Monday March 08, 2010

Today I visited Intersuc in Paris.  The event was happening at Paris Nord Villepinte.  A huge exposition area just before the airport of Roissy.  Wonderfull sunny weather but cold … brrrlll

The chocolate part was not that impressive although that I spoke with some interesting manufacturers of chocolate machines.  It seems that most of these chocolate machine manufacturers are from Italy, but can they be trusted ?  We’ll see in the short future.  There was also a chocolate competition.  It’s amazing what these people can do with chocolate !!

I also saw some interesting products to use with chocolate.  New flavours, fruits and other ingredients.  An event always give fresh ideas.

The rest of the event was more about baking and making bread.  But that didn’t stop the fun.  I went home with lots of information about chocolate machines.  That was the goal.

Grtz Alain

Howdy,

February has never been so calm.  Experimenting with liquids and chocolate brought me further in my search to combine certain products with new flavours.  I finished a business course.  There are new idea’s for packaging and I wrote a marketing plan.  I hope to be up and running with my business soon.

I will be attending Intersuc, an international exhibition for sugar and chocolat and much more sweet stuff.

I hope to find new idea’s for more new chocolate creations.

I have been looking around for chocolate machinery.  A very interesting manufacturer is Selmi.  They have a wide range of chocolate machinery at a reasonable price.

Keep eating chocolate !

Alain

I wish everybody a chocolicious 2010 !

Meanwhile I visited Megève, France for some skiing fun.  Chocolate is everywhere in the world, also in France.  I took a few pictures, yes a few, since it was too cold too stand outside for a long time with bare hands.  As you can see, the gift box isn’t quite cheap for what it contains but I am sure that they are worth it.  I didn’t have  the guts to buy the box, I prefer our quality Belgian chocolate.

Alain

—————– This is just an announcement —————–

On december 20th 2009 I will attending the Christmas Market in Poesele.  There will be fresh chocolate milk, milk / fondant and white chocolate beer bullets with 3 different beers (Kriek, Hoegaarden Grand Cru and Chimay) and there will be sweet Vital nougat to chew on while enjoying the atmosphere and Christmas music.  You will be able to eat something and drink a glass to keep you warm.

You can join the price draw to win a Chocolate Santa Claus !!!

Click for a Plan to Poesele City

Be There !!!!

On Saturday, November 7th there is the start of the Chocolate festival in Amsterdam in the Sitos cacao hangar San Pedro in the harbor.   The chocolate festival runs from November 7th till November 22nd 2009.  There is a big program with all different kind of activities such as tastings, workshops, walkings through the city and ofcourse eating in participating restaurants.

If you are around in Amsterdam at this time, please do not hesitate to go for a taste or a look.  Check also the site from the chocolate festival.  It is worth a visit.

Enjoy !

Alain

Monday,  november 2nd 2009

Yesterday I have been busy testing a recipe that I got when visiting Belcolade last year.  It is originally from Belcolades chocolatier Stef Aerts.

First of all I have made the anis liquor with Pastis.  I made the ganache based on Belcolade origin chocolate with cream and coffee.  The liquor comes first in the mould and then goes the ganache.

The result when you eat the praline is that you first have that fresh anis taste followed by a rich creamy coffee ganache.

Cheers

Alain

Friday, October 16th I went to Paris for the International Salon Du Chocolat.  Meanwhile there was also the World Chocolate Masters competiton which has been won by a Japanese chocolatier, Hirai Shigeo.  The Belgian selection was Ryan Stevenson who ended on the 8th place.

The event was hosted by Barry Callebaut, which made this to an unforgettable day.  Check out the pictures.

Thanks to PMG for a wonderfull day full of chocolate and champagne !

A few days ago I tried a recipe from chef Maarten Pauwels from Brasserie Brouwershof in Haacht.

His recipe was based on Tongerlo Prior 9 beer.  I made a few changes and tried to make the ganache with Kriek Lindemans beer and with Belcolade chocolate Origin Noir Collection Peru 64 which has a bitter taste with a fruity aftertaste.

The original recipe from Maarten Pauwels is here :

Ingredients :
450 g cream
300 g Tongerlo Prior beer
190 g trimoline
550 g grenada chocolade
75 g butter

Preparing :
Melt cream, beer, trimoline and butter.
Pour onto the chocolate and stir well.
Let it cool down and fill your pralines.

My recipe with Kriek Lindemans and Belcolade Origin chocolate is following :

450 g cream
300 g Kriek Lindemans
200 g trimoline
600 g Origin Noir Collection Peru 64 from Belcolade
80g butter

I prepared the ganache the same way but I added some tempered chocolate after cooling down.  Otherwise the ganache was too fluid.  I used a flexmould to create balls and covered them again with Belcolade Origin chocolate.  The result is good.  A good texture with a fruity Kriek aftertaste.

I am still looking for all kinds recipes for beer pralines.

Enjoy !

A few days ago I got a wonderfull present.  It was a bag full of chocolate, straight from Wien, Austria.

The bag contained different chocolate from different companies.  The one that attracted my attention the most was Zotter chocolate.  Zotter chocolate is very special and contains different ingredients such as sellery and portwine, chili, kirsch with marzipan (one of my favourites), peanuts and ketchup, …  All chocolate is produced under the Fair Trade label.  There was also a piece of chocolate with cashew nuts !! … mmmmm amazing what they do with chocolate.

I also received Mozartkugeln.  The Mozartkugeln are a real delicatesse.

They contain a heart of hazelnutpralinee, a layer of marzipan with almond extract and then a fine layer of chocolate.  If you never tried one, I recommend them !

There was also some other chocolate I received.  Some were from Coppeneur – chocolate with rose petals and grappa and a piece of chocolate with brittle nougat, Hachez chocolate with 70% origin chocolate, Hussel chocolate 100% cacao with jasmin and last but not least Green and Blacks butterscotch chocolate.

Thank you very much !!

Wednesday, september 17th 2009

Today, I went to an exhibition in Kortrijk, named Broodway.  It was all about baking bread, icecream and ofcourse chocolate.  If you are working in one of these categories, it was definately worth a visit.  The major chocolate companies were there such as Valrhona, Callebaut and some smaller.

I also spoke with Matthias Haeck from Vital Nougat.  Vital Nougat from Nevele has the best nougat you can find. You can use the nougat to make pralines and other fine chocolate products.  Please give their site a visit for more recipes.

Friday, august 28th 2009

I must admit it, I am addicted to chocolate.  Today I was walking in the wonderfull city of Bruges and I passed a window with some chocolate I never tasted.  The flesh is weak and I had to buy some of it.

The first one I bought is wrapped up like a bag of tobacco and is from Dolfin.  It contains 52% of cocoa and green aniseeds.  Amazing taste !  It tastes perfectly with a glass of cold pastis.

The second one I got was Lacasa, a Spanish brand of chocolate.  I am not really enthousiast about this chocolate.  It contains 70% of cocoa but the taste is not according to it.  Also I noticed that the translation of the ingredients on the package is wrong,  Lots of errors.

If you have any suggestions for good chocolate, please let me know and I will give it a try.

Enjoy !

Alain

Tuesday, august 25th 2009

While I was having a drink on a terrace from a bar in Bourboule, Auvergne in France I saw this artefact on their front.  I guess they used to make chocolate in this place.   When the chocolate was ready they let the clock make the bell noise to attract people.  Might be a true story, I don’t know.  But it looked surely great.

Saturday, august 15th 2009

Today I wanted to refine some chocolates that I like.  I made a mokka cream praline and a ganache with fresh mint with dark chocolate.  I also moulded some figures for testing purposes.  The came out well.  Lucky it didn’t get too hot and sunny outside since I have no airco present yet.

Moulded chocolate

Mokka cream and fresh mint ganache

Chocolate meringue cookies

Enjoy the sun !

Wednesday, august 12th 2009

Today I visited Antwerp with an American friend Jim.  I saw this super good chocolate from Zaabär lying in a window.  Zaabär chocolate is chocolate with different flavours of herbs.  The chocolate contains 55,9% cacao and tastes great.  I bought a few of them.  You can see the pictures underneath.  Enjoy !

Macis de Grenade

Macadamia de Carpentarie

Noix de pecan de Taos

Citronelle du Sri Lanka

Réglisse de Galeria

Saturday, july 18th 2009

Today I was in Colmar, France to see the depart of the Tour de France etappe 14, Colmar to Besancon.  It’s amazing what circus the Tour de France has become since  it’s start.  Although it is fun to be part of it and see the heroes on the bikes.  The weather wasn’t that extraordinary but at least it stayed dry when the start occured.

While I was in Colmar I bought some high quality Valrhona chocolate.  See the pictures for yourself.

Valrhona Caraïbe Noisette : dark chocolate grand cru with split hazelnuts, 66% cacao

Valrhona Guanaja Grand Cru : dark bittersweet and elegant chocolate, 70% cacao

Valrhona Caraïbe Grand Cru : balanced and velvety dark chocolate, 66% cacao

I hope you have a good vacation.

Alain