats
Bravo for Foodies
Culinate.com
George W. Bush: The Thinking Man's Dan Quayle
Apparel, magnets, mousepad, and more.
Share your love of the English language with others.
Clay Gordon's Photos
Clay Gordon's Videos
Clay Gordon's Blog
The best coffee and gelato in all of Rome?
Of all the things I expected to learn on my trip, learning where to get the best coffee and gelato in Rome never entered my plans. But there I was in Rome with an expert local guide (Vanessa Barg of Gnosis Chocolate) and that is exactly what I discovered. The New York Times recently also bestowed the best coffee on this place - saying that it might just be the most expensive in the world - when you add in the cost of the flight - and it would be worth it.
Near the Pantheon on the Piazza Sant'Eu… Continue
Near the Pantheon on the Piazza Sant'Eu… Continue
Posted on October 27, 2009 at 9:00am — 3 Comments
The New New European Chocolate Weight Loss Diet
The first time I traveled to Europe for an extended period of time (six weeks in 1986 - way before my interest in chocolate) I managed to lose quite a bit of weight.
One of the reasons why was that I spent the first two weeks in Germany (a culture not known for gourmet cuisine) and another was that I was working a nine-day trade fair (Photokina) and so was on my feet from 9am to 8pm every day with few options for eating. For the remaining four weeks I was eating at most two meals a day (skippin… Continue
One of the reasons why was that I spent the first two weeks in Germany (a culture not known for gourmet cuisine) and another was that I was working a nine-day trade fair (Photokina) and so was on my feet from 9am to 8pm every day with few options for eating. For the remaining four weeks I was eating at most two meals a day (skippin… Continue
Posted on October 26, 2009 at 10:30am — 1 Comment
Euro Chocolate Road Trip - London Day 3 and Sophisticated Pairings
Today is the official first day of Chocolate Week and now that Chocolate Unwrapped is over there is no official “center” for the event. For the next seven days Chocolate Week goes virtual with events scattered throughout the city at various locations including the shops of participating chocolatiers. My main chocolate-related goal for the day is to prepare for a pairing event hosted at the Westbourne Grove shop of Arisan du Chocolat.
The event is called Sophisticated Pairings and is part… Continue
The event is called Sophisticated Pairings and is part… Continue
Posted on October 17, 2009 at 12:30am — 5 Comments
Off to Paris and the Salon du Chocolat
Tuesday, October 13
The weather in London finally lived down to its reputation on the Tuesday I am scheduled to take a late-morning Eurostar from St Pancras London to the Gare du Nord in Paris for the Salon du Chocolat. After the hotel's quaint excuse for a breakfast (brown toast except there was no brown toast – again), brown (bran) flakes, orange "juice," and instant "coffee," I shouldered my bags and descended into the London Underground during the height of rush hour.
The tri… Continue
The weather in London finally lived down to its reputation on the Tuesday I am scheduled to take a late-morning Eurostar from St Pancras London to the Gare du Nord in Paris for the Salon du Chocolat. After the hotel's quaint excuse for a breakfast (brown toast except there was no brown toast – again), brown (bran) flakes, orange "juice," and instant "coffee," I shouldered my bags and descended into the London Underground during the height of rush hour.
The tri… Continue
Posted on October 14, 2009 at 9:00am — 1 Comment
Euro Chocolate Road Trip - London Day 2
There is a lot to like about London – but hotels are not one of those things.
The hotel that is hosting Chocolate Unwrapped – The May Fair – has a very nice lobby with a happening lobby bar scene at night. I suppose you could call it a boutique hotel. And I am sure that the rooms are very nice, but I am equally sure that they are quite small for what they cost. And that's the dilemma of hotels in London. In the US in most cities I can go to a budget hotel brand and even for a modest price (unde… Continue
The hotel that is hosting Chocolate Unwrapped – The May Fair – has a very nice lobby with a happening lobby bar scene at night. I suppose you could call it a boutique hotel. And I am sure that the rooms are very nice, but I am equally sure that they are quite small for what they cost. And that's the dilemma of hotels in London. In the US in most cities I can go to a budget hotel brand and even for a modest price (unde… Continue
Posted on October 13, 2009 at 7:00pm — 3 Comments
Comment Wall (124 comments)
- At 11:22am on November 26, 2009,
caraemilia said…
- I enjoy eating raw cocao nibs. You can buy it in the outer shell, as nibs, or powdered. I believe it is still fermented, for chocolate has to be in order to be eaten safely.
My Raw food girl says they contain therapeutic levels of Magnesium and a feel good chemical called PEA.
http://www.nutsonline.com/nuts/cacao/organic-nibs.html?gclid=CLb82I2JqZ4CFQoeDQodz2ahmw
- At 8:42pm on November 9, 2009,
alana reyes said… - thank you for you advice Mr Gordon i will do just that.
- At 4:14pm on November 4, 2009,
Wiebe Draijer said… - Thanks for you welcoming words Mr. Gordon. Costa Rica is indeed beautiful. I just got back from a short visit to a small place called Chasse to buy some araza. This has nothing to do with chocolate, but it was a welcome escape from the office and another chance to see the mountains and Rio Sixaola. Later on today I'll meet with two cacao experts. I hope they have some good tips for conducting fermentation tests we'll be doing in December. Vamos a ver.
- At 10:24am on October 19, 2009,
John Q. Stewart said… - Mr.Gordon, I sent you a message that was more of a family history than the question I have. I am a tinker who looks at the equipment availabe and thinks I can make most of it in my workshop. I am only looking to produce a small quanity for local consumption "boutique market". Do you know of anyone who has done this. I want to minimize my mistakes in design and equipment manufacture cost.
- At 2:44am on October 18, 2009,
Patricia S Verdesoto Estévez said… - Yes, I know, however I could not get this information because I am in Honduras and it has been a little difficult get in contact with who are working in cocoa research. I know between Ecuador, Venezuela and Papua Nueva Guinea, with the help of ICCO and others, made a very important project in which they wanted to establish parameters phisics, chemicals and sensory characteristics in order to determine the origen and quality of cocoa.
In my study, I determine some quemical components and I wish compare their with values of the same components made with fine cocoa beans. My necesity of get a very good information it is because for example I have information in wich say that parameters of cocoa from Ghanna is used like a standard but, I am no sure if this information was made with fine cocoa.
thanks for answer,
Patty
- At 6:53pm on October 17, 2009,
Jamie Jeffries said… - Enjoy your European tour, Clay. I'll be following and wishing I could be there to dip myself in silky chocolate. Yum!
Jamie
- At 2:27pm on October 5, 2009,
Clint Davis said…
- http://www.travelandleisure.com/blogs/carry-on/2009/10/2/chocolate-here-chocoalte-there-chocolate-chocolate-everywhere
- At 2:27pm on October 5, 2009,
- Hi Clay,
Here's the link:
Actually, it's a mention of/link to the Oakhurst Chocolate & Wine Festival. :)
--Clint
- At 3:57pm on October 2, 2009,
JOE ARREDONDO said…
- Thanks clay: I really need to share the health benefits of Chocolate and they can buy it trough my website, they don't have to sign up as reps.
Are you familiar with our products, I will spend some time reading you rules, just know that this is Network marketing just like your website is a Social Network. it is Not call MLM., thanks joe
- At 8:28pm on October 1, 2009,
JOE ARREDONDO said…
- Great website, Clay: We have a Healthy Chocoalte and I am currently looking for distribution in Sweden as well as in U.K and Denmark, do you know where I can place a classified ad for my International healthy chocolate, my website www.chocolatebootcamp.com or www.darkchocolate4thesoul.com maybe you might want to check it out and guide me to the right people, Thanks JOE ARREDONDO
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