• This Month Marks Our 3rd Anniversary
• It's National Chocolate Month
• Choco-Quote of the Month
• In Love With Chocolate Series at PCC
• Choco-Word of the Month
• Portland Chocolate Lovers Meetup Potluck
• Morsel of NW Chocolate History
  

THIS MONTH MARKS OUR 3RD ANNIVERSARY

Time sure flies when you are having fun! A special thank you to all who attend our programs and help make our walks a reality. We couldn't do it without you and our wonderful participating Business Partners in Chocolate. We look forward to many more years of providing Portland's original Chocolate Walking & Tasting Tours. We've Got the Metro Covered…in Chocolate!

IT'S NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MONTH

Celebrate by joining us on a Downtown Portland Chocolate Walking & Tasting Tour on Saturday, October 23rd, from 1-4:30 pm. This walk, great for locals and visitors alike, explores the chocolate-filled nooks and crannies in the heart of the Rose City. You can secure your spot on our website until the Friday before the program. Please be sure to select the number of tickets and desired route. See you on the chocolate trail!

CHOCO-QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"What you see before you, my friend, is the result of a lifetime of chocolate." Katherine Hepburn.

IN LOVE WITH CHOCOLATE SERIES @ PCC

Have you seen the current Fall PCC Community Education non-credit class schedule? In the Home & Garden section you'll notice a wonderful selection of "foodie" classes being offered, including a new 3-week chocolate class presented by Chocolate Tasting & More! Each Tuesday evening session, beginning on October 19th and held at the Whole Foods in The Pearl, will cover a different facet of your favorite food group (10/19 Tree to Taste Buds, 10/26 From the New World & Back Again and 11/2 Exciting Times for Cacao). Take one class or take all three. Use this form or call 503-977-4234 to reserve your seat(s) today!

CHOCO-WORD OF THE MONTH

Cacao beans are roasted whole or after the beans are cracked into smaller pieces. Either way, the light papery-thin outer covering of the bean needs to be removed. This is accomplished by winnowing, the removal of the lighter cacao shells, or husks, usually by air and vibration. This leaves behind the heavier inner nibs or "meat" of the beans. When the outer shell remains intact on the nibs, this can leave an unfavorable flavor to the final product. It is interesting to note that government regulations permits up to 1.75% of shells in chocolate manufacturing.

PORTLAND CHOCOLATE LOVERS' MEETUP POTLUCK

If you live in the Portland, Oregon area, love meeting fellow food enthusiasts, and want to discover new and exciting chocolate in all forms, then please join us. We meet monthly for a chocolate outing and friendship. Our next event, on Saturday, October 9th, will be a Chocolate Everything Buffet (otherwise known as a BYOC) at Every Day Wines on Alberta Street. Bring your favorite savory or sweet chocolate creation. Find out more information and reseve your spot here.

MORSEL OF NW CHOCOLATE HISTORY

This Northwest ice cream and confection company got its start in an old elevator cage on the streets of a Washington state Victorian seaport. Do you know which one it is? To find out, check out our recent blog post.

Choco-Genome Project Almost Complete

Last month the Cacao Genome Database Project announced that they have decoded 92% of the genetic secrets of Theobroma cacao, source of the world's chocolate. Ahead of their 2013 target date, this collaborative study funded primarily by Mars, will hopefully be valuable information since almost one third of the almost 4 million tons of cacao produced each year is lost to insect consumption and fungal infections. What are the results so far? They predict that the cacao tree has about 35,000 genes, actually 5,000 more than is found in the human genome. A sobering thought, isn't it? We truly live in an exciting time in genetics research! Click this link for more details.

Truly Swiss Made Chocolate

For the last six years, something unique has been going on at the Zurich Zoo. Visitors walking through their 11,000 square meter living re-creation of Madagascar's Masoala National Park, have probably been oblivious to the cacao growing around them in the tall vegetation. Six years after planting cacao, the zoo has made chocolate from this special harvest for a good cause. This past weekend, at their annual Madagascar Days, 150 of these confections were old for 200 Swiss francs each to raise awareness of this special ecosystem and to help their local cacao farmers. Learn more about this ingenious cacao project here.

October is also Fair Trade Month. When you purchase fair trade chocolate, everyone wins. Why not consider purchasing some today?

Make it a great, chocolate-covered, month!