Chocolate!!!!

A timely Webinar from ACS!

Sweet Science: Chocolate Chemistry for Valentine's Day

Thursday, February 12, 2015 @ 2-3pm ET

What separates good chocolate from the most exquisite chocolate? Celebrate Valentine’s Day and join Dr. Rich Hartel as he returns to share how tempering, crystallization, and chemistry can make all the difference when selecting your favorite chocolate treat.

Get a small taste of what Rich has to say by joining his “Ask Me Anything” on reddit, which will take place on February 11 @ 12:00pm ET.

What You Will Learn

• Where chocolate comes from and how it's made.
• Characteristics of cocoa butter that make it unique, including polymorphism of crystal structure.
• What is tempering of chocolate, why it's necessary and what happens if it's not done correctly.

 

Always a good time for chocolate

Another interesting and delicious webinar from the American Chemical Society:

From Cocoa Buds to Taste Buds – The Chocolate Process and Sensory Experience

Joy of Science Channel: Food Chemistry Series

Starting with Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs, chocolate began some 2,000 years ago. It’s been described as the gift of gods, as well as “sinfully dark.” It’s a gift of love and a source of contention. It is a cherished comfort food, appetite suppressor and health remedy. So what chemistry is behind this alluring treat? Join us with Dr. Greg Ziegler as he melds the process and the sensory experience of chocolate!

Download Presentation Slides (available within one week after the webinar)

“From Cocoa Buds to Taste Buds – The Chocolate Process and Sensory Experience” A short presentation followed by Q&A with speaker, Dr. Greg Ziegler, Penn State University.

What You Will Learn

• How chocolate is made.
• Natural and social history of chocolate consumption.
• Active chemical constituents of chocolate.
• Unique sensory attributes of chocolate.
• And much more…

Webinar Details

Date: Thursday, May 17, 2012

Time: 2:00-3:00 pm ET

Fee: Free

the easter bunny is coming..

Here is an article on why we all (mostly all) love chocolate:


Fat Tuesday: Why Chocolate Tastes So Good

April 3, 2012 | Rebecca Guenard

That last bite is the best - because it is the last!!

Saving the Last for Best: A Positivity Bias for End Experiences

Ed O’Brien and Phoebe C. Ellsworth

Psychological Science 23(2) 163–165 (2012)

DOI: 10.1177/0956797611427408

The researchers used 5 different flavoured chocolates to see if the test subjects found a difference in the taste of the last one.  The hypothesis was that knowing that something is ending makes it all that much more important to you.  The subjects were given the chocolates randomly and asked to rate the flavours.  When given the fifth one, the subjects were either told that it was the "next one" or the "last one".  When told it was the "last one" about 64% of the subjects rated the last one their favourite.