The Carpo Chocolate Experience 2024 PDF

thecarpo chocolate experience The History of Chocolate The history of chocolate can be traced to the ancient Mayans, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico. The word chocolate may conjure up images of sweet candy bars and luscious truffles, but the chocolate of today is little...

thecarpo chocolate experience The History of Chocolate The history of chocolate can be traced to the ancient Mayans, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico. The word chocolate may conjure up images of sweet candy bars and luscious truffles, but the chocolate of today is little like the chocolate of the past. Throughout much of history, chocolate was a revered but bitter beverage, not a sweet, edible treat. How Chocolate is Made Chocolate is made from the fruit of cacao trees, which are native to Central and South America. The fruits are called pods and each pod contains around 40 cacao beans. The beans are dried and roasted to create cocoa beans. It's unclear exactly when cacao came on the scene or who invented it. According to Hayes Lavis, cultural arts curator for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, ancient Olmec pots and vessels from around 1500 B.C. were discovered with traces of theobromine, a stimulant compound found in chocolate and tea. It's thought the Olmecs used cacao to create a ceremonial drink. However, since they kept no written history, opinions differ on if they used cacao beans in their concoctions or just the pulp of the cacao pod.. Mayan Chocolate The Olmecs undoubtedly passed their cacao knowledge on to the Central American Mayans, who not only consumed chocolate, but also they revered it. The Mayan written history mentions chocolate drinks being used in celebrations and to finalize important transactions. Despite chocolate's importance in Mayan culture, it wasn't reserved for the wealthy and powerful but readily available to almost everyone. In many Mayan households, chocolate was enjoyed with every meal. Mayan chocolate was thick and frothy and often combined with chili peppers, honey or water. Cacao Beans as Currency The Aztecs took chocolate admiration to another level. They believed cacao was given to them by their gods. Like the Mayans, they enjoyed the caffeinated kick of hot or cold, spiced chocolate beverages in ornate containers, but they also used cacao beans as currency to buy food and other goods. In Aztec culture, cacao beans were considered more valuable than gold. Aztec chocolate was mostly an upper-class extravagance, although the lower classes enjoyed it occasionally at weddings or other celebrations. Perhaps the most notorious Aztec chocolate lover of all was the mighty Aztec ruler Montezuma II who supposedly drank gallons of chocolate each day for energy and as an aphrodisiac. It's also said he reserved some of his cacao beans for his military. Spanish Hot Chocolate There are conflicting reports about when chocolate arrived in Europe, although it's agreed it first arrived in Spain. One story says Christopher Columbus discovered cacao beans after intercepting a trade ship on a journey to America and brought the beans back to Spain with him in 1502. Another tale states Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes was introduced to chocolate by the Aztecs of Montezuma's court. After returning to Spain, cacao beans in tow, he supposedly kept his chocolate knowledge a well-guarded secret. A third story claims that friars who presented Guatemalan Mayans to Philip II of Spain in 1544 also brought cacao beans along as a gift. No matter how chocolate got to Spain, by the late 1500s it was a much-loved indulgence by the Spanish court, and Spain began importing chocolate in 1585. As other European countries such as Italy and France visited parts of Central America, they also learned about cacao and brought chocolate back to their perspective countries. Soon, chocolate mania spread throughout Europe. Following the high demand of chocolate, chocolate plantations arose, which were worked by thousands of slaves. European palates weren't satisfied with the traditional Aztec chocolate drink recipe. They made their own varieties of hot chocolate with cane sugar, cinnamon and other common spices and flavorings. Soon, fashionable chocolate houses for the wealthy cropped up throughout London, Amsterdam and other European cities. Chocolate in the American Colonies Chocolate arrived in Florida on a Spanish ship in 1641. It's thought the first American chocolate house opened in Boston in 1682. By 1773, cocoa beans were a major American colony import and chocolate was enjoyed by people of all classes. During the Revolutionary War, chocolate was provided to the military as rations and sometimes given to soldiers as payment instead of money. Chocolate was also provided as rations to soldiers during World War II. Cacao Powder When chocolate first came on the scene in Europe, it was a luxury only the rich could enjoy. But in 1828, Dutch chemist Coenraad Johannes van Houten discovered a way to treat cacao beans with alkaline salts to make a powdered chocolate that was easier to mix with water. The process became known as “Dutch processing” and the chocolate produced called cacao powder or “Dutch cocoa.” Van Houten supposedly also invented the cocoa press, although some reports state his father invented the machine. The cocoa press separated cocoa butter from roasted cocoa beans to inexpensively and easily make cocoa powder, which was used to create a wide variety of delicious chocolate products. Both Dutch processing and the chocolate press helped make chocolate affordable for everyone. It also opened the door for chocolate to be mass-produced. Cacao or Cocoa? The name Thebroma cacao was devised in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, who created the naming system that we use for all living things. Theobroma is the Greek word for 'food of the gods' – no one is sure which gods he had in mind, but one theory is that he simply loved chocolate. The Spanish probably derived the word cacao from the Olmec/Mayan term kakawa. Most sources agree that the word chocolate is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec language) word chocolatl, which referred to 'cacao water' or beverages made with cacao. The difference between the words cocoa and cacao is more problematic. In the UK, the term cocoa refers to the unadulterated powder made from ground beans that is called cacao powder in the US. It's thought the difference came about by error; one theory states that the printers of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language accidentally ran together the entries of coco (coconut) and cacao – and the error endured. Even more confusingly, convention has it that cacao refers to the plant, beans and fruit before processing, while cocoa refers to the processed, powdered product. For the sake of simplicity, this is the way the two words are used in this book. Varieties Certain varieties of cacao often appear on fine chocolate bars. CRIOLLO is often defined as the 'best' and is highly prized for its flavours and lack of bitterness. Criollo is low-yielding, disease prone and the beans are rare so the chocolate included can be the most expensive. NACIONAL also known as Arriba, is found in Ecuador and northern Peru and is known for its floral and fruity flavour. ARMELONADO is a prolific strain that forms the basis of most West African 'bulk' cacao. TRINITARIOS are named hybrids, of which there are many hundreds. The name comes from Trinidad, where the first blending varieties happened. Lots of generalisations are made about the flavour of chocolate made with beans from specific 'origins'. For example, Madagascar chocolate is famed for being fruity, while bars from the Dominican Republic typically have a 'chocolate pudding' character, according to connoisseurs. In reality, a single region can produce beans with different characteristics. Different Flavours Our senses detect hundreds of chemicals when we taste chocolate. Once we decide whether we like it or not – the amygdala part of our brain tells us whether it is safe to eat – we sort the flavours into 'archetypes' or groups based on our own personal experiences. But flavours are incredibly hard to describe: being able to detect a flavour is much easier than putting a name to it. So, here are some descriptors that might help you. - Fruity: Red berries, tropical fruit, dried fruit, stone fruit, citrus - Earthy: Wood, hay, soil, olives, nuts, herbs - Caramel: Butterscotch, brown sugar, molasses, toffee - Floral: Jasmine, orange blossom, rose - Dairy: Milk, cream, yoghurt, butter - Toasted: Espresso, smoke, tobacco, burnt - Spicy: Black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, liquorice, vanilla - Cocoa: Brownie, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, fudge, chocolate milk - Nutty: Hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sesame Storing Chocolate Chocolate bars should be kept in a dry environment, ideally at 14-20C [57-68F], so that means not in the fridge (too moist and cold). Avoid fluctuations in temperature, so the cocoa butter fat does not melt and recrystallize. Chocolate usually has a long shelf life and will keep for 18 months or so. It readily absorbs other smells, so rewrap open bars in foil and keep inside a sealed bag. Fair-Trade Chocolate Modern-day chocolate production comes at a cost. As many cocoa farmers struggle to make ends meet, some turn to low-wage or slave labor (sometimes acquired by child trafficking) to stay competitive. This has prompted grass roots efforts for large chocolate companies to reconsider how they get their cocoa supply. It's also resulted in appeals for more “fair trade” chocolate which is created in an ethical and sustainable way. carpo choco l a t e Chocolate Pieces Dark 55% suitable for vegans Dark chocolate covered roasted almond pieces Dark chocolate covered roasted hazelnut pieces Dark chocolate covered roasted pistachio pieces Dark chocolate covered pieces with croquant mixed nuts Dark chocolate covered pieces with oat biscuit Orange peels covered with dark chocolate Milk 34% Milk chocolate covered roasted almond pieces Milk chocolate covered roasted hazelnut pieces Milk chocolate covered roasted pistachio pieces Milk chocolate covered pieces with croquant mixed nuts Milk chocolate covered pieces with oat biscuit White White chocolate covered pieces with croquant mixed nuts GEMS Dark chocolate bite with whole hazelnut Milk chocolate bite with whole hazelnut White chocolate bite with whole hazelnut Wafers Dark chocolate Wafer 55% cacao Milk chocolate Wafer 34% cacao Pralines Dark 70% cocoa & suitable for vegans Dark chocolate praline with raspberry Milk 34% cocoa Milk chocolate praline with strawberry Milk chocolate praline with hazelnut Milk chocolate praline with caramel salt Milk chocolate praline with pistachio Dragees Dark Dragee with dark chocolate & almond Vegan Coffee beans covered in dark chocolate 70% cocoa Vegan Milk Dragee with milk chocolate & almond Dragee with milk chocolate & hazelnut Dragee with milk chocolate & almond salt & caramel Dragee with milk chocolate almond & cinnamon Truffles with Honey 70% cacao & no added sugar & suitable for vegetarians Truffles with honey Truffles with honey & cocoa Truffles with honey & coconut Truffles with honey & almond croquant Truffles with Cocoa Cocoa truffles with nuts paste Cocoa truffles with nuts paste & caramel Cocoa truffles with nuts paste & almond croquant Cocoa truffles with nuts paste crunchy Cocoa truffles with stevia Cocoa truffles with stevia & almond croquant Τhins Dark chocolate 88% cocoa Vegan Dark chocolate 70% cocoa with criollo beans Vegan Milk chocolate White chocolate with Madagascar vanilla “Sesame Seed Candy” or “Pasteli” Pasteli originated in Greece and the Middle East over 6,000 years ago. The traditional recipe contains just two ingredients: sesame seeds and honey. While pasteli is considered candy in modern times, historical references portray it as a health food. In the Iliad, warriors eat pasteli in order to build energy before battle. Pasteli was also endorsed by the Green historian Herodotus as "both a delicacy and a benefit to one's health." I guess you could think of pasteli as the original energy bar. Sesame Seed Candy - Pasteli Sesame Seed Candy - Pasteli with Pistachios Sesame Seed Candy - Pasteli with chocolate Sesame Seed Candy - Pasteli with pistachios & chocolate Florentines Florentines with almonds & dark chocolate Florentines with almonds & pistachios Crackers Cracker with nuts Cracker with pistachios Cracker with cashews Halva Halva with Vanilla and Pistachio Kernels no added sugar Vegan Halva with Vanilla and Almonds no added sugar Vegan Halva with Cocoa no added sugar Vegan Our handmade bars NUTTY BARS WITH HONEY Almond (almond, peanut, honey, fig, oat) Almond & Dark chocolate (almond, peanut, dark chocolate, honey, fig, oat, sunflower seed, cinnamon) DATE BARS Hazelnut (hazelnut, hazelnut paste, oat, date paste) Peanut butter (peanuts croquant, date paste, oat, peanut butter) Cocoa & Crunchy cocoa nibs (cocoa, cocoa nibs, peanut butter, oat, date paste, honey) Oat biscuit (oat biscuit, peanut butter, oat, date paste, honey, cinnamon) Almond & Dark chocolate (almond, dark chocolate, date paste, almond paste, oat, honey) Strawberry & Almond (strawberry, almond, peanut butter, oat, date paste) *All our handmade bars are high in dietary fiber and low in sodium/salt. thank y o u