Roger Federer Debuts as Lindt's Global Ambassador

Nice to see the lighter side of Roger Federer in his new ad for Lindt Lindor Balls

Chocolate Sales Up Despite Recession

Interesting article on Confectionery News.com reporting on research group Packaged Facts' report, Chocolate Market in the US: Trends and Opportunities in Premium, Gourmet and Mass Chocolate Products.  

“When times get tough and household budgets turn frugal, spending a few dollars on a good bar of chocolate becomes a terrific way to leverage a piece of indulgence,”

No real surprise there as we all know the feel-good factor that chocolate provides. They say that chocolate sales will increase by 3% per year until 2014 when they will reach $19 billion.

The report goes on to say that Americans are experimenting more with different flavors in their chocolate including things like lavender and blueberries for those looking for a healthier option and more way-out flavors like "bacon and cheese or ethnic flavors such as curry and chipotle".  

New Article: A Brief History of European Chocolate

Just finished a new post with a brief history of European Chocolate from Montezuma to Lindt. Next we start looking a individual European countries in more depth. What are the important chocolate brands and what sets them apart.

How to Taste Dark Chocolate

Must try this next time I get my hands on some decent chocolate. Excellent article on Chow.com  

How do you eat dark chocolate? Well, put it in your mouth and chew, of course. It’s creamy, sweet, bitter, and probably very enjoyable. But what if you want to get more out of your dark chocolate experience? Learn to tell the differences between the growing number of varieties? Like tasting wine, you’ll have to apply a little more thought and awareness. You must learn to recognize things like snap, aroma, texture, and finish.

Join us on our voyage of discovery as we learn more about European Chocolate  

The difference between American Chocolate and European Chocolate

Chocorific give a nice explanation of the difference between American Chocolate and European Chocolate. They say:

American chocolate tends to be lighter and sweeter than European chocolate. In addition, the flavors are clearer and more defined. In fact, European chocolate is often referred to as "bittersweet" chocolate because it's not as sweet as American chocolate.

Another major difference between American chocolate and European chocolate is the amount of cocoa butter and sugar in each. In addition, butter and creams in Europe have a higher fat content. They also add alcohol to some of their fillings to help bring out the flavor. In America, 36 states ban this practice.

Most people have a preference towards one or the other, but it really depends on your palate, so there's really no way to say definitively which one is best. If you were raised on European chocolate, you might find American chocolate to be too sweet. Conversely, if you were raised on American chocolate, you might find European chocolate to be too bitter. Why not try to enjoy both?

 I agree. Neither one is wrong or right. It really comes down to taste. Find out more about where you can buy chocolate online.