D110 R16 K43 S21 018191
Club News
Finding The Lost Cocoa of Trinidad
In 1727 something catastrophic hit the island of Trinidad that changed the complexion of cocoa forever… The Blast Some say it was a hurricane, others suggest it might have been drought or disease. Whichever way you look at it, however, the “blast” that
hit the West Indian island of Trinidad in the 18th century all but destroyed the island’s cocoa industry. It was the Spanish who first brought cocoa to Trinidad around about 1525 and they brought with them the fine flavour Criollo trees. But it wasn’t until the beginning of the 18th century that Trinidad’s cocoa industry really took off – thanks to the French who colonised Small but perfectly formed – the historic first pod from our rare strain of Trinitario cocoa
the island after the Spanish. So when the “blast” hit, it devastated the fledgling industry. In 1757, efforts to rebuild the industry began in earnest with Forastero trees imported from nearby Venezuela – known for their resistance to disease. The new trees then interbred with the remaining Criollo trees and formed a brand new strain of cocoa, which was called Trinitario. The new strain combined the best of both parents – the hardiness of Forastero and the fine flavour of Criollo. The Science Bit The hybrids quickly multiplied and formed the basis of most of the estates that needed replanting. After that, there was no continued on page 3...
Dear Club Members
W
elcome to your latest edition of Club News, this month we lead with an intriguing story about the cocoa we grow on the Rabot Estate in St Lucia. It seems we may well have unearthed an extremely rare strain, presumed to be lost, but thriving on our plantation. The most exciting aspect, of course, is that when the trees produce more pods, we will be making the first ever chocolate from this cocoa! Also this month, the Marmite chocolate controversy rumbles on with a look at the comments, for and against, that have just kept coming. There are also a couple of news items hot off the press. The first involves a crisis that is brewing among cocoa growers due to a sharp increase in tree disease. The second concerns a recent study that proves maths gets easier after eating chocolate – and you can put it to the test with our own study that we’ve devised! And speaking of research, we’re unveiling a very exciting special edition this month, inspired by a scientific study into the effect music has on wine tasting. Music & Chocolate, though, is set to be far more entertaining! Until next month, happy tasting!
SNIPPETS FROM OUR STORES Staff in our York store had a difficult balancing act as a couple came in, both trying to buy an anniversary gift for the other, but without them knowing… After several hushed conversations and diplomatic ushering around the store, staff waved goodbye to the couple who were both blissfully unaware of their anniversary gifts! 2
Lynn Cunningham Manager of Hotel Chocolat Tasting Club
Send your letters to Hotel Chocolat Tasting Club, Mint House, Royston SG8 5HL, or simply email me on lynn@hotelchocolat.co.uk We are waiting to hear from you!
Continued from page one... looking back and over the next 150 years cocoa came to dominate the Trinidadian economy. The vast array of trees in Trinidad contained just about every combination of characteristics known to cocoa, so it was no surprise that they attracted a world famous expert from Imperial College, FJ Pound. His thorough studies over a period of years culminated in his identification of 100 different strains of Trinitario tree, selected for high yield and good quality beans. They were called the Imperial College Selections (ICS) and were numbered from 1 to 100. The next step was to carry out field trials at the San Juan Estate in Trinidad to further refine the selections – it became the most successful cocoa breeding programme in the world. However, by 2001 only 57 of the original 100 ICS clones remained… The Rabot Gene Bank We now travel up the West Indian island chain, as Trinitario cocoa trees must also have done, passing Grenada and St Vincent and arriving at St Lucia. Here, on the Rabot Estate, we’ve been conducting our own studies into the cocoa found on our plantation. With the help of Reading University, world experts in
cocoa genetics, we’ve managed to identify many of the types of cocoa growing on the estate, but there’s one in particular that has got us very excited and not only because we’ve just seen the first pod produced by the cloned trees that we have planted out. Reading University has confirmed that they are definitely Trinitario, however, there is no exact match with any of the survivors from the original ICS clones. But they do share some ancestors, so they could well be part of the lost ICS 100 selected by FJ Pound. A rare breed indeed Furthermore, it’s known that FJ Pound collected some upper Amazonian trees and later produced some more hybrids using the ICS strains. So our trees could also be part of this lost Pound selection. Reading
University believes that, eventually, they can be fully identified. But from where ever they have been lost, they have now been found on the Rabot Estate and it seems that they are very rare. We can’t wait until more trees bear pods so that we can make the very first chocolate from these exceptional beans.
Why members belong
The quality and presentation of the whole package and the buzz I get when they drop through the letter box each month is why I have been a member for so many years now! 3
CLaSSIC
SELECTION - D108
Dark
SELECTION - k41
SOLID
SELECTION - S19
1. Witch’s Brew by A Syme
1. Amaretto Amaretti by K Kalenko 8.87 (48% scored it 10/10)
2. Swiss Truffle by H Luder 8.47 (31% scored it 10/10)
2. Heart of Kirsch by EJ Whalley 8.69 (47% scored it 10/10)
2. Citrus Tang 9.00
3. Butterscotch & Pecan
3. Stracciatella Truffle by M
3. Caramel Canoodle 8.86
4. Stracciatella Truffle by
4. Probiotic Milk Batons 8.85
M Meier 8.40 (43% scored it 10/10)
4. Plum & Advocaat by O Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.59 (35% scored 10/10)
5. Fruity Marbles by K
5. Dark Fruit Champagne
(0% scored it 10/10)
& Meier 8.53 (32% scored it 10/10)
by E Desmet 8.43 (28% scored it 10/10)
Kalenko 8.38 (30% scored it 10/10)
6. Amaretto Amaretti by K Kalenko 8.36 (33% scored it 10/10)
7. Hazelnut Triple Whammy by O Nicod 8.33 (32% scored it 10/10)
8. Plum & Advocaat by O
Meier 8.61 (35% scored it 10/10)
by O Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.50 (41% scored it 10/10)
6. Witch’s Brew by A Syme & Meier 8.37 (27% scored it 10/10)
7. Hazelnut Triple Whammy by O Nicod 8.34 (27%
scored it 10/10)
Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.27 (31% scored 10/10)
8. Probiotic Dark Tasting Batons 8.33 (31% scored it 10/10)
9. Javanese Milk Tasting Batons 8.19 (19% scored it 10/10)
9. Butterscotch & Pecan by
10. Cinnamon Swirl by E
10. Swiss Truffle by H Luder
11. Marmalade Smudge
11. Cookie Praline by EJ Whalley 8.23 (22% scored it 10/10)
Desmet 8.15 (22% scored it 10/10)
by O Nicod 8.09 (21% scored it 10/10)
12. Heart of Kirsch by EJ
Whalley 8.08 (33% scored it 10/10)
13. Dark Fruit Champagne by O Coppeneur & G Bernardini 8.07 (32% scored it 10/10)
14. Probiotic Milk Tasting Batons 8.04 (19%
scored it 10/10)
15. Cookie Praline by EJ
Whalley 7.88 (25% scored it 10/10)
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E Desmet 8.31 (17% scored it 10/10) 8.24 (29% scored it 10/10)
12. Marmalade Smudge by O Nicod 8.15 (24% scored it 10/10) 13. Fruity Marbles by K Kalenko 7.97 (16% scored it 10/10) 14. Cinnamon Swirl by E
Desmet 7.96 (24% scored it 10/10)
1. Milk Scrambled Eggs 9.29
(57% scored it 10/10) (43% scored it 10/10) (29% scored it 10/10) (0% scored it 10/10)
5. Javanese Milk Batons 8.85 6. Bunny Bites 8.71 (42% scored it 10/10)
7. Dark Scrambled Eggs 8.57 (28% scored it 10/10)
8. Fruity Marbles 8.14 (28% scored it 10/10) 9. Open Sesame 7.71 (14% scored it 10/10)
BoUqUeT hazelnut Triple whammy – “does exactly what it says on the tin – plenty of nut-on-nut action. keep ‘em coming! hilary More, woodford green.
BoUqUeT Fruity Marbles – “There were just not enough of these in the box! The taste was light and fresh and left you looking for the next one!” sue wills, Trowbridge.
BRiCkBaT Probiotic Tasting Batons – “Chocolate doesn’t need extras to be super, let the health shops do that! Bland and boring.” gill Barnes, hove.
One UNDER the Eight!
Although, you might be forgiven for thinking that members had
had one over the eight this month, such was the diversity in scoring! One look at the scores from all three tasting boxes this month and one statistic jumps right out at you – only one chocolate in each box scored under eight. Well, actually, just as we went to press one more slipped under that eight score in the Dark box, but we won’t let that get in the way of a good headline! However, awarding high scores is the beginning and end of all similarity this month as the normally comparable results
Bouquet Amaretto Amaretti – “I like nothing better than an amaretti biscuit with a cup of coffee. It’s just bliss.” Sue Merrett, Scunthorpe. from Classic and Dark tasters were quite literally all over the place! Congratulations must go to Create a Chocolate Competition winner, Alison Syme, whose Witch’s Brew scooped the Classic top spot – and that despite the lack of a cauldron shape and the fact that we missed our Halloween deadline in searching for the aforementioned cauldron mould… But when it came to the Dark Selection results, Witch’s Brew could only manage a mid-table finish. And that pattern was repeated across the board, seemingly without rhyme or reason – the Dark Selection winner, Amaretto Amaretti, slipped to 6th place in
Bouquet Witch’s Brew – “More like an angel’s brew surely? I loved this one.” Louise Birkett, Ashby de la Zouch. the Classic Selection. The second place, Heart of Kirsch, found little love among Classic tasters where it finished in a lowly 12th position. Quite frankly, we’re at a loss to explain this one – perhaps it was an outbreak of March Madness… Meanwhile, over with our Solid Chocolate tasters, they too obliged with just one chocolate scoring under that all-important eight. Mind you, at the other end of the table they also obliged with two chocolates scoring over the magical nine – and that’s the first time that’s happened! Tasters clearly had one eye on Easter as they scored the highly topical milk chocolate Scrambled Eggs and the other eye on spring as the zesty Citrus Tang claimed second place. But who knows where they were looking when they placed Caramel Canoodle in third place!
Brickbat Marmalade Smudge – “Not keen on orange chocolate, but some have changed my mind in the past. Sadly, not this one.” Maggie Hardman, Stevenage. 5
CHOCOLATE – The Mathematician’s Secret Weapon? A recent study by Professor David Kennedy of Northumberland University found that mental arithmetic became easier after volunteers had consumed large amounts of a natural compound found in chocolate – flavanol. The study involved a group of 30 volunteers who were asked to count backwards in groups of three from a computer-generated number between 800 and 999. The results showed that the volunteers could perform the arithmetic quicker and more accurately after they had been given a hot cocoa drink. These flavanols, part of a group of polyphenols, have also been linked with improved cardiovascular health in other scientific studies. Here, they were found to benefit mental arithmetic by increasing blood flow to the brain. Try this test! Of course, it’s all fine and well using 30 volunteers, but we have over 100,000 willing subjects! So, we thought we’d devise our own ‘scientific’ study…
Why members belong
Allows not very well-off senior citizens like myself to enjoy luxury chocolates when they can afford it, without moving from their armchair! 6
The following mathematical equations should take about the same amount of time to solve. Please attempt question 1 immediately and then question 2 only after you’ve eaten a Tasting Club chocolate. Question 1: Multiply the cube root of 27 by pi squared and add 70.36734694. Question 2: Multiply 10 by 10. If you’ve completed both questions you’ll realise that the answer is the same: 100. Which just goes to prove that they must be equally difficult to solve. Now all we have to prove is that you completed question 2 quicker…
SNIPPETS FROM OUR STORES Staff in Bristol welcomed a pregnant lady into the store and she was so impressed with the chocolate samples that she came back for another for the baby… then one more… just in case she was having twins. 6
Why members belong
The opportunity to score and give feedback on the chocolates, plus the chance to design your own in the ‘Create a Chocolate’ competition.
CHOCOLATE SHORTAGE? It’s enough to strike terror into the heart of any cocoa farmer and any chocolate lover. But two diseases are currently threatening a huge part of the annual crop and therefore the cocoa growers’ livelihoods too. In Brazil, witches’ broom disease halved cocoa production in the 1990s and this year, thanks to warm wet weather that encourages the disease, it’s making a comeback. Witches’ broom is so named because it causes a tree to produce many extra shoots that can grow in the shape of a traditional witch’s broom. However, its effects are less entertaining – it can cause the loss of 90% of pods. In West Africa, swollen shoot is currently causing havoc among cocoa growers, especially in the Ivory Coast – it’s estimated that they could lose up to a third of their crop. A shortage of cocoa could also cause chocolate prices to rise, indeed, the price of cocoa on world markets is already rising due to the shortfall. The only way to stop the spread of the disease is to tear up infected trees and replant. Which is why Ghana has faired much better than its neighbour, Ivory Coast – Ghana’s Cocoa Research Institute has developed a cocoa tree resistant to swollen pod. And it is this disease resistant strain of cocoa that we grow and distribute to cocoa farmers in the Osuben region
of Ghana as part of our Engaged Ethics programme. Hopefully, then, those cocoa farmers will be better placed to ride out the current crisis facing cocoa growers across the world.
Swollen pod disease causes pods to shrivel up and blacken
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THE GREAT MARMITE DIVIDE
After last month’s, shall we say, controversial Marmite Tasting Batons, the comments just kept on coming! And because your comments and scores (good and bad!) are at the heart of this Tasting Club, how could we not delve a bit deeper to see what all the fuss was about? For members who’ve been with us while, ‘Marmitegate’ might remind them of a similar event several years ago. Back then it was a chocolate recipe that included thyme that roused members to send in their comments in droves and prompted the memorable tongue in cheek sound bite – time to call thyme on Angus? There are other similarities with that earlier controversy too, in that the vast majority of members understood why we did it even if they didn’t like the result – because the principle purpose of the Tasting Club is to present an array of exciting chocolates. And that involves constantly experimenting with different flavours and textures, otherwise how would we know what works and what does not.
Chocolate Thyme was almost universally disliked, so the similarity with our Marmite chocolate ends there, because members were split right down the middle on this one. This really was a love-it-or-hate-it kind of chocolate! Firmly in the hate it camp were some members who felt a little betrayed, possibly because we asked you to taste this one before reading the menu to see what was in it. Kristen from London probably best sums up the mood here, “OMG I will NEVER trust you guys again!” Meanwhile, at the other end of the country, Christine in Aberdeen told us, “We hope we never taste any Marmite chocs ever again... yugh!” As you can probably guess, no one was mincing words last month, including Ginny
SPOTTED IN OUR STORES Our Leeds store has been very busy recently with visits from almost the entire cast of Emmerdale. Jimmy Nail took one look at our window display in Brighton and couldn’t resist dropping in. 8
Why members belong
Another important reason for me is being offered special discount prices on stock that is nearing its sell-by date.
from Poulton-Le-Fylde for whom Marmite, “Went down like a lead balloon!” And in a similarly up-front vein, Roy in Dunmow, “Would have rated this an absolute zero if I could.” Maxine went a step further down in Devon, “Minus 1000, worst chocolate ever. I had to wash my mouth out after trying this.” But it wasn’t just a case of loving or hating Marmite – for instance, Silvia from London told us, “I love marmite, I love chocolate but ooh noo not together, although score 1 still goes to chocolate and thyme, but both yuk!” And yet, did we manage to win over a few members to the Marmite cause? “Certainly got it right with this one you either love it or hate it and I am still undecided,” said Nicola in Stockton-on-Tees. While Mary from Belper asked, “How could you sneak that disgusting stuff into my chocolate? And yet, it wasn’t bad!” Some members grudgingly gave some points for artistic merit, like David from Edinburgh, “The two points are for inventiveness.” However, he did go on to ask, “Is there an antidote for the taste they leave in your mouth?” Gemma in Southam went a little further with her praise, “No other company would be brave enough to mix chocolate with marmite - I applaud
your courage!” But as you might imagine, there were also some out-and-out fans amongst our members too, like Laurel in Hertford who exclaimed, “Yes, yes, yes!” Jo from Donisthorpe called them a “Masterstroke” and Ms T in Leeds wondered, “Well, who’d have thought that Marmite would go so well with chocolate?!?” And we uncovered some real aficionados too, “I just wish I could have given 20 out of 10. This is the best chocolate I have tasted in a long while. Scrummy, scrummy, scrummy!” said Sandra from Garstang. Michelle in Glasgow was similarly impressed, “Good adventure, throughout. Great crunch, great chocolate and what an experience with the marmite, never tasted it like that before!” Perhaps Fiona in Nottingham best summed up the whole ‘Marmitegate’ affair when she said, “Truly love or hate. Yuck from me, my husband liked it!” And finally, Jenny from Weybridge’s comment best summed up the whole idea behind marmite chocolate, “Not right, but oh so good. Genius.”
Why members belong
Really good chocolate improves my mood no end, especially the alcoholic ones!!! 9
MUSIC & ChoCoLaTe Take Your seats For The Performance of The Year!
Ladies aNd geNTLeMeN, we’re pleased to present our most entertaining chocolate adventure yet, The Music & Chocolate Collection. iT’S WELL KNoWN that music can alter our moods dramatically, but did you know that it can also influence how things taste? So, quite literally like music to your ears, we thought we’d put it to the test – with a collection of specially made chocolates and a tailor-made soundtrack to taste them by! ‘THE SCiENCE biT’ The idea that music might influence the tasting experience was inspired by some fascinating scientific research using wine and music. All of which got us thinking… If music can change the taste of wine, then what could it do for the taste of chocolate? Well, this is where we find out, as you sample certain chocolates while listening to specific 10
types of music. We’ll gather the results and publish our findings here in Club News. Of course, scoring is always optional, but it is great fun! What will Beethoven do for our Lemon Truffle? Will Bach and Brandy Ganache make beautiful music? What will Schubert make of the melt-in-the-mouth elegance of Champagne Truffle? It’s going to be a lot of fun finding out! You can reserve your seat today for this unique tasting experience – just £24.95 including delivery! oNLiNE aT WWW.CHoCS.Co.uK/MuSiC CaLL 08444 933 933
Don’t forget your FrEE Liquid Chocolat! NeXT MoNTh we’ll be tucking a little something extra into your monthly tasting box – a sachet of our exclusive drinking chocolate, Liquid Chocolat! That’s because it’s part of our current marketing to attract new members and we feel that it should also be offered to existing members too! bRiMMiNG WiTH the authentic taste of cocoa, Liquid Chocolat isn’t just an intensely satisfying chocolate drink. You can also put its deep, chocolaty flavours to good use in all sorts of recipes. So what will you do with yours? Here are a couple of quick and easy suggestions to get you going! LiQuiD CHoCoLaT MaRTiNi A delicious twist to the traditional vodka martini, bursting with authentic cocoa flavours. Perfect for you chocolate-loving lounge lizards! iNGREDiENTS 1 measurement of cold Liquid Chocolat (see pack for details). 1½ fl oz Kahlua 1½ fl oz vodka iNSTRuCTioNS Make up a shot of your favourite Liquid Chocolat, following the instructions. Allow to cool. Using a cocktail shaker mix all of the ingredients together with ice. Give it a good shake and then strain into a martini glass, serve and get ready to make another!
CHoCoLaTE SouP A creamy, custard-like chocolate dessert, best served in a large wine glass and studded with tangy, fresh berries. iNGREDiENTS 120g Liquid Chocolat of your choice 60g Whole milk 60g Double cream iNSTRuCTioNS In a microwave: Pour the double cream and milk into a microwaveable bowl and heat on high power until simmering. Place the Liquid Chocolat in another microwaveable bowl, pour in a third of the hot cream and milk and allow to stand for a few minutes. Then whisk gently until smooth, gradually adding the rest of the cream and milk as you do this. Return the mixture to the microwave and, on half power, heat in blasts of 2 minutes, stirring between each blast until it becomes a lusciously thick soup. Allow to cool a little and then serve in wine glasses by itself for a deliciously mellow experience or add your favourite fresh berries for a tangy twist.
SNIPPETS FrOM OUr STOrES a lady who bought 12 slabs of our Tanzanian 75% dark chocolate explained that her sister works in the cocoa industry in Tanzania and she’s taking the chocolate for the cocoa growers to try as most growers have never actually tasted their own chocolate. 11
This month’s Prize Draw winners
Classic Selection prize draw winner is Mr F Pook of Plymouth who wins an Exuberantly Fruity Selection. Next month’s prize is Milk Oblivion – an exciting journey exploring the flavour nuances of different milk chocolates.
Dark Selection prize draw
winner is Mr D Saunders of Crewkerne who wins a Dark on Dark Giant Slab. Next month’s prize
is a Dark Feel Good Six Pack – a balanced collection of five of our favourite dark chocolates.
Solid Chocolate prize
draw winner is Mrs R Walker of Saffron Walden who wins a Milk Chocolate Immersion.
Next month’s prize is a Milk on Milk Giant Slab – a chunky slab utterly dedicated to mellow milk chocolate.
Two Nations Separated by a Common Language… But Identical Tastes in Chocolate! You might be aware that Tasting Club has been available to our American cousins for about six months now. And while they receive the same chocolates, we do find ourselves having to rewrite the menus a little – to iron out any British idiosyncrasies… Which just goes to show that George Bernard Shaw was on to something when he said England and America were, “Two nations separated by a common language.” So it was with bated breath that we looked over the American scores for the Introductory Selection to see what was most popular stateside. Tied in first place is the quintessentially British Eton Mess and the extremely more-ish Crispy Caramel Praline, with our classic 40% Cocoa Tasting Batons coming in a close third. So you can imagine our surprise when we compared those results with the most recent results from the UK tasters of the Introductory Selection – they’re identical! Even down to the tie for first place. It just goes to show that the ‘special relationship’ is alive and well, especially when it comes to enjoying exciting chocolates!
Don’t forget - you can score byDark post or online at www.chocs.co.uk Write to us at: Hotel Chocolat Tasting Club, Mint House, Royston, SG8 5HL Email: lynn@hotelchocolat.co.uk or via our website: www.chocs.co.uk Club News: Copywriter: Simon Thirlwell; Contributors: Simon Thirlwell, Lynn Cunningham, Terry Waters; Design: Katherine Kannegieter © The Chocolate Tasting Club Limited 2009