Choc A Bloc - Cake Pan that Looks Like a Chocolate Bar



 





 

Choc A Bloc is a silicone cake mold (mould) that is shaped like a 8" x 5" x 2" chocolate bar.  It is food and microwave safe.  The cost with shipping is about $11.00.  Click on the link or picture for purchasing info.

Of course, while this is designed for cakes, it certainly can be used with many other things, such as chocolate, ice, butter, fondant, maybe sugar (says oven safe to 428 degrees).  I'm sure many other non-food applications would be able to use this as well. 

This mold comes from Just Mustard, a unique novelty product company.  Very interesting products from party to kitchen.  If you have time, check it out.

Guide to Hosting a Chocolate Tasting Party from Chocolate USA

If you are into chocolate research, responsible farming, and the health benefits of chocolate, you may want to check out Chocolate USA a website from the Chocolate Council of the National Confectioners Association. The website formerly was the home of the Chocolate Manufacturers Association. In 2008, the members of the Chocolate Manufacturers Association decided that the needs of its members were so closely aligned with those of the National Confectioners Association and the most efficient and effective method for future development would be to integrate the two organizations and to be known as the Chocolate Council of NCA.

The website is chocked full of information and provides links to chocolate resources and recipes. While I was looking around, I came across a pdf entitled "A Guide to Hosting a Chocolate Tasting Party". Well, that sure sounded fun.   Follow the link to see the pamphlet.  It contains a chocolate tasting how-to guide; a list of common chocolate descriptive terms; an overview of cocao %; and a chocolate glossary. 

Even if you don't want to have a party, the pamphlet is very educational.  Happy Tastings!

Chocolatier Video Games

If you like chocolate and video games, well, have I got a treat for you. There are actually video games which can be PC based or online that are about being a chocolate tycoon. The three programs from Big Fish Games are:

Chocolatier



Build your empire one ingredient at a time as you travel the world to find the best prices and buy factories to maximize production! Manage your output and please your customersbut dont forget about those conniving competitors who wish you poorly! Do you have what it takes to conquer the world through chocolate? Over 130 quests. 14 cities to visit. 60 recipes to acquire.

Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients



The delicious world of chocolate is once again turned on its side, this time by deceit and deception in the new chapter of the Chocolatier saga. There is a mole controlling Baumeister Confections, and it is up to you to build a new empire from the ground up and take over Baumeister Confections. On this journey you will need to rise up in this industrial age of innovation and seek out secret ingredients to create rich new recipes.

Exciting mini game. Secret ingredients to find. Uncover hidden ports!

The Great Chocolate Chase



Klaus Werner returns with his creative inventions delivering chocolates to the mouths of calorie-starved customers. Set in the year 1904, revisit the Chocolatier period with an all-star cast including Evangeline Baumeister and her confection-loving friends. Face new challenges and visit exotic locations like Peru, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia, and Libya. Embark on The Great Chocolate Chase, and savor this new Assembly Management adventure.


To play any of the games, you can download it and play free for an hour. To get the full version, you have to buy the game. The price depends on if you join their Game Club. If you just want one game it is $19.99, but the price goes down if your a club member. See their FAQ's for more info.

Candy Dance Faire - Genoa, Nevada

Genoa, Nevada a small town on the southeast side of Lake Tahoe is using candy sales as a creative source of revenue. The town's 88th annual Candy Dance Faire will be held on September 27th and 28th.

The Genoa "Candy Dance" originated in 1919 as an effort to raise money to purchase street lights. The Genoa community did raise the needed funds for streetlights, but realized the monthly electric bill had to be paid. The candy makers were then called upon each year to help promote the "Candy Dance" and pay a year's worth of electricity for the streetlights throughout the town. This annual event became the "Big Event of the Season."

To this day the town continues the fundraising tradition by making candy and selling it. Annually, the town puts on the two day fesitval complete with music, arts, crafts, and of course, candy. On Saturday is a dinner/dance, for which a limited number of tickets are sold.

Every year, volunteer candy makers donate hundreds of hours to make 4000 pounds of Genoa’s famous homemade candy. The Candy Dance planning committee begins working early in the year to coordinate the many details that ensure a successful event. As the Candy Dance weekend approaches, many volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of the event – candy making, candy packing, candy selling, kitchen help, Genoa booth volunteers, parking attendants, trash collecting and more.

The funds raised during the Genoa Candy Dance provide a substantial portion of the Town of Genoa’s annual budget. For more information or to volunteer, contact Marian Vassar, (775) 782-4584. Or you can contact the Genoa Town Office, (775) 782-8696.

Toy Chocolate Coin Maker

If you ever wanted to know how imprinted, foiled chocolate coins are made, you can find out by buying a toy for less than $8 at Toys R Us. The Golden Chocolate Coin Maker is a simplistic, yet effective, toy that allows you to make foiled chocolate coins with embossed images. You can choose from a selection of 19 messages and designs to emboss your coins with, or you can make your own with the included scribe tool. The set I bought included some gold foil to get you started.

The process is the same as if you were going to be making thousands of coins. The chocolate is molded into the shape of a blank coin. Next foil is cut and wrapped aroun the chocolate. This is done by first foiling the bottom, then foiling the top, making sure to overlap the bottom. Next, you pick two dies, one for each side of the coin. One die is put on the bottom of the molded chocolate and the other is put on top. Put the sandwiched coin in the coin maker and when the handle is turned, force is put on the dies and the images are pushed into the chocolate. The finished product is a foiled coin with an imprinted image.

Obviously, this is only a toy and real chocolate makers have more automated systems; however, this is a great way to learn the process for a small amount of money.