Well, I'm back. I'm moved out and somewhat moved in. Somewhere in all the mess of moving I managed to end up with a medical issue that I think I now have under control. The medical issue seemed to be made worse by consumption of chocolate so I've been avoiding it for a couple of weeks, but now I'm back in the saddle again and the chocolate life may resume.

First order of business: FDA Proposed Changes to Chocolate
I've been kind of distant from chocolate and haven't spoken up on the subject and feel like I've really been shirking my duties because of it. It's been all over the internet and on the network news and in the papers and you can't avoid it. I'm talking about the scary attempt to re-define just what chocolate actually is from a legal standpoint. The main thrust is the ability to swap out the good and wonderful cocoa butter for vegetable fat (think Crisco) and still be able to legally call the product chocolate. All because vegetable oil is super-cheap compared to cocoa butter.

The long and short of it is this: they want the right to legally pass off an inferior product as chocolate.

You can guess my feelings on this whole mess. My one consolation is that as long as they don't get bought out by one of the monsters of the chocolate and candy world we should still be able to get our quality real chocolate from those companies that are dedicated to the art of chocolate.

If you aren't up to speed on the subject or want to know how to make your voice on the subject heard by the powers that be, you should head over to Candy Blog and check out Cybele's coverage of the subject. She's all over it and it would be silly of me to try and repost all of the content and repeat what she's already said so well so I'm just going to point you toward everything she has on the subject. She's leading the charge and bless her for doing so.

And Boo! on the FDA for even considering this stupidity.

FDA on Candy Blog

Posted by William at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Ok, I have a pair of articles here on this new chocolate they managed to make that doesn't melt. First the articles, then my feelings on the subject.

Fox News
MSNBC

So, chocolate that won't melt. Gotta give it to the scientists, that's a neat trick. And I have got to say that I hope I NEVER have to eat the stuff. I can see that it has uses, but one of the great charms of chocolate is how it melts. I don't want chewy chocolate. I like melty chocolate. The melt is important to the entire experience and without it I won't enjoy it near as much. I know, I know, if I don't want to eat it I don't have to and I should stop kvetching about nothing. I just don't like the concept is all.

Posted by William at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This could be bad news for chocolate lovers. Sugar prices are climbing rapidly due to refineries being hit by 2005's particularly nasty hurricane season and those price increases will be flowing through the producers and out to the consumers in the form of higher retail prices. Columbus Business First has an article talking about how the price hit is being felt at local favorite Anthony-Thomas Candy Co. and at Pure Imagination Chocolatier (of the North Market and available at Whole Foods Market on 161 for the locals). Unless the companies we buy our chocolate from are willing to take it in the bottom line for their customers then it looks like we will be paying more for chocolate. Personally, I'll be focusing on quality as opposed to quantity, but I am a bit of a chocolate snob these days anyway (albeit an ignorant chocolate snob).
Link

Posted by William at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The lovely people at Slashfood (one of my favorite sites) posted a link to a great video on how chocolate is made up at the Manufacturer's Blog. The video, clocking in at 15 minutes, was made by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association and follows chocolate through history and the production process. Good stuff!
Link

Posted by William at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)