Chocolate blog

5 fun filled tips for building an amazing team culture

It is becoming obvious in the world of  work that without a healthy and collaborative company culture, you are bound to experience, inefficiencies, and toxic relationships. These are things that no company wants, but it takes planning, strategy and concentrated effort to establish something different. Whether your teams are on site, remote, or a blend of both, it's time to start thinking about how to build connections together.

Fudge history

Fudge is simply a drier version of fondant, made by boiling sweetened milk to the soft-ball stage and then beating the mixture until it cools to a smooth, creamy texture

Why do chefs wear white?

Have you ever wondered why chefs wear white (whites)?

We covered some catering history when I was at catering college in wakefield which at the time as a sixteen year old I thought was dull but now I am old find fascinating

the origins of caramel

It may not surprise you to know that toffee (caramel) is the number one thing added to chocolate, just ahead of nuts and fruit.

Inside the cocoa pod

Take a look inside a cocoa pod

Funerals in Ghana

When you first arrive in Ghana you cannot help but notice all the banners and memorial billboards for people who have passed

Then when I moved futher north to the Ashanti region and into town life I notice how many funerals there were so I thought I’d do a little research.

Cocoa pod waste

Repurposing cocoa waste into a commercial  commodity not only keeps rubbish out of the environment but should also create extra income streams and employment opportunities from what some think is just rubbish.

Luker in Colombia are doing some great work in this area as are Crig (the cocoa research institute Ghana) NPD department who are working on a plethora of products using this waste thank you aunty Ester for sharing some your work with us.

The history of florentines

The perfect blend of chocolate and caramel flavours make these crispy biscuits an irresistible treat.  the history and origins of this classic little biscuit is fascinating.

Even its name is misleading, the biscuit, didn’t originate in Florence, and they’re not even Italian!

Cold brew cocoa

You’ve probably heard the term ‘cold press or cold brew’ especially in respect of coffee and tea.

You may have even tried it - but what about cold press cocoa?

Bean to bar chocolate making

As the bean to bar chocolate movement spreads around the world, people are searching for more provenance and authentic artisanal chocolate instead of mass-produced me too chocolate.

This has led to more people starting to make chocolate at home and realising that when you make bean to bar chocolate, it will taste different from batch to batch, because the flavours in a chocolate are dependent on many factors, ranging from the climate during the crop to the fermentation and then to the way the maker roasts and grinds their beans but thats part of the charm.

The chocolate Islands

Recently I was asked  by a Portuguese hotel and hospitaliy company to lead a chocolate safari to Chocolate Islands: 

São Tomé and Príncipe, as a way of preparing for this event I started some research and I came across this amazing book, with maps photgraphs and charts all about the islands I was about to visit.

Adinkra symbols a brief history

When I worked for Divine chocolate we had a major rebrand and the new packaging and bar moulds featured a collection of adinkras, 

we were all encouraged to pick a adinkra that we felt represented us best to use on our business cards.

I did some research and eventually choose FUNTUNFUNEFU "the Siamese crocodiles" It’s a symbol of democracy and unity.

Here’s some of the background stuff I found in my research.

Why we celebrate hallowe'en with sweets and chocolate?

The ancient tradition of Samhain, originated with the Celts, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts and evil spirits.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as a time to honour all saints.

But where did the sweets and chocolate come from?

History of cocoa in Ghana

According to the popular story, cocoa cultivation began in Ghana, around 1895 when Tetteh Quarshie a blacksmith who had been working on the island of Fernando Po (now Bioko) in Equatorial Guinea smuggled back some beans in his pocket.

but like most stories there maybe more to it.

Origins of chocolate mousse

I remember from my days in culinary school that the word Mousse means foam in French so it would be logical to think they started life in kitchens there but NO!