Happy Chocolate Day

Today is National Chocolate Day

Posted on 28 October 2009 by MajaSaja

National Chocolate Day is October 28 and a perfect day to celebrate the many health benefits of chocolate. While chocolate is primarily eaten for pleasure, there are potential health benefits of eating chocolate.

Cocoa or dark chocolate benefits the circulatory system. Other beneficial effects suggested include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoeal effects. An aphrodisiac effect is yet unproven. Of course, there are negative effects to a person’s health if they eat chocolate, mainly obesity caused by overindulgence. It can also be toxic to animals due to many animals.

However, for the sake of National Chocolate Day, here is some basic information about some of the health benefits of chocolate.

Circulatory benefits
Studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. This is mainly caused by a particular substance present in cocoa called epicatechin. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages.

Muscle recovery
A study from James Madison University showed that post-exercise consumption of lowfat chocolate milk provides equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories.

Circulatory benefits
Recent studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. This is mainly caused by a particular substance present in cocoa called epicatechin. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages

A study performed at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and appearing the Journal of Internal Medicine in September 2009, found that survivors of heart attacks who ate chocolate at least two or three times a week reduced their risk of death by a factor of up to three times compared to survivors who did not eat chocolate.

Aphrodisiac
There are many tales that identify chocolate as an aphrodisiac. The reputed aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate are most often associated with the simple sensual pleasure of its consumption.

Candy company Mars, Inc. spends money each year on cocoa flavonol research. The company is talking with pharmaceutical companies to license drugs based on synthesized cocoa flavonol molecules. According to Mars-funded researchers at Harvard, the University of California, and European universities, cocoa-based prescription drugs could potentially help treat diabetes, dementia and other diseases.

Celebrate National Chocolate day and enjoy the health benefits…or just the fact that it is delicious!

November / December Customer Special

Party in Fontana, CA (Oct. 7th)

This party hosted by Holly was THE funnest party I have ever done. It was TOP notch! As soon as I walked through the door I was utterly amazed with how Holly (a Wedding Coordinator / Planner) took the time to prepare for her Chocolate Party. In all of my Direct Selling Days I was just floored! As you view the photos below you will see exactly what I mean.

I received a call from Holly letting me know that she did not want to have the "normal" presentation setting party. She and her friends have been to every Home Party possible and she knew what her friends would want......"Chocolate Tasting Stations"! Brilliant Idea! I loved the idea and went with it. There had to of been around (30) ladies in all who attended, and each one of them enjoying the chocolate stations as predicted. I personally thought the idea was a hit.

Take a look at the photos for yourself....

Thank you again Holly for all that you did. Most of all thank you again for allowing me to come into your home and entertain your friends and family with chocolate. I had an absolute blast!!! I hope to do it again in the future....

Ghost Pops Recipe

Here is the product that was used and can be purchased from me in order to make this recipe:


Call today to place your orders for product.

Chocolate Word Search - Game

Here's a little something to do this weekend if you find yourself with nothing to do. I thought it would be fun to find something for you to play over the weekend or in your spare time.

October Customer Special

Awwwwww, how cute these are......

Learn how to make these VERY CUTE Turkey Truffles by watching the video provided below. These will definitely be the talk of the party and everyone will think you are just like Martha Stewart.

Turkey Truffle Video

Don't forget that you can buy this bundle and get everything you need in order to make these cute little guys. All you have to do is call today to place your order.

Have fun, and have a great weekend.

Launching of the "Chocolate Drizzle"

Today is the launching of my E-Newsletter called "The Chocolate Drizzle". I am so so so excited for this. It has so much information in the newsletter, such at MORE FREE recipes that you can not find here on this blog, and it helps to keep you informed on all the Host and Guest specials in the event that I run out of time posting here, or if I simply forget to make the post.

So this is what I would like to do. For those of you who received the E-newsletter I would like to have a drawing. You should have received the newsletter if I have your email address, if not, let me know and I can add you to the newsletter list. This is what you need to do in order to have your name entered into the drawing.......

Your name will be entered into the drawing for each of the following:

1) Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you liked most about The Chocolate Drizzle E-Newsletter

2) Leave a separate comment on this post letting me know what article or feature you like most about this Blog (ChocolatierToTheRescue)

2) Become a Follower / Fan of this Blog (ChocoaltierToTheRescue)

3) Place an order with me and get (5) entries

4) Book a Chocolate Tasting Party with me and get (10) entries

5) Become a Chocolatier like myself and get (20) entries

Sounds easy......Right?

I'll pull the winner using random.org on Wednesday, September 30th. The winner will then have 48 hours to contact me/claim their prize before a new winner is drawn. Please leave a way for me to contact you in case you win!! U.S. Residents ONLY please!!

Want to know what you will win? Let's see, let's see......hmmmmm........ok, got it.......The winner will win a Mousse Packet with (2) Chef Series Dark or Milk Chocolate bars. YUM-O!

Good luck!

A word from Betty Palm President of Dove Chocolate Discoveries

Party 11 - Thank you Jenilee

How can I say anything until I give you a look see at the following pictures.......






These pictures were taken by the Host Jenilee from Turtle Dove Photography. I had a great time as always entertaining her friends and family with chocolate. I love how I can present something that is different from all other home parties that are out there. I love how the product that I present brings smiles to peoples faces. I love my job.

Here a few of the comments people said at the show:

Jenny - "Yummy Chocolate! Tracey is a very fast talker" (oops, Eek! sorry! I tend to do that when the party gets started late. I try to hurry up the pace so people don't get too tired from their long week / day.)

Laurie - "Nice job - Great idea - More sugar free products" (I agree Laurie, they do need more sugar free products. Hopefully they will bring more on board in the future.)

Thank you ladies and gentlemen. I had a wonderful night meeting you all. Very friendly and welcoming to the new lady in the house. I look forward to seeing a few of you again in the very new future......or better yet, having you join my team. I think you both (you know who you are) would do great at telling people about chocolate. {{wink, wink}}

What are your thoughts?

I would love to read some feedback. What would you, as a blog follower / reader, love to read about? Do you like the chocolate party updates, news, recipes, etc.? Do you have anything that you have read that has caught your attention specifically? Do you have ideas that you can give me to improve this blog site? What would you like to see more of? I am going to do my best to keep you entertained with not only blogs about chocolate, but with the blog itself. I would like it to be a fun place to visit. What are your thoughts as a blog reader? What would it take to have you become a follower, or to keep you coming back for more? I would love to hear feedback and your thoughts. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Use your passion

A successful home-business mom shares her secrets.

By Kathie Scrimgeour

The 53-year-old with a home-based business lives in Denver with husband Mark, 52, daughter Kyra, 16, and son Cody, 11.

I like to talk about my working life online because I've done it all: I've worked in a mousetrap factory, designed jewelry and been a jet mechanic in the Air Force.

Now I have my own work-from-home business, leading a sales team for Dove Chocolate Discoveries. I'm selling something I have a longtime passion for -- chocolate!

The Web is a great tool, especially when it comes to expanding my customer base. You also can get candid advice online on career-focused forums.

In turn, I try to help fellow moms on these forums take advantage of the positive aspects of a bad economy by finding great bargains or getting their home loans refinanced at a lower interest rate. Good times or bad, nothing lasts forever, so you take advantage of "down" cycles so you'll be in a position to enjoy the better days ahead.

_____________________________________________

Here is the direct LINK to this story.

Touching on the question Ruth asked at a party...(Part 1)

On August 14th I did a Chocolate Tasting Party and I had a guest ask me the follow questions:

"Are your chocolates fair trade certified?"

and

"Can you guarantee that the cocoa plantation workers are paid a living wage?"

I told her that I would find out the details and post them as I come across the answers. Here is an article I found that touches on the topic asked. I think this is a very interesting article. I know it is long, but worth learning a little bit about the Mars Corporation and how they work with the cocoa bean growers. I will continue to find and post more information when I come across the information.

Corporate News

News Releases

____________________________________________

Mars Commits $4.5 Million to Development Partnerships in Africa; Three year program builds on legacy of past commitments
4.16.2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: Parag Chokski
April 16, 2007
Washington, D.C.
202/320-7075


Mars Commits $4.5 Million to Development Partnerships in Africa; Three year program builds on legacy of past commitments

McLEAN, Virginia – Mars, Incorporated today announced partnerships with leading international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and development agencies for a multi-year program to provide economic, educational and environmental assistance to communities and individuals in West Africa.

Mars, which will commit $4.5 million to the programs over the next three years, will double its existing annual contribution to the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) and will partner with Africare, the International Foundation for Education & Self-Help (IFESH), the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ) and the Rainforest Alliance on projects to increase economic assistance for local cocoa farmers, improve local infrastructure and education, and enhance agricultural sustainability.

Mars will meet with these project partners during the next three months to identify the areas of greatest need, develop specific projects to address those needs, and implement ways of working that ensure synergies between the partners and local governments are maximized.

“We are excited by this opportunity to work with partners that share our deep commitment to sustainable development in Africa,” said Brice Russell, Chief Procurement Officer of Mars. “Mars is committed to long-term solutions to enhance the lives of the people and communities where cocoa is farmed , and we expect these partnerships to positively benefit thousands of African farmers and their families.”

Mars will work with Africare, a leading NGO that specializes in aid to Africa. With broad experience throughout Africa, Africare is the oldest and largest African-American organization in the field. In the short term Africare will investigate how its resources can best be used in the cocoa communities of West Africa.

“This partnership is symbolic of the commitment that both Africare and Mars have made to the continent of Africa,” noted Africare President Julius E. Coles. “It’s an important step toward establishing strong, self-sustainable economies that will support and provide services like education and employment opportunities, especially for underserved populations,” noted Coles.

Mars will work with IFESH to improve educational opportunities for farmers and children in the region. Under the vision and leadership of the late Reverend Leon H. Sullivan, IFESH was established to reduce hunger and poverty, empower the local community by raising the standard of literacy, and to foster cultural, social, and economic relations between Americans and Africans, particularly those Americans who are of African descent.

Through the establishment of multipurpose training centers focusing on literacy development, health and agricultural training, the partners will seek to improve the quality of life of cocoa growing families in West Africa. IFESH will also work synergistically with other Mars partners, to bring technical assistance and training to the centers, particularly in agricultural training and sustainable farming techniques.

Mars, GTZ – a German government enterprise – and the Rainforest Alliance, an international conservation NGO, will focus on development of best farming processes including crop diversification and preservation of biodiversity, providing support for improved farming skills in West Africa.

“GTZ looks forward to the development of a public private partnership with Mars to promote sustainable cocoa production in West Africa”, said Carsten Schmitz-Hoffman from GTZ.

“The Rainforest Alliance believes that a partnership with Mars, GTZ and the cocoa farmers of West Africa will yield real gains in addressing the persistent social and environmental challenges in the cocoa farms,” said Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance.

The ICI is a foundation comprising cocoa industry and civil society partners. ICI’s comprehensive strategy includes innovative community-based solutions bringing positive sustainable change to families and ensuring children are in school.

“With proven models in place and motivated partners on the ground, additional funds from Mars will enable ICI to increase its program and ensure many more children will be in school and not at risk of hazardous work on cocoa farms” said Peter McAllister Executive Director of ICI. Mars is pleased that this additional funding will allow ICI to expand these proven successful programs in West Africa.

These initiatives from Mars Incorporated build upon a long history of commitment to
sustainable cocoa farming across the world. The Mars Center for Cocoa Science was launched in 1982 in Bahia, Brazil and continues its work today to reduce the impact of pests and diseases on the cocoa tree and to disseminate information on best practices for sustainable cocoa production worldwide.

In 1998, Mars and the Smithsonian co-sponsored a historic international conference in Panama to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss cocoa sustainability. The conference led to the creation of numerous partnership programs that address the long-term sustainability of the global cocoa crop.

Mars will continue to support the range of public private partnerships in which it is engaged including the Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP), which educates farmers through Farmer Field Schools and helps introduce best practices for cocoa production in Africa and its program with Winrock International, which enhances educational opportunities for West African children. To date, more than 1,350 children have received help through the program.

###

Mars, Incorporated, is a privately-held family owned company that produces some of the world’s leading confectionery, food, petcare, beverage, and health & nutrition products, and operates in more than 65 countries. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Mars, Incorporated employs more than 9,000 associates in the United States and 40,000 associates worldwide with 52 sites nationally and more than 100 manufacturing globally. The company’s global sales exceed $21 billion annually.

Here is the Link to be directed to the Mars Newsroom article itself.

Touching on the question Ruth asked at a party...(Part 2)

Here is some additional information I found on Mars.com:

10.What does Mars do to counter abusive child labor in cocoa farming?

At Mars, we take very seriously our responsibility to the cocoa farming families and we have a genuine commitment to the communities that are touched by our business.

Driven by this commitment, Mars has taken a leadership role in our industry's efforts to ensure a sustainable future for the family farms, for the children who live on those farms, for the communities that rely on those farms and for the ecosystems in which those farms play an important role. Our efforts seek to raise overall farmer incomes and encourage all aspects of sustainable cocoa cultivation.

To attain these goals and in particular to fight child labor, we signed an unprecedented industry protocol determining our commitment and combining our efforts with those of several organizations such as the International Labor Organization (ILO). The Protocol outlines a series of steps to ensure that cocoa is grown responsibly, free from abusive child labor.

Mars has also taken the initiative of funding a program to enhance educational opportunities for West African children.

These and further steps to address cocoa growing conditions in West Africa are just the beginning of a long-term commitment Mars began in 1998 to improve the well-being of millions of small farmers who grow cocoa.

Click on the links to learn more about our Five Principles, Policies and our approach to responsible cocoa farming.

Here is the direct LINK if you want to read the rest of the article.

Easy Smores' Bars

Here are the product items used in this recipe:

I love this shirt....

While at last nights concert I was standing there watching the Atomic Punks when I looked over and saw a girl wearing this shirt. Of course I had to take a picture of it. Now I want a shirt like that. Even at a small concert venue I still come across Chocoholics.

For those of you that can not make out what it says because of her hair being in the way, it reads: "Gimme some CHOCOLATE and nobody gets hurt!" PRICELESS!

Happy Labor Day....

This weekend is going to be lots of fun filled with music, food, relaxation and more. Today we are heading up to the local mountains with some friends to go watch a FREE concert. The band is called the Atomic Punks and they are a Tribute Band for Van Halen. I am so excited. Tomorrow my family, and a some friends are going to go see Def Leopard, Cheap Trick, and Poison in concert. We have been waiting for some time now for this one. We had lots of fun seeing Poison last year. Funny to think that 20 years or so ago I saw Def Leopard. It was my second concert I had ever been to. Good times with my mom and brother back in the day.

Then we have Monday, Labor Day. This is the day that I get to go out with a couple of girl friends and go soak my body in the sun. We are going to Glen Ivy Hot Springs to not only enjoy the rays, but to go relax in their many pools, and soak up the aloe lotion in the Grotto. Awwww the thought.

Show #10 - Thank you Cynthia

I haven't been out to a chocolate party in almost 2 weeks now and was starting to get antsy. To tell you the truth I actually enjoyed having the time to rest after all the shows I have had previously while still trying to live life and be mom and wife all at the same time, but I was ready to get back out there and be "Mrs. Chocolatier".

Here are some of the photos that were taken of the night. Again, not to many pictures due to the fact that my camera stinks and makes most of the pictures blurry if there is not enough light in the room. :o/

Here are a few of the comments from the evening:

Rebecca - "Informative. Learned new things about chocolate that I never knew before. Very energetic ~ I usually get sleepy, but didn't at all tonight. Loved the ideas and the coupon game was new to me."

Bobbi - "Enjoyed the presentation."

Lori - "Very informative & knowledgeable."

Alyssa - "Doing GREAT! Had a Chocolatey Time!" :)

Thank you girls and Cynthia for a really nice evening out. I really enjoyed meeting all of you. I wanted to mention just how sweet Alyssa is. She really made me feel welcome from the first time she saw me and I really want to give her a BIG SPECIAL thank you. You are such a sweetheart.

Truffle Fudge Brownies and Milk Anyone?

You can serve a small Truffle Fudge Brownie on the rim of a shot glass of milk.

Here is the Truffle Fudge Brownie Mix if you are interested in placing an order, OR have a party and get it FREE.

Remember that catalog parties work just as well if you are out of my area. Better yet, become a Chocolatier and taste all the varieties of chocolate product(s) that we have.

Chocolate Cover Spoons

Chocolate Covered Spoons -

Materials:
Spoons
Cellophane bags or wrap
Chef-Series Chocolate (Dark, Milk, & White)
Optional: Cocoa Butter Flavoring Disks (Raspberry, Mint or Hazelnut)

Instructions:

This project is an ideal favor for weddings or parties. It is easy to make and is something functional that everyone will enjoy.

Start by melting down your chocolate in your chocolate tempering unit, or by melting the chocolate in the microwave in 20 second intervals. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Once you have melted your chocolate, allow it to cool slightly, but remain runny.

Dip your plastic spoons into the melted chocolate. Just the scoop part should be submerged in the chocolate.

Lay the spoons down onto some baking paper and allow to set. Once they are set, wrap them with the cellophane and tie a ribbon around the handle.

These will also make lovely coffee stir-through's. Oh, the thought!

Bunch these up into a decorative mug or teapot to display them on your party tables.

Enjoy!

For more information or to place an order, here are the Cocoa Butter Flavoring Disks: