Posts by Rik
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The rest of the day was given over to a pilgrimage to Whisky Galore (where I spent more than I intended, to put it mildly: damn you, Brora 1981 25 year-old, for being so complex and entrancing)
According to their website Whisky Galore still have a bottle of this left.
I commend your restraint in not cleaning out their stock!
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That leaves me eating the limited range of Fair Trade certified products, but thinking many of these small and tasty-looking brands are probably safe. How can I know?
Fear not Martin - in the not too distant future you will be able to purchase a locally (Grey Lynn) produced bar of chocolate made from fresh high quality trinitario cacao beans sourced through a fair trade agreement directly with the pacific-based plantation. The only serious food miles associated with it will be in shipping the beans down from the islands to NZ. And it will be very good for you. And it will taste like no chocolate you have tried before (in a good way!).
Yes, your conscience will be clear...but your wallet will have a dent in it!
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Do they do their own conching? Would that make a difference?
No they do not Tom - conching has already been performed on the base that Callebaut supplies. I find that the roast imparts more flavour than the conch.
And you are right, there is nothing wrong with flavoured chocolate - it's just that it would be a waste of a unique single plantation, single origin chocolate so better done with something like Callebaut.
Tempering chocolate properly is a pretty important part of making it good, I understand. All to do with crystal formation and the temperature at which it will melt (in your hand, or in your mouth).
It is important to the look and mouth-feel of the chocolate, not to the flavour.
I'm not saying that there is not an art to being a chocolatier (there most certainly is), I'm just pointing out that chocolatiers do not generally make chocolate (which a lot people think they do).
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I look around my extended family and I see people doing work that is of little worth to the economy. I see them making money by flipping real estate, I see them making money by being the expensive just-add-water middle man. I look at them and I think: everyone's family network probably looks like this this. One or two exporters, a host of hangers-on.
I have been having thoughts like this for quite a while now - so much of what most people do (myself included) for "work" doesn't really add a lot, not just to the economy but to life in general (other than allowing us to "pay the bills" and buy cool thing...).
Unfortunately I dont't have a solution...but I feel like there's something badly wrong with the fabric of economics.
Ah well - back to "work"!
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Phillippe's (along with almost all other NZ artisan chocolatiers) uses imported chocolate from Barry Callebaut (http://www.barry-callebaut.com/aboutus) to make their chocolates. ie. They don't make chocolate, they make chocolates. Which means that while some people are saying "I really like the Schoc 70% bar" or the Bennetts/Devonport Chocolates/de Spa/Makana or whatever brand you identify with, the sad truth is that they are all the same base product melted down, tempered and molded by different people. So unless you are enjoying one of the "flavoured" bars (and why would you?!) there should not be any discernable difference. Except I think Makana uses a base chocolate from a french guy (Michel Richart?) based in San Francisco. I noticed Phillippe's had some Koko Samoa in store the other day - now that tastes like chocolate (if you don't mind it gritty and a bit smokey).
As I understand it, there is only one company left in NZ that makes chocolate "from the bean" and that is Whittakers. Having said that - I don't think their chocolate even tastes like chocolate - it tastes too much like coffee (maybe they over-roast it) but I know a lot of people that do like their flavour.
I think it is time there were some controls put on what can and can't be called Chocolate - the Cadbury Dairy Milk bar is firmly in the Confectionary camp whereas a true chocolate bar containing only freshly roasted Cacao beans and a small amount of sugar is "real" chocolate. And most people have never tasted anything like it.
Russell - next time I fire up the roaster (and associated equipment) to make some chocolate I will drop some round for you to compare.
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First!
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Does Simon Pound really talk the way he does on Media7 or is that just his "TV presenter" voice? Very weird...other than that, great show last night.
Even better - great weather for a MTB ride. I also am amazed at the technology every time I get on my latest bike with hydraulic disc brakes, full suspension, etc. They didn't make 'em like that when I was a lad!
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Looking forward to my first Media7 tonight - Sky digital subscriber!
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Look at the title of this page on your browser - you're in it maaaaannn...
Yeah, yeah, I know that.
But I really liked the verbal version.
I suppose the answer is Media 7.
But I don't have Freeview :(
But I think the Freeview-only channels are coming to Sky in less than a month so maybe then I will feel more plugged in to the system...
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ps - how come The Chills Montechristo gig is still being advertised all over PAS even though it is sold out?!
Having said that - I never would have known it was on if it wasn't for the PAS advert so thanks for that, let's hope MP is in better form than the last time I saw him a couple of years back.