"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!"
~ Lucy Van Pelt (in Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz)
Chocolate, one of the Western Hemisphere’s greatest culinary gifts to the world, is enjoying a renaissance is the USA, as its much-published health benefits have piqued an interest in high quality chocolate, with lots of good (and a few not-so-good) results.
First, the good. Chocolate consumption has been scientifically linked to longer life. A few pieces of chocolate every month may help make your life both sweeter and longer, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. A survey of healthy 65-year-old men revealed that those who ate sweets containing chocolate reportedly lived longer. Mortality was lowest among those consuming chocolate 1-3 times a month and higher among those who indulged in the habit 3 or more times a week. Surprisingly (or maybe not…?), non-consumers had the highest mortality rate of all. As with most things in life, moderation seems to be paramount.
But, as with all good things, there’s the danger of addiction. Many food scientists have reported that chocolate is the single most craved food of all, and in fact it has been found to trigger parts of the brain that are associated with drug addiction. The phenomena of chocolate craving is still poorly understood, and it is yet to be determined whether addiction is a sensory or a pharmacological effect.
The moral of this story? Enjoy your chocolate to the fullest, but do remember to eat your veggies, too.
Many Idahoans don’t know that we have a chocolate company right here in Boise that makes and sells rich European style chocolate bars chocolate throughout the country. Dream Chocolate (one of our favorite vendors!) ships to retailers in every state, as far North as Nome, Alaska and the Yukon territories in Canada!
It all started when Kay Johnson created Salmon River Foods in 1999 to service the outdoor outfitting industry. After 30 years of food service experience, he recognized the need for quality foods. He decided that chocolate “River Bars” would make good souvenirs for river rafting outfitters, and began including them in his offerings. When he started getting calls from customers asking where they could purchase this wonderful chocolate, he realized he had a marketing opportunity.
In the spring of 2002, Kay purchased his own chocolate factory equipment and founded Dream Chocolate, a company committed to producing the best chocolate bars imaginable. He uses the finest European and domestic chocolate, which is shipped to him in bulk containers weighing up to 2000 each!
In the factory, the bulk chocolate is melted, blended and tempered, and during the process some of the batches are enhanced with local and regional ingredients like fresh Idaho organic mint oil, whole Idaho huckleberries, lavender Oil from Sequim,Washington and coffee beans from Treasurer Valley roasters. The end result? An extensive variety of unique, incredibly delicious chocolate bars!
There are no fillers, or waxes in Dream Chocolates, and the cocoa content in the finished product (the percentage of chocolate from the cocoa bean) ranges from 33% to 85%. Each bar is hand poured, individually inspected, hand foiled and labeled for sale as a unique gift (or just for yourself). This is a labor-intensive process, but Kay feels the presentation and quality is far superior to machine wrapped bars. Dream Chocolate currently employs ten full- and part-time workers, and contracts with local artists to create a variety of intriguing, fun labels sure to bring delight and a smile to the most discriminating consumer.
But the goodness doesn’t stop there. In 2007, Dream Chocolate began producing USDA certified organic chocolate. The company and its employees are dedicated to improving society by recycling and purchasing from local and regional sources whenever possible. Plus, they offer several bars that help raise money for charitable organizations such as Omni Peace, whose mission is to stamp out poverty in Africa by 2025. This coming spring, they’ll have bars made with high-quality Rainforest Alliance Certified™ cocoa, from farms where the cocoa is grown in harmony with the forest, protecting wildlife and the environment while improving living conditions for farm families and local communities.
You can find the Dream Chocolate display near the fifth cash register at the Boise Coop. Shop local, and in this case, shop extra happy!
