SONIC SEASONING
When tasting chocolate, the general rule is that we need to use all our five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. But did you know that the way you experience chocolate could be influenced by something unexpected?
THE POWER OF EYE-CATCHING CHOCOLATE PACKAGING
Silva's Ultimate Chocolate Bar Wrapping Guide - Why, and especially How to Presuade with Powerful Packaging.
THE ART OF CACAO SOURCING
Silva's Ultimate Sourcing Guide: Where, How and especially Why we Source some of the World's Best Cacao...
UNRAVELING ROASTING-INDUCED CACAO FLAVOURS
Cacao beans are an extremely complex raw material. Its intrinsic nature has such a unique chemical makeup that it can open up endless possibilities for exquisite flavours in chocolate.
Nicaraguan cacao already turned many chocolate makers into award winners.
What makes certain Nicaraguan cacao so special?
What is High Altitude Cacao, and Why it is Awesome…
Part II of our Ecuadorian Adventure in which we will unwrap a sweet, savory surprise...
Unveiling the earliest domestication of cacao ECUADOR
Our love affair with chocolate is much older than we thought; recently discovered traces of cacao on ancient pottery suggest it started in the rainforests of what is now Ecuador some 5 500 years ago.
Theobroma grandiflorum, the less-known cousin of Theobroma Cocoa
Chocolate, something that we all know and that has become a household staple for many. People tend to describe it as Food of the Gods, the ultimate sweet sin or a real mood booster! In the craft chocolate sector we already know that the cocoa horizon is much broader than most of the general public thinks. But what if we told you about cocoa's exotic, lesser-known cousin, cupuaçu! Have you heard about this mysterious species before? Let us introduce you to the wonderful world of Theobroma Grandiflorum. A popular delicacy for many Brazilians , but still unknown to most people in the world! In this newsletter we would like to tell you more about this amazing fruit!
The Notion of Centralized versus Decentralized Fermentation
As Albert Einstein once said, “Assumptions are made and most assumptions are wrong.” In the world of cocoa, there is the long-standing assumption that decentralized fermentation can never produce high-quality cocoa. In this newsletter, we want to challenge this assumption and show that there is no unambiguous relationship between central fermentation - good cocoa and decentralized fermentation - bad cocoa.
The Magic of Post-Harvesting on Flavour Development
Since the start of Silva, Zoi from ZOTO has been a highly valued partner, and we work together in various projects from the Philippines to Nicaragua and Guatamala, and Congo and Uganda. Zoi assists us to discover the most unique cocoas in the world and unleash their full potential. Through her specialization in post-harvesting, she wants to showcase the diversity and potential that cocoa has. So, we thought it was about time to put the spotlight on Zoi and introduce you to the person who helped develop several of our cocoas.