Springtime conjures up images associated with the season of specialty chocolate bunnies, Easter chocolate eggs, and more. Easter is coming on March 31, 2013 (except for those who belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church and celebrate it on May 5, 2013). Image of chocolate eggs courtesy of gesinek at rgbstock.com. As Lent ends, often consumers look at engaging in some type of chocolate indulgence. Those of the Jewish faith in the USA who celebrate Passover from sunset on March 25, 2013 through April 2, 2013 may also consider a Kosher chocolate indulgence as well. If chocolate has been properly stored,
Category: Chocolate
Demystifying Chocolate and Cacao Part 3 of 3
In Part 1 of this blog series we provided some background on chocolate and cacao including some cultural information surrounding the growing of theobroma cacao trees around the world and processing cacao beans from grower through manufacturer. In our Part 2 of 3 blog post we discussed some of the best known varieties of cacao trees, as well as some of the flavor notes associated with beans grown in different places in the world. Choco pieces courtesy of lusi via rgbstock.com. In this blog post, we’ll provide some infotainment regarding perceptions of “chocolate cravings” and a bit about flavor sprays,
Demystifying Chocolate and Cacao Part 2 of 3
In Part 1 of this blog series we provided some background on the highly successful, inextricable link between chocolate and Valentine’s Day. We also mentioned some cultural information surrounding the growing of theobroma cacao trees around the world. Finally we included some steps involved in processing cacao beans from grower through manufacturer. Image courtesy of albion80 at rgbstock.com Three of the best known categories of cacao beans that may make their way into chocolate worldwide include: Criollo which means “native” and this type of cacao bean may be found in Central America, and then in Venezuela in South America and some
Demystifying Chocolate and Cacao Part 1 of 3
Chocolate, pink or red hearts, pink or red roses, and angels or cupids–what do they all have in common? Their association with none other than Valentine’s Day! Once again, Valentine’s Day is upon us and we thought it might be an appropriate time to talk a little bit about chocolate. US marketers are delighted that chocolate and Valentine’s Day have been successfully and inextricably linked for so many decades now. In 2012, the National Confectioners Association reported that ~70+ percent of candy sales associated with Valentine’s Day were specifically just for chocolate. It is a retail category where last minute
Halloween Celebration “Trick or Treat” Ideas
We didn’t expect the “lights to still be on” after Superstorm Sandy passed through our area, but we are among the fortunate ones and so far we haven’t lost power. Since the Superstorm already played enough tricks, it is time now for some little Halloween treats! So for those of you also living in an area with power and passable streets in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy…here are some ideas if you and yours celebrate Halloween with any Trick-or-Treat activities. (Image ©2012 courtesy of Joan H. used with permission showing celebration of Halloween set up for tourists in the “Haute-Terre”
Anti-Inflammatory Food Item Sources
We’ve discussed the importance of eating food choices from the “rainbow of color” options out there, but some readers wrote in asking for even more specifics than we have previously listed in various blog posts. Although within the US we have moved from using a model of a food guide pyramid to using a model of a plate to encourage healthful choices in dining, there are still some useful pyramid options out there. (Fresh Produce on Display in Taormina, Sicily, Italy, graphic courtesy of Betty H) The “Mediterranean Diet” (general Mediterranean style dietary intake as part of a total lifestyle)
2012 Easter Candy Sales (Including Chocolate) Expected in the Billions
The National Retail Federation expects Easter candy sales (of all types of candy, including chocolate) to top 2 billion in 2012. (European Chocolate Easter Eggs photo courtesy of Gesinek at rgbstock.com) Let me preface the following remarks by saying that the females involved in running the sensory nutrition blog site appreciate really good cacao sources as much as any other real women, but as with all such goodies, moderation goes a long, long way combined with a dash of common sense. A little high quality chocolate will provide more intense sensory enjoyment per kcal so if you treat yourself, why not
Read More2012 Easter Candy Sales (Including Chocolate) Expected in the Billions