Past Newsletters
Vol 3 No 11

In Pursuit of Chocolate

Chocolate Decadence From Around The World!

You're in for an amazing chocolate overload this Fall season with a total of EIGHT chocolate styles from four unique manufacturers. The intoxicating selections this month from In Pursuit of Chocolate combine a plethora of cocoa content as well as diverse regional selections from as far away as France to a local chocolatier based in Oregon. Better find a safe hiding place for your shipment, as these babies won't last long!

Organic Amazement

Founding Alchemist, Frederick Schilling, founded Dagoba Organic Chocolate in 2000. The mission: to create the purest, most exquisite chocolate products available, offer new and exotic flavors to the chocolate market and most importantly, help create a better world through organic/sustainable agriculture, fair trade philosophies and eco-friendly manufacturing practices. These beliefs are the core of their company.

This has been accomplished by making premium organic chocolate and infusing it with exotic inclusions to enhance the already divine qualities of chocolate. Carefully selecting these ingredients and blends create what Dagoba is known for: Dagoba is leading the industry with their organic passion as well as unleashing unique flavors that are beginning to see the light of day.

Quality and pure ingredients are crucial principles that Dagoba adheres to with each and every product. Their sources actually change according to quality of the seasonal harvests. Inclusions are hand stirred into the chocolate before the molding process to add that extra human touch. In order to ensure optimum quality and attentiveness, their organic bars are created in very small batches. This also creates another crucial quality control step to ensure you receive some of the finest organic chocolate products on the international market.

Not only is Dagoba Organic Chocolate sinfully delicious, but it is made with only the finest organic and non-GMO ingredients. The cocoa in Dagoba organic chocolate comes from Central & South America and the Caribbean, cared for by farmers who work in an eco-friendly manner according to "fair trade" philosophies. Organic certification of Dagoba Chocolate is by ICS/US.

The selections we have chosen for you are rich with cocoa and balanced with two unique infusions of flavor. The first bar has a 59% cocoa content combined with pure lavender essence and organic wild sundried blueberries. Talk about sensory overload, this dark chocolate bar screams! Your second selection from Dagoba has a 55% cocoa content infused with bits of organic Chilean rosehips. The root of the rosehip is an achene, or small, dry fruit, which bears the seed of the rose and is high in Vitamin C. Rosehips, as you may well know, aids in preventing premature wrinkling and acts as an aphrodisiac as well. Sounds like a perfect bar to share with someone in front of a crackling fire this fall season.

Some Amazing accolades for Dagoba chocolate

' "Best Organic Milk Chocolate" - San Francisco Chronicle, Feb 6, 2002
' "Best Organic Bars" - Food & Wine Magazine, Dec 2001

What the heck is organic chocolate?

Organic chocolate is defined as that which has been grown within its own indigenous habitat which allows for the natural pollination of the cacao flower by insects inherent to that environment and processed without chemicals or preservatives.

Environmentally, many chocolatiers have chosen to work with only those chocolate farmers who demonstrate their respect for the integrity and preservation of the rainforests. Creating a better environment for us to live in and an enriching rainbow of flavors for the world to savor.

French Chocolate Bars from Michel Cluizel

Your second featured chocolates start with a delectable tasting adventure designed to assist you in developing and/or validating your chocolate palate. Michel Cluizel, one of the world's most renowned chocolatiers created these bars, each of which has a distinctly different level of cocoa content:

Chocolate with Hazelnuts - 33% cocoa
Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs - 65% cocoa

To compare the flavors and aromas, begin with the chocolate that has the lowest cocoa content, and listen to the flavors to experience how the cocoa percent changes the chocolate expressions. Most American commercial chocolate is milk chocolate, and by adding milk and lowering the cacao content, it's less costly to produce. Many aficionados like higher cocoa chocolate without milk, but if you want to taste a near perfect example of a milk chocolate, Michel Cluizel is an outstanding choice.

The 33% bar is creamy and rich, and you can still taste complex chocolate flavor lurking behind the curtain of sweet, soft milk. Like all good chocolate, the fine flavor lingers long after the piece has melted in your mouth. In the 65% bar, Michel blends several beans all from the same estate, and the flavor notes are intertwined and subdued, giving a fuller, but smoothly rich tasting experience.

Meet Michel Cluizel

It is in the south of Normandy where Michel, his two sons and two daughters, who have all inherited the great French chocolate tradition, create their innovative masterpieces. In 1948, Michel Cluizel joined his father and became a chocolate maker. Today, Cluizel's family business is one of the last independent companies to manufacture chocolate from the very beginning of the process. Fifty years of professional experience has created a master's touch applied to all stages of production.

Michel Cluizel is the only chocolatier in France that still makes his own couverture (blocks of chocolate ready to be melted and formed into confections). The other French chocolatiers purchase their couverture from corporate giants' concerned with finance, not flavor.

The last of his kind' working with varietal beans from his own farms in nearly every producing country: Sumatra, Venezuela, Ghana, Java, and the Ivory Coast among others, Cluizel and his progeny are producing some of the most interesting chocolates in the world.

To meet the increasing demand for more full-flavored chocolates, Cluizel offers superb quality dark and milk chocolate with new and unique flavors. Indeed, he is the only chocolatier in the world who offers dark chocolates with 85% and 99% cacao content, and two milk chocolates containing 50%! And they are divine.

El Rey Chocolates - A Passionate History

Hold onto your hats as your third selection brings you two unique styles from the folks at El Rey Chocolates. El Rey chocolate has been made in Venezuela since 1929. This family business makes their chocolate with only premium grade, locally grown ingredients. All El Rey chocolates are made exclusively with Venezuelan cocoa and come from what is known as single bean origin, giving El Rey chocolate a unique flavor. Venezuelan cocoas, primarily the Criollo variety, are considered by many to produce the very finest chocolate' a delicacy, since only 10% of the world's beans are Criollos. The chocolates that you are about to experience offer lots of character and complexity and are more adventurous, intense and full-bodied than other chocolates.

Gran Saman - 70% cocoa
Bucare - 58.5% cocoa

You're in for a divine experience with the Gran Saman bar which packs a wallop with 70% cocoa content. This one is for the true chocoholic who seeks that deep dark chocolate taste. The intense and robust flavor of this chocolate is endless with complex notes of fruit, flower, nut and spice.

To complement your El Rey selection, In Pursuit of Chocolate, has selected the Bucare, which offers a robust cacao aroma yet a gentle softness that weakens the knees. After your first bite this will be a lifelong relationship! Bucare brings harmony to any chocolate dessert.

The names Gran Saman and Bucare are taken from the trees that since the 1600's have shaded the groves of cacao trees. The percent (%) indicates what portion of the total formula is comprised of some part of the cacao bean ' namely, cacao liquor (or mass), cacao powder, and/or cacao butter.

Vaolr Chocolates - Chocolate with Longevity!

The final selection we have sent this month will send you into overdrive with two mouth-watering versions from Valor. Close your eyes as you unwrap your Valor selection and envision yourself sitting at a great breakfast in Spain as you welcome the day by dipping fresh churros into a cup of incredibly thick hot chocolate.

Valor is a dark chocolate with rice starch added to make thick and creamy chocolate ala taza (in a cup). Since the label is in Spanish, here is some guidance you might need: Drop in three to five small squares of Valor per cup of milk. Heat the milk and chocolate, stirring, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture comes to a boil. Turn down the heat and stir until thickened. Each bar is about 8 servings.

Valor - 70% cocoa content with almonds
Valor - 38% cocoa content with nibs

Such wonderful tastes and smooth textures -- the chocolate bars are reminiscent of best Northern European quality. The solid chocolates have chocolates have a full rich cocoa flavor. The Valor family has been making chocolates since 1881! To give you an idea as to how long ago this is, 1881 is the year in which President James Garfield passed away! Not to mention these were the days when Louis Pasteur and a man named Alfred Nobel were alive and creating greatness! When you taste Valor Chocolate, you will surely enjoy the Valor family's pride in their fine chocolate that is based on age-old tradition.

Chocolate and Pets: What Every Pet Owner Needs to Know this Holiday Season

Our members are not the only ones that are dear to us. Every year during the holiday season we give and receive many gifts. Traditionally and thankfully, one of these gifts is chocolate. But a box of chocolate can do more than add a few extra calories to our diet. Many pet owners do not realize that chocolate can be fatal to small pets, especially dogs.

Chocolate toxicity in dogs is more likely to occur during the holidays because chocolate is a popular gift to exchange with family and friends. Family, friends and neighbors that drop by may not be aware of the problems that chocolate can create for our pets. A common hazard is an open bowl or box of chocolate candy left out on the coffee table for visitors. Not only can dogs and cats reach this, but also our visitors, unaware of the hidden danger, may sneak a few pieces of candy to a begging dog while we are not looking. Explain to those visiting that any amount of chocolate can be deadly to your pet, especially if you have a dog, and no matter how much they beg, avoid feeding them anything that contains chocolate.

So, what makes chocolate harmful to pets?

Two ingredients in chocolate, theobromine and caffeine, are the toxic agents to some animals. The level of toxicity in pets is dependent upon two main factors: the levels of these chemicals in the chocolate consumed and the size of your pet. A good friend of mine has a Shepard/Husky mix, and last Christmas he found his way into a bag of M&M candies. My friend noticed that his behavior changed slightly, but thankfully he experienced no real distress. But keep in mind we are talking about a dog that is the size of a small horse! The amount of chocolate he consumed would have been fatal to a small dog like a Chihuahua. Candy such as M&M's are made with milk chocolate, which contains high enough levels of theobromine and caffeine to be harmful. It is important to know that unsweetened, semi-sweet and dark chocolates are the most dangerous. Even though white chocolate does not contain these toxic chemicals, it is a good idea to keep it far away from your pets as well.

If you believe your pet is suffering from chocolate toxicity, pay a visit to your vet immediately. Do not feel silly or over-protective for doing so. You could save the life of your pet, even if others say you are over-reacting. Signs of chocolate toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, heavy, fast-paced breathing and overall restlessness. But these signs may not be obvious right away. If you notice that chocolate is missing, and all those in your family claim to be innocent, take your pet to the vet. Your pet may be fine, but this small act can make a world of difference. Veterinarians are aware that accidents happen, especially during the holidays, and are prepared to give medical attention and preventative advice.

You may want to fill Tommy, Eric and Lisa's stockings with chocolate Santa's and snowmen this year, but remember to hang them high on the mantel. Indulge your pets with treats made specifically for them. This will ensure their safety and your peace of mind. As you work hard to keep family members happy and healthy this holiday season, don't forget that Spot, Fraidy and Rosie are part of the family too! In Pursuit of Chocolate wishes you and yours a healthy and happy holiday season!