Monday, February 28, 2011

Aero production returns to Australia

A POPULAR local with what you might call a bubbly personality has moved back to Australia after 15 years in Britain.

Aero chocolate bars are now being made in the company's Campbellfield factory in Victoria, to a new formula designed to appeal to Australian tastes.

Aero is the latest Nestle chocolate bar to return to Australian production and be made to local formula, in a strategy the company started about two years ago.

The new version of the bars arrived in shops this week and will be the focus of an advertising campaign starting on Sunday night. It will target mothers aged 28 to 40, a slightly older group than for previous campaigns.

Andrew McIver, Nestle's general manager of confectionary and snacks for Oceania, said research had taught the company that Australians and New Zealanders had quite different tastes in chocolate compared with Europeans and Americans.

Aero will continue to be sold in Britain and made according to the older recipe, but the Australian version will have a 'smoother, creamier' taste.

The change will add about 1000 tonnes of chocolate a year to production at the Campbellfield plant, and will support about 20 jobs. Nestle has finished a $12 million upgrade of the factory including new technology to produce the signature Aero bubbles.

Mr McIver said the new ad campaign was aimed at appealing to mothers who perceived chocolate as their small treat. 'Women aged 28 to 40 with kids have a very strong relationship with chocolate' Mr McIver said.

'In store we will highlight the new formula, but the campaign is about reconnecting consumers with the experience of bubbles melting in your mouth, and bringing them back to the brand through that' he said.

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Source: Sydney Morning Herald


Saturday, February 26, 2011

Cadbury's: An epic chocolate saga

Ever wondered what went on behind that sinful brown bar of Cadbury's chocolate to make it a gastronomic legion and a cult in itself for millions of chocolate lovers around the world?

The story of Cadbury's chocolate is a family soap flavoured with high business drama, strict moral ethics, religion and a destiny-defying struggle, says a new book chronicling Cadbury's "Chocolate Wars" (published by Harper Press).

The book has been penned by Deborah Cadbury, a daughter of the Cadbury family.

Tucked away in the heart of of Birmingham's dismal foggy Bridge Street in the mid-19th century was a small Victorian novelty - a cocoa works that was approached by a dirt road. The factory was a symbol of fragrant rich living in the grimy backstreets.

One early morning in 1861, brothers George and Richard Cadbury hurried to their chocolate to address a harsh reality. There was a crisis in the family. The chocolate factory, owned by their father John Cadbury, was in decline. The family firm was haemorrhaging money and it threatened to go down under if the brothers did not marshall resources, says the Cadbury scion in her family business biography.

The trade in British chocolate - made from the wonder bean acquired from the new world (cocoa pods from America) - was controlled by barely 40 confectionary traders.

There was one last hope for the brothers who had each inherited 4,000 pounds from their mother. Determined to save the chocolate factory, they staked their inheritance, Deborah Cadbury says.

But business foundered. Cocoa, then processed only as a drink by the Cadbury's, failed to appeal to the general British palate. Critics found it loaded with froth and "bad to taste". Something vital was missing.

Adding to their woes, a rival in Bristol, Fry and Sons, which owned one of the largest cocoa works in the world, had introduced a novelty to the Victorian market.

"They experimented with mixing cocoa powder with its bi-product, the excess cocoa fat. Whether by accident or design, they hit upon a way of blending the two ingredients with sugar to make a rich creamy paste. The concoction was then pressed in a mould and left to set. The result was the first chocolate bar in Britain," Cadbury recalls, quoting from her family book.

But Fry & Sons hit back with a "new minty cream". The chocolate-covered mint sticks captured the market by storm.

The Cadbury business nearly died. Persistent George Cadbury considered one last reckless gamble, the writer says. He sailed to the Netherlands and purchased a new cocoa press that the Dutch were using to make a smoother chocolate.

The drink bore fruit when the brothers launched an advertisement blitz around the slogan, "Cadbury's Cocoa, Absolutely Pure, Therefore Best. No Chemicals used," the book documents.

By the autumn of 1868 the campaign gained momentum. George and Richard Cadbury went ahead to create an assortment of eatable solid chocolates and "packaged them in an aromatic fancy box" to woo high-end buyers. It worked. The business flourished for nearly 150 years.

However, Cadbury's confectionary business, which was valued at 5 billion (British) pounds in the first decade of 2000, witnessed a turnaround when in 2010 American giant Kraft Food acquired the company in one of the most hotly debated takeovers in British history, Cadbury says.

The combined entity Cadbury-Kraft commanded a worldwide business of 37 billion pounds, winning an ongoing chocolate war, says Deborah Cadbury.

One of the reasons why John, George and Richard Cadbury - the early pioneers of the brand - had to fight harder than the rest may lie in the spiritual philosophy of 19th century British chocolate makers.

They belonged to a spiritual order known as the Quakers or the Society of Friends, which believed in the uplift of the poor and needy. It imposed a strict set of dos and don'ts on trade practices, stressing on employees' welfare, quality, rejection of display of opulence.

George Cadbury had once said "he wanted to build a model chocolate factory in the middle of great big sinful city". The Cadbury's spirit of philanthropy did not match their tardy profits in the initial years, the book says, sowing the seeds of the events to follow.

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Source: Times of India


Thursday, February 24, 2011

M&M’S Spokescandies Discover Canada’s Best

It’s not every day that five icons from the candy world decide to drop everything and venture to the Great White North, but their bags are packed, and they’re ready to go. Over the next ten months, Canadians are invited to join M&M’S® Spokescandies Red, Yellow, Blue, Orange and Miss Green as they criss-cross the nation and follow them on their new Twitter account, @mmscanada. The Spokescandies will tweet their travels, post photos and postcards, and ask Canadians to tell them where they should head to next.

The Spokescandies will visit Canadian cities, famous landmarks and hidden gems off the beaten path (and, knowing Red, he’ll want to check out a few hockey games along the way), but they’re looking for consumers’ advice to help plan their trip. The brand asks its fans to help the M&M’S Spokescandies discover the best of Canada by tweeting your recommendations to @mmscanada using the hashtag #CanadasBest, or posting to the M&M’S-Canada Facebook Page wall.

The brand also invites its fans to channel their inner Spokescandy and determine which character they most resemble by taking the new M&M’S—Canada Facebook Spokescandy Quiz.

“This is my first big trip across Canada. I’m excited, but anxious—what if I forgot to pack something important?? And I hear that Canadians REALLY love their M&M’S Candies, so maybe preparing for the cold should be the least of my worries!… —Gulp—” says Orange, M&M’S Spokescandy.

“We were a little nervous when Yellow asked us if he could travel across Canada but soon realized that we needed to let our Spokescandies get out into the fresh Canadian air and experience everything we have come to love about Canada! Help us map out their journey by sharing travel tips with us on Facebook and Twitter,” comments Meghan Jackson, M&M’S Brand Director, Mars Canada Inc.

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Source and photo: PopSop


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Chocolate is the new Coffee!

The upgrading of edibles is now being compared to the pattern established by coffee. As coffee was Folgers to most Americans before it became an artisan, specialty gourmet item, chocolate is now following suit. Both cocoa and coffee beans have similarities, and they make a great pair, but it’s the upgrading of chocolate that led to Andrew Duffy of The Daily Gleaner calling it the “new coffee”.

Hershey’s and Nestles were the Folgers and Maxwell House of decades gone by. Then suddenly Starbucks exemplified the locally roasted brands of specialty coffee. Baristas, experts at making a growing list of coffee drinks, joined the roaster in upgrading coffee to a distinctive treat, more than just something to drink with your breakfast eggs. A whole industry developed around grinds, different roast levels, country of origin, single origin vs blends….. Coffee became a culture, internationalized by espresso. Now one can travel to almost any country and enjoy a special coffee shop atmosphere with other coffee culture freaks.

So comes the coffee-ing of chocolate, as it becomes more specialized, analyzed, artisan-ized into a gourmet product. As with coffee, and the more so with chocolate, health advocates have discovered that flavonoids inhabit chocolate. Dark chocolate has been upgraded to a health food. Many like to call it one of the four main food groups, or maybe it should be a special fifth food group.

While chocolate has for several years been paired with coffee, as in mochas, chocolate cookies and coffee, chocolate cake with coffee, etc., it started marrying partners in the fruit and nut family and the flavoring became part of the coffee itself. Similarly, chocolate has moved beyond the chocolate covered cherry, strawberry and almond. Now we can find chili chocolate, cayenne chocolate, pink grapefruit filled chocolate, chocolate-covered pretzels and potato chips, and the new-old peanut butter, among many others.

First it was the coffee culture, and now we’re seeing the development of the chocolate culture. Entire artisan shops sell nothing but chocolate, and one can even sit down and order specialty chocolate desserts in chocolate shops. And so it is that, indeed, chocolate - the new coffee - is the foodie item of the second decade of the twenty-first century.

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Source and photo: Roaste


Monday, February 21, 2011

Lithuania opens all-chocolate room

Lithuanian shoppers have a sweet Valentine's Day visual treat in the form of an entire chocolate room, but will have to wait to actually taste a piece of the walls and decor, organisers say.

'We wanted to create something special for Valentine's Day. The chocolate room looks just like a traditional Lithuanian sitting-room,' Frederikas Jansonas, spokesman for the Akropolis shopping mall in the capital, Vilnius, told AFP on Monday.

The 17-square-metre room is made of chocolate from floor to ceiling, and also contains chocolate furniture and interior decorations such as candlesticks, pictures and books.

Seven artists used 300kg of chocolate to create it.

'Everybody who sees a full-size chocolate room will have no doubt. It's the best place for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner,' sculptor Mindaugas Tendziagolskis said in a statement.

For now, however, the curious can only look, not touch or taste.

The room will be on view until March 8 - International Women's Day - when it will be broken up and the chocolate distributed to visitors, Jansonas said.


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Source and photo: Bigpond News


Friday, February 18, 2011

Recipe of the Week - Cherry Ripe Mud Cake

Cherry Ripe is one of my favourite chocolate bars. Mud cake is my favourite type of cake. So you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this fantastic recipe for a Cherry Ripe Mud Cake. I found it on Mouthwatering Munchies and apparently it serves 12. (Although I could quite happily eat it all myself!).


INGREDIENTS

250g butter, chopped
1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 2/3 cups (400ml) coconut milk
200g dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
2 cups (440g) caster sugar
3/4 cup (110g) self-raising flour
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 x 85g Cherry Ripe bars, chopped coarsely
200g dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely, extra
125g butter, chopped, extra

Chocolate Panels:
300g dark chocolate melts
1 teaspoon vegetable oil


METHOD

1. Preheat oven to slow (150°C / 130°C fan-forced). Grease deep 22cm-round cake pan; line base and side with baking paper.

2. Melt butter in large saucepan; add coffee, coconut milk, chocolate and sugar. Stir over heat until chocolate melts and sugar dissolves; cool to room temperature.

3. Whisk in sifted dry ingredients, then egg and extract; stir in half of the Cherry Ripe. Pour mixture into pan, top with remaining Cherry Ripe; bake about 1 3/4 hours. Stand cake 10 minutes; turn, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.

4. Combine extra chocolate and extra butter in small saucepan; stir over low heat until smooth. Refrigerate until mixture is spreadable.

5. Meanwhile, Make Chocolate Panels: Combine chocolate and oil in medium heatproof bowl; stir over medium saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Cut two 6cm x 50cm strips of baking paper. Spread chocolate evenly over strips; lift strips to allow chocolate to drip off paper. Allow chocolate to set, then, using a ruler as a guide, cut chocolate into 4cm panels with a sharp knife. Carefully peel away baking paper.

6. Spread the chocolate mixture all over cake; place chocolate panels around side of cake. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.


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Source and Photo: Mouthwatering Munchies


Thursday, February 17, 2011

Confectionery giant melts hearts with huge chocolate-shaped billboard

A giant chocolate bar-shaped sign produced by confectionery giant Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd. has been unveiled at its factory in the Osaka Prefecture city of Takatsuki, Japan.

The sign is 27.6 meters tall and 165.9 meters wide -- about 380,000 times the size of a real Meiji chocolate bar. Officials have applied to have it registered by Guinness World Records as the world's largest plastic advertising billboard.

"We hope that it will help people experience the fun feeling of having sweets and that it will help people take to our image of Meiji being 'the' brand for chocolate," a company representative said.

The company began planning the sign in August 2008 to attract the attention of locals and customers, and work to erect it began this year. The sign, made of fiber-reinforced plastic, was dubbed "Big Miruchi" -- a name stemming from a popular nickname for the company's milk chocolate.


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Source and photo: The Mainichi Daily News


Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Miami's Fontainebleau Hotel takes the sweets to new heights.

In the hotel universe, if chocolate is the currency of decadent indulgence, Miami’s Fontainebleau Hotel stands unquestionably as the cocoa connoisseur’s version of the U.S. Mint – or in this case, the U.S. chocolate mint. Here, flavors come in seemingly endless denominations, including the signature salty caramels, pralines and chocolate-dipped strawberries. In Miami, these are not merely legal tender in the marketplace of the sweet tooth, but just as synonymous with the Fontainebleau as the hotel’s iconic beachfront profile.

Hotels have almost always prized their relationships with pillow-top or guest-room delicacies, but the Fontainebleau has, in some ways, actually built its foundation on chocolate. And the foundation, like the chocolate itself, is solid.

The 2008 reopening that revived the hotel’s 1950s persona brought the arrival of Yannis Janssens, a master chocolatier from Belgium, who oversees Solo, the cake and patisserie shop that reinvigorates sweet memories from 50 years ago, with offerings that cycle through the hours of the day in much the same way the sun moves through the sky.

“We begin with doughnuts in the morning, then snacks and delicious pastries in the afternoon and later at night it turns into just chocolate decadence,” said Mabel De Beunza, the hotel’s public relations director. She said as many as 2,000 pieces of chocolate a day are produced at the hotel for consumption at banquets and meals or for sale at the shop itself. And for after-dinner socializing or just wide-eyed window shopping, Solo remains a busy stopping-off place.

“As opposed to guests having to wait for turndown [for their sweets], on the way out of the restaurant they can stop at the confectionery store, pick up a sweet treat and head to bed,” she said.

Solo also answers the call for guests wanting customized cakes or chocolates – such as the hand-carved, 2-foot-high solid chocolate statuette of one guest’s wife that made a surprise appearance last year at a birthday celebration at one of the poolside cabanas. The full-scale (and fully staffed) chocolate operation is so vast and versatile that it even accommodates guests’ kids who want their turn at a chocolate-making, chocolate-dipping adventure. And on the Fourth of July, the chocolatiers are inspired to create an exact – but entirely edible – replica of the Statue of Liberty.

As for guest-room chocolate, that practice still lives on in the VIP suites, said De Beunza. Newly arrived guests may be greeted by a solid chocolate replica of the hotel’s “staircase to nowhere,” each step adorned with a praline or some other confection. But it is really a staircase to somewhere, after all, crafted of chocolate-covered steps back into a past that, at the Fontainebleau, will always stay sweet.

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Source and photo: Hotel Interactive


Monday, February 14, 2011

Chocolate is the new 'super food'

Good news for chocolate lovers – scientists have discovered it can be considered a 'super food'.

Researchers found that chocolate contains more healthy plant compounds, gram-for-gram, than many fruit juices.

In a test, they found that powdered dark chocolate contained more antioxidants and polyphenols – all of which are thought to protect the body from diseases such as cancer, and heart conditions.

Superfoods are usually classed as those high in antioxidants – compounds which prevent oxidisation and can stop healthy cells from being damaged.

Researchers made comparisons between single servings of dark chocolate, cocoa, hot chocolate mix, and fruit juices including acai berries, cranberries and pomegranates

The research showed that both dark chocolate and cocoa had more antioxidant activity and more flavonols than fruit.

The study was conducted by scientists at the Hershey Centre for Health & Nutrition, but was peer reviewed and published in the Chemistry Central Journal.

Dr Debra Millar, the lead author, said that the results showed that chocolate should be labelled a "superfruit".

"Cacao seeds should be considered a 'super fruit' and products derived from cacao seed extracts, such as natural cocoa powder and dark chocolate, as 'super foods'," she said.

"Which is good news for chocolate lovers."


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Source and photo: The Telegraph (UK)


Sunday, February 13, 2011

Sweet thinking spa offers chocolate services

Whilst chocolate has long been known for its antioxidant ingredients that both hydrate and nourish, some beauticians have also championed its ability to hydrate and improve skin’s elasticity too. So it was only a matter of time then before some clever entrepreneur decided to put the two together in the form of a treatment. And that is exactly what Jamie’s Therapeutic Touch Day Spa in Palestine, East Texas has done with its fantastic range of chocolate services.

The spa's 'Chocolate Divine' experience begins with a chocolate mousse facial. Next a chocolate mousse massage enhances circulation and balance the body.

After that you are given the opportunity to improve your skin’s elasticity and hydration during the chocolate weight loss body wrap, which also replenishes with antioxidants and nutrients.

Following that you can be soothed from soul to sole with a chocolate pedicure and manicure served with a signature chocolate martini before finishing with a chocolate shampoo scalp treatment and style.

'Chocolate is such a great product to incorporate into spa treatments' spa owner Jamie Pettiette Rhone said. 'It not only smells great, but it is very beneficial for your skin and won’t ruin your diet when used in this way'.

All packages come with lunch, gift, chocolates, flowers and lots of pampering and I am sure leaves you feeling absolutely great!


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Source: Palestine Herald


Saturday, February 12, 2011

Recipe of the Week - Goat Cheese and Wine Chocolate Truffles

We stumbled upon this recipe whilst surfing the net and just had to share it with you. Taken from the fantastic blog Butter Sweet Melody the recipe, although not one we have yet tried, sounds very exotic. We are sure it tastes absolutely delicious too!


INGREDIENTS

6 1/2 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
5 ounces fresh goat cheese, brought to room temperature
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey (or other sweetener you like)
2 tablespoons of red wine
1/3 cup cocoa powder, for dusting.


METHOD

1. Heat the heavy cream and chocolate together over a double boiler until the chocolate has only just melted.

2. Add the goat cheese and honey and turn off the heat.

3. Stir vigorously with a whisk. When everything is blended, take off the stove and add the wine, whisk again until everything is smooth and shiny.

4. Let the ganache cool down before sticking it in the fridge for at least an hour and a half. You can also make this the night before and leave them overnight, covering it with plastic wrap.

5. When you are ready to make them, roll heaped teaspoons of the refrigerated mixture into small balls with your hands then roll the balls in the cocoa powder.

6. Either eat right away or let chill on a sheet pan until ready to serve. Truffles will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.


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Source and Photos: Butter Sweet Melody


Friday, February 11, 2011

Top 5 Valentine's Chocolates

The act of giving chocolate to your loved one on Valentines Day is a relatively new phenomenon, the origins of which started in the early 1950s. Nowadays it has developed into majorly big business with more than US$1 billion spent around the world on chocolate gifts in the lead up to February 14th.

If you are thinking of buying chocolate for Valentines Day below is a list of the Top 5 Valentines Chocolates you might wish to share with your someone special over a romantic meal. If you are really feeling indulgent you could even try all five!


5. Hershey Kisses

Not only do they look great with their teardrop shape and iconic silver foil but they also taste great too. A popular choice of bomboniere for modern weddings Hershey Kisses make an attractive table decoration if placed in a wine glass or in a box on the side plate. They are also perfectly sized for providing a light chocolate nibble after a particularly rich meal.


4. Belgian Chocolates

A good solid gift. You really can't go too far wrong with a quality couverture box of Belgian Chocolates especially if it contains an assorted mix of milk, dark and white chocolate truffles and ganache centres. If they are heart shaped then all the better. A sure fire option that will always be well received.


3. Lindt

Everybody loves Switzerland's finest and for Valentines Day Lindt's range of luxury chocolates are a sure fire winner. Whether it be as a gift, table decoration or simply to be eaten after your meal a handful of Lindor Balls or a block of their sensational chocolate can really make your Valentines Day sweet.


2. Chocolate Covered Strawberries

For a truly indulgent chocolate experience this Valentines Day there is nothing quite like dipping a platter of strawberries, marshmallows or even your favourite gummy lollies into a bowl of delicious melted chocolate. Personally I prefer to use blocks of English Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate or Lindt Mint or Orange Intense, but any chocolate would suffice. Creating the platter is alot of fun and when brought to the table after dinner looks absolutely great!


1. Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate

What could be better than cuddling up on the sofa after a nice feed with a good movie and a big bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate?


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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Designer Cupcakes

Ladies, we all love their handbags, shoes and jewelery. But what about their cupcakes?

Inspired by the likes of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin and Betsey Johnson, this fantastic line up of designer cupcakes are veritable works of art. Awesomely styled by Lisa Edsalv and beautifully shot by Swedish photographer Therese Aldgard they look good enough to be wheeled down the catwalk or put on show in a museum.

Like the rest of these designer products though, I dread to think how much they cost!


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Source and photo: Highsnobiety


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Chocolate Dance Party

Just when you thought Willy Wonka’s world was fantasy - a chocolate dance party is on its way to Randwick Racecourse.

Party-goers are invited to experience the natural highs of pure raw chocolate - with not a drop of alcohol in sight. American food scientist David Wolfe is bringing The Raw Cacao Dance Party to Sydney for the first time.

He guarantees revellers that the next day’s hangover will be replaced with vitality.

“It’s a kid’s birthday party for adults,’ she said. “It’s like the party you always wished you could go to and that you always wanted - no drugs, no alcohol just good times.”

The party launches with chanting, drumming, the invocation of the cacao bud and Wolfe’s view on author Roald Dahl, followed by DJ’s.

He believes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of the most important pieces of literature ever printed.

“This is almost like channelled information for all of us who live in chaotic, crazy, very fast-paced, high-stressed world,” he said.

“We need answers to questions on how we deal with technology, how to have fun and what’s important and valuable in life - and they are all answered in that book.”

Wolfe vows that chocolate in its raw form is good for the mind and body.

“The cacao bean has always been and will always be nature’s number one weight loss and high-energy food,” he said. “I think cacao beans are probably the best kept secret in the entire history of food.”

Despite Wolfe speaking to the Courier from a chocolate factory in America, he says he has never been a chocoholic and didn’t gave it much thought until he visited a cacao farm in Hawai 10 years ago.

“I started eating these raw cacao beans and it completely captured my imagination and changed my life,” he said. To the point, he now even farms his own cacao. And what does Wolfe say to people who think this is a whole heap of hippy crap?

“Come and check it out for yourself - this is hippydom on steroids turned on its side with Willy Wonka at the helm,” he said. “It’s better than dinner and a movie - this is a musical but you are in it.”

To purchase tickets for The Raw Cacao Dance Party on Saturday, February 19 at the Royal Randwick Racecourse, or other events which are part of David Wolfe’s Anti-ageing & Longevity Weekend click here.


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Source and Photo: Southern Courier


Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Chocolate is responsible for the microwave

Don't believe it? Apparently it is true!

According to Extreme Chocolate, scientists were initially experimenting with micro waves in the hopes of creating a better radar detector. In the wake of WWII, scientists continued to test devices called magnetrons. In one such lab, a scientist named Percy Spencer happened to stroll through with a chocolate bar in his pocket.

When he discovered the melted chocolate, Spencer realized that he might be able to use the magnetron to cook food. He tried popping corn (successfully) and then thought he'd give real food a try. His first experiment? An egg, which cooked so quickly it blew up in his face!

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Source: Extreme Chocolate


Monday, February 7, 2011

Cadbury and TiVo strike on-demand ad deal

Cadbury has struk a deal with with TiV’so on-demand content service Caspa to create a dedicated “channel”.

The Kraft Foods company’s media agency Carat Melbourne has agreed a 12-month deal with the Seven Media Group to have branding and naming rights to the channel, which is called Cadbury Bella TV.

The channel will allow TiVo users to choose between downloading shows like Desperate Housewives for a fee (around $2) or to watch Cadbury branded advertising to watch the episode for free. Cadbury is the first advertiser to ‘own’ one of the six Caspa “channels”.

In addition to episodes of Desperate Housewives, the channel will feature lifestyle and comedy shows aimed at the 18-39 year old female demographic.

It is hoped that the 12 month new deal will see one million viewers in Australia and New Zealand by June next year, with Hybrid TV agreeing to refund the sponsorship fee if the target is not reached.

Hybrid TV, which operates TiVo in Australia for Seven, has agreed to refund the sponsorship fee if the target isn’t reached. An option for an extension to the 12-month contract has been included in the agreement.

The business models surrounding online and on-demand television has been a sticking point for some, with Hulu, the networks first big foray into internet TV in the US, recently introducing a subscription based premium product in addition to their free, ad-supported site.

Hybrid models, where users pay for content at tiered rates depending on how much advertising they are willing to accept, may very well be the future of online TV.

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Source: Digital Media


Saturday, February 5, 2011

Can Chocolate Help Heart Attack Survivors?

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, chocolate can help in prolonging life after one has suffered from a heart attack.

In a recent study, heart attack survivors who ate chocolate two or more times a week ended up reducing the risk of death from heart disease by about three fold when compared to survivors who did not indulge as regularly.

The study, led by Imre Janszky of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, is the first to demonstrate that consuming chocolate can help ward off the threat of death from a heart attack.

"It was specific to chocolate - we found no benefit to sweets in general," said Kenneth Mukamal, a researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a co-author of the study.

"It seems that antioxidants in cocoa are a likely candidate" for explaining the live-saving properties, he went on to claim.


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Source: Sydney Morning Herald


Thursday, February 3, 2011

Chocolate is Better than Kissing!

When it comes to tongues, melting chocolate is better than a passionate kiss, scientists have found.

Couples in their 20s had their heart rates and brains monitored whilst they first melted chocolate in their mouths and then kissed.

Chocolate caused a more intense and longer lasting "buzz" than kissing, and doubled volunteers' heart rates.

The research was carried out by Dr David Lewis, formerly of the University of Sussex, and now of the Mind Lab.

We’re pretty sure the results had nothing to do with a bunch of scientists staring at the subjects while they were being forced to kiss for money.

Dr Lewis said: "There is no doubt that chocolate beats kissing hands down when it comes to providing a long-lasting body and brain buzz.

"A buzz that, in many cases, lasted four times as long as the most passionate kiss."

He said substances in chocolate were already known to have a psychoactive effect, but that allowing it to melt on your tongue could be the secret to maximising the buzz.

The volunteers, all aged in their 20s, had electrodes attached to their scalps and wore heart monitors during the two tests.

The researchers compared their resting heart rates with those during the chocolate and kissing tests.

Although kissing set the heart pounding, the effect did not last as long as that seen with the chocolate, which increased heart rates from a resting rate of about 60 beats per minute to 140.

Couples were monitored while they kissed and while they ate chocolate

The study also found that as the chocolate started melting, all regions of the brain received a boost far more intense and longer lasting than the excitement seen with kissing.

Although women are generally thought to be bigger fans of chocolate than men, the research found the same reactions to chocolate in both sexes.

Dr Lewis said: "These results really surprised and intrigued us.

"While we fully expected chocolate- especially dark chocolate - to increase heart rates due to the fact it contains some highly stimulating substances, both the length of this increase together with the powerful effects it had on the mind were something none of us had anticipated."

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Source: BBC