We have got some news for you: 35% Cacao Butter is The New 75% Chocolate. Some chocolate experts say white chocolate is not chocolate at all, just a confectionery aimed at kids. But that’s not true. Cacao fruit is the source of both cacao mass (you have probably learned to appreciate 75% of your bar
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Ika is as Francophile as they come – having been trained by leading chocolatiers in Paris for the most part of 2009-2010. This month she has agreed to follow another French tradition, by answering the Proust Questionnaire, AKA the Bernard Pivot questions, made very popular also by Actors Guild host James Lipton. Here is
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Tu B’Av may ring as French to your ear, but it’s actually in Hebrew: It’s a Jewish mini-holiday similar to Valentine’s Day. In 2018 it will begin in the evening of Thursday, 26 July, to be celebrated for 24 hours. Get into the Tu B’Av spirit: Shimmy in white & have some chocolate. Tu B’Av
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This month we are taking a more spiritual path into the cacao trees plantations. If you still haven’t caught up with the Tree Bathing – “Shinrin-yuku” trend, here is your opportunity to plunge in, and also to learn more about the magnificent trees that give us chocolate. For thousands of years, cacao has been considered a sacred
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If you truly love chocolate, why not become a real expert? In this month’s post Ika will provide you with the vocabulary professional chocolatiers use. Interestingly, the most important chocolate terms start with the letter C! Here are the 7 most useful terms you need to know in order to speak like a chocolate expert:
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How about a trip around the world, to visit chocolate festivals? It seems like there is no place on the globe where people don’t love and celebrate chocolate. Even if you just feel like browsing festivals’ photos online, we’ve created a long list of chocolate events worldwide, that are worthy of entering your bucket list.
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How do chocolatiers get their medals & awards? This month, while working towards the 2017 International Chocolate Awards winners ceremony, we share some tips and behind-the-scenes insight, to help you judge the quality of chocolate, just like the jury members of international competitions, and writers of guides like Le Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat. Professional
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There is a metaphorical two-way street between Tokyo and Paris, that goes through the world’s finest chocolateries – internationally acclaimed Japanese chocolate artists, like Sadaharu Aoki, opened branches in Paris. Pierre Hermé, Pierre Marcolini and Jean-Paul Hévin run hugely successful branches in Tokyo, in return. The leading international chocolate festival, “Salon du Chocolat” that was
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1. Terroir isn’t just about wine making In some ways, chocolate is like wine. The aroma, texture and taste of both pleasurable products depend much on the Terroir. Like wine, chocolate may be impacted by how it’s been grown: Location, geology and climate of the place. In fact it’s among the few products with a
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“Paris is the greatest temple ever built to material joys and the lust of the eyes.” Henry James If you feel inspired to embark on a major chocolate journey, here is a list of must-visit-in-your-lifetime places for true chocolate lovers. Most are in Paris (mais bien sûr!) some further afield in France. PARIS 1. Patrick Roger
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For 2017 Valentine’s day, Ika is launching a limited edition of pralines based on Papua New Guinea cacao. The deeply dark chocolate praline gives fruity and coffee notes, and has a unique smoky finish. Its creation was inspired by a legendary princess. A woman who was loved by many men, some of them to (their)
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Talking with Ika about music is like talking to her about chocolate – basically we end up discussing her entire life – past and present. “I used to work in a radio station for many years as a sound technician. I can’t possibly describe how much music means to me. I flew four hours to
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Towards the coming of the new year-“Rosh Hashana”, the chocolaterie is launching an early and limited edition of a series of pralines packages which Ika will sell at the well- known French department store-Gallerie Lafayette. This pralines collection was made in collaboration with the well known French chocolatier Gilles Marchal and each includes five pralines:
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