Madison Chocatiers West Sensation Truffle With Szechuan Flavor Button

In 2011, confectionery flavors trends are being influenced by four general trends: back to comfort, way back to retro, forward to new gastronomic exploration and healthy indulgence. But today’s confectionery consumers are not mono-tracked. Given the economically fickle times, they seem to be bouncing between comfort and exotic flavors.

“They are somewhat tired of being beleaguered by the economic and political news, so [they] want to feel comforted and be transported out of the usual day-to-day with something new,” explains author and TheChocolateLife host Clay Gordon.

These conclusions were identified from extensive interviews with senior managers at major flavor and ingredient suppliers, discussion threads with the online artisan chocolatier community and experts in the premium confectionery segment.

Download this five-page PDF report:  U.S. Confectionery Flavor Trends for 2011

• Botanical and ecological sources of chocolate;
• Cultural and traditional uses of chocolate during the Pre‐Columbian times by the Mesoamericans ‐ the Mayan and Aztec peoples;
• Chocolate use during the Spanish Colonial period and the American Southwest;
• How chocolate enraptured and captivated Europe;
• Historic and Modern changes made to chocolate and the creation of eating chocolate;
• What ingredients make up high quality chocolate and comparisons; and
• Health benefits of dark chocolate.

If you are interested in having Mark give a chocolate presentation to your organization, please do not hesitate to contact him for details.

Mark Sciscenti, Chocolate Historian, Chocolate Artisan
World Tree Chocolates
Santa Fe, NM
marksciscenti@gmail.com or 505‐577‐4261

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Judging will take place the day of the Show between 1:00pm-2:00pm.   The judges are Curtis Vreeland, president of Vreeland & Associates, and Le Bec Fin’s Executive Pastry Chef Cedric Barberet.  Vreeland is founder of the Next Generation Chocolatier Competition, the country’s only national artisan chocolate competition.  Chef Barberet uses his international training to meld innovative techniques with classic elements.   One of his many credits was creating in 2005 Donald Trump’s wedding cake.

Entries are being accepted until April 8th. Click here for guidelines. The two categories are:

• Sweet and Savory: pairs with any other meal at any time of day
• A day to remember: a wedding chocolate or dessert with chocolate

About Bucks County Chocolate Show
The show is a venue based on looking into the trends within the Chocolate Industry and sharing all the excitement and flavor that it brings, to the general public.  Creating a template for other chocolate shows, this contest is just another way to showcase exceptional things that are happening in ‘The World of Chocolate’.  Winners will be recognized with photos sent to a Global dl of approximately 2,000 people in ‘The World of Chocolate’, A list press, press releases reaching the Mid-Atlantic region, blogs, event planners, restaurants and inns throughout the Region.  To contact the event organizer,  call Gretchen Tartakoff at 215.850.6292 or email grt@buckscountychocolateshow.com.

That said, below are some noteworthy examples of confectionery trends.

Droga Confections

Droga Confection’s Rebel Rocky Road is a chocolate-covered cluster hits all the current confectionery trends: premium ingredients, no corn syrup or GMO corn starch and locally sourced to San Francisco where Droga is based. The hand-made marshmallows are another welcome trend. The result is an adult version of an old comfort sweet. By the way, Droga means, “drug” in Italian. It’s a great addiction!

Knipschildt Chocolatier

Fritz Knipschildt is an award winning chocolatier based in Norwalk, CT. Fritz is following the trend of using salt as a main ingredient. Salt sprinkled on the top of a luscious caramel adds textural crunch; as a flavor note, it adds a contrapuntal balance to sweet. The recent introduction of single origin salts – such as black Hawaiian, Himalayan Pink and French Fleur de Sel – have provided chocolatiers will an expanded array of salty options.

Comptoir du Cacao

Comptoir du Cacao is an artisan chocolate company located south of Paris. I have included it in my list because the company’s Praline Truffles were honored at the Paris Salon du Chocolat, the Grand Prix of chocolate shows. These confections set a benchmark for American artisan chocolatiers. The Praline Truffles are just now being made available in the US.

New Tree

Chocolate for breakfast? Slathered on toast, it’s a typical power breakfast for the Dutch and Belgians. But on our side of the Atlantic, the leading spread is loaded with sugar and palm oil, appealing mainly to kids. Not any more. Belgian-based New Tree has released a spread based on fine, dark (73%) Belgian chocolate. Other benefits: 70% less fat and 40% less calories. It’s flavorful and loaded with chocolaty healthy goodness, just what you need to get going in the morning.

Xan Confections

Over the years scientists have discovered that chocolate is naturally packed with many healthy properties. Our next chocolate maker, Irvine, CA-based Xan Confections, has taken chocolate’s good-for-you benefits, fortified them, and separated them into five specific functional categories under the CocoXan brand. They are:

• Coco Heart (with antioxidants)
• Coco Well (with Wellmune WGP)
• Coco Brain (with vitamins & DHA)
• Coco Preggers (for new & soon-to-be moms; with Folic Acid and DHA omega-3)
• Coco PMS (with antioxidants & anti-inflammatory ingredients and sold with the byline: “Unbitch yourself”)

Moonstruck Chocolatier

Our last stop is at Portland, OR-based Moonstruck Chocolatier. Cacao, like wine, has different genetic varieties. These are Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario (a hybrid between the first two). What’s interesting at Moonstruck, is that the company has rediscovered an old heirloom variety, called Nacional, in a remote canyon in Peru. Moonstruck’s product is called Fortunato No 4.
 

At a special launch party hosted by Godiva during the West Coast Fancy Food Show, I had the opportunity to sample the vodkas and talk with a member of the R&D team responsible for recipe development and innovation. Godiva Chef Chocolatier Patrick Peeters described the challenges of creating liquor that captures the essential flavor and bouquet of Godiva’s premium cocoa beans. “We use Ghanaian beans noted for their red fruit, brown spice and big brownie notes. All these special flavor characteristics are recognizable in this vodka.” The intensity of these flavors comes straight through the ultra-premium vodka, which has been five-times distilled.

Chocolatier Peeters brought along a selection of Godiva Chocolate and Chocolate Raspberry Truffles, the flavor basis for the vodkas. To extract the maximum pleasure from the chocolate and vodka pairing, first take a small sip of vodka. The vodka wakes the tongue and fills the mouth with a boll of receptor alcoholic ether. Next, take a bite of the truffle and slowly roll the chocolate around your mouth. The vodka helps vaporize chocolate’s aromatic components. Take another small sip of vodka to intensify flavor extraction and allow the brain to savor the sumptuous experience. These are truly drinkable desserts.

Godiva Chocolate Infused Vodka includes two flavors: Chocolate and Chocolate Raspberry. They will be available in fine spirits stores nationwide this summer at a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Highlights from a panel discussion on innovation and trends in the fine chocolate segment. Panelists included Pierre Cantrel, Sales Director at Valrhona; Paul Edward, owner of Chef Rubber; Luc Imberechts, owner of Bakon USA; Julian Rose, Master Chocolatier with Moonstruck Chocolate; John Simpson, Custom Packaging Specialist and Sales Manager for The Revere Group; and Curtis Vreeland, Principal with Vreeland & Associates. The panel discussion was facilitated by Joan Vieweger, co-founder of Choclatique.

The discussion opened with Curtis Vreeland being asked about chocolate sales trends. He estimated that in 2009 the total chocolate market hit $17.3 billion in sales, a new record, and was growing at about 3%. The premium chocolate segment accounts for 12% to 14% of the overall market and its sales growth traditionally outpaces the conventional chocolate market by a fivefold factor. During the recession, however, its growth differential slowed to double the conventional market.

Paul Edwards followed up on discussion of the recession’s effect upon chocolate sales by noting that quality does survive a recession. “How do you expand your market share? Quality, quality, quality.”

Luc Imberechts commented that the chocolate market is very marketing driven: “Pastry chefs are very creative [with their products]. But chocolatiers are always on the computer, working on their websites.”

John Simpson reminded the audience not to lose sight of packaging. “I get calls from chocolatiers all the time who spend a half hour telling me that they have the best chocolate, but where does it say that on their box?” He noted that it’s the package design that pulls the first sales; great taste generates follow up sales. Unfortunately, “the big manufacturers are beating you fine chocolatiers at your marketing game with inferior product. And selling a lot of empty packaging at that.”

About FCIA: Established in 2007, FCIA is a non-profit, global organization, focused on providing support to Fine Chocolate professionals. The association has over 200 members worldwide.
 

“It is vital that we celebrate the reimagining of American food,” noted the ceremony’s host and American food icon Alice Waters, “and focus back on food that is tasty, authentic and responsible.”

Over 780 entries from 41 states were received in seven food categories: chocolate, coffee, cheese, beer, pickles, charcuterie and preserves. Good chocolate is defined as being free of genetically-modified soy lecithin and made by chocolatiers who seek to know their cacao farmers.

Winners of the 2011 Good Food Awards for Chocolate

• Charles Chocolates (San Francisco CA): Salty Sweet Cashew Bar
• Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbabd, CA): Limited Edition Origins 77% Cacao de Chuao
• Madécasse (Brooklyn, NY): Milk
• Patric Chocolate (Columbia, MO): In-NIB-itable Bar
• Rogue Chocolatier (Minneapolis, MN): Sambirano
• Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA): Theo Jane Goodall 70% Dark Chocolate Bar
• Xocolatl de David (Portland, OR): Salted Caramel

The selection committee included Gary Guittard, president and CEO of Guittard Chocolate Company; Seneca Klassen, founder/owner of Bittersweet Café; and David Salowich, chocolate buyer and merchandise manager at Bittersweet Café.