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Post by cocoabean on Oct 22, 2011 16:54:54 GMT -5
Just made/making my first batch of Chocolate, I was so excited I couldn't sleep all night while waiting for it to finish, only 2 hours to go. I am surprised to see any left in the Santha, from all the tasting................. it tastes amazing-very fruity, I used the Peru 2011 pre-roasted absolutely fantastic! Can you take a sicky from work for 'Chocolate Reasons'? Cause I want to make more
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Post by reelchemist on Oct 23, 2011 20:51:18 GMT -5
Congratulations, you can definitly take a sicky! I usually can't sleep either when I have a batch going overnight, that is because the grinder is so my my loud and the house is small You can now compare your Peruvian chocolate with Haigh's single origin - be aware though that it is just repackaged Belcolade chocolate......very disappointing.
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Post by Brad on Oct 24, 2011 20:56:58 GMT -5
repackaged Belcolade? Really? How do you know this? I thought Haigh's made their own chocolate?
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Post by reelchemist on Oct 24, 2011 21:39:31 GMT -5
Hey Brad, yeah, they do make their own chocolate from the bean but they have recently brought out a line of single origin chocolate Peru (64%), Vanuatu (44%) and Ecuador (71%). It says on the back of the pack that they are 'made in Australia from imported couveture', I knew from tasting that it must be a large European manufacturer - God knows how they manage to get that coconut flavour in their chocolate all the time. Anyway I just matched the percentages, I went looking for a company that made a 44% Vanuatu as that was the more unusual origin and 10 seconds later I was on the Belcolade site and they also do a Peru 64% and a Ecuador 71%. Way too much of a coincidence. It is also a comon thing to do in Australia, there is another company here, Bracegirdles, repackaging Callebaut and Koko Black in Melbourne is a melter also - don't know which brand but it is probably one of these Belgian ones. This is why Belgian chocolate has such a good name in Australia, we are saturated with it and even the supermarket own brands are doing it with Coles Belgian chocolate. Tell you what I am sick of bloody Belgian chocolate! Oh, yeah there is pleanty of Swiss too, with Lindt and Felchlin, still not the chocolate I would be raving about. I am ranting....so I shall continue. Haighs are selling these bars for $10.25 for 80g bars ($128.13 / kg) and you can buy the same dung from a catering supply store for $21.22 / kg in Adelaide, I just called and checked, that is right, no typo it is twenty one dollars and twenty two cents per kilo! So they are marking this chocolate up over $100 per kg above the rrp, they would be making more because they are purchasing in bulk. Money grabbing, customer face slapping, lazy, can't make decent chocolate from the bean anyway, brand equity reliant, out of touch deceivers! Just read the copy on the web page, they are relying on their reputation as bean to bar to miss lead people into thinking they are making these bars from the bean haighschocolates.com.au/news/111018_1.html I know you love a good rant Brad.....happy to oblige. I even wrote a letter to the local paper.....do you think I will be published ha ha ha ha ha, probably have some night time caller try and knee cap me.
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Post by Brad on Oct 25, 2011 3:30:58 GMT -5
Good to see other people are stepping up to the plate and speaking out against deception in the industry.
Maybe I've started a trend! Haha!
I know for a fact that a local chocolatier here in Calgary has changed their packaging because of me, and that other chocolatiers in the area are now promoting the brands of chocolate they buy, rather than calling it "our chocolate" to customers.
Being outspoken works. Rant Away!
By the way, are you the same guy posting on theChocolateLife (tom)? Just curious....
Cheers Brad
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Post by reelchemist on Oct 25, 2011 4:42:53 GMT -5
Yeah the whole thing rubs me the wrong way!
Oh and yeah that is me Tom on Thechocolatelife.
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Post by reelchemist on Oct 25, 2011 18:22:27 GMT -5
You still have your knee caps too? Don't you?
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Post by cocoabean on Oct 30, 2011 4:59:12 GMT -5
Thank you I will have to research Haigh's, haven't heard of it before, but come to think about it most of everything on this site is new to me, so much too learn.
I almost gave up last night , the chocolate making part seemed easy compared to the Tempering ( I understand the word cause it gives you a temper when you attempt to do it). I had 4 goes at it before I got it right.......somewhat right.
I was so happy this morning when I came out and saw no bloom or crystals..............this is hard stuff to master!!! but I cant wait till next weekend to start it all over again.
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Post by deborah on Oct 30, 2011 22:51:06 GMT -5
It gets easier. Really. Just keep at it. Practice makes perfect. Then, when you can do it consistently, you can purchase a machine that does it for you.
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Post by cocoabean on Nov 3, 2011 4:37:41 GMT -5
It has crossed my mind........ spending ridiculous amounts of money on a tempering machine for what so far has only equated to a few little chocolate bars. But before I do that I think I should get good at it first.............
Thank you for the encouragement
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