Interview with Richard Tango-Lowy Owner, and Master Chocolatier of Dancing Lion Chocolate with Victoria Cooksey

Today I am so pleased to bring you this interview with Richard Tango-Lowy, a physicist turned chocolatier, who is the owner, and master chocolatier of Dancing Lion Chocolate.  Richard also teaches the Mastering Chocolate Flavor course with Ecole Chocolat. (I learned so much from him when I recently took the course).  Oh, and did I mention he was just named one of the top 10 chocolatiers in America by Dessert Professional magazine.  Congrats Richard!!!

Victoria Cooksey:  How does your knowledge in physics influence your approach to working with chocolate?

Richard Tango-Lowy:  I didn't really understand tempering until I came across the phase diagram for chocolate and began to comprehend what was happening at a molecular level. The crystalline behavior of cocoa butter is *incredibly* complex, and tempering is rather mystical until you understand it.

VC:  What is the difference in crystal formation between chocolate tempered in a machine, and chocolate tempered by hand?  

RTL:  When I temper by hand, I can easily control the number and size of crystals I'm forming, which impacts how the chocolate will develop in your mouth. Given the physics "law of conservation of energy," your mouth must expend the same amount of energy to break down the crytalline matrix as I put in when I create it (by tempering).

VC:  Throughout the history of chocolate what fact do you find to be the most interesting?  

RTL:  I think it's most interesting that people figured out how to make chocolate at all. Wine's easier--grapes fermented and the result tasted good. Chocolate requires fermentation, drying, shelling, and grinding; a much more complex process.

VC:  In terms of handling, and serving chocolate what did the Mayas get right, what did they get wrong? 

RTL:  They got it *all* right, although it really began with the Olmecs. The Mayans, however, actively and seriously developed the strains of cacao traded up from Ecuador and Peru into we the spectacular varieties we now know as the "criollos." They were a sophisticated people. The Spanish considered the xocoatl they experienced to be bitter, but I wonder if that was more a matter of taste norms. I've tasted plenty of criollo cacao that wasn't bitter at all.

Richard Tango-Lowy, Dancing Lion Chocolate

VC:  What are the top 3 things you look for when picking out a source for the chocolate you’d like to work with?

RTL:  Flavor, flavor, and flavor. Which includes mouthfeel, nuance, and how the chocolate develops in my mouth.

VC:  When designing a new chocolate creation how do you start the process of which flavors to include in the bar, or bonbon? 

RTL:  I consider myself an artist rather than an artisan. Every piece begins with some sort of inspiration, be it from a special chocolate, a particularly beautiful ingredient, or a mood. Once I have the starting point, the piece tends to tell me what it wants, and I add layers and character to make it happen. The sculpture's already in the stone, the artist's job is to uncover it.

VC:  Is there a country of origin, or a type of cacao bean that you would consider to be the most approachable to someone just getting into buying, and tasting fine chocolate?  Why is that?

RTL:  I find folks to be open to almost any excellent chocolate. That said, some beans are easier to work with than others, and more likely to result in approachable chocolate. Ghana and Dominican Republic chocolates, for instance. Madagascar beans usually make for nice chocolate as well. More important, I suggest new folks keep their chocolate in the 60%-70% range. It takes more skill to make a great high-percentage chocolate; the 60%-70% range is easier.

VC:  What tasting exercises would you recommend for consumers to practice in order to improve their tasting palate?  

RTL:  Close your eyes and pay attention to what's happening in your mouth. Don't worry about specific flavors or what others are saying or writing about the chocolate. How does it affect *you?*

VC:   Is it possible to pair chocolate with sparking wine?  If so, do you have any pairing recommendations with certain types of sparkling wine, and chocolate varieties?  What is your favorite chocolate pairing with a beverage, or food? 

RTL:  I'm most fond of pairing chocolate with European-style soft red wines. Sangiovese, temperanillo, etc. It's best to avoid wines that are particularly dry or tannic, as they tend to clash with the chocolate. Sparkling wines pair easily, provided you follow the same rules (not too dry). I find Cava and Prosecco particularly nice with chocolate. Personally, my favorite nosh is dark chocolate with crisp apple, freshly-baked bread, and dolce Gorgonzola.

VC:  Once a consumer gets a fine chocolate bar home what is the best way for them to store it if they don’t eat it right away? 

RTL:  The best way to store chocolate is tightly-wrapped in a cool, dry place. Not the refrigerator!

VC:  What is the strangest flavor you’ve ever tasted in chocolate?  

RTL:  In our recent Ecole Chocolate Recipe Development Master Class, one of our students paired miso paste with Guatemalan milk chocolate--it was fantastic! A few years ago I crafted a Shrimp & Ginger Cream White Chocolate Bonbon collaboratively with a local chef. It was crazy-good.

VC:  Other then your own, what chocolate do you like to eat?

RTL:  Anything made by Alan McClure of Patric Chocolate.

Thank you Richard Tango-Lowy for this interview!

Dancing Lion Chocolate:  http://dancinglion.us/cacao/

Dancing Lion Chocolate on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/dancinglionchocolate/?hl=en

Dancing Lion on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DancingLionChocolate/?fref=ts

Ecole Chocolat: http://www.ecolechocolat.com/

Dessert Professional Magazine:  http://dessertprofessional.com/

Victoria Cooksey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en

Check out my chocolate review videos, and cooking videos at:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

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French Broad Chocolates Nicaragua 68% Dark Chocolate Bar Review

When I was picking out this French Broad Chocolate bar I thought I pointed to the 44%, but ended up with this 68% one in my bag.  Didn't realize it until I was home which was a few hours away.  I really wanted to try the milk chocolate one!  Oh, Well!

Color:  Dark brown, nice shine.

Nose:  Rich, milk/dark bar smell, raisin, spice, touch of ginger.  This bar had one of the more complex noses that I've had in awhile. 

Texture:  Melts quickly in the mouth, silky, light-bodied.

Taste:  Here is where it gets a bit tricky, because I loved the nose, but I didn't overly like the taste on this one.  I got some semi-sweet chocolate chip, chocolate pudding, chicory notes, however, I also got some notes that didn't do it for me (I won't list those here because I try not to list negative stuff in my reviews).  When I don't love a bar then I have my husband, and two of my friends, also try the same bar to see what they think to aim for a more fair review.  All three of them liked this bar stating "I like the sweetness level", "It's good, not my favorite chocolate, but good", "I really like this one.  It makes me think of how hot chocolate tastes", "It's a good one, not super memorable, but I liked it when I was eating it", and "It tastes like vanilla, coffee, so mocha like.  I like it".  "It really has these distinct floral notes, a nectar like sweetness.  It's addicting".   Hope their added input helps. 

Finish:  Medium finish, with a bit of sweetness.

The box this bar comes in is made from recycled material, and the inside wrapper is listed as "compostable".

I do hope to try some of their milk chocolate one of these days.  I've heard good things about it.

French Broad Chocolates:  https://frenchbroadchocolates.com/

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Soma Chocolatemaker Milk Old School Chocolate Bar Review (Venezuela, Chuao/Criollo)

Normally, I'm not overly into minimally processed chocolate bars because often I can't get past the gritty texture, but this Soma Chocolatemaker Milk Old School bar is an exception!  It's made of Chuao (Criollo) from Venezuela, milk, and whole, organic cane sugar crystals, and the texture is very pleasant!  

Color:  Medium brown.  This bar totally looks like a cookie!

Nose:  Butter, chocolate shortbread cookie, and a touch of cinnamon. 

Texture:  The texture is like a crunchy cookie with sugar sprinkles, and then it dissolves away, very light texture, ZERO grit.  Love it!!!

Taste:  A bit of sweetness, buttery, cocoa powder, toasted bread crumbs, and finishes with a bit of mild, raw almond notes.

Finish:  Medium finish with some cocoa powder taste lingering, and then a bit of a crunchy, almond like texture.

I normally get 3 - 4 tastings out of a bar, but this one was so pleasurable to eat that I finished it in 2. (I could have finished it in 1, but I was trying to have a touch of self-control).

Finally, a maker that got this style of a bar right!  Way to go Soma!  If I'd have known how good this was I would have bought 2 of them!  I also like that it's not a bar advertised for health benefits. Instead, it's simply a minimally processed bar made well that tastes great. 

Want to try it for yourself? 

Soma Chocolatemaker:   http://www.somachocolate.com/

The Chocolate Project:  http://www.chocolateproject.ca/  

Be sure to follow me too!

Victoria Cooksey on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en

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Chocolat Madagascar 34% Cocoa White Chocolate Bar Review

Here's another bar I picked up last weekend at The Chocolate Project in Victoria, Canada.  People seem to have strong opinions in regards to white chocolate.  They love it, or hate it, without much in between.  To truly appreciate white chocolate it needs to be made of high quality ingredients. Depending on the type of cocoa bean used, beans may contain up to 55% cocoa butter.  What makes Chocolat Madagascar white chocolate special is that they press the cocoa butter out of the cocoa beans themselves in order to control the quality, and flavor of the cocoa butter used in this bar. Another factor in good flavor is that Chocolat Madagascar makes their bars close to the plantations in which the beans are grown, so again, good control of quality at every step of the way from fermentation of the beans to the final product. 

Color:  Creamy white (buttermilk color).

Nose:  This bar actually smells a bit like milk chocolate due to the fact the cocoa butter hasn't been deodorized, so it's able to show off some true chocolate scents.

Texture:  Smooth, very full-bodied mouth feel (think thick cream), and then this lovely added texture from the several real vanilla bean seeds in this bar.

Vanilla bean seeds present in this Chocolat Madagascar 34% white chocolate bar.

Taste:  Vanilla, marshmallow (as in a high-quality ingredient marshmallows), cream, not to sweet.

Finish:  Long vanilla, creamy finish.  

If it's been awhile since you've tried some white chocolate, or you have never had a high quality version, I highly recommend seeking this bar out.  

What's your opinion on white chocolate?  

I only have 4 squares left of this bar!!

Victoria Cooksey

Chocolat Madagascar:  http://www.chocolatmadagascar.com/

The Chocolate Project: http://www.chocolateproject.ca/

Victoria Cooksey on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en

Victoria Cooksey on YouTube:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

Check out my other blog:  http://victoriacookseysrandomdish.blogspot.com/

Mast Brothers Olive Oil 70% Dark Chocolate Bar Review

This Victoria buzzed over to Victoria, Canada yesterday for a bit of chocolate fun!  I checked out The Chocolate Project located in the Victoria Public Market.  Loved it!  I bought several bars including this Mast Brothers Olive Oil 70% dark chocolate bar.  I just had to open, and taste this bar on the ferry ride home.

Color: Medium Brown.

Nose:  Subtle, a touch vegetal, citrus.

Texture:  Nice snap, smooth, chew a few times before it melts.

Taste:  Raisin, some acidity, butter, and a touch of olive oil at the end (not a peppery one), well balanced flavors.

Finish:  Medium finish, vegetal, light notes of olive oil, and olive oil mouth feel.  

Overall, I enjoyed this bar, it's well balanced, and the olive oil coating/mouth feel in the finish is interesting.  Have you ever tried a bar with olive oil in it?  

Morning sunrise view on the ferry ride over to Victoria, Canada.

It's around a hour drive from Port Townsend, WA to Port Angeles, WA to catch the 90 minute ferry to Victoria, Canada.  

View of the ferry in Victoria, Canada.

The Chocolate Project:  http://www.chocolateproject.ca/

Mast Brothers chocolate:  https://www.facebook.com/mastbrothers/

Info. on ferry to Victoria, Canada:  https://www.cohoferry.com/Schedule

Victoria Cooksey:

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My YouTube cooking videos, and chocolate bar review videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

Soma Chocolatemaker Black Science Camino Verde 70% Nacional from Ecuador Chocolate Bar

Sometimes a gal just has to finish off a chocolate bar for lunch, and that's exactly what I did today.  I had one piece left of this Black Science Camino Verde 70% Nacional from Ecuador bar, and I followed it up with a latte chaser.  Now that's my kind of a lunch!

Special attention is paid to the fermentation process of this Nacional bean.

Color:  Medium/Dark.

Nose:  Slightly herbaceous, a little floral, hot chocolate marshmallow smell.

Texture:  Smooth.
Taste:  A tiny bit tannic, zero fruit, hint of balsamic vinegar, dark roast coffee. (Note: The first time I tasted this I got lots of bark notes, but now I really get the coffee coming through instead.  I think it's really important to try pieces of a bar on 3 different occasions to really get the whole picture).
Finish:  Medium length of finish with a touch of sweetness.

Since this bar has some coffee tasting notes it really works well with a latte, cup of medium/dark roast coffee, or a shot of espresso.   Enjoy!

Victoria Cooksey

Check out all my chocolate reviews, and cooking videos at:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ
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Endorfin Foods Chocolate 56% Dark Coconut Mylk Chocolate Review

Today's review is of a bar made with unroasted cacao beans by Endorfin Foods, and yep, it is spelled Mylk.  

The premise behind bars made with unroasted beans is that certain healthy nutrients (a polyphenol,  flavonoid, flavonol, antioxidant mojo which leads to the dark side)  in chocolate won't be destroyed by the heat of the roasting process thus creating a healthier bar to consume.  Which is all good, except gluttons like me are just in it for the chocolate, so health benefits are simply a bonus.  

Color:  Medium brown with a touch of red.

Nose:  Coconut, and light honey.

Texture:  Smooth, medium-bodied.

Taste:  Tartness, vanilla, light honey, made me think of how chocolate tastes when partially melted in a s'more, and honestly, good quality prune flavor notes, and there was another flavor that I haven't been able to place yet.

Finish:  Medium-long. 

What are your thoughts on bars made with unroasted beans?  I think they can certainly be tasty, but I don't get quite the depth of flavor notes as I do with bars made from roasted beans.  However, research is research, so darn, I have to keep trying more chocolates! 

Victoria Cooksey:  

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Interview with The Blenderist, Chocolate Codex, Jasmine Lukuku

Interview with The Blenderist, Chocolate Codex, Jasmine Lukuku

By Victoria Cooksey

I first talked with Jasmine Lukuku during a live chat on tasting chocolate while earning my Mastering Chocolate Flavor Certificate from Ecole Chocolat.  Jasmine is so delightful, up beat, and informative! Not only a graduate from Ecole Chocolat as well, Jasmine is also a co-founder of the Chocolate Codex, http://chocolatecodex.com/, a great source for tasting notes on several fine chocolate bars. She also has The Blenderist website, http://theblenderist.com/, full of her own recipe creations, many of which contain chocolate.  On top of that she also has a design business too! http://pleaserxvp.com/ Whew, she is one creative lady!!!

I want to give her a big thank you for answering my questions on her memories of chocolate, chocolate tasting tips, her upcoming projects, what exactly is aquafaba, and much more for this blog interview post.  Awesome! Enjoy!

Victoria Cooksey:  What is your first memory involving chocolate?

Jasmine Lukuku:  When I was a kid, I was more interested in candy. I loved Liquorice Allsorts and still do. My first real memories of chocolate are from my pre-teen years. My mom would make chocolate pudding from scratch and I would love to eat it warm. 

VC:  How has your certificate in chocolate making from Ecole Chocolat changed your views on using chocolate in your own recipes,  and when you try chocolate creations made my others?  

JL:  My education with Ecole Chocolat expanded my appreciation for flavor pairing. Now, I consider the flavor profile of the chocolate before using it in a recipe. In the past, I would have only looked at the percentage. Now I understand how varied chocolate can be and that is important to acknowledge when you are trying to make a harmonious creation. I also look for the same harmony when I try stuff made my other people. 

VC:  What was your inspiration to start the Chocolate Codex, and how do you choose chocolate bars to review for it? 

JL:  When my boyfriend's parents would go travelling, they would always bring us back special chocolate bars. This got us hooked His father is an incredible chocolatier, so hunting down great chocolate is a priority for him when he travels.

We decided to start Chocolate Codex as a way to catalog and quantify our personal experience with the bars we were tasting. We are design nerds, so we created our own system and graphics to help us organize our tasting notes. 

We don't have a strict criteria for the bars we review; we try to stick with "craft chocolate" but that term is thrown around all loosey-goosey. We research brands and try to find out who is putting in work and care. 

Jasmine Lukuku, The Blenderist 

VC:  What is your personal approach to tasting chocolate, and what has helped you to improve on picking out flavor notes? 

JL:  I approach chocolate tasting in stages. I will do a casual, quick tasting at first to get my instinctual impressions and make a note of them. Later, I go back and do a more focused tasting to complete my tasting notes and write out my thoughts. 

I like to try new fruits, vegetables and spices as a way to build my flavor vocabulary. The more you try, the more you can draw upon when you are tasting chocolate. 

VC:  Any tips on making tasting chocolate less intimidating for consumers who are just discovering the world of fine chocolate? 

JL:  Grab some close friends and just make a social event out of chocolate tasting. Don't be afraid to say the "wrong" thing. If someone tries to make you feel bad about your chocolate tasting skills, they are a bad person. Ignore them. 

VC:  What is the strangest flavor note you ever tasted in a chocolate bar?  What was the worst?

JL:  The strangest flavor note I've ever tasted was dill weed. I am not a fan of dill, so it was a bit of a turn off for me. The worst is not really a flavor note but a flaw, moldy beans. I've had a couple of bars where you can tell that mouldy beans got into the mix. They are inedible. I've kept the bars so I can use them as an example to show people how bad it can be. 

VC:  What are your thoughts on similarities, and differences when it comes to chocolate tasting versus wine tasting? 

JL:  Wine tasting is way ahead as far as public awareness goes. I think that the general population understands the diversity of wine, but not the diversity of chocolate. So, when you say you are doing a chocolate tasting they imagine a bunch of filled bonbons instead of a handful of austere squares of chocolate. It's usually a shock that those little squares can pack so many flavors. So, I would say the similarity is the element of surprise. I've had wines and chocolates (not at the same time) that have made my brain melt because they've been so crazy tasting. 

VC:  Is there anything about the way chocolate bars are advertised, packaged, discussed, or inclusions added to the bars that you find annoying? 

JL:  I'm not a huge fan of chocolate companies that use the superfood/health angle as their main marketing message. I am sure it sells, but it doesn't appeal to me.  As far as inclusions go, I'm pretty open minded...but I don't care much for orange flavored chocolate.

VC:  Chocolate is a part of many of your recipes on The Blenderist site.  Any tips for handling chocolate when baking, or how to pick out the right chocolate for best results in a recipe? 

JL:  I buy my chocolate from a local gourmet supply shop, not the grocery store. It's a bit more expensive, but they have a better selection. I definitely consider the overall composition of the dessert when I'm picking chocolate. I'm usually looking for a pleasing contrast. If I'm not familiar with the flavor profile of a chocolate brand, I'll visit their website and see if they have any flavor notes. That being said, I try to create recipes that are versatile enough to allow for a variety of chocolate choices. 

VC:  While you certainly stay busy with all your creative endeavors are there any new projects that you are working on that you can give us all a hint about?  

JL:  Yes! I'm currently working on a vegan dessert eCookbook. I am not vegan, but I have been experimenting with aquafaba and it is pretty incredible stuff. Aquafaba is the water you drain from a can of chickpeas or other beans. It whips up just like egg whites so you can make meringues! That inspired me to take on the challenge of making a cookbook full of vegan desserts that an omnivore with a serious sweet tooth would love. 

 

VC:  For the grand finale what is your favorite chocolate to eat right now?

JL:  My chocolate stash is totally depleted! I need to go on a trip to restock. Luckily we have some great brands in Canada . I really love Sirene, a maker from my hometown of Victoria and Soma Chocolatemaker from Toronto. Team Canada!

Find out more about Jasmine Lukuku:

Chocolate Codex:  http://chocolatecodex.com/

The Blenderist:  http://theblenderist.com/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/theblenderist/?hl=en

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheBlenderist

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/theblenderist/

Don't forget about yours truly, Victoria Cooksey:

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/victoria.cooksey/?hl=en

My YouTube recipe, and chocolate review videos:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm-lp-lF_wB2oX_592jK9UQ

My other blog:  http://victoriacookseysrandomdish.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/victoriacookseysrandomdish/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VictoriaCRandom