From bean to bar

As a bit of a chocolate rookie, I am learning the tricks of the trade of how chocolate is made. It seems a bit Alien how this vibrant green, thick, oval pods contain seeds that eventually become the perfect and smooth chocolate bars that we eventually consume. How does it all happen?

Let’s not get to ahead of ourselves. It all starts with the cacao tree, a small flowering tree originally from South and Central America. The trees fruit is the cacao pod with a fibrous and thick husk. It looks like the child from an estranged relationship with a mango and a coconut. Each thick pod protects about 40 beans inside that sits in a soft bed made up of a sticky white pulp. This pulp is actually edible, although for some reason it never quite made its way to our plates in North America. It’s a secret kept by most farmers, as they bite into the soft flesh and feast on the pulps sweet flavor from a ripe cacao pod. They must laugh at us for throwing away the best part. Think of peeling an orange, throwing out all the fruit and keeping the seeds. Seems crazy right? Well that’s what we do! The beans that we do keep are called a cacao bean. Fun fact: the layman’s term ‘cocoa’ was actually brought about by a spelling mistake by early English traders. It was just never corrected. Back to the beans.

The cacao beans are dried in the hot sun and can be eaten at this stage. Think of an espresso bean. These beans are then broken into ‘nibs’- think shavings. These nibs are then ground and heated to create a chocolate liquor paste. Now, don’t go and get your shot glasses out yet. Despite it’s name there is nothing alcoholic about this mixture. Chocolate liquor is the base from which all chocolate products are made and way to bitter to eat. Sugar and cocoa butter is added depending on the degree needed for the particular product being created. At this stage there is nothing smooth about this bar and the molten mixture must be refined. Think heavy rollers, machinery and five-roll mills. Now, the chocolate must be tempered. This is where the real chocolate gods are made. The French and the Belgians swear by it as a game changer. Separating the men from the boys, woman from giggling schoolgirls or the mass producers from the chocolatiers. Alas, after all this chocolate as we know it is born.

Can I graduate from rookie to intermediate chocoholic now?

Follow the Chocolate Trail

Follow the chocolate trail, follow the chocolate trail. Toto we're not in Kansas anymore.

In fact, were in Stratford, Ontario where this trail leads you to chocolatey goodness. It is well known, "Come for the chocolate and stay for the plays". Or is it the other way around?

Regardless of your favored order, savour Stratford and take a bite out of the chocolate trail. $20 gets you an all access pass to your choice of scrumptious tastings at 8 stores out of a self guided map of 21. This golden ticket will not only satisfy your sweet tooth but give chocoholics a chance to speak directly with each chocolatier and ask them the age old question- does working with chocolate really take the sweetness out of it?

Choco-locate visited the charming Victorian city to do some hard journalistic research, crunching of numbers and yes, O.K. eat chocolate. We met up with Danielle Brodhagen from the Stratford Tourism Alliance who told us all about the European inspiration behind the Stratford Chocolate Trail. “I was in Italy and stumbled upon the ‘ChocoPass’. After the trip the excursion was something that stayed with me. We knew trails were a new thing in culinary tourism and we wanted to be the first to bring it to Ontario. We were looking at our assets and what we really have to celebrate, which any community should do when they are exploring culinary tourism. And then from there we built the chocolate trail.”

This self-guided tour has a little something on the menu to satisfy just about any sweet tooth. From Chocolate Mocha Sauce, creamy ganache truffles, an Organic Dark Chocolate 70% bar with a touch of Fleur de Sel to a pot of chocolate Mint tea and chocolate and wine pairings. “We really turned it into an opportunity, we highlighted the assets of each store on the map,” explains Danielle. Just do yourself and others a favour- use the full three days on the Chocolate Trail pass to redeem all of your delights. Save the tummy ache, you can thank me later.

The chocolate excursion is not only your ticket to endless seductions of chocolate, but a taste of culinary tourism at its best. Robyn, our faithful chocolate guide for the day and Marketing Assistant for the Stratford Tourism Alliance, explains the enthusiastic response from the community to the Chocolate Trail. “The concept was really easy to adopt. We are about fostering authentic relationships, so the products were already here. We just found a way to connect it using a trail that is more cohesive.”

For more information about the stores involved visit the Choco-locate iPhone app under locations ‘Stratford’ and on the web at http://choco-locate.com/shops/?city=4&keywords=

Or purchase your Chocolate Trail Pass in person at the Stratford Tourism Alliance office.

Fierce Fudge Fact

There is a fudge war brewing in Niagara falls. On a recent trip to explore just what the Niagara region has to offer- chocolate wise, I ran into Reg. Reg has been a fudge maker for 44 years and let the secret right out of the bag. You see there is a fierce fudge competition among Niagara's fudge makers. So serious that it split two brothers up. As young bucks, these guys used to all make fudge together as a part time job, just for kicks. They all spent their teenage years learning from the same fudge master and having fun as boys do. But as they grew older and all opened up fudge stores of their own, I guess the competition got to the best of them. Reg told me the two brothers with opposing fudge stores don't even talk to each other anymore. But hey, you didn't hear that from me. One thing's for sure, Reg has the best personality hands down. And that sways my vote. Take the trip to Niagara for yourself and visit Reg's Candy Kitchen, Maple Leaf Fudge and Swiss Fudge. Vote for your favourite fudge store in Niagara!

The Drink of the Gods

If there was a chocolate god, he would have hung out at SOMA. I don’t know if he would have gotten a seat though, the place is packed with chocolate worshipers, young and old. SOMA has struck a cord in chocolate lovers hearts and yes, it lives up to its hype. These guys make fair trade, organic look sexy.

Taking a step into SOMA you are hit with an intense chocolate aroma. Just take a deep breath of the chocolaty air and soak it all in. At the core of SOMA is a husband and wife duo, that are chocolate genius’ and aren’t afraid to be completely exposed. The clear glass chocolate laboratory along the back of the entire store doesn’t hid a thing from the process of bean to bar. It allows customers to sip on their intoxicating drinking chocolate and watch it all being made in front of them. The open concept, sky high ceilings and raw, exposed brick space was designed to take away some of the mystery of the chocolate process. Personally I think there might need to be some intense diagrams if they really want to let people in on 'how it's made'. But the space definitely encourages curiosity and is the perfect blend of a retail, chocolate factory and science center of sorts.

The duo are purists at heart and wouldn’t have their chocolate business any other way. You are only going to find fair trade, flavour grade, organic and artisan chocolate makers here. They even go as far as to sort each bean by hand. At the heart of SOMA is all about getting back to the roots of chocolate and right down to the science of it.

But when it’s all said and done it’s about the chocolate. So, how does it taste? Let’s start with the Mayan Hot Chocolate the short intense shot. Don’t let your eyes fool you, this small espresso size shot is packed with an intoxicating rich flavour. With the first sip, this thick and dark Venezuelan chocolate coats the entire pallet and will make even the leading chatterbox (yes, me) momentarily speechless. After swallowing the spices of cinnamon, ginger, orange peel and chili peppers appear and simply put this hot chocolate in a class of its own. Then I tried the 'Bicerin,' an intense small glass of melted dark chocolate, espresso and light whip cream- omg. I actually had to spot my interview with the owner- take a moment. OK. Can we start again? Yes, I lost track of our conversation but when I uttered, "Wow" and did a nod to the drink, she got it.

Let’s not forget the bars. The chuao (pronounced chew-wow) is legendary. A pure and delicate criollo from Venezuela with 70% cocoa content. This dark chocolate is in no way bitter with the perfect hint of flavour, a well executed balancing act. Get back to the roots of chocolate and try the 'old school' bar. Rough cut chocolate, so you can taste the origin and essence of the bean. Ground cocoa nibs and organic cane sugar. Raw with no further processing and refining. Simple and pure.

So are you going? Great! Can I come with? Oh, PS- they just opened a new location on King. Your welcome.

Just Another Gal Running the Show

Did you know Toronto has a beach? CONDO CITY has a beach! A breath taking waterfront boardwalk and no, I am not talking about Harbourfront. I recently trekked to the Beaches to visit a new quaint and cozy chocolate shop that just opened up in theBeaches. Although Chocolate by Wickerhead is new to the area, it is actually the return of long time resident and business owner Sharon Shoot. Thank heaven she’s returned with ‘oh my god’ truffles and moist creamy fillings. Welcome home, Sharon.

Sharon is running a one-woman show with a smile on her face. She literally does everything. She laughs when she tells me, “Iam the one who makes the chocolates, cleans the windows and washes the dishes”. Sounds just like an average day in being a female. I like to think all females multitask atall times or maybe its just me? I am astonished when my man just cooks dinner. I cook dinner, do dishes, make lunch, clean the floor, all while talking on the phone. And don't burn a thing, thank you very much! So when Sharon tells me she's just another female running the entire show, it makes me smile.

Entering Sharon's shop is like a warm hug, she is inviting and delightfulmuch like her chocolates. Kind of like that Mother you always wish you had. Within moments of meeting me she hands me a plate of chocolates. Every time we start discussing another chocolate of hers, she smiles and asks, "want to try?" Is that even a question? Her flavours are better than a cup of coffee to awaken the senses. And that says a lot coming from this caffeine crazed gal. Sharon worked with chocolate corporately for years and is known famously for her Belgian chocolate covered popcorn. It has been referred to as ‘crack popcorn’. But when the opportunity to start her own chocolate store landed in her lap, she jumped at the chance. “It’s perfect, it’s charming and it’s in the right area. This part of the city is very artisan, so people are much more open to trying things that are handmade and paying for it,” says Sharon.

This chocolatier still sells her ‘crack’ chocolate popcorn, but also a wide selection of delicate and mouth-watering truffles and chocolate bars. If you think Sharon’s popcorn is addictive just wait until you try her Wild Flower Honey and Passion Fruit chocolate. Sharon’s friend owns a bee farm, so she decided to design a chocolate around her wild flower honey. Sometimes passion fruit on its own can be too tart but with the mix of honey it’s like a creamy fruit smoothie. The honey mixed with the passion fruit is the perfect balance in flavour. The more refined connoisseur will utter a gasp at the Bowmore single malt scotch with it’s delicate on the tongue vintage scotch filling. Sharon uses mostly Belgian chocolate but she also uses single origin chocolate “Which is very up and coming in the chocolate world,” says Sharon for its intense flavour. Think wine regions and the distinct flavour for each winery in the region.

Like a fine wine her chocolate is building a following. It seems that even teenage boys have been taken a liking to Sharon’s fine chocolates. “I have a lot of kids from school coming in, especially teenage boys. It’s really great they have gotten to know the difference in flavours and tastes of fine chocolate.” If you think Sharon’s chocolate following is Zen-like then you should try her solid Belgian chocolate Buddha.