CHOCOLATE HAS NO PROBLEMS WITH RUSSIA.

Dr. Condaleeza Rice and our old friend Dick Cheney and some of their friends in the European Union may be somewhat irritated by Russia these days and we hope is just a passing phase. But chocolatiers have no problems about exchanging bear-hugs with the Russians and we hope that is one of the routes to peaceful co-existence.

Barry Callebaut announced a new Chocolate Academy in Chekhau. I love this strategy that Callebaut employs. First they provide Chocolate training. They teach people how to respect and love chocolate. Then they sell chocolate.They did the same in India and China. Ferro built a 91million chocolate facility. And Nestle acquired one of the leading chocolate plants in Russia,Ruzskaya Confectionary Factory.

The Russian Market grows an average of 15.3% in value annually and 5.4% in volume. Which is significantly over the world market of 2%-3%. This is a reflection of the increased wealth, of middle class, urban Russians, growing from $160 a month in 2002 to $540 today.And the shift is towards the high quality premium products.

Financial Times reports that Russia will be the third biggest chocolate market in the world, after US and the UK pretty soon.We should be eyeing this market.

WHICH INDONESIAN CHOCOLATES ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH?

In the last few weeks I have received many emails from those you who have been reading my blogs. I have also been asked by teachers, mothers and others who I sell chocolates to, which chocolates, or more precisely which Indonesian chocolates, should they buy to get the benefits I have written about in my blogs.

The delay in replying is obviously because I had to talk to experts. Nutritionists, doctors, universities here and abroad to get some valid answers.

No Indonesian chocolate actually contain no polyphenols to provide an anti-oxidant effect or to be really good to lower your blood pressure or good for your heart or have beneficial effects on your blood pressure.Polyphenols in are rich in cocoa but are destroyed(not completely) during fermentation and by heat during cocoa processing.

Flavonoids also present in cocoa is lost during processing. Its benefits to memory and learning are non-existent in locally produced chocolate.

What is therefore of benefit in say Silver Queen,the most popular of all chocolate?
It is an important source of energy with its concentration of calories packaged in a small volume. Cocoa and chocolate are among the most concentrated vegetable energy suppliers.In fact it is probably true that a bar of Silver Queen will give more energy that a bottle of Extra-Joss.

Silver Queen like all good chocolates with its content of sugars and fats can produce a positive, soothing,"suntai" psychological effect while being enjoyed and for some time after. This is probably due to the presence of theombromine and caffeine(minimal).

Silver Queen, will also contain some insoluble dietary fiber which is important in providing a smooth passage of food through the intestines and keep their and stomach walls clean.

Milk chocolate and white chocolate will also contain calcium and proteins. Silver Queen will probably have about 3-4g of protein to 100g.

Silver Queen will also contain some amounts of vitamin A, B Complex, D and E(mostly in Black). But much less, less than 5% of the RDA of each. Minerals are also likely to be present in Silver Queen. Calcium, Copper, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc and Magnesium, in small quantities.

Chocolate, according to hundreds of scientific studies, has no direct effect on obesity. It does not cause tooth decay or acne.

In the near future you will have chocolates from Mars Inc with Flavanols. Barry Callebaut have already introduced chocolate with polyphenols.Chocolates, with high content of cocoa and other beneficial ingredients are available from time to time at Sogo Food Hall.

Currently Indonesian chocolate manufacturers show very little interest in improving the nutritional profile of their chocolate. Recent launches of snack products show shocking disregard for nutrition.The focus is on taste and texture experiences which they feel cannot be compromised.

I sell chocolates face to face not from shelves and increasing I am asked if the chocolates I sell are indeed "good for you". The consumers of chocolate and chocolate snacks are demanding satiusfaction in health and balanced foods.

Manufacturers elsewhere are getting very serious about new recipes. Kraft has invested much in nanotechnology and molecular gastronomy which analyst the physiochemical laws to create new recipes.Since Kraft's investment in these sciences 15 universities have opened nanotechnology laboratories. The objective to create products that will identify with consumer needs. Manufacturers will soon have to work alongside with physicists and chemists.

SINGLE ORIGIN AND JAVA COCOA

Increasing we hear about Single Origin Chocolate or Cocoa. What this means is that cocoa or chocolate from a single country has it own distinctive flavor. This flavor is due to the genetics of the plant, the soil and climatic conditions, fermentation, drying and other post harvest practices.This means that beans produced from one country is very distinctive and unique. Rather like wines. And like wines you may go further into regions within one country or even to particular plantations.

Single origin chocolate has not yet caught on in Indonesia. Though it is rumored that Freyabadi is experimenting, on behalf of customers, with single origin from Ghana and other countries in West Africa and Papua New Guinea. In Europe( Belgium, France, Germany, UK) of course according to recent studies 42% of chocolate consuming respondents have discovered origin chocolate. The Swiss are the most regular consumers of Origin chocolates, with 23% of them enjoying it at least a few times a month(Research by Barry Callebaut).In Indonesia you may be able to find a few bars at Sogo Supermarkets sometimes.

Java Cocoa is of the Crillo variety. The tree is a native of South America. It is known as the "flavor beans" and prized for their fragrance. Crillo has travelled far from South America to Java. The soil conditions are certainly different. Java is incredibly fertile. The soil is mainly volcanic. The island is home to almost every spice and herb known on earth.It enjoys and humid, wet, equatorial climate.Cocoa trees here have a lot of shade.

In flavor Java cocoa is bold in flavors that are ideal for milk chocolate because it can withstand dilution with milk solids. It is of a highly acidic nature with a citrus like flavor presentation. There are bolder flavors of leather(the experts say but I notice a hint of cardamom) and smoke. Overallthe cocoa is extremely light in body but strong in flavor. If you are a wine drinker Java Chocolate goes best with of course the wines with pronounced acidity and fruitiness, dry or semi-sweet.

Single origin Java is good for milk chocolate. It is also very interesting as a dark semi sweet.Indonesian manufacturers are however not very interested in maximizing tits potential nor of other Origins like Sulawesi, Sumatra,Timur, or Papua.Indonesian cocoa is waiting for innovators and more passion.

Besides single origin the selection process can go further. There are also cocoa or chocolate that are Grand Cru Cacao a marketing term invented by Valrhona when it launched Guanaja, a South American mixture of beans.

The highest honor goes to Premier Cru/Estate Grown where beans come from specific plantations. It is terminology taken from the wine industry.Though in wine Grandu Cru is loftier that Premier, it is reverse in the chocolate industry. Famous of a Premium Cru is Cluizel's Ier Cru Chocolate which is a single estate and considered superior to Valrhona's Guanaja.