Well I didn't know that

Post by **stattointhailand** » March 8, 2014, 3:13 pm

Yea, I'm aware that there are thousands of things that I don't know

but I've just watched a prog on BBC where they explained the reason that European (Belgian/Swiss/German/English) chocolate has a better texture and taste than chocolate made in US.
It is (according to the experts) because the US made choc has always had to be transported over much larger areas, with major changes in temperature, so the product has had to be made in a texture that doesn't (unlike European brands) melt at body temperature in your mouth.
Well now I know

Post by **mickthai** » March 8, 2014, 5:20 pm

That is just mind boggling

Post by **mortiboy** » March 8, 2014, 7:32 pm

: Victor.jpg (7.94 KiB) Viewed 1136 times

I dont believe it! Thats amazing!

Post by **redwolf** » March 8, 2014, 11:42 pm

this just means that US chocolate is superior in that it can be enjoyed anywhere, vs. just outside the chocolate factory?

Post by **GT93** » March 9, 2014, 12:51 am

Perhaps it's all just corporate spin. Premier brands are not sold in spin free zones.

Post by **Laan Yaa Mo** » March 9, 2014, 1:02 am

'Virginia' made by Neilson's was the only good U.S. chocolate, but it has not been available in Canada for about 40 years.

Whoop's, it was a Canadian chocolate. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/JERSEY-MILK-VIRG ... 1319338203

Post by **GT93** » March 9, 2014, 1:18 am

Good point redwolf. The snotty luxury brands should be absolute trash out here in NZ if this story is true. After all they've presumably had to cross the equator to get here.

Post by **rick** » March 9, 2014, 9:22 am

Hmm.... Cannot say i have ever eaten any upmarket US chocolate but i must admit the stuff i have tried was terrible (Hershey's for instance - someone at work brought back some chocolate drop style chocs - first day half went - the rest lasted nearly 2 weeks!).
Tropical chocolate formulations contain little fat - but have lots of Cocoa. Some will not melt even at 35 degrees C ( I have eaten chocolate from Ghana, it isn't kept in air conditioning so has to be melt proof; very hard and dry, but loads of flavour).

Post by **stattointhailand** » March 9, 2014, 12:29 pm

GT93 wrote:Good point redwolf. The snotty luxury brands should be absolute trash out here in NZ if this story is true. After all they've presumably had to cross the equator to get here.

I suspect it may not be quite as hot over the equator at 40,000 ft

Now if they delivered to NZ by pick - up :-"

Post by **stattointhailand** » March 9, 2014, 12:45 pm

The (so called) experts on the prog included a guy from Ghana who owned cocoa farms, the female CEO of a specialist choc producing company and some guy from the International choc producers federation (or something equally as daft).

Couple of other points of note were the fact that the Cocoa belt (area around the globe where cocoa could be grown) was shrinking at a quite alarming rate due to the change in rainfall. They now have to use a different plant in many areas which is more drought resistant, but only produces for about 20 years as opposed to the usual plant which would last for over 30 years. This meant that a farmer now had to replant his fields twice in his working life whereas before it would be done only once per generation. Their final point was that we will all have to cut down our choc consumption in future years ...... not difficult if you only get the rubbish available here

Post by **UM-Tech** » March 9, 2014, 12:45 pm

rick wrote:Hmm.... Cannot say i have ever eaten any upmarket US chocolate but i must admit the stuff i have tried was terrible (Hershey's for instance - someone at work brought back some chocolate drop style chocs - first day half went - the rest lasted nearly 2 weeks!).
Tropical chocolate formulations contain little fat - but have lots of Cocoa. Some will not melt even at 35 degrees C ( I have eaten chocolate from Ghana, it isn't kept in air conditioning so has to be melt proof; very hard and dry, but loads of flavour).

Well, few from the US would dare to assert Hersheys as chocolate, its quite low quality.

I can say Ghirardelli Chocolte, made in San Francisco, is quite good, definitely on par with the best abroad.

In the end this topic might be trumped by the fact the best chocolates can be had from locally made chocolatiers, far too numerous to name, in just about every major city in the world.

Post by **747man** » March 9, 2014, 1:18 pm

A Bar of Cadbury's contains a glass & A half of FULL Cream Milk....

Post by **rick** » March 9, 2014, 2:51 pm

Well, few from the US would dare to assert Hersheys as chocolate, its quite low quality.

True. In the UK some (lots of) chocolate is also quite low quality, but at least it doesn't make you fell sick.... it tends to be softer due to more fat - like CDM as mentioned by 747. Continental Chocolate is normally higher in cocoa and lower in fat; but alas the Cadbury's style chocolate is what most of us were brought up on and still like.

I have noticed that Chocolate in Thailand is becoming more readily available and cheaper over the last 5 years - i guess more disposable income has increased demand.

Post by **merchant seaman** » March 9, 2014, 3:06 pm

Most of us were not brought up on Cadbury style chocolates. Most of us were brought up on Hershey's and Nestle's chocolate and still like.

Post by **parrot** » March 9, 2014, 3:50 pm

Go ahead.....laugh.....but the best chocolate I've ever had is Royce....available from the small stores in Narita....always refrigerated.....small boxes about $6 each. As it's refrigerated, there's no coating, although some flavors they powder with dark chocolate.

It's so good, we've given it as gifts going/coming and everyone comments on how good the chocolate is. Of all the places where I'd have expected to find good chocolate...and at a decent price.....Narita Airport?
https://www.google.co.th/search?q=japan ... B475%3B250

Post by **Laan Yaa Mo** » March 9, 2014, 10:24 pm

Cadbury's dark chocolate is very good, but their milk chocolate is horrendous. Belgium and Swiss dark chocolate is the best for me.

I was brought up on Neilson's and Hershey's chocolate, which I did not care for much except for the 'Virginia' brand. I only started to love chocolate when someone came up with 'Aero' bars and Toronto began importing the foreign chocolate from mainland Europe.

When I was a kid, I hated Mars bars, 3 Musketeers, Coffee Crisp and Tootsie Rolls.

Post by **stattointhailand** » March 10, 2014, 1:25 am

Come on LYM ..... they didn't start making Mars bars till 1932

Post by **Laan Yaa Mo** » March 10, 2014, 2:45 am

Am I older than that? Truthfully, I can't remember for the life of me. 555+

Post by **len ames** » March 10, 2014, 5:49 am

Now aero that's proper chocolate

Post by **stattointhailand** » March 10, 2014, 6:25 pm

Aero ........ Did for chocolate what POLO did for mints ..... got the public buying air holes