Chocolate maker Lindt defies consumer gloom

Chocolate makers are winning their fight against high cocoa prices and economic gloom thanks to the strength of consumer desire for their products, results from Lindt & Spruengli showed on Tuesday.

The Swiss company, battling a strong Swiss franc into the bargain, said strong demand allowed it to raise its own prices in the half. It reported profit rising by almost a third and maintained its sales growth outlook for the year.

The results make it the latest branded confectioner to demonstrate more resilience in this year’s downturn than during the last economic slump in 2008, when consumers traded down to cheaper chocolate.

U.S.-based industry No. 1 Hershey raised its full-year outlook last month and Nestle, the maker of KitKat chocolate bars, has said sales at its confectionery unit grew 4.2 per cent in the first half.

Even in sluggish mature markets hit by the debt crises, consumers continued to buy Lindt’s popular Lindor chocolate balls and gold foil-wrapped Easter bunnies.

“Particularly good progress was made in the important main European markets of Germany, France, and Italy, as well as by Lindt and Ghirardelli in North America,” Lindt & Spruengli said on Tuesday, adding that it had increased prices in some markets and, unlike rivals, it would not do aggressive promotions.


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Source: The Globe and Mail

Sleepyhead Chocolate Bar Bed

Putting kids to bed is one of the hardest challenges parents face at night. We should all know, we were one of those kids. Now, putting kids to bed can be a lot easier with this attractive chocolate bedding set!

For a peaceful night’s sleep, kids can snuggle in a bar of chocolate and pull up their chocolate wrapper doona with Bed Toppings’ new quilt set design, Sleepyhead Chocolate Bar.

Made out of 100% soft cotton with 200-thread count, Bed Toppings designs are crafted in Australia featuring owner, Sophie Farquhar’s hand drawn illustrations. If only it tasted as good as it looked!


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Source and Photo: Street Editors

L.A. School District Bans Chocolate Milk

Los Angeles Unified on Tuesday became the nation’s largest school district to stop serving flavored milk in a move to combat child obesity.

The school board voted to eliminate chocolate and strawberry milk from schools as of July 1.

LAUSD joins a growing number of school districts nationwide, including District of Columbia, Boulder Valley, Colo., and Berkeley, Calif., that serve only plain milk because of the added sugar contained in flavored versions.

The proposal by Superintendent John Deasy came after popular British TV chef Jamie Oliver criticized the district in recent months for serving flavored milks, saying they contain the sugar equivalent of a candy bar.

In one TV stunt, he filled a school bus with sand to represent the amount of added sugar LAUSD students consume in a year through flavored milk.

Some board members were rankled by the perception that the district was caving in to Oliver, who unsuccessfully lobbied the district to be allowed to tape shows in local schools.

“I really don’t understand why we’re letting a TV chef dictate our policy,” said board member Tamar Galatzan, who noted that many health advocates including the American Heart Association say the nutritional benefits of flavored milk outweigh the harm of added sugar.

Some advocates say that milk consumption drops when children are not offered the option of chocolate and other flavored milks.

She noted the district serves fruit juices containing 27 to 29 grams of sugar per serving, more than the amount of sugar in flavored milk — 20 grams in eight ounces of fat-free chocolate milk and 27 grams in fat-free strawberry.

Galatzan was the lone dissenter on the board.

The move was applauded by several proponents in the audience.

“Thirty percent of our kids are obese or are on track to diabetes,” said Jennie Cook of Food for Lunch, a coalition advocating nutritious school food, who has been pushing the district to eliminate flavored milk for the past year. “This is a social justice issue.”

Emily Ventura, a researcher with the University of Southern California’s Childhood Research Center, noted that a number of experts did not recommend flavored milk as a healthy choice. She said 6,000 LAUSD parents had signed a petition to eliminate flavored milk from the district.

Some school districts have opted for a middle road, using natural sweeteners like cane sugar, beet sugar and Truvia to sweeten milks instead of high-fructose corn syrup based flavorings.

But others say children should learn to drink plain milk.

LAUSD is the nation’s second-largest school district with about 688,000 students.


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Source and Photo: News One

Recipe of the Week - Chocolate pots with salted caramel toffee

Another gem from those geniuses at Taste. All I can say about Chocolate pots with salted caramel toffee is OMG! This recipe is supposed to make 4, but I reckon it would just about do for me!


INGREDIENTS

250g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
200ml thickened cream, plus extra whipped cream to serve
2 tbs caster sugar
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 tbs brandy
20g salted butter


Salted caramel toffee

1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 tbs sea salt flakes


METHOD

1. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.

2. Heat cream and sugar in a pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

3. Bring to just below boiling point, then remove from heat and pour over the chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth.

4. Gently stir in the egg yolks and brandy, then add butter and stir to combine.

5. Divide among four 200ml dessert moulds or pots, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight until just set.

6. Meanwhile, for salted caramel toffee, line a baking tray with a sheet of foil. Place sugar and 1/4 cup (60ml) water in a pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to high and cook, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a damp pastry brush, for 4-5 minutes or until a light golden caramel. Quickly but carefully pour onto tray, swirling to spread the caramel. Sprinkle over salt. Cool, then break into shards. (Toffee can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in an airtight container.)

7. To serve, top chocolate pots with whipped cream and sprinkle over shards of salted caramel toffee.


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Source and Photo: Taste

Keynsham Town Council gets £20,000 from Cadbury charity

The Cadbury Foundation has given a £20,000 donation to a youth club in Keynsham, where the chocolate factory closed last year.

The foundation, which is now funded by Kraft Food, gave the money to Keynsham Town Council, for the Time Out Club.

Council chair Gill Hellier welcomed the donation which will also be used to expand youth provision in the town.

US firm Kraft Foods was criticised when it closed the Somerdale plant after taking over Cadbury in February 2010.

A spokesman for Kraft said although it funds the foundation, the charitable body grants donations after submissions are made by prospective applicants.

"The foundation has made similar donations to the Time Out Club in the past and this latest is a demonstration of our desire to help the communities with which we have a link," he said.

He said the future of the site was a "separate" issue and there "was a firm commitment to engage a suitable and responsible developer who will take up the vision for Somerdale following plans laid out by ourselves and Banes".

"This includes an absolute commitment to retain The Fry Club and its facilities," he added.

The grant will run over two years and was awarded after an application was made by the town council.

Ms Helier said: "I see it as a continuation of their youth work in the town, they've been supporting us for a number of years.

"It's been £10,000 for the last four or five years at least and it does enable us as a town council to expand our youth service."

Kraft Foods came under fire when it closed the factory after earlier pledging to keep it open.


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Source and Photo: BBC

10 year old Chocolate Thief Publically Shamed by Mother

A MOTHER who made her young son sit in public wearing a sign declaring "I am a thief"' yesterday said she didn't want him to make the same mistakes she did.

She said the "tough love" - which both appalled and inspired the nation - was aimed at stopping her son following her footsteps into a life of crime.

The mum said she had tried everything to stop her 10-year-old son stealing, including showing him inside a cell and taking him to court.

But after stealing chocolate bars from a local shop and $5 from his mother's wallet, she forced him to sit in a Townsville park for one hour with the sign reading: "Do not trust me. I will steal from you as I am a thief."

It made national headlines yesterday, with debate split between those understanding the mother's frustration and praising her and others condemning her actions .

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'I tried everything to stop him stealing' Perth Now, 6 hours ago
I tried everything to stop him stealing Courier Mail, 15 hours ago
Mother forces boy into parade of shame The Daily Telegraph, 1 day ago
Boy made to wear 'I'm a thief' sign Herald Sun, 1 day ago
Serial thief is back in court again Courier Mail, 10 Jun 2011

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The woman, who holds a steady job to provide for three children on her own, said she wished her mum had taken a tough stance: "I have lived a life that most people would not dream of and I am trying to stop my child from going down the same road because, even though I have sorted myself out, it took me 10 years.

"I did the same thing as my son, shoplifting as a teenager, and then it escalated because I didn't have a mum to teach me right from wrong. I wished when I was a child I had my mother do to me what I did and teach me good values."

The mum said her son began stealing at age seven, taking video games and money from teachers' wallets.

She said he received monthly counselling but it had no impact: "I've taken him to the police station to see the cells and how people get charged, we have gone to the court house and sat in front of the judge watching people get sentenced."

The mum said her son, described as active and popular with friends, had "a loving home, lots of attention, lots of games, so there is no reason to be doing what he is doing unless he thinks it is a game".

A large number of people yesterday praised the woman, advocating tougher measures for children. But University of Queensland Parenting and Family Support Centre director Professor Matt Sanders said the "shame and humiliation" approach was unlikely to have the desired effect.

"It can backfire by kids getting resentful and going underground, especially if they are picked on by their peer group," he said.

"This is probably not the way forward. This approach is a quick-fix. It's punitive, highly coercive and is based on trying to shame or embarrass the child into behaving.

"If it doesn't work, what's your back-up? You've already pulled out the big guns."


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Source and Photo: Daily Telegraph Australia

Chocolate goes virtual!

Blippar, a free smart phone app that converts real world images, products and adverts into instantaneous virtual experiences, has officially launched in partnership with Cadbury UK and Ireland.

In a world's first, blippar's technology has allowed Cadbury to create an augmented reality game that anyone with a smart phone can play using its product. Activating the game is simple - once blippar is installed on your handset, you just point your device at a Cadbury product - be that a Dairy Milk, Twirl or many others - and the introductory instruction screen of 'Qwak Smack' will 'blipp' from the wrapper on to your screen as if stuck to the bar.

The game itself, which lasts an intensive 30 seconds, is quirky and childishly fun. The player is challenged to tap quacking cartoon ducks as they appear 'out of the bar' on an augmented-overlay on their device's screen. The player can then submit their score to go into to a draw to win an array of prizes.

Sonia Carter, Head of Digital of Kraft Foods, said "We loved blippar from the moment we saw it in action. We were blown away by the technology and we're certain consumers will be. With one in threeUK adults owning a smart phone the potential market for initiatives like this is huge and we are proud to be bringing this incredible technology to the masses."

She continued: "It doesn't seem all that long ago we were all marveling at what QR codes could do but blippar's 'markerless image recognition' technology takes the experience to a whole new level."

The partnership between blippar and Cadbury has allowed the augmented reality app company to launch its platform by placing engaging demonstrations of their technology on every street corner in Britain - wherever confectionary is sold.

blippar CEO and co-founder, Ambarish Mitra, commented:
"We are thrilled to work with Cadbury as launch partner to demonstrate a gaming experience using its product packaging. The implications are enormous and we look forward to being at the forefront of delivering compelling AR experiences for users with other exciting brands."

He continued "Image-recognition enabled augmented reality is far from a 'gimmick' and will fundamentally change how consumers interact with their favourite real-world brands. blippar has been built to bridge the gap from physical to digital and enable real-time interaction in mobile situations."

The blippar platform will also offer 'blipps' on everyday objects - from your oyster card through to your newspaper - and is set to grow to 1000s of listings via multiple brand partnerships in the pipeline.

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Source: Gadget

Pope Benedict XVI "plays" a chocolate piano cake

It's not often that one sees the Roman Pontiff "playing" a cake made to look like a piano, but it seems that anything is possible during the heady week that is World Youth Day. Yesterday, after having sat down to lunch with 12 young people from different parts of the world, Pope Benedict XVI, who is an accomplished pianist, decided to entertain his guests by pretending to play a chocolate piano cake. These stills (left and below), from a BBC video, show both the piano cake "playing" and the lunch itself.

According Catholic News Service (CNS), the lunch was part of what has now become a World Youth Day "tradition", whereby "a young man and young woman representing the host country - Spain, in this case - and a male and female each representing five continents" are invited to lunch with the Pope. It seems that 10 young people were chosen "by lot from among the international volunteers who helped prepare World Youth Day", whilst "the young man from New Zealand and the young woman from Australia were chosen by their bishops."

CNS also reports that the Holy Father and his lunch guests had more than just chocolate cake, as the menu included soup, a fish main course and ice cream. It is also likely that the Pope and the 12 young people washed down the meal with some Fanta - which is known to be Pope Benedict XVI's favourite drink!


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Source and Photo: A Reluctant Sinner

Anti-Israel bullies' hard-centre bites in chocolate shop campaign

In Brisbane next Saturday, a group of anti-Israeli protesters will march on a Jewish-owned chocolate shop as part of a radical national campaign that risks morphing into an ugly platform for anti-Semites.

The targeting of the Israeli-owned Max Brenner chocolate shop chain in Australia by a coalition of anti-Israeli groups is testing the limits of the law, ethics and tolerance. Nineteen protesters were arrested and three policemen injured early last month when a rally outside a Max Brenner shop in Melbourne, similar to the one planned for Brisbane, turned violent.

The spectacle of protesters breaking the law in an attempt to harm a legal Jewish business was all the more abhorrent because it invited obvious historical parallels to the anti-Semitic targeting of Jewish businesses in 1930s Nazi Germany. The violence was so damaging to the pro-Palestinian cause that even some Palestinian groups were critical of it.

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Canberra torn over racism conference The Australian, 1 day ago
Contradiction in terms The Australian, 3 days ago
Pro-Palestinian leader slams violence The Australian, 4 days ago
Not the way to make the point The Australian, 5 days ago
Targeted chocolatier 'a man of peace' The Australian, 7 days ago

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"People who were there told me it was really out of hand and pretty stupid the way they did it," says Jim Barr, president of the country's peak pro-Palestinian group, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network. "We certainly don't want to create public sympathy for Max Brenner, which is what we did. I support the Brenner campaign but it needs to be done well."

What concerns many people about the Max Brenner campaign, apart from the shadow of history, is that it is directed against something that, although foreign owned, is a legitimate legal business in this country. That it is a chocolate shop only underlines the tenuous nature of claims that it bears some responsibility for Israel's military and human rights policies in the occupied territories.

"In a democratic society anybody should be allowed to protest, but I find it really distasteful that a Jewish business is being targeted in this way," Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes says. "If people are upset about the handling of the Middle East process then fine, but why don't they protest outside the Israeli embassy and direct their protest to the Israeli state rather than a Jewish business? If people do not like the policies of the Australian government, I wouldn't expect there to be a protest outside the RM Williams store."


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Source and Photo: The Australian

German "Chocolate" Baby Ad Draws Heat

A German bakery owner says people are being too “oversensitive” about their chocolate advertisement, prominently featuring the photo of an African American baby. But many angry customers of Raddatz bakery located in Saxony, Germany, don’t see it that way and were seen tearing up the posters, declaring the images to be racist and offensive. The ad in question has a black shirtless baby seated adjacent to pieces of chocolate cake and brown bread that are on “special offer.”

The text reads – “Only while stocks last. Subject to changes and errors. Image is only a serving suggestion.”

“Something went wrong with this offer, but despite this, one doesn’t have to criticize shop workers or destroy posters,” declared Christoph Raddatzt, the company’s lawyer

Responding to the protesters, a statement was posted on the bakery’s website. But the tone was unapologetic, pointing out that in addition to the 580 staffed in Germany, the company has 50 employees in Namibia.

The bakery's statement continued: “The child which you see on the adverts is the little Sofiyha, whose mother Lina and father Timotheus are our staff. Because our connection with the people who work with us is very important and we are one of the most fecund companies of the region (an average of 17 births per year), the staff often make photos of their children, or the staff themselves, available for our weekly offers.”

Raddatz said the number of visits to the company’s webpage has increased by 300 percent since talk began about the commercial. “Many people are shocked that we advertise with a black girl for chocolate cake,” he said, admitting that the attention had not been planned.

He says these photos are then used as advertisements or on the side of delivery trucks with the aim of attracting attention – which it says is generally positive.

“Sadly there is in Germany a small group of over-sensitive fellow men who accuse us of spreading racist thinking – this is expressly not the case,” the statement says.


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Recipe of the Week - Chocolate mud cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

An excellent recipe from those geniuses at Taste. What could be more delicious than a batch of freshly baked chocolate mud cupcakes with peanut butter frosting?

This recipe tastes approximately 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. It makes 18 cupcakes.


INGREDIENTS

200g butter, chopped
200g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder
1/4 cup (60ml) hot espresso coffee
1 cup (200g) caster sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour
1/4 cup (40g) plain flour


Peanut butter frosting

250g cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 cups (230g) icing sugar mixture
200g ctn smooth peanut butter


Toffee peanut shards

3/4 cup (155g) caster sugar
1/2 cup (80g) roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped



METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Line eighteen 1/3 cup (80ml) muffin pans with paper cases.

2. Combine the butter, chocolate, cocoa powder and coffee in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until butter and chocolate melt and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool.

3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Add the eggs and stir to combine. Add the combined flours and stir to combine. Pour evenly among the prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cooked though when tested with a skewer. Remove from oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. To make the peanut butter frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and vanilla paste in medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Add icing sugar, in batches, until well combined. Add the peanut butter and use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined.

To make the toffee peanut shards, line an oven tray with baking paper. Place the sugar in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until sugar melts and caramelizes. Remove from heat. Add the peanuts and stir to combine. Pour onto the lined tray and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Break into shards.

5. Spread the frosting over each cake. Top with toffee shards to serve.


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Ghana to focus on cocoa certification to achieve production targets

The Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union wants the government and COCOBOD to take a critical look at cocoa certification as a key factor in modern cocoa production.

Cocoa buyers and consumers of chocolate around the world are increasingly demanding traceable cocoa and a lot of cocoa producing countries are grabbing the opportunities therein.

Cocoa certification demands that a farmer’s social, environmental and economic activities fall in line with best labour practices; in exchange for premium price on produce.

This year for instance, Divine Chocolate Limited is contributing $178,000 in Fairtrade premiums through Fairtrade cocoa purchased from Ghana’s Kuapa Kokoo, which owns a part of the UK-based company.

Managing Director, Sophi Tranchell told Luv Biz Report “the certification is very useful for consumers in places like England and America to know that things have been checked”, adding that it can as well be useful tool for farmers to run their businesses better.

Few licenced buying companies in Ghana are however presently involved in this certification trade.

The 17th Annual Delegates Conference of Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union in Kumasi focused on certification in cocoa as a means of achieving Ghana’s one million metric tonne target by 2012.

Cocoa certification consultant, Rita Owusu Amankwah says Ghana should start the process to share in the benefits of cocoa certification, as the global chocolate and cocoa industry rapidly move towards certified and sustainable cocoa marketing.

She observed challenges, like increased labour cost and untimely supply of farm inputs, could be discouraging for farmers who want to join certification programmes.

Ms. Owusu Amankwah however believes cocoa farmers would be better off in the long run, based on the findings of a research she conducted in cocoa growing communities in the Ashanti and Western regions.

“The certified farmers that I talked to, within a period of one and a half years, most of them have increased their yield from 10-55%, after good agricultural practices, integrated pest and crop management, and also adhering to other environmentally friendly standards”, she revealed.

To scale up cocoa certification programmes in Ghana, the Executive Director of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union, Emmanuel Arthur has proposed the establishment of a desk by the Ghana Cocoa Board (CCOBOD) to coordinate activities.

According to him, “it will be good for COCOBOD to play a central role in the certification process, so that whatever certification scheme is being introduced in Ghana, COCOBOD is aware and is aware of the benefits that the farmers will get and then the obligations that they have to go through in that certification”.

Kuapa Kooko is implementing an Internal Control System and embarking on environmental and child labour programmes to meet fair trade standards of production.

Meanwhile, Kuapa Kokoo Limited bought 28,645 tonnes of cocoa for the 2009/2010 main crop season, out of a targeted 35,000 tonnes.

Managing Director, Kwasi Aduse-Poku attributes the shortfall in purchases to challenges in cash flow, including delayed release of Seed Fund from COCOBOD to purchase cocoa during the pre-season.

He said whilst management is working to source additional trading capital for purchases, the farmers should take advantage of an input credit system established by the Kuapa Kokoo Credit Union to expand their farms.


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Source and Photo: Joy Online

Skip the carrots. Chocolate improves eyesight, too

Next time you board a plane, you might want to hand the pilot a chocolate bar, just in case.

That’s because a recent study found that dark chocolate might improve your ability to see in low-contrast situations, such as poor weather.

Not only that, this study adds to previous research that suggests eating chocolate can make your brain sharper. (Don’t you just love these chocolate-is-good-for-you studies? Sign me up.) You may have already heard that dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure and also appears to have a favorable effect on cholesterol levels, platelet function and insulin sensitivity.

The authors of the latest study, from England’s University of Reading, enrolled 30 men and women ages 18 to 25 and tested their vision and thinking skills a couple of hours after they ate a regular-sized chocolate bar.

They took the tests twice, once after eating a dark chocolate bar, and once after eating a white chocolate bar. The difference between the two chocolate bars was the amount of flavanols -- a natural compound in cocoa -- they contained. Of course, the dark chocolate bar contained loads of cocoa flavanols, the white chocolate bar only a trace.

Flavanols, found in high levels in grapes, green and black teas, red wine and apples as well as cocoa, have been getting a lot of good press lately as scientists study their health benefits. Ahh, a jug of red wine, a bar of dark chocolate and thou beside me.

To avoid skewing their results, the researchers fudged when they told their subjects the purpose of the study: If the volunteers knew the focus was on cocoa flavanols, they might do better after eating the dark chocolate because they figured they were supposed to. Instead, study participants thought the researchers were investigating the impact of different kinds of fats.

Turns out the study participants did perform better on the vision tests and on some of the brain function tests after eating the dark chocolate, the authors report in the June issue of Physiology & Behavior. They attribute their findings to cocoa flavanol’s known ability to increase blood flow to the brain, and they speculate that the stuff might also increase blood flow to the retina of the eye.

The good news is that other research suggests cocoa flavanol’s positive impact on blood flow is even greater in us folks over age 25. So the Reading researchers are conducting a similar study in older volunteers. This time they’ll add caffeine and theobromine to the white chocolate bars to make sure those stimulants from the cacao plant aren’t the real reason for dark chocolate’s brain and vision benefits.


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Source: Body Odd

Chocolate most popular gift for Singapore travellers

Singapore Changi airport has revealed that chocolate is the most popular gift among travellers passing through the base.

After analysing sales information from its four terminals, the airport revealed that some 4.5m boxes of chocolates were sold in 2010 - equating to more than one box for every resident of Singapore.

Passengers at Changi airport have also shown strong demand for traditional Asian gifts and souvenirs, such as Tiger Balm, Nonya dumplings and Kueh Lapis cakes.

The base has launched a promotion this month encouraging travellers to pick up local delicacies at reduced prices.

Introduced on 5 August, the Fabulous Fridays initiative will offer weekly deals on a range of items for shoppers who make a minimum purchase of S$30 (£15.20) using a Visa card or S$60 by other means.


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Source: Opodo

Woman arrested in connection with chocolate coin scam

A woman who police believe tried to trick a coin dealer into buying chocolates was arrested Wednesday.

Stacy M. Sellner, 30, of Lincoln, was suspected of trying to pass of chocolate coins as the real thing in April. Police said she and a man lured a coin dealer to a gas station parking lot and attempted to sell him the chocolates. When the dealer backed out, she pepper sprayed him and fled.

Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood said Sellner was arrested on suspicion of felony theft by deception and second-degree assault in connection with the chocolate coin scam.

She was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of shoplifting from a local shoe store, which led detectives to question her in the coin case.

Her alleged accomplice, Cliffton Wagoner of Omaha, died last month of natural causes in Colorado.


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Source: Journal Star

This supercar runs on chocolate, cheese, and wine

As if the Exige 270E Tri-fuel sports car wasn't expensive enough, the engineers over at Lotus have gone ahead and made it run on three of the most expensive vices on the planet. That's right: you can fuel this car with chocolate, cheese, and wine.

The Tri-fuel, which is modeled after the decidedly sexy Exige S, is part of the company's campaign to provide environmentally friendly answers to fossil fuels.

And it turns out the Lotus Engineering team's choice of fuel isn't as ridiculous as it sounds. According to their website, all three delicacies can be turned into ethanol, which the car can use to accelerate from 0—60 in under four seconds. Furthermore, the ethanol is produced from low quality wine ("low quality" here defined as "not drinking grade"); whey (which is technically a by product of the cheese-making process); and surplus chocolate.


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Source and Photo: io9

Recipe of the Week - Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Banana Bites

If you love bananas and you love chocolate, then you'll fall head over heels for this recipe of frozen Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Banana Bites that we found on The Stir. It is so easy to make and tastes delicious!


INGREDIENTS

3 very ripe bananas
16 ounces semisweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter


METHOD

1. Start by slicing the bananas into 1-inch pieces. Place pieces into the freezer for an hour, or until thoroughly frozen.

2. Melt chocolate on the stove, using a double boiler. When bananas are completely frozen, dip each of the pieces into the melted chocolate using a toothpick, and place dipped banana bites onto wax paper.

3. In a microwave, melt the peanut butter in a container. Using a spoon, simply drip the melted peanut butter over the top of your banana bites. Then, place back in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy!


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Source: The Stir

Chocolate Shoplifter makes donation to charity as punishment

A SHOPLIFTER caught red-handed has donated £10 to charity rather than face prosecution.

The 59-year-old man from Blackburn was stopped by security after stealing a £1 chocolate bar from PoundWorld in The Mall this afternoon.

Police arrived and negotiated a restorative justice agreement where the thief paid for the chocolate and gave £10 from his wallet to the shopping centre’s chosen charity, the East Lancsashire Hospice.

Town centre PC Leo Noctor said officers are encouraged by force chiefs and internal campaigns to consider alternative methods of disposal such as restorative justice if the circumstances merit it.

It is part of a push to cut court and custody costs and police time, as well keeping officers on the frontline and moving towards a common sense approach to policing.

PC Noctor said: “Obviously if he had been a known criminal or repeat shoplifter and we needed bail conditions to restrict him from the town centre, then I would have made an arrest.

“But restorative justice in this case was an appropriate method of dealing with this man and it is money to a very worthy cause.

“The shoplifter was happy to do that and the manager of PoundWorld, Peter Nordoff agreed to it because he wanted the man to learn a lesson and pay towards the inconvenience.

“No-one was left out of pocket except the offender.”

The thief agreed to write a letter of apology to store manager Mr Nordoff. He is banned for life from PoundWorld and from The Mall for six months.

He had walked into the shop at 1.30pm, paid for some groceries, but slipped a chocolate bar into his jacket pocket. Staff reported him to The Mall security who stopped him as he left. He apologised and said he ‘had made a stupid mistake’, police said.

The Lancashire Telegraph is backing the hospice’s Raise The Roof campaign. Fundraiser Sharon Crimble said: “I’m amazed. This is our most unlikely donation, but a really good idea. All these amounts add up.”

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Source: Lancashire Telegraph

Daily bite of chocolate can help lower your blood pressure

A daily dose of chocolate could bolster your workouts and lower blood pressure, but mind to take only a bite or two of chocolate to reap the full benefits.

Scientists gave a group of mice a twice-daily dose of purified form of epicatechin, cacao's chief beneficial compound. These mice outperformed the group of mice who had not been given the chocolate-y supplement, according to researchers at the University of California, San Diego.

The cacao chemical also increased the physiological response in the test group's leg muscles.

Dark chocolate in tiny amounts has also been shown to lower blood pressure.


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Source: Med India

Dark chocolate tested for sunburn protection

Researchers at Laval University in Quebec City are testing to see whether regular consumption of dark chocolate helps fend off sunburns.

They say dark chocolate contains chemicals that provoke blood flow close to the skin, which helps protect against ultraviolet rays.

The researchers at the university's Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods are looking for volunteers willing to eat a small amount of chocolate every day.

Those volunteers will be exposed to sunlamps and tested against a control group.

Bruno Riverin, one of the institute's researchers, said chocolate lovers who've already signed up are mostly enjoying themselves.

"They think it's fun, it's interesting, it's new, it's original to consume chocolate in the hope that it has benefits on your health," Riverin said.

Riverin said he and his colleagues are looking for female volunteers with fair skin, between the ages of 25 and 65, who are willing to eat a small amount of chocolate every day and visit the lab once a week for 12 weeks.

He said chocolate contains high levels of antioxidant chemicals known as polyphenols, which increase blood flow close to the skin.

"More blood flow close to the skin would help protect against coup de soleil, sunburn," Riverin said.

Riverin said finding volunteers has not exactly been difficult.

"So far it hasn't been very hard. Chocolate is a very sexy food."


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Source: CBC News

Giant fish overcomes chocolate addiction

Staff at the Sea Life London Aquarium have helped a chocoholic Giant gourami (Osphronemus goramy) give up its addiction in favour of a more healthy diet.

Gary, the 4.0-kg, 40-cm fish, had been fed a steady diet of Kit Kat bars by its previous owners and would eat nothing else but the chocolate-covered wafer bars.

Staff at the aquarium, who inherited the fish, were initially puzzled as to why the fish refused to eat, until they learned of its sweet tooth.

Aquarium staff then stuffed crushed Kit Kat pieces inside grapes and slices of banana, feeding these to Gary to wean the fish off its unhealthy diet.

Giant gouramis are omnivorous in the wild, and eat a wide variety of plant and animal foods. Gary, estimated to be about 7–10 years old, did not appear to have suffered from its sugar-rich diet. According to Gary’s handler, Rebecca Carter: "I have never heard of a fish being fed chocolate, let alone being brought up entirely on the stuff.

"However, we would not recommend feeding fish confectionery of any kind."

Gary is not the only fish in the aquarium to have picked up unusual habits from its previous owner. Its neighbour, a catfish named Ed, will only eat if fed by hand and enjoys being stroked on the head while it eats. Ed has also taken to head-butting a pufferfish in the same tank that competes for food.

Behind the antics of these fish lies a more serious issue of aquarists being unable to adequately care for fish that have grown too big.

"Many people don't do the right research when they buy fish and end up unable to care for them," added Ms Carter. "Catfish are a good example and we have a number here that outgrew their homes.

"We're delighted we could find a home for Gary, but the fact is we simply do not have the space to accommodate the vast number of re-homing requests we receive."


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Source: Practical Fishkeeping

Chocolate you can Mold and Shape Into fun Designs

What if chocolate were like modelling clay that you could press, shape and mold into your own designs and then eat when finished? Now it actually is with the launch of Magic Choc Flexible Chocolate, the first chocolate product to feature a "secret recipe" that enables it to be molded and shaped. New in the UK, this candy is the innovation of the week from Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics.

Adding "play value" to candies is an obsession for many confectionery companies, but few have gone as far as the I Want Group with its Magic Choc Flexible Chocolate. Said to be made of 100% Belgian chocolate, the product comes in a mixture of white, dark and milk chocolate pieces that can be squished and shaped into almost any design imaginable. Among the possibilities are animal shapes like a cat, sheep, rabbit, crocodile, and dog as well as other fun designs like a rocket, ghost, witch hat or flower. The consumer has complete control to create whatever design they want, and then eat the end result.

Tom Vierhile, Innovation Insights Director for Datamonitor, says, "We have reported clay-type, sugar-based candies in the past that mimic moldable dough, but this product kicks the concept up a notch as it is actually chocolate-based. And because it can be molded 'as is' without having to melt the chocolate, it adds up to a tasty and creative new way to capitalize on the popularity of do-it-yourself crafts."


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Source: PR Newswire

Why You Should Feed Your Kids Chocolate for Breakfast

It’s not often that we discover a food we think of as decadent and indulgent, is actually good for us. This has probably happened less times than I’ve eaten all the spinach set in front me (clue: less than 5, more than 1). Two such examples that spring to mind are fruit – yes, really, and butter – again, yes really.

Until the 19th-Century, raw fruit was regarded with suspicion. It was special occasion food, not for everyday sustenance. Some childrearing manuals recommended children not be given any fruit until they were five-years-old. Other more liberal, less orthodox guides suggested only well-cooked fruit was passable. Today, the USDA recommends feeding 6-month-old babies mashed banana, and 8-month-old babies soft, fresh fruits such as pears and peaches.

As for butter, we only just weaned ourselves off the stuff, when avant-garde nutritionists and health experts started encouraging us to eat it again. The old guard warned us that with all its saturated fat it would lead to high cholesterol, narrowed arteries, and cardiovascular disease. The argument has gone full circle, and advocates today say butter actually contains nutrients that stave off heart disease - including vitamin A, a vital antioxidant, and lecithin, which helps the body metabolize cholesterol and fats.

Now, I’m going to add another bad-food-turned-good to the list: Chocolate spread, or more precisely, Nutella. Ok, I’m not suggesting that you consider Nutella a health food (as much as I would love to), but what I am saying is that it has been unfairly maligned. Fererro claims it comprises part of a healthy and balanced breakfast; hordes of nay-sayers disagree, and two Californian women are actually suing the makers of Nutella for misrepresenting the spread to them as salubrious, when in fact they were told it resembles candy. When considered in the context of other perfectly permissible breakfast fare such as children’s cereals, or jellies and jam on white Wonder bread, a robust slick of Nutella on a slice of wholewheat toast, trumps the lot.


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Source and Photo: Forbes

Recipe of the Week - Chocolate Zucchini cake

My friend Octavia gave me this recipe Chocolate Zucchini Cake. I have not tried it myself yet but as she raves about it and has a sweet tooth like me I am sure it tastes great!


INGREDIENTS

• 120g softened unsalted butter
• 125ml sunflower oil
• 100g caster sugar
• 200g soft brown sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 130ml milk
• 350g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 450g Zucchini, peeled and finely grated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


METHOD

1. Put the butter, sunflower oil and both sugars in a bowl and beat them together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and then the milk.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together and fold them into the mixture.

3.Stir in the zucchini and vanilla, then spoon the mixture into a 20 x 35cm baking tin lined with baking parchment.

4. Place in an oven preheated to 190°C/Gas Mark 5 and bake for 35–45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

5. Cut into squares whilst still warm.

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Source: Riverford Organic

Cadbury Chocolate's Solar Power Initiative

There's only one thing better than solar power and that's chocolate. Maybe. Combine the two though and it has to be the best thing in the entire universe. Ever.

Cadbury Cocoa Partnership is providing thousands of solar lanterns to cocoa farmers in Ghana and installing solar power systems on the rooftops of 22 Ghana schools.

10,000 solar lanterns, valued at approximately $600,000, are to be sent to cocoa growing communities in the Western, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Eastern regions says Ghana news site, GraphicGhana.

Cadbury will also supply solar panels to two medical clinics and three food-processing units would also be powered by solar energy courtesy of the company.

Managing Director of Cadbury Ghana, Mr James Boateng, said the $780,000 solar project was part of a larger effort on Cadbury's part to help address social, economic and environmental issues in cocoa growing communities, "so that livelihoods will improve, while we help secure sustainable cocoa supplies for Ghana and our company".

Other Cadbury sustainability projects include the The Cadbury Purple Goes Green initiative launched in July 2007. Its targets include a 50% reduction in the companies carbon emissions by 2020, a 10% reduction in general packaging and a more aggressive target of 25% for seasonal and gift ranges. Cadbury is also aiming for 60% biodegradable packaging.

Producing chocolate is thirsty work, so all 'water scarce' sites have water reduction programmes in place. Cadbury's Huntingwood facility in Australia received a Sydney Water Innovation Award for introducing waterless lubrication in its production, which has now been introduced across 12 lines in Australia and New Zealand, saving tens of millions of litres of water annually. Between 2006 and 2007, the company reduced consumption of water by 10%.

By the end of 2007, Cadbury says it had reduced its carbon emissions by 3% compared to 2006 and an estimated a 10% by 2010.


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Source: Energy Matters

Win your weight in chocolate at chocolate bobbing competition

The Hunter Valley Gardens will host their 4th annual Chocolate Festival (to be hosted at the Gardens on August 6 and7). An ‘eye popping’ official launch will take place at Charlestown Square, with an exciting chocolate bobbing competition offering participants the chance to win their weight in delicious Callebaut Chocolate.

The competition will see three lucky volunteers compete against each other to bob in pools filled with chocolate in search of the golden ticket burried inside. And they must only use their mouth to find the golden ticket! Contestants will be dressed up in brightly coloured chefs uniforms with oversized hats and colourful cravats.

The first contestant to find the golden ticket wins their weight in mouth watering Callebaut Chocolate! Runners up will receive passes to the Hunter Valley Gardens Chocolate Festival on August 6th and 7th.

There will also be show piece cakes on display from The Sweetest Things and a mouth watering chocolate inspired cooking demonstration from Drew Maddison, top pastry chef at Callebaut Chocolate.


Where:
Charlestown Square, Pearson Street, Charlestown. Level 1, near Myer.


When:
Thursday August 4th. Contestant registration will begin at 12.30pm with the competition commencing at at 12:30pm


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Source: eTravel Blackboard

Jaffas let loose for charity

They travelled 150m down one of the most visited streets in New Zealand, but Cadbury's Giant Jaffas are "yummy" and it was difficult to stop children from collecting them out of the gutters and eating them following the Cadbury Jaffa Race on Baldwin St yesterday.

The sight of 50,000 Jaffas bouncing down the world's steepest street is enough to excite any chocolate-loving kid into a sugar-induced frenzy.

Hundreds turned out with their parents to watch the annual highlight of the Cadbury Chocolate Carnival, and see if their Jaffa was one of the first 10 down the hill to win a share of $8000 worth of prizes.

In the first race, consisting 25,000 red Giant Jaffas, it took 31 seconds for the first five Jaffas to reach the bottom.

And in the second race, consisting 25,000 purple Giant Jaffas, it took 30 seconds.

The prizes were a $1000 petrol voucher and a $1000 grocery voucher for first place, a $1000 grocery voucher for second place and a $1000 petrol voucher for third place. Fourth and fifth places won mobile phones.

Cadbury's event co-ordinator Lee-Anne Anderson was delighted the race rolled out smoothly, and was pleased to announce nearly $50,000 was raised by ticket sales this year.

Half of the proceeds would go to Cure Kids and the other half to the Taieri Parents Centre, she said.

Since the race started in 2002, more than $410,000 has been raised for local charities including Canteen, Dunedin Kindergarten Association, the Malcam Charitable Trust and the Otago Community Hospice.

During the street party, Cadbury managing director Alastair de Raadt celebrated the launch of Joy - the song of a nation.

Cadbury's has spent the past nine months capturing the sounds of joy from events and people around New Zealand, and turned them into a song featuring singer Bobby McFerrin, which was played for the first time at the street party yesterday.

Mr De Raadt said Cadbury created the song because joy was an important part of life.

"It's amazing how sound and music can influence our joy and well being.

"By creating a song using actual sounds of New Zealanders' joy, we're hoping to spread a little more.

"This song is our gift to Kiwis."


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Source and Photo: Otago Daily Times

Can bee sanctuary, chocolate save Australian tourism?

A native bee sanctuary in NSW, an African display at the Australia Zoo and a "total chocolate experience'' in Tasmania are among tourism projects to be funded by the Government.

Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson says the government will spend $8.5 million on 117 projects in the latest round of a program to help lift the quality and variety of tourism experiences, particularly in regional areas.

Mr Ferguson said 46 cents in every tourism dollar was spent in regional Australia, but the lack of investment in the industry was more pronounced in those areas.

The grants are provided on the basis that tourism operators matched the government's funding.

Many of the projects that received grants featured use of new technology to enhance tourists' experiences.

Fishabout Australia is developing a smart phone application to give recreational fishers a handbook in five different languages.

The Fraser Coast Regional Council in Queensland will also use its grant to develop a smart phone app, to guide people around its discovery trails.

Other grant recipients emphasised heritage or environmental tourism experiences.


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Source: The Australian

Aussies like to keep it sweet with treats

HOW sweet it is to love chocolate. Aussies are lusting after the "sinful" treat more than they crave sex, a survey suggests.

The research finds one in four consumers has indulged in a chocolate-only breakfast, lunch or dinner, and one in three has drowned their sorrows by eating an entire block.

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers desire chocolate more than any other profession, the poll, commissioned by retailer Max Brenner, finds.

The unemployed and tradies are least interested.

Business commentators said chocolate and confectionery sales had been resilient in the face of other consumer spending reductions.

IBISWorld senior analyst Ed Butler said Australians spent about $4 billion a year on chocolate.

He said the sector had recorded modest growth in recent years compared with many other industries suffering from sharp sales declines.

"It's an extension of the lipstick index during the global financial crisis," Mr Butler said. "People cut down on clothes and handbags and shift to cheaper luxuries like cosmetics and chocolate."

IBISWorld predicted increased popularity of ethically produced "fair trade" lines and organic chocolate in future.

The PureProfile chocolate survey reveals 15 per cent crave the confectionery every day, compared with 8 per cent who admit a constant urge for sex.

Almost one in five say they devour chocolate four to five times a week, putting their passion well ahead of Vegemite or a cold beer.

Dark chocolate is more popular with men than women, the survey of 1000 consumers finds.

Most say they spend $10-$30 on chocolate for loved ones on special occasions. Emergency services workers lavish most money on their nearest and dearest, while retail staff shell out the least.


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Source: Herald Sun