People love a candy fix and they especially love chocolate,
consuming about 7 billion pounds annually, according to the
Chocolate Manufacturers Association.
People love a candy fix and they especially love chocolate, consuming about 7 billion pounds annually, according to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association.
“The Average Joe eats about 8 pounds of chocolate a year,” says IsaBella Zanger, owner of IsaBella Zanger Chocolates on Pacheco Pass Highway in San Benito County.
Zanger, a one-woman operation, says the manufacturing process differs between a large-scale operation and a one-person facility. And, for her to make individual-sized chocolate pieces, it can take from two to four days or more.
“You almost have to know chemistry, the make-up of what happens to the sugar crystals under certain temperatures,” says Alene DeBrito, owner of DeBrito’s Chocolate Factory in Hollister.
Every morning, the chocolate at the factory goes through a tempering process.
“We have to bring it down to 95 degrees then we add temper pieces, called seed, then bring it down to around 86 degrees to absorb it. Then we bring it back up, but we never go over 92 degrees or the crystals breaks down,” DeBrito says.
The true native word for the coco is cacao, which are pods that look similar to a coconut.
“But they are shaped like a football,” Zanger says.
Known as the Food of the Gods, Zanger says all chocolate is not the same because of the different beans available.
Chocolate manufactures import beans from the Ivory Coast, Venezuela, Indonesia and Central America. The shells are removed and the nibs are pressed and flattened with large hydraulic machines that smooth them into a chocolate liqueur.
With different grades of cacao beans to choose from, Zanger says the best come from Venezuela.
“They are the least acidic, the least astringent and the most aromatic,” she says.
Zanger adds when it comes to tempering chocolate, the type used is also a factor, along with the temperature.
“Tempering is what gives it that snap to it when you break off a piece. It has that shine to it,” she says. “Chocolate that is not tempered has a grayish white look to it, which makes it look old.”
Chocolate is also recognized by the U.S. government as a source of nutritional value, which is why the U.S. Army includes chocolate bars in its D-rations.
“The dark chocolate – the bitter sweet – is healthier and they have anti-toxins in them,” DeBrito says.
And chocolate, along with the candy industry, is big business. The retail confectionary industry totaled about $24 billion in sales in the United States during 2001, with retail chocolate as the biggest money-maker worth at least $13 billion per year, industry figures indicated.
“They don’t incorporate the figures from small companies like us,” said President and CEO Brad van Dam of Marich Confectionary, whose company produces 4 million pounds of candy per year.
Marich is celebrating 20 years in the business, which is an incredible testimony to finding a niche market.
Zanger, like her confectionary colleagues, has found a niche market also, and produces about 1,500 pounds of candy per year.
“They are handmade, fresh and I always have something new for people to try. I’m always working on some concoction,” she says.
The U.S minimum amount of chocolate required in any chocolate product is 10 percent, but Zanger sets her own minimum standard at 36 percent.
“I really look for the quality flavor and there is an instant release of the cacao flavor,” she says.
Self-taught and fortunate to learn the skills from her mother, Zanger says the candy-making secrets passed down to her are the basic formula for her product, but her personal touch improved the product.
“In a nutshell,” Zanger says, “my work is like eating a piece of art, which is all about a reflection of who I am.”
Chocolate pairs well with food, wine and coffee, and can be very sensual, exciting and pleasurable.
“It is a very passionate food, which might explain why people feel guilty about eating chocolate, but they don’t have too,” Zanger says. “It’s a reward.”
Also, chocolate and candy are proven to be recession proof. During The Depression penny candy sales remained strong.
“It is a good industry,” DeBrito says. “Even in bad times people buy chocolate. Whether people feel good or are depressed, they want chocolate.”
Van Dam says his observation during the past 20 years is that when the economy booms, the candy market flattens out.
“When the economy takes a dip, we are off like clock work,” he says.
“When the economy turns south, people stay home more and they are looking for some bright spots. They entertain more at home and look for more opportunities in a down economy with simple luxury items like candy. It’s spoiling yourself, but not breaking the bank.”
Where do you stand on chocolate?
Chocolate is the favorite flavor in America when it comes to desserts and sweet snacks, according to a survey conducted by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association. So with that mouth-watering taste in your head, take this quiz to see where you stand on your chocolate knowledge:
1. True or false: A one-ounce serving of chocolate contains about the same amount of caffeine found in one cup of decaffeinated coffee.
2. Which food is more likely to cause tooth decay?
A: A slice of wheat bread
B: Potato chips
C: A chocolate bar
D: A sugar cookie
E: All are about the same.
3. True or false: Chocolate is a major cause of migraine headaches.
4. True or false: Cocoa butter, the primary fat in chocolate, does not raise blood cholesterol levels.
5. True or false: Some types of cocoa powder and chocolate are rich sources of antioxidant compounds which may be beneficial to the heart and arteries.
6. A typical 1.5 ounce chocolate bar contains what percentage of the daily value for riboflavin?
A: 3
B: 5
C: 15
D: 8
7: Most American consumers prefer:
A: Dark chocolate
B: Milk chocolate
8: Consumers in which country consume the most chocolate?
A: Denmark
B: United States
C: India
D: Switzerland
Answers:
1. True. Contrary to what some people believe, chocolate is not considered high in caffeine.
2. E. None is more likely than the other to cause tooth decay. Any food containing fermentable carbohydrates such as starch or sugar can contribute to tooth decay.
How often we eat these foods and how long they stay in contact with the teeth determines the likelihood of their causing cavities. Research shows that the naturally occurring cocoa butter in chocolate actually helps chocolate clear the teeth more rapidly than many other foods.
3. False. Studies conducted at the University of Pennsylvania tested 63 women who had chronic headaches and found chocolate was not a significant cause of migraines. Hormones appear to play a significant role.
4. True. In a number of research studies, neither cocoa butter nor  chocolate raised blood cholesterol levels.
5. True. Certain naturally-occurring substances called flavonoids may have some positive health benefits for our heart and arteries, according to several ongoing scientific studies.
6. C. 15 percent
7. Milk chocolate, according to surveys conducted by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association.
8. D. Consumers in Switzerland consume about 22.4 pounds per person, according to the latest statistics.
