(1045) Surprise TV episode coming up ready for elevenses. (1052)
15. End of choc as we know it?
14. Moo corner
13. Nick Shirley
12. More on Epsom
… including three of Steve’s in the mix in no particular order:
11. Epsom
Saturday [11 to 15]
unherdable cats
this is blog hq for nourishing obscurity and unherdable cats
15. Saw a video the other day on the best and worst chocolate sold in France. In no particular order the worst were: Milka, Kinder, Poulain, Lindt and Côte d’Or and Nestle cooking chocolate. Lindt 85% dark chocolate contained something like 1.3% cadmium which is over 50% of the legal limit. The others were guilty of either not having the required amount of cocoa solids to call it milk chocolate – has to be at least 35% or substituting cheap oils such as vegetable oils or palm oil for cocoa butter. The best chocolate were Valrhona, as recommended by pastry chefs, Cluizel, (my particular fave), Parlus, Bonnat and Weiss. All those used pure chocolate and included no fillers. I have noted of late that some brands, including those labeled “ organic” are substituting oil seed rape lecithin (colza) for soy lecithin. Of the two, soy is the least offensive. Can’t find the video now, I did take notes though.😉
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JH: Ta.
Correction – cadmium in Lindt 85% dark chocolate is more than 50% over the legal limit. It is also the most expensive.
If true that’s it’s very disappointing for me as I bought my sister a tin of Lindt chocolates for Xmas. Been doing the same for many years and they are not a present, just a treat to enjoy over the festivities. A tin has almost doubled in price over the past five years. Expensive poison is it?
This is not the video I saw – the one I saw was in French – but it gives an overview of certain brands, including Lindt and also Green & Blacks which I believe are both available in the UK. The levels of cadmium and lead are likely to be higher in dark chocolate due to the higher percentage of cocoa solids although as the guy explains the levels vary from batch to batch and depending on where the cocoa beans originate.
The video I saw specifically referred to Lindt 85% bars. This one refers to 70% bars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Rvsrh6jSg
Just had a look and the one’s in the tin are milk chocolate and truffle, no dark chocolate. Had no idea these heavy metals can be naturally present in cocoa beans. You learn something everyday 🤔
This may upset some people..
https://x.com/jacktronprime/status/2045266317566194135