The Chocolate Fudge Cafe

In other words – PLAIN.  Folks were asking for it, so here it is.  The New Gourmet Fudge Bar without walnuts.  Earth’s Sweet Pleasures can’t officially say “without nuts”, because organic almond beverage is used in the ingredients.  So it is NOT nut-free.  But for those folks who prefer their delicious, dark chocolate fudge without walnuts, now there’s a bar for you!  Enjoy!

You can visit Earth’s Sweet Pleasures website to find a store near you that carries the Gourmet Fudge Bars.  If the store doesn’t carry it, have them give the company a call.

www.earthssweetpleasures.com

 

EARTH’S SWEET PLEASURES, makers of the Gourmet Fudge Bar, want to celebrate Earth Day 2013 by acknowledging all the farmers who make our product possible, from the cacao farmers in Ecuador to the sugar cane growers in Dominican Republic. Our product is 100% organic and fairly traded. Our home-compostable wrapper is made from corn-based cellulose.

We endeavor to make our deliciously rich Gourmet Fudge Bars as earth-friendly as possible.  Our 70% dark chocolate comes from Ecuadorian farms certified by The Rainforest Alliance.  L. Hawk Cargo, “The Fudgemeister” feels this is the best tasting chocolate he’s ever found.  The fudge is hand-crafted into bars from an old family recipe, but all the ingredients have been converted into a mouth-watering, healthier combination.

Please visit our website for more information or call 888-999-3191

www.earthssweetpleasures.com

“The Fudgemeister”  Gourmet Fudge Bar

Chocolate is one of the most addictive foods on the planet and it is not hard to see why. There is no substitute for the rich taste, which is versatile enough to be enjoyed on its own or paired with everything from fresh fruit and pastries to wine. There has been a lot of play in the media recently regarding the supposed health benefits of chocolate and while the media does tend to exaggerate, in this case they`re more right than wrong.

Chocolate contains naturally occurring mood-enhancing chemicals as well as powerful oxidants. The former can help ease a bad day or enhance the rewards of a good one. Antioxidants help scour free radicals from your system, helping you to ward off some of the less pleasant changes that aging brings as well as supporting your body in its resistance to certain types of cancer.

All chocolate comes from the cacao (pronounced, cah-KOW) plant. The fruits of the plant are harvested and split open to reveal small seeds inside that resemble coffee beans. Once the beans and their surrounding pulp have been removed from the outer shell of the fruit, they are placed on banana leaves or in wooden boxes or baskets with bottoms that allow drainage and they are allowed to ferment. Sometimes they are covered with leaves. This is called, “sweating” and can take from six to eight days. During this time, the pulp liquefies and drains away and the beans age into a mellower flavor.

Once fermentation is complete, the beans are gathered and dried. At this point they may be shipped to large chocolate manufacturers, though in
the case of most fairly traded chocolate, the beans are processed on small farms.

The little nibs used to make chocolate are separated from the shells, either by hand or with the use of machinery, depending on where the processing takes place.

The cacao nibs may or may not be roasted, depending on what their end use will be. Roasting the nibs brings out the rich, dark flavor, but many proponents of raw foods prefer their cacao nibs unroasted.

As with so many things in life, not all chocolate is created equal and not all chocolate offers the same benefits. Most commercial chocolate is processed and loaded with fats, sugars and sometimes preservatives. One of the best ways to ensure that your chocolate is of the highest quality is to make it yourself from organic cacao beans, nibs or powder.

One of the main advantages of cacao is that it is easy to store. Place your nibs in plastic lined jute or burlap sacks and store them in a cool dry place for three to five months. Store cacao powder in airtight jars in a cool, dark place to keep it tasting fresh. How long it will stay that way depends on how it was processed, so be sure to ask for guidelines when you purchase it.

Now that you have your fresh, organic, fairly traded chocolate base, have a look at the very best in accessories, as recommended by the chocolate lovers at Chocolate Fudge Cafe, to make cooking with your cacao as fun as it is healthy. http://www.waresofknutsford.co.uk/

Photo of mousse with mango coulis is from the article  “Tips for Pairing Fruits With Chocolate”.  http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2010/08/pairing-fruit-and-chocolate.html

World Fair Trade Day is almost here, with events taking place May 4 – 19, 2013.  The following is a list of films that you might like to see in honor of Fairly Traded products around the world.

 

FAIR TRADE FILMS from The Fair Trade Resource Network

 

FILMS ABOUT FAIR TRADE COFFEE

(In order of film duration)

Films are great educational tools, offering viewers opportunities to better understand the ways in which products are grown and/or processed. More importantly, the films below exhibit the strong connections that we have with those who make the goods we use and the food we eat.

• After the Harvest: Fighting Hunger in the Coffeelands

By Optic Nerve Productions ~ 20 minutes ~ 2010 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “The film illustrates how small-scale coffee farmers, even if active in FLO’s Fair Trade Certification system, in Latin America go hungry, get insufficient nutrition, and increase personal debt 3-8 months of the year. A recent survey of small-scale coffee farmers in Central and South America found two-thirds of the farmers saying they were hungry during ’the thin months’, after the harvest. Apparently this food insecurity is widely unknown in the global coffee industry.”

Summary/Review: This documentary was created to accompany a Consumers International report: “A short film that brings the day-to-day challenges of ‘the thin months’ to life in the voices of coffee farmers from Mexico and elsewhere. Stories show the successes of creative projects that have been established to eliminate this annual period of food insecurity.”

See or download the film at After the Harvest

• From Crop to Cup

Lutheran World Relief ~ 22 min ~ 2009 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This accessible video gives a good introduction to the coffee process and how Fair Trade makes a difference for farmers and the environment.”

Summary/Review: Video explains that consumers can do right by  Nicaraguan farmers by purchasing Fair Trade coffee like Equal Exchange, partner of the Lutheran World Relief Coffee project.

Watch it online, OR get a free DVD by calling 1-800-LWR-LWR-2.

• Coffee with the Taste of the Moon

Organic Consumers Association ~ 30 minutes ~ 2005 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This film explains the effects of the Fair Trade and Organic movements in the coffee market.”

Summary/Review: The documentary film introduces viewers to the people who are producers and consumers of the most traded commodity in the world after oil- coffee.  From the point of view of the narrator, who one day wonders about the impact of his morning cup, we learn about the powerful and promising sustainability efforts of the rapidly growing Fair Trade and Organic movement.

To acquire the film, contact the Organic Consumers Association.

• Buyer Be Fair: The Promise of Product Certification

John De Graaf ~ 55 minutes ~ 2006 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This high quality documentary offers a balanced look into product certification – of Fair Trade coffee and timber – and the essential role it plays in today’s global economy.”

Summary/Review: Buyer Be Fair takes viewers to Mexico, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden, the USA and Canada to explore how conscious consumers and businesses can use the market to promote social justice and environmental sustainability through product labeling, with a focus on Fair Trade coffee and Forest Stewardship Council certified wood. This television special reaches beyond the choir to present the promise of product certification to a wide audience.

Buy the film

• Birdsong and Coffee: A Wake Up Call

Old Dog Documentaries ~ 56 minutes ~ 2005 ~ General Audiences and Academic Settings

FTRN says: “Birdsong and Coffee is a high-quality, moving and informative documentary exhibiting the interdependence of producers, consumers, and the ecosystem.”

Summary/Review: Birdsong and Coffee uses a series of interviews to communicate the sincere, respectful relationship that exists through Fair Trade among the parties involved in coffee production. In this film we hear from experts and students, from coffee lovers and bird lovers, and-most importantly-from coffee farmers themselves. We learn how their lives and ours are inextricably linked, economically and environmentally.

Buy the film and access its companion discussion guide.

• Black Gold

Mark and Nick Francis ~ 77 minutes ~ 2005 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This documentary has captured the dilemma of the coffee farmer: how to get a fair price for quality coffee in a market that is set up only to make money for powerful international traders in cities far from the farm.”

Summary/Review: Black Gold follows Tadesse Meskela, the leader of an Ethiopian coffee cooperative, on his travels through Africa and around the world seeking a fair price for the coffee grown by cooperative members before they are forced to declare bankruptcy. Meskela travels to London and Seattle in an attempt to find a coffee buyer willing to pay a fair price, while the film documents the enormous power of world coffee traders and the double-dealing of trade ministers during World Trade Organization talks.

Buy the DVD Find out more online

FILMS ABOUT OTHER FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS

(In order of film duration)

• Fair Trade: The Story

TransFair USA ~ 8 minutes ~ 2006 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “Produced by TransFair USA, this short film provides an excellent overview of Fair Trade certification – how it works, what it does, and what it means to producers around the world.”

Summary/Review: TransFair USA talks with farmers in countries of origin to understand how Fair Trade has benefitted them personally, allowing them to send their children to school or to work without chemicals. The producers also talk to retailers in the United States to understand the power of the consumer to effect change just by paying attention to the products they buy every day.

Watch the video online

• Traidcraft in Bangladesh

Mark Batey ~ 9 minutes ~ 2007 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “Produced in the UK, this short presents a colorful look into the process of getting Fair Trade products from villages to warehouses to retail outlets, following a volunteer as she looks at the process firsthand.”

Summary/Review: A Traidcraft volunteer gets a chance to meet a group of women in Bangladesh who produce some of the goods she sells. She discovers that Fair Trade has empowered communities like the one she visits where community members have installed proper sanitation facilities, better housing, schools, and proper meals. The film also highlights the way Fair Trade has contributed to women claiming their voice in their community.

Watch the video online

• Calcutta Hilton

Sinclair Enterprises ~ 23 minutes (plus 2 hrs. extra) ~ 2005 ~ High school and above

FTRN says: “This film evidences the power of Fair Trade businesses to radically improve people’s lives. As with many Fair Trade businesses, Freeset offers training, literacy, community, fun and support for vulnerable people.  An inspirational and empowering film showing the many roles people play and benefits they get in a jute bag business.”

Summary/Review: The Hiltons are just your average Kiwi family, but the textile manufacturing business they have established is anything but average. Located on the fringes of Calcutta’s largest red-light district, it gives the women of the area something they have long been denied – the option of leaving the sex trade. “Calcutta Hilton” tells the story of this inspirational business.

Order the DVD from Sinclair Enterprises

• A Thousand Fibers: Binding Together through Fair Trade

H. Bruce Wilson and Partners for Just Trade ~ 33 minutes ~ 2009 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This video is most useful for showing the impact of Fair Trade on producers’ lives. It also is one of the few films that introduces how Fair Trade works in the world of commodities (like chocolate and coffee) as well as in handcrafts, with a special focus on the lives of handcraft artisans in Peru.”

Summary/Review: This film shows real life examples of the Fair Trade Federation’s principles for Fair Trade Organizations. A second version on the same DVD can be used with a Bible study program.

Buy DVD from Partners for Just Trade

• The Dark Side of Chocolate

By Miki Mistrati and U. Robert Romano~ 45 minutes ~ 2010 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This video is most useful for showing the horrors of child labor and trafficked children in W. African cocoa farms that supply major corporations and brands. It also demonstrates the lack of interest by major corporations to solutions like Fair Trade.”

Summary/Review: This film goes undercover to Mali and Ivory Coast to document child trafficking, forced labor and other worst forms of child labor that should have been eliminated under the Cocoa Protocol signed by major chocolate industry groups in 2001. It also shows footage of major chocolate company executives in Europe uninterested in the transgressions and solutions presented by the film.

See trailer and background at The Dark Side of Chocolate

Buy DVD and screening kit from Green America

• Pa Pa Paa

Comic Relief ~ Multiple lengths ~ 2005 ~ Children

FTRN says: “Recommended for its appeal to audiences of all levels, including children.”

Summary/Review: This DVD accompanies a series of educational tools and photographs produced for British schoolteachers to aid in teaching primary school children about Fair Trade and Ghanaian cocoa growers. “Pa Pa Paa” is an informative film presenting facts about the process of harvesting, processing and selling cocoa.

Available to order on DVD

• A Powerful Noise

Sheila C. Johnson ~ 80 minutes ~ 2009 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This film focuses on women’s issues in the developing world, which are an important part of the Fair Trade issue.  One of the three women protagonists in the film starts a Fair Trade agricultural cooperative to provide employment to widows of the Bosnian War.  An inspirational and empowering film .”

Summary/Review: Hanh is an HIV-positive widow in Vietnam. Nada is a survivor of the Bosnian war. And Jacqueline works the slums of Bamako, Mali. Three very different lives. Three vastly different worlds. But they share something in common: Power. These women are each overcoming gender barriers to rise up and claim a voice in their societies. Through their empowerment and ability to empower others, Hanh, Nada and Jacqueline are sparking remarkable changes.

Order the DVD

• The Price of Sugar

Bill Haney~ 90 minutes ~ 2007 ~ General Audience

FTRN says: “This award-winning film shows the efforts to bring Fair Trade to Haiti and exposes the conditions of developing countries without Fair Trade practices.”

Summary/Review: Narrated by Paul Newman, “The Price of Sugar” follows Father Christopher Hartley, a charismatic Spanish priest, as he organizes some of this hemisphere’s poorest people to fight for their basic human rights. This film raises key questions about where the products we consume originate and at what human cost they are produced.

Order the DVD

OTHER ONLINE FILMS

More Fair Trade videos are available on YouTube.

Just a few YouTube videos to recommend:

• Fair Trade: Improving Lives (2009, 2 min.)

The CEO of Fair  Trade USA, Paul Rice, explains how Fair Trade impacts farmers and workers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tvLHDxv4B4

• Fair Trade Advert (2007, 1.5 min.)

This minute and a half video features a man trying to get change.  When people don’t have enough change to repay the man in full, they are unwilling to exchange with him even though he doesn’t mind.  It is an interesting analogy to FT prices worldwide, since 86% of people wouldn’t make an unfair trade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfVS1vbXyXo

• Fairtrade Coffee in Uganda (2007, 3.5 min.)

This video by GreenTV explains the process of FT approval for coffee growers in Uganda.  Through interviews, it shows the positive effects in the lives of Ugandan coffee growers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEVozJa13po&feature=related

• Inside Fairtrade fashion – a day in the life of People Tree (6 min.)

This is a really interesting video about a Fair Trade fashion company.  It interviews the founder and other employees, who explain why their work is positive and different from other clothing companies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amVmhSaRgnk&NR=1

• Santiago’s Story (2000, 6 min.)

Made by TransFair USA, this is the story of one farmer.  He discusses the challenges in getting a fair price for coffee and the effects of switching to FT coffee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9U1q1g8oDc

• Free Vs. Fair Trade (2007, 10 min.)

This is a really well put together video, with lots of interviews from leaders of the FT movement and some celebrities.  For a 10 min. video, it deals with lots of the issues, like food security and the role of international organizations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlT9atfuhOE

• Trade Aid: Alternative trade in a conventional world (2007, 20 min. in 2 parts)

Trade Aid does a good job in this video explaining what is Fair Trade and why it works in the developing world.  It discusses the problems with international trade regulations and gives the history of their organization.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNodTqHw9Eo

Please visit this website for further information about World Fair Trade Day 2013 : http://www.ftrn.org/wftd/

 

 

 

 

About the Cacao Tree

The cacao tree (Theobroma Cacao) is grown in the tropics in a band between 10 to 20 degrees north and south of the equator, sometimes called the “Cocoa Belt”. The tree is often grown in the shades of other trees. It can be as tall as 40 feet (12 meters), and has fruits (pods) which are more than on foot (30 cm)long. The fruits may be brownish-yellow to purple, and contain 20-40 seeds or cacao beans in a pink, sweet-sour pulp.

The cacao tree is cultivated in many countries, but today the leading suppliers are Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, Brazil, Cameroon, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Papua New Guinea. Other well-known manufacturingcountries are Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, some Caribbean islands like Grenada and Cuba, and some Pacific islands like Samoa. For more information see the International Cocoa Organization.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cacao fruits (Trinitario) in Grenada (the Caribbean).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harvested fruits (Photo: iStockphoto.com).

Four major types of cacao are cultivated: Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario and Nacional. The Criollo tree originates in Mexico and Central America and gives very high quality cacao beans and is mainly cultivated in South and Central America. The yield is fairly low. A number of varieties of Criollo are cultivated; in Venezuela well-known varieties are “Chuao”, “Porcelana”, “Puerto Cabello” and “Carupano”. Criollo beans are often mixed with other varieties of cacao when making chocolate.

The Forastero is very much cultivated in Africa, but also in Central and South America and constitutes approximately 80% of world production of cacao. This tree grows faster and gives higher yield than other types of cacao. A number of varieties are cultivated, in Venezuela excellent varieties are “Carenero Superior”, “Caracas Natural” and “Rio Caribe”. The Forastero “Amenolado” variety produces delicate, aromatic beans and is cultivated primarily in Ecuador.

The Trinitario is a crossbreed between the Forastero and Criollo, and is mainly cultivated in Central and South America and Asia. It has its aroma from Criollo and its resistance to disease and its productivity from Forastero.

The Nacional is mostly cultivated in South America west of the Andes. It is prone to disease and difficult to grow, but has an excellent aroma.

The flavor of the cacao beans is not only dependent on the variety, but also on the soil, temperature, sunshine and rainfall. It is now possible tbuy chocolates made with cacao beans from one single region and thus compare the aromas; these chocolates are often called specialty chocolates, in contrast to ordinary chocolate which are made with mostly cheap cacao beans from several regions and with more than one cacao variety.

The Aztecs used the cocoa bean to produce a beverage called xocoatl. The cocoa bean was introduced to Spain in the 16th century. The first chocolate bar was made in Switzerland in 1819, and in 1875 the milk chocolate was invented.

More about the history of chocolate and cacao varieties on this blog in archives: http://www.chocolatefudgecafe.com/?cat=1

Major portions of this article have been reprinted courtesy of Cacao Web. Please visit their website for more information about all things chocolate: http://www.cacaoweb.net/

 

 

Purchase Fair Trade
and Organic Ingredients for Your Triple Fudge Brownies.

 

The terms, free trade and fair trade sound a lot alike, but there is a vast difference in what they mean. Purchasing products sold in a free trade market may sound like a good deal, but many of the people growing, harvesting, processing and packaging things like bananas, coffee, cocoa beans and sugar are not free. According to CNN Freedom Project, the small farms along the Ivory Coast in West Africa, where 70 to 75 percent of the world`s cocoa beans are grown, use slave labor in the cacao fields that includes an estimated 200,000 children forced to work against their will.

Purchasing Fair Trade items is one way for compassionate consumers to ensure that field workers and others are paid a fair price, often above the market standard, for the work they do and the products they produce. It also helps to ensure that children are free to enjoy their childhoods rather than working the fields.

Fair Trade chocolate is often also organic chocolate and the large farms using slave labor cannot afford to follow the stringent requirements needed to earn the right to label their products, organic. Buying and using Fair Trade chocolate not only helps hardworking people in developing countries, but also supporting organic farming is good for the environment and the lack of pesticides and chemicals is good for your health and the health of your family.

So, treat your loved ones to Triple Fudge Brownies, a treat that is deliciously decadent while being globally guilt-free.

Triple Fudge Brownies

Ingredients: (all can be purchased organic and/or fair trade)

5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat your oven to 350 F. with the rack set to one level below center.

Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with enough parchment or aluminum foil to hang out over the long ends to make the brownies easier to remove from the pan, if you like.

Melt the bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Stir the chocolates and butter until all three are melted and smooth.

Whisk in the cocoa, stirring until it is completely incorporated. Set this mixture aside to cool down a bit.

Beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until they are combined.

Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture with a wooden spoon until they are thoroughly blended.

Add the flour a bit at a time, beating it into the chocolate egg mixture until you have a smooth batter.

Fill the baking dish with the batter and smooth it into the corners with a rubber spatula. Bake the brownies for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife blade inserted into the middle comes out carrying a few moist crumbs but no obviously wet batter.

Let the brownies cool completely before cutting them. 

Now that you’ve started with the finest and fairest chocolate, you can bake your brownies in a Rangemaster, one the finest quality ovens in the world.  They come in a variety of really fun colors!

If you’re a fan of hot chocolate, you probably have a favorite organic blend that mixes instantly with hot water. Although today’s organic hot chocolate blends are known for their superlative rich, chocolate flavor, you may have noticed subtle differences in each cup you drink. If this is the case, you may be surprised to know that these differences are caused by the mineral content in the water you’re using.

Water has a natural mineral content that can make certain foods taste slightly salty. You’ve probably noticed how salt and calcium deposits can build up on your shower walls; if so, you’re already aware of the mineral content of your tap water. With the exception of distilled water, which has been boiled to remove mineral deposits, all types of tap and bottled water contain a certain amount of minerals. The trick is to choose water that contains just the right mineral level so that your drinking chocolate isn’t overwhelmed.

The good news is that in order to get a truly flavorful cup of hot chocolate, you need to use water that has some amount of mineral content. If you use distilled water, your chocolate mix will taste decidedly weaker. In this case, that pinch of salt that brings flavor to your food is also necessary to bring flavor to your water and, therefore, to your organic drinking
chocolate. Any type of overly processed, distilled or filtered water (also called softened water) can actually result in a weak, flavorless beverage.

If you decide against using bottled water and turn on the tap instead, you may have inconsistent results. This is because the “hardness” in tap water can vary greatly from city to city. Hardness is the term that is used to identify the level of magnesium carbonate in water. The harder the water, the higher the mineral content and the more deposits it will leave on your bathroom walls or in your coffee brewer. Likewise, the harder the water, the more you’ll be able to taste that subtle saltiness in your chocolate.

Because of the level of hardness found in most tap waters, many hot chocolate and coffee aficionados prefer using bottled water for their beverages. Just about any type of bottle water should taste fine, as long as it’s not distilled. If, however, you’d like to try tap water, you’ll want to get a hardness testing strip from your local hardware store. This will give you an idea of the level of mineral content found in your municipal water supply. In most cases, you’re going to have a much lower content and a much more acceptable flavor for your hot chocolate if you use bottled water instead.

If you use a beverage processor, such as a coffee brewer, to make your hot chocolate, it’s important to make sure that all mineral deposits have been thoroughly cleaned out of the machine; otherwise, they`ll be absorbed into the water and your coffee will taste salty. Likewise, if you boil your water in a pot, make sure to rinse out all mineral deposits after each use.

If  you’re considering a bottled water  for your organic hot chocolate, or for your coffee and tea drinks, try a good brand like Angel Springs.com. You can rest assured that the bottled water you choose will contain a lower mineral content than your unfiltered tap water. Bottled water will also give your hot chocolate, as well as your other beverages, a satisfying consistency so that each cup will taste as good as the last.

 

Sign-up to receive David Wolfe’s Sacred Newsletter and
receive a free ebook delivered to your email entitled “The Latest Word on SuperFoods: Raw Chocolate!”

Click on the book or the link to go to David Wolfe’s site:

http://www.sacredchocolate.com/sacred-newsletter.html