Don't forget, this Saturday, the 1st of September at 12 noon is the chocolate talk and tasting led by chocolate maker of Patric Chocolate Alan McClure. If you haven't had the chance yet to try the new Patric Chocolate bar yet, or if you are interested in learning more about it and other locally available chocolate brands, then this is the event for you. For more information about what exactly will be discussed and tasted, and where the event will be held, please read the previous post on the event here.
It's only two days away, so don't forget to pencil it in on your schedule.
See you there!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Chocolate Tasting with Chocolate Maker Alan McClure, Saturday, September 1st
For all of our local Columbia, MO readers and those willing to drive the two hours from either St. Louis or Kansas City, chocolate maker Alan McClure of Patric Chocolate will be giving a brief talk on fine chocolate, Saturday, September 1st at 12 noon at World Harvest Foods (directions below). The talk will cover aspects of chocolate manufacture, including sourcing of cacao, as well as the many other factors that contribute to quality in chocolate. Afterward, Alan will lead an organized chocolate tasting of various dark chocolate bars including Patric Chocolate's 70% Madagascar bar, as well as bars from Valrhona, Scharffen Berger, Guittard, Lindt, and other American and international chocolate brands.
Following the brief talk and tasting, Alan will be on hand for at least one hour to discuss anything about fine chocolate that may interest you.
Finally, for those of you who may consider yourselves novices in terms of familiarity with fine chocolate appreciation, but are interested in learning more about chocolate, a limited number of copies of "The Chocolate Connoisseur" by international chocolate expert Chlo� Doutre-Roussel will be available for sale. This book was written with the beginning chocolate connoisseur in mind and is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about the world of fine chocolate.
This event is open to the chocolate-loving public, and is free of charge. It will occur at 12 noon, Saturday, September 1st at:
World Harvest Foods (Behind Gerbes off of Nifong)
3700 Monterey Dr.
Columbia, MO. 65203
+1-573-442-3833
You can also e-mail us directly at News@Patric-Chocolate.com for further information.
We hope to see you there!
Following the brief talk and tasting, Alan will be on hand for at least one hour to discuss anything about fine chocolate that may interest you.
Finally, for those of you who may consider yourselves novices in terms of familiarity with fine chocolate appreciation, but are interested in learning more about chocolate, a limited number of copies of "The Chocolate Connoisseur" by international chocolate expert Chlo� Doutre-Roussel will be available for sale. This book was written with the beginning chocolate connoisseur in mind and is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about the world of fine chocolate.
This event is open to the chocolate-loving public, and is free of charge. It will occur at 12 noon, Saturday, September 1st at:
World Harvest Foods (Behind Gerbes off of Nifong)
3700 Monterey Dr.
Columbia, MO. 65203
+1-573-442-3833
You can also e-mail us directly at News@Patric-Chocolate.com for further information.
We hope to see you there!
Monday, August 20, 2007
Chocolate Process Media
Fine dark chocolate, in addition to being an exquisitely flavorful food, is also coming to be seen by more and more chocolate-lovers as an interesting product in its own right as regards the lengthy and difficult process used to make it. Due to this growing interest, there is more information on chocolate making on-line than ever before, some of it accurate, and some of it less so. In an effort to add something else of interest to what is already out there, Alan McClure, chocolate maker for Patric Chocolate, did a fairly recent in-depth interview with Terence Spies for his Cacaolab website. If you haven't yet had the chance to read the two-part interview, it can be found here.
Those of you who have had a chance to read the interview, however, may have noted that it can be fairly technical in places. For some chocolate aficionados, this is exactly the type of information about chocolate making that they are very keen to read. However, many people less familiar with the chocolate-making process may have found themselves wishing that they had photos of different steps in order to help clarify a point here or there.
The importance of images in helping to explain a process, whether the images are live-action or captured as photos, cannot be underestimated, and Patric Chocolate, in a forthcoming redesign of its website, has taken this into consideration when making important layout decisions. However, we wanted to go even further than incorporating essential visual elements into our new site, so some time ago we decided that with the technology currently available that we should push things a few steps further.
Starting today, we will be working on capturing what is an incredibly interesting part of the chocolate-making process in a way that will allow everyone to see chocolate as it has perhaps never been seen before. In an effort not to spoil the surprise, we will say no more, but be sure to keep your eyes open for a very special addition to the current Patric Chocolate site even before the redesign is finished!
Those of you who have had a chance to read the interview, however, may have noted that it can be fairly technical in places. For some chocolate aficionados, this is exactly the type of information about chocolate making that they are very keen to read. However, many people less familiar with the chocolate-making process may have found themselves wishing that they had photos of different steps in order to help clarify a point here or there.
The importance of images in helping to explain a process, whether the images are live-action or captured as photos, cannot be underestimated, and Patric Chocolate, in a forthcoming redesign of its website, has taken this into consideration when making important layout decisions. However, we wanted to go even further than incorporating essential visual elements into our new site, so some time ago we decided that with the technology currently available that we should push things a few steps further.
Starting today, we will be working on capturing what is an incredibly interesting part of the chocolate-making process in a way that will allow everyone to see chocolate as it has perhaps never been seen before. In an effort not to spoil the surprise, we will say no more, but be sure to keep your eyes open for a very special addition to the current Patric Chocolate site even before the redesign is finished!
Friday, August 17, 2007
Patric Chocolate Available Locally
Hello All,
As some of you may already know, the first Patric Chocolate bar has been available locally since the end of July. Though distribution is limited due to supply, sales have been far greater than anticipated. We are quite happy to see that though the United States has historically been a milk chocolate nation, as opposed to France for example, where dark chocolate has been the preference, Americans really are willing to try types of dark chocolate that may be quite unlike anything they have ever had before. In fact, not only are Americans willing to try dark chocolate, but they seem to be falling in love with it.
Because of this major shift in chocolate preference in the US, Patric Chocolate has every expectation that as we continue to focus all of our attention on each of our micro-batches of fine dark chocolate, that the number of Americans who are interested in experiencing its unique aroma, taste and feel will continue to grow, especially as they increasingly learn to appreciate what really sets fine dark chocolate apart from the mass-produced bars that we so often find in most retail stores. We could not be happier, of course, as this growing interest lets us sit back and do what we love most of all: focus on making more Patric Chocolate.
Because of this major shift in chocolate preference in the US, Patric Chocolate has every expectation that as we continue to focus all of our attention on each of our micro-batches of fine dark chocolate, that the number of Americans who are interested in experiencing its unique aroma, taste and feel will continue to grow, especially as they increasingly learn to appreciate what really sets fine dark chocolate apart from the mass-produced bars that we so often find in most retail stores. We could not be happier, of course, as this growing interest lets us sit back and do what we love most of all: focus on making more Patric Chocolate.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Patric Chocolate Blog
Hello All,
We have now created a Patric Chocolate blog to help keep you updated regarding our latest news. Up to this point, Patric Chocolate has been hard at work getting everything in order for a limited on-line release of our single-origin dark chocolate bars and other fine chocolate products. Though the wait is not quite over, the debut is closer than you might think. Be sure to check back with our blog often, between now and the upcoming holiday season, to see what chocolate surprises we have in store for you!
-Patric Chocolate
We have now created a Patric Chocolate blog to help keep you updated regarding our latest news. Up to this point, Patric Chocolate has been hard at work getting everything in order for a limited on-line release of our single-origin dark chocolate bars and other fine chocolate products. Though the wait is not quite over, the debut is closer than you might think. Be sure to check back with our blog often, between now and the upcoming holiday season, to see what chocolate surprises we have in store for you!
-Patric Chocolate
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